Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 193

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

Chapter 193
“Sister, could you also show me your demonic martial arts?”
“You want me to show you that?”
“Normally I wouldn’t, but my nose is three feet long—what could I possibly hide? Hahaha!”
It wasn’t something a sane person would do.
Yet Jin Cheon-hee nodded quite seriously.
“Please show me. I’m not sure if I can be of help, but I’ll do what I can.”
“Mm!”
After completing the Taiji form, she now unfolded the demonic martial arts she had learned from Yeo Ha-ryun.
As she demonstrated for some time, she suddenly felt something strange.
‘Why? Why are my movements so smooth?’
Was it because her inner force had grown?
That wasn’t it. Though spiritual essence had accumulated in her dantian, it would take considerable time to digest it properly.
Moreover, when inner force increased all at once, the form typically became rougher.
Her body hadn’t adapted yet.
And yet her movements grew increasingly fluid with each passing moment.
Soon.
“….”
Simply continuing the movements brought her joy, and she gradually began to sink into a state of selflessness.
Uuuuong—
The black and white dantian began to flow in harmony with her movements.
The black dragon began to conceive the white dragon.
Jin Cheon-hee observed this with utmost gravity.
‘The Taiji….’
She was one who called herself sand.
She had mocked herself as a dull talent capable only of repetition.
Yet to Jin Cheon-hee’s eyes, something seemed amiss.
Of course, it was difficult to say her martial arts were exceptional for her age.
But how could someone bearing the epithet of Samjeolchuho, who had pierced through so many places, still be alive?
She had never once cared for her own body while searching for her younger brother.
‘How could she possibly survive with all four limbs intact?’ he thought.
“Ah…!”
A spark of insight lit in Jin Cheon-hee’s eyes.
Just as all people possessed talent, Samjeolchuho too possessed talent.
Only the conditions seemed far from obvious.
Jin Cheon-hee murmured.
“Sister, why are your movements always one breath slower?”
A talent that could be called dull. Yet Jin Cheon-hee’s assessment was different.
“You were able to foresee your opponent’s attacks and evade them, so you used only the minimum force necessary.”
“….”
Samjeolchuho did not answer.
Within the martial arts of selflessness, he simply continued to gain enlightenment toward the next stage.
I muttered to myself.
“For that to be possible, you’d need the courage to wait until the very end and the reflexes to explode in a single moment…?”
To wait for the opponent’s attack until the last moment, then evade with nothing more than a sheet of paper—that’s what it would take.
That was how I discovered Samjeolchuho’s talent.
I spoke to Samjeolchuho, who was lost in selflessness.
“From now on, you should just eat and focus your training on your lower body.”
Elixirs and appropriate martial techniques, along with the eyes to perceive them.
And finally, the will to succeed no matter what.
The four most important elements of martial arts had come together.
I had found a path forward.
“You must choose a different weapon than the sword.”
Professor Jin completed the diagnosis.
Every person has their own personal hell.
My friend had chosen to walk that hellish path.
Whether burning flesh or dissolving bone, she would not stop. Even knowing that what awaited at the end was not paradise, she had decided it would suffice.
“….”
Yet I, born with an inherently positive nature, had not given up.
I believed there must be an answer.
Just as humanity discovered fire and the wheel, I believed there was surely something that human reason could change even in this.
That is why.
If it was a hellish path she had to walk anyway.
It seemed I could at least forge the sandals for her to walk it in.
That was the friendship I, Jin Cheon-hee, sent to my friend.
* * *
The day before parting with Samjeolchuho.
We shared many conversations. Setting aside talk of her younger sibling for now, we exchanged trivial jokes and discussed the rumors of Gangho.
Like most things, this too was the same.
Though it was merely human flesh and blood, sometimes each step taken creates miracles.
While walking that way, one could walk while listening to music, or walk while making idle conversation.
There is no one who does not wear down.
And in difficult times, such small laughter was more effective than a hundred medicines.
“The Bota Clan has finally lifted their gate closure.”
When the Bota Clan was suffering from the plague, I was there too. I saved many lives and briefly recommended they close their gates.
The gate closure period I had suggested then was one to two years.
The reason I recommended closure despite knowing it would be a great blow to the sect
was because I knew that if the plague spread beyond the island, many more would die.
I could not forget the serene smile of the Head Monk at that time.
The eyes of the Abbot, which had been closed, were like the Avalokitesvara of Buddhism itself.
“You’ve kept the gates sealed far longer than your initial proposal suggested.”
“Mm. I suppose you wanted to be thorough until the plague subsided completely. That’s how I see it. And your brother didn’t help support the Bota Clan from behind either.”
“I did nothing. The Bota Merchant Guild’s guild master simply excels at her work.”
Bota Merchant Guild master. Gong Ban-ha.
The Gongwun Escort House she initially operated ultimately failed. Yet, as if fortune had turned misfortune into blessing, the Bota Merchant Guild she took over has flourished greatly. It seemed she had learned from her failures with the Gongwun Escort House.
Initially, the Bota Escort House needed a merchant guild to assist with escort operations, so it began that way.
Now the merchant guild’s profits rival those of the escort house itself.
The money earned was used to support the Bota Clan during their gate closure.
The gate closure lasted longer than initially anticipated.
At last, the Bota Clan has unsealed their gates and returned to the world.
“The Namgung family sent a martial challenge letter to the Bota Clan first.”
“A martial challenge letter?”
A request for a duel—in modern terms, a sort of challenge proclamation.
“I heard the Bota Clan actually welcomed it.”
“It seems they’ve gained enlightenment.”
“That’s how it appears to me as well. However, the Namgung family didn’t remain idle while the Bota Clan was sealed away, so the outcome will be difficult to predict.”
“….”
No matter how deep the sea, an island does not sink.
The Bota Clan, having honed their martial arts during the time of gate closure, now seemed ready to emerge into the world once more.
“The Sword Sovereign will be decided.”
“The Sword Sovereign will be decided.”
Both spoke the same words simultaneously.
Gangho awaited the birth of a new Sword Sovereign.
The rankings of the ten greatest masters under heaven would now change as well.
* * *
After parting with Samjeolchuho, I headed straight for Baekrin Uigak.
The day I returned to Baekrin Uigak.
Jegalling was already waiting at the entrance.
“You don’t appear to be injured anywhere.”
My Master regarded me with a somewhat complicated expression.
I smiled softly at my Master and jested.
“What would I have to be injured about? I’m in perfect health.”
As I exaggeratedly tried to show off my biceps, Jegalling let out a small sigh.
“Good then. You said you were going to find a spirit medicine. Did you have any success?”
Now that he’d confirmed I was healthy, he finally remembered the purpose.
“Yes.”
“Let’s go inside and discuss it.”
The two of us entered together.
Upon arriving at Jegalling’s study, I confirmed no one was nearby and laid out the spirit medicines I had obtained.
Jegalling’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I didn’t disbelieve what you told me before, but I never expected you to bring them so quickly. And each one is far more remarkable than what you brought last time….”
“….”
I could have brought more if I’d set my mind to it. But those herbs are reserved for their destined consumer in the future.
Especially….
‘My Yeo Ha-ryun must eat them too.’
The spiritual medicines for Yeo Ha-ryun to consume.
Should some butterfly effect prevent him from scavenging them later, I would personally gather and feed them to him, but for now I have no intention of touching them.
“With Baekrin Uigak’s current alchemy techniques, we could enhance the medicinal properties and create even more supreme spiritual medicines.”
Ever since Jegalling recovered his health thanks to me, Baekrin Uigak has been expanding rapidly.
Personnel, techniques, and equipment.
Combined with the research doctors I’ve cultivated, the alchemy techniques grow more refined with each passing day.
“Master, won’t you take any?”
“Haha, I wonder if I’d undergo a complete metamorphosis. Our Hee.”
“Well, that would certainly be the case.”
Jegalling gazed at his disciple.
Though he had matured, traces of youth still lingered.
Though the master-disciple relationship in Gangho is said to rival that of parent and child, the reverence I held for my master was always exceptional.
Moved by that warmth, Jegalling gently stroked his disciple’s head.
‘Never did I imagine someone would share such warmth with me in my lifetime.’
The disciple rested his head in his master’s large hand while awaiting a response.
Soon Jegalling spoke.
“Through sparring with Elder Gwon Je, I realized that my body likely won’t achieve complete metamorphosis through such methods.”
“….”
“Breaking through walls via enlightenment and reaching the current realm—that seems the most certain path to complete metamorphosis. With perhaps one more enlightenment ahead, or two at most, I should devote myself to that instead.”
“Is that so…?”
“Haha, don’t lament, Hee. Do you think this master cannot overcome it?”
“Master, you will surely overcome it.”
“Yes. I won’t leave you behind and depart first. When that time comes, don’t find it strange if I’ve become too youthful.”
My master’s skin is already taut like the most beautiful person under heaven, more so than any young man.
Discussing rejuvenation here would be rather shameless, wouldn’t it?
I deliberated for three seconds before reaching a conclusion.
‘My spirit is already past forty, so dwelling on such matters would trap me in contradiction. The answer is Confucianism.’
I’d been somewhat excessive about the fact that I’d undergone rejuvenation(?) while walking around in a child’s body.
Though occasional waves of embarrassment would surge up, I diligently buried my dark history with the shovel of forgetfulness.
I answered with the composure of a madman.
“Master is Master. Even if you took the form of a young child, that wouldn’t change the fact that you are my master.”
“Complete metamorphosis typically transforms one into the physique best suited for martial arts, so it probably won’t go that far. And… I only said it would happen eventually, not how long it will take.”
Gulp—
My master took a sip of tea.
“After refining with spiritual medicines, what will you do with them next?”
“I’ll use some of them myself, and I have people who can distribute the rest, so I thought I’d send them to those children.”
“…Very well.”
Jegalling nodded without asking further questions.
It seemed he could guess where I intended to send them without needing to ask.
“Investment in the future is always sound.”
Was it merely my imagination that he seemed subtly displeased even while praising his disciple?
‘He really dislikes Yeo Ha-ryun.’
What master would welcome having a Heavenly Killer as a younger brother?
Still, he was pleased with Cheonwoo, whom I met at the Wudang—and for that I was grateful.
If I had to describe it, Cheonwoo was like a son returning from summer vacation insect collection with a massive rhinoceros beetle in hand.
‘Our son! He caught something like that too. My goodness, how impressive.’
Yeo Ha-ryun, by contrast, was like a long-antennae cockroach in the insect collection box.
‘Throw it away. Son, throw it away right now!’
Yet I found myself reluctantly embracing Cheonwoo’s cockroach and calling him my younger brother.
It was Jegalling’s very torment.
My carefully nurtured disciple would now place even these spirit elixirs into that cockroach’s mouth.
“They say the Demonic Sect’s cultivation is harsher than the righteous sects. Many lose their lives pursuing demonic arts.”
“Yeo Ha-ryun seemed healthy enough.”
“Yes. He does appear so. Being a Heavenly Killer, he’ll cling to life stubbornly enough.”
Jegalling clicked his tongue and sent the spirit elixirs I had set down to the Herb Guild.
It was best for both the Herb Guild Master and Jegalling to personally refine elixirs of this caliber.

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