Chapter 90: Treatment (3)
“What do you mean by that?!”
Gu Ryunghwa suddenly burst through the door.
Why did she have to show up right now?
‘Damn it.’
I had hoped she wouldn’t make an appearance today.
The moment Gu Ryunghwa saw me, she fired her question excitedly.
“Is it true…? That you can cure the Sword Master?”
“…I can’t say for sure.”
“How could you possibly do something like that? Even the Immortal Healer has given up!”
As she spoke, Gu Ryunghwa couldn’t help but glance nervously at the Immortal Healer by her side.
To be honest, I didn’t have any assurance that simply absorbing the demonic Qi inside her would cure the Sword Master.
Yet, even while verbalizing my doubts, I continued to wrestle internally with whether I should involve myself in this situation at all.
If I left the Sword Master like this, she would surely die.
Even if a miracle happened and she survived, she would probably just hide away quietly and live in solitude.
I felt this certainty because it was precisely how things had gone in my past life.
The future had already warped a few times due to my selfishness,
But this was a whole different level of consequences.
The Sword Master was simply that significant.
So… is it really okay for me to meddle with fate like this?
Still, I thought, if I helped her now, perhaps she could be of assistance later during a catastrophe.
My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.
‘In truth, I might just be trying to rationalize my desire to rescue her.’
Yeah, I was crafting justifications for myself to save her, trying to make it palatable.
Here I am making selfish choices when I should be behaving differently.
Even now, I recognized that I needed to act decisively if I wanted to change the world, but I found myself caught up in hesitation once again.
I looked at Gu Ryunghwa, who wore an anxious expression with trembling eyes.
She knew my claim was absurd yet still held on to a glimmer of hope.
It reminded me, once again, that Gu Ryunghwa was still very much a young girl, innocent and fragile.
After observing her for a moment, I spoke again.
“If you would allow me, I’d like to try to treat the Sword Master.”
The Immortal Healer’s response was immediate and filled with disbelief.
“You’re crossing the line! How can you claim to cure someone when you haven’t even studied medicine? Do you comprehend how grave it is to give false hope to a dying patient?!”
I understood where the Immortal Healer was coming from.
From his perspective, my words were laughable.
If I were in his position, I may have reacted similarly.
In all this chaos, the Sword Master simply gazed directly into my eyes, silently.
Although she was still battling the demonic Qi within her, her gaze didn’t reflect pain but rather calmness.
Then, the Sword Master addressed me.
“I would appreciate it if you could explain precisely what you mean.”
“Sword Master!”
The Immortal Healer seemed shocked, having realized that the Sword Master was open to listening to me.
I took it as her way of granting me permission to speak, and I began outlining my thoughts.
“The Qi from the Gu Clan members can expel any turbid energy present within the body.”
Nobody interrupted my explanation.
With no interruptions, I continued.
“In my perspective, the illness that is gradually draining the Sword Master’s life seems to stem from some Qi within her. Is that not correct?”
I directed the question at the Immortal Healer.
His expression revealed his surprise upon hearing my inquiry.
He didn’t refute my statement; if anything, he seemed to imply an agreement with a nod.
He can’t detect the demonic Qi in me but can identify it in the Sword Master?
I decided to set that notion aside for the moment.
I needed to focus on the task at hand.
“When I touched the Sword Master’s hand, I realized I could drive out the turbid Qi from within her.”
To be more precise, I was absorbing it, but bringing that up could lead to complications.
When I mentioned my experience during our touch, I noticed the Sword Master appeared deep in thought, reflecting on the sensation she also felt back then.
There was certainly no inherent property of the Gu Clan’s Qi that would allow for this, but I needed to present something compelling to gain their trust.
– Grab.
As I turned towards the sensation, I noticed Gu Ryunghwa had tightly gripped my clothing.
“…C-Can you really save the Sword Master…?”
I could see her hands quaking.
“Like I mentioned previously, I’m not completely sure of that—”
“Please… save her.”
“…”
“Master… please save her, brother…”
Seeing her tearful eyes made me internally sigh. I couldn’t pretend to be unaware of the tumult of emotions she was experiencing.
Seriously, she only calls me ‘brother’ when she needs something from me.
Yet, due to her earnestness, the weight of my hesitation about intervening lessened slightly.
Then the Immortal Healer confronted me.
“I’ve heard no such claims regarding the Gu Clan’s Qi assisting in such matters, let alone you believing you can accomplish what even the Celestial Plum Blossom could not!”
The Immortal Healer had a valid point.
The legendary Celestial Plum Blossom, a figure of unmatched prowess, had been unable to cleanse the Sword Master’s turbid Qi and thus summoned the Immortal Healer for aid.
Yet here I stood, asserting that I could heal her.
As I prepared to respond to the Immortal Healer’s doubts, the Sword Master, who had been contemplating silently, interjected.
“Isn’t it fair to let him try?”
“You…!”
“Doing something is preferable over inaction. And, as the child mentioned, I could feel a change in my body when I held his hand.”
“Even if there’s a possibility he can eliminate the turbid energy within you, leaving such an important matter to a child is risky… and there’s a chance that you might lose even the little time you have left.”
The Sword Master smiled at the Immortal Healer’s concern, as though reassuring him.
It was as if she meant to say that she felt strong enough to take the risk.
“I’m well aware that my time is limited. That’s why I prefer to believe in my own instincts.”
The Immortal Healer released a deep sigh, understanding that convincing her of the dangers would no longer sway her.
He recognized that she had already made her choice.
“…Do you really believe you can do it?”
At last, he turned to me again.
Doubt still clouded his voice.
I answered him with the same words as before.
“I’m not sure. I’ll need to give it a try.”
“It may sound arrogant, but even I could not accomplish this. My comments are not just a criticism of your skills; they highlight the burden and responsibility that will fall upon you should you proceed.”
Saving a life.
Experiencing the joy of doing so is bound to accompany the weight of the potential guilt and obligation if you fail.
The Immortal Healer was pressing me on whether I could endure the fallout should I stumble.
I found myself chuckling lightly at the Immortal Healer’s thoroughness.
Whether it was the Celestial Plum Blossom or the Immortal Healer,
They both somehow evoked memories of the Second Elder in my mind.
There was something in their essence that echoed her wisdom.
“Perhaps it’s a scenario where I might pull this off, but I can’t simply stand by idly when there’s a chance to save her.”
This was more of a pep talk for myself than a reassurance for the Immortal Healer.
A reminder that I needed to face this and not lurk in the shadows anymore.
The Immortal Healer gazed into my eyes briefly before talking again.
“…If I sense anything amiss, I’ll step in immediately.”
Thus, I had received the Immortal Healer’s reluctant approval.
It felt like a surreal mixture of half-truths and half-lies amidst the tension in the air.
Then, the Sword Master turned to me.
“How should I position myself to make you feel more comfortable?”
“You can sit comfortably, no need for any special stance.”
Gu Ryunghwa helped the Sword Master to settle down, and I gingerly positioned myself behind her, resting against her back.
I caught sight of her slender, slightly bent back.
Although I extended my hand, my anxiety and trepidation still lingered.
It wasn’t easy to conquer one’s emotions in such a fleeting moment.
Still, I had to forge ahead.
If I do nothing, it will all come crashing down.
That had been my refrain throughout my past life, a slogan I’d wallowed in too many times.
At last, I felt my hand connect with the Sword Master’s back.
Earlier, I had worried about what means I might require to absorb the demonic Qi flowing within her,
But those fears evaporated as I felt her demonic Qi begin coursing into me the moment our skin made contact.
Simultaneously, my destructive flame arts flared to life inside me.
Holy…!
A torrent of unchecked demonic Qi rushed forth into me, as if my body itself was being torn asunder.
I felt my scream nearly escape, but I bit down on my teeth to swallow it instead.
In that instant I began absorbing her demonic Qi, I comprehended what was at stake.
If I screw this up, it’ll be game over for me.
Just a moment of distraction could lead to overflow.
The demonic Qi continually swirled around in my body, synchronizing with my destructive flame, birthing what felt like a tempest within me.
The idea of managing such chaotic, feral energy as demonic Qi was utterly ludicrous.
But thanks to my destructive flame arts, combined with the energy I had absorbed from Mount Hua, it was oddly becoming feasible.
The energy from Mount Hua enabled the ferocious demonic Qi within my body to navigate smoothly.
Yet even so, the pain was excruciating.
…Damn.
This agony eclipsed even the torment I felt when the Heavenly Demon initially imparted demonic energy to me.
The Sword Master, enduring equally terrible pain, never issued a whimper.
Her constitution must truly be devastated.
At this moment, her body had to be weaker than an ordinary person’s.
Still, she held on through the pain despite her frailty.
Recognizing her resilience, I withheld my own discomfort and pressed on.
How much have I absorbed?
It felt like an eternity had passed, but in reality, it hadn’t been long at all.
Gradually, I sensed the demonic Qi I was absorbing being purified within my body, but the intake exceeded my rate of purification.
This was excessive, far too much.
She was managing this massive amount of Qi all this time?
The realization of the Sword Master’s strength and purity of Qi struck me hard.
The relentless influx was nearly pushing me into unconsciousness.
But I must endure!
There was no way I could quit now.
Not only was the Sword Master’s life in jeopardy, but I also couldn’t bring myself to deal with the deluge of demonic Qi that would erupt if I faltered.
If things went awry, it’d result in a disaster!
Even provoking a scenario where I would end up getting hurt was not something I wanted.
I had learned that the repercussions would be immensely severe should I slip up.
This all feels like karma, this damn situation.
And just as the tide of demonic Qi became unbearable and I reached my limits,
…Ugh.
I suddenly heard a voice drifting my way.
…What?
Oof… Ough… Ugh?
This voice….
Just then, the pain began to fade.
I definitely recognize this voice from somewhere.
It was the mysterious voice I had heard during my fight with Ya Hyeoljeok.
The voice reemerged vividly in my mind.
…I’m… full… but… but…
The tone sounded frail and awkward at first, becoming progressively more vibrant as it spoke.
A sense of foreboding tickled my spine.
…What are you?
This time, it’s… delicious?
The voice offered no response to my query.
This is… very tasty!
Along with the delighted voice came a sudden surge of demonic Qi, rushing into me all at once.
…!
That explosive surge of demonic Qi filled my body in a heartbeat, reaching all the way to my abdomen.
Pain had transformed into something far more severe.
I’m going to die!
This wasn’t just trouble—this was death knocking at my door.
I could feel blood trickling from my mouth.
Even as I clutched at my consciousness, which was slipping away, I found my palms still glued to the Sword Master’s back.
Both my mind and body seemed to slip out of my control.
What… is… happening?!
Kwoosh!
The demonic Qi continued to invade my body violently,
Ah.
It halted abruptly after that single syllable.
That was satisfying.
With that satisfied tone, the strength left my body, and darkness took me.
*
When I opened my eyes again, it was morning.
Leaping upright in shock, I found myself still in the hut where the Sword Master had been treated.
Thankfully, I hadn’t become disabled due to an overload of Qi.
…Was that all just a dream?
I briefly pondered that possibility before checking my body and promptly realizing…
…There’s a staggering amount of it.
I detected alarming levels of demonic Qi swirling within me.
There seemed to be more demonic Qi in me than my own.
Looking around, I noticed that the Immortal Healer and Zhuge Hyuk were absent; Gu Ryunghwa was thrashing beneath a blanket.
Is it morning already…?
Had I seriously eclipsed a day or two again? It didn’t feel that way, though.
With neither the Sword Master nor the Immortal Healer in sight, anxiety bubbled within me.
What if something had gone wrong?
I made my way out of the hut.
Swish-! Swish~Swoosh!
As I opened the door, I found someone practicing their swordplay under the sun.
Upon spotting that figure, I let out a sigh of relief.
Even with the lightest of sword swings, a thin scent of plum blossoms wafted through the air.
Though her movements appeared weak, I could tell there was no lack of skill behind the strokes drawn in the air.
…Impressive.
Despite seeming fragile from the outside, an involuntary chill coursed down my spine as I continued to watch her practice.
When her swordplay reached a halt, I sensed her gaze directed towards me, despite the sunlight obscuring my view of her expression.
“You’re awake.”
“…Yes.”
The previously grey hair that made her look aged vanished, replaced by lush, raven-black strands billowing in the morning breeze.
“It feels different seeing you like this now.”
I felt the urge to respond with that same thought.
It was almost laughable how transformed she appeared now, compared to before I had lost consciousness.
Although I couldn’t see her face clearly, I was sure of that.
Did she somehow regrow her bones or something? But I don’t think that’s how it works.
I pondered if she had reverted to her initial state somehow.
And all that change merely came from me absorbing a bit of demonic Qi…?!
– Creak.
The door opened, and someone emerged.
“…Master…?”
As expected, it was Gu Ryunghwa.
Her eyes widened in disbelief upon spotting her master.
Without hesitation, she broke into tears.
The Sword Master chuckled at the sight.
“If you keep crying, your beautiful face will ruin!”
Hearing that, Gu Ryunghwa dashed towards the Sword Master and enveloped her in a tight embrace.
I turned my gaze away as I watched her sobbing in the Sword Master’s arms.
Ugh, this is such an awkward situation.
With an uneasy scratch of my head, I felt completely out of my element.
Though I would need to learn the full story later, at least it seemed I had successfully navigated this turmoil.
From here on, I needed to assess my own physical condition and convey everything to the Celestial Plum Blossom.
But…
…I feel like there’s something immensely important that I’ve overlooked.
It was an unsettling sensation, as though something major had slipped my mind.
*
Upon returning to the lodge, I suddenly realized what it was I had forgotten.
I spotted Wi Seol-Ah and Namgung Bi-ah, arms crossed and glaring at me.
The moment Namgung Bi-ah laid eyes on me, she snapped,
“You told me to come back before meal time… yet you stayed out all night?”
Oh crap.
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