HDCLSSRS Ch 96

Chapter 96 Lifeline (1)

Kang Ung was entering the Medical Hall for the first time.

This place, which specialized in medicine and pharmacology, existed more for formality than necessity.

Compared to ordinary people, martial artists were overwhelmingly healthy and resilient, and their natural healing abilities were exceptional. If they couldn’t recover on their own, the illness or injury would usually be so severe that they would die before even setting foot inside the Medical Hall. Because of this, most martial artists lived their entire lives without ever being examined by a physician, only to die without once receiving medical treatment.

Even so, Mount Hua’s head physician possessed considerable skill. The moment Seong Muyeon was carried in, he quickly grasped the severity of the situation and immediately began a diagnosis.

The interior of the Medical Hall, already quiet by nature, felt unbearably silent to Kang Ung.

That wasn’t all. The strange medicinal scent wafting in the air, the sight of Seong Muyeon’s alarming condition, and the tense movements of the physicians examining him—all of it combined into a heavy atmosphere that weighed down on the boy.

Baek Ryeoil, Ma Jincheon, Wang Hojun, and Seomun Yuha were all different in appearance and personality, yet at this moment, they shared the same grave expression, holding their breath and observing the situation silently. Beneath the surface of that silence, turbulent emotions surged—a fact Kang Ung could feel keenly, making it hard to breathe. After all, he felt the same way.

In the end, Kang Ung quietly withdrew, suppressing even the sound of his footsteps.

Though all of them were martial artists with keen senses, not a single one turned their gaze toward him.

“Huuuh…”

Even after stepping outside and taking deep breaths of fresh air, the suffocation did not lift in the slightest.

He sat on the steps, straddling a few at once.

Why did the sky have to be so clear when he felt this miserable?

Even the cheerful laughter and chatter of passersby sounded cruel. No—rather, Kang Ung wished he could be one of them, carefree and unburdened.

The fact that only moments ago, he had been as happy and untroubled as those children felt strangely alien now.

‘Why… why is this happening?’

He had known Seong Muyeon was a little less healthy than others, but he had never imagined he would see him coughing up blood.

Kang Ung buried his face between his knees.

‘I was the only one who didn’t know.’

The master, Wang sasuk¹, the head physician, even Seomun Yuha—they had all behaved as if they already knew. The only one who seemed as shocked as Kang Ung was Ma Jincheon, but that brought him no comfort.

There was clearly an illness, yet no one would explain what it was. All Kang Ung could do was infer its seriousness from the adults’ behavior.

How much time had passed?

When voices started coming from inside the Medical Hall, Kang Ung jumped to his feet and hurried back in.

The once-busy physicians had already departed, leaving only the head physician to deliver his diagnosis to those gathered.

Kang Ung quickly found a spot to the side, straining his ears.

The head physician had already spoken several words by the time Baek Ryeoil suddenly stepped forward, seizing him by the collar with a forceful motion. Through gritted teeth, he spat out each word with deliberate weight.

“Tell me clearly. What did you just say…?”

“I said there’s not much time left.”

The head physician’s tone remained calm.

Though his brow furrowed in anger, given the gravity of the situation, he did not rebuke Baek Ryeoil’s behavior and continued speaking.

“If we cannot find a solution right away, Young Master Seong Muyeon will not hold on for long. At most, three days. At worst… he may not survive past midnight.”

…He’s going to die?

Kang Ung reeled in shock, staggering backward a few steps.

How could this be possible?

He glanced up at Baek Ryeoil, whose eyes had widened with equal disbelief. Despite having known about the illness, no action had been taken until now. Why? The thought of it sent questions swirling through his mind.

Screeech—

Behind him, the sound of a chair dragging across the floor echoed.

Seomun Yuha, who had been sitting near the entrance since first arriving at the Medical Hall, stood up.

His face wore an uncharacteristically solemn expression.

As he began to cross the room toward Seong Muyeon’s bed, a massive figure stepped into his path—Baek Ryeoil.

Kang Ung had no idea what was happening. Yet instinctively, he felt uneasy seeing Seomun Yuha approach Seong Muyeon. A vague sense of danger gnawed at him, as if something terrible might happen.

Just as Seomun Yuha neared the bedside, Kang Ung nearly lunged forward—only to see Baek Ryeoil standing immovably, blocking the way like a mountain.

“……”

All traces of unease and agitation vanished from Baek Ryeoil’s face the moment he confronted Seomun Yuha. His expression was now utterly devoid of emotion.

The two stood locked in a silent standoff, their gazes fixed on each other. Watching this, Kang Ung finally relaxed.

If it was his master, he could be trusted. No matter what happened, Baek Ryeoil would protect Seong Muyeon. Kang Ung carried that strange, unshakable faith: to Seomun Yuha, Baek Ryeoil was an insurmountable wall.

But then something unbelievable occurred.

A flicker of pain crossed Baek Ryeoil’s face. He stepped aside.

It was as if he were granting permission to pass.

Kang Ung could not believe his eyes.

Seomun Yuha, momentarily startled, slowly walked past the space Baek Ryeoil had cleared and approached Seong Muyeon.

“Young Master! Young Master! Can you hear my voice?”

He clasped Seong Muyeon’s limp hand, calling out his name desperately.

Meanwhile, Baek Ryeoil did not spare them a single glance, instead staring blankly into a corner before turning and leaving the room.

Kang Ung immediately chased after him.

“Master! Are you just going to leave things like this?”

How could he?

“Master!”

Baek Ryeoil strode forward, his back rigid, his demeanor chillingly calm.

Kang Ung nearly had to run to keep up with him.

“Please, say something, Master!”

By now, a sense of betrayal was rising in Kang Ung’s chest.

His master’s back felt like an immense wall—unyielding, unresponsive, impervious to any knocks.

Tears welled up in his eyes, but even as they fell, his feet kept moving. He couldn’t turn back—not to the Medical Hall, nor to the lonely quarters that awaited him.

“Master…!”

At last, Baek Ryeoil stopped in his tracks.

Kang Ung blinked away his tears, bewildered at the building they had arrived at.

“The Headmaster’s Hall? Why here…?”

Without hesitation, Baek Ryeoil strode inside. Even considering that Mount Hua’s Headmaster was not one to demand excessive ceremony, his boldness was startling.

The young Kang Ung shrank nervously, yet followed closely behind his master’s shadow.

The Headmaster of Mount Hua, who always sat in the same place supporting the sect’s disciples, lifted his head in mild surprise at the unexpected visitors.

“A rare sight indeed—seeing you come seek me out.”

“Headmaster, I have a request.”

Crossing the long hallway from the entrance in brisk strides, Baek Ryeoil’s words caused the Headmaster’s brush, which had been moving swiftly over paper, to still.

The elder fixed him with an intense, gleaming gaze.

“Why? Did Young Master Seong Muyeon collapse?”

The direct hit of the question made Baek Ryeoil flinch. Kang Ung’s mouth also fell open in shock.

“How… how did you know?”

The Headmaster calmly hung up the brush, rolled up the scroll, and began tidying his desk.

“Is there anything within Mount Hua I do not know? Word from the Medical Hall has just reached me. So, what is this request of yours?”

“I am well aware that I am currently under a travel ban²… but please grant me permission to leave. There is someone I must find, urgently.”

The Headmaster’s eyes gleamed once more.

“You intend to seek out Master Yakseon³?”

“……”

Baek Ryeoil’s silence confirmed it. Kang Ung couldn’t help wondering if the Headmaster possessed some sort of mind-reading ability. In any case, it was clear his master intended to seek the renowned physician Yakseon. The boy felt slightly ashamed for having accused him of inaction earlier.

“Yes. Please allow it. To cure Seong Muyeon—Seventh Young Master—there is no other way.”

“Hmm. Indeed. I have heard that his illness is beyond the reach of most physicians. Certainly, within Mount Hua, there is no cure. But tell me this: what will you do if I refuse?”

“I will accept whatever punishment awaits me upon my return.”

Without hesitation, Baek Ryeoil gave a curt bow and turned to leave.

Flustered, Kang Ung faltered, torn between following his master and remaining behind to uphold decorum in front of the Headmaster.

“There is no need for that.”

The Headmaster’s voice was low and slow, yet carried undeniable weight.

He glanced toward the window, as if gauging the time.

“It should be about time.”

Right on cue, a disciple rushed in with an announcement.

“Headmaster! A guest has arrived—!”

“Step aside!”

The disciple never finished speaking. A woman barged in, pushing him aside and striding into the hall.

“Oh, you’ve finally arrived,” the Headmaster greeted her with a broad smile.

“Master Yakseon, Lady So Jayoung⁴.”

“I told you not to call me that,” Yakseon replied curtly, her posture leaning in casual defiance.

¹ Sasuk (사숙) – A respectful term used for one’s martial senior of the same generation as one’s master (i.e., “martial uncle”).

² Travel ban (금족령, Geumjok-ryeong) – A disciplinary order forbidding disciples from leaving sect grounds, often imposed as punishment or during sensitive periods.

³ Yakseon (약선) – Literally “Medicine Sage,” a title for a legendary or exceptionally skilled physician in martial arts settings.

⁴ So Jayoung (소자영) – Full name of the physician referred to as Yakseon; her personal name is Jayoung, surname So.