Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 195

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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 195
I first received the spirit pills that my Master and the Herb Guild Master Manpagok had created.
Before sending them to my younger siblings, I set aside two pills for myself.
One was the Taeching Spirit Pill.
The one that Elder Mudang Gwon-je had bestowed upon me.
‘I wonder if Cheonwoo ate his well?’
I gave one of the two to Cheonwoo.
I decided to consume the remaining one myself.
This way, the Mudang Sect would be pleased as well.
Such is human nature.
It’s not that one stops caring after giving a gift.
If the birthday gift you gave today appears on the market tomorrow, feeling displeased is only natural, isn’t it?
‘I should cultivate social relationships as well.’
A surgeon cannot succeed alone.
Whether it’s nurses, anesthesiologists, or consultations—saving lives requires pooling efforts with countless staff members.
This habit of gradually showing consideration for others had remained with me for a long time.
I also did not forget to send a Baekrin Spirit Pill in return, along with a letter expressing gratitude for the good use of the Taeching Spirit Pill.
“Young Master, doesn’t this trouble you?”
“Trouble? These things always come full circle. Yoo Ho.”
“In all my years, I’ve never seen anyone receive a Taeching Spirit Pill from the Mudang Sect and send back their own spirit pills in return. Of course, the Baekrin Spirit Pill is inferior in grade compared to the Taeching Spirit Pill.”
“Inferior in grade? The Baekrin Spirit Pill is for medical purposes!”
“Medical purpose or not, if it doesn’t rapidly increase inner energy, the martial artists undervalue it. After all, these are people whose dream is to become the greatest master under heaven rather than simply living long. What can you expect?”
“You’re too much, Yoo Ho. I never thought you’d disparage the Baekrin Spirit Pill like that—it’s like our child that we created together.”
At my words, Yoo Ho looked at me with an expression that suggested he wanted to kill me.
To the teaching assistant’s murderous gaze, Professor Jin responded with a warm smile.
“Let’s work hard so we can see the second child too.”
Streptomycin.
The teaching assistant wondered if there would ever be an end to this labor.
And for three seconds, he conceived of hundreds of ways to kill Professor Jin.
“If I just broke that palm-sized neck, this labor would end…”
“Thanks to you, Yoo Ho, my external energy grows every day. Hahaha.”
I finished the letter and sealed it.
Usually, in martial arts novels, when someone consumes such spirit pills, they express great gratitude for the opportunity and rush toward greater enemies.
For an ordinary martial artist, there would be no way to repay such a gift.
The best repayment would be to defeat the benefactor’s enemies.
But I was different.
‘It’s not as if I can’t make Baekrin Spirit Pills. There’s no reason to begrudge it.’
As a doctor, it was possible.
In an era where swords clashed, internal injury medicine held considerable value.
Moreover, this prototype version of the Baekrin Spirit Pill that I had personally crafted—not the cost-reduced generic version, but one that prioritized medicinal potency over cost-effectiveness—would be an exceptionally welcome gift to the Mudang Sect.
I selected the remaining one for containing the highest concentration of Metal Qi.
In the past, I had searched for and consumed Baekseonsam with the spirits, filling the Wood Qi among the Five Elements, but I had never managed to fill the Metal Qi to the same degree.
Spirit herbs infused with Earth Qi, Wood Qi, or Fire Qi were relatively easy to find. However, spirit medicines containing Metal at the level I desired were far rarer.
It was only natural that as I grew rapidly through spirit medicine, weaknesses would emerge.
My chronic problem was precisely this—among the Five Elements, only Metal Qi was distinctly insufficient.
Yet in combat, Metal was the element I consumed most abundantly.
This was because it had excellent compatibility with the Thunderbrain technique that Noeji employed.
‘So I’m finally resolving that.’
Before me lay the Black Iron Divine Elixir, created together by my Master and the Herb Guild Master.
The Black Iron Stone Fungus was a mushroom that bloomed in the deepest veins of mining regions where gold deposits lay buried, containing Metal Qi to its absolute limit.
However, its drawback was that it contained no other Qi besides Metal, making it selective about constitution, individual, and martial technique.
Moreover, since the mountains themselves where gold deposits lay buried were places miners frequented constantly, the fungus was naturally difficult to cultivate.
To harvest this mushroom, one had to know the location where future gold mines would be buried.
‘Master, this unworthy disciple has purchased all of those mountains with pocket money.’
Since silver was more abundant there than gold, the term “silver mine” would be more accurate, but the profitability was sufficient.
However, if I suddenly shouted “A silver mine has been discovered!” the Demonic Sect’s financial bureau might swarm like hornets, so I planned to develop it in cooperation with Ju Wang at an opportune time.
“Hehehehe…!”
I wore a sinister smile as I picked up the Black Iron Divine Elixir.
The pitch-black spirit elixir had gold dust embedded in it like stars.
“After consuming this, I’ll create a proper resonance technique with Noeji.”
Clang! Clang clang!
“No, no. I can’t leave out Hwang-gu. I’ll create a resonance technique with Hwang-gu too.”
Now it was a matter of speaking and doing.
Only then did Hwang-gu’s heart soften, and he wagged his tail happily.
His once plump and round body had transformed into a properly muscular frame.
Watching the series of processes by which his body completed itself as inner strength accumulated and martial techniques were mastered was no different from observing a human.
Yet among his imposing appearance, his still-stubby body remained endearing.
I pinched Hwang-gu’s cheeks and immediately swallowed the Black Iron Divine Elixir.
Drawing a deep breath, I began to accept the Metal Qi.
Metal Qi spreading throughout my entire body.
If I left it alone, it would either become a problem of deviation into obsession or scatter all the medicinal efficacy—one or the other.
The inner strength beginning from my dantian started circulating throughout my body.
‘This circulation completing one full cycle and returning to the dantian is called the Major Heavenly Circulation of qi regulation and breathing.’
But beyond qi regulation and breathing, I also used this Major Heavenly Circulation to dissolve the spirit elixir in my body, extract its medicinal efficacy, and absorb it.
The flow thus created became a current of water, swirling through my body, devouring the essence of the Black Iron Divine Elixir, and continuing to advance.
The Metal Qi, which had always been insufficient among the Five Elements Genuine Qi, now merged, and the power of the Five Elements began to achieve perfect balance.
A circulation different from before, weighty and profound, began through my dantian.
Not rapid, but stable and proportionally immense in scale.
Rather, because it was slower, the Qi began to circulate sufficiently through the meridians.
Within infinite circulation.
‘What is this…?’
I felt an immense current flowing through me.
As if my body no longer belonged to me, an uncontrollable great river flowed majestically within my being, swallowing and purifying countless things.
‘A river… No. Could this be a microcosm…?’
The flow and my consciousness gradually became one.
Teachings of the Five Elements and Yin-Yang began to surface, only to be swept away by the river.
As I entered that moment of unity between self and water, my body seemed to undergo some transformation.
However.
Something was lacking.
In that moment of unity, I felt something insufficient, and it grew increasingly immense.
It was a wall.
‘Ah. I see now.’
That was the wall of enlightenment.
Only by transcending it could I truly reach the realm of Hwahgyeong.
In that instant, I broke free from my immersion and regained consciousness. My entire body brimmed with vitality.
My inner energy had surged dramatically, and I could sense that the Five Elements true energy was achieving perfect harmony and balance.
It was regrettable that I hadn’t crossed the wall.
Yet having faced that wall, someday I would surely leap over it.
When I opened my eyes, my entire body was covered in black impurities.
“You’ll reach Hwahgyeong soon.”
“Master, have you been standing guard this whole time?”
“What protection could there be in Baekrin Uigak? I was merely watching over my disciple’s growth.”
When had he arrived?
Jegalling gazed at me with warm eyes.
“Though you should be raised like weeds, I’m always plagued by the desire to cultivate you like an orchid.”
He was troubled.
It felt as though the master within him and the family within him were being torn apart.
Jegalling understood well.
That my growth always came after witnessing something greater from afar.
The process of my body becoming tattered, my spirit reaching its limits, colliding, breaking, recovering, and growing again.
Elder Gwon Je had said that any true master should watch over this and offer encouragement.
Yet Jegalling wished for his first disciple to remain forever safe within his embrace.
At the same time, as a master, he wished for his disciple to grow.
Perhaps he had read my complicated heart.
I spoke.
“Thank you, Master.”
He was a remarkable child.
Whenever Jegalling was troubled like this, he would naturally adjust the distance between us.
Whether drawing closer or pulling away varied each time, yet he had never once caused me sorrow.
“I look forward to the day you cross the wall of Hwahgyeong.”
Jegalling spoke his master’s words with complicated feelings.
Jin Cheon-hee answered his disciple with words befitting a student.
“I will surely ascend.”
Seeing this, worry welled up again, and he felt the urge to confine him for another ten years.
Jegalling forcibly suppressed the impulse.
“Yes. You must cultivate diligently.”
“Yes. And I should take a bath. I smell far too much.”
Jin Cheon-hee exaggeratedly sniffed at his sleeves.
“Haha. Yes. I should have Yoo Ho prepare bathwater.”
Since it’s come to this, I might as well boast about my disciple to the Medical Hall.
Even this anguish was meaningless before the pride of having such a disciple.
“Is there anything you’d like to eat?”
“Hmm. Anything is fine.”
I should give him delicious food too. Jegalling rolled up his sleeves.
“I’ll prepare Yakson cuisine, so go wash up and return.”
* * *
That day, Jegalling picked up a kitchen knife again after a long time.
His skill in deboning beef with sword threads had reached the realm of the divine.
Heart-sword realm.
Using such a state merely to prepare his disciple’s meals was a madness rare even among martial artists, but the cooks of Baekrin Uigak had given up thinking about it.
‘As long as the Patriarch is happy, that’s enough.’
Compared to the old Baekrin Uigak before Seo Baek-ryong arrived, this was heaven.
After bathing, Jin Cheon-hee happily ate the medicinal cuisine his master had prepared.
And while he was at it, he discussed with his master whether improving the kitchen utensils might enhance the flavor.
Cooking, in a sense, is chemistry created by heat.
Humanity discovered fire and awakened to cooking.
Cooking ultimately began with capturing living creatures and applying heat to aid digestion and absorption.
Depending on what chemical reactions occur, the flavor and taste differ.
One can apply great heat, or use no heat at all, like with raw beef.
Either way, the range of cooking expands if one can only use heat freely.
‘If we just increased the firepower a bit, it seems like we could prepare even more dishes….’
Jegalling listened with joy to Jin Cheon-hee’s various ideas.
Jin Cheon-hee too was greatly pleased by such conversations with his master.
My internal energy was now at thirty years. Finger Flicking Heaven Piercing had been mastered to the five-star level.
Direct flick, returning flick, rolling flick, shattering flick, explosive flick.
All equally well-trained.
The two of them now realized it was time to gradually move toward the Martial Alliance.

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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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