Chapter 207
"This is a condition caused by internal heat building up in the body, so there's no need to receive acupuncture treatment. I'll prepare a herbal decoction for you, and if you take it with each meal for three days, it should subside."
"Thank you, Doctor."
"Not at all."
After glancing at the departing patient, Jin So-ah raised his voice.
"Next."
"Young Master, there are no more patients for today."
"Is that so?"
Looking out the window, he noticed the sun had already set.
"Whew."
Taking a low breath at the thought that today's work was finished, Jin So-ah walked outside. The courtyard that had been bustling while the sun was up was now completely empty.
"You've worked hard again today."
Chief Manager Ha Dae-bung looked at him with a gentle smile.
"How are the branch locations doing?"
"The second branch we opened in Wuhan is actually doing better business than this place. In fact, this main location isn't in the most accessible spot."
"Then that's fortunate. What about the branch in Kaifeng?"
"Being in Kaifeng, the name Sacred Hand Hall doesn't have quite the same effect as it does in Wuhan. But patients are steadily increasing, so it should stabilize to the level of this place soon."
Jin So-ah nodded as if pleased.
"It should be that way. It needs to succeed. To have any face to show Master Wei, don't we need to make Sacred Hand Hall the number one medical institution in the world?"
Ha Dae-bung let out a low sigh.
"I'm dying from that very thought. Every day is agony wondering when Supreme Elder Wei might suddenly show up asking to check how much money we've earned so far."
"…I think he's too lazy to come."
"That's true, but he's such an unpredictable person…"
"Hmm, that's right."
Jin So-ah turned his head to look at the separate room.
It felt like just yesterday that Wei Yan-ho was lounging around in there all day, but quite some time had already passed since Wei Yan-ho left.
'What kind of life would I be living now if it weren't for him?'
No matter how well things had gone, by now he would have given up being an unknown doctor and either been selling his labor at someone else's house or entered under another doctor's employ, struggling while claiming he wanted to become a physician.
Although this Sacred Hand Hall wasn't his own, Wei Yan-ho was the benefactor who made it possible for him to live proudly as a doctor.
"I wonder if Master Wei is doing well."
"That man? Even if you threw him into an ice pit, he'd burrow into the ice and sleep."
"That's true too."
He couldn't imagine Wei Yan-ho in crisis.
No matter what happened, he was someone who would grumble with great irritation while solving everything efficiently.
That was Jin So-ah's impression of the person called Wei Yan-ho.
"Moreover, his sister also went to help Young Master Wei Yan-ho."
"…Though there's really nothing much to help with."
"Ahem."
Ha Dae-bung cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Now that she's of marriageable age, I wouldn't particularly think to stop her if she went to find a match…"
"However?"
Jin So-ah's body trembled.
"No matter what, accepting Master Wei as a brother-in-law is a bit…"
"That's quite a frightening thought."
Ha Dae-bung shuddered as if he didn't even want to imagine it. Wei Yan-ho was sufficient as just someone he knew slightly or was only professionally connected to. But to form blood relations with that person…
"It would be fortunate if we didn't get stress-induced illness."
The two men were badmouthing someone who was no different from a benefactor.
"Who's talking bad about me?"
Realizing that the road to Mount Hua was farther than expected, Wei Yan-ho was literally sprawled out on the wagon.
Watching Wei Yan-ho lying on a blanket spread over the wagon, Wei Jeong-han nagged him several times, but Wei Yan-ho, whose head had grown thick lately, showed no change despite Wei Jeong-han's nagging.
From Wei Jeong-han's perspective, it was infuriating, but he had no way to deal with Wei Yan-ho, who would pull the blanket over his head and plug his ears whenever he was scolded.
"Hey, you brat! I'm dying of embarrassment. Why are you lying sprawled out on top of the wagon where everyone can see, announcing 'I'm the laziest person in this neighborhood'?"
"Oh, Father. It's because Mother is riding inside the wagon. That's obvious."
"Grrrr."
He thought about hitting him, but it seemed like Wei Yan-ho wouldn't take the beating, and if he just made hitting motions and Wei Yan-ho rebelled, there would be no greater humiliation.
"Please be patient. We're almost there."
"I have no face to show you all."
Wei Jeong-han's only consolation was that they had finally entered Shaanxi Province.
Why did those blade-like peaks visible in the distance feel so welcome?
"That's Mount Hua?"
"That's right. How is it? Isn't it magnificent?"
"…Do people live up there?"
"Of course they do. You'll be amazed when you see the Mount Hua Sect. How can such a large sect be situated on such peaks? Hahahaha!"
"Peaks?"
Wei Yan-ho's pupils began to tremble seriously.
"Are you saying we have to climb up that mountain now?"
"Why are you asking such an obvious question again?"
Wei Yan-ho turned his head again to look at the mountain. The precipitous slope was clearly visible even from here. In Wei Yan-ho's eyes, Mount Hua looked less like a mountain and more like a long sword carelessly stuck into the ground, so steep it was.
"The sect isn't at the base of the mountain but up on top of that mountain?"
"Of course."
Wei Yan-ho spoke as if he couldn't understand at all.
"Why do all the Nine Great Sects settle on mountaintops? It's practically telling ordinary people not to come."
"Huh?"
"Could a normal person climb up there and find Mount Hua?"
At Wei Yan-ho's words, Gong Mu-jin's face became somewhat troubled.
Indeed, Mount Hua wasn't a mountain that ordinary people could easily climb. To reach the summit where the Mount Hua Sect was located, one had to climb several cliffs. Without martial arts, it was perfect for falling to one's death.
"That's why we're losing to Wudang!"
Gasp!
Having heard the words he hated most, Gong Mu-jin flared up and shouted.
"If you just don't want to climb, just say you don't want to climb! Why the harsh words! Harsh words!"
"But that's the truth!"
"What's the truth!"
"Let's say there's a kid with tremendous talent who's determined to enter Mount Hua."
"Yes?"
"There are two outcomes. Either he falls to his death climbing up there, or he turns his steps toward Wudang."
"Huh?"
Gong Mu-jin's eyes began to tremble.
He wanted to deny it but couldn't. Those who entered Mount Hua were all either descendants of Mount Hua's lay disciples or descendants of small sects wanting to form relationships with Mount Hua; the cases of ordinary disciples entering the mountain were decreasing day by day.
'To think it was for such a reason.'
But it was also a serious reason.
Gong Mu-jin, who had been contemplating whether he should bring up moving the main base down the mountain to the Sect Leader, shook his head.
'Forget it. I'd get beaten to death.'
If he dared suggest that the main base should be relocated, he would witness the miracle of the elderly masters returning to the appearance of vigorous young men, drawing their swords and chasing after him.
That would be quite a rare sight, but for Gong Mu-jin it would be nothing short of disaster. Since the points of those swords would be aimed at Gong Mu-jin's backside.
"Ugh."
Gong Mu-jin shook his head vigorously.
"…Let's go for now, for now. We'll figure out the part you mentioned ourselves, so let's go for now."
"How do we climb up there!"
"So that's what it comes down to! That's what it is! A martial artist being so lazy! What can you accomplish with that kind of mental state!"
"Ahem. You, your words are a bit…"
"Ah, Senior Wei. I apologize."
Even though he had badmouthed someone's son in front of the father, the fact that the father couldn't show any particular displeasure was Wei Yan-ho's dignity.
After experiencing such tumultuous events and arriving at Mount Hua's entrance, Wei Yan-ho had to hear words that were all too sad and shocking.
"The wagon can't go up?"
"Can't you see with your eyes?"
Unlike the name Mount Hua and the magnificent mountain range that seemed overwhelming just to look at, the path leading up Mount Hua was so narrow that only one person could barely pass through.
"This is why Wudang…"
"Hey! Didn't I tell you to stop!"
"Unable to call Father, Father!"
"Your dad is right here, you brat!"
Gong Mu-jin and Wei Jeong-han grabbed Wei Yan-ho's neck from both sides. Dragging the struggling Wei Yan-ho forward as he resisted going up, sighs escaped simultaneously from both men's mouths.
'This will be troublesome.'
'It won't be easy.'
They could feel that Wei Yan-ho was definitely being contrary. Thinking this martial arts tournament would never be easy, Wei Jeong-han kicked Wei Yan-ho's rear.
"Hurry up and climb, you good-for-nothing!"
"Mmph mmph mmph!"
Wei Jeong-han looked back and sighed.
Wei Yan-ho, who had grumbled the entire way up saying 'Aigo, I can't climb any higher because it's too steep' and throwing tantrums, was finally subdued by Wei San-ho's hands just before Wei Jeong-han and Gong Mu-jin exploded.
Only after his entire body was bound with rope and a gag was put in his mouth did the struggling Wei Yan-ho calm down.
'But should this be called subduing?'
Gong Mu-jin had no choice but to seriously contemplate. Looking at Wei Yan-ho bound in rope and slung over Wei San-ho's shoulder gave him a serious sense of unease.
If Wei Yan-ho put his mind to it, he could break those ropes anytime, so why was he obediently staying tied up?
'Don't tell me that guy… finds it more comfortable to be tied up like that?'
If he weren't tied up, he'd have to climb the mountain with his own feet, but they couldn't roll a tied-up person along, so Wei San-ho was carrying him.
Discovering comfort on Wei Yan-ho's face, Gong Mu-jin trembled.
'Just how far does that human go?'
Asking him to stay within the realm of human understanding—was that really such an unreasonable request that he kept making people so flustered?
Gong Mu-jin turned his head away dramatically. It was more comfortable not to look at that human.
"Ordinary people really couldn't come up here."
Being supported by Seomun Da-yeon and Lee Seol-hwa, Jin Ye-ran spoke.
"I've seen steep mountains several times, but this is my first time seeing a place as steep as Mount Hua."
Normally, Gong Mu-jin would have boasted with something like 'Haha, that is Mount Hua. A lofty mountain that doesn't easily permit human approach,' but right now, those words only sounded to Gong Mu-jin's ears like 'That's why you're losing to Wudang.'
'We need to move the main base.'
Gong Mu-jin, who had firmly planted in his head the first thing he should do if he became Sect Leader, glared at the mountain summit.
"Aigo, we finally made it up."
Jang-il collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily.
"They say the name lives up to its reputation—Mount Hua is indeed Mount Hua. So steep!"
"Ugh. I get it, I get it. That's why we're losing to Wudang!"
"…Excuse me?"
Gong Mu-jin walked toward the mountain gate with a miserable heart. The treacherous terrain of Mount Hua, which had been his lifelong pride, was now tearing his heart apart.
'Isn't it because of one word that guy said!'
In any case, Wei Yan-ho was someone whose words, actions, and attitude had not a single likeable aspect.
"Ahem."
Having blown away the awkward atmosphere with a cough, Gong Mu-jin opened his mouth again in a lively tone.
"This is Mount Hua."