The Genius Doctor of the Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 41

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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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Huashan Sect Genius Physician — Episode 41

“……!”
The entire party’s eyes went wide.
Someone was following them?
Until now, none of them had sensed any such sign.
But neither could they dismiss Cheong In’s words.
‘Cheong In is a Master at Peak Level, after all.’
It meant he possessed the keenest senses among them. His warnings were worth heeding.
“Reveal yourselves!”
Cheong In’s voice cut through the air like ice, chilling the spine of any who heard it. Then, from every corner of the forest path, burly bandits emerged.
“Ha, sharp senses on one of you.”
The figure who appeared to be their leader clicked his tongue in acknowledgment. Baek Hyeon tilted his head curiously as he regarded them.
“Nok Rim Bandits?”
“That’s right! We are brothers of the Great Nok Rim!”
“Why are Nok Rim Bandits in these parts?”
It made no sense from a practical standpoint.
Nok Rim.
Organized bands of martial artists turned bandits who operated in the mountains.
Yet they were seldom seen in the Shaanxi region. With Huashan and Zhongnan right at hand, few bandits bold enough would risk operating here.
And yet, to encounter Nok Rim here…
“Hmph, what does it matter where we are?”
The Nok Rim leader gave a scornful laugh.
The air grew tense.
But Baek Hyeon did not yield. He was not weak enough to be intimidated by mere killing intent.
Instead, he simply voiced a genuine question.
“It’s strange, that’s all.”
“What?”
“You didn’t come here for simple banditry, I’d wager. If you had, you’d have robbed any passing merchants. You wouldn’t have singled us out — people who appear to be from Huashan Sect, specifically.”
“……!”
The bandits’ eyes widened as if struck at the heart of the matter.
Baek Hyeon continued smoothly.
“The fact that you targeted us means you have some purpose. I’d be grateful if you’d tell me what it is.”
“This cheeky little brat…….”
“Wait.”
The leader held back one of the bandits who was about to flare up.
The leader looked straight at Baek Hyeon and spoke.
“You’re quick-witted. Are you the Dragon of Huashan?”
“I am.”
“Then you’ll be coming with us.”
“……!”
At the leader’s words, Cheong In and the others’ expressions hardened.
But Baek Hyeon remained composed, merely asking in return.
“For what reason?”
“We have business with you. If you come willingly, I swear neither you nor your companions will be harmed.”
“That’s absurd!”
Cheong In burst out angrily then.
“This boy cannot be taken! If you want to kidnap Baek Hyeon, you’ll have to go through us first!”
Shlink.
The three remaining Huashan disciples drew their weapons and formed a protective circle around him.
‘It’s like I’ve become a protected charge.’
Baek Hyeon scratched his head with slight awkwardness.
He could feel that he was being overprotected.
The bandits’ expressions turned savage.
“You think we can’t take him then?”
“We’ll just kill all of you and take him!”
“Try it. You won’t lay a hand on Baek Hyeon!”
Cheong In’s gaze locked with the leader’s. The leader raised his axe and shouted, as if left with no choice.
“Attack!”
“Waaaaaah!”
With a battle cry, the bandits surged forward in a rushing tide.
There were easily more than twenty of them—by simple count, more than five times the size of Baek Hyeon’s party.
“Baek Hyeon! Get behind me…….”
It was then that Cheong In, tense with concern, moved to shield Baek Hyeon.
“Sigh.”
Baek Hyeon exhaled and drew the Needle Pouch from his belt.
At the same moment.
Whoosh!
“……?!”
Crash-crash-crash!
Five of the charging bandits suddenly lost their footing and crumpled to the ground.
Everyone stared at the fallen men in shock at what had unfolded in an instant. But it wasn’t over.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
The other bandits who had come to a halt clutched at various parts of their bodies, groaning in pain.
The Long Needles that Baek Hyeon had hurled had struck each of their Meridian Acupoints.
“There’s our youngest! Hahahaha!”
Seeing this, Lee Cheong Woon burst into unrestrained laughter.
“Now’s our chance!”
Cheong In, unwilling to let the opportunity slip, charged toward the leader.
Shing!
Inner Force radiating from his blade.
“Inner Force? Peak Level?!”
For a moment, shock registered on the leader’s face. But Cheong In paid no mind, unleashing the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique and striking for the man’s vital points.
Clang-clang-clang!
“Kgh!”
Though he managed to block, the leader was forced back several steps in an instant.
“Curse it! Everyone, watch out for the needles!”
Meanwhile, the remaining unhurt bandits, wary of Long Needles that might fly at any moment, charged toward Baek Hyeon.
But standing in their way was Cheong Soo, another Plum Blossom Sword master, and Lee Cheong Woon, one of the finest martial artists among Lee Tae Gyeom’s disciples.
“You’re not taking our youngest without a fight!”
The two men, riding high on momentum, drove the bandits back. Though the other bandits had learned martial arts, they were all Third Class level at best, and could not breach these two easily.
“You bastard!”
“Seize the Dragon of Huashan!”
Only a few managed to slip past the two men and approach Baek Hyeon, but…….
Clang!
“No……!”
They were taken aback by the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, which proved far more lethal than they’d anticipated.
At that moment, Baek Hyeon’s raw martial power was actually higher than Lee Cheong Woon’s. And that was without even using his hidden technique, the Eight Extremes Open Source.
“Baek Hyeon, you……?”
Cheong Soo and Lee Cheong Woon’s eyes widened—it was unexpected even to those on their own side.
But Baek Hyeon offered no explanation, merely repelling the bandits who came at him.
In the end.
“Damn it, retreat!”
The leader, who appeared to be around Peak Level, gave the signal to withdraw.
“Get up!”
“Fall back!”
At the leader’s command, the remaining uninjured bandits scooped up their companions struck by the needles and fled.
“Phew.”
Baek Hyeon exhaled lightly and sheathed his sword.
Fortunately, neither side had suffered wounds severe enough to prove fatal.
After the battle ended.
“Your martial aura changed when you deployed your techniques—I had a suspicion. Baek Hyeon, have you stepped into First Class?”
Cheong In asked in a trembling voice. Baek Hyeon did not deny it, nodding instead.
“I received a fortunate encounter recently. I was lucky.”
“You remarkable and enviable thing!”
“Ow!”
Lee Cheong Woon ruffled Baek Hyeon’s hair. Baek Hyeon yelped and thrashed to escape from his grasp.
“Hm, a First Class master at that age…….”
By contrast, Cheong Soo looked somewhat dazed.
The expression of one who couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.
Typically, only those past twenty reached the First Class level, so it was hardly surprising. And besides, wasn’t Baek Hyeon’s primary skill medicine rather than martial arts?
“Ha! Truly, Huashan’s fortune shines bright.”
Cheong In laughed with genuine pleasure at this new discovery. He took Baek Hyeon’s growth as his own cause for joy.
“But why would they target me?”
“They must have wanted something…….”
“Perhaps there was a patient among them?”
“That does seem most likely.”
Baek Hyeon nodded at Lee Cheong Woon’s words.
It was indeed the most plausible explanation.
A patient had appeared among the Nok Rim Bandits.
And when ordinary physicians couldn’t heal them, they sought out Baek Hyeon instead. As for why they’d attempted kidnapping rather than polite request—well, that was simply the nature of such people.
“We should have captured some of those fleeing bandits and interrogated them.”
“Had we done so, we’d only have burdened ourselves with prisoners. Once we held captives, they’d have come at us with renewed fury. Better to let them go as we have.”
At Cheong Soo’s words, Cheong In shook his head.
“No, captives or not, they’re likely to abandon this pursuit. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have followed us in the first place.”
“But we can’t turn back to Huashan just because they frighten us. We’ve already come halfway—completing our mission comes first.”
“You’re right.”
Everyone nodded at Baek Hyeon’s words. There was no sense in abandoning their mission and returning after coming this far.
“Then let’s make for the Sojung Sect. We’ll deal with the Nok Rim matter once our business there is finished.”
“Understood.”
The party quickened their pace along the road.
And several days later.
They arrived at their destination: Wensu County.

***

Wensu County, Shanxi Province.
It was famous as the birthplace of Wu Zetian, the female Empress of the Tang dynasty.
Geographically, it lay southwest of Taiyuan, the heart of Shanxi Province. Trade and commerce flowed freely, and people were abundant.
Thus Wensu County had earned the reputation of a prosperous city. Where many travelers passed, wealth naturally accumulated.
‘Which is why so many martial sects vie for control of this place,’ Baek Hyeon thought, recalling what he’d studied beforehand.
He kept the information fixed in his mind as he sought out the Sojung Sect.
The Sojung Sect leader came out to greet them from a distance.
“Are you masters sent from the mother school?”
“Yes. I am Cheong In, a first-generation disciple of the Huashan Sect. This is my junior disciple Cheong Soo, and these are some of my own disciples.”
“Ah, masters of the Plum Blossom Sword have come in person! I am Lee Tae Gyeom, leader of the Sojung Sect. Thank you so much for coming to assist us.”
Lee Tae Gyeom bowed deeply.
Cheong In shook his head as he spoke.
“Not at all. When the lay world requests aid, it is our duty to provide it. Section Leader, could you explain the situation first?”
“Of course. Come this way…….”
Lee Tae Gyeom led them inside and began his explanation.
“Our Sojung Sect survives by operating a modest tavern here in Wensu called Sojung Tower. Most of our sect’s martial members earn their living by working security there.”
“I see.”
“But at some point, we began receiving pressure to sell the tower. At first, it was merely words, but the harassment grew increasingly severe, and violent confrontations became frequent. That situation has now come to a head.”
“Were you directly attacked by those demanding you sell?”
“Yes. They sent a formidable master against us. Our sect members tried to hold the position, but…… they were outmatched. All of them sustained serious injuries.”
Lee Tae Gyeom spoke and then led them to where the wounded sect members had gathered.
“Ugh…….”
There, as Lee Tae Gyeom had said, more than ten martial artists lay bandaged and prostrate. It was clear they had taken a thorough beating.
“Hmm. One mercy is that they deliberately avoided fatal wounds.”
Baek Hyeon examined the injured martial artists on-site and spoke his findings.
“They avoided striking any vital areas where careless strikes might kill. And there was a considerable gap in skill, wasn’t there? Most of these injuries come from attacks they couldn’t counter.”
“That’s…… correct. Young master, might you be……?”
“His name is Baek Hyeon, a second-generation disciple.”
“Baek Hyeon…… you mean the Dragon of Huashan!”
Lee Tae Gyeom exclaimed with a broad smile. He’d clearly heard rumors of this before.
“That’s right.”
Baek Hyeon nodded and lowered the Medicine Box from his back.
“Then shall we begin with treatment?”

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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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