Episode 9: The Eccentric Doctor Lee Chung

It was a strange proposal.

It wasn’t as if the doctor had been impressed by his skills in brewing herbal medicine behind the clinic. No, it was likely due to his abilities as a blacksmith that such an offer was made.

The problem was that the eccentric doctor was a martial artist and a physician, not a blacksmith.

Whether he intended to teach martial arts or medicine was unclear, but there seemed to be no reason for such a proposal at this moment.

As Tang Mujin’s thoughts lingered, the eccentric doctor spoke up.

“You don’t need to decide right away. I’m leaving Chengdu tomorrow evening, so just make up your mind by then.”

“Before that, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know exactly what you intend to teach me, or why you’re making this offer.”

“There are two things I can teach you: martial arts and medicine. You’ll learn what you wish to.”

Martial arts. A thrill ran through a corner of his heart.

Back when he was much younger, when he would dash out to the alleys at the crack of dawn and roll around in the dirt.

Among the alley kids, the ones who learned martial arts from the Qingcheng Sect’s Sichuan branch were the most influential. They weren’t even third-rate, barely considered martial artists, but it was enough to rule the alleys.

Those kids moved with agility and were much stronger than the others. Swinging wooden swords, they could easily take on two opponents at once, and in fistfights, they often came out on top.

In their war games, the Qingcheng Sect’s young disciples always played the generals, while the rest were mere foot soldiers.

That was over a decade ago. The current Tang Mujin had no interest or lingering attachment to being the leader of alley kids.

Yet, a part of him still harbored the envy he felt back then. Such is the nature of childhood memories.

The instructors who taught those enviable kids at the Chengdu branch were first or second-rate martial artists.

Though the branch leader was a master at the peak, he focused on training the instructors or his own practice, not directly teaching the young disciples.

Suddenly, Tang Mujin recalled Jin Song, whom he had met in front of the clinic. A disciple of the branch leader, Hwang Ryeongja, and a first-rate martial artist.

Even kids taught by martial artists on par with or inferior to Jin Song were so formidable. What would it be like to learn martial arts from someone superior to Jin Song, like the eccentric doctor?

The gap between first-rate and peak martial artists is vast. A peak master is akin to the head of a mid-sized sect and is recognized even in large sects.

To learn martial arts directly from such a person was undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

‘Wouldn’t it be a far greater success than scraping by as a doctor under the Qingcheng Sect?’

He imagined himself as a martial artist, striding confidently through the streets with a long sword at his waist.

His name might become so renowned that even people from neighboring villages would nod in recognition. If luck favored him, he might even become a peak master like the eccentric doctor.

‘A peak master…’

In his imagination, he no longer lived in a small clinic but a grand mansion.

The plaque at the mansion’s entrance would bear the elegant script of the Sichuan Tang Clan, and over ten servants would bustle about the estate.

His father would look at him with undisguised pride.

As his imagination ran wild, Tang Mujin realized that the eccentric doctor had only answered one of his two questions.

“Why are you making this offer to me? I’ve heard you’re a peak martial artist… Surely, many would want to be your disciple.”

Tang Mujin waited expectantly for the doctor’s response. Surely, it would be some flattering remark.

‘Actually, your physique is that of a natural martial artist. I just didn’t mention it earlier.’

‘Or your eyes shine with such brilliance, you’re destined to be the best in the world,’ and so on.

However, the doctor’s answer was far from what he expected.

“Reason? If I take you with me, you’ll make whatever I need whenever I need it.”

“What?”

…Did he hear that right? Tang Mujin doubted his ears.

“Other blacksmiths can’t make what I want, and even if they do, the quality isn’t satisfactory. If they could make it quickly, that’d be one thing, but they take forever, sometimes half a month. But you’re quick, and the quality of your work is good. You’re more than qualified to be my disciple.”

Tang Mujin narrowed his eyes. Indeed, the eccentric doctor lived up to his name, not seeming like a normal person.

”…Sir, that doesn’t sound like the mindset of a master seeking a disciple.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Isn’t that more of a business relationship than a master-disciple one?”

“Is there a rule that says a master and disciple can’t have a business relationship?”

The doctor retorted confidently.

Indeed, there was no rule against it. It was just an idea that defied common sense.

“Not exactly, but it seems odd, doesn’t it? Typically, a master teaches without expecting anything in return, and a disciple serves the master sincerely. Isn’t that the norm?”

“Really? Even those half-baked instructors at the Qingcheng Sect’s Chengdu branch charge for teaching martial arts. Isn’t that so?”

He had a point. One of the reasons Tang Jeseon hadn’t taken Tang Mujin as a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect was the cost.

“But…”

“There’s no need to nitpick. If you don’t want to be a disciple, then don’t. You don’t have to call me master. I’ll teach you martial arts and medicine, and you’ll make things for me. Isn’t that a fair deal?”

Tang Mujin was at a loss for words.

In the martial world, it was customary to carefully select a disciple and then pass on one’s skills and the sect’s secret techniques.

But the eccentric doctor viewed his martial arts and medicine as commodities for trade. It was undeniably strange.

The doctor spoke with a defiant attitude.

“Does it matter if it’s a master-disciple relationship or a business one? As long as both parties get what they want, that’s all that matters.”

He wasn’t wrong. There was no rule that martial arts could only be passed on in a master-disciple relationship.

In fact, it might be better not to be a disciple. If he became the disciple of someone so unpredictable, he might end up exhausted just trying to keep up.

“That may be true, but I’m not sure if I can learn well. I’ve never learned anything like martial arts before.”

When Tang Mujin expressed his concern, the doctor crossed his arms.

“Your body seems fine. How much medicine have you studied? Have you read any medical texts?”

“I’ve studied the Inner Canon and the Treatise on Cold Damage.”

The Huangdi Neijing and the Shanghan Lun are two comprehensive medical texts.

They are extensive and complex, making them difficult to read and learn, but essential for anyone aspiring to be a competent physician.

The doctor suddenly asked a question.

“If a patient has an external evil qi invading and causing qi stagnation, leading to cold extremities and palpitations, how would you treat it?”

Tang Mujin answered without hesitation.

“Since water needs to be treated first, I would prescribe Poria and Licorice Decoction.”

The doctor looked satisfied with Tang Mujin’s response.

“If you’ve studied and memorized the Treatise on Cold Damage to that extent, you shouldn’t have any trouble learning martial arts.”

It seemed the question was meant to assess his potential to learn martial arts, not medicine.

“Does intelligence matter in learning martial arts? Aren’t martial artists just good fighters? It seems like being strong and sturdy would be more advantageous.”

“You’ll understand if you ever try teaching a fool. Even if enlightenment taps them on the shoulder, they won’t notice. Such people will end up swinging swords meaninglessly and remain second or third-rate. For a martial artist, mental acuity is more important than physical strength.”

It was a convincing argument. Tang Mujin found himself nodding unconsciously.

“Then, can I become a first-rate master?”

“First-rate?”

The doctor scoffed.

“To call oneself a master, one must be able to do two things: lead the learner to one’s level and show them the path beyond.”

The doctor’s words were arrogant but not easily dismissed.

To lead a learner to one’s level meant he intended to raise Tang Mujin to the peak. Wasn’t that what it implied?

”…Is that possible?”

“If you follow well.”

The doctor grinned. He didn’t add any unnecessary comments.

He was genuinely confident.

Back home, Tang Mujin was deep in thought.

The possibility of becoming a peak master was dazzlingly alluring.

The Qingcheng Sect’s treatment of his father, Tang Jeseon, was less than that of a second-rate martial artist. The same went for his grandfather.

Even without considering the chief instructor Jin Song, they had to bow and scrape before the younger instructors. If they offended them, they had to act as if they were dead.

In fact, many instructors were like that. They would find any excuse to belittle others to boost their own self-esteem. To them, physicians were easy prey.

Public perception wasn’t much different. People paid lip service to the idea of medicine being a noble art, but they didn’t treat it as such. Not long ago, even the military officer had openly belittled his father.

If there were ten hardships in being a physician, seven or eight were dealing with such people.

Tang Mujin respected his father, Tang Jeseon, but he didn’t want to show such a side to his future children.

And if he accepted the eccentric doctor’s offer, that might really change.

‘If I become a peak master…’

First or second-rate martial artists would have to bow their heads and crawl before him.

Even if he didn’t reach the peak, it would be enough to learn even a fraction of the doctor’s martial arts. Just being able to say he was the disciple of a peak master would be enough.

People would be too afraid of the eccentric doctor to treat Tang Mujin poorly.

Aside from those reasons, there are plenty of benefits to learning martial arts. It strengthens the body and wards off minor illnesses.

“If I build up my inner strength, I’ll get stronger too. Swinging a hammer at the forge will be a breeze.”

Two things weighed on his mind, though.

Leaving his hometown, and whether he could really trust Gwaeui.

But sometimes in life, you have to take a gamble.

Tang Mujin decided that now was that time.

The following evening, he approached Gwaeui and spoke.

“I’ll go with you.”