Sigh… I told him to hold back. But would a martial arts novel protagonist listen to anyone?
At least Yeo Ha-ryoon could’ve pretended to play along. Jin Cheonhee hadn’t expected him to unleash the Heaven-Shattering Void Strike right off the bat.
If not for the Blood Immortal Sect, I’d be a public enemy of the martial world by now.
The righteous, unorthodox, and demonic factions might tolerate some chaos at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, giving them a flimsy excuse. But it would make things a hassle for his master, who’d likely start eyeing Jin Cheonhee’s sworn brothers like pests—troublesome brats tarnishing his disciple’s reputation. Sama Hyeon and Cheon Woo, caught in the crossfire, would feel unfairly blamed.
Still… it was the only way to end that situation with minimal time and effort.
Jin Cheonhee had hesitated, but Yeo Ha-ryoon charged forward. That was the protagonist’s style—the essence of the Supreme Heavenly Demon himself.
As a martial arts novel fan, part of Jin Cheonhee’s heart thrilled, but the cleanup was a stark reality.
Namgoong Woon is bound to get kidney stones again, no matter how much I nag.
No matter how much Jin Cheonhee scolded, Namgoong Woon was destined to keep relying on the White Dragon Medical Pavilion. Jin Cheonhee understood the romantic allure of a martial artist’s “elegance,” but could it truly outweigh life itself? He knew the answer but had come to accept that Namgoong Woon would sooner die than give up drinking.
In the modern world, we’d call this alcoholism, wouldn’t we?
His doctor’s conscience grappled with his martial arts fanboy side.
No, it’s elegance. A martial artist’s love for liquor is a virtue…
No, wait—even if it’s a virtue, martial artists aren’t immune to liver cirrhosis in old age. Look at Namgoong Woon with his kidney stones already…
But… isn’t swinging swords and stabbing each other’s guts inherently bad for health?
His doctor’s conscience began questioning the very foundation of the martial world.
Enough. Stop.
Namgoong Woon was fated to be a lifelong patient of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion, and it was time the clan leader accepted that. For Namgoong Woon to truly recover, he’d need to abstain from alcohol—an impossible task.
Mid-thought, Jin Cheonhee shouted, “Everyone! What are you doing in front of a patient?!”
Remarkably, his voice struck the eardrums of others but spared Thieving Phantom’s granddaughter, Gong Yubing, causing her no disturbance. It was an application of Six Harmonies Voice Transmission, a technique typically used to mask the speaker’s location by projecting sound from all directions. Having mastered the Seven Demons Zither sound art, Jin Cheonhee could wield it with such precision.
The Namgoong Clan warriors paled at this display of control.
He’s reached that level?
Martial arts and sound arts, though related, stemmed from different roots.
Without profound insight and internal mastery, such a feat would be impossible.
Amid their shock, Namgoong Woon spoke calmly, “Ahem. Jin-au’s sound art is impressive. Indeed, we shouldn’t disturb a patient. Come, uncles, let’s go.”
“Un, you rascal! You sided with the deputy leader—mmph!”
“Come now, uncles. He’s not called ‘Mad’ for nothing. Let’s not escalate this and send them off.”
Namgoong Woon muffled one of the Twin Dragon Dual Swords and dragged him out. The other elder followed with a disgruntled expression, suggesting a familiarity with Namgoong Woon.
Jin Cheonhee turned to the others. “Everyone, out.”
Soon, the Namgoong Clan members, including the servants, left. Only Thieving Phantom and Yeo Ha-ryoon remained.
Jin Cheonhee considered sending Yeo Ha-ryoon out but decided against it. Even though the Namgoong Clan and White Dragon Medical Pavilion were allies, leaving the half-exposed “Little Heavenly Demon” of the Demonic Cult outside could spark trouble.
He focused.
As expected…
After maintaining his stance for a while, he identified Gong Yubing’s condition. By holding her wrist and channeling qi to probe her illness, he confirmed it instantly.
Acute renal failure. I had a feeling…
Acute renal failure. A condition where the kidneys fail to function properly, leading to azotemia (buildup of nitrogenous waste in the blood) and imbalances in fluids and electrolytes. The kidneys normally filter waste into urine, processing about 180 liters of blood daily—an immense task. When they malfunction, urine output drops, waste accumulates, causing uremia and triggering complications. Without swift treatment, death is likely.
The mortality rate is a staggering 75%.
Early treatment boosts survival, but studies show about 5% of patients suffer permanent kidney damage—colloquially, their kidneys are “shot.” They lose function entirely, requiring lifelong medical support to filter waste.
In the modern world, dialysis exists. But in this medieval martial world, acute renal failure is a death sentence. Even with Earth’s technology, permanent damage is common.
Causes vary, often complex. Identifying them is key to treatment.
Jin Cheonhee had already suspected the cause for Gong Yubing.
Poisoning… that’s the culprit.
Reading martial arts novels, he’d often wondered: when a poisoned martial artist takes an antidote and recovers, what about the strain on their liver and kidneys? High-level martial artists have different metabolisms—stronger, faster, more efficient, depending on their art’s nature (demonic, orthodox, unorthodox, or elemental). But that efficiency could make them more vulnerable to damage.
Some martial artists endure poisoning for years, even a decade. How do they fare? Gong Yubing, a civilian, had been poisoned by a chronic toxin from the Blood Immortal Sect, with no antidote. Her kidneys were severely damaged.
The Blood Poisonous Pearl’s miraculous power had neutralized the poison, but her ravaged kidneys couldn’t function properly.
No medicine, acupuncture, or surgery can fix this.
The liver and kidneys process drugs and toxins. Administering medicine to someone with failing kidneys is like pouring more soy paste into an overflowing, rotting filter—it spills over, or worse, tears the filter apart. A destroyed kidney doesn’t recover, even without further toxins.
On Earth, kidney patients sometimes end up in the ER after taking concentrated supplements without consulting a doctor.
Even visiting the Medicine Sage of Hwaju Medical Pavilion won’t help.
The martial world offered one advantage: true qi. Gong Yubing’s life was being sustained by the supreme energy of a martial artist, but her kidneys weren’t healing. It was like pouring water into a cracked jar—a temporary measure.
Like the former Beggar’s Sect leader or Wang Gak-yeon, treatment was impossible; survival depended on inner energy until it ran dry.
Without addressing the root cause, there was no solution.
So, Jin Cheonhee had prayed before meeting Thieving Phantom, hoping her granddaughter’s kidneys weren’t completely dead.
Thankfully… no complications, likely due to true qi. Normally, electrolyte imbalances would weaken immunity, causing infections…
The martial world was barbaric. Many doctors mocked Jin Cheonhee’s hygiene practices as obsessive, and antiseptics, soap, and plumbing were scarce. That Gong Yubing avoided infection while being carried by Thieving Phantom was a miracle, explainable only by the blessing of true qi.
True qi is the best.
With that thought, Jin Cheonhee delicately channeled qi into her kidneys, assessing their condition.
Please… please…
If even a sliver of function remained, he could find a way.
Sweat beaded on his forehead. After a moment—
It’s there.
A relieved smile spread across his face.
They’re not completely dead.
The human body is miraculous. Kidneys and livers can retain some function up to a point. Once lost, it’s gone forever, but if any function remains, recovery is possible.
Now it’s a race against time.
“Namgoong Woon, you out there!”
“Jin-au, you called?”
Bang!
Namgoong Woon opened the door, clearly loitering outside.
“What’s the status on the medical equipment I asked the White Dragon Medical Pavilion’s Wuhu branch to bring?”
“They’re on their way.”
“Good. Tell them to bring it here immediately. I’ll prepare in the meantime.”
“You’re treating her here?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, alright. But… keep the drinking thing a secret from Father, okay?”
This guy…
Jin Cheonhee shot him a glare. Muttering, “Yikes, that’s intense!” Namgoong Woon scurried out.
After a brief sigh, the door opened again. Namgoong Woon was back.
Why’s he back already?
“The people you called have arrived.”
“Send them in.”
Jin Cheonhee began his work.