Chapter 68: Many Heads Bring Many Thoughts, and Many Thoughts Bring Many Strifes

The old man, whose skin was tanned a dark brown like those who had lived farming under the sunlight all their lives, exuded a unique aura.

In that atmosphere, I was able to recall a faint memory from the past.

‘Ah! I wondered why it sounded like a name I had heard somewhere.’

Like Teacher Emerald Bamboo, he was an elder who had a connection with my grandfather. He had acted as if he were Teacher Emerald Bamboo’s bodyguard.

The clear fact was that he was one of my grandfather’s friends.

‘He was of the Unorthodox Faction.’

Moreover, he was an expert with a reputation great enough for a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect to mention him as a martial artist representing a region.

A somewhat strange feeling arose. But it was not that I didn’t understand.

My grandfather looked at an individual’s character rather than their affiliation. If he liked a person, he formed a connection with them regardless of Orthodox or Unorthodox.

‘Did he help Teacher Emerald Bamboo settle here? No, wait. This is a problem I need to think through carefully. What is the chronological order?’

The scenario where Elder Baek Pung-rip followed Teacher Emerald Bamboo and came to settle here.

The scenario where Teacher Emerald Bamboo was appointed to the region that was originally Elder Baek Pung-rip’s territory.

‘Depending on which way it is interpreted, the situation becomes completely different?’

If it were the former, it would be resolved simply as a relationship of mutual interest between the two, but if it were the latter, it would become extremely complicated.

Because that would mean the reason Teacher Emerald Bamboo was appointed here was not due to a demotion, but was mixed with a certain degree of his own volition.

In other words, it meant there was a purpose.

‘My grandfather sent a letter to such a person. While being cautious enough to care about the eyes of those around him… Did my grandfather really retire?’

Somehow, the unfolding situation made me feel as if there were hidden stories scattered about that I did not know of.

It was not just a feeling; it was also a situation that required caution.

While various thoughts mixed in my head, Elder Baek Pung-rip stood before me.

“Are you the benefactor who treated the boys under my command?”

“Seeing that I roughly know who you are talking about, it seems I am.”

“They called you a divine physician, but you are young.”

“Does that pose a problem?”

“A little. Since I am not very skilled in dealing with young people. The way I know is not excessively kind either.”

Rigid. Since he spoke of himself as ‘I am a rigid person,’ it was hard to critique him.

Was he telling me to be careful on my own? Or was he asking me to understand?

Whichever it was, it was clear that he was a person with weight, just like the image in my memory.

Unlike Teacher Emerald Bamboo, he appeared completely unchanged despite the passage of time.

[I like this figure quite a bit.]

Perhaps because his integrity could be felt, Master Bodhidharma expressed his favor toward Elder Baek Pung-rip.

“I am called Baek Pung-rip.”

“I am called Cheong-un.”

The surname Yeon was not common. In contrast, the name Cheong-un belonged to a fairly common category. This meant that if I revealed only my name, it would be just one of many common names.

“Cheong-un…”

Ruminating on my name, Elder Baek Pung-rip gazed at me intently.

Perhaps due to the weight he exuded, it felt like a huge boulder was standing in front of me.

“You resemble him a lot.”

“Thank you.”

Who he was referring to was clear. If he was connected to Teacher Emerald Bamboo, it was highly likely he had heard that I had come here.

“Revealing only your name was a good decision. Because there are many who would point their blades at the three characters of your name. Sichuan is a place that has a bit of an excessive side.”

Even though he spoke softly as if it would not be good for it to leak into the surroundings, it was clearly heard by my ears.

“I understand.”

Even in the Unorthodox Faction, there are people with whom communication works. However, that could not mean the entirety of the Unorthodox Faction was like that.

Even in the Orthodox Faction, extremists existed, so there was no need to speak of a place like the Unorthodox Faction. The moment my identity was revealed, there would certainly be fellows who would draw their blades first, regardless of whether I was a divine physician or not.

“I am glad you understand. Then, I shall believe you will continue to do so in the future.”

“Yes.”

“Then, let us get into a more constructive conversation.”

If until now was a private conversation to get to know each other, it meant they should now hold a serious public conversation.

What topic the conversation would be was not difficult to guess.

‘Poison.’

Unlike the underlings who did not even know they were poisoned, Elder Baek Pung-rip seemed to have grasped the unfolding situation to some extent.

“Let us go have a cup of tea. I know a place that keeps good tea.”

At Elder Baek Pung-rip’s words, I looked around, and there were indeed many watching eyes.

Fortunately, since I had already treated most of the acute patients in the meantime, there would be no problem even if I left my post for a short while.

Just as I thought so and was about to move following Elder Baek Pung-rip.

“My, you two seem to get along well? Could you be acquaintances from before?”

Grinning, a man approached and blocked the path ahead.

The people in the surroundings began to retreat in a hurry. It was the appearance of herbivores fleeing in haste at the appearance of a carnivore.

Although it was my first time seeing him, I felt I knew who he was.

“Evil Gambling King Gwak Dae-pyeong.”

“Oh! You know me too?”

A blade behind a smile.

He was a man who could kill people while smiling.

In other words, he was not a normal person.

“I don’t know much about you, but you know me? How did you know?”

Generally, such people are exhausting to deal with. Because one never knows where they will bounce.

Between Gwak Dae-pyeong’s curved eyes, squirming emotional fluctuations could be glimpsed.

‘Do I have to fight?’

As expected of an expert ruling a region, the energy felt from him was substantial.

‘Let’s avoid it for now.’

It was better to avoid direct combat. Wudang Sect’s martial arts and Shaolin’s martial arts had widely known characteristics. The moment we exchanged blows in earnest, there was a high possibility my identity would be exposed.

“I heard there is only one person in Gohyeon who can match Elder Baek.”

“Ah.”

Gwak Dae-pyeong clapped his hands and nodded.

“Well, since I accept that part, let’s leave it at that.”

“Do you have other business?”

“I came because I do. Seeing that old man here, it seems I came to the right place.”

Gwak Dae-pyeong sneered while looking at Elder Baek Pung-rip.

I knew what he meant.

“You mean I might act biased because of what is spreading in Gohyeon.”

“My, you really are smart as they call you a divine physician, aren’t you?”

It seemed Gohyeon was in a state where it was divided between the two. In other words, neither side could make the other yield.

In a neck-and-neck situation, even a small copper hammer could break the balance.

Let alone in a situation where the culprit who used the poison was not clearly identified, the value of a divine physician who treated the poison could not help but be extremely high.

‘There was this kind of drawback to acting as a divine physician.’

Certainly, I had not thought of Gohyeon’s power structure.

“Would you believe me if I say I have no intention of treating people biasly?”

“You want me to trust you?”

“Yes.”

‘It probably won’t work, but I should throw it out first anyway.’

Looking at him, he was not the type to trust anyone.

And soon, the moment he heard my words, I intuitively knew by looking at the corners of his lips stretching wide like a wild dog’s mouth.

‘It won’t work.’

“There is indeed something better than that.”

Gwak Dae-pyeong suggested another method.

“When this ‘hits the floor,’ if it’s odd, we solve it through conversation. If it’s even, we suppress with force.”

Dice gambling.

As if the alias of the Gambling King was not earned in vain, the dice held in his hand flipped up with a click!

“The floor.”

Swish!

At that moment, someone next to me kicked off the ground and dashed forward.

A dark brown trajectory shot forward like an arrow.

Elder Baek Pung-rip, who had been quietly watching the situation, moved.

Bam, bam, bam!

Although it seemed like a light clash, the sound of flesh and bones colliding rang repeatedly between Elder Baek Pung-rip and Gwak Dae-pyeong.

The sound that simply reached the ears was the overlapping sound of clashing three or four times, but the actual exchange of offense and defense that passed between them was far more than that.

“Yes, that’s how it should be!”

Every time Elder Baek Pung-rip reached out targeting the dice, a scene was displayed that made one understand why the alias Ghost Hand had been attached.

Elder Baek Pung-rip’s martial art was based on the core principles of Huan (Dispersion). Dozens of phantom-like hand shadows rose in an instant and engulfed the opponent.

What was interesting was Gwak Dae-pyeong’s martial arts corresponding to it. As if he had sublimated gambling hand techniques into martial arts, it was based on the core principles of Bian (Change/Variation) that dazzled the eyes.

The scene of the waves of Huan and Bian interlocking and colliding was as magnificent as the sight of waves as big as a house crashing against each other.

“Wow, this is nothing short of fireworks, is it?”

In Baek Mu-ho’s eyes, it seemed to look like brilliantly colliding and oxidizing fireworks.

The moment a cleanly gnawed chicken leg bone flew in between them, a sharp sound rang.

Crack!

It was instantly turned to powder and scattered.

While the two experts traded blows, the dice kept bouncing repeatedly and played in the air. He had aimed for that dice secretly.

“Tch!”

Baek Mu-ho clicked his tongue.

The subordinates of the Evil Gambling King Gwak Dae-pyeong glared at us with fierce eyes. Their hands had already moved to the weapons at their waists. It looked as though they would intervene immediately if he tried another move.

“This means if you want to make a move, you have to do it without getting caught…”

“Otherwise, we’ll see some blood.”

Baek Mu-ho replied to my words.

But it was not said to Baek Mu-ho. I was asking for advice from my Master who would be watching.

[Making a move from a distance… Among Shaolin’s martial arts, the Hundred-Step Divine Fist would be representative, but the dice won’t be able to withstand it.]

It seemed a bit tricky with Shaolin’s martial arts.

[The Heavenly Demon’s martial arts would be ideal, but that fellow hasn’t been coming up to heaven much lately.]

‘Yes, I heard he is very busy making and selling treasures to peep through the Meridian Mirror, right?’

I was already waiting for him to come because I had some things to settle, and I didn’t know his absence would be this regrettable.

‘But I can’t just sit idly either…’

I couldn’t just step forward recklessly just because I was annoyed.

Fighting that fellow right now was not the problem. The problem was the aftermath.

Teacher Emerald Bamboo, Baek Pung-rip, and even my grandfather who sent them the letter.

Some critical matter that I did not know about was rolling along.

If I ran amok thoughtlessly without knowing anything, I might shatter whatever they had built up until now into pieces.

Yet, sitting back completely was irritating.

‘Which means I have to make a move without anyone knowing…’

While I was desperately pondering, a memory suddenly flashed through my head.

[For this to work means the Communication between Heaven and Earth is already taking place… So if that’s why you can communicate with the Meridian Mirror, does that make sense?]

[Even so, to master the foundation of a cultivation method that can reach the Supreme Heavenly Extreme Power once fully realized all at once? No matter how you look at it, this is a bit out of the norm.]

When I first met Master Zhang Sanfeng.

I thought I had simply used force (Jin), but Master Zhang Sanfeng said strange things about it.

‘If I do it like then…’

I retraced the method by which Master Zhang Sanfeng drew out the power inside me at that time.

Unlike then when I knew nothing, now it felt like I could grasp the operation of that power to some extent.

‘Uh? What is this? Why all of a sudden?’

However, while implementing Master Zhang Sanfeng’s teachings, there was a power that moved as if throwing a tantrum.

The Heavenly Demon Kalpaless Hand fluctuated and moved.

Thud!

The dice dropped vertically straight onto the ground.

Elder Baek Pung-rip and Gwak Dae-pyeong, who were clashing fiercely over the dice, stopped right where they were and stared at the dice dropped on the floor with wide eyes.

The two experts, who glared at the dice and me with eyes as if they had seen a ghost, soon shook their heads and looked around the surroundings.

“It can’t be… the Air-Striking Palm. Although it is a high-level martial art that can strike across the void, it can’t drop a dice in this direction. Which means…”

“Oh boy. This… is interesting?”

‘Is it something to be that surprised about?’

Having done my best to suppress the suddenly fluctuating power of the Heavenly Demon Kalpaless Hand, I could not understand why their eyes were dyed with such shock.

The dice simply dropped to the floor, that was all. To the people looking, the scene created by the clash of the two would have been far more spectacular.

[In their eyes, the martial arts you just performed seemed to look like a scene where one’s intent was manifested into reality.]

Master Bodhidharma gently explained.

Manifestation of intent?

‘Isn’t that too grand a term for just dropping a single dice?’

…I had thought so.

[Was that perhaps the realm treated in the Martial World as the entry to the Way of the Heart Sword?]

“…”

…Pardon?