Early morning.
As sunlight crept over the second-floor window of the pavilion, dispersing the dim dawn light, the warmth tickled Dan Ak-seon’s face, gently waking him.
“Yawn…”
Still lying in bed, Dan Ak-seon stretched leisurely and opened the window.
Shwaaah.
The waterfall cascaded down, striking the pond with a refreshing sound.
Mist majestically rose, and the sunlight filtering through it sparkled like jewels.
Dan Ak-seon took a moment to enjoy the scenery before him.
Although it was a sight he saw every morning, he never grew tired of it.
After a brief pause, Dan Ak-seon moved towards the stairs leading down to the first floor.
In one corner of the first floor sat a jar.
He grabbed a handful of barley from it, placed it in his pocket, and then stepped out of the pavilion.
Heading straight towards the pond, the water was so clear that the bottom was visible, and incredibly cold. Splashing his face with the water, he instantly felt more awake.
That’s when he noticed something glittering beneath the surface.
Dan Ak-seon smiled softly.
“Hello, my friends.”
Various colorful fish had already gathered before him.
Dan Ak-seon reached into his pocket.
He then scattered the barley he had taken from the jar into the pond.
The fish, now busy eating, darted about.
Watching them contentedly, Dan Ak-seon then made his way toward the small hut where Cho Ak-ryang was staying.
"May I come in?"
Cho Ak-ryang, who had been meditating in a seated position, opened his previously closed eyes and smiled quietly.
"Come in, Master Dan."
"I told you not to call me that. It's embarrassing."
"Haha, understood. Master Dan."
Dan Ak-seon puffed out his cheeks, thinking that Cho Ak-ryang was teasing him.
Seeing his slightly sulking expression, Cho Ak-ryang chuckled awkwardly.
"Alright, alright. Since you insist, I'll speak more casually from now on. How about I call you 'doctor' instead of 'master'?"
Only then did Dan Ak-seon relax his expression.
"Yes. How are you feeling?"
Cho Ak-ryang smiled bitterly.
"I'm making efforts here and there, but it's still too much to channel my energy."
"Don't push yourself too hard."
Worried that Cho Ak-ryang might make a mistake, Dan Ak-seon continued explaining.
"Your meridians are twisted, and your dantian is injured. You've lost a lot of blood, and your internal organs are severely damaged. To be honest, you're still in a dangerous condition."
Dan Ak-seon raised his hand and pointed to Cho Ak-ryang's chest.
"If you overexert yourself, it could become serious again. The open wounds haven't fully healed yet either."
He sighed.
"You were really lucky. If that chest wound had been just a little deeper, you would have died on the spot."
"It wasn't luck."
"Sorry?"
"The Imperial Sword Form wielded by Namgung family’s elder isn’t something that can be dealt with by luck."
The chilling sword aura that had pierced through his defensive energy.
It was a moment that still sent shivers down his spine when he thought about it.
"The Namgung family? The one hailed as the world's best sword clan?"
Dan Ak-seon expressed curiosity.
At the gleam in his eyes, Cho Ak-ryang nodded. Dan Ak-seon spoke more quickly.
"I heard about it from my father once. They say the Namgung family is the ‘Master of the Sword,’ which is why they're called the Sword Sect."
"Hmph!"
Cho Ak-ryang let out a cold laugh.
"What's a Sword Sect to someone who died with their throat pierced by my sword?"
"That sounds a lot like something my mother would say."
"Really? And what did the Demonic Doctor of Life and Death have to say?"
"She called them fools who don't even know where the tip of their own sword is pointing. She said, in the end, that sword would be the death of them."
"As expected of the Demonic Doctor! Such remarkable insight. The Namgung family is nothing more than a fox pretending to be a tiger."
As Cho Ak-ryang exuded a murderous aura, Dan Ak-seon tried to calm him down.
"Excessive excitement isn't good. If your breathing gets too rough, the broken rib could puncture an organ."
"I will be careful."
Though he said this, Cho Ak-ryang couldn’t easily calm his anger. The thought of the injury that had pierced his side made his rage flare up again.
Then suddenly, he noticed Dan Ak-seon's expression.
It was clear he was curious about something.
"If you have something to say, go ahead."
After some hesitation, Dan Ak-seon cautiously spoke up.
"I wanted to ask about the injury to your side. If I know the cause, it will be easier to treat. And, of course, I'm also curious."
“Curiosity?”
“Yes. It’s the first time I’ve seen ribs broken at such regular intervals. But I was afraid you’d get angry if I asked.”
Cho Ak-ryang unconsciously smiled.
It was because he was touched and grateful that Dan Ak-seon cared for him even in this situation.
“It’s Shaolin’s martial art, called Sijamoniin. It’s a technique designed to shake the internal organs with impact, specifically meant to destroy protective inner energy.”
“Shaolin Temple? I’ve heard it’s one of the pinnacles of martial arts.”
Together with Wudang in the south, the revered Shaolin in the north was one of the two pillars supporting the orthodox martial world.
“My mother used to call them crazy people who think they get stronger just by shaving their heads….”
Cho Ak-ryang nodded.
“There was one lunatic among them named Ryo Beom. He used to be the leader of the Na Han Tang.”
Dan Ak-seon suddenly sensed something strange. It was because Cho Ak-ryang had spoken in the past tense.
“So he isn’t anymore?”
Cho Ak-ryang casually answered Dan Ak-seon’s question.
“His neck was broken, and he died.”
Then, he pointed to his shoulder.
“He died along with the guy who gave me this injury.”
Cho Ak-ryang continued, his eyes flashing with a chilling glint.
“After collapsing my ribcage, I struck his heart directly.”
Recalling the moment, Cho Ak-ryang revealed a sinister aura.
‘Shameless old fools.’
Even in hindsight, he found it ridiculous.
Each of them had been famous in the martial world in their own right. Of course, there was a noticeable skill gap between them and himself, so he could understand why they had resorted to a wheel formation* in combat. (T/N: It involves a series of fighters attacking an opponent one after another, similar to the turning of a wheel, hence the name "wheel formation.")
But to think they would cooperate like that.
They're scum who deserve to die miserably.
What kind of 'Master' title can be given to those without any pride?
At that moment, Dan Ak-seon ran out of the hut, and shortly after, returned holding something.
He was wearing thick leather gloves on his hands.
"It’s a hidden weapon that was embedded in the shoulder."
It was a steel needle made of metal.
When Dan Ak-seon touched the side of it, with a clicking sound, hook-like reverse scales shot up from the body of the needle.
"Actually, this was the most troublesome part. It was really difficult to remove. It even had poison on it."
"It's called a Jeolmyeongjeon (Fatal Needle)."
Cho Ak-ryang added an explanation.
"It's a hand-thrown needle. A secret weapon handled only by the head and elders of the Tang family."
"It's incredibly precise."
Dan Ak-seon nodded, seemingly convinced by the mention of the Poison Tang family.
"What did the Demonic Doctor say about the Tang family?"
Though he asked casually, Cho Ak-ryang was very curious about the Demonic Doctor's evaluation.
"Cowardly wretches. She said that they must have had nothing to boast about, if they had to elevate themselves with mere poison."
"Haha! What an excellent assessment. Exactly right."
"My father agreed with that part as well."
"Oh? The Divine Doctor did too?’
"He hated the Tang family. Said they were petty men who didn’t understand the way of a nobleman."
At that harsh evaluation, Cho Ak-ryang was able to genuinely laugh for the first time in a while.
However, the laughter didn’t last long.
Cho Ak-ryang cautiously asked while observing Dan Ak-seon’s expression.
“Even so, aren't you afraid of me?”
It was because Dan Ak-seon remained calm even after hearing that Cho Ak-ryang had killed three people.
Dan Ak-seon looked up at Cho Ak-ryang.
“To be honest, it’s not so much fear as it is amazement.”
“Amazement?”
Dan Ak-seon nodded.
“You took all those powerful attacks directly with your body and are still alive.”
Dan Ak-seon continued speaking.
“As a doctor, it's nothing short of a miracle.”
Cho Ak-ryang chuckled.
If he hadn’t met Dan Ak-seon, that miracle wouldn’t have happened. Regardless, Dan Ak-seon took out a needle case and spoke.
“I think I should administer the acupuncture in advance today. I need to visit the village.”
“Are you going to sell medicinal herbs?”
“Yes, I need to buy some as well.”
Cho Ak-ryang sighed softly.
“I keep relying on you like this... I’m really shameless.”
“I’ll take care of that, so don’t worry.”
“As soon as I feel a little better, I’ll find a way to repay the cost of the medicine.”
As long as he could return to his place, money wouldn’t be an issue. Hearing this, Dan Ak-seon’s face brightened.
“Bring as much as you can. If we use good herbs, the treatment will go faster. But for now, absolutely no reckless actions.”
Cho Ak-ryang burst into laughter.
"'Absolutely no,' you say. You really do talk like a doctor."
Seeing Dan Ak-seon’s sulking expression, Cho Ak-ryang realized he had made a mistake.
"My apologies. I misspoke. I meant to say you speak in a way befitting a doctor…"
Dan Ak-seon silently took out a wooden case containing acupuncture needles.
Cho Ak-ryang flinched at the sight.
"You don't need to be nervous. Today, I’ll use my father's method."
Cho Ak-ryang awkwardly cleared his throat.
"Ahem, who's nervous? I can endure even your mother's methods."
Despite his words, Cho Ak-ryang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Dan Ak-seon smiled as he began to speak.
"My father's method works slowly but is stable and less painful. On the other hand, my mother's method is quick but rough and extremely painful. But both have their merits."
"No need to worry. To save my life, I’ll gladly endure this much pain."
"Then, I’ll begin."
Dan Ak-seon started applying the acupuncture needles.
It was then that Cho Ak-ryang spoke.
"When you go to the village, it’s best not to mention me."
"I understand."
Seeing Dan Ak-seon nod so readily made Cho Ak-ryang curious.
"Aren’t you going to ask why?"
"People from the martial world always have their stories, don’t they?"
Cho Ak-ryang looked at Dan Ak-seon in silence for a moment. There wasn’t a trace of suspicion on his innocent face.
"My name is Cho Ak-ryang."
After a short while, Cho Ak-ryang opened his mouth.
“I am the Blood Demon among the Five Masters of the World.”
“Ah! The Blood Demon Cho Ak-ryang! I've heard of you! One of the five strongest people in the martial world right now!”
“I'm more famous as the leader of the Ten Great Evils.”
Cho Ak-ryang observed Dan Ak-seon’s expression.
But Dan Ak-seon’s reaction was lukewarm.
He just nodded once and continued to focus on the treatment.
“Does someone like me make you uncomfortable?”
To Cho Ak-ryang’s question, Dan Ak-seon casually replied.
“Have you forgotten who my mother is?”
With that single sentence, Cho Ak-ryang couldn’t help but laugh. After all, in terms of brash personality and eccentricity, his mother was unrivaled in the unorthodox faction.
At that moment, Dan Ak-seon spoke up.
“Martial artists are all the same.”
“...?”
Cho Ak-ryang, confused, waited for Dan Ak-seon to continue.
“My mom and dad both said the same thing. That once you're part of the martial world, the distinction between good and evil doesn’t matter.”
“The distinction doesn’t matter?”
“Anyone who harms civilians is a bad person. The rest are all the same.”
Dan Ak-seon raised his eyes and looked at Cho Ak-ryang.
“Which side are you on, uncle?”
“I swear, I’ve never killed anyone whom I had no grudge against or who wasn’t a martial artist.”
"Then you're the latter, aren't you?"
"Heh heh."
Cho Ak-ryang let out an awkward laugh.
It was a simple yet clear logic. Then suddenly, Cho Ak-ryang asked something he had been curious about.
"But what did they say about me?"
At that moment, Dan Ak-seon’s shoulders flinched.
The child, who had been calm all along, was suddenly flustered by the question.
"I don't want to tell you."
"What did they say that you're keeping it from me...?"
"You'd be better off not knowing."
"Hmm..."
"But my evaluation is different. From what I've experienced, you don’t seem that arrogant, nor do you strike me as someone who only lives for the moment without thinking ahead."
Cho Ak-ryang smiled bitterly.
Even without hearing it, he felt like he had already heard it all.
