The Heavenly Demon Wants a Quiet Life - Chapter 53
Chapter 53: No Time to Feel Bored
The Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master started their day early, departing from the Hubei Martial Alliance to thoroughly inspect the medical clinics in Yichang.
The two carried serious expressions, blending tension and determination, as they meticulously observed the physicians at each clinic.
At first, they moved together.
The Needle Master didn’t trust that the Heavenly Divine Healer would share all the information with him.
Thus, they jointly confirmed the locations of all the clinics. Along the way, they evaluated the skills of the physicians working there.
After scouring Yichang several times, they eventually parted ways to visit the clinics separately.
“Nothing outstanding,” muttered the Needle Master, caught in deep thought.
No matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t find a physician of true skill. Everyone he encountered seemed average at best.
To meet the Needle Master’s exacting standards, a physician would need to already possess a renowned reputation as an exceptional healer.
Yet, there wasn’t anyone like that in Yichang.
The Needle Master felt an unsettling sense of anxiety.
What if the Heavenly Divine Healer stumbled upon an excellent physician first? That would be a catastrophic loss.
Before the bet began, he was confident that he had the upper hand.
After all, he prided himself on his superior ability to assess physicians.
The Needle Master’s techniques were not simply about skillfully inserting needles or ending lives. They allowed him to perceive the flow of qi, a unique martial skill.
By utilizing this ability, evaluating a physician’s capabilities was child’s play.
He could even assess the proficiency of individuals in entirely different professions.
The flow and aura that only a true master possessed could never be imitated. And the Needle Master, having encountered many such masters throughout his travels, was well-acquainted with their presence.
His task now was to locate a master physician whose flow matched that standard.
But to think there wouldn’t be one!
The Needle Master scoured Yichang like a comb through hair. Now that the wager had begun, he couldn’t afford to lose.
There was still some time left. He was determined to invest that time into finding a master physician, no matter what.
Meanwhile, the Heavenly Divine Healer faced the exact same dilemma.
For some reason, Yichang didn’t seem to have many decent physicians.
It was peculiar upon reflection, yet neither the Heavenly Divine Healer nor the Needle Master had noticed this oddity.
Both were too blinded by their bet.
•••
Byeok Taesan had already discarded his initial prejudice.
The Martial arts gathering was better than he had anticipated.
At first, his perception of the Martial arts gathering was based solely on those he had encountered: Seomun Jehak, Gu Yangsoo, and Chu Yeonghak.
The list extended only as far as Zhongli Woong.
Those encounters had given him a negative impression of the younger generation.
Yet, upon attending the assembly and observing the other members, he found them to be more decent than expected.
None of them were narcissistic braggarts, nor were they overly eager to exploit Yeon Harin’s beauty.
Admittedly, some were clearly captivated by her, but none seemed intent on acting on those feelings inappropriately—at least, not yet.
Perhaps they didn’t want to make Yeon Harin uncomfortable, so they put effort into avoiding any burdening behavior.
‘Is this why she was so insistent on bringing me here?’
It seemed likely that she had deemed it a place unlikely to produce trouble.
Building connections along the way was an added bonus.
Moreover, the attendees weren’t solely younger generation.
Key figures from the Hubei Martial Alliance were scattered around the venue as well.
The gathering wasn’t limited to influential individuals but included people from various fields.
These figures treated even the most absurd questions from the younger generation with sincerity.
What mattered wasn’t the nature of the question, but the insights gained through the process of finding answers.
Interaction among the younger generation was also lively.
They exchanged greetings, engaged in light-hearted small talk among allied families, and occasionally delved into serious discussions.
Some from neighboring regions even held earnest conversations about their families’ futures.
Byeok Taesan refrained from joining any of these groups, choosing instead to observe.
That alone was entertaining enough.
‘This is refreshing.’
It was a sight he would never encounter in the Demonic Cult.
In fact, such a scene would likely be rare even in the Martial Alliance or the Black Lotus Sect.
To Byeok Taesan, this gathering symbolized the Hubei Martial Alliance’s potential.
The organization would continue to grow as long as this freshness remained or until the assembly became so routine that it lost its impact.
While Byeok Taesan enjoyed simply spectating, Yeon Harin grew increasingly conscious of his presence.
This left her slightly detached from the event.
Although Byeok Taesan noticed, he chose not to address it.
Intervening would achieve nothing. Sometimes, doing nothing was more meaningful.
Later, she would likely come to realize that even this experience had its value.
As the gathering progressed, a true disruption arrived.
“A- Alliance Leader!”
At the shout, all eyes turned to the entrance.
Standing there was the Alliance Leader, surveying the room with a satisfied expression.
No search was necessary. Upon entering, his gaze immediately fell on Yeon Harin, then shifted to Byeok Taesan, who stood nearby.
Baek Liyeop strode toward Byeok Taesan with confident steps.
The entire room’s attention trailed the Commander until he stood before Byeok Taesan, at which point all eyes shifted to him.
For most people, this situation would be either awkward or cause for pride.
Yet, Byeok Taesan remained unaffected.
He simply stared blankly at Baek Liyeop, tilting his head.
“I feel like I’ve seen you before…”
Baek Liyeop’s face seemed oddly familiar.
Gasps echoed as people exchanged shocked glances between Byeok Taesan and Baek Liyeop.
He had been addressed as “Alliance Leader,” yet Byeok Taesan uttered such a casual remark.
The onlookers seemed more flustered than Byeok Taesan himself.
“Did you not receive my summons?” asked Baek Liyeop.
At that, Byeok Taesan clapped his hands as if in realization.
“Ah, right!”
Baek Liyeop regarded him with a mixture of exasperation and intrigue.
It was a rare experience for the Baek Liyeop to encounter someone so unperturbed by his presence.
Especially from the younger generation.
However, contrary to the Baek Liyeop’s assumptions, Byeok Taesan genuinely remembered.
Baek Liyeop had once been a novice attendant at negotiations between the Martial Alliance and the Demonic Cult.
At the time, he had freely unleashed his overwhelming presence, and among the two people who had endured it, one had left quite an impression.
The other person who had withstood the presence of the Heavenly Demon back then was none other than the Martial Alliance Leader.
The reason Baek Liyeop,, had managed to endure the Heavenly Demon’s aura was not due to his martial arts prowess.
In fact, among those who attended the negotiation at the time, Baek Liyeop was one of the weakest.
Yet, he had endured purely through sheer willpower.
To have set his resolve and endured the Heavenly Demon’s overwhelming presence—it had been impressive, to say the least.
That had been decades ago.
The once promising young man was now the leader of the Hubei Martial Alliance, standing here as an accomplished figure.
“Ah, I’m going to get an earful from the Patrol Division Leader for this.”
He had come here under the pretext of meeting the younger generation prodigies and had intended to meet Byeok Taesan as a side trip, but his priorities had shifted.
Baek Liyeop looked at Byeok Taesan with a sharp gaze and spoke.
“Let’s have a word, shall we?”
Byeok Taesan openly displayed a look of annoyance.
“It’s probably best to talk with someone who’s actually interested…”
As he spoke, Byeok Taesan casually glanced around.
Baek Liyeop, unconsciously following his gaze, also glanced around.
Everyone was looking at him with eyes brimming with expectation.
“Well, it seems I’ll be getting nagged by the Patrol Leader today.”
Baek Liyeop murmured to himself and then addressed the surrounding people.
“I came here with the intention of speaking with everyone, one by one, so carry on with what you were doing.”
The people around him seemed ready to cheer with excitement.
Truthfully, meeting Baek Liyeop was almost impossible, even at gatherings of younger generations.
Now that the opportunity had presented itself, everyone was too excited to focus on anything else.
Baek Liyeop gave a wide grin as he turned back to Byeok Taesan.
“You’re first.”
Byeok Taesan matched his grin.
“I’ll pass. Move on to the next person.”
Baek Liyeop’s expression twitched.
‘This brat, huh?’
If he let this go, he wouldn’t be the Baek Liyeop.
“Do you think opportunities to talk with me come easily? Don’t waste this chance. Let’s go somewhere quiet.”
Byeok Taesan acted as though he hadn’t heard Baek Liyeop at all and scanned the area again, spotting someone whose eyes practically burned with eagerness.
“You, over there!”
The man Byeok Taesan pointed at jumped in surprise, his eyes widening.
“M-Me?”
“Congratulations. You’re chosen.”
“Chosen? What do you mean…”
“You’ve just earned the chance to speak with the best in Hubei.”
The man, who looked to be just under twenty, broke into a radiant smile at Byeok Taesan’s words, though he soon started glancing nervously at the Baek Liyeop.
Baek Liyeop chuckled dryly. Then, with a smile, he beckoned the young man.
“Come here. We won’t talk long, but we can exchange a few words.”
Byeok Taesan quietly stepped back as the Baek Liyeop started conversing with the prodigy.
If the guy, who used to be a brat, started lecturing him as an adult, Byeok Taesan might just lose his temper.
‘If I hit Baek Liyeop, would I get away with it?’
While thinking this, Byeok Taesan glanced over at Yeon Harin.
She was looking at him with a mix of concern and astonishment.
Byeok Taesan flashed her a grin, as if to say not to worry, and slipped away from the scene.
“That’s it for today.”
Yeon Harin neither stopped him nor followed him, standing there in silence.
••••
The Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master were carefully inspecting the physicians they had brought.
“Hmm.”
A hum escaped both of them simultaneously.
Having toured most of the medical halls in Yichang, they were already familiar with each other’s choices.
Yet, the skills of the physicians before them were truly ambiguous.
The physicians, called by the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master, struggled to hide their discomfort and anxiety.
Initially, they thought this was just a simple house call. The payment had been so generous that they had postponed other matters to come here.
But upon arrival, they found the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master waiting.
These were physicians famed across the world, and being summoned by them was enough to set hearts racing.
The Needle Master, in particular, was notorious among physicians.
Most of the bad reputation stemmed from his early days of earning renown.
He often resorted to violence during medical disputes, and since the Needle Master was a martial arts expert, the physicians inevitably bore the brunt of his frustrations.
That reputation still lingered, circulating as a legendary tale among the medical community.
Thus, anyone introducing themselves as the Needle Master could not help but induce fear.
And though the Heavenly Divine Healer’s reputation wasn’t as infamous, being in the same company as the Needle Master led others to assume he was similar.
“For now, let’s take both of them.”
“Fine. We’ll alternate between them each day.”
“It’d be better to take them both at once if the Young Master allows it… That way, the results would be definitive.”
“Then let’s consult the Young Master.”
The physicians, unsure of what was being discussed, grew increasingly nervous.
Why did this atmosphere feel like they were about to be sold off somewhere?
They regretted coming here for the money.
“Um…”
One of the physicians mustered his courage to speak, but the Needle Master cut him off sharply.
“There’s no need for you to speak. If you waste time with pointless chatter, I’ll show you why they call me the Needle Master.”
The threat shut their mouths as they watched the two with uneasy glances.
“Just endure for a while. It’ll be over soon, so don’t worry too much.”
The Needle Master grinned as he reassured them, though his expression only deepened their dread.
“Follow me.”
Byeok Taesan glanced at the two physicians brought by the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master.
“So, you want me to take them both at once?”
“Yes. Is it possible?”
Byeok Taesan stroked his chin thoughtfully.
He had never attempted it and had never even considered it before, but now that it was suggested, he was intrigued.
“And you want me to tell you which one was more useful?”
The Needle Master’s eyes sparkled.
“Yes, it’s a critical matter.”
Byeok Taesan smirked.
“Critical, huh? More like a bet. Fine, it sounds amusing. I’ll give it a try.”
He gestured for the two physicians to follow.
With hearts heavy like cattle heading to the slaughter, the two reluctantly entered the room Byeok Taesan had indicated.
“Seriously, life’s never boring with all these oddballs around.”
The expressions of the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Needle Master twisted at his comment.
They had a lot to say, but they bit their tongues with all their might.