The Genius Doctor of the Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 23

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Huashan Sect’s Genius Physician — Episode 23

“……!”
Cheong-in and Baek Hyun exchanged startled glances at his words.
Cho Woo-jin’s expression had turned utterly grave.
“My benefactor?”
“You are a disciple of Huashan Sect, a renowned righteous school, yet you cast aside your prejudices and treated the Demonic Qi festering in my mind. You are worthy of the title — and more.”
“But the treatment has only just begun, surely.”
“That changes nothing. The kindness you have shown me is fact, and I cannot leave it unrepaid.”
Yet his expression darkened almost at once.
“The trouble is, I have no coin to my name. Your treatment will demand a fortune, and I have no means to settle the debt.”
He fell silent, wrestling with the problem, then his eyes lit up.
“What if you bought my sword instead?”
“The sword of a master swordsman?”
“Precisely. For the next three years, I shall become your protector. None shall lay a finger on you while I draw breath. What say you?”
It was not a bad offer at all.
Cho Woo-jin was renowned throughout the Demonic Sect as a supreme master — a guarantee of skill if nothing else.
Yet there was one problem that loomed.
“But Baek Hyun belongs to Huashan Sect!”
Cheong-in’s outburst came as no surprise.
He spoke to Cho Woo-jin with considerable heat.
“And what assurance do we have that we should entrust this child to a Demonic Sect member? How can we possibly—”
“Be quiet.”
Cho Woo-jin cut him off mid-sentence. Cheong-in’s face paled, but Cho Woo-jin remained unmoved.
“I am speaking to my benefactor, not to you. So hold your tongue.”
“What— how dare you! I am this child’s teacher!”
“I have no interest in the words of someone weaker than myself.”
“……!”
Cheong-in’s eyes went wide at the proclamation. It was an outright dismissal of his standing.
When he began to summon a killing intent of his own—
“Please, both of you, take a breath.”
Baek Hyun felt a migraine forming as he moved to defuse what would certainly become bloodshed.
Left unchecked, swords would be drawn within moments.
Instead, he turned his attention to Cho Woo-jin.
“Master Cho, are you truly serious? If you became my protector, others might think it strange.”
Especially those from the Demonic Sect—they would surely mock him.
That he, known by the epithet “Emotionless Blade,” would degrade himself to guarding a stripling from Huashan……
It was precisely the sort of ammunition his detractors needed.
“And why should that concern me?”
But Cho Woo-jin seemed unbothered.
“What matters is that I am indebted to you, and I intend to settle that debt. The opinions of others are beneath my notice.”
“……!”
“Of course, if you find me distasteful as a protector, I cannot force the matter. Still, I would counsel you to accept. A swordsman of my caliber does not come readily to heel — such an opportunity is rare.”
“Please, grant me a moment to think.”
Baek Hyun fell silent, his mind turning over the proposition.
‘He speaks truth.’
Blade masters of such skill were not easy to come by.
Only the most powerful sect leaders or men of sufficient wealth to lavish upon protection could hope to command such talent.
And now Cho Woo-jin was offering him precisely that — an opportunity not lightly surrendered.
‘Yet if he becomes my guard, the appearance will be troubling.’
This time the problem would not arise from other Demonic Sects, but from within his own righteous school.
Questions would surely be asked: why does Huashan, an elite righteous sect, keep company with such a Demonic swordsman?
What method could allow him to use Cho Woo-jin while deftly sidestepping such gossip?
The answer came to him at once.
“Teacher, might I have a private word?”
“Mm? Of course.”
Whisper, whisper.
As Baek Hyun laid out his words, Cheong-in’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You truly mean this, Baek Hyun?”
“There’s no reason it wouldn’t be sincere.”
Baek Hyun looked back at Cho Woo-jin.
“I’ll accept your offer, Cho Woo-jin.”
“Good. You’ve made the right choice.”
“But I’ll need to modify the terms of protection a bit.”
“Hmm?”
Baek Hyun smiled faintly at the puzzled expression on Cho Woo-jin’s face before continuing.
“From now on, you’ll be protecting the Huashan Medical Clinic instead.”
“……!”

* * *

Baek Hyun’s reasoning was straightforward.
‘If people consider Cho Woo-jin’s reputation, it would be problematic if he appeared too directly connected to the Huashan Sect.’
Other Righteous Sects might begin to regard the Huashan Sect with suspicion at once.
While they might not press the matter directly on such grounds, rumors could still spread.
But if the target of his debt shifted to the Huashan Medical Clinic instead?
‘In a way, it’s a convenient fiction.’
But it provides a plausible excuse. Specifically, that Cho Woo-jin owed a debt to the Huashan Medical Clinic and was repaying it by protecting this place.
‘The Huashan Medical Clinic is supported by the Huashan Sect and operated by me, one of the Sect’s disciples, but I’m not the only one here.’
It could be treated as a personal matter between individuals. Whether it would actually work, he couldn’t be sure, but…….
‘At least it’s far better than doing nothing, isn’t it?’
Even a flimsy pretext mattered in the Martial World—the presence or absence of a justification made all the difference.
That’s why Baek Hyun had made such a proposal to Cho Woo-jin, and why he had conveyed the same intention to the Huashan Sect elders.
The elders’ reactions varied.
“Employing a Demonic Sect martial artist as a protector? This will tarnish the Huashan Sect’s honor! We must stop this at once!”
“Master, please calm yourself. But hasn’t the Swordless One, Cho Woo-jin, refrained from any serious misconduct despite being a Demonic Sect martial artist?”
“Perhaps, but I’ve heard he becomes truly terrifying when facing Demonic Sect enemies who oppose him. What would happen if that blade ever turned toward Huashan?”
“That won’t happen. After all, he made this proposal precisely to repay his debt of gratitude for this matter. Gratitude breeds goodwill, not enmity.”
“Moreover, if the Swordless One assists the Huashan Medical Clinic, no one will dare to touch it. Baek Hyun’s safety will be assured.”
“That is true…….”
In fact, one particular concern had been circulating among the elders.
Baek Hyun was essentially the disciple of Hwa Seo-myung the Divine.
For now, this fact remained unknown, so there was no problem. But what if word of it leaked out?
‘Someone might target Baek Hyun!’
Being the direct disciple of the Divine was a treasure beyond measure.
This truth had been proven by how countless factions had once tried to kidnap Hwa Seo-myung.
‘And then the Blood Cult moved in.’
Though the Blood Cult had supposedly been destroyed and vanished by now, there was no guarantee others wouldn’t do the same. But if, under these circumstances, the Swordless One were to join as a protector?
‘At least we could breathe easier.’
A supreme master possessed strength worthy of that title. Of course, his protection would be limited to the Huashan Medical Clinic, but even that would be help enough.
In the end.
“I’m in favor.”
Starting with Un-am, the Sect Master, the council of elders tilted toward approval. Though a few elders still voiced opposition, they too came to understand the reasoning.
“So it’s decided.”
After everything was settled, Baek Hyun received an explanation from Un-am.
The elder gave a light sigh and made a request of Baek Hyun and Baek Ya.
“Baek Hyun, and you as well. Until now I was perhaps careless, but henceforth I intend to keep secret that Baek Hyun is a disciple of the Divine. Will you cooperate with me?”
“Of course. To protect this child, it’s necessary.”
“I understand. It wasn’t such an important matter anyway.”
Both Baek Ya and Baek Hyun readily agreed to keep the relationship between Hwa Seo-myung and Baek Hyun secret. Though in truth, Baek Hyun was thinking something else entirely.
‘Once I become famous, who my master is won’t matter anymore.’
At first, people would approach because of his master, but later they would flock to him for his skill. The only way to avoid unwanted attention was to remain unremarkable.
‘Unfortunately, I have no intention of doing that.’
Baek Hyun refused to hide his greatest strength—his skill. He meant to use it to make the Huashan Sect’s name known. What good would secrecy do?
‘It would only make me mediocre.’
Instead, by becoming someone everyone pursued, he would paradoxically become someone no one could harm. Hwa Seo-myung had failed, but Baek Hyun would succeed.
“Well then, let’s begin extracting the Demonic Qi today as well.”
With such thoughts, Baek Hyun began removing the Demonic Qi from Cho Woo-jin. Fortunately, after the first day, Cho Woo-jin had grown accustomed to it and endured the treatment without even a cry.
Plick, plink-plink!
“It’s done.”
Baek Hyun withdrew the blackened acupuncture needle and placed it in water. Cho Woo-jin closed his eyes for a moment, observing his condition, then smiled faintly.
“So the Demonic Qi is down to half now. It feels much better than before.”
“With a bit more treatment, the remaining Demonic Qi might actually disperse on its own. Before, there was too much to manage manually, but now the proportion has shrunk considerably, hasn’t it?”
“True. I think I can manage it now.”
“Still, it could be risky, so please follow the treatment regimen carefully. There’s a chance it could make one last desperate move.”
Cho Woo-jin nodded at Baek Hyun’s warning. His days of experience had taught him that listening to this young physician was the wise course.
“Then I’ll rest for a while.”
“Yes. Please take good care of yourself.”
Though Cho Woo-jin was employed as a guard for Huashan Medical Clinic, any actual work would wait until the Demonic Qi was completely purged.
Baek Hyun left Cho Woo-jin meditating with his eyes closed and opened the clinic doors.
As expected, patients flooded in. Even with Baek Ya’s help dividing the work, Baek Hyun felt he barely had time to breathe.
‘At least no one’s come in with a critical condition—that’s something.’
He’d been thinking this for a while when a familiar face appeared in the distance, approaching the clinic. Baek Hyun’s brow furrowed slightly.
“The Master of Baekgeom Sect?”
It was Gwak Hyung, the head of Baekgeom Sect, who had challenged Huashan Sect to a martial contest not long ago.
Gwak Hyung approached the medical clinic with clear disdain, letting out a scoff.
“Hmph, so it was true that you’re running a clinic.”
“What brings you here?”
“I merely heard Huashan Sect was starting a new venture and came out of curiosity. But of all people, you’re here…….”
Gwak Hyung clearly disliked Baek Hyun.
Well, he’d gotten an earful at the martial contest—that was only natural.
“How did you learn medicine anyway? Your skill seems far superior to what the Huashan Sect’s medical officer possesses.”
“I had an excellent teacher.”
“Who is this teacher?”
“Do I really have to say?”
“If they’re not a disreputable person, there’s no reason to hide, is there? Or would you prefer I expose right here that you’re deliberately concealing your teacher?”
Gwak Hyung smiled wickedly.
It was the expression of someone who’d found a weakness.
But just as Baek Hyun was about to respond—
“Expose what, exactly?”
A chilling voice suddenly cut through the air.
Cho Woo-jin, his face twisted into something savage, was glaring at Gwak Hyung.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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