The Living Corpse Doctor
The Black Incense Hall men wandered around for quite a while before barely picking up our trail again, and just as we were dodging them here and there as if toying with them, they finally caught up with us.
Gu Ju-yong, who now looked ten years older overnight, shouted at us.
"You damn bastards! This time I'll never let you get away!"
We glanced back.
Though surrounded, if we truly wanted to break through, it didn't look impossible. The enemies looked far too exhausted to block us.
It even seemed like we could fight them outright and win.
Then, it happened.
From somewhere, a young woman's voice called out.
"What?! You've already been rescued?! That's not supposed to happen!"
Turning toward the voice, we saw a beautiful woman in red with her hand on her waist, watching us from atop a tree.
At most in her early twenties? Her big eyes, faint dimples, and the freshness radiating from her made even her stance—hand at her waist—look endearingly charming.
Her beauty was no less than Lady Tang Ye-eun's.
She lightly leapt down beside us and spoke.
"Hey, you lot! Did you rescue the Strange Physician of Life and Death? And you even took that elixir? Ah, this won't do!"
Seeing her, I smiled inwardly.
At last, the one I'd been waiting for had arrived.
I cupped my fist to her and replied.
"I don't know who you are, but it's too soon to say we've truly rescued Senior Strange Physician of Life and Death. As long as those men remain, they'll surely come after him again."
She wrinkled her nose, then scratched her chin cutely and asked the Strange Physician of Life and Death.
"You're the Strange Physician of Life and Death, right? What do you think? If I wipe them out, does that make me your rescuer?"
Her words, coming from someone so young-looking, would normally have been rude to a middle-aged elder like him.
But after a pause, he answered with gravity.
"No, I don't see it that way. These young heroes did their utmost and already rescued me. But if someone were to kill those men and remove the threat, that too would make them my savior."
The young lady beamed brightly.
"Good enough! Then wait a moment!"
In the blink of an eye, she vanished.
Her movement was so mysterious that even we—confident in our own lightness skills—couldn't track her at all.
An incredible body technique.
Bi Sa-yeong muttered in shock.
"Transforming Shape… Returning Shadow?"
Just then, the Strange Physician of Life and Death, looking dumbstruck, asked me.
"Who… who is that young lady? Young Hero Seonu, do you know her identity?"
Instead of answering, I glanced at Captain Seol Pung.
From the moment she appeared, he had turned pale as a ghost.
I asked him, "Do you know, Captain?"
He swallowed hard and replied, "That young lady… could it be…?"
Then Bi Sa-yeong cried out, horrified.
"L-look! Over there!"
Following his finger, we froze in disbelief.
She had moved to where the Black Incense Hall men were—and was floating in midair, looking down at them.
We gawked, jaws dropping.
She stood steadily as if on invisible platforms in the air itself.
Bi Sa-yeong screamed, "A-a-air stepping?!"
Even I, who knew her identity, and Captain Seol Pung, who'd half-guessed, were speechless.
Air stepping… we thought it a thing of legend—mere stories made up by wandering storytellers.
Yet here it was, before our eyes.
But that was only the beginning.
Looking down at the Black Incense Hall men, she spoke.
"You're bad men. You won't feel wronged if you die, right?"
Gu Ju-yong, half out of his mind, stammered, "W-what do you mean…?"
But he never heard the answer.
The young lady raised her hand skyward, and a crimson sphere formed above her palm.
It was likely condensed qi—growing rapidly until it was larger than a human body, blazing furiously.
When she slammed her hand down, it fell like a red meteor upon them.
And then—an enormous explosion erupted.
KWA-A-A-A-AANG!
The deafening roar, the fiery blast forced us to crouch desperately against the surging shockwave.
FWOOOSH!
"Ughhh!"
"W-what is this?!"
When the heatstorm passed and we opened our eyes, what we saw defied belief.
The ground where they had stood was gouged out into a massive crater, some ten zhang wide, as if struck by a meteor.
No trace of the men remained.
They had been annihilated.
As we stared dumbfounded, she reappeared before us and asked casually:
"They're annoying. Should I take care of those small fry behind you too?"
She pointed at the low-ranked warriors encircling us. Like thunderstruck, they collapsed and begged on their knees.
"Mercy, fairy lady! Spare us!"
"We'll live good lives! Please don't kill us!"
She frowned and muttered, "So noisy. Guess I should just kill you all."
Instantly, silence fell. Not one dared to breathe.
The Strange Physician of Life and Death stammered, "Y-young lady, who… who are you?"
The young woman smiled sweetly.
"Me? I'm Son Eun-sang."
Bi Sa-yeong gasped. "Th-then you're the Depr—!"
I quickly clamped his mouth shut and hurriedly spoke.
"Truly, you are as beautiful as the rumors say, Senior."
She glanced at Bi Sa-yeong, then smirked at me.
"Quick hands. Pretty words. And an even handsomer face. I like you. I'll spare your friend."
"Thank you, Senior!"
Her name was Son Eun-sang, titled the Enchantress of Forgotten Years .
She was counted among the absolute powers of this era, one of the Five Great Demons alongside the Heavenly Demon of the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Blood Demon of the Blood Sect—our enemy—and the Monstrous Demon.
Though she appeared as a maiden in her twenties, her true age was well over sixty—a veteran demonic martial artist.
She spoke to the agape Strange Physician of Life and Death.
"Well? Doesn't this count as me rescuing you? Or should I wipe out those stragglers too?"
Finally recovering, he shook his head furiously.
"No, no. That won't be necessary. But… Senior Son, have you also come here for my Life-and-Death Pill?"
She scratched her head shyly.
"No, not that. I just wanted some help from a physician skilled enough to craft pills on par with summoning pellets."
"Help? What kind…?"
"Well, the thing is… I want to get a little older. I'm tired of being young. I want to live like my age for once. So I came seeking your help."
"…!"
Everyone blinked in shock at her sudden words.
Even I, who already knew, pretended to be startled.
As her epithet suggested, the Enchantress of Forgotten Years was a demoness of lust who had mastered the Yin-absorbing arts of Chaeyangbo-eum.
Since her twenties, she had seduced countless men, drained their yang energy, and built an unfathomable internal strength.
Her martial arts were formidable too—without enlightenment, such inner power was impossible.
Thus, the Martial Alliance had long ago declared her a public enemy.
Her life had been paved with blood. Yet, for nearly forty years, she had survived.
No one could kill her.
Even openly revealing her identity, no one dared confront her—the rarest of accomplishments in martial history.
Her beauty had always been famed. Some men even risked death to lie with her, despite knowing she might drain them to death.
And she did not age.
Whether due to immense inner strength or the nature of her arts, time never touched her. Hence her title: Enchantress of Forgotten Years. Eventually, rumors even claimed she was growing younger—and judging by her appearance now, the rumors seemed true.
Her martial power was unimaginable.
And yet—this very woman now wished to age.
It was enough to drive every woman of the martial world mad with disbelief.
The Strange Physician of Life and Death asked, bewildered:
"You mean… you want to look older? Why on earth would you desire that?"
She sighed deeply.
"You may not understand. But I'm sick of living young. My heart isn't young anymore, so looking young just feels wrong. From now on, I want to live a life more fitting to my years."
We could say nothing. It was too far beyond our comprehension. All we could do was try to accept it.
She spoke again.
"So, Strange Physician of Life and Death, I'd like your help. Will you?"
After a long moment of serious contemplation, the Strange Physician of Life and Death asked:
"If what Senior desires is to grow old, then that may be more a matter of martial arts than of medicine. You know this, do you not?"
Son Eun-sang nodded.
"That's right. It's a problem tied to the nature of my martial arts and inner strength. I've been studying it for more than ten years already. But knowledge of martial arts alone has its limits. My conclusion is that it requires understanding not only of martial arts, but of humanity itself—things like medicine."
The Strange Physician of Life and Death nodded in understanding.
But his expression was not bright.
"So, what Senior wishes of me is to join in your research. And such research would require a long time, would it not?"
Son Eun-sang hurriedly replied:
"A single year will do! I won't trouble you longer than that. Besides, I'm a cursed woman fated with wandering calamity, so I have no reason to stop you from living as a drifter in the martial world. Go wherever you want—I'll simply follow alongside."
Yet even with her reassurance, his expression did not brighten.
At that moment, I suddenly interjected, speaking to the Strange Physician of Life and Death.
"I believe, Elder, that you should grant Senior Son's request."
He looked at me with puzzlement.
"Hm? And why do you say that?"
"First, because it is a matter of duty. Elder, you owe Senior Son a debt of grace. Destroying the Black Incense Hall and eliminating that threat was something we could never have done ourselves.
Second, remaining with Senior Son will also help ensure your safety. With the Life-and-Death Pills now in your possession, and with the rumor that you can craft them spreading through the martial world, can you truly guarantee that attempts to kidnap Maeng-un and Yong-ji to threaten you will not happen again?"
At my words, he let out a low groan.
It seemed he had thought only of the Black Incense Hall, without considering what might follow.
I continued.
"Third, Senior Son is someone you can trust. Though not of the orthodox sects, she has never once broken her word, nor harmed the innocent."
This was true.
Though a demoness of lust, she had never drained or harmed anyone unless she judged them deserving of death.
That was why so many men had longed to consort with her.
Of course, she never forgave those who tried to kill her—punishing them ruthlessly, leaving a bloody path in her wake. But even so, to hold firm to one's creed for so many decades—few even among the orthodox could claim the same. Rare, indeed.
Hearing me, she brightened and said to me:
"Young one, you have such an open heart! You seem to be from the orthodox side, but you're unusual."
Young one…
Though I knew her true age, being called a child by someone who looked barely in her early twenties gave me a strange feeling.
I forced a wry smile and replied:
"Many of my closest companions are from the unorthodox side. And I've also seen plenty among the orthodox who were anything but righteous. I believe what matters in judging right and wrong is not orthodox or unorthodox, but the person. Why, even my own captain here is not of the orthodox sects."
She smiled warmly, patting my shoulder.
"I like you. I really like you. Handsome face, and such upright thoughts."
Then, glancing at Captain Seol Pung, she added:
"Come to think of it, you're handsome too. So—would either of you like to have some fun with me? If you're willing, I'll play with you thoroughly."
"W-what?!"
Her unexpected proposition stunned me.
And as she spoke, the fresh innocence she'd shown earlier melted away, replaced by an overwhelming sensuality that nearly suffocated me.
With just a shift in expression, she had transformed from a lively maiden into a bewitching enchantress. Truly, she was a temptress worthy of the name.
Blood rushed through me uncontrollably, and my face burned red.
Of course I should have refused—but the words stuck in my throat. She was far too enticing.
Then, suddenly, I caught sight of Captain Seol Pung's face.
And I couldn't help but chuckle.
He was even more frozen than when he had first seen her terrifying martial prowess—completely paralyzed by her unendurable allure.
Thanks to that, I managed to smile, cup my fist, and say:
"Your words honor me greatly. But knowing your true identity, Senior, I dare not presume such a thing."
Her eyes sparkled with surprise, then true admiration.
"Remarkable! Such composure—I can hardly believe you're in your early twenties. Very well. My offer will remain open. Should you change your mind someday, come to me."
The temptation in her voice was overwhelming. I swallowed hard.
But truthfully, there would be no "next time." By then, she would likely already have a husband.
In my past life, after rescuing the Strange Physician of Life and Death, she had, at his request, annihilated the Black Incense Hall without leaving even a speck of dust, and eventually traveled with him.
A few years later, Son Eun-sang and the Strange Physician of Life and Death became husband and wife.
It was a story so famous that the martial world had been in an uproar for quite some time.
Of course, there was no guarantee things would unfold the same way in this life.
But regardless, how could I covet the wife of the man who might one day be her husband?
Thus, the incident of the Strange Physician of Life and Death—into which most of this vacation had been poured—came to a clean conclusion.
Together, we accompanied him to the inn where Bae Jong-hwan and the physician's children were staying, and there we witnessed a moving family reunion.
The Strange Physician of Life and Death gave us seven Life-and-Death Pills—more than he had promised—and departed, repeating again and again that he would never forget this favor.
Son Eun-sang, at his side, also reminded me that her offer to "spend time together" still stood, should I ever wish it.
It was embarrassing.
But his children did not part so cleanly.
The eldest son, the pretty-faced Ma Maeng-un, had grown close to Bae Jong-hwan during their time together, and the parting left him tearful.
The younger daughter, Ma Yong-ji, surprised us all by revealing her heart.
Blushing furiously, she approached Bi Sa-yeong and said:
"When I turn twenty, I'll come find you, Brother Bi. So… please wait until then."
Then she fled, leaving Bi Sa-yeong standing dazed.
Captain Seol Pung and I burst out laughing, teasing him.
"Well, well! Popular fellow, aren't you?"
"Hahaha! Sa-yeong, I see you're quite the thief!"
Flustered, Bi Sa-yeong snapped back.
"Nonsense! She's just a girl with childish feelings!"
But despite his protests, a pleased smile tugged at his lips.
It seemed this vacation would remain a treasured memory for him.
Not only because of the physician's daughter, but also because I promised him half the spoils I had seized from the Black Incense Hall—sending it to Bi Jong-mun, his sect, whose dire straits I had remembered.
Tears of gratitude filled his eyes as he thanked me. Captain Seol Pung and Bae Jong-hwan, too, offered up their shares to be sent along.
The rest of the wealth I entrusted to Jeon Jang for safekeeping.
Thus, Bi Sa-yeong left this vacation with newfound strength, replenished inner power, a fine weapon, and even the means to support his struggling sect.
On top of that, he'd even received a heartfelt confession from a beautiful girl. It must have felt like paradise itself.
But at the time, we did not yet know.
Bi Sa-yeong was not the only one to have stolen a young woman's heart.
Rumor always spreads faster than words—and nowhere more so than in the martial world.
The incident with the Strange Physician of Life and Death spread like wildfire, not only across Guizhou but throughout the surrounding regions.
News that he, the maker of the Life-and-Death Pill, was now traveling with the Enchantress of Forgotten Years, Son Eun-sang, left some martial artists regretful, some intrigued, and others smiling.
Particularly, the sects of southwest Guizhou, long suppressed by the Black Incense Hall, all rose up at once—venting decades of pent-up resentment upon the remnants.
The balance of power in southwest Guizhou was now in upheaval.
And with this incident, the names of three men newly rose in the martial world.
When word spread that warriors of the Flying Dragon Unit, out on leave, had fought the Black Incense Hall and rescued the Strange Physician and his children, martial artists all around Guizhou praised their chivalry and martial prowess.
Especially Captain Seol Pung, who, though only in his twenties, had slain the Black Incense Hall's top master, Heuk Gwang-ryun Gak ki-hyo, in an instant. He gained the title "Mad Wind Flying Dragon" and emerged as a rising dragon of the martial world.
None could know it, but in Seonu Jin's past life, it had been the very same title.
Likewise, Seonu Jin, who saved the Strange Physician through not only martial might but also wisdom, and who slew the master assassin Heuk Sal-pyo Dong Paekyung, was given the epithet "Flying Dark Wolf ."
And Bi Sa-yeong, the foremost disciple of BiJong-mun, who had shocked the Black Incense Hall warriors with his dazzling body technique shown in a single instant, earned the epithet "Swift Gale Flying Hawk."
Meanwhile, at a remote inn near the ruins of the Black Incense Hall, a woman heard the news and whispered a name with languid lips.
"Mad Wind Flying Dragon… Seol Pung, is it?"
The speaker was a dreamy, pale-faced woman—Ya Un-hyang, the Blood Sect's Phantom Brush, now once again a wanderer without belonging.