Chapter 323
It took two days for Kang Jiso to finally visit Tang Mujin.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting.”
“It’s quite alright. A physician’s duty is to attend to patients at the most opportune time, after all.”
Most doctors would have grumbled about the delay, but Tang Mujin and his companions had their reasons for staying silent. They felt a bit guilty, especially after Hong Geolge’s rather enthusiastic kick at Tuhee. The force behind it was no joke; if Tuhee had been a less skilled martial artist, it could have been fatal. Even so, it likely worsened Tuhee’s internal injuries.
“Where is the patient?” Kang Jiso asked.
As Tang Mujin and Doctor Yeom rose to their feet, Kang Jiso stopped them. “You’ve waited long enough. It wouldn’t be right to make you move again. Please, stay here. I’ll bring the elder to you.”
With that, Kang Jiso left the room, leaving Tang Mujin to his thoughts. Not once had Kang Jiso mentioned anything about madness. It seemed they had misjudged the situation, thinking it was merely internal injuries.
‘Perhaps she regains her senses intermittently,’ Tang Mujin mused.
Just as he finished his thought, Hong Geolge spoke up, his voice tinged with anxiety. “You don’t think she remembers that night, do you?”
The memory of his powerful kick still weighed on him. Namgung Myung, seemingly forgetting his own role in the incident, teased Hong Geolge. “Could you forget a kick like that? She’ll probably come in swinging, so brace yourself.”
Of course, it was all in jest. People suffering from madness rarely remember their actions during an episode.
Soon enough, the woman they had encountered in the cave appeared. Kang Jiso was nowhere to be seen, but that was of little consequence. Kang Jiso had no part in the treatment.
Tang Mujin observed the woman closely. She appeared to be in her mid-to-late fifties, old enough to be his parent. Her features were strikingly beautiful, and she carried herself with a grace that was absent before. Her attire was neat and proper, and her presence was anything but ordinary. Tang Mujin was certain he couldn’t defeat her in a duel.
‘She truly lives up to the name Tuhee,’ he thought.
However, there was one unexpected turn. As Tuhee entered the room, she didn’t sit down immediately. Instead, she scanned the faces of those present, as if searching for someone. Her gaze lingered on Hyun Gong and Hong Geolge, the very ones who had drawn their swords and kicked her.
”···.”
It was clear she remembered something from her episode. As Hyun Gong and Hong Geolge tried to discreetly slip away, Tuhee spoke.
“Enough. I hold no grudge. You were just doing what you had to. Though I still don’t understand why you were there at such an hour…”
Hyun Gong’s expression relaxed, almost too comfortably. His reaction indicated that Tuhee’s words were genuine, not mere pleasantries.
Hong Geolge, however, wasn’t as at ease. He stammered, “So… you remember everything?”
“Most of it. When the madness takes over, my body acts on its own, but my mind remains mostly intact. I watch my own antics and sigh deeply.”
Tuhee paused, then offered a sincere apology. “I’m sorry for what happened.”
In the martial world, pride is paramount. Admitting fault is rare, especially to juniors. Yet here was Tuhee, doing just that.
Just as Tang Mujin was about to assure her it was fine, Tuhee was seized by a violent coughing fit. Flecks of blood stained her coughs—a common symptom of internal injuries, compounded by her madness.
Tang Mujin ushered everyone out, save for Doctor Yeom. Tuhee didn’t resist this time, indicating her earlier insistence on company was purely for the sake of apology.
Once her coughing subsided, Tuhee took a deep breath and wiped the blood from the floor with a small cloth. Only then did Tang Mujin speak.
“Shall we begin?”
“Please do.”
Tuhee steadied her breathing as Tang Mujin and Doctor Yeom each took one of her wrists. Tang Mujin’s energy flowed into Tuhee, but Doctor Yeom’s energy barely penetrated before bouncing back. Though he had grown accustomed to channeling his energy, his reserves were still too low.
With a resigned expression, Doctor Yeom released Tuhee’s wrist and stepped back. Tang Mujin focused on assessing her internal injuries.
‘These injuries aren’t too old. I should be able to treat them. The real issue is the madness.’
Kang Jiso hadn’t mentioned anything about Tuhee’s madness, but Tang Mujin directed his energy towards her head. Tuhee flinched slightly but soon relaxed, allowing him to proceed.
If Tang Mujin harbored any ill intent, Tuhee would be at his mercy. Yet she seemed remarkably calm, almost serene. Whether it was courage or resignation, he couldn’t tell.
After a thorough examination, Tang Mujin withdrew his energy. Tuhee seemed almost disappointed.
“What did you find?” she asked.
“The internal injuries can be treated. The madness, however… The malevolent energy has deeply permeated your mind. It seems this has been the case for a long time. It’s beyond my capabilities.”
Even as the world’s greatest physician, Tang Mujin couldn’t cure everything. No one he knew could treat such advanced madness.
Tuhee’s expression turned somber. Tang Mujin tried to offer comfort.
“Lady Tuhee—”
She frowned. “Did Kang Jiso tell you that name?”
“Yes.”
“I specifically asked him not to mention it outside… Please, don’t call me that. The name Tuhee doesn’t suit an elder’s title, and I abandoned it over twenty years ago.”
“I see.”
Tuhee took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, and then offered her own reassurance.
“Don’t be too disheartened about the madness. Not even the divine physician, the eccentric healer, or the high monks of Shaolin could cure it. Even when the symptoms were mild, it was beyond them. It’s not a reflection of your skills.”
The mention of familiar titles piqued Tang Mujin’s interest, but it wasn’t the time to delve into those stories.
He scratched his head. “How did you sustain the internal injuries?”
“It’s nothing. An old friend visited, and we sparred for old times’ sake. I took a hit.”
Tang Mujin nodded, unsurprised by the explanation.
“And the malevolent energy in your mind?”
“That’s a long story.”
“A long story?”
Tuhee chuckled. “It’s embarrassing to admit now, but in my youth, I felt like the world was mine. No man could resist me, and few could match my martial prowess. Among my peers, only Jincheon surpassed me in skill.”
Jincheon, likely referring to Namgung Jincheon. But something else caught Tang Mujin’s attention.
“···You were part of the orthodox martial world?”
“Ah, you didn’t know? I was indeed. I hailed from the Weiji family in Hebei.”
She spoke as if Tang Mujin should be familiar with the Weiji family, but the name was foreign to him. Tuhee noticed his reaction and couldn’t hide her disappointment.
“You don’t know the Weiji family? In my youth, it was the most prominent family in Hebei.”
“My knowledge is limited.”
“No, it’s because I was the one who brought about its downfall.”
Tang Mujin, perceptive enough, refrained from probing further. Doctor Yeom, too, remained silent, listening intently to the exchange.
“In any case, I was brimming with confidence in my youth. I lacked nothing. I even thought I could aim for the title of the world’s greatest. If not that, at least the greatest in the orthodox world. Once the old masters retired, it would be between Jincheon and me.”
Tang Mujin wondered how she would react to the news that the legendary Hwayeon Shinri was still alive. Surely, it would be a disappointment.
‘Or perhaps it wouldn’t matter. Hwayeon Shinri isn’t part of the orthodox world…’
Tuhee continued her story.
“It wasn’t just my belief. My family thought the same. They poured all their resources into finding rare elixirs and martial arts manuals for me. And then, I stumbled upon something extraordinary.”
“What was it?”
The secret manual contained a martial art called “Daejongyeoha,” a name that was entirely unfamiliar to Dang Mujin.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully. It was the first time he’d heard of such a martial art.
“It was as difficult to master as it was powerful. It was beyond my capabilities, but I couldn’t give up. Mastering Daejongyeoha meant becoming the greatest under heaven. Failure never even crossed my mind. I’d never faced defeat before, so I believed I could overcome this challenge and learn the art in no time.”
Dang Mujin’s eyebrows twitched.
Learning dark arts was dangerous, but so was attempting martial arts beyond one’s level. Without a mentor to sense the danger and stop you, it was even riskier.
Tuhee smiled faintly.
“I knew something was wrong, but I couldn’t back down. My pride was too strong, and I was arrogant. That arrogance led to madness. Yes, it was my own delusions that brought on the madness.”
“So, what did you do?”
“How could someone like Tuhee, admired by all, show such disgrace in front of others? I fled the orthodox martial world and wandered to desolate places. Eventually, I ended up here.”
Yet, it seemed Tuhee had been in this village for quite some time. What had kept her here?
Tuhee turned to Dang Mujin.
“You’re from the orthodox sect, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I am.”
No one had ever explicitly told Dang Mujin, “You are from the orthodox sect!” But he had always considered himself as such. Many of his close acquaintances were from the orthodox sect, and he had fought on their side in the last great war.
“I have a question.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“Do people still remember the name Tuhee?”
“Many know the name, but no one knows how you’ve been recently.”
For the first time, Tuhee looked satisfied.
“Good. That’s exactly what I wanted.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“In people’s memories, Tuhee Wi Jinan-hyang remains in her most beautiful days. Not as a madwoman hiding in a cave, but as the proud and young woman who once roamed the world. Isn’t that right?”
It was true.
People didn’t know her current whereabouts, but whenever they spoke of Tuhee, it was with admiration and longing.
“I’ve hit rock bottom. But the name Tuhee Wi Jinan-hyang will forever remain beautiful. Perhaps, in a way, fleeing in madness allowed this to happen. Yes, it’s immortality.”
It was a peculiar obsession. Had she always been like this, or had the years changed her?
Dang Mujin gave an awkward smile and carefully unpacked his supplies, preparing to treat her internal injuries with medicinal powders and observe her condition for further treatment.
But Tuhee Wi Jinan-hyang turned to him.
“You said you’re a healer, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“I have a request.”
“Don’t worry. The madness may have left you, but your internal injuries will heal soon.”
Tuhee shook her head.
“No, that’s not what I’m asking.”
Dang Mujin’s expression hardened slightly.
From experience, he knew that when someone made an unexpected request, it was rarely something pleasant.
And indeed, Wi Jinan-hyang made a request that was difficult for Dang Mujin to comprehend.
“Ensure that people continue to remember the name Tuhee as they do now.”
Dang Mujin didn’t immediately grasp her meaning.
Yet, he felt a tightness in his chest, as if he understood the weight of her words.
Tuhee continued.
“End my life. But do it without pain. I don’t want my body or grave to remain. Is there a way?”
What Tuhee Wi Jinan-hyang asked of Dang Mujin wasn’t healing.
She asked for immortality.
She wished to remain forever in the height of her summer.