Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 139

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 139
It was the lament of a grain of sand.
It was a lament only someone could voice—a swordmaster who had collided with walls tens of thousands of times, yet still had to move forward.
How many talented individuals had she witnessed throughout her middle years?
Why had she never spared herself from self-reproach for her own limitations?
Yet still, she had to find her younger sibling, so she must have done everything within her power.
What could not be filled was time, which could only slip away.
Twenty years.
Even Jin Cheon-hee, renowned throughout the realm, could not bring himself to tell her to reduce her drinking and consume more water this time.
He could only speak thus.
“I believe I can teach you the acupoint for better sleep.”
“Krkrkrk, the only one who’s shown concern for me since we met today is this young brother here.”
Samjeolchuho exhaled deeply.
A sound of resentment bubbling and churning could be heard from her solar plexus.
Her parents had been murdered, and she had endured each day tracking a younger sibling whose fate remained unknown.
She had dwelled on her shortcomings, blamed herself for her dullness, yet still walked forward without collapsing.
She must have harbored unspoken jealousy watching brilliant prodigies. And that very jealousy must have made her feel even more wretched.
So she had endured through alcohol.
She had dismissed it as a common matter in Gangho, but that alone was insufficient.
Samjeolchuho spoke with forced brightness.
“Finally, I’ve encountered a similar case. Of course, it’s far more concealed and meticulous than back then, but somehow it carries the same scent.”
“Why do you think so?”
“Would you believe it if I called it the intuition of a wanderer?”
At Samjeolchuho’s words, Jin Cheon-hee smiled bitterly.
“Yes. Coming from none other than Samjeolchuho, I must believe it.”
Everyone knew she had not solved merely one or two cases.
In the martial world, the epithet “Tiger” was not given to just anyone.
Was not Samsalchuseo, who served Jin Cheon-hee, merely a “Rat” at best?
“Thank you for trusting such a wanderer.”
“I believe your younger sibling will surely be found. And… we’ve narrowed it down to two.”
Jin Cheon-hee presented the records of two children before her.
Then he asked thus.
“Is there a particularly sickly child among the two?”
Samjeolchuho read through it for a long while before speaking.
“I know a child named Kyeong has been bedridden with a cold recently.”
“Then it must be the other child.”
At Jin Cheon-hee’s words, Samjeolchuho’s eyes widened.
“I see. A sickly child cannot be used for the ritual. They would seek to abduct a healthy child. Did you deduce that much, young brother?”
Jin Cheon-hee nodded.
No one offers rotten fruit at a shrine.
He considers that an insult to his ancestors.
Descendants offer the finest fruits to their ancestors as a token of gratitude.
I live in Korea, yet I’ve never performed ancestral rites in my life and have no intention of starting—that’s who I am.
Even so, I’ve heard about this practice.
Similarly, human sacrifice demands a healthy offering.
‘The fact that I’m reasoning this far is something I’d rather not do.’
But a child’s life hangs in the balance, so I have no choice.
“And since I’ve found the pattern, please tell me your sister’s name and her birth date and time.”
Samjeolchuho nodded with an expression of emotion.
“Her name is Do Baek-eun, written with these characters.”
She quickly traced her sister’s name with her finger and wrote the birth date and time beside it.
‘I’ve never seen a character named Do Baek-eun in any novel.’
But that alone tells me nothing. In martial arts stories, often only aliases appear instead of real names.
After calculating the birth date and time, I nodded.
“The pattern matches this case.”
Samjeolchuho’s eyes widened.
“That’s it. My intuition was right. Yes… yes. This is good. Baek-eun… I’ll definitely come for you, sister.”
Her older sister Do Baek-ha collapsed as if her legs had given out.
But only for a moment—a murderous glint sharpened in her eyes.
Twenty years.
That was how long she’d wandered searching for her sister.
Samjeolchuho rose to her feet.
“I don’t know how to repay this kindness.”
“First, let’s save the children.”
“Can you tail someone well?”
“Given the nature of my movement technique, it’s not particularly difficult.”
“Good. I’ll guide you to the child’s residence. Oh, just to be safe—you absolutely must not intervene during the kidnapping. If you do, you’ll lose the lives of all the other children forever.”
I nodded calmly.
“I’ll teach you about tailing techniques on the way through sound transmission. With your Five Elements Divine Art, you’ll grasp it quickly with just a little instruction.”
* * *
Samjeolchuho taught me tailing and tracking methods.
[The most important thing is subtle movement and body technique… but seeing you, I have no such worries.]
[That’s fortunate.]
It was thanks to the Jegal Family’s Heavenly Foresight.
With economical movements, I pursued Samjeolchuho.
‘I wonder if Hwang-gu and the Cheonryeong family found Yeo Ha-ryun well.’
Interestingly, spirit beasts excel at tracking but struggle with tailing.
Since they’re large creatures, they’re easily spotted from a distance, and the Cheonryeong family flies through the sky.
If a bird comes chasing from above, even a fool would notice.
This was why pursuit was easy but tailing was unsuitable for them.
I took my position alongside Samjeolchuho and stilled my presence.
We concealed ourselves in the shadows and waited for a long time.
How much time had passed?
Even the moonlight was obscured by clouds, and silence blanketed the darkness.
Then what I had taken for a building’s shadow began to writhe.
It was a Masked Person.
Fortunately, I had expanded my spiritual awareness from the start and was sensing keenly, otherwise I would have missed movements so quiet and concealed.
The figure entered the house, then emerged carrying a bundle on their back.
There was no doubt a child was inside it.
Whether the child had been sedated or not, the bundle had weight but did not move.
Then the figure began to move.
[We pursue!]
Samjeolchuho took the first step forward. I followed, moving my body technique after him.
* * *
The figure left the city and headed toward the mountains.
The speed at which they moved through the trees was like a wild beast rather than a human.
However, both Samjeolchuho and I had mastered lightness kung fu and could pursue without losing them.
[Junior Brother, when you step on the branches, don’t let them snap… you’re doing well.]
Samjeolchuho looked at me with astonished eyes.
[How on earth do you accomplish such wondrous feats with the Three Realm Step?]
[I learned the Three Realm Step when I mastered the Heavenly Foresight.]
[I understand that. But how does the Three Realm Step achieve that? Isn’t the Three Realm Step just a stepping technique learned on the streets?]
[…?]
[What I mean is.]
[If something works, I say it works. When you ask how it works…]
Samjeolchuho sighed at my words.
[No, never mind. I understand that you’re an eccentric, Junior Brother.]
Samjeolchuho gave up asking me anything further.
Having lived as a wanderer and met every eccentric worth meeting, Jin Cheon-hee ranked among the highest.
Of course, I knew that he communicated well and possessed admirable character. But that was separate from being peculiar.
After pursuing for some time longer, the Masked Person’s afterimage suddenly dispersed.
Samjeolchuho deployed tracking techniques but found nothing. She spoke.
[It’s a formation. They’ve set up a formation in this area.]
As expected, her perception was sharp. I expanded my spiritual awareness and spoke.
[I see. It’s quite different from the formation style used by the Jegal Family….]
I placed my palm on the ground covered with fallen leaves.
With my eyes closed, I examined the earth’s meridians for a long while.
Then I drew the Icy Frost Sword and released sword energy at one particular spot.
Shing!
The rock was cleaved apart as easily as tofu.
In the silent destruction that made no sound, Samjeolchuho felt inwardly astonished.
[Quite impressive.]
Jin Cheon-hee, who originally defeated Gokgol Hyeolma with just the Five Elements Divine Art.
Now that he had gained this man’s inner power as well, it was like a tiger sprouting wings.
Yet Jin Cheon-hee’s expression remained tense.
[It seems my younger brother suspects his opponent is still a formidable master.]
[Yes. I would be grateful if my assumptions proved wrong.]
Jin Cheon-hee nodded.
After destroying a few more stones, a shrine came into view in the distance.
[There was a shrine in such a place.]
[Judging by the appearance of the wood and the scent of pine resin, it appears to have been newly built for a ritual. Likely less than three months old.]
True to his nature as a wanderer who had taken on requests for so long, Samjeolchuho easily deduced when the shrine had been constructed.
Jin Cheon-hee spoke.
[Since the formation has collapsed, the enemies must have noticed by now.]
[That is what I hoped for.]
She placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.
[I do hope that among them is the one who kidnapped my younger brother… but high expectations lead to great disappointment, which is troublesome.]
Samjeolchuho let out a laugh tinged with killing intent.
Jin Cheon-hee offered her counsel.
[I would advise abandoning any thoughts of capturing them alive. We lack such luxury.]
[Understood, younger brother.]
* * *
The shrine’s entrance glowed a dark crimson.
It resembled the color of human blood, and the smell was similar enough to induce nausea.
Beyond the shrine’s entrance lay a dark cave.
As if beckoning them to enter.
[I see no other entrance.]
She clicked her tongue.
[This passage below must surely be a trap… Are you certain you’ll be alright, younger brother?]
[There is no need for your concern.]
[I’m sorry for dragging you into such danger.]
She revealed her true feelings honestly.
[Buy me tea when this is over.]
[Not alcohol?]
[If you drink like that, you’ll suffer in your later years.]
In a situation where they now faced life and death together, Jin Cheon-hee addressed Samjeolchuho with the honorific of elder sister.
Understanding its meaning, Samjeolchuho Dobaekhwa wore a pleased expression.
[Then I’ll simply find a good doctor when the time comes.]
[Ho, a good doctor, you say.]
[There is a renowned doctor named Seo Baek-ryong—eccentric though he may be, his medical skills are unparalleled under heaven.]
With those words, I and Samjeolchuho entered simultaneously.
Clang clang clang!
Hundreds of needles flew from the darkness.
I unfurled my sword wind to block the needles.
The Masked Persons formed a formation and attacked us both.
A wall made of human bodies.
Samjeolchuho drew the long sword at his waist and countered their assault.
Clang!
[I’ll handle these bastards. Junior Brother, go save the children.]
[Understood! If things get dangerous, flee!]
[Haha, where I stand is the tiger’s mouth, but where Junior Brother goes is the tiger’s throat. Even if I were to flee, what were you thinking telling me that?]
[I can look after myself.]
I poured strength into my Icy Frost Blade.
The Three Calamities Sword Technique.
First form.
Three Calamities Open Gate–!
A first form containing the meaning of opening a gate with the sword.
Normally, it was the most basic of fundamentals—learned in a week before moving on.
Combined with the Five Elements Divine Art and this Heavenly Stems inner energy, it created terrifying destructive power.
The Masked Persons closed the Life Gate of their formation with the Death Gate, responding with a combined strike.
Boom!
Astonishingly, the Masked Persons’ formation could not withstand my sword strike and shattered through.
[If I’d known this would work, I should’ve learned the Three Calamities Sword Technique myself.]
Samjeolchuho grumbled.
[Haha, then I’ll go ahead.]
[Don’t die.]
I thrust my body through the shattered formation.
The Masked Persons belatedly tried to draw their swords and chase after me, but they were pushed back by Samjeolchuho’s powerful sword strikes and couldn’t stop me.
“Where do you think you’re going! You won’t move a single step from here–!”
Samjeolchuho’s roar, infused with inner energy, resonated thunderously through the stone chamber.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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