The Genius Doctor of the Mount Hua Sect - Chapter 8

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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 Genius Healer of Huashan Sect — Chapter 8

Baek Hyeon first regarded the dozens of medicinal herbs arrayed before him in meticulous order.
Chinese angelica root, ginseng, lingzhi mushroom, lily bulb, astragalus, licorice, and plum blossoms among others.
All of it—the raw materials for crafting a Xiao Meihua Pill.
‘Start with organizing, then.’
He did not simply throw the ingredients into the medicinal cauldron haphazardly.
Tap. Tap.
With subtle Internal Energy gathered at his fingertips, he cleaned each material and trimmed away the decayed portions.
It was a process of removing all extraneous impurities, leaving only the pure medicinal property.
‘The crucial thing here is proportion.’
Strong medicinal property alone did not make for quality.
An excessive force could often become poison instead.
But Baek Hyeon, through the experience of his previous life, knew well how much each ingredient should yield and what effect it would produce.
Thus he could find the proper ratios and blend the materials accordingly.
Next came the ingredients that would enter the medicinal cauldron.
Whoosh!
Baek Hyeon lit the fire in the stove pit.
Red flames engulfed the pot.
This was where the real test began.
‘At first, a strong flame awakens the Qi.’
He fanned the fire vigorously, driving the flames higher.
The water inside the cauldron roiled violently, and the herbs began to collide and dance against one another.
The hardened surfaces of the medicinal materials softened under the heat, releasing the Qi trapped within them.
Simultaneously, a peculiar bitter fragrance rose from the trembling herbs.
“Master, are you recording this carefully?”
“Yes, I’m noting down every action you take with great precision.”
Baek Hyeon nodded as he glanced at Yun Sang.
The older man wore a slightly bewildered expression.
“How long should I maintain this strong flame?”
“It depends on the volume of the contents. Generally, once it reaches a rolling boil, that’s sufficient. After that, you must adjust the flame.”
As he spoke, he placed wet straw into the fire to dampen it.
“Now that we’ve drawn out each herb’s medicinal efficacy with the strong flame, we need the weak flame to harmonize the ingredients together. Too intense a heat will scorch the medicinal property, so we must proceed slowly and patiently.”
It was not unlike coaxing a child.
Just as harsh, forceful discipline could only breed resentment, so too must one employ a gentle, measured approach in all things.
Baek Hyeon stirred the medicinal mixture, working to extract the essence from its depths, sweat beading his forehead from the effort.
The color of the vapor rising above was far from ordinary.
He infused his Internal Energy into the mixture, stirring until it reduced completely.
“What matters most at this stage is that only someone who has mastered the Plum Blossom Internal Energy should oversee the process. This allows the Qi to penetrate more readily.”
“Now that you mention it, I’ve heard that Spiritual Pills require Internal Energy to craft. So the Xiao Meihua Pill is the same, then.”
“The Xiao Meihua Pill is relatively modest, so this is all the effort it demands. But higher-grade Spiritual Pills would undergo far more arduous processes. For instance, Shaolin’s Great Returning Pill requires all the finest ingredients to be placed together, yet demands over half a year of unceasing spiritual devotion before the medicinal property finally takes hold.”
Even as he continued his explanation, he waited for the water to reduce completely.
Perhaps an hour had passed.
Most of the liquid in the cauldron had evaporated, leaving only a viscous paste at the bottom.
Now he would gather this into a single mass, let it cool, and form it into a pill.
“Hah.”
Baek Hyeon drew a deep breath.
Sweat poured down his forehead like rain, but he had no time to wipe it away.
He manipulated the meager thread of Internal Energy residing in his dantian, moving his hands with precision.
The thickened herbal matter gathered in his hands, taking the form of a small pill.
Sizzle.
Simultaneously, the moisture evaporated under the force of the Plum Blossom Internal Energy, and it solidified into a hard sphere—complete.
In that instant.
A strange fragrance suffused the room.
It was not the bitter scent of ordinary medicine.
Rather, it was a delicate, pure fragrance—as though a plum blossom had bloomed in the depths of winter.
What that fragrance signified was unmistakable.
‘A Spiritual Pill had been completed.’

A smile played at the corner of Baek Hyeon’s mouth.

* * *

In the end, they had completed five Xiao Meihua Pills.
Despite the enormous quantity of materials consumed, the yield was meager.
But that was only to be expected.
Why else would Spiritual Pills command such prices?
The Xiao Meihua Pill, known to enhance Internal Energy by merely three to five years, had demanded such vast quantities of ingredients.
Moreover, had the craftsman not been someone thoroughly versed in pharmaceutical arts, the failures would have been countless.
Thus the value of a Spiritual Pill could scarcely be overstated.
“Ah, so these truly are Xiao Meihua Pills!”
Yun Sang, befitting his station as an elder of the Huashan Sect, recognized them at once.
He exclaimed with evident wonder.
“And their condition appears remarkably fine. These would qualify as premium grade, if not the highest quality.”
“The material quality wasn’t quite good enough for the finest grade. I think this much is respectable enough.”
“Of course it is. Hah! I still can scarcely believe it — that you actually succeeded in crafting Xiao Meihua Pills…….”
“Once they cool completely, I think we should present them to the Sect Leader.”
“Yes, let us do that.”
The two men allowed the pills to cool thoroughly before carefully placing them in a container.
Their next destination was Zisuo Palace.
They had come here first to report to the Sect Leader.
As expected, Yun Am, the Sect Leader of the Huashan Sect, was conducting business there.
“I pay my respects to the Sect Leader.”
“Heh. Baek Hyeon, it’s been a while. But for you to come in person…….”
“I’ve completed the Xiao Meihua Pills.”
“Hmm!”
The Sect Leader’s eyes widened, his surprise unconcealed.
He looked between Baek Hyeon and Yun Sang, then inquired.
“Already? It’s been scarcely a day since you said you were working on them.”
“I already understood the fundamental methods. I encountered no real difficulties in the completion.”
“Surely there should have been some trial and error…….”
As he spoke, the Sect Leader opened the container with a soft click.
Upon discovering the Xiao Meihua Pills inside, his voice trembled.
“These are truly Xiao Meihua Pills. And the quality appears quite exceptional.”
“Baek Hyeon labored quite strenuously. He nearly collapsed from exhaustion during the process.”
“Well done. You’ve worked very hard. I’m impressed.”
The Sect Leader reached out and patted Baek Hyeon’s head affectionately.
Then he withdrew one of the pills and pressed it into the young man’s palm.
“Here. Take it.”
“Sect Leader?”
Baek Hyeon had not anticipated this, and his eyes widened in surprise.
“Is it truly all right for me to accept this?”
“Hah. Are you not the primary architect of these Xiao Meihua Pills? Who would dare object to bestowing a Spiritual Pill upon the one who created them? And even if someone did, I’d give them a piece of my mind. So take it.”
“I am deeply grateful.”
He bowed respectfully to the Sect Leader and accepted the pill without hesitation.
There had never been any intention to refuse from the start.
A Spiritual Pill such as this was precisely what he needed now.
“Then, Baek Hyeon, return first to the Medical Pavilion. Yun Sang, you must remain for the meeting.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“Heh. A Spiritual Pill, no less. Now I find myself troubled over whom to give the others to.”
“If materials are provided, we can produce more. I have now completely mastered the method.”
Baek Hyeon spoke with conviction to the two men.
This was no boast.
Should the Qinghua Trading Company furnish materials as promised, he could readily mass-produce Xiao Meihua Pills.
“I look forward to it.”
“Yes.”
He bowed to the two men and departed Zisuo Palace.
But his destination was not the Medical Pavilion.
There was a chance someone might seek him there, and he wished to remain undisturbed while consuming the Spiritual Pill.
‘This should do nicely.’
Baek Hyeon settled into a cross-legged position atop a boulder deep within the mountain.
Inhale.
With each breath, Natural Qi flowed in and accumulated within his body.
Observing that his condition had improved, Baek Hyeon withdrew three fine needles from his Needle Pouch and inserted them into the Tanzhong Acupoint, the Zhongwan Acupoint, and the Qihai Acupoint respectively.
‘They say that when one consumes a Spiritual Pill, seventy percent of its essence flows away unused, and only thirty percent of the energy can be fully retained.’
But he had no intention of allowing such waste.
Which was why he’d prepared himself to accept the energy by inserting needles into those three acupoints.
All of them were acupoints that aided in the absorption and storage of Qi.
“Exhale.”
Under normal circumstances, he would have refrained from opening them, sensing it would strain him.
But now was different.
Now he needed to accept every ounce of energy completely.
Hum.
Heat rose from where the needles were inserted, accompanied by a faint vibration.
His body grew hot.
The pathways of his Qi Meridians, sealed until now, were forcibly opened, making him ready to receive External Qi.
‘Now.’
At that moment, Baek Hyeon flicked the Xiao Meihua Pill into his mouth.
Gulp.
The instant he bit down on the small pill that released its plum blossom fragrance, energy surged explosively through his body like a tidal wave.
“Ungh!”
He clenched his teeth and accepted the torrent.
His body greedily expanded its Internal Energy, refusing to let a single drop of it slip away.
Simultaneously, he unfurled the Qian Kun Kai Shen.
“Agh!”
If his previous cultivation of the Qian Kun Kai Shen had been a gradual refining of his body through Natural Qi, then now it sought transformation all at once through the Spiritual Pill.
Crack, crack-crack!
With each sound of bone, his bodily resilience strengthened layer by layer.
Simultaneously, his internal organs activated—his lungs, heart, and stomach all began to function more vigorously.
Even the lung inflammation that had plagued Baek Hyeon for so long began to fade.
Most of the energy gained from the Xiao Meihua Pill was consumed in the process, but……
“Ha, hahahaha!”
He couldn’t help but laugh aloud.
He had truly escaped the sickbed and now possessed a body that was whole again.
‘Though I mustn’t let my guard down just yet.’
At least the most urgent crisis was past.
“Exhale.”
Once the absorption of the Spiritual Pill was complete,
Baek Hyeon descended slowly from the boulder.
Though he had endured a fierce internal struggle, his body felt impossibly light—a stark contrast to before.
‘At this level, I can begin learning martial arts properly now.’
Of course, he would still bear some disadvantage compared to those who had been healthy from the start.
But that was all right.
He intended to continue cultivating the Qian Kun Kai Shen steadily.
If he persisted in refining his body in this way, then eventually he might even surpass the merely healthy and reach the realm of those said to have been born with extraordinary physiques.
As he was absorbed in such thoughts,
“……!”
Something brushed against Baek Hyeon’s senses as he moved his body about.
He immediately withdrew his Needle Pouch and turned his gaze toward where his senses led him.
To all appearances, there was nothing in the forest.
But Baek Hyeon realized that someone was hiding behind that tree.
“I’m not sure who you are, but please reveal yourself.”
“…….”
“I’m afraid I don’t enjoy playing hide-and-seek in a place like this.”
Being deep within Huashan meant they were a member of the Huashan Sect.
If that were the case, respect was warranted.
“I thought I had completely concealed my presence, but your senses are remarkably acute.”
At that, a man emerged from behind the tree, speaking as he appeared.
Long hair, fine features that were neither wholly masculine nor feminine, dark eyebrows sharp and clear.
The brilliant plum-blossom pattern embroidered on his robes completed the picture—he was precisely the sort of man whom words like “beautiful” suited entirely too well. Baek Hyeon knew who he was.
“Cheong In? Your master’s master?”
“It’s been far too long, Baek Hyeon.”
The man called Cheong In smiled faintly and raised his hand in greeting.

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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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