novelraw Chapter 168 : If You Fail to Save Him, You Will Die (1)
Chapter 168 : If You Fail to Save Him, You Will Die (1)
Chapter 168: If You Fail to Save Him, You Will Die (1)
The place where patients were originally treated in the Mount Emei Sect was the Subduing Tiger Hall.
However, the patient whom O Gonggong brought today was being treated separately and in secret inside an annex.
Given the Subduing Tiger Divine Physician’s disposition, it was a special measure she would never have allowed under normal circumstances, but there was no choice.
Even she found it difficult to uphold her own principles, because the patient’s concealed status was far too immense.
Around the annex, Mount Emei Sect’s strongest martial force, the Gale Wind Swordmasters, were standing guard, forming a protective circle.
Their leader was none other than the Great Elder of Mount Emei Sect, Bohwa Satae.
While the surroundings were being controlled with such thoroughness.
Inside the annex, the Subduing Tiger Divine Physician was focused entirely on treating the patient.
Behind the curtains surrounding the sickbed, the Subduing Tiger Divine Physician gathered all of her qi and carefully inserted needles into the body of the reclining patient.
“Uu, uuhh.”
Each time a needle went in, the patient let out a groan.
But the Subduing Tiger Divine Physician, too, was sweating profusely.
She was pouring so much of her qi into the needles that it would even affect her lifespan.
For someone who had reached the Manifestation Realm to struggle this much showed just how terrible and severe the patient’s ailment truly was.
Gazing at her master’s pained state with pity, Geum Hwa Satae thought inwardly.
‘What kind of illness could this be, that for nearly a year now, Master has been forced to repeatedly suppress the symptoms and nothing more?’
Anyone in the martial world would have been shocked to hear such a thing.
Was this not Boyeon Divine Nun, praised as the Divine Physician for decades of medical miracles?
And yet even she could not figure out what illness had afflicted the patient for over a year.
No one would be able to believe it.
But just then.
From beyond the curtain divider, O Gonggong — who was waiting with Geum Hwa Satae — spoke with a cold voice.
“His Highness the Crown Prince’s groaning seems to be growing louder. What is the meaning of this?”
From his address — His Highness the Crown Prince — the patient’s identity was revealed.
Within all of the Central Plains, there was only one person the eunuch of the Eastern Depot would call Crown Prince.
Zhu Yudao (朱由途).
The legitimate son favored by the current Emperor…
The only Crown Prince of the Great Ming Empire — that was his true identity.
He was indeed someone who would secretly come to Mount Emei riding a Four-Person Palanquin.
If word spread that the Crown Prince, who would soon inherit supreme authority, was suffering from a chronic illness this severe, uncontrollable chaos would engulf the entire Central Plains.
Though O Gonggong’s rebuke contained undeniable barbs, Geum Hwa Satae chose to ignore them and carefully spoke.
“……Taegam. His Highness’s condition has worsened since the last visit. Might His Highness have overexerted himself recently?”
“Ten days ago, His Majesty summoned him, and he exerted himself to make the journey to the Main Hall.”
“It seems something there must have shaken His Highness’s mind. The rising agitation must have had a negative influence, causing the illness that Master had calmed during the previous treatment to worsen…”
“But that is not an answer.”
O Gonggong continued, shooting a gaze like frozen steel.
“It has already been a full year since you have taken charge of His Highness the Crown Prince’s treatment.”
“…….”
“And yet each time he receives treatment, the symptoms only subside for a short while. The illness always flares up again.”
“Since His Highness suffers from an illness not recorded in any medical text, my Master has been doing her utmost to—”
“Hmph, at this point I cannot help but suspect that you people have no intention of curing him in the first place.”
“Ta– Taegam! What kind of outrageous statement is that!”
“You think I don’t know that the Third Prince visited Mount Emei recently?”
“N– No, that was only because His Highness wished to personally express his gratitude for Master treating Her Ladyship the Noble Consort!”
Startled by O Gonggong’s words, Geum Hwa Satae raised her voice without meaning to.
The accusation implied they were intentionally delaying the cure, harboring ulterior motives.
Though Geum Hwa Satae protested furiously, O Gonggong’s expression did not change in the slightest.
Seeing that, she recalled someone whose meetings with O Gonggong had become noticeably more frequent as the Crown Prince’s condition failed to improve.
‘Just what did the Namgung Clan Head say to him…….’
Everyone in the martial world knew that O Gonggong was the Namgung Clan’s primary backer within the Imperial Palace.
And yet Namgung Myeong was instigating friction between the palace and the Alliance of Martial Forests, using Baek Doryeon as a proxy.
Truly a man who seemed to know no shame.
Geum Hwa Satae trembled with frustration and anger.
Just then—
“Kuugh!”
“……!!”
“Y– Your Highness the Crown Prince!!”
Zhu Yudao, who was receiving treatment, suddenly spewed black blood from his mouth.
His entire body trembled violently as if in a seizure — his condition was visibly critical.
O Gonggong burst out shouting at Boyeon Divine Nun.
“You fool!! Stop at once!!”
“Taegam! Step back! If you interrupt Master now, His Highness the Crown Prince could truly be in danger!”
“He is coughing blood and writhing in agony — what nonsense are you spouting!”
He looked ready to charge forward at any moment, but Geum Hwa Satae desperately blocked his way.
Boyeon Divine Nun gave no reply — she only gathered more qi and focused entirely on treatment.
If she were interrupted while she was even using some of her Innate True Qi, not only the patient but Boyeon Divine Nun herself could suffer severe damage.
But O Gonggong, not understanding this, had killing intent gleaming in his eyes.
Ssshk!
Sensing the gravity of the situation, both the imperial guards of the Eastern Depot and the Emei disciples moved, creating a hair-trigger standoff.
And then—
–What is this……!
–Ha-yeong…… why are you……!
–You…… step ba…… now!
‘What?!’
‘……!!’
Suddenly, loud commotion erupted outside.
They even heard swords being drawn to block an intruder.
And then, shockingly—
‘M– Manifestation Realm?!’
A tremendous energy of a martial artist at the Manifestation Realm burst forth without warning.
Overlapping with the already tense situation inside, O Gonggong felt his heart drop.
Had these people truly allied with some outside force?!
“Go, Imperial Guard!”
“At your command!”
Imperial Guard Go Jun immediately rushed toward the outside of the annex.
And right at that moment—
BANG!
“Guhk!”
The door that had been shut suddenly swung wide open, and Go Cheophyeong tumbled backward with a crash.
Through the now-open doorway appeared the figure who had manifested Hyungyeong’s strength.
“This is troublesome. You rushed in so suddenly I thought you were an enemy.”
“How dare you!!”
“You— why are you people…?!”
Oh Gonggong and Bohwa Satae reacted in completely opposite ways upon identifying the intruders.
Oh Gonggong erupted in fury at the sight of the mysterious man and woman who had barged in.
Meanwhile, Bohwa Satae was struck speechless, having recognized a visitor who should never have appeared here together with her own disciple.
“Hayoung! What on earth do you think you are doing!”
“Master, please hurry and clear the way! Every moment counts!”
“Master? Sect Leader! How dare you— what do you think you are doing!! Are you planning to assassinate His Highness?!”
“It seems like the one attempting assassination is you.”
“!!”
At that moment, the intruder, Seun, opened his mouth.
Even as a martial artist of Hyungyeong level, Oh Gonggong refused to yield.
He had already resolved to block them even if it meant his body being crushed.
“You damn treacherous brat!!”
“The name of that illness is Strange Blood Aberration.”
“……?!”
“It is an artificial plague created by someone.”
“!!”
Oh Gonggong froze as though he had become a bronze statue.
Bohwa Satae was the same.
They had believed the intruder had come to harm the crown prince—yet suddenly he had begun listing the name of an illness.
As silence fell, Seun spoke again.
“Right now, the final seizure is occurring, and Divine Physician is barely holding it back. But even a single moment of delay, and the optimal window for treatment will be lost.”
“……Y-you!”
“If I don’t treat him now, he will live the rest of his life consumed by killing intent.”
“?!”
Oh Gonggong’s eyes shook violently as if struck by an earthquake.
The voice he heard carried sincerity.
But feeling sincerity did not mean he could entrust the body of the crown prince of an entire nation to a stranger he had met for the first time.
“……Nonsense!”
Oh Gonggong steadied his shaken heart and continued.
“How could someone I’ve never met know His Highness’s condition?! You must be trying to deceive me using some hint from Emei Sect!”
“We crossed paths on the ridgeline, did we not. I realized it then.”
“Hah, are you claiming you could see through the carriage?”
“Correct.”
“……!”
His confidence left Oh Gonggong bewildered.
He had sensed immediately that the man’s eyes were unusual.
But how could he possibly see through walls and examine the patient?
Was he not a divine physician, but truly a god of medicine?
“Cough!”
“Y-Your Highness!”
At that moment, the crown prince began spitting blood again.
The reaction was even more severe than before.
Despair flashed across Oh Gonggong’s face.
“Hoo… There’s no more time to argue. Kill me if you want.”
“Y-young Master Dang!”
“……!!”
Sss—
Suddenly, the powerful aura surrounding Seun vanished completely.
Though Oh Gonggong and the other Eastern Depot martial artists were poised to kill him, he had withdrawn every trace of his aura.
Seun now appeared no different from an ordinary civilian with no martial arts.
A blade could easily take his life at this moment.
But neither Oh Gonggong nor the martial artists of the Eastern Depot dared to strike.
If the man truly intended to treat the crown prince…
If they killed the only one who knew how to cure him…
Their minds churned in turmoil.
As they struggled to decide what to do—
Step.
“……!!”
“!!”
Seun strode forward.
Toward the bed where the crown prince lay.
“……Stop.”
Oh Gonggong, standing in his way, spoke with a trembling voice.
But Seun met his gaze and replied without a trace of hesitation.
“Understand this clearly. If you kill me now, it will mean you are personally killing His Highness with your own hands.”
“……!!”
Oh Gonggong’s body trembled violently.
In the end, he could not stop Seun as he brushed past him.
“If you fail to heal him…! If even a part of your words is a lie…!! I will exterminate your entire clan!”
“Go ahead. Do whatever you like.”
Oh Gonggong was someone fully capable of carrying out his threat.
But Seun felt no fear.
Because such a situation would never come to pass.
At that moment, Seun reached the sickbed beyond the screen.
‘Alright, let’s begin.’
A strange light rose in Seun’s eyes as he looked at the Divine Tiger Physician and the crown prince, Juyudo.
Everyone held their breath as they watched.
Shrrrk!
Like wings spreading open, Cheonra revealed itself.
Then, he transformed Cheonra into a black needle and held it in his hand.