Mankyeol the Divine Physician (7)
Ji-un thought to himself.
He was truly a fool.
The chilling realization that his own mistake had nearly let his fellow sect members burn alive sent shivers down his spine.
What the hell have I done...?
Only now, on the brink of death, could he awaken from his stupidity.
It felt like snapping out of a fleeting springtime dream.
But it was already too late.
The sword shot toward him at a speed he couldn't counter or dodge.
This was the end for him...
Still, if this could serve as atonement...
He closed his eyes.
Ching-!
But then an unexpected clash of steel rang out, and when he opened his eyes in shock, he gasped.
"S-Sect Leader!"
The sect leader stood before him.
His face was cold and chilling, a far cry from the benevolent, chuckling "Heh heh" man who laughed off everything.
"No matter who you are, I won't let you touch a disciple of the Hyeongmun Sect."
Ji-un stared in astonishment, realizing the sect leader had saved him from the black-clad assailant's strike.
Meanwhile, the black-clad man spoke in a icy tone.
"For your information, the disciple you just saved is the one who deliberately spread the plague in the Hyeongmun Sect."
"I know."
Ji-un jolted in surprise once more.
He knew?
And yet he'd saved him anyway.
"What can I do? Like it or not, he's a disciple I must carry on my back."
"Impressive."
"Seeing you say that, I take it your master isn't the forgiving type?"
"......"
The black-clad man fell silent.
His master showed no mercy for failure.
So...
Tat-!
He kicked off the ground and swung his sword at the sect leader.
Ching-! Cha-ching-!
After just a few exchanges, the black-clad man realized the vast gap in their skills.
But he couldn't retreat now.
Then the sect leader spoke to him.
"Do you intend to die?"
"......"
"I see you do. Then grant me a favor. Tell me what you know."
"......And if I do? I'm as good as dead already."
"I'll give you a warrior's honorable death, not that of an assassin."
The black-clad man let out a scoff at his words.
Truth be told, he hadn't chosen the assassin's path out of desire.
As a former proper warrior, he'd grown disillusioned with that life.
So he accepted the offer.
"Very well. I don't know much, but..."
He shared what he knew. As he said, it was only a handful of details.
The Hyeongmun Sect had caught the eye of the Murim Alliance Leader.
The plague afflicting the Hyeongmun Sect had indeed been crafted by the Sacheon Tang Clan, just as Mankyeol Uiseon had guessed.
The Alliance Leader was furious at the failure of this operation.
And so on.
"That's all I know."
"It's enough."
The black-clad man continued.
"So what now?"
"What can we do? We'll just live on as we have, pretending such things happen."
The sect leader added,
"Surely the Alliance Leader had his reasons."
"......"
The sect leader raised his sword and said to him,
"Raise your sword. And fight with all you've got."
The black-clad man nodded and met his blade.
"I am Do-jin, sect leader of the Hyeongmun Sect. What is your name?"
"My name is... Yeon Gye-seung."
For a moment, an eerie silence fell, so profound even breathing felt cautious.
About half an incense stick's time later.
Tat-!
Tat-!
Their figures vanished, then reappeared on opposite sides.
The sect leader lifted his sleeve.
Half of it was sliced clean off. Seeing this, he chuckled "Heh heh."
"Farewell, Warrior Yeon Gye-seung."
Thud.
He dropped to his knees.
Then, smiling, he continued,
"Thank you... Such a sect leader... I'm envious."
With that, his body collapsed.
The sect leader turned to Ji-un.
"Your senior brothers and peers are worried about you."
"Huh?"
"They say you've been acting strange lately."
"S-Strange? But I've been behaving as usual."
"After all these years of bickering and living together in the sect, how could they not notice?"
"......"
"We just figured you had your reasons."
At those words, Ji-un finally collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I'm sorry... I... I... Waaah..."
"Enough. Get up. The ground is cold."
"Sect Leader... Hnngh..."
"Heh heh heh."
The sect leader gathered wood and lit a fire. Soon, thick smoke billowed in all directions.
Up in the tree.
I watched the scene unfold.
The Hyeongmun Sect's leader was truly a good man.
The very embodiment of benevolence.
The sect leader looked up at me. I nodded in response.
He headed back to the main hall with his disciple Ji-un, and only then did I descend from the tree.
Tat.
I approached the fallen Yeon Gye-seung.
Though the firewood blazed, it wasn't to burn his body—it was meant to create that illusion.
Yeon Gye-seung wasn't dead yet.
The sect leader hadn't killed him.
Of course—he'd promised a warrior's fair fight, not death. No promise broken.
It was the mark of a true sect leader.
I recalled the sound transmission the sect leader had sent me from atop the tree.
—Such a waste of talent. How could I refuse? He came to kill my disciple, but it didn't seem of his own will.
"......"
—I'll use the smoke to mislead the eyes watching us now.
I nodded in agreement.
Thus the smoke began.
Once I confirmed the watchers had left, I climbed down.
I hoisted the fallen Yeon Gye-seung over my shoulder.
The elders would have a few words about this.
But watching his swordsmanship earlier, a thought struck me.
It resembles the sword style I practice...
Nah, must be my imagination.
.
.
.
A few days later.
It was time for Mankyeol Uiseon and me to leave the Hyeongmun Sect.
We couldn't stay forever.
We decided to provide prescriptions for the medicine to the warriors who visited.
The ingredients were running low, and we couldn't supply endlessly.
The sect leader gave Mankyeol Uiseon and me each a jade plaque.
"What's this?"
"This is a token we give to those who've greatly aided our Hyeongmun Sect. It means we'll help if you ever need it."
His resolute gaze left no room for refusal, so I tucked the plaque away.
"And as the great hero advised, we'll keep silent about this incident."
"Wise choice."
The Hyeongmun Sect was small.
If something like this happened again, who knew what might befall them? They planned to lay low.
That's why he'd said during the talk with Yeon Gye-seung, "The Alliance Leader must have had his reasons."
But that wasn't submission.
When the time came, they'd bare their fangs.
As I left the sect leader's quarters, a young disciple came running up.
The kid who'd been thrilled about receiving his name.
"Are you leaving now?"
"Yeah. Time to go."
"Come visit again soon!"
"Sure. So eat well, sleep well, and train hard. Got it?"
"Yes!"
The child nodded.
"And I got my name today."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes. It's Gu Hwi."
Gu Hwi (救輝)—the light that saves others.
"Great name."
As we crossed the courtyard, I spotted Ji-un.
He'd volunteered to clean the latrines for the next thirty years as his punishment.
Thus, Mankyeol Uiseon, my group, and I left the Hyeongmun Sect amid their farewells.
.
.
.
We rendezvoused with our companions waiting in Uichang.
Seven days later.
We finally arrived at the Eunhae Merchant Group.
A crowd like roiling clouds swarmed the front.
"Form a line!"
"Snow Honeysuckle over here! White Spirit Grass there! Snow Ginseng on that side!"
"Other herbs this way!"
"Hey! Get in line! Keep it up, and the scary warriors will come running."
"You there! No cutting!"
"Auction starts soon!"
Luckily, we entered through the back gate, slipping past the throng unscathed.
"Congratulations on the safe return of Lord Hyeonpung and his entourage."
Having received word in advance, Hyeonpung's Vice Minister of Rites and a few others greeted us.
"What... what is all this?"
"Thanks to Seonhyeopmirang Lord."
Ugh, even Seonhyeopmirang has spread here.
"My doing? What do you mean?"
I had no clue.
"The truth is..."
The warrior explained: Word had spread that the Eunhae Merchant Group had herbs for the plague ravaging Uichang and the Hyeongmun Sect, drawing people from across the nation.
"So the guild master and family are rushed off their feet."
"That's why they couldn't greet us."
"Yes. And this gentleman?"
I grinned.
"This is Mankyeol Uiseon."
"Gasp!"
The vice minister bowed deeply in shock.
"An honor to meet the esteemed divine physician."
"He's the Vice Minister of Rites from Hyeonpung, where I'm lord."
"Pleased to meet you."
I asked the vice minister,
"Father's inside, right?"
"Yes."
To those who'd traveled with me, I said,
"You've all worked hard. Go rest. Dismissed."
"You too."
The group dispersed.
Left were Palgap, two escort warriors, and the veiled warrior who'd followed me.
I told them,
"I'll see Father first. Head to Mungok Hall ahead."
"Got it."
Mankyeol Uiseon and I headed to Father's office.
Those who arrived at Mungok Hall unpacked.
"Um, warrior?"
"Yes."
"You should wash up first."
At Palgap's words, he grabbed fresh clothes and entered the bath.
Washing in warm water, he finally realized he was at the Eunhae Merchant Group, not the Murim Alliance.
His name was Yeon Gye-seung.
An assassin in the employ of the Murim Alliance Leader.
But that name was useless now. He'd chosen to live as someone else.
He'd dueled the Hyeongmun Sect leader, and upon waking, a handsome young man was at his side.
The man—Eun Seo-ho—made an astonishing offer.
To help him live a new life, not as an assassin.
When asked why, Eun Seo-ho smiled and replied,
"This isn't from me—it's the sect leader's grace. Ask him next time you meet."
He accepted.
He was dead anyway.
If dying, why not be a bit greedier?
Just a few days, or months, striding proudly as a warrior.
If even greedier, if that person still lived, he'd seek them out.
To tell them what happened that day.
Now, only he knew the truth.
Father welcomed Mankyeol Uiseon with utmost hospitality.
After seeing the divine physician off to his quarters under the vice minister's guidance, I turned back to Father.
"So, how's it feel to earn the title Seonhyeopmirang?"
"A burden."
"Guard it well. Titles like that aren't handed out lightly."
"Planning to polish it daily."
Father smiled warmly at my words.
"Honestly, when you cleared out our spirit herbs, I had no idea what you were up to. Turns out you had a plan."
"Huh?"
"People flocked for those slow-selling elixirs, so we held an auction. Not just cures for the plague, but preventives too."
They did have that effect.
"How much profit?"
Father detailed the auction earnings.
"What?"
I was speechless for a while.
"R-Really? That much?"
"Quite the haul."
Father's cheeks nearly touched the sky.
I'd expected buzz about our herbs, but not this spending frenzy.
"All thanks to you."
"My name value?"
"No. You've earned us trust. And in elixir trade, trust is everything."
I chuckled.
Through this, our merchant group gained something priceless.
Trust.