"Yes. Moreover, they even sent someone from the Hwaju Medical Hall. The daughter of the Palace Ghost, Wang Gak-yeon. It seems their pride took a big hit since we treated a patient they had given up on."
"My dreams have been restless lately, and now unwelcome guests are arriving all at once."
Zhuge Lin let out a sigh.
Yuho continued speaking.
"They said they came to check on the patient, Wang Gak-yeon, out of concern. But of course, she’s already in the final stages of recovery, so they wouldn’t know that."
Wang Gak-yeon.
The daughter of the Palace Ghost.
It had already been several months since she received treatment.
Due to the significant surgery, she had to remain bedridden for a while afterward, but now she had fully recovered and could be considered cured.
For an ordinary person, it would have been a severe injury requiring much more rest, but the innate energy her father had transferred greatly boosted her recovery.
"They must be here to pick a fight. If we refuse, they’ll find fault with that too, so from their perspective, it’s not a bad move."
"That’s why I showed her to them. By now, they’re probably checking her pulse with our medical hall’s doctors. I also gave a heads-up to the Palace Ghost."
"Well done. But our medical hall’s doctors will be under a lot of pressure."
"They’ll try to find fault no matter what, and we’ll have to block them. However, Master, you don’t need to step in. On the surface, it’s just a visit from another medical hall, so we’ll handle it accordingly."
Zhuge Lin took a sip of tea.
"That’s a minor matter. What worries me more is the person our Hui family is meeting now."
"Yes. I didn’t expect ‘that person’ to come in person."
"Curiosity must have been piqued by the mention of the ‘Divine Art.’"
"Should we continue pretending not to know?"
"Do you think we can stop that person if they decide to act? It seems they want to be left alone, so let’s do that."
Yuho nodded.
However, there was something neither of them had anticipated.
The Hwaju Medical Hall’s mischief was far worse than expected.
"What do you mean, treating the patient like some kind of toy?"
"How can you say something so harsh!"
"Using unverified medical techniques to treat a patient—what more is there to say? If you had left it to us, she would have been cured in twenty days!"
"What are you talking about…"
The Baekrin Medical Hall’s doctor was at a loss for words.
They had abandoned the patient, and now they were acting as if they could have cured her all along.
‘Ugh, the shamelessness of the Hwaju Medical Hall makes my skin crawl.’
The Hwaju Medical Hall’s doctor continued.
"We understand that the patient’s guardian chose the Baekrin Medical Hall. It’s our fault for not earning enough trust… But using unverified techniques to toy with the patient—how can you justify that!"
"The patient was on the verge of death. Speak clearly. If it weren’t for the Divine Art, the patient wouldn’t even be alive."
"What are you talking about? Our Hwaju Medical Hall’s techniques would have been more than enough to save her."
"The patient’s guardian already showed us the reply from the Hwaju Medical Hall saying you couldn’t take her. Why do you keep lying?"
"We said we couldn’t take her, not that we wouldn’t treat her. Our hall master personally stepped forward to check her pulse and was looking for a solution!"
‘Lying without even batting an eye…!’
The turmoil among the martial sects due to the Palace Ghost incident was greater than expected.
The Hwaju Medical Hall’s malice was far from ordinary.
"Then call them over."
"Who are you talking about? Our hall master wouldn’t come for something like this."
"How could I, a mere doctor from another medical hall, order around the esteemed Baekrin Medical Hall’s master? Just bring that disciple of yours."
"Hmph."
"If you have nothing to hide, there’s no reason not to call them, right?"
As soon as those words were spoken, the door burst open with a loud crash.
"Good words! You scoundrels from the Hwaju Medical Hall!"
It was the Palace Ghost.
On each of his arms hung a Baekrin Medical Hall guard.
The guards had thrown themselves in front of the Palace Ghost, who had rushed over like a raging bull upon hearing the news, but the Palace Ghost was a master who had reached the peak of martial arts!
Naturally, they failed.
The Palace Ghost’s face was red with fury, resembling a demon.
"What kind of hardships did my daughter endure because of you scoundrels!"
The Hwaju Medical Hall doctors turned pale under the killing intent emanating from the Palace Ghost, who looked ready to crush their skulls at any moment.
The Hwaju Medical Hall doctor hastily spoke.
"K-killing is strictly forbidden within the medical hall! Calm down!"
"Calm down? What kind of calm are you talking about! If it weren’t for our benefactor, you would have already met me in the underworld! Fine! Since you’ve come begging to be killed, I have no reason to refuse!"
If a murder occurred within the medical hall, the martial artists staying there would leave.
They couldn’t trust a medical hall that didn’t uphold the rules of the martial world.
The Baekrin Medical Hall’s reputation would be ruined.
It was the worst possible situation.
But to the Palace Ghost, these people were the enemies who had nearly killed his daughter.
Under the pressure of the Palace Ghost’s aura, the Hwaju Medical Hall doctors began to faint one by one.
Then, a child’s voice rang out.
It was small and calm.
"Calm down."
Surprisingly, the Palace Ghost’s killing intent wavered at that voice.
"Benefactor."
"This is a medical hall. Settle your martial world grudges outside."
It was Jin Cheon-hee, who had just finished treating an elderly woman.
At Jin Cheon-hee’s command, the Palace Ghost finally withdrew his killing intent.
As the air returned to normal, the Hwaju Medical Hall doctors gasped for breath.
Jin Cheon-hee spoke.
"I heard you wanted to see me."
The Hwaju Medical Hall doctors were at a loss for words at Jin Cheon-hee’s composed demeanor.
They had heard rumors of his youth, but this wasn’t just young—he was a child.
Looking down at the tiny hands that seemed too small to even hold a needle properly, one of the Hwaju Medical Hall doctors asked.
"Are you perhaps a master who has achieved the state of Reverse Aging?"
Reverse Aging.
It meant reversing time and becoming younger.
Not only did one become younger, but the body was also reconstructed to match martial arts, and any impurities within the body were purified.
Regardless of age or gender, one’s eyes would deepen, and their appearance would become incredibly beautiful.
Given Jin Cheon-hee’s extraordinary looks, it seemed like a reasonable question.
Jin Cheon-hee smiled and replied.
"No, I’m not. I’ve only just begun learning martial arts. I’m still a novice."
Judging by the aura emanating from him, it didn’t seem like a lie.
Though his eyes were unusually deep for a child, the Hwaju Medical Hall doctors all seemed relieved.
The Palace Ghost spoke.
"If any of you dare to harm my benefactor even slightly, I swear on my title as the Palace Ghost that I won’t let it slide!"
"Don’t do that."
"Benefactor."
The Palace Ghost, who had been roaring like a tiger, softened at Jin Cheon-hee’s words.
"They’re just here out of concern for the patient. Don’t be like that."
It was strange.
His tone was unmistakably that of a child, but his words carried the weight of an adult.
It felt like a seasoned veteran was deliberately pretending to be a child.
The Palace Ghost sighed.
"If you say so, then please at least stay by my side until this conversation is over, Benefactor."
"……"
Jin Cheon-hee was at a loss for words and glanced around.
His appearance was that of a pure, innocent child genuinely concerned for the Hwaju Medical Hall doctors.
In truth, Jin Cheon-hee was thinking:
‘The stage is set perfectly.
The Palace Ghost did a great job stirring things up.’
The initiative the Hwaju Medical Hall doctors had held had now shifted to Jin Cheon-hee.
Jin Cheon-hee frowned as if helpless.
"Alright. Palace Ghost, you’re worrying too much about me."
"I don’t deserve to be called ‘Great Hero’ by you, Benefactor. Please call me Palace Ghost like everyone else."
After speaking respectfully to Jin Cheon-hee, he turned and barked at the Hwaju Medical Hall doctors.
"You’re alive today thanks to my benefactor! If you dare tarnish his honor even slightly, I won’t let it slide! The moment you step out of the Baekrin Medical Hall, I’ll cut your heads off!"
The peak martial artist’s roar, filled with emotion, sent shivers down everyone’s arms except Jin Cheon-hee’s.
Jin Cheon-hee lowered his eyelashes and smiled at the Hwaju Medical Hall doctors.
"So, you had something you wanted to ask?"
"Th-that is…"
The Hwaju Medical Hall doctors swallowed hard and glanced at each other.
They had thought it was just a normal patient-doctor relationship, but they had no idea the Palace Ghost would stay and serve him like a lord.
Moreover, the Palace Ghost’s martial prowess was far greater than they had anticipated.
‘I thought he would have used up his innate energy and become a toothless tiger.’
‘If he moved his daughter and treated her, he must have used not just innate energy but even pre-heaven energy to endure.
What on earth happened?’
The information they had gathered, compiled, and predicted through medical records and various sources was completely opposite to the current situation.
The Palace Ghost was still strong.
In fact, he seemed even stronger than before.
The questions continued.
Jin Cheon-hee sipped his tea slowly and continued the conversation.
"Anything beyond that is related to secret techniques passed down from our founder, so I can’t speak of it."
Why so many secrets? But since it was the martial world, it wasn’t particularly strange.
Jin Cheon-hee sighed softly.
"Our founder came from a distant continent, and his name is unknown."
"But shouldn’t we know?"
"Alright. His name was Hippocrates."
"Hi… what?"
"Our sect is extremely difficult to enter, and becoming a recognized doctor requires very, very harsh trials. When one is recognized as a doctor, they take an oath."
It sounded like nonsense, but half of it was true.
"I heard you suffered from memory loss…"
At that, Jin Cheon-hee smiled bitterly.
"That’s right. I’ve lost most of my memories, but I still remember our founder and sect. It’s truly fortunate."
If I say I remember, what can you do about it?
Jin Cheon-hee kept a straight face and calmly moved his facial muscles.
"I’ve revealed even our founder to you. I’ve done all I can."
It was confusing.
It sounded like nonsense, but there was a strange sense of plausibility to it.
"Can you swear on your parents’ names about your founder and sect?"
At that, the Palace Ghost barked.
"How dare you! Do you think my benefactor would lie about his founder and sect!"
To martial artists, the founder and sect were the most important elements.
Normally, such things were kept secret even from those outside the sect.
Jin Cheon-hee was essentially revealing it.
In truth…
‘Maybe I should’ve just said something like Xylitol Hwibahwiba instead of Hippocrates? No, no, there’s some truth to it, so it’s fine.’
Jin Cheon-hee spoke.
"How could I lie when swearing on my parents’ names?"
Jin Cheon-hee didn’t even know who his parents were.
But whether in Korea or the martial world, it was a deeply Confucian society.
Swearing on one’s parents’ names was a surefire way to make people believe you.