Chapter 197: Chapter 195

Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors

After returning to Mangnyang, he called upon General Hwang Yeon to confirm the rescue of his family. As General Hwang rejoiced, Mangnyang said,

“General, we have fulfilled our promise, so please take the fulfillment of yours seriously as well.”

“Hmm… Of course. However, there is a problem.”

“A problem? What do you mean?”

“If I confront the Emperor directly about the injustice of this affair, there will be no one to help. I need political strength beyond military authority.”

At this, Mangnyang replied,

“I plan to bring Deung Gwak to our side.”

“Deung Gwak? Is that even possible?”

“The purposes of our missions align. Especially when there is evidence or testimony of those who have suffered at the Great Dungeon, it is certainly feasible.”

“Hmmm… Then I won’t hold back my old bones either.”

Once their conversation concluded, Mangnyang went to speak with those who had been rescued. When he returned, I asked him,

“I attempted to persuade Deung Gwak once before but failed. You must know this, so what do you plan to do?”

Indeed, Deung Gwak, the leader of the Clear Stream Faction and a highly esteemed official, was known for his incorruptibility. He had the political clout to navigate through the intrigues of the Imperial Palace and Golden Crow Legion. Deung Gwak had a significant political power as a scholar and nobleman.

However, back in my previous life when the Bancheon Alliance first united with the Thunder God Lineage, the attempt to persuade Deung Gwak had failed. I hadn’t been present at that time so I didn’t know the details, but they had been unsuccessful even with Lee Kwang, who was on friendly terms with him. As I recounted my experience, Mangnyang waved his Ohu Chilkum talisman.

“According to you, Deung Gwak from the Clear Stream Faction was in fact Lee Kwang‘s sworn brother, and Lee Kwang, using that connection, attempted to persuade him but failed. And even though I don’t know the specific circumstances, it seems there were complications beyond mere political self-preservation. Is that right?”

“Indeed. As I recall, Lee Kwang gave his all but lamented his failure.”

“Then our efforts to persuade Deung Gwak should start with understanding his circumstances. At that time, time may have been tight, but now it’s different. If our actions have not yet been revealed, we have plenty of opportunities to try.”

After saying this, Mangnyang asked,

“Baek Woong, could you lend me your Twin Broadsword?”

The Twin Broadsword is a cherished weapon of Liu Bei, the King of Shu Han. I had obtained it after defeating monsters in the Great Dungeon.

“Of course. But may I ask what you intend to use it for?”

“I will explain my plan all at once.”

Mangnyang sat in the Grand Hall and continued,

“Our fundamental direction is to [pass the hegemony to the White Lotus Sect]. Thus, the first foothold must naturally be the Han Clan located in Luoyang. I will establish a connection by persuading Han Baek-ryeong, the head of the Han Clan, who is also the guardian of the Hwa Demon Lineage.”

“……!!”

“I will demonstrate to her the feasibility of overthrowing the Imperial Palace along with our merits. Furthermore, from now on, black and white lotuses will also be conveyed through her to the White Lotus Leader, building trust. Once the restraints imposed by the White Lotus Sect are lifted, they will likely support us wholeheartedly. The Twin Broadsword will serve as a tribute to persuade Han Baek-ryeong.”

I said to Mangnyang

,

“In that case, allow me to accompany you to assist as her martial prowess is beyond that of an ordinary martial artist.”

Mangnyang shook his head.

“No, that won’t do. In this lifetime, you should avoid exposing your identity and martial arts in public as much as possible. Unless, of course, it’s a rescue mission in which the enemy’s annihilation is a prerequisite.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exposing yourself means you’re placing yourself in a very unfavorable situation. If the enemy figures out your name, appearance, techniques, and capabilities, it would greatly restrict your range of movement. I plan to use you, Baek Woong, as the final trump card.”

“Hmmm.”

“By the way, news of your identity shouldn’t reach the White Lotus Sect either. Keep this in mind.”

I didn’t quite understand.

Why shouldn’t I be exposed to the palace, the White Lotus Sect, or anyone’s scrutiny?

It seemed there was another reason behind this, but I could only accept it as I didn’t want to be the final trump card. Mangnyang continued,

“Of course, I don’t intend to persuade Han Baek-ryeong immediately. I expect it will take about 2-3 years to build up our martial arts and abilities before I initiate the plan. So for now, focus solely on tracking the whereabouts of the Moya.”

“Do we really have to go all the way to the northern edge of the world?”

“It may sound absurd, but right now, that is indeed the most direct route. Without the power of the Seven Luminaries, whatever happens next is unpredictable. Leave the matters of the Central Plains to me, and you go find Moya.”

“Understood.”

Heading to the northern edge of the world.

As I contemplated this, Mangnyang added,

“And another thing, find a place to practice your Surgical Techniques.”

“Got it.”

“Until now, you’ve focused solely on martial arts, but in the upcoming fights, it seems you’ll also need your magical powers. Currently, you are at the beginner level of sorcery, but you need to level up further.”

“……”

That wouldn’t be an easy task. Raising my proficiency in magical arts was even more challenging than martial arts. While Mangnyang had mastered the basics and was improving his abilities, I did not possess such experience level.

I pulled away from Mangnyang and headed out of the Jinrang Valley first. He seemed eager for me to head north to gather clues. As I exited the valley, Miho appeared next to me and said,

“If we’re speaking of the northern edge, it likely means something above the Great Prairie.”

The Great Prairie refers to the vast plains inhabited by nomadic tribes beyond the Great Wall of China. It was known that the warlike nomadic tribes that had once formed the foundation of the Yuan Dynasty had seen drastic reductions in their number due to the Great Ming Empire‘s military campaigns.

I said to Miho,

“Have you ever been to the Great Prairie or beyond?”

“Hmmm… I’m not sure, but I think I passed by there once. I certainly crossed lands north of Yodong. But I’ve never actually been as far as the northern edge of the world.”

“I’ve been to the North Sea Ice Palace. I should head out from there.”

“The North Sea Ice Palace? Isn’t that one of the Twelve Rat Clan?”

“Something like that happened.”

In my past, I had traveled to various locations to challenge the Twelve Rat Clans. Most of the Twelve Rat factions were often found in Yodong, but the North Sea Ice Palace was unusually located in the frozen north. It was situated in a small city known as Haishen (sea cucumber).

Of course, the region surrounding the North Sea Ice Palace was extremely cold. Even with a tremendous level of internal energy and almost supreme martial arts, I had to wrap myself in heavy furs whenever visiting the North Sea Ice Palace. Even though I could form my internal energy to resist the cold, it was evident that I was continuously losing energy due to the extreme chill.

Miho suggested,

“Why not ask for help from the lord of the North Sea Ice Palace? He should be quite knowledgeable about the northern continent.”

“Is that a good idea?…”

Miho had a point. The lord of the North Sea Ice Palace wasn’t just a master of the Twelve Rat Clan

, but he was also the ruler of the area. He would undoubtedly possess extensive knowledge of the history, geography, and culture of that region. Miho added,

“Oh, but there is something we need to consider.”

“What’s that?”

“Didn’t Mangnyang tell you not to expose your appearance or whereabouts? That definitely applies to the Twelve Rat Clan as well. You’ll need a way to conceal your identity.”

“Hmmm.”

I paused for a moment upon hearing Miho’s words and then said,

“In that case, I need to drop by Goryeo for a bit.”

Paah!

A little while later, I arrived in Goryeo using the Teleportation Magic with Miho. To be precise, I visited Hwa Seong-myeong, the physician of the Jung Family in Jung-do. When Hwa Seong-myeong spotted Miho and me unexpectedly entering the Medical Hall, he showed a surprised expression while rearranging herbs.

“Ah, young Baek Woong from the extended Jung Family?”

“It’s been a while. I hope you’ve been well?”

As I performed a polite greeting, Hwa Seong-myeong regained his composure and laughed heartily,

“Haha… of course, the gold ingots you sent are being used well. I’m currently arranging for my clan members to come to Goryeo through a merchant in Hwabuk. You are a hero to our Jung Family.”

“Have you spoken about my business with anyone else?”

“No, not at all. Only you and the head of the Jung Family know about your existence; it’s a closely guarded secret.”

Fortunately, it seemed Hwa Seong-myeong and the head of the Jung Family had kept my existence confidential. I sighed quietly to myself.

Hwa Seong-myeong glanced at Miho and asked,

“Who is that…?”

Before I could say anything, Miho cheerfully smiled and replied,

“I’m pleased to meet you; I am Miho, wife of Baek Woong.”

“Oh, oh… it’s a pleasure.”

“……”

I looked at Miho with disbelief, but she just returned a look saying, “So what?” I had no choice but to get to the point.

“The reason I’m seeing you today is to discuss Surgical Techniques.”

“Surgical Techniques?”

“Yes, I have a basic understanding, but I’m unsure of the specifics, so I’d like to ask the renowned physician Hwa Seong-myeong for more detailed information.”

“Hmmm…”

Hwa Seong-myeong took on a serious expression. He then brought over a human model for acupuncture practice and laid it down, saying,

“Explain to me what you know about Surgical Techniques.”

“Well, Surgical Techniques are a branch of medical practice that falls under surgery. They involve direct incision, but also require the use of Secret Techniques in acupuncture and herbal medicine. Additionally, a delicate understanding of human muscles and skeletons is necessary.”

“That summary is sufficient. Now explain to me the specific methods you know.”

“First, the path of the Secret Needle involves catching these two Xuemai points…”

I tapped into my memory and described Surgical Techniques for about half a shichen (1 hour). Afterward, Hwa Seong-myeong stroked his chin and said,

“It seems you’ve had some training before. However, you are mistaken. Your knowledge of Surgical Techniques

appears to have significant omissions, and it seems you lack practical experience.”

With an embarrassed expression, I nodded.

“That’s true.”

I had once studied medicine for decades under Hwa Seong-myeong, learning about Surgical Techniques as well. However, due to its complexity, I struggled to grasp it. Furthermore, there were very few patients needing surgical interventions, so I never had the opportunity to practice them. On top of that, considerable time had passed, causing me to forget many details.

Hwa Seong-myeong said,

“If you proceed this way, you may temporarily alter your appearance, but in the long term, it will create significant strain on the muscles and tissues of your face, leading to a hideous form. Allow me to impart genuine Surgical Techniques to you.”

“Can I administer this on myself?”

“Frankly, what you’ve learned about Surgical Techniques is using acupuncture to fix an imaginary face and stabilizing the body’s energy with herbal medicine. It’s a makeshift method at best. To truly master Surgical Techniques, you would require decades of refinement, yet it should be feasible for you to perform on yourself at that level.”

“That’s a relief.”

With a curious look on his face, Hwa Seong-myeong asked,

“Is there a reason you need to change your face?”

“Yes, there is.”

“Then it looks like I owe you a favor. I shall perform Surgical Techniques on you personally.”

“……!!” n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Of course, my Surgical Techniques are special, so there’s no need to worry about returning to your original appearance. After stimulating the Da Mai several times, you can revert back to your original form easily.”

Hwa Seong-myeong was ready to perform Surgical Techniques!

If that were the case, it would be far more perfect than what I could do! Hwa Seong-myeong stole a glance at Miho, who was a stunning beauty, and whispered into my ear,

“Although when you’re grown, based on looks, you may fall somewhat short, I’ll make sure to enhance your appearance significantly. Your wife will surely appreciate it.”

“……”

Miho probably overheard that entire conversation. However, she pretended not to hear a thing. Then, she shot me a teasing look.

[Baek Woong, get that surgery! If you don’t, I won’t let it go!]

[Hey, is that a threat?!]

[Hehe.]

Miho chuckled and added,

[Being handsome is the best!]

[……]

Thus, from the next day, I began receiving Surgical Techniques lessons from Hwa Seong-myeong while making time to relearn and enrich my knowledge of surgical ways and healing arts. This was an endeavor to improve my proficiency in Surgical Techniques enough to be useful on my own.

It took about seven nights to complete my Surgical Techniques. After those seven nights, when Hwa Seong-myeong unwrapped the bandages around my face, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and said,

“All done.”

“Thank you.”

“Your wife might faint from shock. Haha.”

As I stepped outside, I saw Miho, who had been playing alone with a ball. She glanced at me and gasped in horror,

“W-who are you?”

“It’s me, Miho.”

“Eek…”

Miho was utterly unable to hide her shock. Then, she quickly flew over and hugged me tightly.

“Oh, my dear husband! I didn’t recognize you~!”

“Uh… Let go…”

“Hahaha. How could you be this good-looking?”

Seeing Miho so thrilled made me feel a bit anxious. Then Hwa Seong-myeong showed me a mirror.

“……!!”

W-What is this?!

In the mirror stood a stunningly beautiful boy reminiscent of a girl, not the distorted, dark, and unattractive face I used to have! Just a bit of grooming and I could easily pass for a maiden!

Hwa Seong-myeong mentioned that his Surgical Techniques would evolve alongside my growth, meaning if I continued like this, I would eventually possess an appearance that embodied ‘beauty’ rather than merely ‘handsomeness’!

As I wore a perplexed expression, Hwa Seong-myeong cleared his throat.

“Ahem… Your wife specifically requested this.”

It seemed Miho’s preferences definitely influenced the outcome.

“……”

What was I to do?

The thought of going forward with the face of a pretty boy filled me with a rather dismal feeling.