Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 169

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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 169
‘So Cheonwoo truly is a martial artist through and through.’
In modern terms, it was a life comparable to that of a Catholic priest or Buddhist monk.
Even in modern times, it would be the kind of decision that turns a household upside down.
To proceed despite knowing all of this carried considerable weight.
‘That too is the elegance of the martial arts world.’
As his older brother, I decided to support Cheonwoo’s choice.
“Then what of his Dharma name?”
Cheonwoo laughed bashfully, a sound that seemed incongruous with his large frame.
“It’s Cheonwoo.”
“The same as your current name.”
“Yes. It happens to match the generational character of Heaven (天) as well. The meaning of Cheonwoo that you gave me was so beautiful. The elders decided on it after much deliberation.”
“I see.”
“I’m glad I can keep the name you gave me.”
“Any name will do. As long as it carries good meaning.”
With that, I ruffled my younger brother’s hair.
Cheonwoo seemed even more pleased and said this.
“Since things have turned out this way, brother, would you like me to show you around the Mudang Sect?”
“Sounds great! You two are fine with that, right?”
At my words, Hwang-gu and Noeji answered simultaneously.
Woof woof, squeak squeak!
Cheonwoo couldn’t understand what they were saying, but he could sense that the two spiritual creatures were in good spirits.
“Right. Brother, I brought some jerky. You two like jerky, don’t you? Brother told me you do.”
The way he handed one to each of them showed considerable skill.
I spoke.
“You’ll do well in society. Really.”
“Pardon?”
“No, never mind. Never mind.”
Munch munch! – A good human. Master!
Hwang-gu was already won over.
* * *
We went outside to see Cheonwoo and the Mudang Sect.
Of course, it was difficult to show outsiders the interior of the sect itself, so we visited the tourist attractions near the Mudang Sect.
The most famous among them was the Golden Palace Temple on Cheonju Peak, a massive structure covered in gold leaf.
“Outsiders are forbidden from entering the temple interior, brother.”
Instead, the area before it was prepared in Taoist fashion so that pilgrims could offer their prayers.
“So many people come despite it being this high up.”
Mudang Mountain had long been renowned for its treacherous and towering terrain. Moreover, the Golden Palace Temple was situated at the highest point of Mudang Mountain, making it difficult to ascend with ordinary stamina.
There were no carriages available for travel either.
In an era without roads or cable cars, it was an even more arduous undertaking.
“I wonder what wishes people come all the way out here to pray for.”
“Mostly health and household peace. Some pray for passing the civil service exams.”
“But the Mudang Sect is Taoist, not a martial sect…?”
“That’s true, but people want to pray wherever they sense spiritual efficacy, don’t they?”
I thought it was an odd thing for a Mudang Sect hermit to say, but I nodded in agreement.
‘Even hermits can’t ignore reality, no matter how devoted they are.’
I glanced around the temple and spoke.
“It’s impressive that no one has stripped away the gold leaf.”
“That’s the benefit of being a martial sect.”
In this Martial Arts World where lightness techniques and sword energy truly exist,
it seemed there were no bold enough thieves to steal from temples managed by martial sects.
‘The Mudang Sect doesn’t particularly inspire more fear than others, though.’
As a martial arts enthusiast, I had memorized countless variations of the Mudang Sect’s characteristics. The conclusion I’d drawn from reading about them was this:
Hermits are people too, and it’s impossible to completely escape the secular world.
I appreciated that realistic aspect of things.
Gazing pleasantly at the clouds spreading below the Golden Palace Temple, I pulled two rice balls from my medicine pouch on my back.
“Want some?”
“Did you make these, brother?”
“Yeah. It’d be a shame not to eat with a view like this.”
For me, sightseeing meant eating.
When visiting a new place, I had to eat its food, and when seeing beautiful scenery, I had to eat while enjoying it.
That was travel.
Without eating, it wasn’t travel.
Cheonwoo took the rice ball from me and bit into it, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Wow, brother. This is really delicious. How did you make it?”
“I mixed soy sauce, butter, and sea bream meat together, then shaped it.”
“Butter?”
“Such things exist.”
There was butter made from sheep’s milk by nomads here too, but since it was made by shaking milk in leather pouches, it didn’t have the taste of modern conveniences I desired.
So I made it to my liking myself.
“It’s delicious.”
“Soy sauce butter is the truth. Plus, the sea bream meat was plump and tender.”
Normally I’d use canned tuna for this. But since it didn’t exist here, I substituted it.
“What about the seaweed…?”
“Seasoned seaweed.”
I made it with Korean seasoned seaweed.
Whenever I missed Earth, I cooked like this.
“Want some clam soup too?”
I pulled out a long container from somewhere and poured clam soup into a bowl.
“There’s no meat in it?”
“I put some thought into it since we’re visiting the Mudang Sect. Besides, hermits eat fish quite often anyway.”
“Hahaha, that’s true. But there are also those who eat meat.”
A fat monk… no, a fat Taoist priest.
Still, it doesn’t matter.
“You’re still growing, so you need to eat plenty.”
At my words, Cheonwoo tilted his head.
“The senior brothers said I should stop growing.”
“Well, with your height, you’ve already surpassed most of the senior brothers. Still, being bigger is always an advantage. Longer limbs mean greater benefit in combat.”
By this world’s standards, he’s already an adult. But by Earth’s standards where I came from, he’s still a high school student this year.
“Eat a balanced diet and plenty of it. Martial artists rarely develop adult diseases anyway, so eating more is just gain.”
“Understood, brother. But this tastes so good that I keep eating even without being told.”
I set aside some of my portion for my younger brother.
Then I gave lunch to Hwang-gu and Noeji as well.
The two beasts and one hermit attacked the food like ravenous demons.
‘It’s satisfying to see them eat well.’
From the perspective of an old man, it’s truly a shame that Cheonwoo gave up on marriage.
His tall frame, muscular physique, and the eye patch make him look nothing like a proper Jeongpa swordsman—that’s his weakness—but still, the boy is so well-mannered and even gentlemanly by modern standards.
‘Cheonwoo would be popular wherever he went…’
Combined with his graceful jawline and handsome eyes, he was quite capable of setting hearts ablaze.
‘He has talent too. At such a young age without formal training, he mastered inner energy cultivation just to survive.’
Cheonwoo, who was eating my rice ball, suddenly asked.
“Brother, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just a shame, really. The hermit’s life is good, but I wonder if you’re too young to make such a decision.”
That’s purely modern sensibility.
In this era, it’s normal to decide one’s entire path by the early teens.
Still, Cheonwoo seemed to understand my point and nodded.
“Hahaha. I never expected to hear such words from you, brother. I’ve heard many times that I look like an evil faction leader, which doesn’t suit me.”
It seems his expression was the same back then.
‘It must be because of the eye patch.’
Since Ha Hou-dun’s time, the eye patch has been a symbol of coolness and ferocity.
“Still, you’ve grown well.”
Cheonwoo chuckled.
“Whose younger brother would I be if I didn’t grow well?”
‘He’s still just a kid. Just a kid.’
The old man in me was pleased that my younger brother had grown so well. Then Cheonwoo suddenly asked.
“By the way, brother. Who is Yeo Ha-ryun? What does he do that he dares speak of tests? I don’t understand at all. Heheheh.”
He laughs casually, but there’s already a competitive spirit in his voice.
“Well… he’s strong. He’s also my first sworn brother.”
“Ah, I see. So if I meet him and have a martial match, I officially become your younger brother?”
“I don’t know when that will be.”
“I don’t think you’re deliberately postponing it, hyung. I can wait. Hyung.”
My chest tightens.
Ever since receiving Cheonwoo’s enthusiastic reply, I’ve been continuously delaying the date of the Greatest Disciple Selection Tournament.
“I’ll tell you about it when the opportunity arises.”
“Yes. I’ll wait for you, hyung!”
Cheonwoo, wearing an eye patch on his sharp face, smiles gently.
‘Rather than the Mudang Sect, more like a heterodox faction leader…’
He doesn’t look like a ‘good younger brother listening to his hyung’s words’ but rather like a ‘heterodox faction master plotting to sever an enemy commander’s neck.’
‘With that handsome face, he’s quite something. Cheonwoo.’
Just looking at his visuals, it seems I’ve already seen dozens of people.
And so the two of us finished the lunch box and came down.
Then suddenly, I noticed Mudang Sect members blocking the stairs in the distance.
‘Hmm… they’re blocking it in a rather unnatural way.’
Sure enough, one of them looked this way and spoke.
“Who is this? It’s that bastard Cheonwoo.”
I felt wariness toward Cheonwoo in his voice.
“Hello, senior!”
Meanwhile, Cheonwoo calmly received the greeting and bowed toward the group.
Seeing this, I had an intuition.
‘Cheonwoo isn’t stupid, but seeing how he responds like this… he’s just pretending to be oblivious.’
Sometimes in human relationships, you need to pretend not to notice… no, often you do.
‘I’ve felt it since the Golden Palace Temple, but our Cheonwoo is quite good at social interactions.’
I immediately cupped my fist toward the Mudang Sect members.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Jin Cheon-hee.”
“Ah, Seo Baek-ryong. We’ve heard much of your reputation.”
What?
I sensed a hint of hostility from these people.
‘Could they be those who envy Cheonwoo’s talent?’
Isn’t that always in martial arts novels? Senior disciples from the same sect who grow jealous of the outstanding protagonist’s achievements!
‘Is our Cheonwoo suffering such persecution?’
If so, as his hyung, I was prepared to help in some way.
Then the strongest-looking one from the group stepped forward.
He smiled broadly instead and spoke thus.
“I am Cheon Gyeong. We’ve been waiting since we heard Seo Baek-ryong was coming.”
A patient?
My physician’s instinct stirred.
Their attitude is somewhat confusing.
I asked calmly for now.
“I’m not sure why you’ve been waiting. Is it perhaps related to the matter you mentioned during your visit?”
If so, that would make sense.
Cheon Gyeong spoke.
“That’s not it. We’ve been waiting to witness the martial prowess of the Jegal Family.”
Witnessing didn’t simply mean observing. In this context, it meant a martial duel.
‘Why are they provoking me…?’
Observing their behavior, while they certainly seemed wary of Cheonwoo, their true target appeared to be Jin Cheon-hee—myself.

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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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