The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 25

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 25

Poria . A fungal body that parasitizes pine trees. Among these, the part close to the pine tree roots is specifically called Poria with Pine Root .

In China, it was called the elixir of immortality, saying that the pine tree’s abundant vital energy leaked out beyond the roots, and in ancient Greece and Rome, it was also called ‘food of the gods’.

Its effects are also magnificently diverse. It stabilizes the mind and body, has diuretic effects while strengthening kidney function, prevents aging through antioxidants, helps with cancer prevention, and so on… I often used it for patients with insomnia or cystitis. When I was in the martial arts world, it was a precious medicinal ingredient that required paying extra to obtain.

‘Actually, not many people know about it now either.’

Whether it’s expensive or cheap, it’s still on the expensive side now, but it wasn’t a medicinal ingredient that everyone knew like deer antler or ginseng. In modern times where cultivation has become possible, you can purchase it anytime, anywhere with just a few mouse clicks.

Of course, that’s only true for ordinary poria.

‘Wow, if I had discovered this before exams, I would have memorized a book a day.’

With ordinary poria purchased from pharmaceutical companies, like other medicinal ingredients, you can barely feel any energy from the ingredient itself. It only creates some flow or action when the components are digested.

But this…

‘This is beyond a divine herb. Not only would it restore vitality, but it could even cure dementia.’

Actually, it was embarrassing to even call it poria. Ten-thousand-year snow ginseng can no longer be called just ginseng, right?

If I were to give it a name, hmm, Thousand-Year Pine Poria ?

I selected all the fungal bodies containing spiritual energy and swept them all into my bag.

What am I going to do with this?

“I guess I have no choice but to eat it myself.”

Ordinary people cannot digest energy that’s so distinctly biased that it can be felt from the medicinal ingredient. It’s an elixir for me, but if a normal person ate it whole, it would just be poison.

What if it had fallen into that scammer’s hands? It would have been a disaster itself.

That old man seemed to have been lucky enough to gain some internal energy, but that wouldn’t always be the case.

Well, to prevent innocent people from falling into qi deviation, I have no choice but to take it all myself, right?

“Whew~ My bag’s about to burst.”

After collecting all the poria, the pine tree that had seemed eerie just moments ago somehow looked beautiful.

If Master had seen this scene, he would have composed a poem, but I lack literary talent, unfortunately.

As a consolation, I turned on my smartphone and took a selfie with the withered pine tree in the background.

“Ehehehehe.”

Contrary to my angry ascent, my steps going down the mountain were incredibly light.

The more I became conscious of the poria in my bag, the better my mood became, and I returned to the city grinning for 10km.

Ah, feeling good is one thing.

I naturally didn’t forget to stop by the police station to submit evidence.

* * *

After finishing the short trip that yielded completely different results than expected, I returned to Busan.

“Another~ fun~ day at work~.”

“Clinic Director, you’re full of energy from Monday.”

“Hehe, should I prepare some tonic medicine for you too, Inae?”

“Really?”

It was just something I said casually, but Seo Inae’s eyes sparkled as if she had been waiting for this.

“Okay, wait just a moment. I got some really precious medicinal ingredients.”

In principle, you can’t prescribe what you gathered from the mountains as herbal medicine, but you can give it as a gift to a friend. Hmm.

If I gave it as is, she’d fall into qi deviation, so it needs a little… no, a lot of processing.

“You personally obtained medicinal ingredients?”

Her face showed curiosity about whether traditional Korean medicine doctors do such things, but I didn’t resolve her question.

If I told her this long story, trust in the clinic director would plummet.

Fortunately, there was only one patient.

As soon as treatment hours started, I gave Grandmother Heo Sunnam acupuncture and immediately headed to the decoction room.

“Let’s make~ Gyogam pills~.”

This Thousand-Year Pine Poria is too much to use alone. The best approach is to powder it and add just a tiny amount to herbal medicine containing various medicinal ingredients.

When it comes to herbal medicine that comes to mind with poria and poria with pine root, first there’s Chongming-tang . And Poria Heart-Supplementing Decoction ? Actually, there are countless prescriptions. It’s also included in insomnia prescriptions like Guipi-tang .

But to make it simply, Gyogam pills are still the best.

“Just powder everything and knead it, and it’s done.”

I first cut out the effective parts from the poria and filtered out the parts containing a lot of vital energy.

I need to eat this myself. It would be problematic for anyone other than someone like me who can easily handle even real poison.

“Let’s powder~ the rest~.”

It’s really nice that we have blenders in modern times.

I took a handful of Cyperus , a famous medicine for stress, from the drawer and put it in the blender with the poria.

The whirring sound was so cheerful.

“Done, finished!”

I kneaded the pills with honey and finished by wrapping them in gold foil.

After making them, they looked quite decent.

“Inae, here’s a gift!”

Since she handles miscellaneous tasks, she must naturally have a complicated mind and a lot of stress. I gave her one Gyogam pill as a gift.

“Are you selling these starting today?”

“No, I’ll only prescribe them when absolutely necessary. Just keep it in the refrigerator!”

What remained was absorbing the vital energy from the cut poria. I practiced breathing exercises in the director’s office and absorbed the spiritual medicine’s energy during breaks between treatments.

Ah, I’m overflowing with power!

Even while seeing patients, I couldn’t contain the overflowing energy.

Originally, I would only use a little qi through acupuncture when absolutely necessary, but now I could pour it out generously without worry.

“Ms. Yu Minha~ How was your week?”

“Good. Thanks to you, Director.”

“Any good news?”

“Actually, I sent out a bunch of resumes this time, and there’s a place that called me for an interview! I got the job and start working next month!”

“Oh my, congratulations!”

“Thank you so much. If my menstrual cramps hadn’t healed, I wouldn’t have even thought of applying to a job that requires standing.”

I paid special attention to adjusting the energy for Yu Minha and others who needed mental and physical stability.

“Let me know if you get stressed at work. I have very good medicine for that.”

“Yes! My condition is so good right now. The acupuncture today feels especially refreshing.”

People with slightly sensitive qi perception felt the effects immediately, and those who weren’t also showed reactions within a few days.

“My headache is completely gone. Can I get one more acupuncture session exactly like yesterday’s?”

I had digested it and passed on just the right amount to help them.

Though I considered constitution types, it was very useful for most office workers as well as elderly people.

“Director, Lee Jin’s skills have improved amazingly. Her physical abilities were always outstanding, but even her situational judgment has gotten better.”

“Oh, that must be because you teach her so well, Coach.”

“It’s thanks to you, Director.”

“You brought another gift! I told you it’s okay!”

“It’s just a small cake.”

Among them all, Kim Ijin showed the greatest improvement.

“After getting treated here, I became 20 years younger, child!”

Grandmother Heo Sunnam, who followed my instructions with acupuncture, needle knife therapy, and herbal medicine, was no less impressive.

After tearing the hypertrophied yellow ligament from stenosis and treating her chronic insomnia, she became more vibrant day by day.

It wasn’t a metaphorical expression – the wrinkles on her skin actually decreased.

“Hehe, you flatter me.”

“Today I brought this fellow to get some tonic medicine, not for me. He’s my new boyfriend since I started tango. These days kids call boyfriends ‘male friends,’ right?”

“Nice to meet you. Do you have any discomfort anywhere?”

“No discomfort. Just… you know! Something good for down there!”

“I’ll do my best to prepare it for you.”

It felt like just yesterday that patients weren’t increasing frustratingly, but one day I suddenly noticed all 10 beds in the treatment room were occupied.

‘Phew, now I don’t have to worry about going bankrupt.’

Word had spread somewhat among the elderly. Thanks to gradually running a blog, young people visiting the clinic could also quickly get information.

I could say I had found some stability now.

If I keep this momentum for just 6 more months, I’ll pay off all the loans I took when opening!

[Yeowon, how are you doing?]

While I was frantically seeing patients and going between the clinic and home, I received contact from an unexpected person.

‘Who was this again?’

The chat name said ‘Korean Internal Medicine Senior Lee Yujin,’ so it seemed to be a university senior, but coincidentally I couldn’t remember her at all.

From my perspective, it had been over 20 years, so it wouldn’t be strange to forget someone unless they were very close or someone I disliked.

[I’m doing well haha How are you, Senior?]

[I heard you opened a clinic. Jieun was worried about you a lot, but I’m glad it’s going well. It’s nothing major, but I thought I should let you know about my wedding. If you have time, drop by and have a meal.]

After agonizing and sending a safe message, what came back was a mobile wedding invitation.

“Oh, what was I thinking.”

It was just ordinary money collection? I should just say I can’t go because I’m in Busan and brush it off.

[Yeowon, are you going to Senior Yujin’s wedding?]

Just as I was about to send a congratulatory message and end it, a message arrived from Hwangseoyeong too.

[Was I close with this senior?]

[? hahahaha]

[I’ve been so busy since opening that student days feel like a past life, so I really can’t remember.]

[Hmm, it’s been over 2 years since we contacted each other, so it is a bit ambiguous? But I received a lot of help during the 3rd year practicum, so I’m planning to go.]

Hwangseoyeong listed the names of classmates, saying who was coming. Even so, aside from Senior Student and Hwangseoyeong, I didn’t really have any friends among my classmates.

[You come too! Let’s see your face!]

Hmm. Responding to such obvious money collection purposes isn’t really my style. If I had really received favors, I wouldn’t be unable to remember.

[You made a lot of money opening your clinic, so dress up in designer clothes and come! Let’s show those kids who said ‘What could a bookworm achieve by opening a clinic’ what’s what!]

…There were kids like that too?

I’m already fuzzy about my classmates, but she really pays a lot of attention to others.

Anyway, since a friend who genuinely worried about me wants to see my face, I changed my mind.

I’ve established myself now. It’s about time I went to Seoul for fun.

[I don’t have clothes but I’ll go ㅇㅇ]

[Since I’m closed on weekends, I think I can go directly and congratulate you! Sincere congratulations, and I’ll see you at the wedding!]

I expressed my intention to attend the wedding to both Hwangseoyeong and Senior Lee Yujin.

After going to Gyeongju once, I felt less burdened about traveling far? Besides, Seoul is actually quick if you take the KTX!

* * *

A little later, at Korean University Affiliated Korean Medicine Hospital.

“Dr. Hwang, are you on duty today?”

“No. Dr. Lee Yujin is on duty today.”

The hospital closed at 6 PM, but regular work hours didn’t mean much to an intern. Still, after finishing the remaining charting work at 9 PM. In a reality where half the days were spent pulling all-nighters, this was considered leaving work early compared to usual.

“Were you on your way home? You look very tired, but I’m sorry. I have a favor to ask.”

“Yes. Is it urgent work?”

But he was caught by the Professor. If the Professor was also working late, was there something urgent?

Anyway, phone calls would come even on days when he was resting at home.

“Hmm. There’s a conference presentation this weekend that needs to be done in English. You studied abroad, didn’t you?”

“…I did go briefly when I was in elementary school.”

“Haha, then you’ll pick it up quickly. Just review the PPT and manuscript once to see if there are any awkward parts by tomorrow morning.”

But it didn’t seem to be hospital work. With an apologetic face, the Professor threw out an unreasonable request.

When he was in school, he thought he was just an ordinary professor who was more interested in research than teaching, but after becoming a workplace colleague and working with him, he turned out to be someone who was skilled at dumping his own work on others.

“I understand.”

But what could an intern do? If told to do it, he had to do it.

‘I need to finish work in advance to go to the wedding… I should get an hour of sleep and then start.’

Hwang Sanghun came home and lay down on his bed. But his heart felt too heavy.

Was it because the manuscript the Professor entrusted him with was weighing on his mind? Even so, it had been quite a long time since he could sleep properly even when nothing was happening.

Though he wondered when there would ever be a day with nothing going on.

“…”

He literally just closed his eyes briefly while lying down, then got up.

‘I’m sleepy.’

He was tired. Sleepy to death. But sleep wouldn’t come.

When did this start? When he first started at the hospital, he would close his eyes whenever he had time. But now his mind was uneasy all day long, and even when he had the luxury of about 6 hours to sleep, he absolutely couldn’t fall asleep.

Not being able to sleep in the duty room was understandable since he never knew when a patient might come, but not being able to fall asleep even at home was serious.

‘I should go back to the hospital.’

Not long after coming home, Hwang Sanghun changed his clothes. Since he couldn’t sleep anyway, it would be better to go to work early and review the manuscript.

Actually, though he was called someone who studied abroad, since he hadn’t graduated from high school or university in America, he didn’t have the skills to read text quickly at a native speaker level.

After wrestling with English for several hours in the early morning, it was almost time for work.

‘It’s 5 o’clock.’

He tried closing his eyes tightly to sleep for even 30 minutes, but falling asleep was impossible. The fog that had been in his head for several months was interfering not only with work concentration but even with getting to sleep.

‘I hope I don’t make any mistakes like this.’

He should have slept today. Yesterday and tomorrow he was on duty, and the day after tomorrow he had to go to a colleague’s wedding.

So far he was somehow keeping his eyes open and walking around, but if he ended up not sleeping a wink all week, what about the following week?

Hwang Sanghun put on his gown and looked in the mirror.

“At this rate, even patients will think I’m the grim reaper.”

Really, it was such a haggard appearance that he didn’t want to show it to anyone.

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