Episode 145: The Tang Clinic
“Is it true? The Three-Eyed Buddha?”
“Yes, Master.”
While Jin Song was consumed with thoughts of fleeing, Hwang Ryeong-ja remained relatively calm. The person believed to be the Three-Eyed Buddha had entered the Tang Clinic quietly, suggesting that no immediate danger was imminent.
‘Still, I should verify it myself.’
Instead of heading straight to the clinic, Hwang Ryeong-ja kept a safe distance, observing from afar. Encountering the Three-Eyed Buddha could be perilous.
Soon, Hwang Ryeong-ja noticed the clinic was far busier than usual. Several martial artists, clearly beyond first-rate, were present, along with a massive monk with gray skin—matching the description of the Three-Eyed Buddha he’d heard in rumors.
‘How does Tang So-hyup manage to gather such people?’
Initially, when he heard about the strange occurrences at the clinic, he thought it was unusual. But since then, people had been flocking to the clinic endlessly.
First, there was the appearance of Dan So-jeo, which left Jin Song lovesick, followed by two prodigiously talented late bloomers.
But now, it was beyond that.
Even with an open mind, Hwang Ryeong-ja found the current situation at the clinic to be beyond comprehension.
The strength of those gathered at the clinic seemed more comparable to the main sect of the Cheongseong School than its branch. It was as if the Cheongseong branch was clinging to the clinic, rather than the other way around. Such a reversal of roles was unprecedented.
At least the Cheongseong School had the supreme master Yeong Heo-ja, which made their situation better. But the Emei Sect, lacking such a master, seemed to be at a disadvantage compared to the clinic.
‘In Sichuan, the strongest group is the Cheongseong School, followed by the Tang Clinic, and then the Emei Sect…’
If he shared this with the Emei Sect, their reaction would be quite something.
Hwang Ryeong-ja stood up, deciding he needed to meet with Tang Mu-jin soon.
After lingering around the clinic for three days, Hwang Ryeong-ja seized the moment when the Three-Eyed Buddha left the clinic to slip inside.
Indeed, the aura of those inside the clinic was anything but ordinary.
Tang Mu-jin greeted Hwang Ryeong-ja with a respectful bow.
“Branch Leader, it’s good to see you.”
“It’s been a while.”
Hwang Ryeong-ja sensed something different about Tang Mu-jin. Though he had only recently reached first-rate, it seemed he had taken another step forward.
Yet, it was unclear if he had surpassed the pinnacle. There was an ambiguous air about him.
However, Hwang Ryeong-ja didn’t press Tang Mu-jin about his achievements.
In such situations, it’s wise to start with a compliment and subtly probe.
“To have surpassed the pinnacle at such a young age is remarkable. Truly a prodigy.”
“I was just lucky.”
It seemed Tang Mu-jin had indeed surpassed the pinnacle.
As far as Hwang Ryeong-ja knew, Tang Mu-jin was only about twenty-two or twenty-three.
Even Hwang Ryeong-ja, who was quite talented, had only reached the early stages of first-rate at that age and didn’t break through the pinnacle until his mid-forties.
And that was after training with a sword since before he was ten.
In contrast, Tang Mu-jin hadn’t even picked up a sword three years ago. While Hwang Ryeong-ja was impressed by Tang Mu-jin’s achievements, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy.
“So, what brings you here?”
When Tang Mu-jin asked, Hwang Ryeong-ja feigned ignorance about the Three-Eyed Buddha.
“I heard from Jin Song that the Three-Eyed Buddha is staying at the clinic. I came to see if it was true.”
“Yes, it’s true.”
“How did the Three-Eyed Buddha end up in Chengdu?”
Tang Mu-jin explained the situation to Hwang Ryeong-ja.
He omitted the part about the poison arts, as advised by the Three-Eyed Buddha, making his story seem somewhat incomplete.
Yet, Hwang Ryeong-ja didn’t sense anything was missing from Tang Mu-jin’s account.
Even without the poison arts, the story was shocking enough. A great protector of the Demonic Cult had seized immense martial power and usurped the position of leader.
Hwang Ryeong-ja’s voice trembled.
“Tang So-hyup, have you told anyone else about this?”
“No, you’re the first, Branch Leader.”
Hwang Ryeong-ja stood up, thinking he needed to report this to the main sect immediately.
But he hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.
“I’m not doubting you, but this is such an important matter that I need to be certain. Are you sure everything you’ve told me is true?”
“Yes. I have no reason to deceive you, and if it were false, the Three-Eyed Buddha wouldn’t be here.”
That made sense.
Yet, thoughts like ‘Is it really the Three-Eyed Buddha?’ or ‘Could it be someone who just looks like him?’ lingered in Hwang Ryeong-ja’s mind.
The world is vast, and there could be someone who resembles the Three-Eyed Buddha.
Just then, he sensed a presence outside the clinic. The Three-Eyed Buddha had returned.
A few local children followed him into the clinic. For some reason, the Three-Eyed Buddha was popular with the neighborhood kids.
It was a pastoral and peaceful scene, but Hwang Ryeong-ja couldn’t bring himself to look at the Three-Eyed Buddha’s face, only at his feet.
There was no need to ask if it was really him. The involuntary lowering of his gaze was proof enough.
Hwang Ryeong-ja sat quietly, trying not to draw attention, then slowly stood up.
“Thank you for your time. I need to report the Demonic Cult matter to the main sect. Is that alright?”
“That’s fine. But if possible, I’d prefer the Three-Eyed Buddha’s presence not be widely known. As you know, his past is quite complicated.”
Hwang Ryeong-ja nodded readily. The Cheongseong School had no grudge against the Three-Eyed Buddha.
“Understood. I’ll only inform the headmaster.”
With that, Hwang Ryeong-ja left the clinic, heading for the Cheongseong main sect.
Meanwhile, Mok Wan-ah was in turmoil.
When she first arrived at the Tang Clinic three days ago, she assumed it was an outer hall of the Sichuan Tang Clan. After all, there was a large building with high walls right next to it.
‘That must be the inner hall.’
She watched, waiting for people to move to the inner hall.
But as days passed, no one seemed to have any intention of moving.
That was fine until she saw Tang Mu-jin with Tang Je-seon.
’…Is that really Tang Mu-jin’s father?’
If Tang Mu-jin was the young master, his father should be the head of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
Though Mok Wan-ah’s knowledge was limited, she knew it was odd for the head to stay in an outer hall. The highest-ranking person usually resides in the grandest building.
To clear her confusion, she looked around for someone approachable.
The martial artists from the Demonic Cult were intimidating, and Dan Seol-young seemed scary. Eventually, she settled on Hong Geol-gae.
“Hey, Hong Geol-gae.”
“Huh?”
Hong Geol-gae responded, startled.
In his life, a girl his age had rarely spoken to him first.
“When are the head and Tang Mu-jin moving to the inner hall?”
“Inner hall? Is there such a place?”
Mok Wan-ah pointed to the wall adjoining the clinic.
“The building next door. Isn’t that the inner hall?”
“That’s the Cheongseong branch. The clinic is part of it.”
“What about the Sichuan Tang Clan?”
”…What’s that?”
By now, it was clear. She’d been deceived.
“Never mind. Forget I asked.”
Mok Wan-ah hid by the clinic’s gate, waiting for Tang Mu-jin. As soon as he appeared, she confronted him.
“Tang Mu-jin, didn’t you say you were the young master of the Sichuan Tang Clan?”
Tang Mu-jin hesitated. He hadn’t expected this moment, having forgotten the lie he casually told.
But he had no excuse.
”…That was just something I said.”
Mok Wan-ah felt a slight dizziness. Her instincts urged her to press Tang Mu-jin.
“You…!”
But she couldn’t think of what to say next. It seemed like she should be upset, but she didn’t know how to express it.
Tang Mu-jin hadn’t gained anything from the lie, nor had Mok Wan-ah lost anything.
Moreover, staying with a powerful group didn’t necessarily improve her life.
Even if this were the Sichuan Tang Clan, it would be Tang Mu-jin living in luxury, not her. She was just a tagalong.
’…Come to think of it, I haven’t really lost anything.’
In fact, living among strangers would have been more uncomfortable. Her current situation seemed better. She’d been quite content over the past few days.
As Mok Wan-ah fell silent, lost in thought, Tang Mu-jin, feeling uneasy, began to ramble.
“Well, if you think about it, it was more of an exaggeration than a lie. In terms of future plans and aspirations, there’s some truth to it…”
His words were disjointed and unconvincing. But suddenly, Mok Wan-ah’s expression brightened.
“Hmm. I suppose that’s possible. Alright.”
Mok Wana abruptly agreed to something only she understood and left without warning, leaving Dang Mujin standing there, scratching his head as he watched her retreating figure.
The martial artists from the Demonic Sect had settled around the Dang Family Clinic, each finding their own place to live.
Though they called it “independence,” it was a rather loose interpretation of the word. Their sole criterion for choosing a home was proximity to the clinic, so much so that some lived right next to its walls. Even those who lived the farthest could reach the clinic in half a keun by foot. Naturally, whenever there was something to discuss, they would gather in the clinic’s courtyard as if it were the most obvious thing to do.
As the clinic was becoming something more than just a medical facility, Yeong Heoja, the head of the Cheongseong Sect, found himself deep in thought. The reason was the news brought by Hwang Ryeongja.
“This is troublesome.”
The Demonic Sect was a refuge for fugitives. The so-called righteous martial artists viewed the sect with disdain, but it wasn’t quite hatred or anger between groups. It was more akin to the irritation one feels towards a group that harbors a troublemaker from their own neighborhood.
Thus, the wars between the righteous and the demonic were fundamentally different from the wars among the righteous themselves. The latter would erupt like wildfire in the southern or northern regions of the central plains, escalating into massive battles for dominance across the land. In contrast, the wars against the demonic sect involved righteous martial artists banding together to attack Mount Tian.
When someone who had committed an unforgivable crime sought refuge in the Demonic Sect, martial artists from various sects with aligned interests would unite to storm Mount Tian. This was the nature of the wars against the demonic sect, and they occurred far less frequently than the internal wars among the righteous—perhaps once in a century, if that.
Moreover, it was always the righteous martial artists who took the offensive, while the Demonic Sect focused on defense.
“But will it remain that way?”
According to Hwang Ryeongja, the new leader of the Demonic Sect was unlike any of his predecessors. He seemed intent on asserting his dominance over the central plains. His promise to teach martial arts to the sect’s members was particularly telling—it suggested a desire to transform the sect from a mere refuge into a formidable force.
The only silver lining was the generous timeframe of ten years that had been proposed. While it was uncertain how long it would take to gather the leaders of the fragmented righteous sects, it surely wouldn’t take a full decade.
Having reached a decision, Yeong Heoja spoke to Hwang Ryeongja.
“Send messages to all the alliances and sects. Coordinate with as many groups and families as possible. We need to convene a meeting.”