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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: TushChen
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“Teacher Ya, please accept this.”
Suddenly, Tang Guanglie handed something over. Inside the bundle was a bead and a letter.
“What’s this?”
“One is an antidote bead. In the martial arts world, there are generally three ways to deal with poison. One is to take a poison prevention bead to prevent the poison from invading, another is to detoxify the poison through medicine after it has invaded. The last is to build up immunity to the poison itself.”
Tang Guanglie pretended to put something in his bosom and continued.
“The antidote bead you received is somewhere between the second and third. You don’t need to directly consume it, just keep it in your bosom and it will automatically detoxify the poison, but the medicinal properties of the antidote bead will be consumed.”
Is this a consumable item that automatically detoxifies when poisoned without any special action?
I received a quite precious item.
“Then what is this letter?”
“It’s a letter of request to Elder Tang Chu-in, the Poison Doctor, to examine Teacher Ya’s body.”
“…Pardon?”
“You don’t necessarily have to visit a doctor only when you’re sick. As a martial artist, the elder will be able to point out any problems you have.”
I stared at Tang Guanglie for a moment.
What could be the meaning of suddenly introducing the Poison Doctor Tang Chu-in?
Judging from the mention that I have problems as a martial artist, did he notice the fact that I’m stuck at second-rate and unable to progress?
For ordinary people, the limit realm is first-rate, but there are countless people who can’t even reach first-rate and remain second-rate.
So the fact that I’m stuck at second-rate wasn’t something to hide or particularly valuable information.
I must have been too excited yesterday.
I blurted out the principles of martial arts to the extent that Tang Guanglie became suspicious.
No, it can’t be helped.
My techniques were turned into martial arts, you know?
I can’t stand this.
At first, I was confused, but when I came to my senses, I was already in a situation where I was lecturing about the principles of martial arts while spitting.
I talked about what martial arts are for quite a while in front of three people – the late-stage supreme level Tang Do-gyeong, the early Flower Realm Feng Ying Hall Master, and the late Flower Realm!
I, a mere second-rate!
It was truly an update to Ho Cheon-an’s dark history, like a chrysalis showing wrinkles in front of a cocoon.
Ah, thinking about yesterday makes my face feel hot again.
Going back to the main point, the three people in front of me were experts among experts when it came to martial arts, so it was quite possible that they noticed I had been stuck at the second-rate realm for a long time.
What surprised me was that Tang Guanglie shoved the letter without even explaining the circumstances.
“Hmm…”
Among the three, no, even from a general perspective, the Feng Ying Hall Master, who was quick-witted, realized what I was feeling perplexed about and calmed Tang Guanglie down.
“Ahem, Family Head, I think this conversation is too sudden. Even I feel perplexed, so how would Teacher Ya feel? Let’s have a cup of tea and discuss it calmly.”
“Ah, right. I’m sorry, Teacher. I guess I was too eager.”
Tang Guanglie, who had organized what he wanted to say in his mind while a cup of tea was being brewed, opened his mouth.
“First of all, I feel deeply grateful to you, Teacher Ya. Not just for simply handling the request, but because I know that you have poured a lot of effort and affection into Do-gyeong, me, and the entire Tang family. Of course, I will provide sufficient financial compensation, but how can the gratitude between people be discussed simply with gold?”
“Family Head, you’re gilding me too much.”
Yes, I did give a lot to the Tang family.
After a simple modesty and flattery were exchanged, Tang Guanglie brought up the main topic again.
“This Tang Do-gyeong’s gambling skills may be lacking, but in terms of martial arts, there are few who can match me in the world. When I saw you, Teacher, it seemed that you had a very high interest in martial arts compared to your second-rate realm. I haven’t directly witnessed your martial arts, but even considering the fragments I indirectly experienced, you are not lacking in talent, Teacher Ya. But you’re stuck at second-rate, so I couldn’t help but have doubts.”
“This Tang Do-gyeong also thinks that it’s not normal for Brother Ya’s martial arts to be stuck at second-rate. I’m not a doctor, so I don’t know the cause. But if you get your pulse checked by the Poison Doctor, wouldn’t you be able to find out the cause and solution?”
Is that why they wanted to introduce the Poison Doctor to me?
The Poison Doctor.
In Murim Cheonha, there are three great doctors.
The Demonic Doctor Dokgo-ui.
The Life and Death Doctor Hyeon Gwa-seo.
The Poison Doctor Tang Chu-in.
It was no exaggeration to say that the opportunity to have my pulse checked by the Poison Doctor was a blessing.
However, meeting the Poison Doctor wasn’t something that could be easily decided.
As my contemplation grew longer, Tang Guanglie spoke again.
“Hoho, it’s not something to feel so burdened about. It may be an unfamiliar concept to an outcast, but in famous families, it’s common to have your pulse checked or receive prescriptions from a doctor for martial arts improvement.”
Tang Do-gyeong also added.
“That’s right. Martial artists basically train their bodies to maintain health, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have physical problems. Above all, the Elder Poison Doctor is second to none in the world when it comes to martial artists’ physical management.”
Generally, martial artists are extremely wary of their martial arts being leaked.
As a result, most martial artists have a wary attitude towards doctors.
‘I wonder if they discerned my martial arts while checking my pulse?’ It’s common for martial artists to be caught up in such suspicious delusions. It’s not that they dislike doctors, but they are reluctant to give doctors a chance to expose their martial arts while examining their bodies.
When injured, they have no choice but to seek a doctor, but martial artists try to end it with minimal contact.
To find out the cause of a blocked martial arts realm, one had no choice but to open up oneself and one’s martial arts to the doctor, so it was a proposal that an ordinary martial artist would immediately refuse.
However, I wasn’t an ordinary martial artist.
In the first place, how precious could a second-rate martial art be that I would keep it tightly wrapped?
Even if my martial arts and body were fully exposed, it would be a profitable deal if I could just grasp the clue to the bottleneck.
The two thought I was reluctant to have my pulse checked because of the possibility of my martial arts being leaked, and they were talking to persuade me, but my real concern was a different matter.
In fact, there was no reason to refuse this proposal.
It was the result that Tang Guanglie and Tang Do-gyeong had come up with after much thought, it was exactly what I needed, and its objective value was also high, so it could be called a reward worthy of the saying ‘repay kindness twofold’.
However, the problem was the time I had to invest to meet the person called the Poison Doctor.
Tang Chu-in was someone who embodied the word ‘wanderlust’, traveling around the mountains and rivers of the Nine Provinces to collect poisonous substances and medicinal herbs.
Since I had a letter of introduction, I could have my pulse checked and receive treatment or prescription depending on the result of the pulse diagnosis, but…
Bluntly put, if he was stuck in the northern part of Heilongjiang Province or something, it could turn into a months-long journey.
“Family Head’s proposal is truly gracious… but I heard that the Poison Doctor roams the Nine Provinces like his own home.”
Understanding flashed in Tang Guanglie’s eyes.
“Ah, yes. But occasionally, the Poison Doctor sends a letter with his destination written on it. We are ‘fortunate’ to know his destination now.”
Is this that?
To be sure, I opened my mouth.
“Hoho, I see. If he is someone with heavenly medical skills like the Poison Doctor, there must be countless people who want to borrow his skills.”
“Even our family finds it difficult to track the Poison Doctor’s whereabouts, so we have no choice but to turn away those who request help.”
Although he spoke in a roundabout way, what he meant was that they were actually keeping track of his whereabouts at all times, but pretending not to know to the public.
If that’s the case, the situation is different.
The Poison Doctor was definitely in Sichuan or somewhere close to Sichuan.
That’s why Tang Guanglie was strongly recommending it.
He was urging me to seize the good opportunity.
“Hoho, I see. It seems I was unnecessarily worried about something the Family Head had already considered. I will depart after returning to Sichuan Province, but will there be enough time?”
“Of course. It seems he will stay there for a while. But there’s no point in delaying, so how about departing tomorrow morning?”
“…Is that so?”
In fact, from Tang Guanglie’s perspective, it was right to keep me in the Tang family for even one more day.
There was considerable progress in the Dark Dragon Fighting Technique just yesterday.
He should have kept me as long as possible to extract everything he could from me.
Tang Guanglie’s behavior, urging me to depart as soon as dawn broke tomorrow, was an act of taking care of me while ignoring his own interests.
It was almost proof that Tang Guanglie sincerely wanted to repay kindness to me, so I had no choice but to feel grateful.
“Thank you, Family Head.”
“Hohoho, it’s too early to receive gratitude. It only has meaning if Teacher Ya’s problem is solved.”
“Instead, although it’s not much, I should work hard today.”
“Hahaha! Teacher Ya has already done more than enough.”
Since the departure was set for tomorrow morning, I had to wrap up everything I could do for the Tang family today.
Tang Guanglie was taking care of me, so I also wanted to do what I could before leaving.
I should also organize my thoughts on the Dark Dragon Fighting Technique as much as possible, and I needed to leave the magic tricks I promised to teach Ryeo-ah in a book.
Should I title it [Ho Cheon’s Magic Tricks (-If you master this, you too can become an idol of the school-)]?
While organizing my thoughts, I realized I hadn’t heard where the Poison Doctor was.
“So where should I go to meet the Poison Doctor?”
Tang Guanglie said with a smile.
“A place called Mount Hyeonggwi in Yunnan.”
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