The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 98

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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 98. Even Better

“It’s an incomprehensible matter, isn’t it? After So Yu, asking Gung Seo-bang as well would be too shameless of us…”

Gongsun Mu-oe answered with a dark expression.

“It would indeed be too shameless.”

Gongsun Hwa-gyeong quickly agreed. To ask those who saved her daughter’s life to also look at her husband’s illness…

It would be no different from demanding someone’s bundle after rescuing them from drowning.

“Just saving that young one’s life is already a great favor we’ve received.”

Gongsun Mu-oe’s gaze turned toward Gung So-yu, who was sleeping on the bed.

She was only fifteen now.

Those with Severed Meridian Syndrome usually don’t live past eighteen. The longest recorded survival was twenty.

Since Gung So-yu was receiving the best care in Seonyu Valley, she could survive longer than that.

Nevertheless, it was undeniable that she had a limited lifespan and would die young.

Just being able to give that child a new life was already an immeasurable favor and debt to Gongsun Mu-oe and Gongsun Hwa-gyeong.

“You stay here and continue. It seems I must go to Manmulryeon myself.”

Finally, as if having made up his mind, Gongsun Mu-oe spoke.

At those words, Gongsun Hwa-gyeong’s eyes widened.

“Father. That’s…”

Gongsun Mu-oe was the lord of Seonyu Valley. For someone like him to privately visit another sect was no small matter.

There were more than a few sects hoping for his visit.

In fact, during his current travels, sects near Muchang had been constantly contacting him.

Asking him to stop by, even briefly, since he was in the area.

The reason he hadn’t done so was because establishing ties with Seonyu Valley carried great significance.

Seonyu Valley, which possessed the finest medical arts in the Central Plains.

A visit from its lord was an event that could give considerable prestige to the sect in question.

Moreover, Gongsun Mu-oe visiting Manmulryeon, which belonged to the same Eight Rising Sects, could be quite displeasing to the Nine Great Sects and Five Noble Families.

For this reason, he had been restraining himself from visiting even though the Manmulryeon Lord was his son-in-law.

For the same reason, the Manmulryeon Lord also didn’t visit Seonyu Valley.

The first and last time the two had met was when the Manmulryeon Lord was still a minor lord and held his wedding ceremony with Gongsun Hwa-gyeong.

“I know. I know what it means. But after coming here and meeting the Great Person, I realized that all those things are meaningless. I must save my family first. If I lacked the ability, that would be one thing, but how could I not check the pulse of my son-in-law whose body is weakening?”

At Gongsun Mu-oe’s resolute words, Gongsun Hwa-gyeong simply bowed her head.

“Then, the treatment method for Severed Meridian Syndrome…”

“You and Bi-yeon are sufficient. If you first record everything, we can research it together. It may not be as good as me seeing it directly… but my son-in-law’s life is more important. What good is saving So Yu if her father passes away first? That would also be a great sorrow for the child.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Gongsun Hwa-gyeong said while tears streamed down her face.

***

Ha Mu-baek closed his eyes and pushed in just a tiny amount of internal energy.

Then he carefully operated his internal energy by applying the pathways of the Mugeuk Yeoui Heart Method.

It was truly thread-thin internal energy.

With this, he carefully opened the blocked blood meridians from within and strengthened them.

The acupuncture needles caught the internal energy that tried to scatter after opening the blood meridians and pushed it into the meridian walls to strengthen them.

How much effort had Wi Ji-gun put in to find this method?

It was a method discovered after desperate efforts.

A method that was only possible because of the Mugeuk Yeoui Heart Method.

Other internal energy operation methods couldn’t open blocked blood meridians and sometimes even damaged them.

“Mmm…”

Gung So-yu let out a thin moan, perhaps still feeling pain.

However, unlike before, she was now fully conscious.

Since she had wanted it, today was the first time he didn’t press her acupoints.

Ha Mu-baek proceeded with the treatment with an indifferent expression. He paid no attention to Gung So-yu’s reactions.

If his heart wavered at her suffering and his internal energy operation went wrong, that would be an even greater problem.

Ha Mu-baek maintained his composure and calmly operated his internal energy.

How much time had passed like this?

Gung So-yu’s entire body was soaked with sweat.

Ha Mu-baek withdrew his internal energy, carefully removed the needles densely inserted into her naked body, covered her with a thin blanket, and left the room with Wi Ji-gun.

“You’re becoming more and more skilled at operating internal energy. Well done.”

Wi Ji-gun said with a smile.

“It’s thanks to Master’s excellent teaching.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s words, Wi Ji-gun chuckled softly.

“You rascal. Such honeyed words…”

Nevertheless, Wi Ji-gun looked quite pleased.

About an hour later?

The door opened and Gongsun Hwa-gyeong, Gongsun Bi-yeon, and Gung So-yu came out.

“So, how do you feel?”

At Wi Ji-gun’s question, Gung So-yu smiled softly.

“I feel so light, too light.”

Her face was tinged with a rosy glow. Healthy color had returned, incomparable to her previous pallor.

Her arms had also become slightly plumper, showing that her body was properly absorbing the nutrients from the food she ate.

“Good.”

Wi Ji-gun nodded.

“If the Valley Lord had seen this, he would have been very pleased.”

Ha Mu-baek said with apparent regret.

“I can only apologize. After asking for the Great Person’s help, Father had to leave…”

Gongsun Hwa-gyeong bowed her head and offered an apology.

“Ah, that’s not what I meant. I’m sorry.”

Ha Mu-baek said in confusion, waving his hands.

“I heard the Manmulryeon Lord’s health isn’t good either.”

Previously, Gongsun Mu-oe had explained the situation to Ha Mu-baek and Wi Ji-gun before leaving.

At that time, given Gung So-yu’s condition, they hadn’t asked for details.

But today, Gung So-yu’s complexion had returned strongly, and she had improved enough to receive treatment while fully conscious, so they had the leisure to inquire about the situation.

“Yes. He was originally weak… but recently his condition suddenly worsened. Father went to examine him. With my meager skills, I simply cannot determine the cause…”

At Gongsun Hwa-gyeong’s words, not only her face but also Gung So-yu’s darkened.

“The current Manmulryeon Lord… surely he’s the one who improved the Mancheon Blood Thunder in the last war…”

“Yes. That’s right. My husband improved it when he was a minor lord. Now he’s developed completely different hidden weapons.”

Ha Mu-baek nodded slightly.

Mancheon Blood Thunder.

It was a hidden weapon that all members of the Hocheon Unit carried.

They carried it for reversal in desperate moments.

While the Tang family’s hidden weapons mainly used poison and needles, Manmulryeon’s hidden weapons mostly used explosives.

Therefore, when facing multiple enemies, Manmulryeon’s Mancheon Blood Thunder was much more useful than the Tang family’s hidden weapons.

However, there was a problem.

Since they were explosive hidden weapons, there were misfires and accidental explosions.

Particularly, there had been more than a few cases where they suddenly exploded while being carried, causing damage to allies.

It was the current Manmulryeon Lord who had innovatively improved that aspect.

Thanks to that improvement, misfires and accidental explosions almost completely disappeared.

Since then, Hocheoldan also began carrying one Mancheonhyeolloe each for emergency use, and received their help quite often in desperate moments.

“We received considerable help from Mancheonhyeolloe in the last war.”

Ha Mu-baek spoke calmly.

“There were operations that might have failed without Mancheonhyeolloe. If the Lord cannot find the cause either, wouldn’t it be acceptable for me to take a look? Of course, there’s a high possibility that nothing will come of my examination.”

Gongsun Hwa-gyeong’s eyes widened.

She never expected Ha Mu-baek to offer such words first.

Even if unwelcome, it was exactly what she had hoped for.

“Thank you, truly thank you.”

Gongsun Hwa-gyeong bowed deeply. Gung So-yu did the same.

“Not at all. What could I possibly accomplish by looking? Neither Master nor I are physicians. We are martial artists. We can only treat severed meridians.”

Ha Mu-baek was flustered once again.

He didn’t know how to handle the excessive courtesy of the Gongsun mother and daughter.

The reason Ha Mu-baek, who treated his disciples coldly, was trying to help Seonyu Valley and Manmulryeon like a pushover wasn’t anything else.

He owed them that much from the last war, so he was simply trying to repay it.

War is truly devastating.

Any help that could raise the chances of survival even slightly in that hellscape.

It was a great debt.

Ha Mu-baek thought so.

Even if Ha Mu-baek himself didn’t know it, at least his subordinates had received help from Seonyu Valley’s medical arts and Manmulryeon’s hidden weapons.

And thanks to that, one more person was able to return alive.

Ha Mu-baek, who had been cold as ice to the Peng Family, Haomun, and Yeon Family, could not be the same toward Seonyu Valley and Manmulryeon.

“The young lady’s condition is just a special case. Since the Lord’s medical arts are the best in the Central Plains, there will be no need for my help.”

Ha Mu-baek said with a gentle smile.

“Let me check her condition for a moment.”

Then Wi Ji-gun took Gung So-yu’s wrist and performed pulse reading.

“Hmm. It’s even better.”

At Wi Ji-gun’s words after finishing the pulse reading, the faces of the Seonyu Valley people brightened.

“At this rate, after four more days, that is, two more treatments, we can use medicine.”

Currently, Gung So-yu’s blood meridians were too weak, so she was receiving treatment once every two days with a day of recovery between treatments.

But to say medicine could be used already.

It was a faster recovery speed than expected.

“Already?”

Gongsun Hwa-gyeong asked with a trembling voice.

“I didn’t expect this either. Since it’s Nine-Tone Severed Meridians, I thought it would take longer… I didn’t think that just as the deterioration speed is faster than Seven-Tone Severed Meridians, the recovery speed would also be faster. Even compared to the Seven-Tone Severed Meridians child currently being treated, it’s remarkably fast.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Gongsun Hwa-gyeong bowed deeply and repeatedly expressed her gratitude.

On days when the master and disciple Wi Ji-gun and Ha Mu-baek visited, Gongsun Hwa-gyeong and Gongsun Bi-yeon’s backs never had a chance to straighten.

“Um… Grandfather…”

Gung So-yu cautiously called Wi Ji-gun. She had been calling him Grandfather since Wi Ji-gun told her to do so.

“Could I possibly meet that child? I heard she’s younger than me and hasn’t been receiving proper treatment all this time…”

They had never specifically talked about Dan Mok Un-hye, yet she knew that much.

Ha Mu-baek wondered about this, then quickly found the answer.

There was one person. Someone who could have told her that story.

It was Byeokryeokgae, who had gone to Seonyu Valley saying he would obtain medicinal ingredients and brought them back.

Ha Mu-baek had already heard about the connection between Byeokryeokgae and them.

That the Former Seonyugok Lord and Byeokryeokgae were childhood friends.

With that connection, they could certainly have talked about it.

“Moreover, I heard that child’s grandfather was a close friend of my great-grandfather…”

The Dan Mok Family, Seonyu Valley, and Byeokryeokgae.

Ha Mu-baek had also heard about their connection from Byeokryeokgae while treating Gung So-yu.

Along with deep expressions of gratitude.

“I see. Come to think of it, Hye-ah would be like your paternal aunt, Yu-a.”

If one were to trace the generational relationships, that’s how it worked out.

At Wi Ji-gun’s words, Gung So-yu simply smiled gently.

“Alright. Once you’re both healthier, let’s arrange a meeting.”

With that, Ha Mu-baek and Wi Ji-gun returned.

Three days passed.

The entrance of Muchang.

Gongsun Mu-oe was sitting in a carriage with his son-in-law, looking at Muchang’s castle wall.

Even Gongsun Mu-oe hadn’t expected things to turn out this way.

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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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