Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 306

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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 306
After the long enlightenment ended.
The moment I realized I had reached Hwagyeong, what I felt was an unbearable stench.
“What…?”
Upon entering Hwagyeong, it seemed all the impurities in my body had been expelled.
“Let me see… what exactly has changed in my body…?”
With a noticeably clearer face, I was speaking like a middle-aged man for some reason.
I rolled my shoulders and attempted a handstand on a single arm.
Supporting my body with just one finger and the tip of my fingernail was something I could do before.
However, there wasn’t a single moment of hesitation in finding my balance.
As if I had always been this way, it felt natural and not difficult at all.
In that position, I slowly observed my muscles and bones.
“My physical abilities have definitely improved.”
Thump!
As I propelled myself, my feet touched the ceiling. And landing on the ground was equally effortless.
Soft—
Like a feather settling down, it was silent.
“Even my external energy seems stronger, but this…?”
Saying so, I created a sword energy with my hand blade and lightly cut my other hand, but not even a scratch appeared, let alone blood.
Screech—
Even cutting flesh made a sound like cutting steel.
“And my internal energy has increased too? Roughly… about 3.5 decades worth?”
In martial world terms, there’s a nice phrase called “three and a half decades”.
But as a modern person, “.5” is more convenient.
“Thirty years worth of internal energy increased for free. Wow… is honey really supposed to be this sweet? Is this why those martial world people go crazy over enlightenment?”
Now I finally understood why middle-aged warriors in their 40s and 50s desperately threw themselves into battle.
If you gain enlightenment even once during a fight, your entire life changes.
“Yeah. This is worth risking my life for.”
Plus, my mind felt much clearer.
My thoughts were sharper than before.
Of course, I could perform extreme calculations with Hyeonwon Jeondan Singeong before, but now I could do it without much effort.
“My senses have become much more acute and refined too?”
Running through the trap corridor again to escape was now effortless.
“Right. Anyway, let me wash up. There’s still some time left, so I’ll bathe and do some laundry.”
Using that luxurious medicinal spring water felt like my conscience was pricking me now, but well, so be it.
There’s a drain hole, so I can just empty the water there.
I picked up a luxurious large golden basin of unknown origin.
Whoosh—
It should have been incredibly heavy, but to me who had reached Hwagyeong, it was light as a feather.
Moreover, when light reflected off it, something with enormous characters was clearly written on the surface—this was definitely a divine artifact or something similar.
‘However, now that you’re in my hands, you’re just a wash basin.’
If I took this out, there would definitely be trouble later, so I’ll just leave it here. I’ll rinse it clean, dry it well, and put it back in its original place.
And so Jin Cheon-hee used the treasure of the Imperial Palace’s Hidden Repository, one of the eight trigrams—the seventh trigram.
The Vajra Maitreya Scripture Cup, as a mere wash basin.
* * *
The promised ten days had passed.
When the Eunuch General came to fetch Jin Cheon-hee, I set down the book I was reading and rose to my feet.
“It’s time as promised.”
The moment our eyes met, the Eunuch General suddenly bowed respectfully.
“Congratulations on achieving the Great Achievement, my lord!”
‘How on earth did he know?’
I’d even washed my clothes clean. I’d covered all my tracks thoroughly.
I couldn’t deceive this eunuch’s eyes.
As if reading my thoughts, the Eunuch General spoke.
“Haha. This humble servant knows little, but my eyes are renowned for being sharper than most. I could sense your achievement merely by observing your bearing.”
‘When one’s perception reaches its extreme, can one see such things? No, that’s probably not it.’
That statement meant the Eunuch General before me was quite a master himself.
“You flatter me.”
Denying it now would only invite unnecessary suspicion. It was better to acknowledge the truth.
“Have you perhaps reached the Hwagyeong stage?”
His expression was that of an eunuch congratulating someone on great fortune, yet it sent chills down my spine.
‘How could he possibly know that?’
There was no point asking how he knew—he’d never give a straight answer.
This rustic would just grin and say he’d guessed right.
‘Is this the level one must reach to become the Emperor’s trusted aide?’
“Yes. The martial arts texts in the Imperial Palace’s Hidden Repository were of great help.”
“Kehehe, I see. How auspicious. Most auspicious indeed.”
With those words, he guided me outside.
Following the Eunuch General’s back, I exhaled a sigh of relief.
‘It seems he hasn’t guessed about meeting Eungryong. Thank goodness…’
I’d vaguely expected he might sense my cultivation stage.
But the Eunuch General hadn’t noticed the traces of my descent into the library’s underground level.
Even if it meant sacrificing considerable reading time, I had to hide those traces by any means necessary.
‘Meeting Eungryong must remain a secret.’
Because I understood nothing about this body.
Piecing together the hints Eungryong had dropped, it was certain this body had quite a history.
‘And somehow, it feels like this body is entangled in something complicated.’
Sometimes ignorance is bliss.
I had a feeling that when I learned the truth, something troublesome would happen.
The Eunuch General spoke.
“His Majesty is quite busy at the moment… I’m afraid you won’t be able to see him.”
Perfect. My business here is finished, so I can leave as quickly as possible.
“Then I would be grateful if you could convey my regards on my behalf.”
“Of course.”
“Then I look forward to seeing you again.”
* * *
Fortunately, I left the imperial palace swiftly without anyone trying to detain me.
After retrieving all my belongings, I headed to the inn where I had promised to meet Cheonwoo.
Cheonwoo was just taking a bite of noodles near the entrance.
“Huh, Brother?”
“Hey!”
Cheonwoo’s eyes widened considerably as he asked.
“Brother, something seems different about you?”
“Really?”
I chuckled softly and sat down in front of Cheonwoo.
Clang!
Hwang-gu was so delighted that his tail wagged so vigorously it became a blur. I chuckled and affectionately ruffled the dog’s head.
Chirp, chirp chirp!
Noeji was the same.
As if he had been waiting, he hopped onto my head and fluttered his wings.
Cheonwoo opened his mouth.
“It feels strange. When I first met you, I could roughly gauge your strength by observing your energy, but now I can’t sense anything at all…”
That’s right. This is normal. The Eunuch General was the strange one.
“I think I’ve reached Hwagyeong.”
At those words, Cheonwoo’s eyes widened.
“Wow! As expected of you, Brother! Congratulations! We can’t just sit around like this. Brother, what would you like to eat? The food here is amazing.”
Saying so, he ordered various dishes from the server.
I was grateful.
‘Right. I’ve only been eating those imperial palace grain-substitute pills. If I can have a proper meal, that’s perfect.’
For a grain-substitute pill, it wasn’t bad, but compared to real food, it was absolutely not as delicious.
The server set down the dishes one by one on the table.
I gulped down the chicken noodle broth in one go to settle my stomach.
“Ahh… refreshing.”
“Isn’t it hot?”
“No, it’s refreshing. That’s the taste of refreshment. It really clears all the way down my throat.”
Cheonwoo tilted his head and then nodded.
He seemed to accept it as just another odd thing about his brother.
“Now that I’ve reached Hwagyeong, you’ll soon reach it as well.”
At those words, Cheonwoo’s expression suddenly darkened.
“…Do you really think I can achieve that?”
Why was that? The confidence he’d displayed during the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was nowhere to be seen.
“At your age, being that strong already puts you in the top one percent? No, you’d be in the top point-one percent.”
“Brother, you’re exaggerating.”
“No, I’m serious. Cheonwoo, you can do it!”
Only then did I understand.
Cheonwoo had Mudang Gwon-je around him.
One of the Two Emperors of the realm, blessed with exceptional talent from childhood, and someone who had never encountered any obstacle or rough edge in anything he attempted.
Yet, he was still my Master, so naturally he would be formidable.
Cheonwoo must have believed he could achieve at least something close to that level, even if not quite the same.
And it was at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, entered with such thoughts, that he met me.
What must he have been thinking while receiving my martial techniques with his entire body?
And witnessing Yeo Ha-ryun’s blade technique of Cheon Sal-seong directly, seeing Sama Hyeon move with loose, flowing motions yet with precision in every hand technique.
These sworn brothers.
They fought together against Yo Cheon-gun.
Of course, Cheonwoo was also a prodigy.
His talent would never fall short anywhere.
Yet, Yeo Ha-ryun, who fought against Masked Persons even before joining the Demonic Cult, and after joining had to constantly risk his life to accomplish anything.
Sama Hyeon, who tore the skin from people’s faces in back alleys to protect his family, and even after coming to the Golden Blood Chamber, never shed less blood on his hands than in those days.
It was inevitable that he would constantly compare the gap between those two and himself.
Rather, Cheonwoo’s keen eye had become a poison of sorts.
‘Hmm… Yes. When there are outstanding people around you, your self-esteem is bound to be diminished.’
It was similar to the emotion I had once harbored toward Namgung Un.
Of course, it wasn’t born from martial prowess.
It was simply the kind of feeling an ordinary person holds toward someone born with exceptional talent and excellent character, raised in a good environment, soaring effortlessly from the start as if it were natural.
But his heart and Cheonwoo’s heart wouldn’t be different.
“I’ll work hard. Yes.”
He spoke brightly on purpose, but his voice lacked strength.
‘Hmm… It seems Cheonwoo doesn’t fully recognize his own strengths…’
There was a distinct advantage unique to Cheonwoo that no other warrior could match.
It seemed he hadn’t yet realized it.
Cheonwoo asked.
“What will you do now, brother?”
“I need to return to the Medical Guild. I’ve finished my business here. There’s a mountain of work waiting back there.”
I answered deliberately coldly.
“I see. Then I’d like to go with you to the Medical Guild.”
“Is that alright?”
“Yes! Master said I should train in the jianghu for at least two years. He told me not to return until then.”
‘Wow… Gwon Je. You really do roll him around like a weed, just as you said.’
Cheonwoo’s wall was his own.
No matter what his Master said, it wouldn’t be resolved.
It seems he kicked me out the door, telling me to either die or live, but to have my fill of life-or-death duels before I return.
‘That’s the orthodox way of a true warrior. Right.’
In two years, either I’ll break through the wall or become a handful of blood—one of the two will come to pass.
Of course, from my perspective, Cheonwoo seems destined to break through that wall.
He possesses the will for it, and he possesses the talent for it.
‘Still, two years is a long time.’
The Korean blood in me cannot endure this period.
‘I’ll grow old and die waiting. I just need to break through. Just break through!’

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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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