The Eldest Daughter of the Sichuan Tang Clan Protects Her Family

Chapter 10: The Divine Physician's Troupe

 
The cave was short.
Sohwa blinked against the sudden burst of sunlight. As her eyes adjusted, she took in the scene below: a small valley nestled between the mountains, a handful of thatched-roof houses surrounding a small cultivated field. A peaceful, idyllic village.

It was smaller than she expected. She had heard that the Divine Physician’s troupe consisted of over a hundred disciples, their residence a sprawling estate.
Her gaze settled on a figure in the courtyard of one of the houses.
Yeon-a.

She was animated, gesturing wildly and speaking rapidly to an elderly man who listened patiently, nodding slowly.
Sohwa’s gaze shifted, and she noticed another figure leaning against a tree in the shade. He, too, was dressed in simple clothes, like Yeon-a and the old man, but his presence carried a different weight, a subtle aura of authority. Tang Min noticed him as well, his voice hardening.
“We have another guest.”

The man’s head turned towards them, but before their eyes could meet, Tang Min stepped forward, his green robes obscuring Sohwa's view. His shoulder blades were tense, braced for a confrontation.
Worried that another fight would break out, Sohwa opened her mouth to intervene, then stopped.
A clear, refreshing scent reached her, the distinct aroma of cultivated internal energy. A pure, invigorating energy, like the essence of nature itself.

Sohwa's senses were less about keen perception and more about heightened sensitivity. She experienced the internal energy of others through a variety of sensations. Sometimes, it was like a fragrance, or a foul odor, assaulting her nostrils. Other times, it was a wave of heat, or a chilling cold, washing over her skin. Most often, however, she experienced it as a scent. Only when someone unleashed their internal energy, or possessed an exceptionally potent reserve, did she perceive it as temperature.
Once, in her previous life, she had even perceived it visually, a blinding light, as radiant as the sun. The source had been a merchant who had come to visit Namgung Hyeon, introduced as the fiancé of Jegal Cheon-yu, the daughter of the Jegal Clan Head. She had found the light emanating from Namgung Hyeon's office intriguing but hadn’t understood its significance. The merchant wasn't known as a martial artist, so she hadn't known how to interpret the visual manifestation of his internal energy. Was it simply a result of its immense power, or was it a different kind of energy altogether?
Now, she only knew that the internal energy she was sensing as temperature was far more potent than anything she had ever encountered before.

A calm voice interrupted her thoughts.
“I heard there’s someone who requires medical attention.”
Tang Min turned to look at Sohwa, his gaze questioning: ‘Are you going to drop the act now?’

Responding to his unspoken challenge, Sohwa stepped forward, and the old man's face came into full view. His appearance was as clear and serene as his cultivated internal energy. His posture was erect, his complexion healthy, and his dark eyes, nestled amongst the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, sparkled with intelligence.
The old physician’s gaze swept over Sohwa, assessing her condition. Then, he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice, “Are you suffering from a toothache, or perhaps you bit your tongue?”
Sohwa raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question, and the old physician chuckled. “The jeomchil said someone was coughing up blood, but you don't appear to have any internal injuries.”
Jeomchil?

Sohwa was puzzled by the unfamiliar term, a word that didn’t seem to fit Yeon-a. Tang Min’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Tsk tsk. Why tell a lie you know you can’t maintain? Now you’re just embarrassing yourself.” He chided her for her deception, then turned to the old physician, his eyes filled with admiration. “By the way, you must be a physician from the Divine Physician’s troupe. To discern her ruse simply by observing her complexion…”
“My name is Jincheol.” The old physician, seemingly uncomfortable with the formal address, smiled gently and offered a cupped-hand salute. Tang Min returned the gesture. “It’s a pleasure. I am Tang Min.”

“We can’t leave esteemed guests from such a prestigious clan standing outside. Though our dwelling is humble, we can offer you a cup of tea. Please, come in.”
A brief silence fell as Tang Min and the deputy leader exchanged glances.
Jincheol smiled at their silent communication. “There’s no need for such caution. We should be the wary ones, considering that members of the Sichuan Tang Clan have sought us out in our hidden sanctuary.” He added, his smile warm and inviting, “I happen to have some excellent tea. Please, follow me.”

There was a strange power in the old man’s voice, a disarming gentleness that eased their anxieties. His erect posture and steady voice exuded an air of calm confidence.
He turned and led them towards the thatched-roof houses. Tang Min gently grasped Sohwa’s sleeve, pulling her slightly behind him. It wasn’t a restraining gesture, but a subtle instruction to stay close.
Sohwa didn’t resist. She understood his concern and obediently followed, Tang Hak trailing close behind them.

Thud.
As they passed the row of houses, Sohwa’s brow furrowed. A thick, cloying scent of blood, like a bloody mist, emanated from the small dwellings. Each house was barely large enough to accommodate five or six people. At most, there could be twelve patients inside. For the scent of blood to be so overwhelming, their conditions must be dire.
Sohwa schooled her features, trying to maintain a neutral expression.

“We should request reinforcements.”
“Yes. Yoonjin has gone to send a message via carrier pigeon.”
She overheard Tang Min and the deputy leader whispering. They had sensed the gravity of the situation from the moment they arrived. Perhaps that was why they had hesitated to enter the village, sensing the life-threatening injuries of those within.

More than ten people with critical injuries, hiding in these remote mountains… There had to be a story there.
Sohwa discreetly observed her surroundings. Her gaze fell on a pile of goe-hwa blossoms and other medicinal herbs spread out on a wooden platform. The goe-hwa wasn’t for the old physician’s personal use but for treating the patients’ wounds.
Then, she noticed something else, something that made her frown. A pile of snake carcasses lay beside the herbs.

Chilbosa. Seven-Step Viper. A venomous snake whose bite was said to be fatal within seven steps.
Sohwa’s eyes darkened. She recognized the snake. Around this time in her previous life, she had been experimenting with chilbosa venom, attempting to improve the efficacy of her poison powder.
The poison powder, inhaled through the respiratory system, took time to be absorbed into the bloodstream, and its dispersal in the air made it less effective. Applying the poison directly to hidden weapons was costly, as many were lost or irretrievable. Reducing the time it took for the poison powder to take effect would not only increase its potency but also save on the cost of weapons.

She had dedicated considerable effort to improving the formula. And chilbosa venom had played a crucial role in her eventual success.
Chilbosa venom caused internal bleeding. Sohwa had hypothesized that inducing pulmonary hemorrhage with the venom would accelerate the absorption of the poison powder. The problem was that chilbosa vipers were rare and expensive. If she didn’t find the right balance, the cost would outweigh the benefits.
Fortunately, she had eventually succeeded, combining the chilbosa venom with less expensive poisonous herbs to create Mugikakhyeoldok – Airless Blood-Coughing Poison. A painful poison that caused victims to cough up blood instead of air.

A sudden realization struck Sohwa, and she let out a hollow breath. Chilbosa vipers were rare, yet she had always had access to them. The Umyeon Merchant Group, which supplied the Tang Clan with medicinal herbs, always seemed to have them in stock. The Tang Clan referred to ingredients used in poison-making as dokjae. Many dokjae were rare and difficult to obtain.
‘I had simply assumed I was lucky.’
It made sense if the Divine Physician’s troupe was one of Umyeon’s clients. They used a wide variety of unusual ingredients. There was often overlap between dokjae and medicinal herbs. Some poisons were also used in healing.

It was plausible that Umyeon, having procured the chilbosa for the Divine Physician’s troupe, had sent them to the Tang Clan first. Even in a mountain teeming with snakes, it was unlikely that an old man and a young girl could capture so many venomous vipers. The Umyeon Merchant Group must have been deeply indebted to the Divine Physician's troupe to provide them with such rare ingredients so readily.
A sudden suspicion flashed through her mind. ‘If the Divine Physician's troupe was located in Sichuan, why was the Tang Clan unaware of their existence?’ Not only she, but even her father, the Clan Head, had been completely ignorant of them. The Tang Clan gathered information on everything happening in Sichuan. And all that information was relayed to the Clan Head. It was strange that her father knew nothing about them.
The old physician’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “The aroma is somewhat unusual, but this is a rare and precious tea. Its delicate flavor is fit for the most discerning palates. Please, try some.”

Setting aside her suspicions, Sohwa sat down on the platform and took a sip of the tea.
Tang Min, finding the tea not to his liking, set down his cup after a single sip. Sohwa spoke on his behalf. “It’s delicious.”
“I’m glad it suits your taste.”

Tang Min, uninterested in the tea, glanced around the courtyard and asked casually, “Do you brew flower wine as well?” His gaze was fixed on several distillation apparatuses in the courtyard, steam billowing from their spouts.
The old man chuckled and shook his head. “The process is similar to flower wine brewing, but this isn’t for consumption. It’s a disinfectant.”
“Disinfectant?” Tang Min raised an eyebrow.

The old man nodded. “The Divine Physician taught us that even though we cannot see them, our hands are always covered in impurities. She stressed the importance of cleansing these impurities before touching a wound or performing surgery. This alcohol is used to sterilize our hands and instruments.”
“What a waste…” Tang Min’s face fell.
“Is anything more precious than a human life? A patient’s body is weakened, its ability to fight off infection compromised. Even a small amount of contamination can be fatal. Therefore, a physician must prioritize cleanliness as much as healing.” The old physician’s voice was serious.

Tang Hak, who had been unusually quiet, spoke softly. “I’ve heard rumors that the Divine Physician performs surgery, cutting into the human body. It seems they’re true.”
The old man smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Instead of answering, he turned to Tang Min and asked, “However, it seems you haven’t come here for medical treatment. May I ask why you’ve sought out the Divine Physician's troupe?”