About a year had passed since I began studying medicine and acupuncture. I was praised for my exceptional memory, and I had already acquired a considerable amount of rote knowledge, even applying it to the Brain Calming Classic. However, medicine required more than just memorization; it demanded the ability to apply knowledge and make cold, intuitive judgments. Thus, I felt as if I had hit a wall.
Hwaseong always seemed to regretfully say,
"Hmm... You have a good head, but being a bit dim is your flaw."
What kind of evaluation is this?
Unable to get angry, I just stared blankly at him, and Hwaseong continued,
"Don't worry. You still learn much faster than the average doctor. It's just a shame that if your insight (悟性) had been a bit better, you could have been a great genius."
"That's a relief."
"Especially, your speed in learning acupuncture (針術) is very good."
I felt happy when he praised my acupuncture, the only area he ever complimented me in. As he said, among the many fields of medicine, I could excel in acupuncture.
Acupuncture is a practice where the slightest difference in the manipulation of acupoints (穴) and the flow of qi can change the outcome. My qi sensing ability was highly developed, allowing me to read the flow of the human body, and my high martial arts skills ensured that my hands never trembled or faltered. Physically, I was far superior to the average doctor. While I didn't achieve much in other areas of medicine like pharmacology (藥), herbs (草), surgery (外科手術), and so on, I was confident in my acupuncture.
'I can do something well after all.'
After living in constant self-pity due to a lack of talent, I felt a sense of joy. Seeing my happiness, Hwaseong, who had been hesitant, spoke,
"...I have one question."
"What is it?"
"Do you have any intention of becoming a doctor (醫員)? Giving up this bodyguard work and becoming a doctor who heals people."
"Hmm..."
I pondered and then said,
"If I have the time later, I would definitely like to become one."
Right now, I have things to do, so I can't pursue the path of medicine, but if I can stop the Jinyiwei's plot and live my life, I think that would be a good thing. I could think this way because I was enjoying learning acupuncture. Hwaseong, after some thought, suddenly said,
"For a whole year, I never told you why the Hua family, which was one of the most prominent families in Hebei, declined."
I stopped organizing the herbs and glanced at him. Hwaseong, sitting in his chair, slowly continued while warming himself by the brazier.
"It was entirely my fault. It was because I accepted the offer from the White Lotus Sect."
"What do you mean?"
Crack
Hwaseong stared at the flames in the brazier and then threw in a kindling stick. The flames shot up higher.
"About ten years ago, I was the head of the Hua family, a renowned medical family in Hebei, and one of the five great doctors in the world."
He spoke in the past tense.
"......"
"I still believe that my medical skills are unmatched in the world, except for Dongfang Wujie and Jiang Zhongji. Given my pride in my skills, it was inevitable that a messenger from the White Lotus Sect would come to me."
I put down the herbs and sat opposite him, ready to listen intently. Hwaseong continued,
"The White Lotus Sect had a young leader (小教主) who had a serious illness. I was asked by their messenger to cure the young leader."
"What kind of illness?"
"Hmm... They didn't tell me at the time. But the messenger offered me a huge sum of two hundred gold ingots as a down payment and promised that the White Lotus Sect would provide full support for the Hua family's future. They also challenged me, saying it would be difficult to cure, and I fell for it."
Hwaseong spat out the words.
"Even if I had refused, it would have been impossible, given that the White Lotus Sect's law enforcer came to my family in person."
"Law enforcer?"
"Yes. He wore a gray fox mask."
Gray fox mask.
As I repeated the words, Hwaseong said,
"I followed the law enforcer to the White Lotus Sect. Although I couldn't meet the sect leader directly, all five of us great doctors were already there. They had also been invited by the White Lotus Sect."
"To cure the young leader's illness, they gathered all the great doctors in the world."
"Exactly. It showed how desperate the White Lotus Sect was."
I was truly surprised by this unexpected information. Ten years ago, considering my previous life, wasn't that long ago. The fact that the five great doctors gathered at the White Lotus Sect to treat the young leader was astounding!
As I listened intently, Hwaseong bowed his head and continued,
"However... that day, my pride was shattered. None of us, including myself, could cure the young leader's illness. Dongfang Wujie identified the illness, I improved the condition with acupuncture, Jiang Zhongji stabilized it, and the other two helped, but it was still too much. Even with the best herbs in the world, which the White Lotus Sect provided, we couldn't cure it."
I was shocked.
"......!! Is there such an illness in the world?"
"There was. And we spent a whole year at the White Lotus Sect, unable to cure it, which left us feeling hopeless. We thought we were as good as dead, and our family would be wiped out."
But he is still alive. As I stared at Hwaseong, he smiled bitterly.
"On the last day, I met the sect leader from a distance. He spoke from behind a screen, saying, 'It couldn't be helped,' and let us go. It seemed he knew from the beginning that we couldn't cure the young leader."
He knew we couldn't cure it.
But he still invited us.
Why?
'Something... doesn't seem to be just about desperation.'
As I pondered, Hwaseong said,
"Then the incident happened. The fact that the five great doctors, including myself, went to the White Lotus Sect to treat the young leader became known in the martial world. Martial artists accused us of colluding with the demon sect (魔敎), and the Hua family lost all its clients. No matter how great a doctor you are, if no one comes for treatment, you can't do anything..."
"You mean that information was leaked by the White Lotus Sect?"
"I don't know. But the timing was too perfect, so I suspect it was the White Lotus Sect. It was probably their way of punishing us."
The sect leader likely thought that directly killing or exterminating the five great doctors would not look good to the world. So, he deliberately leaked the information to the martial world, making us 'traitors.' In this case, the criticism would be directed solely at us.
I was confused and said,
"Didn't you consider the possibility from the beginning? Why did you go to the White Lotus Sect..."
"I had no choice. The White Lotus Sect's law enforcer came in person and asked for help. If I had refused, my family would have been wiped out on the spot. I had to accept, no matter the outcome."
"Um..."
Hwaseong took a gulp of water. On closer inspection, it wasn't water but Chuyeong tea. After drinking the tea and sighing, Hwaseong continued,
"I thought I couldn't live in the Central Plains anymore, so I looked for a place to live elsewhere. I decided to move my family to Goryeo, thinking that in a place unrelated to the Central Plains martial world, we could live without being despised."
"That's why you came as a guest of the Jeong family."
"Yes. In exchange for being the personal doctor of the Jeong family head, he agreed to naturalize the Hua family in Goryeo. That's why I can never forget his kindness and can never refuse his requests."
Hwaseong looked at me with a less-than-friendly gaze. Indeed, he was busy just being a personal doctor, and taking on a disciple like me must not have been to his liking. Given the secretive nature of the master-disciple relationship in medicine, he likely hesitated to pass on his secrets.
"But not all of my Hua family members have come to Goryeo yet. Half of them are still in the Central Plains, living in disgrace."
"Why?"
"Because of money. We don't have enough money."
Hwaseong sighed and took another gulp of Chuyeong tea.
"No matter how kind Jeong Cheolwook is, he's not generous enough to fund the entire family's move to Kaesong. I'm using all the money I've earned as his personal doctor to help the Hua family naturalize in Goryeo, but it's still far from enough."
"What do you mean? It can't cost that much to travel from Hebei through Shandong to here by boat, right?"
"Ridiculous. The life of a medical family is in medical books (醫書), and our family has a treasure trove of materials, herbs, and knowledge. To move all of that to Goryeo would require the funds to set up two or three escort agencies. Surely you're not suggesting we abandon everything the Hua family has built over hundreds or thousands of years?"
"Um..."
Hwaseong opened his eyes and looked at me.
"Then you appeared and gave me a root of Shenglian. I sold that root over the past year and used the money to bring twenty family members and the medical family's materials to Goryeo. I owe you a lot."
"That Shenglian root could have instantly increased my internal energy..."
"Haha, do you think I would let my family suffer in the Central Plains for centuries just to improve my martial arts? I am a doctor, not a martial artist. What's important to me is not martial arts."
Hwaseong took another gulp of Chuyeong tea. It seemed like a conversation he couldn't have without drinking. He said,
"To be honest, I never intended to teach you the Hua Family 108 Needles or the Hua Tuo Gold Needle Technique. What could I trust you with to pass on the family's secrets? Besides, it usually takes ten years for an ordinary person to learn the basics, and most drop out before that. But after a year, my mind changed."
Indeed, he had planned to ditch me.
I wasn't surprised, as I had expected this. I had given him the black and white Shenglian root, knowing that the loss was worth learning from a great medical master. I calmly asked,
"How did your mind change?"
"You don't have much talent. Of course, with your exceptional memory, physical strength, and precision, you can surpass the average, but your understanding is a bit lacking. It will get harder as you advance in higher medicine."
"......"
"However, you have sincerity (誠) and practicality (實). I like that about you."
Hwaseong cleared his throat.
"If you wish, I will accept you as a formal disciple and teach you medicine. I want to pass on everything I know to you."
"Is it because it will benefit the Hua family?"
"I wouldn't be honest if I said no. But you need to understand your own value more. There are countless talented people in the world, but no one would overlook you. Even without talent, your immense internal energy alone makes you a rare genius."
"There are probably many who wouldn't like it."
I thought of Samjeol Li Guang. Hwaseong shook his head.
"Whatever master you had before, he had unrealistically high expectations. But the true master-disciple relationship is about mutual trust and teaching, and guiding you on the path of life. I want you to become a competent doctor."
Expectations.
I recalled Li Guang's gaze. Indeed, when he taught me seriously, there was a sense of desperation and severity. Reflecting now, he must have had extremely high goals for me. And with high expectations came a great sense of betrayal. I thought to myself,
'Right. Maybe I shouldn't have given you such high expectations from the beginning.'
After thinking this, I asked Hwaseong,
"Is there a way to hide my qi (氣)?"
"Of course. I see you've been thinking about it."
Hwaseong smiled and replied,
"I can't make you reach the level of a great doctor, but by applying the Hua Family 108 Needles, I can perform the Heavenly Seal Acupoint Technique (天印封穴法) to minimize the qi leaking from your body. That way, you won't get involved in unnecessary disputes."
I nodded without hesitation.
"I will become your disciple."
"Then perform the kowtow ceremony."
"Yes."
I performed the kowtow ceremony, and Hwaseong and I formally established a master-disciple relationship.
Unlike the psychological warfare we had been engaging in, we were now in a relationship where he would genuinely pass on his secrets to me.
Eight years passed quickly.
During this time, I worked as a bodyguard for the Jeong family and learned medicine from Hwaseong in my free time. Even as a bodyguard, I didn't go out every day, so I had about three days a week to study. Over these eight years, I learned medicine from Hwaseong and reached a considerable level, to the point where he said I was 'competent.'
One day, while reading a book and looking at the autumn sky, I muttered,
"I've lived longer than any other reincarnation."
My current body was fully grown, and I had become a young man in his mid-twenties. I had survived much longer than in my past records. At the same time, I realized how many times I had narrowly escaped death. The peace of daily life made me miss the chaotic days.
However, my martial arts skills didn't improve much. I had poured all my energy into learning the Hua Family 108 Needles and the Hua Tuo Gold Needle Technique, and I only practiced basic techniques to keep them fresh. I was disappointed but accepted it. Even if I died because of a fox spirit later, Hwaseong's medical skills were genuine, and learning them was a rare opportunity.
'Fuck... If I die, I die.'
This kind of medicine can't be learned later.
Moreover, Hwaseong had already received another Shenglian root from me eight years ago and successfully moved his entire family to Goryeo. With nothing to lose, I continued to study medicine.
Then, Hwaseong opened the door and said,
"Baek Woong, do you understand the Hua Family 108 Needles' acupoint techniques?"
"A bit difficult."
"Understanding 70% of the Hua Family 108 Needles is already impressive. Keep working hard."
"Yes."
I smiled bitterly. I thought Hwaseong would kick me out after exploiting me, but it seemed his confession eight years ago was sincere. He genuinely accepted me as a disciple, and I respected him as a master.
Then, Hwaseong quietly said,
"Would you consider marrying my granddaughter? I've mentioned it before..."
"Um... She seems to dislike my face a lot."
"Ugh. A man's appearance isn't everything, but that girl is annoying."
Hwaseong was irritated. Indeed, my grown face wasn't very good. Thanks to my deep internal energy, it wasn't completely ruined, but it was still quite ugly. When Hwaseong introduced me to his fifteen-year-old granddaughter, Hwaeun, she looked like she was about to faint from my ugliness.
Hwaseong said,
"I want to perform plastic surgery on your face, but are you really okay without it?"
"Yes. As you said, appearance isn't everything."
"Ha... If you change your mind later, let me know. But at your current level, you can probably do it yourself."
Hwaseong sighed and then got to the point.
"Go outside for a moment. There's someone looking for you."
"Someone looking for me?"
I was puzzled. Apart from my bodyguard duties for the Jeong family, I hadn't interacted with anyone else. There was no reason for anyone to visit me now.
But when I went outside, I saw a man in a black cloak and a hat. I recognized the cloak as the one called Huxiangyi, which I was very familiar with. It was a cloak I couldn't forget.
After a moment, the man removed his hat and smiled,
"It's been a while, Baek Woong."
"Mangliang...!!"
There stood Mangliang. He looked much more confident and mature than before. Behind him stood four subordinates, who also seemed quite capable. I glanced at them and said,
"Did you form the Anti-Heaven Alliance (反天盟)?"
"Hahaha, I liked the name we discussed last time. I couldn't think of anything else."
Mangliang laughed heartily. He looked different in many ways. In the past, he was a carefree and indulgent free spirit, but now he exuded the authority of a leader.
Hwaseong had said,
"Is Haein one of the Seven Stars (七曜)?"
Mangliang shook his head lightly.
"If it followed the original history, they should have gathered the Seven Stars by now and become stronger. But there's no sign of that yet, and they haven't created a large number of monsters or summoners. They probably haven't obtained the Seven Stars."
"Is that true?"
"Yes."
Why?
I was puzzled by Mangliang's words. In this life, I had decided to find the Seven Stars, regardless of life or death, and had almost given up on the chaos in the Central Plains. It was strange that Mangliang said the Jinyiwei hadn't obtained the Seven Stars.
'Could something I did in this life have affected the Jinyiwei?'
I thought hard but couldn't come up with anything specific.
As I pondered, Mangliang smiled and said,
"Actually, I asked my master a few years ago if Haein was one of the Seven Stars."
"......?!"
"He said Haein is definitely one of the Seven Stars, but obtaining it is the most difficult among them. I thought you didn't need to suffer anymore, so I came to tell you."
I was speechless.
I couldn't believe there was such a method!
Even if Master Mangliang didn't like meeting me, Mangliang could just ask his master. I sighed deeply and said,
"Ha... I feel like I've been digging in the wrong place. If you knew, why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"Actually, I've been hearing about you through the Anti-Heaven Alliance members in Goryeo. There's one in the Jeong family."
"Really?!"
"I thought you were dying too quickly in Goryeo, so I wanted to give you time to build your strength. If you got involved in the Central Plains' affairs prematurely, the chances of dying were high."
I was amazed by Mangliang's consideration. At the same time, I was startled by how much he had grown the Anti-Heaven Alliance.
From a distant land like Goryeo, he had a vast network of contacts and could easily negotiate with the Jeong family, one of the most powerful families in Goryeo. I never thought he would grow to such a level in less than ten years.
I said to Mangliang,
"Then why did you come all the way here to meet me?"
He shook his head.
"That wouldn't be polite. You gave me such a great opportunity and came to Goryeo for your purpose. I couldn't just send a messenger to the Central Plains. As a friend, it's only right to come