Mankyeol Immortal Physician (5)
In his previous life, he'd heard about it from Palgap.
"A fire broke out in the Murim Alliance's assembly hall, and people burned to death."
"What? In the Murim Alliance?"
"They caught the culprit. Some guy named Gu-si."
"What was the reason?"
"No idea."
It had passed just like that.
Was there another person with the same name, a namesake?
There were too many things to do to ponder it deeply.
After finishing the dishes and preparing to do the laundry, the Mankyeol Immortal Physician approached him.
"It seems Snow Lotus Herb alone won't cut it. I suppose I'll have to inform the Murim Alliance and request the necessary herbs."
What? The Murim Alliance?
No way...
He recalled the name Gu-si from his previous life and the arson he'd committed.
Why was his name Gu-si?
Why set fire to the assembly hall?
Why that particular hall in the Murim Alliance?
The Murim Alliance was guarded meticulously by experts, so starting a fire there would have required years of patience and preparation.
What could drive someone to endure such hardship for that?
People have emotions that enable that kind of endurance.
One of them is the thirst for revenge.
Among all possible revenges, what stuck out was burning the assembly hall and letting those inside burn alive.
A pure child who would believe his senior brother's promise to give him that name.
What could push such a kid over the edge? The moment he heard the Mankyeol Immortal Physician say he'd notify the Murim Alliance, it clicked.
In his previous life, the Mankyeol Immortal Physician must have come to the Hyeongmun Sect.
And discovered this plague afflicting Murim folk.
Naturally, he'd need herbs, so he'd send a letter to the Murim Alliance requesting aid.
He'd done it before because the Alliance had always provided support.
But not this time.
The Murim Alliance chose a far more extreme solution than the Immortal Physician anticipated.
Cut the grass, remove the roots.
True to the idiom, they razed it all.
Perhaps they feared it because it struck those who cultivated inner arts.
It could spread across the entire Murim world.
Even so, that didn't justify it.
With herb support, it could have been cured.
He was certain, having watched from the sidelines.
Given time and conditions—or just the herbs—the Mankyeol Immortal Physician could have cured it.
But...
Whether Gu-si or whatever new name, the child buzzing with excitement over belonging and a fresh start faced not the warmth he'd hoped for.
Flaming assembly halls.
The agonized screams of those burning alive.
Cries of despair and pleas for mercy.
Blades swung at the few who escaped.
And those dying at the sword's edge.
How powerless must he have felt, hiding, unable to act?
Those bastards.
No wonder...
When he'd died, the expert way they torched the carriage, horses, and corpses—it wasn't their first rodeo.
Some might call his speculation exaggerated.
The righteous Murim Alliance wouldn't do that.
Righteousness my ass.
He could speculate because he'd lived it.
And amid it all, the Mankyeol Immortal Physician was likely killed too.
He hadn't known because the Alliance buried it like a shameful secret.
That's why Gu-si's arson in his past life fizzled out unresolved.
He asked the Mankyeol Immortal Physician,
"Can't Snow Lotus Herb handle it?"
"Seems not. Being Murim folk, remedies for ordinary people don't work well."
"What other herbs do you need?"
"Why? Is your merchant group offering?"
"Hahaha."
He laughed awkwardly.
"Never mind. Even if your group luckily had Snow Lotus Herb, that luck won't hold forever."
"True enough."
"We need White Tiger Spirit to calm raging inner energy and Snow Ginseng to aid absorption. You think your group has those spirit herbs?"
"..."
Sir, it seems Eunhae Merchant Group has that kind of luck in spades.
As he grinned, the Immortal Physician flinched.
"W-what? Don't tell me your group has them?"
Instead of answering, he countered,
"So, how much do you need?"
"Ahem, just one stalk each."
"Got it."
The issue was how to request them.
No one here could leave freely.
The disciples' trips to the village below risked spreading rumors.
Measures were needed.
"This is tricky."
"Yeah. We have the herbs, but no way to ask..."
As they pondered,
"Kku?"
The golden spirit poked its head from his sleeve, pointing to itself with its wriggling tail.
"You?"
"Kku kku!"
"You'll go?"
"Kku kku!"
As a spirit beast, it wouldn't carry the plague, but could this little guy really travel that far?
"But you need to hurry back. How'll you manage alone...?"
"Kkui kku! Kku!"
"You can?"
Its eyes sparkled with certainty as it nodded.
"Alright, then."
Nothing to lose.
He wrote a letter and tied it to the spirit's tail.
"There. Go on."
No sooner said than the spirit shot off like an arrow.
Whoosh—!
Gone before he could count to three. He muttered,
"Whoa... it's fast."
The next day.
"Kkui!"
The golden spirit returned.
A letter bound to its tail. He untied and read it.
"Understood. I'll send the requested herbs."
His father's reply.
The spirit had delivered it perfectly.
As promised, about a week later, the herbs arrived.
The Immortal Physician brewed the medicine, and those who took it began improving.
.
.
.
Leisure time at last.
He and the Mankyeol Immortal Physician sat in the front yard, gazing at the moon.
Autumn skies were high and clear.
The night sky too.
The moon shone brilliantly.
Mid-Autumn Festival soon.
"What are your plans for this Mid-Autumn Festival, sir?"
"Me?"
The Immortal Physician thought a moment, then continued.
"Just treat folks here and there, snag some mooncakes. That's it."
He chuckled, turning his head.
"People don't stop getting sick for the festival."
"Fair point."
He nodded.
He didn't know why the Immortal Physician chose this path, but there must be a story.
Hence the self-imposed hardships.
In his past life, what ran through his mind as he was slain?
Regret for his life?
Or...
No clue.
"Why ask?"
"If you have time, stay at our merchant group awhile."
"Free?"
He chuckled.
"Not free. Word of the Mankyeol Immortal Physician at Eunhae spreads, and people take notice."
The Immortal Physician chuckled too, seeing through him.
"Guess I'll visit Eunhae out of curiosity. How do you pull out spirit herbs like candy?"
"Just luck."
He smiled. The Physician grumbled,
"Don't smile like that. Makes me fond of you."
"Hahaha."
"But listen."
His face turned grave in an instant.
"No matter how I look, this plague in Hyeongmun Sect didn't spread naturally."
"Pardon?"
"Traces of deliberate infection. They refined the plague from Yichang and spread it here on purpose."
"What?"
Fury laced the Immortal Physician's voice.
He was angry too—how must the Physician feel?
"Who the hell would do this...?"
"Suspects?"
"Few with that skill. Obvious: Sacheon Tang Clan or Myogang poison sects."
"..."
"But Myogang focuses on poison research. Not this."
"Sacheon Tang, then?"
"My guess."
His voice was bitterly rueful.
No way.
Sacheon Tang wouldn't.
Already eyed warily for poisons.
Deliberately spread a plague?
Unless suicidal.
Even if they did, the Alliance wouldn't seize control by torching everything...
Wait.
Honestly, learning Gu-si's story enraged him at the Alliance.
Yet one thing nagged.
Why, when herbs could cure it?
They had no choice—from their view.
If the Alliance caused this plague.
They'd researched here, and burying it with the Immortal Physician who uncovered it—that was ideal.
Targeting sect members: a plague deadly to Murim folk.
But why research it?
No—more urgent now.
He stood.
"Where to?"
"Moon catching."
"Huh?"
He pointed at the moon.
"Like the moon watching this sect, someone might be watching us."
"...!"
Startled briefly, the Immortal Physician stood too.
"Indeed."
Late night.
As all slept, someone moved stealthily.
Wearing robes stamped with Hyeongmun Sect's mark.
He glanced around warily.
Out of the hall, he dashed the mountain path to a tree by a rock.
He hated this narrow sect. Craved the wide world.
Resented his master who'd found him as a child, brought him here, then died leaving him behind.
Then they approached.
The Murim Alliance.
How did they know his desires? They planted dreams and illusions.
At first, spreading plague in his growth sect horrified him.
"How can you ask me to do that?"
"It's for the greater good."
"What of my seniors, juniors... fellow disciples?"
He resented master, but not his fellows.
Bonds formed over years.
"How can petty feelings achieve the greater good?"
"..."
"We promise: succeed, and we'll make you Leader of the Alliance."
Alliance Leader required at least Peak Realm skill.
He hadn't reached it—yet Leader!
He bit the bait.
"No threat to life?"
"Of course. Just detail the plague's progress and leave reports as agreed."
He pulled a bamboo tube from his bosom, placed it in the tree hollow.
Report on plague progress and Immortal Physician's treatments.
How many more times?
As he turned,
"...!"
He gasped.
A handsome face right before him.
Seonhyeopmirang, Eun Seo-ho.
Cold sweat poured.
"What are you doing?"
"Wh-wh-what..."
Then someone behind moved. The Mankyeol Immortal Physician.
He retrieved the bamboo tube, read the report inside, and clicked his tongue.
"You bastard, if you're reporting, do it properly—not this sloppy crap."
"..."
"Anyway, who ordered this?"
"..."
"Spread plague here, write reports—what'd they promise instead?"
"..."
"Alliance Leader seat?"
"...!"
He jolted. Spot on.
"But will they honor it?"
"Of course!"
"On what? Reputation?"
"..."
"Never thought they'd wipe this place out to protect it—including you?"
No.
Impossible.
They existed for Murim's justice.