n

n

n“This way.”

nGa Moojin, the head of the guard for the goldenwall clan had a sense of déjà vu as he escorted the honored guest, the single acupuncturist.

nNow that he thought about it he had escorted the great doctor like this before.

nAnd a very similar occurrence unfolded.

nThe single acupuncturist’s gaze was fixated on Danyeong who was standing near Taesan’s pavilion.

n“Who is that child?”

nGa Moojin answered the single acupuncturist indifferently.

n“He is our prince’s servant.”

n“A servant? That boy?”

nGa Moojin quickly replied after seeing the look in the single acupuncturist’s eyes.

n“He doesn’t want to leave his side and won’t go anywhere. Even if you ask him to be your apprentice.”

nThe single acupuncturist made a face of disbelief. It didn’t make sense that anyone would reject his offer to be his apprentice.

nBut having read between the lines the single acupuncturist’s face hardened.

n“Well, I guess the great doctor came first…”

n“Yes. He went through the same process. Also, that child is not the only servant serving our prince.”

n“What do you mean?”

n“Come inside. You will naturally find out.”

nGa Mooji felt proud as he stepped inside the pavilion.

nWhen would someone like him have the chance to talk to someone famous like the single acupuncturist?

nOnce the single acupuncturist stepped inside the pavilion he would be surprised. Just as the great doctor did before.

nAs expected, the single acupuncturist stopped walking and came to a standstill as he stepped inside the pavilion.

nHe looked around at the servants cleaning the interior of the pavilion.

n“There seems to be…a lot of servants.”

nThere were a total of seven servants. If you included Danyeong who was outside it was a total of eight.

nAnd including Soso, a total of nine servants were serving Taesan.

nEveryone excluding Soso was from a brothel and had voluntarily come looking for Taesan to serve him.

nThey all put in their all to serve Taesan. No matter how hard the task they did not complain and did it happily.

nNot only that, they were beautiful. So much so that anyone who caught a glance of them would not be able to take their eye off of them.

nHe felt proud again.

nGa moojin looked at the single acupuncturist as if to show off that all these people were here to serve the prince.

n“All these kids came here voluntarily to serve the prince.”

n“They came…voluntarily.”

nGa moojin looked at the single acupuncturist and asked.

n“Were you interested in them because of their appearance and quality?”

nThe single acupuncturist nodded.

n“That’s right. It’s a waste to leave them here to waste their talents. I must make them my apprentice.”

n“That is their choice. Also, you need the prince’s approval.”

nThe single acupuncturist was about to shake his head but stopped himself.

nIt would eventually work out. Because he wanted it.

nA mere goldenwall clan could not stop his walk of life.

nBut before that, he wanted to resolve what he had planned and execute it after.

nAfter seeing the great doctor, and the rookie that tied him down to this place.

nAnd he was even willing to give him a consultation and if it was interesting give him an acupuncture session as well.

n“Let’s go in.”

nGa Moojin smiled brightly at the single acupuncturist’s reply and escorted him in.

n“This way.”

n***

nTaesan looked at the single acupuncturist seated opposite him.

nThe great doctor was seated next to Taesan.

nThe great doctor seemed very dissatisfied with the whole situation and glared at Ga Moojin who was seated next to the single acupuncturist.

nGa Moojin could empathize with how the great doctor must be feeling and made an apologetic look.

n“I have no excuses for you doctor, I hope you try to understand the thoughts of our head of the clan.”

nThe great doctor was about to reply when Taesan lifted his hand. He was telling him to keep quiet.

n“I understand, head of the guard you can leave now. I will finish things up.”

nGa Moojin looked at the single acupuncturist uncomfortably at Taejin’s words.

n“Wouldn’t it be more comfortable if I were around?”

nTaesan firmly shook his head.

n“It’s more comfortable if it’s just us.”

nGa Moojin bowed politely to both Taesan and the single acupuncturist respectively.

n“I…I leave him in your good hands.”

nHis statement was directed at both of them. To Taesan it was asking him not to offend the single acupuncturist. To the single acupuncturist, it was asking him to treat and cure Taesan.

nAs Ga Moojin left, the single acupuncturist opened his mouth and spoke eagerly.

n“I saw on my way here you have quite a collection of servants.”

nThe great doctor smiled as his first topic was on the servants first. It reminded him of the past and you could look into the kind of character the single acupuncturist was.

nInstead of replying, Tesan tried to assess the single acupuncturist.

nHe was able to tell a fair bit based on first impressions, but to know more in detail he needed a little bit of focus.

nTaesan’s eyes glowed as he finished assessing the single acupuncturist.

nHe was impressive. His state was much stronger than when he first saw him.

nHe knew how to properly channel his energy, and he definitely had good control of it.

nIt was a very difficult thing to control one’s own energy flow.

n“So you’re interested in my servants?”

nThe single acupuncturist’s brow frowned a little at Taesan’s words. He did not like the tone of his voice. How dare he treat him as someone beneath him.

nBut he seemed to do it naturally so he didn’t confront him.

n“Yes. Your servants, they are wasting their talent, I’ll take them and nurture them. Teach them medical and martial skills.”

n“I’m already teaching them martial skills though?”

nThe already single acupuncturist smirked.

n“Don’t try to compare your shallow martial skills to my worshipped skills.|

nThe single acupuncturist had the right to make such a statement.

nBut that was if his opponent was the golden wall clan. Unfortunately, he was facing Taesan, the former Cheonma.

n“You don’t even know what a worshipped skill is so it’s funny you think you can do better.”

nThe single acupuncturist chuckled.

n“I don’t need to know. I am going to teach them Huwawolgong.”

n“Huwawolgong?”

nTaesan frowned.

n“Isn’t that the skill a sex maniac uses?”

nHe was right. Huwawolgong was the skill a sex maniac evil spirit named the flower and moon spirIt used. But the single acupuncturist was brazen. So what. As long as it was a skill it didn’t matter who had used it, what mattered was that you were good at it.

n“It’s a good skill I acquired coincidentally.”

nWhen the flower and moon spirit was famous in his days, it survived combat with one of the Namgoong clan’s warriors.

nIt wasn’t able to win, but it was a big deal it even survived.

nThe single acupuncturist looked proudly at Taesan.

n“So you had an ulterior motive. Huwawolgong is not a martial art they can learn simply by training. Is it?”

n“So what if they did pay a price for learning a great skill! They will naturally end up doing it when they start serving me but it’s just being quickened a little.”

nTaesan couldn’t believe his ear so he quickly replied. He needed to suppress his ego.

n“The skill I’ve taught them is called Biryoungshingong. I wonder if you’ve heard of it before.”

n“Biryoungshingong?”

nThe single acupuncturist’s eyes enlarged.

n“It’s not the Biryoungshingong that I’m thinking of, is it? You better not be faking it with a skill that shares the same name.”

n“I don’t know what Biryoungshingong you know of, but the Biryoungshingong I’m referring to is the one used by Biryoung’s new army in the past.”

n“Don’t lie to me! That Biryoungshingong was practiced over a hundred years ago!”

nBiryoungshingong was a form of martial arts that was lost over time once Biryoung’s new army disappeared.

nBut what Taesan was teaching was the real Biryoungshingong. Because the reason behind the disappearance of Biryoung’s new army was the Cheonma clan.

n“It’s up to you to believe it or not. But why don’t you make a choice? Which would you choose between Biryoungshingong and Huwawolgong?”

nThe single acupuncturist shut his mouth as Taesan questioned. Anyone who knew about the two martial arts would definitely choose Biryoungshingong.

nSo the single acupuncturist changed his tactic.

n“I’m a doctor. So what I teach is a medical skill. Great martial arts? True, it’s good to know. But for a doctor, the first thing is about their medical skill. So you can do good in the world. Don’t you agree?”

n“It seems like you’ve never done any reflection in your life.”

nThen Taesan suddenly reached out his hand.

nThe single acupuncturist tensed up.

n‘What is this? Did I lose my breath? Me? To that rookie?’

nIt was an exquisite feeling when Taesan reached out his hand.

nEven it was by chance or a coincidence the likelihood of it was very low. For someone as pro as him to lose his breath, they had to attack his opening that was near impossible.

nEven if it was a coincidence it wasn’t something anyone could do.

nHe suddenly felt extremely defensive.

n“What is the meaning of this?”

n“What do you mean. Aren’t you going to do your medical consultation?”

n“Oh…yes. I will. I will.”

nThe single acupuncturist started to feel frustrated as he sensed that he was losing control of the situation.

nHe lightly grabbed a hold of Taesan’s wrist. He first needed to test it out. If what he felt was a result of coincidence or true skills.

nThe single acupuncturist’s presence was absorbed into Taesan’s body.

nThe single acupuncturist’s consultation relied purely on identifying the body’s internal force by the person’s pulse. That was the reason why his consultations were accurate and his acupuncture was so skilled.

n‘Well, he doesn’t have any internal force.’

nIt must have been a coincidence. For someone who was able to master Biryoungshingong and yet possessed no internal force, it meant he was someone not even trained in martial arts.

nBut as he continued to reach deeper, the single acupuncturist his initial thoughts were wrong.

nThis man was unable to master martial arts at all.

n“Your body is like a rag.”

nThat was the first thing the single acupuncturist said after he finished taking his pulse.

nTaesan smirked and asked.

n“Really? Is it that bad?”

n“Your larger pulses are barely there, but most of your smaller pulses have been cut off and there is no flow.”

n“So can it be cured?”

n“Of course it can be cured. But it will take a long time. You will need several needles acupuncture.”

n“So it’s not a single acupuncture.”

nThe single acupuncturist laughed.

n“My single acupuncture is only used to kill.”

nTaesan asked indifferently.

n“When you say it can be cured, you’re referring to the larger pulse?”

n“Of course. How much acupuncture do you think you would need if I targeted the small pulses? And if you continuously address the small pulses, the one you cured initially will break off again. This whole cycle repeats, so why would I do that?”

nTaesan looked to the great doctor.

n“That’s what he says?”

nThe corners of the great doctor’s mouth lifted. Taesan continued after witnessing it.

n“Your skills are better.”

nThe single acupuncturist looked appalled by Taesan’s declaration.

n“What…did you just say?”

n“I said that he is a better doctor. Because he said it can be fully cured in a few years.”

n“Don’t make me laugh! How can he do something I cannot?”

nTaesan smiled and only continued to talk about what he wanted.

n“So, your martial arts are falling behind, your medical skills are falling behind. What are you going to show me now?”

nThe single acupuncturist’s face looked almost distorted.

nHe only had one thing left to show.

n“I will show you my power.”

nTaesan scoffed.

n“Your brain isn’t working so you’re gonna use your strength to take it?”

nThe single acupuncturist replied confidently.

n“What’s the issue? If you hold onto treasures you need to have the power to guard it.”

nTaesan nodded.

n“That’s true. So how’s this?”

nThe single acupuncturist looked suspiciously at Taesan. He was on his toes in case he was swayed by his words.

n“Let’s make a bet.”

n“A bet?”

nThe single acupuncturist’s eye sparkled.

nThe reason why Taesan mentioned the bet was only because he found out from Haomoon’s information.

nBased on Haomoon, the single acupuncturist liked to make bets. And he was widely known to keep his end of the deal from the bet.

nEven though the single acupuncturist won the bet most of the time.

n“You like bets. Right?”

n“It’s not that I like bets. I like to win things fair and square.”

n“So, let’s do that.”

n“Fine. But I won’t do it unless I like the category.”

n“You’ll like it for sure. If you don’t, speak up. I’ll change it.”

n“You’re thinking of only betting your servants, but I have a different deal. Bet the one sitting next to you as well.”

n“Oh. That’s a big gamble?”

nTaesan looked to the great doctor.

n“What do you think?”

n“It’s our loss. He only has himself to offer, but my medical skills are more advanced.”

nThe single acupuncturist’s face turned red.

nTaesan shook his head.

n“Let’s take it easy. All you have to do is just win. Right?”

nHe emphasized his last word while looking at the single acupuncturist.

n“Yes. As long as I win.”

n“So you should bet something else. All you have to do is win.”

n“I only have myself to bet.”

n“Only yourself? After all those years of leading a medical life?”

n“Then what else do I have? I only need myself.”

nTaesan shook his head while tapping his head with a finger.

n“The real deal is inside your head not your body. Bet your soul. If you lose both your body and soul is mine. How’s that?”

nThe single acupuncturist laughed out loud, finding it absurd.

n“What, are you expecting fully loyalty to you?”

nTaesan nodded.

n“I mean exactly what I say. You just need to bet your body and soul.”

n“Fine. I’ll bet.”

nTaesan smiled widely and revealed the category.

n“How does a fight with me sound. One on one?”

nThe single acupuncturist stared at Taesan blankly.

n“You…must have no intention of winning?”

nTaesan looked at the single acupuncturist with a meaningful look.

nI got you.

n