Sword God Reborn

Chapter 97 : Inside the Fence, and Outside.

Cheon Mubaeck took Chae Ga-ryeong with him and first examined the people of the nearby village who were presumed to have been affected by the poisonous qi.

Chae Ga-ryeong, who had been somewhat nervous, moved quickly with a calm face as soon as she saw the patients, as if she had never been nervous.

Not long after, she nodded her head.

"That's right, this is not a disease, but definitely a symptom of poisoning."

"Do you know what kind of poison it is?"

Chae Ga-ryeong pursed her lips and put her index finger to her chin.

"Eum, basically, they are complaining of headaches. Their qi veins are also dry. I can't draw a definite conclusion yet. But there are a few things that come to mind, but I think I need to look into it more."

Chae Ga-ryeong did not rashly draw a conclusion.

Cheon Mubaeck, on the contrary, liked that point and found it trustworthy.

Even with the same symptoms, there were countless poisons with overlapping symptoms.

It was a hasty thing to conclude that it was a certain poison just by looking at the fragmentary symptoms.

Even though Cheon Mubaeck was pressing her, Chae Ga-ryeong's appearance of not making a hasty judgment was the right action.

So Cheon Mubaeck quietly watched what Chae Ga-ryeong was doing.

After about an hour, Chae Ga-ryeong, who had examined all the patients, gave them a simple medicine and said right away.

"Let's go to the scene."

"Miss, are you sure you're okay? We are martial artists, but..."

A worried look appeared on Yeon So-un's face. Although she glanced at Cheon Mubaeck, she subtly emphasized that it was not a good choice for Chae Ga-ryeong to go to the scene.

Since she was the daughter of the Sacred Fire Sect, she had learned the basic internal energy cultivation method.

Although it was very weak, she had accumulated some internal energy.

But it was not a significant level. It was a level that she had learned for basic self-defense and health. A level suitable for performing acupuncture and medicine.

Even if it was a poison that had already been burned, if she was exposed to the poisonous qi for a long time, she might be poisoned like the people of this village.

Although Cheon Mubaeck, Neung-heo, and Yeon So-un, who were martial artists, were fine, it might be fatal for Chae Ga-ryeong.

But at Yeon So-un's dissuasion, Chae Ga-ryeong showed a surprisingly surprising reaction.

"What are you talking about, sister!"

Yeon So-un's eyes widened at the unexpected reaction. Chae Ga-ryeong's tone became higher.

"We've just caught the tail of what kind of guys did this, and it's something I can do. Of course I have to go!"

"Miss..."

"It should be fine to some extent if I cover my face, nose, and mouth with a mask."

Chae Ga-ryeong, as if she thought she had been too angry at Yeon So-un, trailed off in a rapidly shrinking voice.

At that moment, Cheon Mubaeck waved his hand.

"It's fine."

"Pardon? No, I can go."

Chae Ga-ryeong, who felt that Cheon Mubaeck was refusing, made a desperate expression.

Cheon Mubaeck said nonchalantly, as if he were throwing it out.

"Just stick close to me."

"...Pardon?"

A moment of silence.

"Then let's go right away."

Cheon Mubaeck walked with big strides. When Chae Ga-ryeong stood there as if she were nailed to the spot with a red face, Cheon Mubaeck turned his head.

"What are you doing? I told you to stick close to me."

"...Yes, yes."

* * *

As soon as they arrived at the Seopjin-mun, Cheon Mubaeck spread his qi sense widely.

A thin qi barrier that was invisible so that the poisonous qi could not penetrate covered Cheon Mubaeck and Chae Ga-ryeong, who was sticking close to him with a hardened face.

"He's amazing, that person."

"Wow. His skills are better than I thought."

Yeon So-un and Neung-heo felt, albeit faintly, that Cheon Mubaeck had spread his qi sense and had formed a qi barrier.

That was by no means an easy thing. As Neung-heo had said, it was a high-level task that could not be simply called a skill. Not to mention the ability to handle internal energy, one had to have a very deep cultivation.

"Anyway. You have to be handsome to be seen."

"...What does forming a qi barrier have to do with being handsome?"

Neung-heo just grinned at Yeon So-un's question.

Chae Ga-ryeong, who had only learned the basic cultivation method, did not know that she had to stand next to Cheon Mubaeck to be protected by the qi barrier.

She just stood there because he had told her to stand next to him.

But Cheon Mubaeck had no idea what that meant.

"Examine the ashes here carefully."

"Pardon? Yes, yes."

"Move as you please. I'll be right next to you."

Although it was Cheon Mubaeck's low and flat voice, Chae Ga-ryeong, for some reason, felt as if she were suffocating.

What should I say?

It wasn't a feeling of suffocation from seeing something scary or frightening.

Sometimes, her deceased father had treated her like that.

Since he was a very stubborn person, he was a father who had only doted on his youngest brother, who had inherited the family's true teachings.

But even such a father would, without even realizing it, tell her to stick close to him when he went out, without any emotion.

When she was next to such a father, she felt somehow reassured.

Because she had a firm belief that her father would protect her no matter who came.

The image of her father that had suddenly come to her mind overlapped with Cheon Mubaeck...

"Why."

"Ah, it's nothing."

When she saw Cheon Mubaeck's face, such a thought disappeared.

Overlapped. How could that face.

Although her father did not have an ugly face, he had to be compared with something comparable.

Chae Ga-ryeong, who felt one side of her face getting hot for some reason, quickly took a deep breath.

For some reason, her head was dizzy today. Was it because she had been told to stick close to him? Or was it because they were so close that they could hear each other's breathing? Chae Ga-ryeong fanned herself with her hand to cool down her heat.

'Let's focus, focus.'

Chae Ga-ryeong repeated so and tried to focus on her work.

She sniffed to smell, and while she was tilting her head, tasting the ashes a little as Cheon Mubaeck had done.

One side became noisy, and a group of people appeared.

It was a warrior from the Flying Sword Sect who had guided Cheon Mubaeck here before, and a person who looked like a physician behind him.

The warrior, who had a familiar face, saw Cheon Mubaeck and cupped his fists.

Neung-heo asked.

"What is it?"

"After hearing the news that the Seopjin-mun had been annihilated by poison, the sect leader ordered a reinvestigation. I have brought a physician who is stationed at our Flying Sword Sect."

"Aha."

Neung-heo shrugged his shoulders and turned his head.

At that moment, Chae Ga-ryeong, with a rather sullen face, bowed her waist to the physician who had been brought by the Flying Sword Sect.

"Hello."

"Oh? Isn't it Ga-ryeong? It seems like just yesterday that you were learning at The Odorless Medical Hall, but I see you here."

The man was of a rather ambiguous age.

Had he just turned thirty?

But just that was proof that he was a better physician than expected.

It was not a job that anyone could do, being stationed at the Flying Sword Sect and acting as a physician, and he seemed to be from the same The Odorless Medical Hall as Chae Ga-ryeong.

But Cheon Mubaeck, seeing Chae Ga-ryeong's sullen face, felt that their relationship was not good.

"Right. Are you also here to investigate this bloodbath?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. As I recall, you were well-versed in acupuncture..."

As he said so, the corners of his mouth went up, and anyone could tell that he was being sarcastic to Chae Ga-ryeong.

Because it sounded like a rebuke, asking why she, who only knew how to perform acupuncture, was here.

Although Chae Ga-ryeong bit her lip, she could not say anything because he was her senior.

"Well, but if you're from The Odorless Medical Hall, you should be able to do this much. So, what have you found out?"

"I can't... draw a conclusion yet."

"Is that so? Hmm."

At the sight of him clicking his tongue so that everyone could hear, Chae Ga-ryeong's face hardened.

Although Neung-heo, who was next to her, let out a 'heo' sigh, he did not interrupt.

Because it wasn't that he was openly rebuking her.

And since Chae Ga-ryeong was also enduring it, how could Neung-heo, who was clearly an outsider, step in?

"Right. Work hard. Since you've learned medicine, you have to do something. Since you'll have to make a living with medicine now..."

"Hey. What are you talking about?"

In an instant, Yeon So-un stepped forward with her eyes wide open.

At Yeon So-un's sharp momentum, the physician flinched and took a step back.

But since he had also accumulated some internal energy, he did not look intimidated.

"Oh, it seems I've made a slip of the tongue. I apologize. Ga-ryeong, please forgive your senior's slip of the tongue."

The slight smile on his lips was definitely not a sincere apology.

Chae Ga-ryeong bit her lip and then let out a deep sigh.

"It's okay. I've learned medicine, and I'll continue to practice medicine in the future, so it's not wrong."

"Hmm. Right. But wouldn't it be better to receive more teachings at the medical hall? Although it would be difficult for a woman's body, you did quite well. Well, although you ran away as if you couldn't stand it, there would be one or two people who would be happy if you came back."

Chae Ga-ryeong's face turned red with shame.

Yeon So-un also did not know what to do at the sight of such a Chae Ga-ryeong.

At that moment, the physician crossed a dangerous line.

"But if it's your master, the Vitality Physician, wouldn't he accept you? He broke the rule of the medical hall that did not accept female physicians and led you, and you've grown much more and have become more beautiful now. Ah, before that, the Vitality Physician must first return to The Odorless Medical Hall."

Yeon So-un, who had realized what that meant, drew her sword without even realizing it.

No, it was the moment she was about to draw it.

"Hey."

A heavy and firm voice cut through the air.

In an instant, the crowd became heavily silent.

Cheon Mubaeck, who had been quietly watching the situation, walked towards the physician with big strides.

In an instant, the physician was overwhelmed and took a step back without even realizing it.

At him, Cheon Mubaeck's voice rang like thunder.

"This bastard. Are you asking to die?"

* * *

Cheon Mubaeck was reluctant to get involved in other people's family affairs.

'Because it's troublesome.'

Where else would there be such a troublesome thing?

Although some might call such a Cheon Mubaeck cold, there was nothing he could do.

In his past life, his previous-previous life, no, in his numerous past lives.

Cheon Mubaeck had always been the strongest of his time, had boasted the highest reputation, and had been revered by the people of the martial world.

How many people would have asked such a Cheon Mubaeck for help?

He had no choice.

With just Cheon Mubaeck's reputation, with just his name, most things were solved smoothly.

So Cheon Mubaeck did not interfere in people's affairs as much as possible. Even if he saw someone who was clearly weak, and someone who was clearly a vicious villain, he did not get involved.

Wasn't that their business?

It wasn't as if Cheon Mubaeck were some god that the common people served.

But there was a standard for Cheon Mubaeck to get involved.

'A fence.'

Cheon Mubaeck divided the people around him into two categories.

The fence that Cheon Mubaeck had made.

Inside and outside of it.

The people inside the fence, Cheon Mubaeck would protect even if he had to interfere.

For example, the current Azure Star Escort Agency, the Lotus Pavilion, and the Black Heart Gang were inside this fence. The Black Heart Gang was the guard that protected the fence.

All the other people were outside the fence.

Mount Hua, Shaolin, and all the people he had made a connection with while traveling the martial world.

Until just a moment ago, Chae Ga-ryeong was the same.

To Cheon Mubaeck, she was a person outside the fence.

But now, Cheon Mubaeck had pulled Chae Ga-ryeong inside the fence.

The fact that she was the descendant of a long-time friend was also sufficiently considered.

But the decisive thing was the current situation.

"You're messing with someone who's helping me?"

Cheon Mubaeck's voice became rough.

At least if it were at a different time. Chae Ga-ryeong was helping Cheon Mubaeck with all her might. Of course, it was also Chae Ga-ryeong's own business, but in any case, the one who had asked for help was Cheon Mubaeck, and Chae Ga-ryeong was doing well enough to be satisfactory.

In other words, that meant.

"She's a person inside my fence. You've touched that."

Cheon Mubaeck's eyes flashed.

(End of Chapter)