Chapter 1713- That Will Do (8)

"This way!"

Meanwhile, the severely injured swordsmen of the Wudang Sect were being carried into the medical hall. The sounds of placing patients onto empty beds and searching for medicinal herbs began to echo noisily.

"Elder Heo Gong first!"

"Quickly, bring the Golden Wound Medicine and Yo Sangdan! His condition is too serious!"

"We need someone for Mu Jin Sasuk! Over here!"

"Damn it, where are the bandages? What are the people in the medical hall doing?"

Urgent and desperate voices burst out from all directions. The commotion grew more intense as a result.

Yet, even amidst the chaos, the disciples of Mount Hua remained silent as if they had all died.

After a suffocating silence, Gwak Hui muttered blankly.

"What... what do you mean, Sogaju? He can't be saved? That can't be true."

"..."

"Are you saying that Baek Cheon Sasuk... is going to die?"

It was a truly foolish question, but Tang Gunak couldn't blame Gwak Hui. He just opened his eyes, which had been closed, and let out a deep sigh.

Seeing this, Gwak Hui spoke more vehemently.

"Wait a moment, Sogaju! It's just a bit of burnt flesh, isn't it? I know that treating burns isn't easy, but we're talking about Baek Cheon Sasuk! Someone like him wouldn't be affected by something like this…."

Gwak Hui, who had unwittingly turned to look at Baek Cheon while speaking passionately, couldn't finish his sentence and inhaled sharply.

The words 'something like this' that he had uttered felt absurd. The only reason someone like Baek Cheon was still alive was because of his incredible resilience. If it had been anyone else suffering from such severe burns, they would have died long ago.

"If it were merely an injury to his flesh... your words would have been correct."

"...What?"

Tang Gunak slowly shook his head.

"But the injuries of the Sect Leader's substitute are far worse than that. As you said, the burns on the surface might not seem significant. The real issue, however, lies in the internal damage."

"..."

"If it were a mere external injury, we could pierce deep with needles, stimulating his energy to boost his recovery. But now, every place a needle could reach is burnt, making it difficult to draw out any energy. In fact, I doubt he has any energy left at all."

Everyone struggled to suppress the urge to cover their ears.

Instead of blocking out the harsh reality, they focused once more on the bedridden Baek Cheon.

"It's already a miracle that he's still breathing. As a physician... there's nothing more I can do. I'm sorry."

He's going to die.

Baek Cheon is going to die.

"Oh..."

A stunned sigh escaped Baek Sang's lips.

He had never imagined this. Though they had often talked about risking their lives and the possibility of dying, he never truly believed it would happen.

No, to be precise, he never thought Baek Cheon would die. Even if they did, Baek Cheon would always remain.

He was that kind of person. He was someone who wasn't supposed to die.

'This can't be happening.'

Indeed. Baek Cheon must not die. They couldn't let him go like this.

At that moment, a thought suddenly crossed Baek Sang's mind, causing him to tremble as he rummaged through his belongings.

"You said it's an issue of energy, right? Here! Energy can be supplemented with this elixir, can't it?"

He hastily pulled out and presented something to Tang Gunak.

"It's one of the few remaining Soul Vitality Pill of Mount Hua! I received it from the Sect Leader. With this, we can boost his energy and treat him…"

(T/N The Soul Vitality Pill is the cultivation pill Chung Myung and gang in the arc when he fought a Wudang elder in that massive cave. It was created and belonged to the strongest martial artist of a previous era. I don't remember his name though. Mb.)

"It's futile."

An expression of pity flickered across Tang Gunak's eyes as he looked at Baek Sang and the Soul Vitality Pill he held. Baek Sang's face contorted as he shouted.

"Why not? We have the elixir right here!"

"..."

"Sect Leader Baek Cheon's body has already absorbed as much of the Soul Vitality Pill energy as it can. Adding more will only cause the energy to overflow."

"But didn't you say that his energy is lacking? Now you're saying it will overflow? What kind of nonsense is that?"

Tang Gunak let out another long sigh. On the surface, this seemed like the same issue, but it was actually a different one. However, these people couldn't understand that.

No, to be precise...

"I understand why you don't want to accept it."

"..."

"But there's nothing more we can do. I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

Tang Gunak deeply bowed his head towards the disciples of Mount Hua. Of course, it wasn't his fault. The disciples of Mount Hua, and Tang Gunak himself, knew that well.

Even so, he bowed his precious head because he fully understood the significance of Baek Cheon and his death to the disciples of Mount Hua.

"Oh..."

Tang Gunak's gesture made the disciples of Mount Hua more acutely aware of the harsh reality. The fact that Baek Cheon, who had served as the Sect Leader's substitute, was about to take his last breath.

Faced with this overwhelming and terrifying reality, no one dared to speak.

But at that moment, a sharp shout suddenly erupted like a thunderclap.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

"Sahyung!"

"Move aside!"

Jo Gul, shoving aside a startled Gwak Hui with a rough push, limped towards Baek Cheon. Tang Gunak stepped in front of him.

"What are you trying to do?"

"If he lacks energy, then we just need to infuse more into him!"

"It's useless. Sect Leader Baek Cheon is in a state where he can't even retain the energy inside his body. It's like trying to fill a bottomless pot with water."

When Tang Gunak firmly blocked his way, Jo Gul glared at him with bloodshot eyes.

"Seems like you know a lot about medicine, but not much about logic, Sogaju."

"...What do you mean by that?"

"The way to fill a bottomless pot is to pour in more water than it loses! Damn it, we just have to keep pouring before it all leaks out!"

Tang Gunak bit his lip tightly.

"But then... the pot will break."

"That's something we won't know until we try, isn't it?"

"Listen, Jo Gul Dojang."

"Move aside. If you try to stop me any longer, even you, Sogaju, won't get away with it!"

A fierce killing intent radiated from Jo Gul's entire body. Tang Gunak closed his eyes tightly.

Tang Gunak understood. Jo Gul wasn't doing this out of ignorance or foolishness.

Even if what he did hastened Baek Cheon's death, he couldn't just stand by and accept it.

What words could possibly sway someone so desperate?

"Sogaju."

Baek Sang, who had almost crawled to him, clung to Tang Gunak's clothes.

"Please, save my Sahyung... Ga…Gaju-nim."

"..."

"Please, you can't let him die. He's not someone who should die like this. I'll die instead if you ask me to, so please, just save my Sahyung!"

"Listen..."

"No, damn it! He's not someone who should die here like this!"

No one could bring Baek Sang, who was on the verge of collapse, back to his senses. Eventually, Yoon Jong and Hye Yeon managed to lift him up and pull him back.

"Sasuk..."

"Shiju."

Baek Sang, who had momentarily lost his focus, suddenly burst out in anguish towards Baek Cheon, who lay there as if dead. Anger and resentment boiled in his eyes.

-

"Damn that man, damn it! Yes, I always knew he would die like that! A man whose body isn't even fully healed keeps throwing himself around like a rag, so of course, this was bound to happen! What on earth could be so important? What could be more important than his own life?!"

"...Sasuk."

"Sahyung, tell me. Are you satisfied now that this is the result? Do you feel fulfilled for keeping your boastful promises? You idiot! Answer me!"

"Sasuk, you're being too harsh...!"

Yoon Jong clenched his teeth, ready to shout, but then hesitated. Baek Sang was shedding tears, his entire face soaked.

"You... you idiot... you fool..."

"..."

Baek Sang collapsed to the ground, unable even to wail, his body trembling.

The disciples of Mount Hua began to bow their heads one by one. Though their expressions differed, everyone living under the name of Mount Hua felt the same way.

Perhaps Baek Cheon knew his fate. Perhaps he had been the one who stepped forward, knowing full well that this was the end.

To save even one more person. And to prove that everything he had said wasn't just empty words.

But no one here could take pride in Baek Cheon. No one could applaud or cheer for such a great and grand decision.

"Gaju-nim..."

Hye Yeon, with trembling hands, made a half-bow and faced Tang Gunak. Though his heart might align with the disciples of Mount Hua, he was from a different sect and had to do this difficult task. He had to initiate conversation and keep looking for a solution that didn't exist.

"Is there really... no other way?"

Tang Gunak spoke bitterly.

"The Deputy Sect Leader is both lacking in energy and overwhelmed by it."

"...What do you mean by that?"

"The Sun Palace Lord's yang energy is overflowing in his body. It's like he's been poisoned by a deadly toxin."

"..."

"That energy is burning away the Sect Leader's vitality, turning him into a dried-up desert. Even if he takes medicine, the Sun Palace Lord's yang energy will just burn through it, worsening the Sect Leader's condition."

"That's..."

Hye Yeon's face turned pale.

"Then, what if we use an extreme yin elixir..."

"It's the same."

Tang Gunak shook his head.

"If a blazing fire meets ice-cold water, it doesn't just cool down; it flares up even more intensely for a moment. The Sect Leader doesn't have the strength to endure even that brief shock. He's like a house that's already burned down. No matter how you try to put out the fire, the house will eventually collapse... It's inevitable."

Hye Yeon stared at Baek Cheon with a blank expression.

He could finally understand the situation completely. If Tang Gunak was right, then no remedy would work on Baek Cheon.

"Amitabha..."

All Hye Yeon could do was desperately chant in a trembling voice.

'Isn't this too cruel?'

Without Baek Cheon's life-risking strike, it would have been impossible to break through the Sun Palace Lord and clear a path. But the price was too horrific.

Step.

In the midst of the despair, someone approached Baek Cheon's bedside. Neither Gwak Hui, who had been blocking Jo Gul, nor Tang Gunak could stop this person.

The one who slowly approached was Yoo Iseol.

She stood beside the bed and gazed silently at Baek Cheon before closing her eyes.

Then, samae, you can protect me.

Yoo Iseol had failed to protect him. Instead, Baek Cheon had protected her and the other disciples of Mount Hua, all the while dragging his injured body.

What does it mean to be strong? What is the purpose of martial arts?

A soft voice escaped like a whisper.

"No, Sahyung."

Everyone held their breath.

"This can't be it. You need to give me more time."

"..."

"Please."

Her voice quivered at the end. Yoo Iseol, who had never trembled even when facing death, was shaking now. The unexpected sight shattered the last bit of resolve among the Mount Hua disciples.

Thud.

Someone collapsed on the spot, while another began to cry.

"Damn it..."

Even the mighty Jo Gul couldn't suppress his emotions, covering his face with both hands.

A deep sense of helplessness washed over everyone.

What's the point of becoming stronger? What's the point of sticking to righteous ideals? If you can't even protect what you need to, then what's the use?

How are they supposed to cope with such an overwhelming sense of loss and deep pain?

"Damn it!"

Boom!

Jo Gul slammed his fist into the ground. But then, someone unexpected spoke up.

"I'd like to hear more details."

Tang Gunak flinched and turned his gaze.

"Elder!"

"You shouldn't be up, Elder!"

Heo Gong, who had been lying on the bed like a corpse, raised his upper body and looked over at them with calm, lake-like eyes.