Afterward, Jaseong returned to the thatched cottage and fell onto his bed, sleeping as if dead.
He did not wake for three whole days, neither eating nor drinking anything during that ti.
However, at so point during his deep sleep, an unexpected dream visited him.
'Where is this...?'
In the dream, Jaseong looked around. The place was a space utterly unlike reality.
An endlessly expanding sea of clouds. Below his feet, pure white clouds flowed in waves, while high above, a golden sunset stretched out endlessly.
Around him, celestial cranes drifted gracefully through the sky.
'Is this... perhaps, the Celestial Realm?'
While Jaseong was surveying his surroundings, suddenly—
"ow—"
A familiar cry echoed above his head. When Jaseong looked up, he saw a giant white cat sitting before him.
Unlike when she manifested in the world, it was Night Cat Celestial Spirit in her true form.
"Night Cat Celestial Spirit...?"
As befitted the title of Divine Beast, the real Night Cat Celestial Spirit exuded an incredible sense of presence.
A faint golden hue emanated from her entire body, and a mystical halo shone above her head.
"I thought you'd need several years of nurturing, but you managed to find your path so soon."
Night Cat Celestial Spirit looked down at Jaseong as she spoke.
"Moreover, to comprehend the marvels of Heaven Evading Celestial Formula with a mortal body, when only the immortals of the Celestial Realm can usually achieve it... truly astonishing."
Night Cat Celestial Spirit gave Jaseong a look filled with praise.
When they t in the world, she had always been quick to scold and belittle Jaseong, but now her gaze seed almost benevolent.
"Because of that, the immortals of the Celestial Realm—including the Sword Immortal—are now paying attention to you. However..."
"?"
"It's still too soon to rejoice."
Abruptly, Night Cat Celestial Spirit's voice turned low.
At the sa ti, the bright Celestial Realm darkened like the night sky.
"Perhaps a Great Evil will co seeking you."
"A Great Evil...? Who is that?"
"This will be the first Great Evil you will face since becoming executor of Heaven's Mandate. Prepare yourself for that ti."
Night Cat Celestial Spirit left him with those ambiguous words.
Then, as the surrounding scene began to blur, the lengthy dream finally ended.
"Huff...! Huff...!"
Jaseong woke up, panting for breath. Inside the thatched cottage. It was still night.
Jaseong sat cross-legged, mulling over the words Night Cat Celestial Spirit had left him.
'The greatest Great Evil among all the evils I've ever faced... Who in the world could it be?'
* * *
The next morning.
"Great hero! You've woken up!"
Lee Rin, who had co to check on Jaseong's condition, suddenly threw her arms around him with a shout.
It was clear just how much she had worried about him.
"... That hurts. Let go so we can talk."
"I was so worried! I thought Great hero might never wake up! Waaah!"
"I appreciate your concern but... you're hurting ..."
While Jaseong was fending off(?) Lee Rin, the commotion drew Gu Janghu and the North Sea's protectors.
They too looked delighted to see Jaseong awake.
"Hall lord, you've been through a lot."
Gu Janghu spoke. Next, Eternal Divine Physician addressed him.
"You've awakened. I thought you'd be out for at least two more days."
"I feel much more refreshed. Thank you so much for healing , master."
"Is that all?"
"Pardon?"
Eternal Divine Physician gazed quietly at Jaseong.
It seed he still could not sense the internal power from two 60-year cycles that now lay dormant within him.
"In any case, your unsettled vitality is not yet fully recovered. We will now begin the second treatnt. The good news is, this step isn't as painful as the first."
"... That's a relief."
"But it will take a long ti."
"How long will it take?"
"That, I cannot say. It depends entirely on you."
No matter how long it would take, Jaseong had to endure if it ant he could restore his vitality and form his middle dantian.
Soon after, Eternal Divine Physician once again led Jaseong into the usual cave.
There, a massive stone bath prepared by Eternal Divine Physician awaited.
Inside the bath, steaming water infused with various elixirs rippled.
Tianshan Snow Lotus, hundred-year Polygonum multiflorum, purple Mist Ganoderma, jade Bone Grass, and more.
Each and every ingredient was said to be worth a thousand gold, rare elixirs filling the bath with a mild dicinal fragrance.
Only the Eternal Divine Physician could have gathered such rarities.
"Get in."
As Jaseong entered the bath, the special dicinal water enveloped his body.
An indescribable energy, both searing hot and refreshing, surged into his body.
"Turn your back to ."
Jaseong, now in the bath, turned his back to Eternal Divine Physician.
Eternal Divine Physician then began injecting his internal energy into Jaseong's back.
Chwaaaa—
Blue energy traced down Jaseong's back and seeped deeply inside.
The energy t with the Heaven Evading Way energy in Jaseong's lower dantian and gathered near his heart.
Thanks to this, the energy around Jaseong's heart began to solidify.
'This is... a sensation similar to when I tried to form the middle dantian with the Heaven Evading Celestial Formula...'
Due to the bath's energy and Eternal Divine Physician's internal force, Jaseong's entire body flushed red.
"How is the pain?"
"... Bearable, more or less."
"You really are one with dull nerves."
"... Is that a complint?"
"If you complete this treatnt, your internal power will double—up to two 60-year cycles."
"What...?"
"Why so surprised? After using every elixir at my disposal, this much effect is to be expected."
It was sothing for which Jaseong could only be deeply grateful.
If his internal power increased, his cultivated power would surge as well, and the duration of the Celestial Gate Opening Art would lengthen, too.
One could hardly ask for a greater stroke of fortune.
'If I also form the middle dantian using Heaven Evading Celestial Formula, then...'
While Jaseong continued his treatnt in the cave, Lee Rin and Gu Janghu stood guard at the entrance.
Unorthodox sect experts might attack, after all.
But contrary to their worries, none ca.
News of the Killing Valley lord's death had spread, and now it was widely understood that none could touch Eternal Divine Physician lightly.
And thus began a month of repeated routine.
Each morning, Eternal Divine Physician would place Jaseong in the special dicinal bath and infuse him with internal energy.
In the afternoon, after pulling Jaseong out of the bath, he'd begin teaching him basic dicine with Lee Rin.
"Unlike ordinary physicians of the Central Plains, I infuse my internal energy into acupuncture needles to maximize their effect."
Eternal Divine Physician held a long needle as he spoke.
"Starting now, the acupuncture you will learn can save the lives of your comrades—or even your own. Watch closely and rember."
Jaseong listened intently to Eternal Divine Physician's explanation.
At first, he'd only wanted to learn the physician's mysterious martial arts rather than dicine.
But as he started learning, he beca increasingly fascinated with the profundity of dicine.
'The dical arts of Eternal Divine Physician share similar principles with the Heaven Evading Alchemy taught by Immortal Physician Dongfang Hwabin. If I master this, it will surely prove useful in the future.'
Lee Rin, too, showed a remarkable talent for dicine.
Her delicate, feminine touch was a perfect fit for learning Eternal Divine Physician's acupuncture.
Thanks to this, the once-cold and indifferent Eternal Divine Physician's attitude gradually beca more gentle toward their group.
"Alright, everyone, take a seat."
One evening, Eternal Divine Physician personally set the table.
Until now, the North Sea's protectors had prepared their als, but today he insisted on cooking himself.
On the table were simple but carefully prepared dishes.
Porridge boiled with dicinal herbs like Dang-Gui, astragalus, asparagus Cochinchinensis, and ginseng; fresh mountain vegetable namul; various teas brewed from herbs, and so on.
"Wow, these are all foods that act as dicine, aren't they?"
At Lee Rin's exclamation, Eternal Divine Physician smiled contentedly.
"It's said dicine and food co from the sa source. What we eat itself becos dicine. Let's eat."
But the mont Lee Rin scooped up a spoonful and tasted the porridge—
'Ugh...?!'
She barely managed to suppress her gag reflex. It tasted as if she was eating dirt straight from the ground.
Next to her, Gu Janghu froze on the spot, still holding his spoon.
'Th-this... Is this even dicine, or is it poison...?'
The North Sea protectors had similar reactions. All suffered the numbing tornt of tasting Eternal Divine Physician's concoction.
The only one eating undisturbed was Jaseong.
[Gr-Great hero... Do you actually like this porridge...?]
But the truth was, Jaseong managed to eat the porridge only for a different reason.
[It reminds of the 'garbage porridge' I ate as a child.]
[Huh...?]
With eyes clouded by nostalgia (?), Jaseong responded.
Each of them fought the urge to put down their spoons. But seeing how happily Eternal Divine Physician ate, none dared refuse.
"Mmm. Food that's good for the body is delicious, as expected."
"......"
"Jaseong, you've already finished your bowl. Have so more. There's plenty."
"... No need, really."
"Don't be shy. I've prepared more than enough for everyone."
"...?!"
Jaseong and his companions forced down each spoonful, vowing never to let Eternal Divine Physician handle the als ever again.
* * *
Thus, peaceful days continued in Eternal Divine Physician's hideout.
For Jaseong, who had spent so long expanding his power and seeking vengeance, it was finally a mont of respite.
His comrades, too, enjoyed a rare chance to relax and regroup.
In particular, Gu Janghu lost track of ti in his zeal to train in new martial arts.
'This is the martial art of my own clan... Though it's my first ti learning it, it cos to as naturally as if it were always a part of my body.'
In the forests of Zhongnan Mountain, Gu Janghu's flying blade danced fiercely.
While Jaseong received his treatnt and studied dicine with Lee Rin, Gu Janghu poured himself into mastering the Guryong Clan's secret martial technique, the Guryong Flying Blade.
But this peaceful ti was abruptly shattered without warning.
Goooo!
A trendous presence suddenly shook Zhongnan Mountain. The sheer oppression was as though a gigantic mountain range were moving.
"?!"
Imdiately, Gu Janghu ceased training and looked toward the source of the energy.
Inside the thatched cottage, Lee Rin and Jaseong also hurried outside in shock.
"Protector Gu, what is that presence?"
"I don't know. I just suddenly sensed it coming from the woods over there."
Then, under the moonlight, an old man slowly descended from the air.
His white hair was tied back, and he wore a blue robe. The air around him seed to swirl like a vortex.
This was the sect leader of Zhongnan and one of the Ten Great Experts of the orthodox faction—Xuanxu Sword Immortal, Zhong Yeob.
The very mont he arrived.
Naturally, Lee Rin and Gu Janghu didn't recognize the Zhongnan sect leader at first.
After all, they had never t him.
But unlike them, at that mont, Jaseong's body froze.
'T-That's...!'
Bloodshot veins appeared in Jaseong's eyes, and his hand unconsciously tightened around his sword hilt.
For here stood one of the great enemies who had rcilessly slaughtered his eldest brother and sister-in-law back at Ansun's Red Light District.
But the Zhongnan sect leader failed to recognize Jaseong.
Back then, Jaseong had been nothing but a powerless boy in the Red Light District.
"Sect leader of Zhongnan, to what do we owe the honor of your visit?"
Eternal Divine Physician stepped out from the thatched cottage to face Zhong Yeob.
Though both were mbers of the orthodox faction, a cold atmosphere filled the space between them.
"Eternal Divine Physician. I have co for your answer regarding the previous proposal."
Zhong Yeob's voice rang out, chillingly cold. At that mont, Eternal Divine Physician's gaze also turned icy.
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