Return of the Mount Hua Sect

“Soul Vitality Pill?”

“Yes.”

“…are you referring to the blend of herbs that was supposedly the best in the world but has been lost to history?”

“Yes.”

Im So-Byeong’s eyes were serious.

“Those words…”

He, who had spoken fluently till now, was beginning to stutter for the first time.

“Hmm. So… does that mean that Mount Hua has managed to secure a way to create a pill that no one else in the world has been able to?”

Chung Myung, who had been silent, turned to Baek Cheon and asked,

“Uh? Wasn’t this supposed to be kept secret?”

“….”

When Baek Cheon looked at him, speechless, Chung Myung awkwardly stared back.

“Ah, please keep this a secret for now. It is something that other people shouldn’t know.”

“…”

Im So-Byeong, who looked at the Mount Hua disciples in shock, pondered,

‘Is this the truth? Or a lie?’

He clenched his hands around the armrests of his chair.

‘Then at the sword tomb….’

How surprised was he when he heard about the Sword Tomb being discovered?

If it were possible, he would have taken a run for it. But at the same time, he was at the opposite end of the Central Plains, and by the time he received the news, the issue with the Sword Tomb had already been cleared up.

He had been finally comforted by the fact that no one found anything in there.

“You fooled the entire world.”

“Hehe. Just because we don’t speak of it doesn’t mean we fooled everyone.”

At Chung Myung’s words, Im So-Byeong nodded and leaned back in his chair,

“So what do you want to say?”

“Well, it is pretty simple. This side wants to use the pill to pay for your help instead.”

Im So-Byeong smiled,

“Do you know what my disease is?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“…you know?”

“Yes.”

Im So-Byeong stared at the warrior in front of him, looking puzzled.

Chung Myung had never tried to win him over. Although Chung Myung was stronger, it wasn’t possible to see the health of a man, but to say this now…

He was lost in thought before suddenly shouting,

“N-No way, I cannot believe it, you figured out when holding my hand…!”

“No, a look at you was enough to know.”

“…”

Im So-Byeong buried himself into his chair.

“Then, what is the medicine for….”

“I am not selling medicine, I mean it. That pale face, the yin qi clear on your forehead, and the cough which is taking you down, plus your smart head.”

Chung Myung spoke as if he was declaring something,

“There is just one disease that has these symptoms! Nine Yin Spread Veins!”

Im So-Byeong was shocked, and Chung Myung smiled as if he won.

“Am I right?”

“… No?”

“Uh?”

“I said no.”

“…”

The two of them looked at each other with blank expressions.

“No?”

“Yes.”

“… it cannot be that.”

Chung Myung frowned, tilting his head.

‘Strange, his symptoms were clearly pointing to that.’

“Cough! Cough!”

Suddenly, Im So-Byeong began to cough again, his entire body shaking. He put down the cloth which covered his mouth and said,

“If what you are saying was right, would I be alive?”

“Ah, right.”

Chung Myung nodded as if he understood.

Nine Yin Spreading Veins was a disease that caused strong yin qi to spread through the body, blocking the patient’s meridians. Because of this distorted qi in the blood, the person has an extremely sharp mind, but they die swiftly because of how the distorted qi warped the body and the flow of qi.

“So it isn’t that?”

“Yes.”

“Ah, I thought I was right.”

Chung Myung, who had lost his drive, looked at Baek Cheon.

“Sasuk.”

“Huh?”

“… things are now a mess, what do I do?”

“…”

Baek Cheon’s eyes twitched.

‘I really hope he dies, really.’

Heavenly God.

Why did you have to bring this idiot down to Mount Hua to torment me?! Why?!

When Baek Cheon didn’t answer, Chung Myung smiled and scratched the back of his head while Im So-Byeong sighed.

“I…”

“Ah, wait, wait! Do not tell me! I will guess it!”

Chung Myung’s eyes widened.

“Your symptoms are similar to it, but you are still alive! Then… around seven points have been blocked?”

“…”

“Then three?”

Baek Cheon’s face began to turn red.

“If not that, then two!”

Baek Cheon screamed loudly,

“You bastard! Is that something that can be cured? Why do you have to speak without knowing….”

But Im So-Byeong got up, surprised,

“Oh? He got it right!”

“….”

Surprised, Baek Cheon looked at him.

“…. He got it right?”

“Yes.”

“….”

He got it right?

All the hope for this world vanished from the face of Baek Cheon. Regardless of that, Im So-Byeong nodded his head in admiration,

“You are indeed Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon.”

“Hehe. Well, it was nothing.”

When Baek Cheon’s shoulders began to droop, Yoon Jong tried to comfort him.

“Calm down, Sasuk, this is not something that has happened once or twice.”

“… it is because it hasn’t happened only once or twice.”

“Right.”

While Baek Cheon was seriously thinking about what this life meant, Im So-Byeong scratched his head with his fan and said,

“To be precise, there is a blockage on the second and a half on the third.”

“… it isn’t like we get to measure it with a scale, is that right?”

Im So-Byeong kindly answered Baek Cheon’s question,

“The name changes depending on how many of your meridians are clogged, so if nine are clogged, it is what he first said. But if it is three… Well, I have two and a half clogged, so…”

“… I get it.”

Baek Cheon thought if he listened anymore, it would make him go insane. At his reaction, Im So-Byeong laughed bitterly.

“So, this is like the Two Yin Spreading Veins, the weakest of all, where two vessels are blocked completely, and one is half blocked.”

“…quite an awkward one.”

“Right,” said Im So-Byeong, looking sad.

“Ignoring the side effect is too severe, and there is no need to fix…”

Chung Myung listened to him silently and helped,

“Well, anything would have decreased your lifespan.”

“That too.”

When Im So-Byeong nodded his head, Chung Myung’s eyes shone.

“Rather, this is better. I cannot be sure the condition can be cured if nine are blocked, but if it is just two and a half…”

“That can be done.”

“Yes, at this point, we can fix it with the pill.”

Im So-Byeong was deep in thought.

‘Soul Vitality Pill.’

What he had wasn’t something that could be cured with a simple physician’s trick. This was because most of his meridians would be too blocked, making it difficult to treat.

However, the Soul Vitality Pill was different from normal spirit pills.

This wasn’t a pill made by a martial sect or faction but by Yak Seon, who could heal all. As the name suggested, the pill he made was known to be very effective when it came to restoring a body that had lost its natural flow.

‘Certainly, if it was the Soul Vitality Pill…’

If Chung Myung’s words were true, this was definitely worth talking about.

But…

“… but well, it isn’t like the pill is needed for what we have. And it is a bit inconvenient, but…”

Im So-Byeong narrowed his eyes on purpose, and looked at Chung Myung with curious eyes,

“Well, let’s put aside the unneeded façade.”

“….”

“It is a bit strange… If it were me, and the Green Forest said that if I showed my skills, only then would they follow. And they had put Beon Chung in front of me, hiding his identity… if it were me, I wouldn’t go through such a bothersome thing.”

“I have an odd taste for things.”

“You don’t seem like someone who would bother with their tastes.”

Im So-Byeong stared at Chung Myung.

But Chung Myung only smiled,

“The reason is simple, think about it. It isn’t that I don’t show it, but I cannot. There is no way bandits would accept the orders of a Green Forest King who always coughs from an underlying disease. Even if there is no rebellion, your power will surely be weakened. Am I wrong?”

“Hmm.”

Im So-Byeong sat down with crossed legs and fanned himself,

“That is an interesting reason you bring. It makes sense.”

Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders and continued,

“Right now, there is no way that the Green Forest King would be hated for fighting against others, but when the situation calms down, wouldn’t things change? Hmm… wait, is the Green Forest ready to start a war with the Ten Thousand People Clan? Or will it avoid and look away?”

Chak!

Im So-Byeong, who folded his fan, tapped his head with its tip.

“You say such rude things looking at my face, yet you seem like a gentleman. You put a sword right through my stomach.”

“Saying something that is obvious.”

“Others didn’t seem to know this was obvious.”

Im So-Byeong let out a deep sigh,

“So what do you want? If you say you are going to come in here and shake hands and leave, I am quite uncomfortable with that. I think it is ambiguous just to let this pass.”

There was a momentary chill in his eyes.

However, Chung Myung smiled again in front of the king’s slightly ferocious look.

“The question you asked is wrong. It is what you want, not us.”

“Uh?”

“Yah! Bring me a chair!”

Just as Jo Gul flinched and began to run and grab a chair, Beon Chung had already rushed ten times faster to grab it.

“…”

Im So-Byeong was shocked at this.

“Why is this guy acting like this?”

“… too long to explain,” said Baek Cheon, sighing.

Chung Myung sat down on the chair he was brought and crossed his legs, mirroring the King.

“It seems you don’t understand the current situation.”

“…”

“You speak kindly, but you seem to have a slow understanding of things. Don’t you get it? Do you think I have the Soul Vitality Pill? The Soul Vitality Pill?”

“…”

“That, Uh? Yak Seon, huh? The thing is made by putting your very soul on the line! Do you think I have such a pill with me? The amazing pill that is said to treat every problem the human body holds–instantly!”

“…”

Im So-Byeong’s face contorted at Chung Myung’s lame attempt.

“But, what? What is that you need? Oh my, I cannot do business anymore. Do you know that I am here, right here, selling you something this precious? Even now, if I go out, there would be people lining up for this!”

Chung Myung waved his hand, rubbing his fingers, exaggerating the gesture.

“Ah, talking about this makes me want a drink. Get a drink here….”

Chak!

Before Chung Myung could finish, Beon Chung approached Chung Myung and offered a bottle. It was almost as if he had prepared it beforehand, and this time it was Chung Myung who was shocked.

“…thanks.”

“No problem, Hyung!”

Uh… he is a better kid than I thought?

After gulping down the bottle, Chung Myung put it down violently with a,

“Kuaaaak!”

Smiling after a groan announcing his enjoyment of the drink, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

“Now, listen carefully.”

Im So-Byeong stared at Chung Myung, shocked.

“You have to fix that disease of yours quickly if you want to control Green Forest. There must be a limit to going around making someone pretend to be the King, right? The Ten Thousand People Clan will surely make an effort to bring that facade down.”

“…”

“When the war intensifies, you will have to step out into the open. But… if that happens, and you have to step out, who would it be? Their diseased king?”

Im So-Byeong let out a deep sigh.

“And if the rumors spread of your illness… It wouldn’t take more than a few seconds for your men’s trust to drop. There is no way you are oblivious to that, right? Still, you cannot help it, so you held this position, right?”

Im So-Byeong scratched his head and shook his head.

“Ugh. I won’t be able to fight you any longer.”

“But!”

Chung Myung waved his hand excitedly,

“All these problems can be solved with just one pill?! Woah! So amazing! Uh? Just one pill?”

Seeing this, Baek Cheon smiled.

‘He is really selling the medicine.’

‘He is openly selling medicine now?’

Even a professional medicine seller was possessed, Chung Myung heard and released Im So-Byeong.

“So!”

Bang!

Chung Myung slammed his chair, and the handle broke off. Concentrating his gaze forward, he smiled,

“I am not asking what you want.”

“…”

As if he had finished his statement, Chung Myung leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs.

“How much will you pay?”

“…”

“Name your price.”

Im So-Byeong’s lips trembled, and he slowly said,

“M-Million…”

“Uh? I couldn’t hear?”

“All conditions and add one million coins!”

“Oh my, if I sell it somewhere else, it would be five million though.”

“T-Then two million!”

“Sahyung, let’s pack up!”

“Fo-Three million! Three is possible! End this! Please consider my situation too!”

“Bandits don’t seem to be making a whole lot these days. They just eat and die.”

“Four million is too much…”

They hassled a lot over the final stages, and the Mount Hua disciples had long been shocked.

‘S-Sasuk.’

‘Huh?’

‘Are there any Soul Vitality Pills left on Mount Hua?’

‘… didn’t we use all of them when we fought against the Ten Thousand People Clan?’

‘Then what is he selling now?’

‘I don’t understand it?’

‘Uh?’

‘It is a scam.’

‘…’

Jo Gul was once impressed at the sight of Chung Myung smiling with his legs crossed and Im So-Byeong desperately trying to persuade him.

But now he threw that thought out of the window.

‘A Taoist cheating a bandit.’

Where was this world heading to?

Sigh.