Episode 63: The Jeonbaek Family

Deciding what’s best or right is something you do before taking action. The creature had already acted, leaving Tang Mujin with no choice but to follow its lead.

“Should we give her the medicine now?”

“No, let’s get out of here first. We need to move to a safer place.”

The creature hoisted the limp Baek Hyang-a onto its back and leaped over the courtyard wall with ease.

Before following, Tang Mujin glanced back at Baek Chuseo, who was absorbed in his training. Despite his exhaustion, evident from his trembling knees, he showed no signs of stopping.

Devoted yet horrifying, desperate yet ugly. If I were the head of the Baek family, what would I have done? With that thought, Tang Mujin vaulted over the wall.

The weather was too chilly to continue outside, so Tang Mujin and the creature retreated to a guest room, lighting a lamp to dispel the darkness.

Hearing the commotion, Dan Seol-young, who had been asleep in the adjacent room, rubbed her eyes and entered.

“Where have you been at this hour… huh?”

Her expression turned peculiar upon seeing Baek Hyang-a slumped on the creature’s back, as if she couldn’t quite tell if she was dreaming or awake.

“Isn’t that Miss Baek? Why did you bring her here?”

“I’ll explain later.”

The creature gently opened Baek Hyang-a’s mouth, and Tang Mujin carefully placed a small piece of medicine inside.

With practiced skill, the creature massaged her throat, helping the medicine slide down.

Laying Baek Hyang-a on the floor, the creature took her left hand. Without needing a lengthy explanation, Tang Mujin understood the creature’s intent and took her right hand.

“We’re using the medicine’s energy to clear her blocked meridians.”

“I know.”

Among the twelve main meridians connected to the hands, the Lung, Heart, and Pericardium meridians are the three yin meridians that link the torso to the hands.

The creature and Tang Mujin channeled their internal energy, guiding the medicine’s power from Baek Hyang-a’s stomach throughout her body. If she were conscious, she could have done this instinctively, but in her current state, they had to assist.

They directed the medicine’s yang energy to clash with the yin energy blocking her meridians. Each time, Baek Hyang-a’s body twitched as if struck.

Dan Seol-young spoke with a hint of anxiety.

“Is she going to be okay?”

“Probably.”

After several attempts, one of the stubborn yin energies within Baek Hyang-a finally gave way.

She coughed violently, blood spilling from her mouth. Quick to act, Dan Seol-young turned her head to the side to prevent the blood from blocking her airway. The blood pooling on the floor was more black than red.

The metallic scent of blood mixed with the stale yin energy, chilling the room. Even Dan Seol-young, who knew nothing of martial arts, felt the sudden drop in temperature.

“Good. Keep going.”

Tang Mujin continued to guide the yang energy.

They had to be careful not to move too forcefully, as it could twist the meridians and make things worse. But they couldn’t be too slow either; they needed to clear as many meridians as possible before the medicine’s energy dissipated.

As time passed, the quiet inn was interrupted by the sound of small footsteps.

Tang Mujin remained focused on the treatment, but the creature released Baek Hyang-a’s hand and listened to the approaching sound.

The footsteps grew closer until someone knocked on the door.

The creature gestured for Tang Mujin to continue the treatment, then opened the door slightly to peek outside. As expected, it was Baek Chuseo.

“Doctor, I’m sorry to disturb you at this late hour.”

Baek Chuseo fidgeted nervously, and the creature put on an uncharacteristically kind expression.

“It’s no trouble. I don’t sleep much anyway. What brings you here?”

“Have you seen Hyang-a? She disappeared without a word, and I can’t find her anywhere.”

The creature’s mind raced. How did he find us so quickly? Did Baek Chuseo figure everything out?

No, from his perspective, Tang Mujin and his group were the most suspicious. They were the only ones who knew about Baek Hyang-a’s condition. It made sense for him to come looking for them, though it was sooner than expected.

Feigning surprise, the creature replied, “Perhaps she just went out for some fresh air?”

“You know my daughter isn’t well enough to enjoy a stroll.”

“If she doesn’t return by morning, I’ll help you search for her. For now, you should go back.”

Baek Chuseo took a step back, then asked, “There’s one more thing I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“The chill in the air, the smell of medicine, and the faint scent of blood—what are they?”

Before the creature could respond, Baek Chuseo yanked the door open.

The door swung wide with a clatter, revealing Baek Hyang-a lying on the floor.

Baek Chuseo placed a hand on his sword hilt, speaking through gritted teeth.

“Doctor, I’ll give you a chance to explain.”

The creature’s demeanor shifted. There was no need to pretend to be a calm and friendly doctor anymore.

“I’m not the one who needs to explain. You should be explaining why you refused treatment and focused on training your martial arts under the pretense of a nonexistent marriage proposal.”

Baek Chuseo stiffened, then sighed deeply.

“This isn’t something I can overlook. I wanted to handle this peacefully because you’re a doctor.”

A tacit admission.

Baek Chuseo drew his sword in one swift motion, swinging it toward the creature’s neck—a clear intent to kill.

Despite the lack of finesse or talent, Baek Chuseo’s sword carried the weight of decades of training.

But it wasn’t enough to threaten the creature. With a simple movement, the creature drew its own sword and blocked Baek Chuseo’s attack.

Clang—

Baek Chuseo’s face showed clear surprise as his strike was parried.

“You’re not just a doctor, are you? You deceitful scoundrel!”

Baek Chuseo’s eyes flashed as he attacked again.

Annoyed by the interruption, the creature swung its sword with irritation. But the cramped room and the presence of others limited the techniques it could use. Baek Chuseo was skilled enough to fend off a hastily swung sword.

‘This is getting troublesome.’

The creature tossed aside its sword and faced Baek Chuseo barehanded.

The creature’s hands targeted Baek Chuseo’s wrist and face. It didn’t take long for Baek Chuseo to realize he was outmatched.

“Ugh!”

As Baek Chuseo groaned, the creature spoke calmly.

“Step back. If you don’t interfere with the treatment, I’ll keep this quiet.”

“Keep it quiet?”

“Yes. You wouldn’t want this to spread throughout the martial world, would you? Let’s resolve this peacefully.”

Of course, it was a lie. The creature wasn’t the type to forgive someone who showed murderous intent.

If Baek Chuseo calmed down, the creature could finish the treatment at leisure and then decide whether to kill or spare him.

But Baek Chuseo didn’t accept the creature’s offer.

Both were caught off guard, leaving little room for rational thought.

“I despise people like you. Those who act superior just because they’re talented, pretending to be generous and benevolent.”

“You’re mistaken. I’m not a good person. I’m not even average. The problem is you’re crawling at the bottom. How many people would use their daughter’s condition as an excuse to improve their martial arts?”

The creature’s taunt made Baek Chuseo’s eyes waver.

He knew it was wrong, but he had convinced himself it was for the family’s sake.

To maintain that flimsy excuse, Baek Chuseo had thrown himself into training, avoiding even looking at his daughter in recent days.

But the creature’s sharp words exposed Baek Chuseo’s true feelings.

Guilt, shame, inferiority, self-loathing, anger—all these emotions mixed into a messy turmoil in Baek Chuseo’s mind.

Unconsciously, Baek Chuseo shouted, “I just want to be recognized for once. Even if I can’t revive the family, I want to prevent its downfall. Is that too much to ask?”

“Foolish. It’s not just grand dreams that are excessive. Even ordinary dreams can be too much if you’re not capable.”

That was the final blow. Though Baek Chuseo had always felt inadequate, no one had ever said it to his face like the creature just did.

His vision turned white with rage.

“You bastard!”

Baek Chuseo swung his sword wildly, not caring if it scraped the walls or embedded in the door. He looked half-mad.

The innkeeper, curious about the commotion in the middle of the night, stepped out only to be startled by the unexpected clash of swords. Frightened, he quickly retreated back to his room.

Baek Chuseo’s sword was charged with intense energy, but his movements were clumsy and lacked precision. The mysterious assailant seized the opportunity, pushing Baek Chuseo’s arm aside to disrupt his attack, and simultaneously pressed a vital point under his armpit. Baek Chuseo’s strength drained from his arm.

The assailant reached out again, targeting another pressure point, and as Baek Chuseo began to collapse, he aimed his thumbs at the hollow behind Baek Chuseo’s ear—a critical point known as Cheongeukhyeol, often used to incapacitate.

But just then, Dang Mujin intervened, pushing the assailant’s hands away.

A flicker of surprise crossed the assailant’s eyes. Has this kid really improved this much?

“What do you want?” the assailant asked.

“There’s no need to kill him,” Dang Mujin replied.

The assailant’s technique wasn’t flawless, but the fact that Dang Mujin could disrupt his attack was significant. Just a few months ago, such a feat would have been unimaginable.

The assailant felt an unexpected sense of satisfaction.

“I’ve told you before, anyone who bears a grudge must be killed.”

“I know. But if you kill Baek Chuseo, what about Baek Sojeo?”

Dang Mujin pointed out something the assailant hadn’t considered.

If Baek Chuseo were killed, Baek Hyang-a would surely harbor a grudge against the assailant. What then?

Of course, the assailant had no intention of killing Baek Hyang-a. The reason was simple: she was still a patient, and patients needed to be healed.

“I’ll take care of her while treating her, and once she’s healed, I’ll deal with her.”

“Master, don’t be unreasonable. We didn’t set standards just to break them.”

“Baek Chuseo has already raised his sword against me. If I don’t kill him now, who knows what he’ll do next?”

“He’s acting for his family. Besides, once Baek Sojeo recovers from her condition, she’ll have incredible potential. If she revives the Jeweon Baek family, won’t the head of the Baek family realize his mistakes?”

The unique energy of the Gu-eumjeolmaek condition, combined with the yang energy from medicine, was beginning to balance within her, building internal power.

If enough yang energy could be infused to balance the yin, how much internal power would Baek Hyang-a possess?

Internal power isn’t everything in martial arts, but having a lot of it certainly accelerates progress. Even with average talent, Baek Hyang-a could surpass Baek Chuseo in a few years. The assailant believed she had a good chance of breaking through to the pinnacle.

The assailant looked at Dang Mujin, who met his gaze with unwavering confidence, convinced of his own judgment.

Yes, the assailant thought, Dang Mujin’s argument was quite convincing.

But the assailant had seen too much of the world’s ugliness to believe things would unfold so ideally.

‘Too soft. Too naive.’

Dang Mujin had many qualities, but his nature was too gentle.

Then again, how could a young doctor from a remote village harbor a ruthless heart?

No one is born a heartless martial artist.

All newcomers to the martial world start this way, and the assailant himself had been the same in his youth.

Yet, no martial artist remains soft forever.

‘In time, he’ll change naturally.’

For the first time in a long while, the assailant relented.

With a click of his tongue, he stepped back from Baek Chuseo.

Was it a whim for his first disciple? Or perhaps a caprice born from knowing his own time was running short?

Dang Mujin’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You’re going to spare him?”

“Why? Should I just kill him?”

“No, of course not. You’ve made the right decision.”

Dang Mujin beamed with satisfaction and resumed treating Baek Hyang-a.

The assailant watched him quietly.

He knew that even a half-hearted master would eventually see his half-hearted disciple become a ruthless martial artist.

But at the same time, he hoped the journey wouldn’t be too painful.