Chapter 55: Gate to the Way of Medicine (1)
Sungcheon Righteous Martial Alliance.
The alliance that claimed to lead the righteous path of the murim world—Sungcheon Righteous Martial Alliance. At the very heart of it, within the Alliance Leader’s Hall, two men were seated face to face.
One was a man in blue robes, whose gentle features could easily be mistaken for a scholar’s. Judging by his appearance alone, he seemed no older than his forties. He looked entirely out of place in the heart of a power structure symbolizing martial might and authority.
But that impression would change the moment one saw the respectful posture of Jo Hyeon, the Divine Tactician of the alliance, seated across from him.
There was only one person in the world who could draw such deference from Jo Hyeon, who was unquestionably the second most powerful figure within the Alliance.
Sima Cheonse, the Fist Supreme.
This man was none other than Sima Cheonse—the Alliance Leader of the Sungcheon Righteous Martial Alliance and a peerless martial artist known as the invincible warrior who conquered the world with nothing but his two fists.
"What did you say?"
A twitch formed near Sima Cheonse’s eye.
It might seem strange that Sima Cheonse, who looked no older than forty, would speak so casually to Jo Hyeon. But in truth, Sima Cheonse was already nearing the age of one hundred.
His deeply cultivated internal energy preserved his body in youth.
"The child of the Paeng Clan was seen making contact with the Iron Blood Gate of the Green Forest."
At Jo Hyeon’s report, Sima Cheonse gently closed his eyes. He was organizing his thoughts.
"The child?"
"He goes by the name Paeng Dogeuk. It’s said that the Ten Scythes of the Green Forest pursued him, but he managed to repel them by sheer fortune."
"Even the Ten Scythes? If they considered the matter that serious, then we can assume the Green Forest has already chosen to move alongside Iron Blood Gate, can’t we?"
"My thoughts exactly. If the talks had broken down, they wouldn't have tried so hard to hide it."
"Iron Blood Gate and the Green Forest… This is grave."
Sima Cheonse let out a deep sigh, as if that alone conveyed the weight in his heart.
The current state of the murim world was pure chaos.
Ever since the remnants of the Demonic Cult that had stirred twenty years ago, no major incidents had occurred. Because of that, various factions were able to amass unprecedented power.
But what fills up must spill over.
The murim, overflowing with empowered factions, had become a powder keg on the brink of explosion.
With the Sungcheon Righteous Martial Alliance in the east and the Heavenly Righteous Union in the west splitting the world in two, numerous sects gathered beneath them to flaunt their might. The result: minor disputes often escalated into bloodbaths, and even trivial clashes led to the complete destruction of sects.
The alliance was desperately working to mediate these tensions, but there was only so much they could do.
And now, if Iron Blood Gate—already notorious for its aggression—joined hands with the Green Forest, it was only a matter of time before war broke out.
"Are you certain?"
"Because of the severity of the matter, we’re verifying it again and again. But it’s clear that the situation has grown too serious to ignore."
"What of the Heavenly Righteous Union?"
"They’ve shown no movement at all. However..."
"However?"
Jo Hyeon spoke with a shadowed expression.
"Iron Blood Gate has maintained a friendly relationship with the Heavenly Righteous Union for some time now. If this alliance with the Green Forest is happening under the protection of the Union, then the situation could become far worse than expected."
"The Heavenly Righteous Union, Iron Blood Gate, and now the Green Forest as well…"
Sima Cheonse felt a suffocating weight in his chest. Just imagining such a coalition gave him a splitting headache. If they had truly joined forces, there was no way the Alliance alone could withstand them.
Sima Cheonse sighed again.
"If we were to clash with the Heavenly Righteous Union… how much blood would be shed?"
Jo Hyeon remained silent, watching the worry cloud Sima Cheonse’s face.
"That aside… You said Paeng Dogeuk escaped from the Ten Scythes of the Green Forest? Not just escaped, but he even repelled them?"
"Yes."
"Impressive, truly impressive. How old is the boy?"
"He has just passed his coming-of-age."
"Hoooh!"
Sima Cheonse looked at Jo Hyeon with astonished eyes, clearly impressed.
"A tiger is growing in the Paeng Clan! To fend them off at such a young age! At this rate, the next era may well belong to the Paeng Clan."
Jo Hyeon shook his head with a sheepish expression.
"Actually, it seems someone helped him."
The weighty tone had built up expectations, only to be deflated by that response. Sima Cheonse asked, half-doubtful,
"Someone helped him?"
"The one who helped him isn’t much older. In fact, he’s even younger than Paeng Dogeuk."
"Even younger than Paeng Dogeuk? Man, could you just speak plainly already?"
Jo Hyeon let a faint smile slip.
"It’s not something to speak of lightly. Because once you hear who it is, you’ll be very pleased, sir."
"You trying to kill me with suspense?"
As Sima Cheonse clutched his chest in frustration, Jo Hyeon finally gave in and continued.
"Paeng Dogeuk said someone named Wi Yeonho helped him."
"Wi Yeonho?"
"Yes. He appears to be the second son of Wi Jeonghan, Clan Head of the Grand House of Wi in Guangdong. He’d been missing for five years, but recently reappeared."
"Wi Jeonghan, you say?"
"Yes, that’s correct."
"Of course! Who else but the Righteous Hero Sword could raise a boy like that! Ah, naturally!"
Sima Cheonse’s face lit up.
If it was Wi Jeonghan, the Righteous Hero Sword, then he was one of the juniors Sima Cheonse held most dear. During the rise of the Demonic Cult twenty years ago, Wi Jeonghan had distinguished himself as a member of the Alliance with unmatched feats.
At the time, Wi Jeonghan served as a squad leader under Sima Cheonse’s command. Sima Cheonse knew him better than anyone and cared for him deeply.
"That fellow—whom I hadn’t seen in five years, in that time, he was raising a dragon of a son!"
"The eldest son is Wi Sanho, also known for his fame as the Demon-Banishing Sword. At this rate, in ten years’ time, the Grand House of Wi in Guangdong might well be called the Greatest Clan Under Heaven."
"Hahaha! That’s a most delightful thing! And only natural too. If he had stayed with the Alliance back then, a post as a provincial chief would’ve surely been his by now."
"Indeed."
"No matter how chaotic the world may be, if such future pillars of the murim are starting to appear one by one, how could we say there is no hope? It is our duty to ensure that by the time these youths lead the world, the path ahead is smooth."
"Your words are most just."
"Wi Yeonho, Wi Yeonho… Haha! Raised by the Righteous Hero Sword, so his conduct must be proper, and his chivalry, exceptional! And his martial prowess! A dragon has risen from the House of Wi! He will do great things for the murim!"
Jo Hyeon, the Divine Tactician, smiled faintly.
It had been quite some time since he last saw Sima Cheonse this genuinely pleased.
"I do wish the Righteous Hero Sword would return to the Alliance with this opportunity..."
"He will. The eldest has already graduated from the martial academy, and the second son has come of age."
"It must be so."
A faraway look glimmered in Sima Cheonse’s eyes.
He seemed to be reminiscing about the days when he roamed the murim not as the Alliance Leader of the Sungcheon Righteous Martial Alliance, but as a lone martial artist.
"Yes, in these chaotic times, father and sons like them will surely become a great strength."
"It is the fortune of the murim."
These two men were gravely mistaken.
---
Wi Yeonho, whom the Alliance Leader and Divine Tactician praised as the blessing of the murim, was currently rolling on the floor.
Exhausted from following the escort journey and mentally drained by his experience at the Great Scholarly Institute, Wi Yeonho had reached a state where he and the floor were one. Except for when eating, he had spent twelve full hours rolling around, to the point that the floor was practically being heated by his body alone.
The faint trace of conscience that had tried to resist when he first arrived at the Sacred Hand Grounds had long since flown away along with the Silver River Pawnshop incident.
With the money he received from the Silver River Pawnshop, Wi Yeonho cleared off the last shred of guilt. Now completely unburdened, he became one with the floor in body and soul.
And because of that, those observing him were coming to understand just how pitiful and useless a human being could be.
"Ugh."
Jin Soa entered the room carrying a meal tray and frowned at what appeared to be a human being rolling across the floor.
"Get up."
"..."
"I brought food."
Wi Yeonho’s eyelids, sealed like ten-thousand-year stone, slowly lifted with all the gravitas of a cosmic upheaval, revealing his magnificent eyeballs.
"Food?"
"..."
"Food!"
Wriggling toward the meal tray, Wi Yeonho’s pitiful crawl made Jin Soa sigh deeply without meaning to.
Just how low could a person fall?
Jin Yeran, who initially brought the food herself, had handed the job over to Jin Soa after just a few days of witnessing Wi Yeonho’s state, completely washing her hands of anything related to him.
Jin Soa had taken over without complaint, unwilling to see his only sister involved with a slacker like that. But now, Jin Soa regretted that decision.
Wi Yeonho tore into a roasted duck leg and smiled brightly.
"Delicious! You should have some too."
"...I have a question."
"Ask away."
"Don’t you feel… filthy?"
"Huh?"
Wi Yeonho tilted his head.
"Why?"
Jin Soa could see the crusted eye gunk stuck to his lashes and the dried spittle crusting the corners of his mouth.
"Since arriving here, have you ever bathed?"
"Bathing too often makes you sick."
Jin Soa hadn’t really expected him to agree.. Anyone could see from his appearance that Wi Yeonho hadn’t touched water in some time.
He only asked to see if there remained the slightest trace of decency within him—but Wi Yeonho, as always, did not fail to disappoint.
And anyone with common sense wouldn’t claim nonsense like “frequent bathing causes illness”!
Anyone with common sense, that is!
"Ugh."
Seeing Jin Soa’s expression, Wi Yeonho lowered his head and sniffed his own clothes.
Sniff sniff.
Then he shrugged.
"Seems fine?"
‘If that’s fine, then the local beggars must all be neat freaks.’
But Jin Soa couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud. Even if he was facing someone who had thrown away the last shreds of human decency, Jin Soa held onto the final thread of courtesy. This is why upbringing mattered.
After inspecting himself a few times, Wi Yeonho returned to gnawing on the duck leg.
Those who practiced superior internal arts constantly circulated their qi, keeping their bodies relatively clean and free from dust.
However, even that had its limits.
Despite the self-cleansing effects of the flowing qi within his body, it was simply impossible to purify the current state of Wi Yeonho’s body. At the very least, he would need to bathe once a month, or change his clothes occasionally, for any sort of cleansing effect to work.
No matter how clean the body might be, clothes didn’t wash themselves.
In fact, as the heat absorbed from food was expelled through his pores, the resulting grime and residue soaked into his clothes, which grew filthier by the day.
"I’ll prepare bathwater. You should—"
"Why bother? It’s a hassle."
‘If that’s a hassle, you shouldn’t be alive.’
Once again, Jin Soa suppressed the words rising within him.
If he said what he truly thought, he might become mortal enemies with this man. He couldn’t possibly brawl with a guest who had come looking for his father!
But he could no longer stay silent. Jin Soa finally spoke in a heavy tone.