The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 96

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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 96. I Owe a Great Debt

Ten days had passed since the Seonyugok Lord arrived in Muchang.

It was a repetition of the same daily routine.

Wake up in the morning, cultivate, eat meals, and sleep at night.

The only difference was that Dan Mok Un-rae’s expression had brightened somewhat.

If you looked at it that way, there had been changes in Baek Ri-pyeong as well.

His expression had become more serious, but there was a sense of ease alongside that seriousness.

Ha Mu-baek was watching the cadets’ appearance with satisfaction.

Such changes had a positive effect.

The other three cadets were also focusing more on their cultivation.

In the process of preparing for the Dongtu Festival, a pure martial duel competition, the cadets began to gradually gain confidence in their own abilities.

The catalyst was the performance Dan Mok Un-rae had shown recently.

“Ugh. How was that? Did you see?”

Dang Jin-san said, making a fuss.

“I saw it. It was a complete failure.”

Nak U-jin answered calmly.

“No, no. I definitely found a gap for change too…”

Dang Jin-san tried to say something again, but no one was listening. Everyone was just focused on their own cultivation.

Ha Mu-baek carefully observed each one’s cultivation in detail.

‘Not bad. They’re all becoming quite skilled.’

Among them, Dan Mok Un-rae and Baek Ri-pyeong stood out. And Yeon Ha-min wasn’t falling behind either.

Ha Mu-baek had recognized the talent of these three early on.

If you looked at talent alone, Dan Mok Un-rae and Yeon Ha-min could easily compete for the top positions even within all of Gyoryong Hall.

Their talent surpassed that of the Namgung Ji-hu and Namgung Ji-yu siblings.

The only weakness was that they had started learning martial arts late.

Dan Mok Un-rae was the first to show signs of overcoming that weakness, and soon after, Yeon Ha-min showed the same.

These were kids who hadn’t even been learning martial arts for a full year yet.

Whether stimulated by this, Baek Ri-pyeong was showing performance that exceeded what Ha Mu-baek had expected.

It was a virtuous cycle.

With these three showing progress at the front, Dang Jin-san and Nak U-jin followed behind.

Now the Five Cadets no longer had doubts about the martial arts they had learned.

They simply continued to refine and polish their skills.

“Wow. It’s quite intense.”

When had she arrived? Han Seol-bing muttered beside Ha Mu-baek, who was lying diagonally with an admiring expression.

“How’s your group?”

“It’s break time. Don’t you have break time here?”

“They cultivate on their own and rest on their own, that’s all.”

“What kind of instructor is so irresponsible?”

At that question, Ha Mu-baek chuckled.

“That’s just how I am originally.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s answer, Han Seol-bing shook her head.

“More importantly, you’re not neglecting the kids because you’ve been busy with other things lately, are you?”

“Hm?”

“Seol-ran has been worrying a lot. She says it seems like Elder Brother has many things on his mind these days.”

So that’s why she suddenly came.

It was because of Seol-ran.

“She really cares about the cadets. Well, from the perspective of being that cadet’s guardian, it’s something to be grateful for.”

“So. What’s going on?”

Han Seol-bing asked again.

“I’m just taking care of my own cadets, that’s all. And I have some debts that my former subordinates owe to repay.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s answer, Han Seol-bing frowned.

It was because of the part about debts that his former subordinates owed.

One of Ha Mu-baek’s former subordinates was herself.

“Have we ever owed any debts? I only remember fighting bloodily on the battlefield…”

“You owe a great debt. That guy Mu-heun owes his life… You also seem to have owed quite a debt. Thanks to that, you’re here safe and sound like this.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s answer, Han Seol-bing’s eyes widened.

She realized what he was talking about.

“Is something happening in Seonyu Valley?”

Ha Mu-baek didn’t answer.

He simply kept his gaze on the cadets who were in the midst of cultivation.

“What’s going on? If it’s something like that, I should also…”

“Stop. I’ll handle it myself.”

“Still…”

“It’s something you can’t do. If I need your help, I’ll tell you first.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s firm words, Han Seol-bing closed her mouth. She knew that when Ha Mu-baek was like this, no words would be of any use.

“Hmm… They seem to have arrived.”

Ha Mu-baek’s gaze turned toward the distant east.

He had sensed the presence of those newly entering Muchang.

Among them was a familiar yet subtly different presence.

The presence of someone suffering from severed meridians.

That’s how he could tell that the guests from Seonyu Valley had arrived.

“Please let me know if you need anything.”

Han Seol-bing said, shaking her head as if overwhelmed by Ha Mu-baek’s monstrous Ki Sense.

“Of course.”

Saying that, Ha Mu-baek got up.

“Un-rae. Focus more on your opponent’s Sword Path. If you don’t want to make what happened last time a fluke. Ri-pyeong. Have more confidence in your sword. Ha-min. Focus on your own sword. Jin-san. Same goes for you. Don’t lose focus trying to force yourself to see gaps in your opponent’s sword flow, look at your own sword flow first. U-jin. You should also focus more on your own sword flow.”

Ha Mu-baek poured out improvement directions all at once based on the Five Cadets’ cultivation he had been observing.

“Then the remaining time is self-study.”

And as always, he finished with the words “self-study.”

Before the Five Cadets could say anything, Ha Mu-baek’s body movement disappeared.

Ha Mu-baek headed to the inn where Gongsun Mu-oe was staying.

Whether they had found a place with a separate building in the meantime, it was a different place from last time.

Wi Ji-gun had arrived first.

He too had sensed the presence of the newly arrived people.

Whether they had been continuously exchanging news through carrier hawk messages, those who had entered Muchang were heading straight toward this inn.

In less than half a hour, ten people entered the separate building. Among them was a woman who got off the carriage with difficulty and walked while being supported.

She must be the patient suffering from Nine-Tone Severed Meridians.

“You’ve had a hard journey coming such a long way. It must have been an even more difficult journey because you hurried. Especially So-yu must have suffered greatly enduring that journey.”

At Gongsun Mu-oe’s words, the ten newly appeared people lightly bowed their heads.

“Father. Is it really possible to treat our So-yu?”

A woman stepped forward and asked.

It was Gongsun Hwa-gyeong, Gongsun Mu-oe’s daughter and the mother of Gung So-yu, who was suffering from Nine-Tone Severed Meridians.

Since Gongsun U-gyeong couldn’t leave Seonyu Valley as the minor valley lord, she had come to Muchang with her daughter.

At Gongsun Hwa-gyeong’s question, Gongsun Mu-oe nodded and introduced Wi Ji-gun and Ha Mu-baek.

“This is Master Wi Ji-gun who will treat So-yu.”

A look of interest appeared on the faces of the group.

Though they had guessed from seeing him with Gongsun Mu-oe, no matter how they looked at him, he appeared more like a martial artist than a physician.

“I’ll check her pulse first.”

Wi Ji-gun bowed his head slightly and approached Gung So-yu, grasping her pulse point.

He let a bit of his internal energy flow in to examine Gung So-yu’s blood meridians for a moment.

Then he had Ha Mu-baek check her pulse point as well.

After Ha Mu-baek also examined all her blood meridians and released Gung So-yu’s wrist, Wi Ji-gun asked Ha Mu-baek.

“What do you think?”

“Though my experience as a disciple is still shallow… it doesn’t seem much different from Seven-Tone Severed Meridians.”

Wi Ji-gun nodded at Ha Mu-baek’s answer.

“My thoughts are the same.”

At those words, the eyes of everyone present widened in surprise.

Those words meant it could be treated.

Even Seonyu Valley, which was said to possess the finest medical arts in Gangho, couldn’t find a way to completely cure it and was merely preventing the progression of the condition.

Yet this master and disciple were saying they could treat it.

“Is… is that really true? Master…”

Gongsun Hwa-gyeong asked with a trembling voice.

It was natural for her to react this way since her daughter’s life was at stake.

“Severed Meridian Syndrome is ultimately a heavenly affliction where blood meridians become blocked and then severed. Seven-Tone Severed Meridians and Nine-Tone Severed Meridians are caused by excessively strong yin energy… Fortunately, according to our sect’s methods of handling yin energy, there shouldn’t be much difference between Seven-Tone Severed Meridians and Nine-Tone Severed Meridians.”

At Wi Ji-gun’s calm explanation, Gongsun Hwa-gyeong wore an expression of complete disbelief.

She too was a member of Seonyu Valley, a physician whose abilities had reached the extreme.

That’s why she knew her daughter’s condition well.

Five-Tone Severed Meridians and Nine-Tone Severed Meridians were different.

The increase from five blocked blood meridians to nine—an increase of four—wasn’t simply a matter of numbers.

Complex problems arose one after another.

Nine blood meridians needed to be nourished simultaneously, but this was impossible with any combination of medicinal ingredients.

The method they barely managed to find was to nourish five blood meridians with medicine and four blood meridians with acupuncture, but sometimes they overlapped, and sometimes they missed some.

As a result, they couldn’t nourish the nine blood meridians uniformly, creating differences, and this made treating the condition extremely complicated, leaving them unable to find a solution.

“Currently, the nine blood meridians are each in different states. Still, thanks to your diligent care, the blood meridians haven’t become more blocked… but we can’t know how long this state can be maintained. Eventually, problems will arise in the weakest blood meridian.”

At Wi Ji-gun’s continued words, Gongsun Mu-oe nodded.

That was the reason they had been stuck, unable to move forward or backward.

“With our sect’s mind technique, we can nourish all nine blood meridians simultaneously and uniformly. Let’s start with that first.”

“Ah, ahhh.”

A cry of overwhelming emotion flowed from Gongsun Hwa-gyeong’s mouth.

“Sob, sob sob. Sob sob sob.”

At the news that complete recovery was possible, Gung So-yu finally couldn’t hold back and burst into tears.

How difficult it had been to act calm and detached all this time.

Each day had been frightening and terrifying.

She never knew when her blood meridians would become blocked and severed, bringing death.

When that time came, how could she face her mother and father, and what would those left behind feel?

She couldn’t even imagine it.

Because it was too frightening.

All those emotions burst out at once.

“Sob sob sob sob.”

That’s why Gung So-yu’s tears didn’t stop easily.

Ha Mu-baek and Wi Ji-gun calmly watched her.

Gongsun Hwa-gyeong was also shedding tears while holding and comforting Gung So-yu.

After watching the mother and daughter’s tears for a moment, Wi Ji-gun was the first to leave.

It was a room that Gongsun Mu-oe had guided them to.

That room had been prepared for treatment.

“May I watch you perform the treatment?”

Gongsun Mu-oe asked cautiously.

“Ultimately, without our sect’s mind technique, it’s meaningless acupuncture… but if it’s Seonyu Valley, you might discover something within it.”

With Wi Ji-gun’s permission, Gongsun Mu-oe performed a cupped fist salute and bowed deeply.

“I’m simply grateful for Master’s grace.”

Wi Ji-gun smiled and helped Gongsun Mu-oe up.

How much time had passed?

Gongsun Bi-yeon guided and brought the tear-dried Gongsun Hwa-gyeong and Gung So-yu.

“Today will be somewhat painful, so I’ll press your acupoints.”

At Wi Ji-gun’s words, Gung So-yu nodded with a tense face.

When she lay on the bed, Ha Mu-baek lightly pressed her acupoints.

Soon Gung So-yu fell into a deep sleep.

Gongsun Hwa-gyeong carefully removed her daughter’s clothing.

“Thank you, Master, for allowing us to witness the secret technique.”

After removing all her daughter’s clothes, Gongsun Hwa-gyeong bowed and spoke.

Gongsun Hwa-gyeong and Gongsun Bi-yeon had also been permitted to observe the treatment.

Gung So-yu’s naked body, without a thread of clothing, was terribly emaciated.

Truly nothing but skin and bones remained.

She had barely endured each day in such a condition.

It was heartbreaking beyond measure.

It was Ha Mu-baek who took out the needles.

Ha Mu-baek slowly inserted needles into Gung So-yu’s body.

Three people watched this scene with tense faces: Gongsun Mu-oe, Gongsun Hwa-gyeong, and Gongsun Bi-yeon.

“Mmm…”

As the number of needles increased, Gung So-yu occasionally frowned and let out moans.

Even though she had fallen into deep sleep, she could still feel the pain.

How much time passed like this?

Needles were densely inserted all over her body.

“Then I’ll move to the next step.”

Ha Mu-baek spoke calmly.

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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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