LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 104
Chapter 104: Still the Same
“Hey, what do you think our Young Master is planning this time?”
“I have no idea. Surely, he’s not planning to take the Medicine King as a concubine…?”
At those words, the Heavenly Divine Healer flinched. The Needle Master flinched as well.
The two exchanged glances before turning to look at Byeok Taesan and Cho Seoran.
However, they tilted their heads in confusion.
For something supposedly so grand, the atmosphere between the two didn’t seem particularly friendly.
Meanwhile, the others were in complete chaos.
“What kind of physicians drink alcohol like water?”
The seven physicians who came with the Medicine King, along with two from the Golden Wall Merchants, had claimed one table. They were busy devouring alcohol and food at an alarming speed.
They were heavily intoxicated, babbling energetically, though half of what they said was unintelligible.
Yet, somehow, they seemed to understand one another perfectly. Of course, anyone observing closely would realize that they were just talking past one another, saying whatever they wanted.
The Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master sat slightly apart, their eyes sharp as they did their best to restrain themselves.
They couldn’t afford to get drunk. They needed to secure promises from these people while they were intoxicated and then ensure they wouldn’t forget them later.
“But do you think they’ll remember anything properly after drinking like that?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer’s expression betrayed his unease.
The Needle Master scoffed at him.
“Have you forgotten who I am? I’m the Needle Master. One needle is all it takes to engrave a memory in their heads. If anything, being drunk makes it easier.”
“Are you sure that’s safe? Messing with their heads could have serious consequences.”
“Relax. You think this is my first time? I’ve used this trick countless times in gambling, so there’s no need to worry.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer narrowed his eyes.
“So, you’ve been cheating at gambling all this time?”
“What else would you expect? I don’t gamble unless I can win.”
The Needle Master glanced at Byeok Taesan.
The Heavenly Divine Healer chuckled at the sight.
“What’s the matter? Thinking about all those times you gambled with our Young Master? Still, this turned out alright, didn’t it? If it weren’t for him, I’d bet you’d have been stabbed in the back by now.”
The Needle Master smirked.
“Well… probably.”
Their eyes returned to Byeok Taesan.
What would happen next? The thought was both annoying and thrilling.
“Come on, let’s get to work. They’re starting to lose themselves.”
The two physicians approached the nine physicians from the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion with sly expressions.
While they schemed, Byeok Taesan and Cho Seoran sat across from each other, silently drinking.
The reason Byeok Taesan had granted the Needle Master’s request was simple—he was in a good mood.
For someone like Byeok Taesan, going out for a drink was hardly a bother, especially when his mood was this pleasant.
And the alcohol tasted surprisingly good today, further lifting his spirits.
They were at the White Flower House, though it wasn’t a brothel but a tavern sharing the same name.
Naturally, it was operated by the Hao Clan. One of the White Flower House Owner’s direct subordinates managed it.
From the moment they stepped inside, the Hao Clan had been on the move.
The Hao Clan’s eyes and ears were scattered throughout the White Flower House, capturing every conversation.
Once they identified the group, they immediately began gathering information related to the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion.
Details collected from the Hao Clan’s branches near the Murim Alliance and scouts near the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion were being relayed swiftly to Wuhan.
The Hao Clan had begun an in-depth investigation into the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion, and all the information they gathered would reach Byeok Taesan within days.
This was the power of the Shadow Report Division, a part of the Hao Clan now under Byeok Taesan’s control.
Cho Seoran and Byeok Taesan barely spoke throughout the drinking session.
Occasionally, Cho Seoran would start a conversation, and Byeok Taesan would respond briefly, but that was it.
As the gathering drew to a close, Byeok Taesan suddenly asked,
“What do you want?”
“Excuse me?”
“You’ve been staring at me like you want something. It made me curious.”
“Ah…”
Cho Seoran chuckled awkwardly, realizing her intentions had been noticed. She looked at Byeok Taesan with renewed interest.
She hadn’t expected him to see through her. After all, she prided herself on hiding her true feelings.
“No wonder the Elder Ghost follows you.”
It was qualities like these that made the Needle Master and the Heavenly Divine Healer bow their heads and serve him.
Byeok Taesan stared at her, as if telling her to speak plainly.
“I’d like to examine your pulse.”
“Denied.”
“What?”
Cho Seoran blinked, startled by the flat refusal. But then she smiled faintly and continued.
“I’m a rather skilled physician. Those two over there are impressive, but my expertise is in a different area. If I check your pulse, I’m sure I can be of help.”
Byeok Taesan didn’t respond. His illness was long gone—what use was a pulse check now?
Byeok Taesan was well aware of the condition of his body, even without a physician’s pulse diagnosis.
He had immediately identified his Severed Meridians Syndrome and knew precisely which qi pathways were damaged.
In fact, if any abnormalities arose in his body, he could treat them himself.
This was no surprise, given his mastery of techniques like the Ghost Dragon Martial Arts and the Yellow Pill Art.
There was no reason or necessity for him to subject himself to a pulse diagnosis by the Medicine King, whose skills were inferior to the Heavenly Divine Healer or the Needle Master.
Despite numerous attempts from Cho Seoran to persuade him with roundabout conversations, Byeok Taesan remained silent, only sipping his drink after that initial refusal.
In the end, Cho Seoran left the drinking table without achieving her goal.
But she hadn’t given up.
“Ah, truly remarkable. How do you come up with such ideas?”
Cho Seoran gazed at the Heavenly Divine Healer with admiration.
She was currently discussing the Heavenly Divine Pill with him and the Needle Master.
Although the complete recipe for creating the Heavenly Divine Pill wasn’t disclosed, only a portion, Cho Seoran, befitting her title as the Medicine King, grasped its core essence almost instantly.
Not stopping there, she even proposed improvements to the Heavenly Divine Pill.
“If a few herbs were replaced, the effects could be significantly enhanced. What about something like this?”
Cho Seoran wrote down a few herbs on a sheet of paper.
The Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master nodded deeply as they looked at her notes.
“Indeed… with that, the inner power enhancement effect could be improved without affecting the other properties. But it would make the required ingredients far too expensive. The essence of the Heavenly Divine Pill is to rival the efficacy of a Spirit Pill while using affordable herbs.”
Of course, the trade-off was that it took longer to see results compared to a Spirit Pill.
“In that case, you could just replace these two herbs. That should keep costs manageable.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Cho Seoran.
“Have you thought about becoming my colleague?”
Cho Seoran smiled bashfully and replied, “For that to happen, wouldn’t you have to join the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion?”
Cho Seoran had already been at the Golden Wall Merchants for three days.
In that time, she had grown quite close to the Heavenly Divine Healer. Although she had some prior acquaintance with the Needle Master, their relationship had also deepened.
Meanwhile, the seven physicians who accompanied her from the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion were overworked, handling the tasks previously managed by the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master.
This was all because the Heavenly Divine Healer insisted it would benefit their medical training, and Cho Seoran had nodded in agreement.
Of course, the fact that the Heavenly Divine Healer had coerced them into agreeing during a prior drinking session accounted for at least half of this situation.
In the midst of their discussion on the Heavenly Divine Pill, Cho Seoran subtly changed the subject.
“By the way… how is Young Master Byeok’s health?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer replied nonchalantly to her question.
“Well… he was on the brink of death from Severed Meridians Syndrome before, but he’s much better now.”
“What? Severed Meridians Syndrome?”
Cho Seoran’s eyes widened. The reason she had tried to diagnose Byeok Taesan wasn’t because of Severed Meridians Syndrome but due to the half-Jiangshi incident.
Her information on Byeok Taesan described him as possessing a unique constitution capable of neutralizing half-Jiangshi instantly.
She had sent physicians to the Hubei Martial Alliance to investigate and received a report, which prompted her to visit in person under the pretext of examining Byeok Taesan.
But Severed Meridians Syndrome? That was entirely unexpected.
“Then… could it be that the reason the half-Jiangshi couldn’t function near him is also due to Severed Meridians Syndrome?”
“Who knows? I’m not sure about that. It’s been quite a while since I last checked his pulse.”
Cho Seoran looked puzzled.
“Your master was suffering from Severed Meridians Syndrome, yet you didn’t examine him properly?”
“I did at the beginning. Back then, I honestly thought he was already dead.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer chuckled as he continued.
“But now, he’s improved so much that there’s no need for further checks. I’d say he’s almost fully recovered.”
Cho Seoran’s eyes gleamed as she alternated her gaze between the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master.
“Still, it’s best to be sure, isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be good to examine him again? I’ll even assist you!”
Both the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master frowned.
“Well… is that really necessary?”
Cho Seoran felt her frustration bubbling over. It seemed so close, yet taking that final step felt nearly impossible.
“Of course, it’s necessary. Only then will the physicians from the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion continue assisting you.”
At her words, the Needle Master gave a wry smile.
“You’re as persistent as ever.”
Cho Seoran smiled bashfully.
“You mean consistent, right? I’ll take it as a compliment.”
The Needle Master shook his head. It didn’t seem easy to break her stubbornness.
‘Still, this time might be different. There are people in this world who defy your common sense and expectations.’
Byeok Taesan carefully read the documents politely presented by the Owner of White Flower House.
Today’s documents were related to the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion.
Although he hadn’t specifically requested this investigation, the documents summarized the background of those who had approached him.
The information had been gathered over time, so it didn’t pose any undue burden.
Byeok Taesan, after reviewing the documents for some time, casually tossed them into the air.
Fwoosh!
The scattered papers burst into flames simultaneously as they floated in the air.
Byeok Taesan fixed his gaze on the White Flower House Owner. Seeing her work proactively, he found it rather commendable.
“Well done.”
The White Flower House Owner’s expression brightened immediately.
“Didn’t it seem strange that the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion’s finances were in trouble?”
“There were many signs of artificial manipulation.”
“Artificial, you say…”
Byeok Taesan recalled the contents of the report he had just read. Indeed, there were parts that didn’t seem natural.
“So, someone deliberately meddled with the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion.”
“We haven’t identified who yet, but we can make that assumption.”
“Why do you think they would do that? Were they trying to swallow the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion whole?”
The White Flower House Owner wasn’t entirely certain of the motive.
If that had been the goal, someone should have made contact in the process. Yet, no such approach occurred until the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion sought help from the Murim Alliance.
“I suspect the Murim Alliance.”
“The Murim Alliance?”
Byeok Taesan looked at the White Flower House Owner with interest.
Of all groups, the idea that the Murim Alliance might have tried to take over the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion was indeed an intriguing one.
“What’s your reasoning?”
“Even after partnering with the Murim Alliance, the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion’s financial situation didn’t improve significantly.”
“That’s rather unexpected.”
“Though they managed to address the immediate crisis, their circumstances remain unchanged. At this rate, they’ll incur ongoing debt to the Murim Alliance.”
Byeok Taesan considered what he knew about the Murim Alliance.
The Alliance Leader, the General Commander, and a few elders came to mind.
He shook his head.
“Strange. Honestly, the Murim Alliance doesn’t seem like the type to pull something like this.”
While he didn’t know them intimately, they didn’t strike him as people who would resort to such underhanded tactics.
Byeok Taesan’s eyes gleamed as he spoke to the White Flower House Owner.
“Dig into this a little more. And…”
The White Flower House Owner waited anxiously for his next instructions.
“Find out how I can take over the Heavenly Medicine Pavilion myself.”
The White Flower House Owner’s eyes widened.
But then she smiled and responded with a determined tone.
“As you command.”