LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 18 - From afar, at the Demonic Cult's headquarters
Chapter 18: From afar, at the Demonic Cult’s headquarters
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Byeok Taesan suddenly halted his steps and slowly turned around.
The Heavenly Divine Healer, witnessing this, swallowed dryly.
The atmosphere was so chilling it sent shivers down his spine.
Sensing the oppressive mood, Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon subtly repositioned themselves, encircling the Heavenly Divine Healer as if to trap him.
“H-Haha, haha… Wh-Why are you doing this? I was merely pointing out how poor the Young Master’s condition is. M-My words may have been a bit harsh, but… I-I apologize.”
Byeok Taesan gazed at the Heavenly Divine Healer with cold eyes and spoke.
“So, after taking my pulse, you think it’s a miracle I’m alive?”
Suddenly emboldened, the Heavenly Divine Healer began speaking fervently.
“It’s not just a matter of a miracle! It’s practically an impossible situation. There are levels of Severed Meridians Syndrome. But for every single meridian to be severed—this means death.”
“So, I look like a dead man to you?”
“Well… I-I wouldn’t say that…”
The Heavenly Divine Healer’s eyes darted around nervously, searching for a response.
“Or were you perhaps thinking I was some kind of walking corpse, like a Jiangshi?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer frantically waved his hands.
“Absolutely not! Never! A Jiangshi? I’ve never once thought of such a thing!”
It was a blatant lie.
When he first took Byeok Taesan’s pulse, the image of a Jiangshi was the first thing that crossed his mind.
“In any case, the Young Master’s condition is dire. If this continues, it will become a real issue. Treatment must begin immediately. If he collapses, it’s over.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I’m sure.”
“Are you willing to stake your life on it?”
“I’m not.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer’s brazen response left everyone else dumbfounded.
What kind of person would answer like this?
“If you’re not willing to risk your life, what makes you so confident?”
“I’m confident in my diagnosis. However, I cannot stake my life on it because the Young Master is still alive.”
Byeok Taesan scoffed.
“If you’re not ready to risk your life, shut up and follow me. Or go back home and wait quietly.”
“What happens to me if he collapses?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer worried. If Byeok Taesan were to die like this, who would undo the restriction he had placed on him?
Byeok Taesan ignored the remark and resumed walking.
Hurriedly, the Heavenly Divine Healer caught up.
“I’ll follow you. I won’t leave the Young Master’s side.”
Byeok Taesan chuckled faintly.
“You don’t trust me? Think I might just vanish?”
“How can I trust someone who placed a restriction on me the moment we first met?”
“If you don’t like it, speak up anytime. There are plenty of choices.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer quietly muttered to himself while turning his head.
“All those choices lead to either death or ruin. Why even bother offering them? It’s like pretending you’re being generous…”
“I can hear you.”
“Ah! My apologies. I assumed the Young Master’s hearing would be impaired due to his poor condition… I’ll be more cautious.”
Byeok Taesan abruptly stopped, turning to stare at the Heavenly Divine Healer.
His face instantly turned pale. He wanted to say something, but his lips refused to part. Cold sweat poured from his body like rain.
“I’m really trying to live a quiet life, so I’d appreciate it if you cooperated. Stop testing my patience.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer nodded furiously.
He genuinely felt like death was brushing against him with each passing moment.
Byeok Taesan turned back around and continued walking.
The Heavenly Divine Healer exhaled deeply, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.
“Phew… That was close.”
Despite the close call, he quickly scurried back to follow Byeok Taesan.
He glanced to check where Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon were.
They had fallen behind a fair distance.
In a hushed tone, he whispered to Byeok Taesan.
“Young Master, how did you find out about my identity?”
“I don’t know who you are.”
“Oh, come on. Stop joking. Were you also part of the cult? Ah, so the Golden Wall Merchants must have been a secret branch of the cult? Then, those two behind us—they must be cult members too?”
“I told you, I don’t know what cult you’re talking about. And I wonder if that so-called cult knows how casually you’re throwing its name around.”
“Eek!”
Startled, the Heavenly Divine Healer clamped his hands over his mouth.
Byeok Taesan stared at him silently.
“Keep talking. Let’s see how far you’ll go. I’m really curious. What lies at the end of the path you’re taking?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer made a pained face.
He had been testing the waters, but it seemed he had bitten off more than he could chew.
* * *
On the way back home from the brothel after everything had concluded, the Heavenly Divine Healer quietly followed behind Byeok Taesan.
His face showed a mix of awe, respect, fear, curiosity, and even confusion.
As he walked, he stared at Byeok Taesan’s back, his mind overwhelmed by the events of the previous night.
‘Three whole hours.’
From the room Byeok Taesan entered with the courtesan, sounds akin to screams—no, moans—had spilled out for nearly three hours.
When the Heavenly Divine Healer first gathered information and heard rumors about Byeok Taesan, he thought they were highly exaggerated.
But it had all turned out to be true. He still couldn’t comprehend how such a feat was possible.
The courtesan might very well have lost her voice.
Yet what shocked the Heavenly Divine Healer more wasn’t Byeok Taesan’s infamous nickname, “Night King,” or his prowess in bed.
It was the courtesans themselves.
‘How is it that everywhere I look, they all possess pure physiques?’
Granted, they weren’t as exceptional as Dan Yeong or the other maids at the Golden Wall Merchants.
In objective terms, it wasn’t so much that they possessed pure physiques, but rather that their bodies had been altered to emulate one.
Even so, it was astonishing.
More so because every single one of those altered physiques belonged to courtesans who had shared a bed with Byeok Taesan.
This led the Heavenly Divine Healer to a definitive conclusion.
‘The Young Master must know a secret art to transform someone’s physique into a pure one.’
The three hours of activity must have been to provide the necessary time for the art to take effect.
‘I want to ask him. I want to know everything, from start to finish!’
The clash between his thirst for knowledge and his instinct for survival began.
The thought of escaping this situation, which had plagued his mind before last night, had completely vanished.
Now, his sole focus was on how to win Byeok Taesan’s favor and extract the secrets of that art.
From that moment, the Heavenly Divine Healer became visibly restless.
The Heavenly Divine Healer carefully observed Byeok Taesan’s mood.
For some reason, he seemed to be in good spirits.
But he knew better than to jump to conclusions.
Perhaps his desire for knowledge was causing him to see what he wanted to see.
He recalled the experience on the way to the brothel the day before—when he had felt death tapping at the bridge of his nose. It had sent chills down his spine and drenched him in cold sweat.
At that moment, Byeok Taesan stopped walking and turned around.
The Heavenly Divine Healer couldn’t muster the courage to meet his gaze, so he quietly averted his eyes.
“You said you’re decent at medicine, right?”
At the mention of medicine, the Heavenly Divine Healer’s face lit up as if he had never been nervous in the first place.
“Of course! Despite my appearance, I pride myself on being one of the best in the field. There are only five people in the world better than me.”
“Five?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer made a face of injustice.
“As great as I am, I can’t surpass figures like the Poison Demon, the Divine Physician, or the Needle Master. They’ve been shaped by experience and time. If I had the same opportunities, I could easily become the best under the heavens.”
He spoke with unshakable confidence.
“Is that so?”
Byeok Taesan cast a glance toward Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon, who had likely overheard the conversation.
Yoo Seoyeon, catching his gaze, quickly responded.
“Everyone acknowledges his skill.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer’s reputation was widely recognized. While he wasn’t often compared to the Poison Demon or the Divine Physician, the general consensus was that he was the best of those not in such rarefied company.
The Heavenly Divine Healer straightened his shoulders, as if seeking validation from Byeok Taesan.
“And by five, you must be including members of the Demonic Cult, right?”
Yoo Seoyeon glanced at him for confirmation, and the Heavenly Divine Healer nodded with wide eyes.
“Indeed. The Blood Physician must certainly surpass the Divine Physician or the Poison Demon.”
Yoo Seoyeon, having heard of the Blood Physician before, nodded in agreement. However, she couldn’t figure out who the fifth person could be.
It was understandable.
The Blood Physician was an almost hermit-like existence, rarely appearing publicly.
Even within the Demonic Cult, his existence was kept strictly confidential.
Though curious, Yoo Seoyeon refrained from asking who the fifth person was, assuming it was knowledge shared only among physicians.
Sensing that Byeok Taesan was in a good mood, the Heavenly Divine Healer thought it might be a good time to broach the subject of the secret art.
As he was deliberating, Byeok Taesan suddenly asked,
“Then, can you treat severed or torn limbs?”
“That depends… If the limb is cleanly severed, I can reattach it perfectly. However, if it’s torn, I can reattach it, but it may not function as well as before.”
“I see. How about internal organs? A shattered heart can’t be saved, but what about a punctured liver or stomach?”
“With most organs, I can reattach them. The same goes for limbs or flesh. As long as death isn’t instantaneous, I can save the patient.”
As the Heavenly Divine Healer spoke with a matter-of-fact tone, Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon looked at him in astonishment.
Hearing this made them realize the significance of the Heavenly Divine Healer’s presence. It felt like having an extra life in reserve.
“That’s great. Then, why don’t you oversee their training?”
“…Pardon?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer stared blankly at Byeok Taesan before glancing at Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon.
“You mean those two?”
He was flustered.
In his estimation, Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon were formidable warriors.
Although he had trained in martial arts, his expertise lay in medicine.
Naturally, his martial prowess was inferior to theirs.
The same applied to his subordinates—they weren’t fighters who sought to gain anything through combat.
While he pondered how to respond, Byeok Taesan addressed Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon.
“You heard him. Don’t worry about losing limbs. Wear some good protective armor, and don’t aim for the neck.”
“…Pardon?”
The two stared at Byeok Taesan in shock.
“Actual combat is the best way to improve your skills.”
“…What?”
“There’s no benefit in delaying. Start immediately. If you fight with the resolve to kill each other, you’ll gain a lot.”
“…What?”
“You grow stronger through pain. Make sure they don’t die while training.”
The Heavenly Divine Healer beamed and replied enthusiastically.
“Leave it to me.”
Cheon Kyungwan hastily protested.
“If we start such intense training today, it could jeopardize our ability to guard the Young Master.”
“It’s fine. I’m not leaving the house for a month starting today.”
“…What?”
“So, use that month to improve your skills to match the role of my guards.”
Cheon Kyungwan and Yoo Seoyeon, their faces pale, stared blankly at Byeok Taesan before turning desperately to the Heavenly Divine Healer, hoping he would object to the absurd training proposal.
However, the Heavenly Divine Healer gazed at them wistfully and said,
“As long as you don’t die instantly, I’ll do whatever it takes to heal you. Don’t worry, just fight. This training method has been well-tested, so trust the Young Master’s words. Your skills will improve dramatically.”
“…Tested? Who tested this kind of training?”
The Heavenly Divine Healer simply smiled.
It wasn’t a lie.
The training method was indeed thoroughly proven.
Far away, in the Demonic Cult.