Chapter 108. The Secret of the Body

The Blood Demon asked with an unreadable smile.

"Why do you think I would have a medicine I desire?"

"You used to send me medical texts. In truth, I didn't know back then that they were from the Blood Sect. Only after I learned of the sect's existence did I realize it was you who had sent them."

The Blood Demon's eyes sparkled, seemingly surprised. It looked like a positive reaction.

"It must've been from a time a little further ahead. I'm still considering whether to look for a solution among the people of the Central Plains, but I haven't sent the manual there yet."

"I know."

The Blood Demon's lips curved slightly.

"So, what did you make?"

"I asked first. What is it you're trying to create?"

"Child of Jin Su, you ought to learn how to respect your elders."

So-hwa closed her mouth.

"Are you going to stay silent until I give an answer?"

"......"

"Haha, you're a troublesome one."

The silence dragged on for quite some time.

In the end, it was the Blood Demon who yielded.

As if conceding, he opened his mouth.

"I was trying to recreate Blood Jade. An elixir I once took long ago. It was lost due to some palace lord from the Outer Regions."

The Blood Demon answered honestly.

So-hwa's eyes narrowed slightly. Catching that subtle change in expression, the Blood Demon suddenly curved his lips.

"So then, did you recreate the Blood Jade?"

So-hwa asked back with a faint smile.

"This is the first time I've even heard of something called Blood Jade. And if I said I completed it, would you believe me?"

"Of course not."

At the Blood Demon's honest reply, So-hwa responded.

"I didn't complete the Blood Jade you mentioned. I did make something, but it doesn't seem to be the Blood Jade you wanted."

The elixir wouldn't take one's breath away, after all.

In this life, the Blood Demon had hastily come to her in search of the sorcerer, but that wasn't the case in her past life. Back then, the Blood Demon had merely sent Namgung Hyun to observe her.

Though she was not the sorcerer, his goal in the past life would not have been a light one either.

Considering the vastness of the Central Plains, for her to have entered his field of view—

So-hwa looked at the Blood Demon and spoke.

"This time, I'm thinking of trying to make that Blood Jade you spoke of. Are you interested?"

The Blood Demon let out a small laugh.

"So this was your real proposal."

So-hwa did not deny it.

What would interest him, and what she could speak of without fear even while knowing the future, would be that medicine — the one that could change the body.

Sensing that the Blood Demon was listening closely, So-hwa began to tell him the story he wanted to hear.

"I didn't read many volumes, but thanks to the medical texts you sent, I created a medicine that changes the body. So this time, show me all the secret manuals you have. Then I might be able to complete what you want."

She added calmly,

"Of course, if you don't want to, you can refuse."

After a long silence, the Blood Demon's lips curved.

"So Haerak was right. He said that if I force you to speak, I'll end up being dragged around by your strange proposals."

Clicking his tongue, the Blood Demon added,

"I'll give you the best room in Black Pavilion."

His low voice pierced So-hwa's eardrums.

"But once you've read the secret manuals, you'll no longer be able to return to the Central Plains."

So-hwa's lips tilted crookedly.

"Let's talk about that later."

"Haha."

The Blood Demon laughed heartily and shook his head.

"How arrogant."

Though he said that, his tone wasn't one of rebuke.

As he turned away, the gatekeeper appeared. Five Blood Sect members in white robes opened the heavy doors.

As the Blood Demon entered the Black Pavilion, So-hwa spoke.

"One more thing."

The Blood Demon's gaze drifted toward the garden.

So-hwa looked into those red eyes and said,

"Send the Main Blood Hall Lord to Black Pavilion, too."

"Why? Planning to share pillow talk with him?"

"No. If he stays in your pavilion, I feel like he'll cause trouble."

The Blood Demon's face filled with laughter. But So-hwa didn't laugh along, and asked in a cold voice.

"Wouldn't you feel more at ease with the Main Blood Hall Lord placed here, too?"

"Yes. In any case, I've decided to entrust your education to him, so I should send him over."

The Blood Demon turned and stepped into the pavilion, muttering.

"The words of one in authority are indeed heavy."

"I didn't ask."

"Haha."

Laughter echoed within the pavilion.

One of the gatekeepers who didn't follow inside approached So-hwa.

"I will guide you to your quarters."

The gatekeeper's black eyes locked onto her.

"After that, I will escort you to the sealed archive."

So-hwa didn't avoid the warning in his gaze. Instead, she looked down at him.

After a short standoff, the gatekeeper turned.

"This way, please."

Watching the small back of the gatekeeper, So-hwa entered the Black Pavilion.

***

"Oh dear, they've all dried out."

The Divine Physician let out a sigh as he sorted through the medicinal herbs.

There were only three rooms in the Alliance Leader’s pavilion—one where Lady So-hwa slept, and another that he himself needed to use—so figuring out where to store the herbs was quite a dilemma. He had told the Alliance Leader he’d keep the herbs at the Tang Clan and travel back and forth, but for some reason, the Alliance Leader forbade him from leaving and instead gave him a pavilion, instructing him to store the herbs there.

The Divine Physician sighed again as he picked through the herbs, now dried stiff from the wind.

"At this rate, the medicinal effect will weaken."

He looked at the basket piled high and swallowed a bitter sigh.

They wouldn't be usable as medicine, so he figured he'd brew them into tea instead.

'There must be a Medical Hall in the main headquarters too, so why call me and Lady So-hwa here specifically?'

Besides, staying outside and coming in daily for consultations seemed like it would be better, yet he couldn't understand why they were asked to live inside together.

Could it be that the illness must not leak outside?

Well, in any organization, the health of the leader is top secret. If exposed, the entire system could be shaken.

So, the Tang Clan Head hadn't found it strange to send his daughter and the Divine Physician as attendants. He, too, had long treated his own condition with secrecy and thus understood the situation.

Of course, the Murim Alliance was a place where people gathered and political hierarchies existed — naturally, there would be a lot of political strife.

The Divine Physician didn't want to get involved in such factional struggles.

The old man organized the pavilion with a heavy expression.

'Something must be going on with the Alliance Leader.'

Judging that the Alliance Leader was having conflict with others within the headquarters, the Divine Physician tried to be understanding.

At that moment—

"Divine Physician."

Tang So-hwa's voice called from below the pavilion.

The Divine Physician leaned his body over the railing.

"Ah, you've arrived?"

"Yes, I'm sorry for being late. I should have been the one to sort things first."

"It's quite all right."

Tang So-hwa had already come up the pavilion and took the basket from him, her eyes curving in a smile.

"I'll throw this away."

"No, it's fine. It can still be brewed into tea."

The Divine Physician awkwardly smiled and took the basket back.

'How strange...'

The young lady would occasionally show something resembling a smile during conversation, but she had never curved her eyes like that over something so trivial.

The Divine Physician scratched the back of his neck, feeling as if he were seeing someone else, and returned to his room to gather his tools.

Not long after, So-hwa came to his room again.

"Divine Physician."

"Yes, come in."

The Divine Physician, with his back to the door, held his prepared medical tools. He had planned to visit the Alliance Leader for a diagnosis.

As he turned toward the door, he flinched.

Tang So-hwa, standing at the entrance, smiled as she took his wooden box from him.

"I'll carry it."

"Ah, no, it's heavy. Please give it here."

"It's just up ahead."

Tang So-hwa replied politely, like a physician's assistant who had come to assist him.

Still wearing that strange eye-smile.

It was truly odd.

Though she belonged to the Medical Hall, Tang So-hwa was ultimately part of the Nine Turns Pavilion.

She wasn't his subordinate, nor was she a disciple learning medicine from him.

Some who had only heard rumors assumed the eldest daughter of the Tang Clan was following the Divine Physician around to learn medicine, but that wasn't true.

Tang So-hwa had knowledge of various medical techniques as if she'd studied medicine for decades. In fact, when it came to medicinal herbs, the Divine Physician himself learned from her.

And so, Tang So-hwa had never shown such an attitude toward him.

'And that smile... what in the world is that about...'

The Divine Physician was a man who diagnosed patients by observing even minor changes. Mental symptoms were no exception.

Lately, he had been researching Five Minerals Powder, so he couldn't overlook Tang So-hwa's changes easily.

Quietly observing her, the Divine Physician moved with her to the room where the Alliance Leader was waiting.

Seated inside the room, the Alliance Leader was the first to greet them. The Divine Physician clasped his hands together in respect.

"I greet the Alliance Leader."

"You're quite diligent. You've never been late a single day."

The Alliance Leader smiled and gestured for them to come in.

He rolled up his sleeve and rested his arm on the table.

"Take your time with the examination."

"Yes."

With permission, the Divine Physician immediately began the pulse reading and diagnosis.

"Have you been eating well?"

"I have."

"Are you sleeping soundly?"

"I sleep fine."

The Alliance Leader answered quickly, seeming focused on the conversation. But his gaze remained fixed on Tang So-hwa.

Letting out a faint laugh, he turned to the Divine Physician.

"You must be frustrated, trying to find what's wrong with someone who looks healthy."

"Not at all. It's not that I doubt you, Alliance Leader. It's simply taking time because I am lacking."

The Alliance Leader spoke in a bitter tone, almost like muttering to himself.

"Sorry for dragging you into this."

"Pardon?"

"They keep accusing me of faking illness at the main headquarters. What can I do? To make them believe me, I ended up dragging even the Divine Physician into this. But when you think about it, maybe it was fate."

He spoke playfully.

"Of all times, you happened to return to headquarters just now."

The Divine Physician didn't respond.

The words were directed at him, but the conversation oddly felt like it was aimed elsewhere — distant, floating.

The Divine Physician lowered his gaze and placed his hand once again on the Alliance Leader's wrist. After finishing the pulse reading, instead of continuing the diagnosis, he asked something else.

"Alliance Leader, may I step out for a moment?"

"Hm? Why? Is there a problem?"

"You say your digestion is fine, but the meridian leading to the stomach is completely blocked. There are some herbs I need from the Tang Clan residence. I'd like to go retrieve them."

"Ah, no use lying to you, is there? Truth is, I've felt tight in the chest and haven't been able to eat anything for several days."

"Alliance Leader... you mustn't lie to me."

The Divine Physician said in a low voice.

"Haha, I understand."

The Alliance Leader chuckled and accepted the Divine Physician's rebuke.

"But going outside is difficult. If word spreads of my condition, there'll be a lot to deal with in many ways. I hope you'll understand."

The Alliance Leader, who had gently refused, turned his gaze toward the innocent Tang So-hwa as if trying to change the subject.

"But why are you so quiet? Are you always this idle? Haha, the rumors made you sound like quite the talent."

Tang So-hwa bowed her head and replied in a soft voice.

"It seems you've heard exaggerated rumors. With the Divine Physician here, there's nothing I need to do."

It was a humble tone.

The Alliance Leader let out a dry chuckle, while the Divine Physician looked troubled, his expression dark.

Suddenly, the Divine Physician acted uncharacteristically stubborn.

"Alliance Leader, I really must bring the medicinal herbs. You haven't eaten for several days, your body seems to have weakened, so you must take at least a temporary remedy."

"I apologize, but..."

"If it troubles you to see me coming and going from my quarters, I don't need to go myself. There's one more physician at the Tang Clan's Medical Hall. I'll write down what's needed — please just have the list delivered."

The Divine Physician spoke firmly.

The Alliance Leader looked down at the Divine Physician, whose fists were clenched, and then nodded.

"The Four Seasons Hall Lord will be visiting tomorrow. I'll have it passed along then, so make a list of what you need."

"Yes, thank you."

The Alliance Leader looked at the Divine Physician with an unreadable expression, but soon masked the thought behind a smile.

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