The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 268

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

Chapter 268

The Taekkyeon that can be learned in modern South Korea and the Wudang Sect’s Taekkyeon that I know.

These two have the same name but are completely different martial arts.

Of course, there are similarities in the broad framework.

Since they use the name Taegeuk , they take the harmony of yin and yang as the basic philosophy of martial arts, utilize flexible and soft movements in their techniques, and emphasize breathing and internal energy.

‘But there are far more differences.’

The techniques are different from the start. The forms of external martial arts are different, and there’s a huge difference in the amount of internal energy that can be accumulated.

With modern qigong, even if you earnestly attempt the small heavenly circulation, it’s very difficult to go beyond the level of feeling at peace and sensing a bit of energy.

In other words, it was nearly impossible to accumulate a meaningful level of internal energy in the dantian.

Techniques like shattering rocks with energy blasts would be impossible.

No matter how much you master the techniques, you’d only reach the level of using an opponent’s strength to counterattack.

Therefore, it’s impossible to demonstrate the overwhelming skills like the Taoist masters of Wudang.

Even if you practiced this side’s Taekkyeon, if by any chance an opportunity arose to learn extreme yin martial arts from Seol Yuhui, it wouldn’t interfere.

‘For health management… there’s nothing to criticize. It is good exercise, hmm.’

It’s not like she’d have to wear Taoist robes and go around like the Wudang masters.

She wouldn’t have to convert to Taoism and practice in the mountains either.

Right, logically there’s absolutely no reason to stop Seol Yuhui from starting Taekkyeon.

“Is there some reason it wouldn’t work?”

So when I receive this kind of question, it’s very awkward.

Even though I don’t usually get tongue-tied when patients ask me fairly strange questions, this time it was hard to find words.

‘But still no! Just no! Why do I need a reason?’

When swinging a sword, frost should bloom magnificently from the sword tip, making me think ‘Ah! The world is turning properly!’ and watch contentedly.

If she learns Taekkyeon and moves sluggishly… my insides will burst and I’ll go into qi deviation!

“Hmm, it doesn’t seem like an exercise that matches well with Yu Hee’s constitution. Hmm, I got too excited. It’s not absolutely impossible, but the efficiency wouldn’t be very good.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Of course, I couldn’t tell her the truth.

And soon I found something appropriate to say.

Since coming to the modern era, I’ve developed quite an expertise in making excuses.

“Then should I just continue with fitness? Or is there a martial art that suits me specifically? Taekwondo…?”

Taekwondo? …It doesn’t feel right.

Kendo? Ah, even if it’s swords, the footwork is…

“Hmm… neither is particularly… They’re good exercises, but…”

“Ah! My constitution must be quite difficult, right?”

Fortunately, Seol Yuhui nodded without any particular suspicion.

Since I had served as her attending physician from when her condition was very bad due to her severed meridians, she just accepted it.

“I’ll think about whether there’s something suitable.”

“Ah, no. It wasn’t something I desperately wanted to do. I was just curious because the Clinic Director recommends it to patients a lot.”

“Really?”

“The martial art that the Clinic Director learned isn’t Taekkyeon either, right? What Director Jeon Minji does on YouTube also seems like something different.”

“Uh, yes. Mine is a bit different. Very different.”

I nodded vigorously.

“Aha… I was wondering if I could become strong like the Clinic Director if I learned martial arts, but I guess that would be a bit much. Haha.”

“Ahhh…”

Ice techniques are absolutely not allowed. Really, absolutely not.

Much more forbidden than modern Taekkyeon.

I even broke out in cold sweat while managing the situation.

“I’ll let you know when the right time comes. For now, keep doing fitness to build muscle strength, and you know the breathing method I taught you during treatment? Try doing a little meditation, thinking that energy flows in and out through those positions even without acupuncture.”

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

Seol Yuhui probably asked casually, but I really felt like I’d aged ten years.

I left the Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic and got in my car, practically staggering.

‘I barely stopped it…’

It would be nice if I could teach her Bingung’s martial arts.

At times like this, I felt slightly regretful that I hadn’t actively interacted with the demonic cult.

Had I seen or heard anything about extreme yin martial arts? Even searching through 20 years of memories, nothing appropriate came to mind.

‘I’ve never met anyone from Bingung either.’

I had already thought about this when I first learned that Seol Yuhui had severed meridians.

Thinking about it again wouldn’t bring up anything new.

I think I once heard that Master had some connection with Bingung’s Junior Sect Leader, but I regretted not listening to the details.

Well, even if I had pestered him to tell me, I probably wouldn’t have learned enough to pass on martial arts.

‘Ah~ At times like this, wouldn’t it be nice if something like Ice White Heart Technique appeared as a status window reward?’

If I searched the cliff where Songgol lives, wouldn’t a Mysterious Cave appear?

But unfortunately, in 21st century South Korea, far from having the needed opportunities appear conveniently, the road was just blocked because of an accident ahead.

I pressed the brakes and shifted to neutral gear, then grumbled.

‘But thinking about it… I’ve never tried saying it, have I?’

Of course, even before I fell into the martial arts world, martial arts novels with status windows already existed.

While my favorite works are classics, I didn’t completely reject that kind of fusion genre, so I had read one or two to the end.

So it would make sense to think of calling out for a status window.

‘Could it be that I didn’t have to go through all that hardship?!’

Even now, perhaps.

I swallowed hard and stared intensely into the empty air.

Concentrating all my energy on one point in the void.

I muttered quietly.

“…Status window.”

It would have been wonderful if a status screen had appeared with a ding!

What I saw before my eyes were cars stuck in traffic.

What I heard were the everyday sounds of the city.

Unfortunately, nothing changed at all.

‘Aaaahhhhh!’

I rubbed my face dry and looked around left and right for no reason.

‘Nobody heard that, right?’

I was inside the car, and I was the only person in it.

Of course, no one could have heard me.

Nevertheless, an insane sense of shame washed over me.

Beep!

I had accidentally opened the window, and the light honking from behind sounded loud.

I calmed the burning heat and shifted gears.

* * *

What kind of ambition made me think I could learn Taekkyeon on top of my current schedule?

Perhaps the Clinic Director had foreseen how busy things would get and tried to dissuade me.

‘I’d like to learn something later if I get the chance, but…’

Seol Yuhui felt secretly relieved.

I thought it would be fine since it was still pre-med, but when exam period actually came, there was an enormous amount of major subject content to memorize.

From the origins of medicinal herbs that seemed barely related to clinical practice, to all kinds of medical terminology in English, to physiology and pathology.

I had to endlessly memorize content that made me wonder if I really needed to know all this.

‘They said you only get busy when you enter the main program! Phew, did I apply for too many liberal arts courses?’

At the College of Korean Medicine, you can only take liberal arts courses during your first and second pre-med years.

I heard that from the main program onward, the timetable is completely predetermined.

So I had applied for a full 24 credits to take all the lectures I wanted during those two years, which might have been a bit excessive.

No, actually, up to this point it was fine.

Although it gradually increased due to credit limit issues, I had managed a similar schedule last year too.

But now club activities were added on top of this.

‘The haegeum is really so much fun… but so difficult! Will I be able to perform like this?’

Thanks to her seniors’ dissuasion, Seol Yuhui had given up on trying to do orchestra, band, and traditional Korean music club all at once, and joined only one performance club – the traditional Korean music club made up of Korean medicine students. That was a close call.

With festival season overlapping with exam period, even doing just one was no ordinary task.

At least in her first year, she had just started learning and only participated in one group piece that everyone did together.

“Since we have haegeum, gayageum, and geomungo, this works out well. Let’s prepare something simple.”

This time, the seniors suggested that the three second-years try completing one piece together.

While she wouldn’t stand out much in a large ensemble, there were only three of them!

If Seol Yuhui alone made a mistake, it would definitely be extremely noticeable.

Moreover, the other two besides Seol Yuhui had been practicing their instruments much longer than she had.

Kwon Nayoung, who played the gayageum, had been learning it bit by bit after school since elementary and middle school, so she was comfortable.

Jin Doyul said he had been forced to start the geomungo due to his father’s strong recommendation and was even receiving hardcore private lessons.

Seol Yuhui was the only one who had started after entering university and practiced only at a hobby level.

“Oh, Yu Hee? Does your arm hurt?”

Did it show because I was practicing six hours a day?

I was even caught at work massaging my arm.

“You should treat something like this right away. You’ve seen so many patients suffering from tennis elbow.”

“I’m sorry…”

Being scolded by Teacher Seo Inae, Seol Yuhui hung her head low.

“If the festival is right around the corner, it can’t be helped. Fortunately, it’s not at the inflammation stage yet. I won’t tell you to stop, but take breaks in moderation.”

The Clinic Director recommended that she receive treatment whenever she worked.

I used to get acupuncture so often when my health was poor, but doing it again after so long felt awkward.

Living while receiving treatment from the Clinic Director not only made my arm much more comfortable, but my overall condition improved noticeably.

“I’ll definitely come watch. Haegeum – I’m so excited!”

“Let’s all go together!”

“For everyone to go together, the clinic hours are…”

“No! Coming to school on a precious day off to watch an amateur performance like mine…!”

“Of course we have to go since Yu Hee is performing!

And so everyone at the Oriental Medicine Clinic came to know that Seol Yuhui was giving a performance.

I barely managed to dissuade them from adjusting clinic hours, but I couldn’t stop Director Han Yewon and Gong Nari, who were off that day, from coming.

I have to work even harder!

I can’t make foolish mistakes in front of everyone!

I can’t make such a foolish mistake in front of everyone!

“You’re free today, right? Let’s all practice together.”

While they had practiced individually with dedication, there had been little time for group rehearsals.

Though not as much as Seol Yuhui who even worked at the traditional Korean medicine clinic, they all had to study for exams.

Only two weeks before the performance were they finally able to practice together.

From the first melody to the end.

Seol Yuhui played smoothly as she had been practicing consistently.

Jin Doyul didn’t miss any notes either.

Kwon Nayoung made two mistakes but wasn’t bad given her solid fundamentals.

But when the three of them came together.

“Wow.”

“…This is a crisis.”

It was a mess.

Jin Doyul and Kwon Nayoung shook their heads and muttered.

Even to Seol Yuhui, who didn’t know much about music, something was seriously off.

“This really is a crisis.”

But there was a more serious problem than the poor performance.

“Doyul, when did your shoulder start bothering you?”

Jin Doyul’s physical condition seemed very strange.

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