Chapter 179
Chapter 179
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 179
Chapter Title: The Weight of a Name
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Fame, in other words, the value of a name, guarantees far more than one might expect.
Because that's the kind of era it was.
Just as he'd felt recently, depending on who said it, even the young master of one of the Five Great Clans of the world could be branded a worthless wretch.
'The disciple of the World's Greatest Physician!'
'Even if it's impersonation, why pick someone of that stature...!'
Despite the worries—or rather, the anxiety—from Chui-dal and Baek Heon-so, Baek Yang-hui brazenly followed the gatekeeper's guidance.
"Young hero. Are you truly the disciple of the World's Greatest Physician?"
"Ah, I told you I am! I'm not asking you to believe me on my word alone—go ahead and test me once you're inside."
"Hmmm... If it turns out you're lying, you'll face severe punishment."
"Man, people sure are hard to trust."
Chui-dal and Baek Heon-so cried out inwardly once more.
'Yeah, we can't trust anyone who shows up!'
'Brother, why not just go in alone!'
Realm aside, their faces still screamed youthful innocence.
Three burly young lads barging in and claiming ties to the World's Greatest Physician—anyone would be suspicious.
If their clothes hadn't been of decent quality, they'd have been chased off with a beating without a second thought.
"Tch, treating someone like me, a disciple of the World's Greatest Physician, this shabbily? Hm?"
"It's just words for now, young hero. Once the truth comes out, the young master will treat you with the utmost respect."
"It had better be that way. Ahem."
Baek Yang-hui's group was led to a lavish guest room in the reception hall.
"Wow, this reception hall is no joke."
"This is better than the main quarters of most manors, isn't it?"
"As expected of one of the Three Great Merchant Houses of the world."
As they chatted and waited briefly, a man appeared.
His attire was as luxurious and ornate as the room, but his face was full of displeasure.
"Young hero. You're claiming to be the disciple of the World's Greatest Physician?"
No introduction, just a blunt question.
And with that sour, shit-eating expression to boot.
Acting like this was a sure way to miss out on important guests.
What if this really was the World's Greatest Physician's disciple—or someone equally valuable?
'Of course, I am scamming them.'
Still, to avoid backlash later when the scam was exposed, he should probably soothe their moods a bit.
With that thought, he deliberately curled up the corners of his mouth.
"How many have come before me?"
At the unexpected question, the man—clearly the young master—showed a flicker of interest on his face.
"I'm asking because I figured plenty might claim to be the World's Greatest Physician's disciple and visit our house."
"...You're the fourth. Two have been beaten and kicked out so far."
There was subtle pressure: prove you're the real deal unless you want to be the fourth.
Yet Baek Yang-hui's smirk didn't fade.
"The World's Greatest Physician, Seong Su-sin. He is indeed my master."
No, he'd never even seen the man's face.
But what did it matter? As long as he cured the house master, Jin Yeong-gil, everything would be fine.
"Mind if I ask a few simple questions to verify you're really Seong Su-sin's disciple?"
"Of course!"
The young master, having ushered the supposed physician into the room, began firing off questions.
Almost all about medicine.
Baek Yang-hui answered effortlessly, adding detailed explanations to boot, making it clear his knowledge surpassed any ordinary physician.
'As the saying goes, even a schoolhouse dog learns to recite poetry after three years.'
He'd spent nearly a decade with the Tang siblings, young masters of the Tang Clan.
The Tang Clan's medical and poison arts were among the best in the world, and Baek Yang-hui's memory never forgot anything he'd heard once. Posing as a physician was child's play.
"Young master. We've exchanged questions, and it's clear your knowledge of medicine is profound."
"Hmph. So you're not some quack spouting nonsense for a quick buck."
"Of course not."
Said loudly enough for all to hear. Baek Yang-hui remained composed, but Chui-dal and Baek Heon-so broke into cold sweats.
'That's exactly what it is. From start to finish...'
'Brother... Their instincts are sharp...'
"Young master. Surely you can trust me now?"
"Let's assume for now that you are Seong Su-sin's disciple. What brings you to our house?"
Instead of answering, the young master fired back a question.
Meaning, of course, he still didn't believe it.
"To treat Lord Jin Yeong-gil, naturally."
"And claim a reward in return?"
"Ahem. I wouldn't refuse if offered."
"I see. Stay in this guest room for a few days, then."
"Hm? For how many days?"
The reply came in a tone laced with disbelief.
"Did you think you could examine our house master right away? We'll be thoroughly investigating your background and recent movements over the next few days, so don't take it personally."
The moment the young master shut the guest room door with a loud bang,
their eardrums rang.
-Broooother!! You strutted in so confidently, and this is it?!
-Aren't we busted? What do we do now?
Baek Yang-hui quickly scanned the room. As expected of a great merchant house—guards were hidden everywhere.
Though they weren't exactly subtle.
-There are listening ears everywhere, so keep sensitive talk to transmissions from now on. Anyway, everything's going according to plan, so relax.
His words, obvious as they were, didn't inspire much confidence in his two brothers.
-According to plan my ass! You were just winging it and hit a wall!
-Hey now, Chui-dal, you ugly bastard.
-Whoa, now you're openly calling me weird names?
-Too lazy to talk long-winded today, that's all. Anyway, it really is according to plan.
-Prove it!
-There. We're inside the manor. That's your proof.
"......"
"......"
He grinned at their silence.
It wasn't an excuse—things really were proceeding as planned.
Claiming to be the World's Greatest Physician's disciple was solely to get inside the manor.
'Seong Su-sin, who announced his seclusion nearly a decade ago? Common folk might buy it, but a Three Great Merchant House won't on words alone.'
-Brother. But really... is impersonating him okay? If problems arise later, Father might get angry.
-It's fine, it's fine. No issues will come up.
Why? Because Seong Su-sin was already dead.
About ten years ago, someone had retrieved his remains and secret manual and announced it in the martial world, probably.
No one left to get mad or question impersonating a disciple. Borrowing the name for a few days—what could go wrong?
Good was good.
"Alright, since we're already inside the manor, let's sightsee a bit and gather some info. Come on."
Jin Yeong-gil's illness was widely rumored.
So the reception hall must be crawling with quacks claiming they could cure it.
'If someone's already examined him, I can roughly figure out the symptoms by asking around.'
He was confident he could cure it in days if he knew the illness and treatment, but prior intel never hurt.
With that in mind, as he headed to the hall where the guests gathered,
'Plenty dressed like physicians, alright.'
"Greetings, everyone! This one is Baek, disciple who inherited the true arts of the World's Greatest Physician, Seong Su-sin! I bid you hello!"
Leveraging the famed title should draw at least some reaction.
Curiosity, puzzlement.
Or even suspicion.
But the response was lukewarm.
"You're... that great hero's disciple?"
The speaker was a nun with youthful features and a small hat.
A female monk, in other words.
And in Sichuan, one sect came to mind for female monks.
"Emei Sect?"
"Amitabha."
Come to think of it, a Taoist in a robe embroidered with sunset clouds and blue mist was sipping tea beside her.
Red sunset over blue clouds. Plus Sichuan.
'Qingcheng Sect. Two of Sichuan's Nine Great Sects are here as guests.'
"Immeasurable blessings. What an amusing turn of events."
Jet-black Taoist robes embroidered with white mist.
No, not mist—patterns symbolizing light.
"Dian Cang Sect too?"
"Haha, you recognize our sect's robes, so you're clearly well-informed, Dao-friend."
How could he not? Even stuck in Yunnan, these were the Nine Great Sects.
Especially ones powerful enough to rank among them from afar.
"An honor to meet esteemed guests from renowned Emei, Qingcheng, and Dian Cang."
As he cupped his fists in greeting, the Dian Cang Taoist smiled faintly.
"We should exchange names properly, but first, one question, Dao-friend."
The Taoist placed a hand on the shoulder of the man beside him.
"Little Divine Physician. This Dao-friend claims to be that great hero's disciple. Any words?"
The Little Divine Physician shook his head firmly, as if it were absurd.
"My master had only one disciple: me. Venerable Daoist."
Baek Yang-hui, who hadn't lost his composure once until now,
couldn't help the cold sweat trickling down his back this time.
'Huh? This wasn't in the plan.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Truth be told, he'd thought the young master's prickly suspicion was over the top.
No matter how great a Three Great Merchant House they were, the World's Greatest Physician Seong Su-sin's name should command respect.
Yet they were treating him like this without even disproving his claim?
'No, this cold shoulder makes perfect sense.'
They had three cocky youngsters claiming out of nowhere to be Seong Su-sin's disciple.
The others had the backing of three Nine Great Sects—and Seong Su-sin's real disciple.
'Wow. Young master, you're a deep one. Future head of the house material. No wonder he didn't turn us away at the gate.'
This was almost embarrassing for not recognizing it sooner.
'Problem is, both sides are impersonators and fakes.'
Seong Su-sin had died without taking a disciple.
That much was certain.
There might be some backstory, but no disciple—that was clear.
As he mulled this, the Dian Cang's Neung O smiled gently at Baek Yang-hui.
"Well then, Dao-friend, time for introductions. This one is Neung O of Dian Cang Sect."
Drop the World's Greatest Physician nonsense and reveal your true identity.
-B-brother. Things are getting out of hand. Shouldn't we come clean now?
-Brother! Big trouble! What do we do? If this blows up, it'll drag down the Tang Clan!
Of course it would. The Tang Clan was leashed by the Nine Great Sects, and here were disciples from three of them.
'Damn, situation just got tricky.'
Three nearby Nine Great Sects all sending people?
That could happen.
Jin Yeong-gil of a Three Great Merchant House warranted sending disciples to check—and the connections from a successful cure would be invaluable.
The issue was the timing.
Investigating them and sending people?
Even Zhuge Liang reborn couldn't predict that—it was pure coincidence.
'Tch. Talk about rotten luck.'
"Dao-friend. Cat got your tongue? Or do you lack a name?"
Baek Yang-hui stared straight at Neung O's face.
That smiling mug spouting annoyances so smoothly.
Was it the Taoist robes? Why so irritating?
'Tch. Fine, frontal assault it is.'
"Call me Baek for now. But first, I have words for you Nine Great Sect folk. That guy—he's a fraud."
The Little Divine Physician's face stiffened at Baek Yang-hui's accusation.
Ignoring it, he squared his shoulders and continued.
"A total fraud. Because there's no way he's the Little Divine Physician's disciple! I'll bet my arm on it—no, my neck!"
Desperate transmissions from Chui-dal and Baek Heon-so pierced his ears.
-Brother! How far are you taking this?!
-No turning back now!
-Aaaah! That's not it! I don't think that's the way!
-Broooother! I'm scared! For real scared!
Hey now, little brothers.
Time to teach you something.
Crisis is but opportunity in disguise.