Chapter 50. I Will Become a Mad Demon Again

Jinhae had always thought of himself as no less intelligent than anyone else, but he could not understand what was happening now. He also could not comprehend the strength of the servant who reeked of the Black Cat Gang. It was equally baffling to see the sudden appearance of Hongshen, who called the servant 'Executioner' and was extremely afraid of him.

This was because Hongshen, who was usually very arrogant, would not even be this afraid when facing the Four Executioners. She was even a woman who would speak her mind even to the Great Monk Master. Yet, she was now extremely afraid of the servant.

'Who is this guy, really?'

No matter how much Jinhai racked his brain, he could not figure out the identity of the servant who reeked.

* * *

While I was on my way to meet the doctor Jinhai knew, I recalled the memories of my previous life. It was highly likely that the doctor I knew was the same one.

Suddenly, I looked at Jinhai, whose expression had become complicated in the swaying carriage.

"Pig."

Jinhae involuntarily replied in a respectful tone.

"Yes?"

"The sound of your thinking is too loud. Clear your mind for a moment. Let go of your desires and accept the situation. You can't figure out everything just because you're smart."

Just as Jinhai was about to reply, Hongshen, who was sitting next to him, raised her hand with a blank expression.

'Slap...!'

Jinhae felt dizzy for a moment and barely managed to respond.

"Ah, I understand. I'll clear my mind."

Suddenly, Jinhai's breathing became rapid, and it looked like his qi and blood were about to reverse.

I immediately clicked my tongue.

"Regulate your breathing. You'll invite demonic possession if you keep this up."

"Yes."

"If you have so much money at home, it would be a waste to die from demonic possession without spending it all. Pull yourself together."

Jinhae quickly closed his eyes and regulated his breathing.

Hearing those words made him feel like he was going to go insane. Whether the servant was a madman, an executioner, or whatever, if he didn't calm his breathing now, he really felt like he would invite demonic possession.

* * *

After collecting the White Flame Grass and the money, I got off the carriage with Hongshen first.

The carriage driver supported Jinhai, whose face was pale. It turned out we really had brought a critically ill patient.

In fact, the heart demon (心魔) is nothing special. When one loses the most important thing to them, the heart demon will appear in some form.

For Jinhai, the most important things were money and the internal energy he had accumulated through the elixirs he bought with that money. Having both taken from him by me, and then being slapped repeatedly by the sudden appearance of Sister Hongshen, it was a situation where the heart demon could easily develop into demonic possession.

In other words, he was on the verge of going mad.

"Go in first."

After sending Hongshen, Jinhai, and the carriage driver inside, I stood outside and stared at the sign for a long time.

「Moyong Medical House」

If this Moyong Medical House, run by the rare Moyong family, was the one I was looking for, it seemed I had come to the right place.

I found this reunion truly meaningful. I couldn't predict how my relationship with this person would develop in the future.

When I entered, the young master of Moyong Medical House was personally greeting the patient.

"Please bring the young master inside quickly."

The medical attendants supported Jinhai and led him inside.

I stood there for a moment, staring at the young man with a white bandage on his head.

Neat attire, a clean face, and an occasional smile—all of it was very unfamiliar to me.

I thought to myself, 'This guy really had a happy and normal time...'

After the carriage driver's explanation was roughly over, Hongshen said,

"Doctor, please listen to what our senior brother has to say."

I called out to Hongshen.

"Sister Hong."

"Yes, Senior Brother."

"Always use respectful language with Mr. Moyong."

Hongshen replied with a tense expression.

"I understand, Senior Brother."

Our doctor looked at me briefly and then summarized the situation.

"Master Jinshan has suffered internal injuries, so we need to start with qi regulation."

One of the medical attendants replied.

"Yes."

"Do not speak to him and block anyone from approaching. And where are you uncomfortable, sir?"

Only after being asked did I remove my mask and meet his eyes for the first time in a long while.

"..."

Naturally, since we were meeting for the first time in this life, there was no way he would recognize me.

I spoke in a calm tone.

"I am Li Zaha from Yilang County, the leader of a small organization called Haomen."

Doctor Moyong replied with a surprised expression.

"Aren't you one of the Twelve Executioners?"

I glanced at my mask and then replied.

"Our small Haomen is currently at war with the Great Monastery. The original owner of this mask was killed by Hongshen."

At the mention of the war with the Great Monastery, Doctor Moyong blinked repeatedly.

"Ah, I see. In any case, I'll take care of it. Sister Hongshen, please go inside and rest. And where are you uncomfortable, Master?"

"I'm here just to pay. I don't have any particular discomfort. I was just curious about your medical skills."

The doctor chuckled awkwardly and introduced himself.

"Ah, I see. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I am Moyong Bai."

As Moyong Bai instructed the medical attendants, they led Hongshen and the carriage driver inside. Hongshen didn't forget to report to me as she was being led away.

"Senior Brother, I'll go treat him."

"Alright."

Once everyone had left, Moyong Bai and I were alone for a moment.

Moyong Bai asked.

"Are you really at war with the Great Monastery?"

I nodded and gestured to the table where the White Flame Grass box was placed.

"Doctor, come here for a moment."

When I opened the box, Moyong Bai's eyes widened.

"Why is this here?"

"Have you appraised it?"

Moyong Bai sat opposite me and replied.

"Yes, it's genuine."

"How old do you think it is?"

"Usually, we estimate based on the thickness of the root and the number of branches. This one is at least a hundred years old."

"Three or four hundred years?"

"That would be a bit of a stretch. Because it's so valuable, even those in remote areas try to dig it up and bring it to the Central Plains. Even a hundred-year-old one is rare these days."

This also meant that Jinhai had been lying.

"I've already eaten three roots."

Jinhae's internal energy had also been drained.

Moyong Bai looked at me in surprise.

"Ah, congratulations."

I asked curiously.

"Do you practice martial arts as well?"

"Treating martial artists has made it necessary for me to study. I also cultivate internal energy and practice other skills. Treating martial artists' injuries is more difficult than treating ordinary patients. Sometimes they encounter strange poisons, which makes it even more complicated."

I sighed inwardly.

'This guy was so normal...'

I glanced around the doctor's office. It was a clean and well-organized place. I rested my forehead on my clasped hands and fell into thought.

Dugu Sheng's words came to mind: 'Repay kindness with kindness, and repay enmity with double the enmity.'

In fact, I wasn't much different.

"Master, where are you uncomfortable?"

I shook my head, and Moyong Bai pointed to the White Flame Grass.

"As you know, the White Flame Grass boosts yang energy, so you need to be especially careful about fire-related illnesses after taking it."

I looked up and replied.

"I'm naturally prone to anger, so I'm fine."

"Master, you need to be even more careful if you're prone to anger."

"I manage my anger appropriately, so I'm fine."

Moyong Bai asked curiously.

"How do you manage it?"

"How did I manage it? Can I be honest?"

"A doctor must not reveal a patient's secrets. Feel free to speak."

I tapped my fingers on the table.

"Once, my house was completely burned down. It was a house that also served as an inn. I was so angry that I killed the arsonist. It felt like a weight was lifted..."

Moyong Bai was taken aback by this unexpected confession.

"Ah, yes."

"Turns out, the people I killed were trying to establish a black path gang with the Black Cat Gang's permission. So, the Black Cat Gang came after me. They insulted me and ordered me to kneel like a dog. So, I killed them. It felt like a weight was lifted..."

Moyong Bai unconsciously straightened his posture.

"Ah, yes. I see."

"Then they sent an assassin."

"The Black Cat Gang?"

"I let the assassin live. After sharing a pig's trotter with him, we stormed the Black Cat Gang. Honestly, it was exhilarating."

Moyong Bai swallowed hard.

"I was thinking of sparing the Black Cat Gang leader, but what did he say? 'In the black path, you lick when told to lick, and bark when told to bark.' I sent him flying into a wall and asked if he could lick, and he immediately died."

"Ah, the Black Cat Gang leader is dead?"

"Officially, he's not dead yet. I'm pretending to be the Black Cat Gang leader."

I tapped the Green Wine mask.

"Like this. Now, I'm both the Black Cat and Green Wine. Do you understand?"

Moyong Bai said with amazement.

"You really manage your anger well."

"I manage it so well that I don't develop any ulcers."

Moyong Bai lowered his tone seriously.

"I don't know if I should ask this."

"Feel free to ask. Doctor Moyong."

Moyong Bai whispered.

"Since you're an enemy of the Great Monastery, are you here to treat one of their disciples?"

"You've hit the nail on the head."

I looked at Moyong Bai seriously, placed two fingers on the table, and mimicked walking.

"There was a martial artist. He walked like this. He killed everyone he met, and then killed more, and even killed someone for passing gas. He killed people he should have saved and people he didn't know. What do you think happens when he kills everyone?"

"I'm listening."

"He becomes a demon path practitioner."

My fingers returned to the starting point and walked towards Moyong Bai again.

"He killed the arsonist and the cruel people, but he also spared those he thought could be useful. He spared a woman who spoke ill of him, an assassin calculating the meal cost, and a man who was kidnapped as a child and found it hard to understand the world."

Despite the interruptions, Moyong Bai understood the context well.

"What is that? Is that the black path?"

"No. That's how one deals with the black path. Even though he spares a few, hoping they can reform, he is prepared to bear the consequences if they betray him again."

Moyong Bai stared at me.

"Then, are you a white path practitioner? A hero as people often say?"

"I'm not a white path practitioner. It's difficult for me to be one now."

"Why?"

"Because I lack virtue."

"Not all white path practitioners have virtue."

I agreed.

"However, most of their founders and first generation leaders had high virtue. They were also very skilled. Their disciples and their disciples' disciples are white path practitioners because of tradition. I, on the other hand, am different. My house was an inn, and I was a waiter. I have no roots, so it would take time and effort to become a white path practitioner."

"What about Haomen?"

"I created it."

The psychological counseling of the patient proceeded like this. Moyong Bai, who had been engrossed in my story, finally got up from his chair at the request of the medical attendants.

"Master, let's continue our conversation later. I'm sorry."

"Feel free to do your work."

I had a reason for explaining the demon path, black path, and white path to this guy. I wanted Moyong Bai to understand the differences early on.

In my previous life, Moyong Bai, who was called a divine doctor, saved me from demonic possession with his medical skills.

To repay that favor, even giving him the four roots of White Flame Grass and the box of gold would be insufficient.

I couldn't predict how Moyong Bai's fate would change in the future because I was altering everyone's destinies now.

In my previous life, it went like this.

Moyong Bai, who was so successful that he was called a divine doctor, was wiped out by the Great Monastery due to a conflict.

However, the divine doctor Moyong Bai survived and...

became the Poison Demon Moyong Bai.

And the Great Monastery, as mentioned earlier, was killed by the Poison Demon.

The martial world is a place like this.

The waiter became a mad demon.

The divine doctor became the Poison Demon.

The reason I put everything aside to find this man was this.

If I could prevent the misfortune of the person who helped me.

I plan to leave the days I spent with the man known as the Poison Demon as just a memory.

I will become a mad demon again.

But this guy doesn't need to become a Poison Demon again.

Going mad is enough for me alone.