Chapter 3: Chapter 3
Hour of the Rabbit.
Hyeon-ryeo, who had woken up in the early dawn, hurriedly ate her meal as if picking at it, and immediately headed towards the Hall of Medicine.
“He should wake up today…”
Walking with eyes full of worry, she soon entered the Hall of Medicine.
Afterwards, as she skillfully walked towards where Cheon-hwi was, she felt a sense of incongruity.
The interior was too quiet.
Not a single sound of breathing could be heard.
Tap, tap, tap…
Her steps gradually quickened. Upon soon reaching the front of the room where Cheon-hwi had been continually lying down, she slid the door open.
“…!”
She ran to the bed.
Wondering where Cheon-hwi, who normally would have been lying there, had gone, only an empty bed welcomed her.
“…He woke up.”
Her expression brightened.
That was only for a moment.
“Even so, moving already is…”
Hardening her face, she urgently rushed out of the room and examined her surroundings by throwing open the closed doors one by one.
By the time she had gone on to open all the doors.
Whoosh…
She discovered the back door where the wind was coming in.
Following that, she saw a small shadow in the distance.
Tat!
Immediately, without a moment of delay, she unfolded the Jade Ring Wondrous Steps.
Swish…
“Hwi-ya!”
At the resounding voice, the shadow turned its body, and before long, Cheon-hwi’s face could be seen.
Color gradually returned to her face, which had been flustered by Cheon-hwi’s disappearance.
Clasp!
Just like that, she hugged him forcefully.
‘Wh-what?’
Around the time he was bewildered by the sudden situation.
“You have regained consciousness.”
Crying out while hugging Cheon-hwi’s face into her chest, she unknowingly applied strength and hugged him even tighter.
“Ke, kek!”
The initially warm embrace gradually turned into pain, and now it felt as if his head was going to be crushed.
“B-breath…”
“What is the matter?”
“C-can’t breathe…”
Hyeon-ryeo hastily released the hug.
Cheon-hwi, having become able to breathe, inhaled and exhaled heavily.
“Huu…”
“I am sorry.”
Hyeon-ryeo said as she wiped away her tears.
‘Hm?’
At the familiar voice, Cheon-hwi stared at her.
A beautiful middle-aged woman appearing to be around forty.
With her hair neatly tied, she was wearing a Daoist robe with plum blossoms drawn on it.
‘This woman is Hyeon-ryeo?’
Because it was the voice of the woman he had exclusively heard without skipping a single day since he regained his senses, he immediately grasped her identity.
Like that, just as he was closely scanning her, she brought her face closer.
Two pupils welling with tears that had not yet fully dried captivated his sight.
“Are you fine now?”
“Of course I am fine…. Ah.”
While answering, he thought ‘Oops.’
“I-I am fine.”
Hastily swallowing the words he had blurted out, he raised the corners of his mouth and made a forced smile.
‘To think that none other than I would end up speaking respectfully to a cow-nosed Daoist nun like that.’
Goosebumps rose all over his body.
Looking at that sight, Hyeon-ryeo asked with eyes full of worry.
“Are you sure you are fine?”
Seeing her doubtful expression, Cheon-hwi stretched the corners of his mouth even further.
“I… really… am, grind, f… ine…”
Was it because he was doing something he had not done before.
It felt like his mouth was going to spasm.
‘Damn it! This is like hell!’
Hyeon-ryeo, having heard Cheon-hwi’s awkward tone, hardened her eyes with a suspicious expression.
“Even so, let us properly check with the Hall of Medicine Head.”
The moment those words finished.
Whoosh!
His body was suddenly lifted.
‘Is this technique from that cow-nosed Daoist bastard? No, it’s different from what I knew.’
In the brief moment he recalled the elegant hand gesture shown in an instant, Hyeon-ryeo kicked the ground.
Swish…
Scenery retreating backwards in an instant.
Cheon-hwi’s eyebrows frowned.
‘What? What is this again? It is definitely the Jade Ring Wondrous Steps of the old hag who came with that cow-nosed Daoist bastard, right?’
The footwork she unfolded was fascinating.
While it moved smoothly like plum blossom petals scattering around, it was leaving rather strange footprints.
However, it was not to his liking at all.
‘But why is she unfolding it like this?’
Tilting his head at a martial art completely different from what he knew, just as he was trying to dissect the footwork Hyeon-ryeo was unfolding.
Tak.
The shaking stopped, and his two feet that had been floating in the air touched the ground.
‘Tsk, finished already?’
The moment he smacked his lips in disappointment.
“Martial Nephew Cheon-go.”
‘Cheon-go? Ah! The Hall of Medicine Head who was treating me?’
As he moved his head following her, a middle-aged man with a genial impression was approaching.
“Martial Aunt, that sound just before…. Oh? Martial Little Brother!”
As the middle-aged man got closer, his gaze gradually began to go upwards.
The middle-aged man, Cheon-go’s build was considerable.
A height exceeding six chi and tanned skin.
Furthermore, contrary to his smiling impression, the body hidden inside his Daoist robe was firm with muscles.
Was he really a physician?
While Cheon-hwi quietly stared at the middle-aged man with suspicious eyes, Hyeon-ryeo brought up her words.
“Could you check his condition?”
“It is of course something I must do.”
He knelt down and took Cheon-hwi’s pulse with an enormous hand the size of a pot lid.
‘…It should not matter.’
If he had wanted to shake him off when he reached out his hand, he could have shaken him off at any time, but he let it go.
What would someone who could not even recognize the Yin-Yang Supreme Spirit Severed Meridians know just by looking.
Letting him take his hand for a moment like that.
‘Oho?’
Cheon-hwi’s previously narrow eyes grew wider.
It was because of an ability that was superior to his expectations.
‘To examine all the pulses of the entire body, he is much more profoundly knowledgeable in medicine than I thought?’
He stared with a slightly surprised gaze.
Although he had slightly underestimated him due to his outward appearance and the preconception of him being a Daoist, his skill was unexpectedly outstanding.
Seu-euk…
Just in time, Cheon-go calmly put down the hand that had been taking Cheon-hwi’s pulse.
After that, he fell into thought while resting his chin.
“Hmm…”
At that sight, Hyeon-ryeo panicked.
“Could a problem have arisen by any chance?”
“N-no.”
Frantically waving his hands in denial, Cheon-go looked back and forth between Hyeon-ryeo and Cheon-hwi and smiled again.
“Rather, one could say his body condition is better than anyone else in our sect.”
“Is that true?”
“It is.”
Hearing repeated assurances that he was fine, Hyeon-ryeo shed tears and elegantly formed a bow.
“Ah, the Heavenly Venerable has helped us.”
“Heaven’s luck truly followed us.”
Seeing the two politely bowing towards the sky, he was dumbfounded.
‘Heavenly Venerable my foot. Heavenly Venerable, heaven’s luck, what is all that. It is an accomplishment achieved entirely through my own power.’
Heavenly Venerable, heaven’s luck, what was all that.
However, to think they would ignore that effort, Cheon-hwi was baffled.
While looking at the two making a bow with an absurd gaze, Hyeon-ryeo, who had been bowing her head, lifted it.
“I should inform Martial Elder Brother Sect Leader.”
Even before she could finish speaking, Hyeon-ryeo unfolded the Jade Ring Wondrous Steps she had shown just before.
While Cheon-hwi was watching the back of her who disappeared in an instant.
Grab…
A thick hand grabbed his shoulder.
“It is truly a relief, Martial Little Brother.”
Raising his head, he saw Cheon-go smiling.
“You will be able to wander around to your heart’s content now.”
Cheon-go was feeling proud.
Whenever the days were cold like this, his Martial Little Brother would owe a debt to the Hall of Medicine every time.
Every time that happened, his heart ached, but now there was no longer a need to have such worries.
The blood meridians of his entire body were sturdy and overflowing with strength, and his muscles were flexible and tough.
It was a change that was hard to believe to be the body of Cheon-hwi, who had ailed sickly every day.
‘Fortunately, thanks to the Purple Perilla Pill, my humble medical skills could exert their power…’
He, who was thinking of the situation at that time, grabbed his chin at a suddenly rising doubt.
Doing so for a moment, he meticulously scanned Cheon-hwi’s body up and down.
‘But no matter if it is the Purple Perilla Pill, it shouldn’t show this level of efficacy, right? No, could it be that Martial Little Brother underwent such changes because he was in a state of not having learned martial arts? Or is there another efficacy of the Purple Perilla Pill that I don’t know of…’
Cheon-go’s dangerously sparkling gaze swept across Cheon-hwi’s body without hesitation.
And Cheon-hwi, who was receiving such a gaze, felt goosebumps from his spine.
‘What is it, that sticky gaze? Could it be… a sodomite?’
Quickly widening the distance from him, he frowned his face.
Goosebumps rose all over his body.
He, who knew the behavior of sodomites in the Heavenly Demon Cult in the past, got the creeps.
As Cheon-hwi became wary, misunderstanding the gaze of curiosity, the person in question, Cheon-go, tilted his head and opened his mouth.
“Hmm? Martial Little Brother? What is wrong?”
Around the time Cheon-go, noticing something strange, was about to approach Cheon-hwi again.
“Hoho, he is truly healed.”
An old man with white hair and white eyebrows appeared.
Cheon-go, who was about to approach Cheon-hwi, stopped his feet as soon as he saw the old man and hurriedly paid his respects.
“I greet the Sect Leader.”
“Hohoho, it has been a long time.”
The old man, who spoke while smiling softly, turned his head towards Cheon-hwi and smiled.
Seeing the old man making a wrinkled eye-smile, Cheon-hwi’s eyebrows twitched.
‘This person is the current Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect?’
He tilted his head.
‘Is he really the Sect Leader? Compared to the cow-nosed Daoist from back then, he is absurdly weak.’
He compared him to the cow-nosed Daoist who had visited at a time when the war of nerves between the Central Plains and the Heavenly Demon Cult had reached its peak.
The one who had revealed himself as the Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect was an absolute master who had reached the Realm of Heavenly Martial Arts.
Besides, what about his status.
Thirty years ago, he was defeated by him and ran away saying he would take revenge later, but despite that, he was someone revered in the Central Plains, called the Plum Blossom Divine Sword.
Martial prowess and status enough to cover the disgrace of defeat.
‘Because of that one cow-nosed Daoist bastard, even the Shaolin Temple and Wudang Sect would yield a step.’
However, the current Sect Leader in front of him right now…
His head turned on its own.
The level of the current Sect Leader might not have been up to par with the cow-nosed Daoist.
However, Cheon-hwi did not know he would be someone with this much of a feeble presence.
‘The Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect is this weak, and one is a sodomite? Tsk tsk, they said Mount Hua would grow stronger, but they made a complete mess of it.’
Just when he was thinking of words that would have caused the Plum Blossom Divine Sword to have a fit if he had heard them.
Seu-euk…
Hyeon-sang smiled and took a step forward.
In an instant, his Daoist robe fluttered.
His back hair, which was tied together with a pure white cloth holding his abundant white hair, seemed to swish like a horsetail, and in a flash, Hyeon-sang crossed the space.
Before long, standing in front of Cheon-hwi, he reached out his wrinkled hand and stroked his head.
Stroke… Stroke…
“Are you fine?”
At Hyeon-sang’s appearance of treating him completely like a child, a raging fire erupted inside him, but he held it in.
‘Right now, I am Cheon-hwi…. I am Cheon-hwi. I am currently Cheon-hwi of the Mount Hua Sect, grind!’
His stomach churned, but he firmly suppressed it.
After hurriedly stabilizing his boiling mind and body like that, he raised his head and met his eyes.
“I greet… the Sect… Leader.”
“It is all thanks to you, Martial Elder Brother, for allowing the Purple Perilla Pill.”
Hyeon-ryeo appeared belatedly and interjected.
Looking at Hyeon-sang stroking Cheon-hwi’s head, she smiled softly.
“If it were not for the Purple Perilla Pill, he would not have recovered like this. Is that not right?”
At Hyeon-ryeo’s question seeking agreement, Cheon-go clapped his hands and answered vigorously.
“Oh my, of course it is. Moreover, as if it was not enough for Martial Little Brother to recover, whether heaven’s luck reached him or not, there will no longer be any chance of him collapsing anymore.”
“Hoho, it is a relief, it truly is a relief.”
Hyeon-sang formed a bright smile. In the meantime, Hyeon-ryeo subtly signaled to Cheon-hwi with her eyes.
… You should say thank you, right?
The meaning contained in her eyes, which seemed soft yet upright, was not entirely to his liking, but he had no choice but to open his mouth.
Since it was a fact that the Purple Perilla Pill had been a help.
“…Thank you.”
“It is nothing. No matter how precious an elixir is, would it be more precious than the future of our sect.”
Hyeon-sang, who was speaking, stroked his pure white beard that had grown down to his chest.
After that, he removed the hand that was stroking his head and spoke.
“Therefore, do not pay it any mind.”
‘Of course not. Why would I pay it any mind?’
Even if he had not said it, that was his intention.
‘The Purple Perilla Pill only provided a very, very, very small bit of help. What cured the body was thanks to my outstanding knowledge.’
A moment later, Hyeon-sang brought up his words.
“Then is Cheon-hwi fine now?”
“He is.”
Cheon-go nodded his head.
“He is at the point where he can move right away.”
“Hoho, the Heavenly Venerable has given us help.”
Hyeon-sang looked down at Cheon-hwi.
“What will you do?”
In an instant, his eyes sparkled.
It was the question he had been continuously waiting for.
* * *
“Will you truly be fine?”
‘…This is truly sickening.’
This was exactly the sixth question.
While coming all the way here, Hyeon-ryeo continuously rambled on with the exact same question.
However, he never showed signs of being sick of it. Soon, fixing his gaze on Hyeon-ryeo, who was looking at him with a worried gaze, he put on a forced smile.
“Ha, haha. I am fine.”
“I understand.”
Hyeon-ryeo shook her head as she pitifully looked at Cheon-hwi and the small pavilion revealing its presence behind him.
“You still haven’t forgotten Martial Little Brother…”
‘What?’
Tearing up as if she had strongly misunderstood something, she swallowed the rest of her words.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
With those words, she left.
However, for whatever was so regretful, she turned around to check, and only disappeared after doing that action nearly five times.
“Huu, she finally left.”
Looking at the hill where not even a shadow could be seen anymore, he shook his head vigorously.
“Why does she overprotect a kid like this?”
As someone who had lived his entire life in the Heavenly Demon Cult, he absolutely could not understand it.
“She will quit it soon.”
He threw away annoying thoughts.
“Because there is something more important than that.”
Upon entering the pavilion, contrary to its shabby exterior, an unexpectedly clean interior welcomed him.
‘I thought the inside would be a total mess too, but it’s decently clean at least.’
While roughly inspecting the interior, he flopped down into a sitting position in the center of the pavilion.
‘Shall I check on the state of my body?’
He slowly caught his breath.
When the air that entered through his mouth and nose gradually spread into the blood meridians of his entire body, and soon the inside of his whole body could be clearly seen as if held in his hands.
‘Hm? What is this?’
He burst out in bewilderment.
It was a state where his body now was completely different from when he first recovered it in the dawn.
In a state that completely deviated from his expectations.
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