Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 179

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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 179
The two of us stood in the Training Ground. We were practicing together.
As I trained alongside Cheonwoo, I gradually grasped fragments of the Heart Technique of the Shadowless Sword.
‘Cheonwoo truly perceives qi with remarkable speed.’
That was the greatest advantage I discovered through our joint training.
When it came to sensing qi and manipulating it, Cheonwoo was unparalleled.
“Brother, I just detected something distorting in that sword strike.”
“Distorting? Then it means the qi flowed exactly as I intended.”
I felt delighted at those words.
I am a master of the highest caliber.
Of course, even a master of the highest caliber is undoubtedly an exceptional swordsman within the Martial Arts World, but I am nowhere near the level of my Master, grandfather, or Blood Saint.
‘Nor can I compare to Cheonma.’
Now I was beginning to understand Yeo Ha-ryun’s realm somewhat.
Through the blessing of the Heavenly Killing Star, Yeo Ha-ryun was instinctively approaching the Heart Technique of the Shadowless Sword.
Even without reaching the Heavenly Realm, his sword path was instinctively pursuing it.
While the side effects of the killing impulse were severe, the Heavenly Killing Star was a talent of equal magnitude.
The more I measured Yeo Ha-ryun, the more distant he seemed.
‘I miss him. I wonder how he’s doing. Ha-ryun.’
Whenever longing welled up, I would send letters. However, this place was the heart of the Jeongpa—the Mudang.
I didn’t have the audacity to send letters from here all the way to where Ha-ryun was.
‘By now, he must have grown tremendously stronger.’
The fact that I could now distort space was a significant step forward.
“It seems I became capable of this, albeit limitedly, through learning the Dual Thought Technique and the Taegeuk Hye Sword.”
“To awaken even fragments of this and make it your own would be an extraordinary realm. Normally, one cannot even attempt such a thing unless they’ve reached the Heavenly Realm.”
“That’s right.”
“But why does brother look as though you’ve only just taken a single step?”
The realm I had just demonstrated was one worthy of embracing a sword and weeping with joy.
A fragment of the Heart Technique of the Shadowless Sword.
Yet I wore the expression of one who had merely accomplished something obvious.
“Hahaha, that’s the thing. The higher you climb, the higher the peaks you see.”
“Brother, you’re frightening.”
Cheonwoo grumbled with genuine sincerity.
Despite growing this formidable, I was never satisfied.
“I’m not sure what to call this technique I just used.”
Using qi, I could now slightly bend an opponent’s attack.
Some might ask what was so remarkable about merely bending an attack. Yet the applications were limitless.
‘For instance, if I deflect an enemy’s straight attack by merely ten degrees, interesting things would happen.’
The range was approximately one foot (25 centimeters) based on the blade itself.
Rather than completely redirecting the force, it was merely a slight twist, but combined with swordplay, my opponent’s strike would never reach me.
“Even among masters of the highest caliber, you would have overwhelming technical superiority, so you could achieve what you desire—subduing them while keeping them alive.”
“That’s right. Even if you lose a limb, as long as your life remains, you’re still alive.”
I nodded solemnly.
“And the Hyeonwon Jeondan Singeong works remarkably well with this approach.”
By utilizing accelerated thought, I gain a strategic advantage whenever I exchange offense and defense with an opponent. In technical terms, possessing such higher-level capabilities allows me to neutralize my adversary far more easily.
Cheonwoo narrowed his eyes and grumbled.
“You have inner strength, accelerated thought, and technical superiority, older brother. Within the realm of the supreme masters, there’s practically no one who could defeat you.”
“That’s good. Swift subjugation brings peace. Killing doesn’t suit my temperament.”
“Somehow, you seem more like a hermit than an actual hermit.”
“I said I don’t kill, not that I let them go.”
At those words, Cheonwoo burst into hearty laughter.
“That’s exactly why you seem more like a hermit than someone like me.”
Instead of answering, I ruffled Cheonwoo’s hair.
“Don’t say such things. Sometimes you must kill one wicked person to save a thousand. Nothing is absolute.”
Still, I preferred not to stain my hands with blood if possible.
For someone who grew up in the Martial Arts World from childhood, it might be different, but for someone with a modern sensibility, taking a life is an extraordinarily heavy burden.
‘I should live moderately so I don’t develop war PTSD in my old age.’
I don’t care about the quality of life for the wicked, but I should look after my own, shouldn’t I?
“Anyway… it’s about time.”
I suddenly looked up at the sky.
As I gazed at the sunset-painted heavens, a saying well-known throughout the Gangho came to mind.
“Indeed. Tomorrow’s already here.”
Cheonwoo answered with a somewhat downcast expression.
I chuckled upon seeing that face.
“Those who meet must part, and those who part shall meet again. There’s no need to look so gloomy.”
“Those who meet must part, and those who part shall meet again… It’s from the Lotus Sutra, isn’t it? But older brother, that scripture is missing one word: ‘when.'”
The Lotus Sutra—one of Buddhism’s sacred texts. The phrase found there originally represented the core Buddhist doctrine of transmigration of souls.
However, in the Gangho, it was often used to describe fateful encounters. And indeed, such things happened frequently.
Those in the Martial Arts World meet and part, yet ultimately meet again.
Even if it takes the form of life and death.
“Each of us has our own life, so there’s no helping it. Still, knowing that you’re living well and healthy—that should be enough.”
Cheonwoo frowned slightly with one eyebrow, seeming somewhat unsatisfied.
Even at his expression, I laughed further and drew my sword.
“Come on. Since today is our last day, shall we have one final sparring match, you and I?”
Cheonwoo drew his sword at those words.
“Then I’ll take you up on that, older brother.”
“Good.”
I smiled and took my stance.
The sun sets. The sky turns crimson. Clouds drift past.
Time waits for no one. The sun rises and sets, and life flows ever onward.
In this sentimental mood, I recalled all that had happened on Mudang Mountain.
I gained much from my time on Mudang Mountain.
I found a second master, learned the martial arts of the Mudang Sect, deepened my Dual Thought Technique, and grasped even the edges of the Taegeuk Hye Sword.
Though brief, it was joyful, and I knew that someday I would long for this encounter.
So I extended my sword toward Cheonwoo standing across from me.
To cherish this moment even more fondly as time passed.
Clang.
Blade met blade.
Though the edges were not sharpened, the wooden practice swords were made of metal and carried the same weight as true blades.
The two swords danced in the air. My sword flowed along the sword path of the Soqing Sword Technique.
The Taeqing Sword Technique’s paths are grand and exhilarating.
The Soqing Sword Technique followed such paths as well, making the sword’s trajectory refreshing.
Though the sword path could easily be read, the Gangho recognizes it because unlike the blade alone, the body’s posture moves in a way that pressures the opponent’s movements.
Sword technique is not merely the sword moving—the body’s movements are determined alongside it.
Its power is evident.
And when two swordsmen skilled in the Soqing Sword Technique matched their movements, it became beautiful, almost like a dance.
I calculated the sword path through accelerated thought and moved accordingly, while Cheonwoo followed with ghostly intuition.
It was instruction.
Teaching Cheonwoo about the Soqing Sword Technique—what I had analyzed—through sparring.
And Cheonwoo’s senses absorbed it rapidly.
As the dance continued, I saw a smile bloom on Cheonwoo’s face.
Could learning martial arts be this enjoyable?
Though I was a martial arts enthusiast, martial arts to me were something learned out of necessity.
What Cheonwoo was experiencing was a sensation difficult for me to understand. Yet seeing him so delighted as his older brother filled me with joy.
But as all beginnings have endings, that dance-like harmony between us eventually came to a close.
The sword’s movements gradually slowed, and finally stopped.
“Haa… haa…”
“Well done. Your sword path itself is flawless. Moreover, your adaptability and transitions are excellent. Even when I tried to shake you with techniques, you defended perfectly. You grasped what I wanted to teach immediately. Excellent.”
“You’re too kind… older brother. Haa… you’re… not even breathing hard… phew… are you?”
“My internal energy is abundant. And despite appearances, I’m a master of the highest caliber.”
At my words, Cheonwoo exhaled deeply and finally steadied his breathing as he stood.
“Thank you for your instruction.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“No, older brother. The debt I owe you is… immeasurable. You saved my life. You recommended me to the Mudang Sect.”
“Anyone seeing your circumstances would have done the same.”
“That’s not true. If it were something anyone could do, there would be many like me in the Mudang Sect.”
I smiled gently at Cheonwoo.
“No, Cheonwoo. You simply had terrible luck until now.”
“…”
Cheonwoo shook his head again.
“When I was young, I thought every day that I might die next week, or the week after. When children beat me, I sometimes slept in a doghouse. Having no name means having no meaning. Having no meaning means having no value.”
To Cheonwoo, I was the only person who had saved his life, given him a name, and told him he had talent.
Cheonwoo habitually touched the eye patch on his face.
“I’m actually grateful I lost one eye. If I hadn’t had that illness, I never would have met you, older brother.”
“Cheonwoo.”
Cheonwoo merely smiled with a hollow expression at the sound of my voice.
“I can’t even imagine it now. My body has grown so much, and the scars from back then have almost completely faded.”
“That’s right. You’ve grown well. You’ve become handsome.”
“It’s all because of you, older brother. Because you grabbed me and lifted me up back then.”
Cheonwoo lay in the Training Ground, gazing at the sunset.
The sky, now nearly drained of its crimson hue, was observed by Cheonwoo with a sense of longing.
“I don’t want to part with you, older brother.”
“You’ve already stayed far too long.”
“I know.”
For those of the Gangho, parting was always inevitable. Yet it was never without regret.
As the sun completely set, Cheonwoo finally rose to his feet.
“Older brother, how strong is this person named Yeo Ha-ryun?”
“Well… incredibly strong.”
“What if I were to master everything the Mudang Sect has to offer?”
“If that happens, you’d be at least a Hyeongyeong expert. Why? Are you saying you want to become the greatest in the land?”
“Haha.”
Cheonwoo’s clear laughter filled the Training Ground.
“In truth, it doesn’t matter much whether anyone recognizes it or not. You are my older brother within my heart. Still, I truly wish to cross blades with this Yeo Ha-ryun.”
“….”
“Though you seem to dislike it greatly.”
“….”
“It can wait. I’ll wait as long as it takes. I can wait.”
Cheonwoo murmured softly, his voice filled with earnestness.
I spoke.
“Next time, I’ll send you a larger scarf. I’ll send letters more often too.”
“Yes, older brother.”
We laughed and bumped our fists together.
Thud.
And so parting arrived.
* * *
The next day at noon. I finished a late breakfast and began my steps to depart Mudang Mountain.
Cheonwoo followed me to Haegeomji to see me off.
“Ah, I’m so reluctant to send you off like this, older brother.”
“Next time, we’ll be able to meet sooner than this.”
It had been years since we last met.
Once when we were children, and once again after reaching adulthood by the standards of the Gangho.
When would the next opportunity come?
It was only natural that I felt anxious.

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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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