Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 287

Chapter 287
The Immortal of Medicine’s eyes trembled violently, as if shaken by a seismic tremor.

Then, collecting himself, he resorted to a tactic beloved by those of the Central Plains: a duck’s foot defense—an obvious, floundering excuse.
“Y-You distinctly told me it was a human!”
‘Is he serious? He’s resorting to that without even letting us speak first?’
He abruptly began to claim that we had identified the Geumdo Elder as a person.
We had done no such thing.
He had leaped to that assumption entirely on his own.
“We never said that.”
“That is correct, Elder.”
“You didn’t give my brother or me a chance to explain. You seized him by the collar before a single word could be said!”
“You only overheard that he was large…”
“And is he not enormous? Arguably the largest in the Central Plains.”
“Well… that may be so, but… Yes! Precisely! You mentioned he was old!”
“He is a gu—a turtle—easily more than two centuries old. That is undoubtedly old, would you not agree?”
“…”

Confronted with my composed and logical reply, the Immortal fell silent, closing his mouth.
I tilted my head and inquired,
“You aren’t suggesting this because you are unable to treat him… are you?”
“W-What nonsense! I am the Immortal of Medicine!”
He was still blustering with proud declarations, yet beads of sweat had formed on his forehead and temples.
He was unmistakably disconcerted by this utterly unique patient.
His eyes were quivering again—clearly unsettled.
Finding the entire situation rather entertaining, I offered him a smile and my false “gratitude.”
It was, of course, meant in jest.
“What a tremendous relief, then. We are incredibly fortunate to have encountered the Immortal of Medicine.
I have been tending to Geumdo Elder myself, but with no progress, I was growing concerned. This is excellent—you will be his savior.
Ah, Geumdo Elder is this turtle’s name.”
I crouched, gently patted the golden shell, and feigned an expression of utter reassurance.
The Immortal’s face twisted into a truly peculiar shape.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips.
“Agh… haah…”
Pfft…
‘Why is this so amusing?’
Sister Seol hid her mouth, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. Hwa-eun’s voice resonated in my mind.
『So-ryong, that’s sufficient. The elder is rather pitiable.』
『What? I’ve hardly teased him…』
True. We had likely prodded enough.
Any further and he might become genuinely offended, and judging by his stunned gaze fixed on the giant turtle, his composure was already in tatters.
But once he recovered his wits, he would undoubtedly be valuable.
I needed to help him regain his footing first.
‘Let’s bring him back to the present.’
He was merely startled because this was a kind of patient entirely foreign to him.
Yet if he was the finest physician in the Central Plains, surely he could also become its finest veterinarian?
The distinction between human and animal medicine lies only in the patient; both pursuits share the noble aim of preserving life.
Currently, medical knowledge is chiefly centered on humans, but in the future, even animal testing will become vital for medical progress.
Thus, if I could orient him and provide clear explanations, his assistance would be immense.
It was then that Hwa-eun spoke aloud.
“Speaking of which… the children were supposed to be here to welcome our guest. Where have they gone?”
“Huh? Now that you mention it…”
We had moved all the children onto Geumdo Elder’s shell several nights prior—but none were in sight now.
With a guest present, they ought to appear and offer greetings. I scanned the area and called for them.
“Children? Cho-ya, Hyang-ah, Bini? Yeondu?”
“You already have children?”
The Immortal of Medicine, who still wore the expression of a man witnessing the apocalypse, blinked in bewilderment and began looking around.
Just then, the soil near me bulged upward—and Cho pushed her head out from the earth.
-Tsrrrt! 『Did I startle you!?』
She burst forth as if playing a game of peekaboo.
Beside her, Bini also surfaced from the ground.
-Tsrut! 『You were surprised, right, Daddy!?』
-Tsrrr. 『I have been here all along. Hehe.』
Then, a faint hissing sound came from the ceiling above.
I glanced up—to find Hyang clinging to the ceiling, peering down.
-Shaaa.
Lastly, Yeondu rose from the dirt with a look of clear reluctance.
She had evidently been unwilling to participate but was coerced by the others.
Their expressions made it plain—they were bored and had devised a prank.
Yeondu had certainly been a reluctant participant, swayed by the group.
“You mischievous little ones and your tricks…”
I laughed softly, and Hwa-eun joined me. The Immortal next to us, however, gasped abruptly.
“H-huuuh!? What is this!? A giant O-gong!? A—ah, it just came back to me…”
He gaped at the children, clapped his hands as if recalling something, and then nodded in understanding.
“I remember being told that Hwa-eun’s partner journeys with colossal O-gong… So you are Hwa-eun’s partner?”
It appeared someone had already informed him about Hwa-eun and me.
Now that he had settled, he was finally connecting the details.
Had he not flown into a rage earlier, we would have exchanged proper introductions already.
I offered a formal martial salute and introduced myself.
We had indeed skipped that step.
“Indeed, I am So-ryong, son of the Beast Palace and partner to Hwa-eun. These are my daughters. Greet him, children. This is Grandpa Immortal.”
-Tsrrr.
-Tsr.
Cho and Bini dipped their heads respectfully. Then Hyang dropped from the ceiling onto my person and offered her greeting.
-Tsrut.
“Heh… Yet I heard they were only this size. It seems the tale was inflated. These are undoubtedly spiritual beasts.”
The Immortal indicated a size with his hands far smaller than the children currently were.
He must have received reports from when they were much tinier.
He had likely imagined they were merely large centipedes, not spiritual beasts.
“You must have heard about them from an earlier time. They have grown considerably since.”
“I received the account from my disciple, who was at the Martial Alliance some months ago…”
So that was the source—the Martial Alliance.
He had heard one of the initial versions of the story.
“The news must have traveled slowly to reach you.”
“Is that so?”
As the Immortal of Medicine observed the children with keen interest, I proposed we have some tea and discuss matters calmly.
“You seem somewhat unsettled, Elder. Perhaps some tea while we converse?”
“Hrm. Very well.”
I led the Immortal of Medicine to a prepared bamboo mat and ignited a charcoal fire in a large wooden tub filled with sand.
It was for heating water for tea.
We had gathered a few domestic items over recent days.
Bubbling…
Soon, the water was hot. After letting it cool slightly, I poured a cup for the Immortal with a smile, gently steering the conversation.
“I imagine the scale of our patient was rather startling?”
“Hrghm… sigh…”
He gazed into the middle distance for a beat, then released a profound sigh.
Then, as if yielding to circumstances, he finally offered an apology.
“Indeed… Of all the patients this Immortal has encountered, this one discomposed me the most. Good heavens…
I also apologize for my outburst before hearing your full explanation. I cannot seem to break this habit of losing all reason the instant a patient is mentioned.
Hearing that someone’s back had been laid open, I simply… Even at my age, my self-mastery remains deficient.”
“There is no need for apology. Hwa-eun told me you have devoted your existence to healing the sick. It is natural to be alarmed by talk of an open wound. I comprehend.”
They say he fears neither water nor fire where a patient is concerned—but aside from that, he seemed an honorable man.
He even apologized to someone as young as myself.
Here in the Central Plains, where face is paramount, apologies are scarce.
That he would offer one to a junior spoke volumes about his character.
“Nevertheless… is this gu unwell?”
“Yes, Elder.”
“It seems to be a spiritual beast… yet I worry my skills may be of little use…”
He observed the exposed wound with a troubled expression.
At that, I waved a hand and responded.
“Not at all. You are merely surprised for the moment, but I am certain you will provide significant help.”
The Immortal of Medicine scratched his head and murmured,
“Well, I have never before treated such a patient…”
I explained calmly.
“You seem only startled by his outer form. But animals and humans are not so dissimilar. Both possess the five viscera and six bowels.”
“That may be so… yet even among humans, treatments must be adjusted for age, gender, and physique…”
Ah, there it was. The discernment of a fellow expert.
Only one deeply devoted to their art speaks in such terms.
This assured me—he would indeed be helpful.
“Certainly. But why not consider him merely a very large human and proceed from that perspective?”
“A… very large human?”
“Yes. Let us discuss it with that framework.”
Though he still seemed uncertain, I commenced explaining Geumdo Elder’s condition.
“To begin, Geumdo Elder—that is this gu’s name.
A wound formed on his shell, which then became infected. The shell started to decay, and in time, a hole opened.
In a human, we would say an infection on the back festered, causing the tissue to necrotize.”
“Hoh… Explained thus, I believe I grasp it.
Were a person to have a suppurating wound deep enough to create a hole in their back, they would be feverish and in peril. But as this gu has a hard shell, the impact is presumably different.”
As anticipated, once I used a comparative analogy, he understood immediately.
Encouraged, I continued.
“Yes. However, the decay and pus have extended from the shell into the lungs. A section of his lung tissue is now contaminated with the same infection and pus.”
“There is decay and pus within the lungs?”
“Yes. Would you care to see?”
“Hmm, I suppose I must. When would another opportunity like this arise?”
I took the Night Pearl from Hwa-eun and illuminated the wound’s interior for the Immortal.
“This is the lung region. All of this area here is infected with decay and pus. That section there remains healthy.”
“Oho. I see. That indeed resembles the inflammation and purulent matter found in a human lung.”
He nodded gravely at my description.
Then, withdrawing from within Geumdo Elder’s shell, he stated,
“Yes, I understand. So you have been irrigating the lungs with decoctions made from herbs recognized for reducing pus and inflammation. But seeing no improvement, you sought another remedy or technique.”
“Precisely.”
“Now the discussion you were having earlier makes sense.”
He nodded once more, and finally, his expression cleared.
It seemed my explanation had resolved the confusion wrought by Geumdo Elder’s immense size.
“And I believe I now comprehend the lack of progress. If we consider this gu as simply a very large human…”
Just as I had hoped—he had pinpointed the issue.
My eyes brightened and I asked with keen interest,
“Ooh! Truly?”
“Yes. The treatment was mistaken.”
“Mistaken?”
But I had been using a wash of antibacterial herbs to clean the infection—how could that be incorrect?
Perplexed, I asked him to elaborate. The Immortal nodded and explained.
“You assumed the decay and pus had migrated from the shell into the lungs, and thus attempted to treat it with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial herbs, correct?”
“Yes, Elder. That is correct.”
“Had the injury been a cut or abrasion on the skin’s surface, your approach would be suitable. But the decay and pus are deep within the lungs.
There exists a condition called hannaengjeok—what some might call a cold or flu—which starts with a runny nose, fever, and cough…”
“Yes, Elder.”
‘Ah… so he means a common cold?’
Hannaengjeok, gammo—they appeared to be archaic terms for a cold.
I nodded, and he went on.
“In the elderly, when this cold grows severe, it can lead to decay and pus forming in the lungs. And from that stage onward… it transforms into an entirely different ailment.”
“A different ailment?”
“Yes. Most physicians would not recognize it, but I term it pneumonia, for the pus and inflammation have collected within the lungs.”
His words hit me with the force of a thunderclap.
I had not contemplated that possibility at all.
As the Immortal stated, I had simply presumed the infection had traveled into the lungs from the wound, and so I persistently applied topical treatments.
But according to his explanation—it was a separate disease.
It was pneumonia.
An inflammation of the lung tissue caused by bacteria or viruses.
‘Damn…! I’ve been applying disinfectant to the lungs of a pneumonia patient!’
I was no internet-army-doctor from my previous life—yet I had committed such a foolish error.
Chagrined by my oversight, I asked the Immortal,
“Then… is there no cure?”
He smiled and answered,
“Of course there is.”
“What is it!?”
My hopes soared as I pressed him.
“Few are aware, but I am an inheritor of Hua Tuo’s medical legacy. I use Mabisan to render patients unconscious, then either excise the diseased tissue or treat it with moxibustion or acupuncture.”
‘Ah, a surgical specialist? So he proposes an operation?’
But I was fairly certain pneumonia was not surgically treatable, so I tilted my head in confusion.
The Immortal gazed out the window and said,
“However… with pneumonia, one cannot simply remove the affected area, and applying moxa or needles is difficult.
Therefore, to treat it correctly, we require someone more suited to this specific illness than I.”
“Someone else? But given the patient’s state and size, we have little time or means to seek out another…”
“Do not fret. He will arrive shortly. We arranged to meet here.”
“Who is he?”
“He is my sworn brother. If I inherited Hua Tuo’s surgical and external methods, then he is the heir to Bian Que’s internal medicine.
Regarding decoctions and herbal prescriptions, he is without equal in the Central Plains. He is the Immortal of Medicine’s Elixirs—the Yak Seon.”
A master of external medicine had just named the most renowned internal medicine specialist in all the Central Plains.