The Youngest Son of the Eunhae Merchant Group - Chapter 103

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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 Youngest Son of the Eunhae Trading Company – Chapter 103

Chapter 103. Manjol Physician (4)

Following Palgap’s words, I stepped outside to find four individuals dressed in indigo robes.
Embroidered upon their garments were the characters for Hyungmun—the mark of their sect.
They were disciples of the Hyungmun Sect.
The Hyungmun Sect was a Daoist-aligned faction that leaned closer to the secular world.
Yet they were not prestigious enough to be counted among the Nine Great Sects.
Their swordsmanship was neither transcendent nor backed by exceptional internal cultivation techniques.
However, they possessed one unparalleled distinction that none could rival—their sword divination.
Their divination method, which mimicked the topography of Hyungmun Mountain with its opening and closing gates, was so formidable that even the Namgung Family acknowledged its prowess.
As I emerged, they caught sight of me and tilted their heads momentarily before approaching with bright smiles.
“Might you be the Virtuous Swordmaster of Immortal Harmony?”
This grandiose title, which felt like gilding my face with flattery, drew an involuntary sigh from me.
I could hardly affirm such a name myself.
At that moment, Palgap stepped forward promptly.
“Yes, this is indeed the Virtuous Swordmaster of Immortal Harmony.”
“Ah! As expected!”
“We are honored to meet you.”
Snap—!
They executed a disciplined fist salute.
“We are disciples of the Hyungmun Sect.”
“I am Eun Seo-ho, Lord of Hyunpung for the Eunhae Trading Company.”
“In truth, we came seeking you because we heard that Manjol Physician was here.”
“What brings you to seek Manjol Physician?”
“Well, you see…”
The eldest among them responded.
“A plague has spread through our sect.”
What?
What was this about?
A plague spreading through their sect?
From what I understood, once one reached a certain level of martial cultivation, they became immune to common plagues.
That was why I and my two Guard Warriors remained unaffected.
As for Palgap… well, he was a bear.
Among the staff members who had entered this place with me, some had contracted the plague.
They had quickly recovered their health using medicine crafted from the Soulbound Grass I had brought.
Could it be that those afflicted possessed lower cultivation levels?
I asked them.
“If I may inquire, would it be possible to learn the cultivation level of those afflicted?”
“It’s difficult to explain in detail, but this epidemic seems to strike regardless of one’s level of cultivation.”
What did that mean?
In any case, it seemed most urgent to meet with the Manjol Physician.
“Follow me.”

A short while later.
After finishing his examination of the patients, the Manjol Physician conversed with the disciples of the Hyungmun Sect.
The discussion centered primarily on inquiries regarding the patients’ conditions.
“Curious indeed.”
“What troubles you, physician?”
“The symptoms match those of the epidemic breaking out here, yet….”
“It seems to concern you that even masters of high cultivation fall ill to this disease.”
“Yes, you speak truly.”
The Manjol Physician, after a moment of contemplation, reached a decision.
“I must see it with my own eyes.”
And looking at me, he chuckled softly.
“Your face tells me you wish to accompany me.”
“Ah, you’ve seen through me.”
I answered brazenly, and the Manjol Physician spoke.
“Very well, come along. But you alone shall accompany me.”
“Only myself, physician?”
“The others risk falling ill and facing danger.”
At those words, Palgap raised an objection.
“Then wouldn’t our young master also be in danger?”
“Your young master will be fine.”
“Pardon?”
“There are reasons for it, so cease your troublesome questions.”
….
Thus, the Manjol Physician and I set out for the Hyungmun Sect on Hyungmun Mountain.
.
.
.
I gazed behind me.
A sheer cliff stretched into the distance.
I was now treading upon the mountain path—which meant supplies had to be carried by human labor.
Ah, this is exhausting.
“Is it difficult?”
“Ah, no, not at all.”
I couldn’t tell the Manjol Physician that I was struggling.
After all, he was trudging along the mountain path burdened by a mountain of supplies himself.
“Your stamina is impressive. I’m about ready to collapse here.”
“….”
“Youth truly is a blessing. Hahahaha!”
I should have just admitted I was tired.
Half of the Hyungmun Sect disciples were ahead of us, while the other half followed behind.
With enough distance between the groups, this was my chance to ask what I wanted to know.
“Excuse me, Elder. I have a question.”
“What troubles you?”
“Why did you say I would be fine?”
At my question, the Manjol Physician glanced back at me before continuing.
“The Black Dragon naturally resists disease.”
“…!”
Though he answered indirectly, his meaning was unmistakable.
The Manjol Physician had discerned that my constitution was the Hyun Ryong Body.
“Yet the warriors and Palgap who were with me in the village didn’t contract the plague either.”
“That’s likely thanks to that creature in your sleeve.”
“You mean Geumryeong?”
“That aura was of such a nature. I surmise it had an influence.”
“Then wouldn’t it have been alright for them to come as well?”
“I do not speak words of which I am uncertain.”
From those words, I understood that he had permitted only me to come out of concern for Palgap and the guards.
Since he did so for my people, I harbored no resentment.
Rather, I was grateful.
“By the way, how do you feel about it?”
“About what, sir?”
“The reputation called the Benevolent Wanderer. I’ve spread praise of it wherever I’ve gone.”
So the Benevolent Wanderer was your creation, Elder?
“Reputation is troublesome, but it has its uses nonetheless. It makes possible what money cannot.”
That much was true.
Gaining a reputation meant one’s fame had grown accordingly.
And in my previous life, I had learned how foolish the saying “with money, nothing is impossible” truly was.
There existed things in this world that money could not solve.
And reputation was precisely what solved such things.
Therefore, though embarrassed, I did not refuse.
For one day I might have use for it.
But the Hyungmun Sect….
There was a reason I had spoken of their martial prowess not as “is great” but as “was great.”
In my previous life, the Hyungmun Sect had vanished without a trace.
That’s why the Green Forest Bandits in the surrounding area had become rampant, extorting tolls from travelers passing through.
The Eunhae Trading Company had suffered considerable losses at their hands as well.
It remains a mystery why the Hyungmun Sect, which had once enjoyed considerable renown in this region, had vanished.

After walking for half a day, the Hyungmun Sect Disciple spoke.
“We’ve arrived.”
“Arrived… you say?”
“Yes. Do you see that rocky formation ahead?”
Before us stood a massive stone formation that resembled a gate, with a staircase ascending through its passage.
“Once you pass through that rock, we’ll be there shortly.”
At those words, hope kindled within me, and I quickened my pace.
As I passed through the rock formation, a building came into view immediately beside it.
“Truly, you are remarkable.”
At that remark, I turned to see one of the disciples speaking to me.
“Me, you mean?”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“The path from the village to our sect is so treacherous and distant that arriving in half a day is unprecedented.”
“Ha ha, is that so?”
“Usually it takes a full day.”
….
I glanced at the Manjol Physician. I had hurried because he had hurried.
The Manjol Physician regarded me with a questioning gaze.
I smiled and replied.
“Thinking of those suffering from illness in your sect, I could not afford to slow my pace.”
“Ah! Truly, you are a righteous hero.”
“Thank you sincerely.”
At my response, they gazed upon me with expressions of gratitude and admiration.
Thus we arrived at the Hyungmun Sect.
But then.
“Ugh… S-Senior Brother, you’ve come?”
“Senior Brother….”
“I’ll inform… the Sect Leader.”
The disciples of the Hyungmun Sect appeared nearly at death’s door. I turned to look at the disciple who had accompanied me.
“It seems the plague has worsened during the time we were away from the mountain.”
We proceeded toward the Sect Leader.
Currently, not only the Sect Leader but also the Dharma Protectors and those called the Gate Guardians were bedridden with illness.
Soon we entered the building where the Sect Leader resided.
“Sect Leader, we have brought the Manjol Physician and the righteous hero, Young Master Eun Seo-ho.”
“Ugh… thank you for coming.”
“You seem quite unwell.”
The Sect Leader responded to my words with an awkward smile.
“I apologize for showing you such a state.”
“Not at all.”
The Manjol Physician, who had been observing quietly, spoke up.
“Then, allow me to take your pulse for a moment.”
“Yes, please do.”
The Manjol Physician examined various parts of the Sect Leader’s body and felt for the pulse at his wrist.
Then he nodded.
“It is indeed a contagious fever. With a few days of medicine and proper rest, recovery should be possible.”
“Thank you.”
After stepping back from the Sect Leader, the Manjol Physician immediately began examining everyone else.
In the meantime, I had my own work to do.
Specifically, preparing rice porridge for meals.
I was fortunate that the Hyungmun Sect was not a Buddhist sect. Otherwise, I would have needed to use alternative methods for nutritional supplementation.
While I was moving about busily, the Manjol Physician approached me.
“That smells delicious.”
“Would you like a bowl?”
“I’m sick of even looking at porridge at this point.”
“I thought you wanted some.”
“It’s only the smell that appeals to me.”
With that, the Manjol Physician sighed and sat down on a pile of firewood stacked nearby.
But his expression was far from ordinary.
“What troubles you, sir?”
“There’s a problem here.”
“Sir?”
“I thought it was the contagious fever spreading through the village based on the symptoms I heard, but I’m not certain anymore.”
Was that why he was saying this?
“Are you saying it is not a contagious fever?”
“That’s right.”
If it wasn’t a contagious fever, what could it be?
“But you told the Sect Leader it was a contagious fever, did you not?”
“I did. However, I said it was a contagious fever—I never said it was the contagious fever spreading from Uichang.”
“….”
“In any case, this is a serious problem. A contagious fever that only affects those who have trained in martial arts….”
“Sir?”
“Currently, the only ones who haven’t contracted the illness are the trainees who just arrived. They would have the weakest constitution since they haven’t formally begun their training yet, so what does it mean that they remain unaffected?”
“Then?”
“Yes, this is a disease that only affects those who have learned inner energy cultivation techniques.”
“Is such a thing even possible?”
But I had never heard of such a thing before.
Not even in my previous life.
There were two possibilities to consider.
Either it was something that hadn’t occurred in my past life, or it was something I simply didn’t know about.
Now that I thought about it….
The Manjol Physician had also vanished at some point in my previous life.
In my past life, I had searched desperately for physicians to cure my illness caused by the Hyun Ryong Constitution.
But nowhere could I find any trace of the Manjol Physician.
Yet the timing seemed oddly similar to when the Hyungmun Sect disappeared….
Could there have been something in my past life that I was unaware of?
The Manjol Physician shook his head and spoke.
“This is my first time encountering it too. In any case, this epidemic must be contained here. If it spreads beyond this place….”
“It would cause tremendous chaos in the Martial Arts World.”
“Indeed. I must find a treatment method as soon as possible.”
Two days passed in this manner.
The Manjol Physician moved about busily, trying various medicines and acupuncture treatments.
“Um, you know….”
“Hmm?”
I noticed the young disciple beside me, diligently washing dishes alongside me.
Was he seven years old?
With small hands, he scrubbed the bowls with surprising dexterity.
“Senior Brother, they will get better, won’t they?”
“Are you worried about the others?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t worry. The Manjol Physician is quite a skilled physician. That’s probably why he’s called a physician, after all.”
“I suppose so.”
“By the way, we haven’t even introduced ourselves properly, have we? My name is Eun Seo-ho. What’s your name?”
“My name is Hong Jun.”
“Hong Jun? That’s a fine name.”
“Actually, I was an orphan. The Second Sect Leader took me as his disciple.”
The Hyungmun Sect had an unusual position called the Sect Leader.
Literally, it meant guarding the gate.
But this was different from the Protector role.
While the Protector was a position meant to safeguard the Hyungmun Sect, the Sect Leader’s duty was to protect the sect’s future.
In other words, it meant bringing in talented disciples and nurturing them.
Since disciples were the sect’s future, I agreed with that philosophy.
“But I heard that once I begin formal training, the Sect Leader who took me in will give me a new name.”
“I wonder what name you’ll receive?”
“Actually, I already know.”
“You do?”
“It’s a secret, but my Senior Brother told me.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Apparently, my name is Gushi.”
Gushi?
That literally means pigeon droppings.
No matter how you look at it, how could a Sect Leader give his direct disciple a name meaning pigeon droppings?
“That’s not it.”
“Sir?”
“It does mean pigeon droppings. Your Senior Brother was just playing a prank on you.”
“Is… is that so?”
“Have faith. You’ll receive a far better name soon. Or I’ll give you one myself.”
The boy’s dejected expression quickly transformed into delighted laughter.
That bastard of a Senior Brother—what kind of tasteless prank was that?
It was then that I realized I had heard the name Gushi before.

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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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