“….Hmm?”
Miss Yeo Il-ye frowned as she observed the situation. On one side, a bound man was bleeding from his leg, and on the other, I was standing in ordinary martial attire, sword in hand, looking back at her.
“Honorable Person?”
Yeo Il-ye gave me a puzzled expression, seemingly recognizing me but wondering what I was doing here.
“It’s been a while. What a coincidence to meet here in Yunnan.”
“Ah…. Ah, indeed.”
Yeo Il-ye showed a confused look but quickly regained her composure and attempted to perform a martial technique.
“Did you happen to come with a woman? Or did you handle the bandits on your own?”
Got it.
Yeo Il-ye must have hurried down the mountain after seeing us encounter the bandits. I still didn’t know why she was in Hyeong Gwi-san in Yunnan, but at least it explained why she had been using her Qi so liberally while rushing down.
“Older Brother!”
I heard Black Cat’s shout. Perhaps sensing Yeo Il-ye’s presence, Black Cat quickly dashed over to stand beside me.
“It’s that young lady from back then.”
Black Cat positioned herself protectively near me, and Yeo Il-ye’s eyebrows twitched, seemingly displeased with the situation.
As an uneasy tension was about to escalate, I clapped my hands to break the mood.
“Alright! Alright! Little sister! Have you taken care of the bandits below?”
“Yes, all four of them have been subdued.”
“Then could you subdue that guy too?”
Black Cat gestured in a way that suggested she didn’t want to deal with the one who had bound me earlier.
“First, we should express our gratitude. Thank you for rushing over to help us.”
“It’s nothing. I only did what I had to.”
Though her words were humble, Yeo Il-ye’s expression didn’t match. There was a look of emptiness or weariness in her gaze, so I cautiously probed.
“What brings you this far?”
“I was just passing through to see the 개왕채.”
So she was just passing through. After all, Yeo Il-ye knew our identities. It would be quicker to just ask.
“We’ve come to find the Poison Doctor. We received a letter to deliver from the Tang Clan.”
“Is that so? Haa. I suppose chaos was inevitable… Original Celestial, huh?”
Yeo Il-ye suddenly lamented and started looking around.
“I know the Poison Doctor’s residence, so I will guide you. What do you plan to do with the bandits?”
“For now, let’s wake them all and take them along.”
It seemed that Black Cat and Yeo Il-ye did not appreciate each other being in the same space as they maneuvered around me, dividing their territory evenly.
I was puzzled by the situation; after all, even though I once mixed hands with the Hwang Gold Clan, did that mean there were lingering feelings involved?
The awakening bandits stirred briefly to resist, but upon seeing Yeo Il-ye’s strength, they quickly yielded.
With the bandits bound like dried fish and all their main blood vessels sealed, we followed Yeo Il-ye to the Poison Doctor’s residence.
When I say residence, it was little more than an old, dilapidated hut. It looked like a place hunters or someone similar might have used for shelter from the wind.
As Yeo Il-ye approached the hut, Black Cat, with sharp instincts, knocked out the bandits.
“I told you not to bring distractions, yet here you come with a whole bunch of people.”
The first impression of the Poison Doctor was that of a cantankerous old man.
“How have you been, Elder?”
“Yeah. What brings you this time?”
“I didn’t come today for an errand. I merely stopped by to guide you for a moment.”
Yeo Il-ye stepped back, and I moved to the front.
“Greetings, Poison Doctor. I’ve brought a letter from the Family Head.”
“Hmm… Hand it over.”
I presented the letter to the Poison Doctor. Despite having nothing to feel guilty about, I couldn’t help but feel anxious standing before him. The Poison Doctor was an expert on par with the Family Head of the Tang Clan, Tang Guanglie. However, the pressure from the Poison Doctor and Tang Guanglie was on a completely different level.
Tang Guanglie treated me as a guest and a student, so I had never felt that kind of pressure. But the Poison Doctor clearly regarded me as an intruder disrupting his research, showing no kindness whatsoever.
The sheer weight of the pressure made it hard to breathe.
I was genuinely there to hinder the Poison Doctor’s research, so I tried to maintain a polite demeanor while gauging his mood. Following the Family Head’s request, I had to make him check my body.
The sealed letter contained two sheets. After reading one, the Poison Doctor’s face twisted in displeasure.
“Ugh… Tch.”
He shot me a glare full of discontent before sighing as he read the second letter.
While his initial reaction to the first letter was almost adversarial, it softened significantly after the second.
“There’s one thing I need to make clear.”
“Yes, please go on, Elder.”
“I’m not following the Family Head’s request but the Feng Ying Hall Master’s. Keep that in mind.”
What on earth does that mean?
Taken aback by his unexpected comment, I fell into brief cognitive dissonance. One way or another, since he mentioned examining me, I prided myself on reflexively taking a fighting stance.
“Thank you, Elder. I understand.”
“Ugh… Tch. The two young ladies back there need to carry those bandits to a cave about twenty spans from here.”
In the martial world, confidentiality regarding a patient’s condition is a fundamental rule. If that’s violated, a martial artist treated might come to exact revenge in the middle of the night.
I watched as Black Cat and Yeo Il-ye exchanged fierce glances while dragging the unconscious bandits away.
“Come in.”
I swallowed hard and entered the hut. Inside, the air was thick with the distinct scent of herbs. The room was old but spotless, not a speck of dust in sight. I noticed that the gaps in the floor and walls were sealed with something tacky, likely animal hides pasted on.
We settled ourselves in the center of that floor.
“So, how many years has it been since you reached Iryu?”
“About seven years.”
“Hmm. So you’re clearly not at the top yet. Given your body’s condition and martial skills, you’ve surely surpassed the entrance level of Iryu.”
The Poison Doctor started poking and prodding different parts of my body while continuing to speak.
“Have you ever shown your body to a physician?”
“While I can’t compare to you, I’ve been examined by someone classified as a high-level doctor at a place called Myeong Gyeong Dang. I received a diagnosis and prescriptions for about a week, but all I heard was that they couldn’t identify the cause.”
Myeong Gyeong Dang was a reputable medical group, responsible for medical activities across the Martial Forest Alliance branches and main hall. It is possibly the most famous physician sect in this martial world.
“Hmm. Then the detailed examination of your bones might be pointless. But we should still cover the basics.”
The Poison Doctor requested various postures while continuing his examination.
“It’s been quite a while since you left your home, but I didn’t expect a new martial technique to have been developed. From what I’ve heard, you participated in the creation of that technique, so I’m curious about your assessment.”
“Um. I’m not sure if I ought to evaluate a technique from the Tang Clan.”
“I won’t mind. Any conversation between a physician and their patient disappears the moment they leave that space. Don’t hold back.”
“It’s a technique that forces a choice between power and hidden weapons. Similar to hiding hidden weapons in the techniques of strength, and I’ve even incorporated some gambling techniques. One can make cards disappear and reappear in front of others like that.”
The Poison Doctor smiled slightly.
“Interesting. How long do you think it needs to be refined before it’s ready?”
“Well, it will take at least fifty years, I suspect.”
At my answer, the Poison Doctor halted his actions and gazed at me.
“Why is that?”
“In martial arts, focusing on just one technique isn’t easy, let alone when combining different styles. To merge hidden weapons, power techniques, and intermediary techniques, a lot of research and countless tears and sweat must go into it to be successful.”
“…”
The Tang Clan’s Bat-Leaping Tiger Method truly has a long way to go. While it might be usable in its current form, a significant amount of time will be required before it can be presented as the Tang Clan’s signature technique.
Strictly speaking, that signature technique will turn out to be entirely different from the current Tang Clan’s Bat-Leaping Tiger Method, merely inheriting its spirit. With continuous optimization and enhancement, it made me wonder how much of the original would remain.
“Well, it’s fine. I may not appreciate your candid remarks, but there’s some truth to it.”
Uh-oh, did I cross a line with my honesty and offend the Poison Doctor’s mood?
“My understanding of the art isn’t too shallow, it seems… this is going to take time.”
The Poison Doctor sighed and requested I sit cross-legged.
“I will touch your Qi Meridians. Don’t be alarmed.”
“Yes.”
I replied, but to be honest, it was my first time having someone else’s Qi enter my body, so I flinched. To say the least, it looked quite perilous.
“I’m originally a practitioner of poison techniques. I have no intention to harm you, but the nature of my arts will make you feel a sense of aversion, so bear with it.”
A primal sense of rejection coiled around me, but I gritted my teeth and bore it. It felt as if snakes were crawling through my veins, making me involuntarily flinch.
“Speaking of which, I haven’t asked the most fundamental question. Do you have any chronic illnesses or anything special I should know about?”
“No, there’s nothing. I did have a tendon in my left pinkie cut, though. And… I don’t remember anything from before I turned fifteen.”
“Hmm. I see.”
I watched the Poison Doctor, deep in thought, as my anxiety slowly rose.
In fact, being a Zhenqi practitioner is quite challenging even for a master of Hwa-gyeong. It’s not that becoming one is hard, but doing it without affecting the subject while only sensing the interior is incredibly tough.
Even the Poison Doctor would find that difficult.
Although it’s okay for a Zhenqi practitioner to speak during the process, is it too much to wonder off mentally?
“Um, Elder…?”
“Oh, sorry. I got lost in my thoughts for a moment.”
Does he even understand how sensitive and dangerous Qi is? The term “Losing Control Over Qi” doesn’t come from nowhere. How often do martial artists use their Qi? It’s their entire lives.
So you can imagine how well they’ve mastered using it. But if they get too angry or mentally disturbed, their Qi management crumbles, and they can sustain internal injuries. What do you think “Coughing Blood” means? It’s when internal organs get hurt and blood starts coming out through the throat.
Just a slight fluctuation in Qi’s operation can twist and ruin all the internal organs. The power residing within could crush bones and organs; it’s capable of that.
Yet, he’s just going to let his mind wander for a second? What if my entire insides turned to mush during that time!?
Had it not been the Poison Doctor, I would have been jumping up and down, throwing a fit right then and there, but I barely managed to hold myself back.
The Poison Doctor withdrew his Qi from my body and seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking.
“Do you know anything about your parents’ backgrounds?”
“I don’t even know who they were.”
“Is that so… But… no, this doesn’t make any sense.”
The Poison Doctor seemed to sense something, muttering various phrases as he fell deep into thought. I swallowed again.
I’ve been stuck in this damned Martial World for eight years.
The most recurring thought in those eight years has been wondering, “Why on earth does my peak stagnate at Iryu?” That’s the foundational level of Qi. This very level is the alpha, omega, gamma, and beta of martial arts.
To put it bluntly, if Iryu is my peak, then it doesn’t matter whether I find myself in fantasy or sci-fi or modern-day life as a hunter; it wouldn’t change a thing. If I just pull the Qi to enhance my body, how is that martial arts? How is that the Martial World? Ton of demons trample over you, and twelve spirits pop out, but if I don’t at least show some sword energy or seal their blood, then what kind of martial artist am I?
I can’t seal someone’s blood without clumping my Qi.
I can’t create sound waves, so I can’t seal their blood.
I can’t process my Qi to lighten my body, so I can’t even stand on grass.
To truly live like a martial artist, I need to reach the top level. Of course, while being at that top level doesn’t mean I can use sword sealing or body hardening without a hitch in a real fight, there is a distinct difference between what I can and cannot do.
Phew. Calm down. Calm down. Cheon-an. Ho Cheon-an. High expectations tend to bring forth great disappointments. While it’s true that the Poison Doctor is a great physician, the opponent still specializes in blood depletion. The ability to attain realization at a peak is something that shreds through levels, unlike the blood depletion which literally just eats steps away.
No, blood depletion is definitely a formidable foe.
Should I just spill the beans about blood depletion characteristics?
That thought crossed my mind momentarily but then I shook my head.
Even if the Poison Doctor strictly adheres to the physician’s principles, that would be an extremely dangerous choice. If the topic of characteristics comes up, I’d have to disclose everything to explain properly.
Revealing that this world was originally a game, and that I reincarnated after getting hit by a Rebirth Truck, and all those countless facts would each be catastrophic.
While I was sorting through my tumultuous thoughts, the Poison Doctor also seemed to come to a decision.
“Alright… I suppose we’ll have to give it a shot.”
The Poison Doctor looked at me.
“This time I’ll use a method that might have side effects for you. It could cause significant discomfort, some pain, and possibly leave aftereffects for a few days. Still, this is the only way that comes to mind. If you agree, we can start the examination.”
“…I’ll rely on you.”
I gritted my teeth and flexed all my muscles as I extended my arm. Is a little pain really such a big deal?
“Let’s begin.”
I felt a certain energy burrowing into my body. It was much gentler than the energy the Poison Doctor had injected earlier, but it appeared stronger and more robust.
“…Are you feeling alright?”
“Yes? I can feel the energy coming in.”
“Are you not feeling pain or any rejection… of any sort?”
“I don’t really know.”
“Hmm… I’ll dig a little deeper.”
The Poison Doctor’s energy surged past my arm, making its way to the center of my body, the Guo Huo point. If the earlier energy felt light as if it might float away, the current energy was like mercury filling my Qi Meridians, heavy and solid.
“Whoa.”
For some unknown reason, the Poison Doctor sighed heavily and began to withdraw his energy.
“I’ll draw some blood. I’ll take a cup, so brace yourself for the pain.”
Before I even had a chance to agree, his palm split open, and a bowl was positioned beneath it. It hurt, but I had spent eight years in the martial world, so naturally, I could endure this level of pain.
No matter how seasoned I was, pain is still pain.
Once his bowl filled up with my blood, he started to seal my blood vessels.
Then he stared intently at the bowl of blood and suddenly—
Splat.
He dipped his hand in the bowl and brought it to his mouth.
“Hmm.”
“Uh, Elder?”
As he smacked his lips, the Poison Doctor seemed to gulp down the contents of the bowl. I found myself taken aback by his sudden act of blood consumption, and instinctively stumbled backward as he looked at me and asked.
“Just what on earth is mixed into your blood?”
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