How can I protect my family?
Since his return, Wi Jicheon had pondered that question countless times.
The answer was simple — he had to become stronger.
There was no argument about that.
The problem was how strong.
For most healer clans, it wouldn't even be a serious concern.
As long as a single peak master served as their guest protector, lesser flies would never dare approach.
But the Divine Healer Clan was different.
'Considering the true powers behind those targeting our family, even if I regain my peak in the Fiery Realm, it won't be enough to defend us.'
The Ten Guests, the Ten Evils, and the Ten Demons —
the ten greatest masters of the righteous, unorthodox, and demonic factions respectively.
Thirty beings who stood at the very summit of the martial world.
And yet, above even them, there existed a handful of transcendent figures known as the Seven Supreme Beings of the Divine Continent (Shinju Chilgang).
The Two Saints — the Martial Emperor and the Sword Immortal.
The Two Overlords — the Spear King and the Tyrant King.
The Three Calamities — the Heavenly Demon, the Blood Demon, and the Fiend Demon.
Wi Jicheon had once been one of those Three Calamities.
He had reached a realm beyond mortal measure — a heaven above heavens.
But still—
'Honestly, I was one of the weaker ones among the Seven.'
Just as the Ten Masters of the righteous, demonic, and unorthodox paths differed in strength, so too did the Seven Supremes.
For the Ten, their rank was determined by how deeply they'd stepped into the Fiery Realm.
For the Seven, it depended on one thing —
Had they truly reached Transcendence (Hyeongyeong), or merely brushed its edge?
'The Martial Emperor and the Heavenly Demon definitely reached it. The Tyrant King and Blood Demon were close as well.'
Wi Jicheon didn't know which of the Seven was the true hand behind the fall of his family.
Even the head of the White Healer Clan, Cho Baekil, had once referred to them as "those people," implying there was more than one.
That meant even if Wi Jicheon regained his past might, or even surpassed it to reach Transcendence itself, it still wouldn't be enough.
Those suspected of being behind the plot weren't just powerful individually — they were rulers of vast organizations.
'And above all, the Divine Healer Clan is a healer family. A single person's strength can only go so far in protecting it.'
In his previous life, the clan hadn't perished to foreign invasion — it had been destroyed by conspiracy.
By power, not by force.
To truly protect the Divine Healer Clan, it wasn't enough for Wi Jicheon alone to grow strong.
The clan itself had to become strong.
Strong enough that no one would dare touch it.
In other words—
'It must become the greatest healer family under Heaven.'
His earlier vow to make the Divine Healer Clan the finest in the world had not been a sentimental echo of his father's dream.
It was a matter of survival.
The problem was how.
One couldn't simply decide to become the best healer family and expect it to happen.
Exceptional medical skill? A compassionate heart for the people?
Of course those mattered.
But if that were enough, the Divine Healer Clan wouldn't be languishing as a mere village-tier family today.
The truth was—
'What determines a healer family's rise is management — like a merchant guild.'
He wasn't the only one who thought so.
The great healer families didn't prosper merely by tending to patients.
The Southern Heavy Healer House (Namjung), which had just schemed against them, was proof enough.
When they saw a rival beginning to bloom, they crushed it before it could threaten their position.
One could call it underhanded, but in terms of survival strategy, it was undeniably effective.
In the end, all human affairs — even the noble art of medicine — were driven by competition.
'That's why the Divine Healer Clan needs a shield — something to protect us until we're strong enough to stand alone.'
A backer. A patron.
Wi Jicheon himself couldn't serve that role — not yet.
It wasn't for lack of power. Even at the peak realm, he could easily fend off threats to a village-tier family.
But he was only fifteen years old.
Not even the most gifted prodigies of the great sects reached the peak realm at fifteen.
Even among the Seven Supremes, none had attained such strength at that age.
'If I reveal this now, I'll only draw attention — dangerous attention.'
That kind of fame would make the Divine Healer Clan an even greater target.
People would dig into his background, and sooner or later, someone would uncover the secret of the Heavenly Immortal Divine Art.
Perhaps, once the family was powerful enough, such attention wouldn't matter.
But for now, it was best to avoid it completely.
So he needed a different shield — and fate had dropped Zhang Sam of the Black Ghost Sect right into his lap.
A minor, insignificant sect — precisely what made it perfect.
At the Divine Healer Clan's current level, that was all they could handle.
"G-Great Hero?"
"Great Hero? No, no — call me Brother Zhang! I am but the humble dog of the Divine Healer Clan now!"
All eyes turned to Zhang Sam in disbelief.
Wi Jicheon sighed quietly.
You're not acting properly. People are getting suspicious. Want me to give you another round of bone-splitting acupuncture?
"!!"
Zhang Sam's pupils trembled violently.
'That brat… he's a demon! Why did I ever provoke him?!'
He could still recall their earlier conversation.
The mere memory made his bladder twitch.
It had been that terrifying.
The fact that the devil wore the face of a cheerful boy only made it worse.
Act convincingly. I even gave you your lines. Fail, and we'll have another "chat."
'No! Anything but that!'
Zhang Sam turned pale and began to perform with desperate conviction.
"Ahem. I-I apologize for frightening everyone earlier. It's all thanks to the young master Wi Jicheon's… ah, benevolence that I've changed my ways."
"…What do you mean?"
"Young master Wi Jicheon enlightened this beastly man on the proper conduct of a human being!"
"??"
Wi Jicheon scratched his head awkwardly, feigning embarrassment.
"Great Hero Zhang exaggerates. I merely spoke about how hard my father has worked for the people all his life."
"My… story?"
"I've seen with my own eyes how much Father sacrifices for his patients," Wi Jicheon said softly. "I only hoped Great Hero Zhang might recognize that goodness, so I overstepped my bounds."
"…Cheon."
Wi Jiseon's throat tightened.
The image of his innocent son standing up to a dark sect warrior in defense of his father's honor brought tears to his eyes.
Of course, Zhang Sam's own feelings were… less tender.
'How can anyone look that pure and still be such a monster?! He's a devil wearing a child's skin!'
Their eyes met. Wi Jicheon smiled faintly.
Zhang Sam flinched and immediately shouted,
"Yes, yes! The young master speaks the truth! I deeply regret my past actions! Great Master, please accept my apology!"
"Ha… what?"
Wi Jiseon blinked, unable to tell whether he was dreaming or awake.
And the surprises didn't end there.
"Father, Great Hero Zhang has prepared something for you."
"!!"
Zhang Sam jolted.
That had been one of Wi Jicheon's "conditions for mercy."
"Bring me my strongbox!" he barked.
"!!"
The Black Ghost Sect's men hesitated, then obeyed.
"Please accept this humble token!"
The box brimmed with yuanbao — over twenty, by the look of it.
Nearly a thousand taels of silver.
"I-I can't accept this."
"If you refuse, I'll die!"
"…What?"
"I-I had a dream last night," Zhang Sam stammered. "A divine warning! It said that unless I atoned for my sins, Heaven itself would strike me dead! If I don't spend this money for good, how else can I repent? Please, use it meaningfully!"
"Ha… ha…"
Beside them, Wi Jicheon chimed in again.
"Father, if you use that money to treat the poor, Great Hero Zhang will be truly happy. Right?"
"Y-yes! Ecstatic!"
Zhang Sam nodded with tears in his eyes — tears of despair.
'Damn it… to think I'd suffer humiliation like this! The Southern Heavy Healer House will pay for this!'
He ground his teeth.
After all, he had only picked this fight because the Southern Heavy Healer House had ordered him to.
If not for them, he never would've crossed paths with this little demon.
He couldn't even think of defying Wi Jicheon now — not after the boy had fed him a deadly poison that only the Divine Healer Clan possessed the antidote for.
—Come once a month. Do your part well, and I'll give you the antidote.
In other words, serve faithfully.
"If anyone dares offend the Divine Healer Clan, just say the word! I, Zhang Sam, will not rest until they're crushed!"
"Ha… thank you?"
And so, the uproar ended — and the news spread through all of Namyang.
That Zhang Sam, master of the Black Ghost Sect, had been so moved by the Divine Healer Clan's virtue that he vowed to become its guardian.
Absurd as it sounded, there were too many witnesses to deny it.
"The Divine Healer Clan's righteousness moves even the dark sects!"
The family's reputation soared overnight.
And another name spread alongside it — Wi Jicheon.
"The filial young master who scolded a dark sect master in defense of his father!"
Since the days of Confucius, filial piety had been the highest virtue under Heaven.
The people of Namyang praised him endlessly, calling him The Filial Hero of Namyang (Namyang Hyohyeop).
'A passing nickname, no doubt. Still, I like it.'
Wi Jicheon smiled.
Filial Hero.
Far better than his former title — Fiend Demon.
'In my last life, I didn't show even a speck of filial piety. All I did was cause trouble.'
Worse — it was through his own folly that he'd fallen into the White Healer Clan's trap, dooming his family.
That guilt had branded his soul like a scar.
So this title — Filial Hero — felt like redemption.
As if fate itself whispered that this life would be different.
"What are you grinning about, you unfilial brat?"
It was his older brother, Wi Jikang.
"Unfilial? Have you not heard what people are calling me lately?"
"Dying before your parents is the greatest unfilial act there is. Do you have any idea how reckless that was? Zhang Sam could've killed you with a flick of his wrist."
Well…
The people outside praised him as a paragon of filial virtue, but inside the house, he was getting scolded relentlessly.
Especially by Wi Jikang, whose nagging struck like thunder every time they met.
"…What brings you here, brother? I'm studying for the apprentice exam."
Wi Jikang's expression stiffened.
"I came to ask you something."
"What is it?"
He hesitated. His lips tightened.
Then—
"When you 'persuaded' Zhang Sam… what exactly did you do?"
"!!"
Wi Jicheon's heart skipped a beat.
There was sharp suspicion in his brother's eyes.
'Of course. He's always been perceptive.'
Slowly, Wi Jicheon exhaled and opened his mouth.
"The truth is…"