Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 443
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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 443
Jegalling fell into thought before speaking.
“Well… even so, among the variables you could have chosen, you picked the unexpectedly safest option. Though it sounds insane.”
It was safer than throwing yourself at Hyeongyeong’s Master.
In more extreme scenarios, you could have gone to the front lines to fight enemy commanders directly or attempted assassination.
While attempting assassination, you might have worn down your body threefold trying to spare their lives.
Or you could have rushed down to the front lines, worried about fallen patients, and carried them back yourself.
It was ridiculous, but my disciple could do absolutely anything.
Vast wealth and immense fame and boundless knowledge.
A young body and tremendous inner force, the realm of Hwagyeong and those martial arts.
Even with a beautiful appearance, he could throw it all away like garbage if circumstances demanded it.
Jegalling cursed the heavens for why he had become infatuated with such a madman and taken him as a disciple.
‘Is this karma returning to me?’
This lunatic never listened to his master anyway.
But today was slightly different.
“You showed some restraint with your body.”
“…Th…thank you for noticing…”
Jegalling cut off Jin Cheon-hee’s words.
“However, exercise more restraint. You’re still overdoing it.”
“…Yes.”
The master stroked his disciple’s head.
‘Yes. Since he improved today, that’s enough.’
At this rate, perhaps one day this madman might even show restraint against that insane Hyeongyeong’s Master.
He’s improved. My disciple has improved somewhat.
Jegalling congratulated himself thus, while Jin Cheon-hee, lying in his sickbed, felt satisfied that at least this time he hadn’t shattered his limbs.
It was a mad master-disciple relationship the world could never understand.
“How are things outside?”
“Thanks to your exploits, the Suksin Tribe has begun retreating. They’ve moved far beyond effective range. I heard that even scout parties have difficulty finding them at this distance.”
“…That’s remarkably fast.”
“Yes. Hit-and-run tactics are the specialty of nomads. In a sense, all their soldiers have mastered lightness kung fu. That’s what makes them so formidable.”
“It’s probably…not just because of the cannons. It’s because you provided tactical assistance, Master.”
“…”
Instead of answering, Jegalling stroked Jin Cheon-hee’s head.
My disciple is safe. How safe? Safe enough to eat rice cakes with both hands.
I don’t know how long it’s been since this happened.
If Jegalling had been in the modern era, he might have turned on V-app and boasted, “Everyone, look. My disciple is eating with both hands.”
No one would understand.
Even if this madman was slightly injured, how miraculous it was that he could simply lie in bed with all four limbs intact.
Taking this lunatic as a disciple, Jegalling sometimes wondered if he had incurred heavenly punishment for killing too many people when he was Hyeolrin Gwangssal.
‘That can’t be. Thanks to my Hee, I’ve learned what it means to live and taste life itself.’
With joy came its counterpart—rage, sorrow, helplessness, and murderous intent all surged forth at once, but there was nothing to be done about it.
Was this not what Buddhist teachings proclaimed?
That all of life’s joys and sorrows ultimately bred affliction and delusion.
Pain was the price of happiness.
And perhaps that was precisely why life was worth living.
I savored the filling inside the millet cake with genuine satisfaction.
“As expected, putting sunflower seeds inside was the answer, Master. I truly am a genius. Mmm….”
There was nothing to be done. This madman was my disciple.
“…I must absolutely cure the Nine Yin Meridian completely.”
Thanks to the stent in my heart, the probability of sudden death had decreased.
However, in exchange, I could only engage in short battles.
Since it was equivalent to embedding my dantian in my heart, I had to constantly be careful not to accidentally absorb any external force.
For Jegalling, this was not particularly difficult, but what would happen if a prolonged battle ensued remained uncertain.
Upon hearing this, Cheon Hee grasped the millet cake with sunflower seeds tightly in both hands, his eyes gleaming with fervent intensity.
“Now that I think about it, I’ve been researching the Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture recently. Master! Could the martial arts of the Muscle Tendon Changing Scripture serve as a foundational theory for Bone Replacement and Rebirth?”
“Hmm…. As it happens, I’ve been pondering that very aspect. Once this war concludes, I intend to delve deeper into it.”
“You are truly remarkable, Master.”
I handed a cup of tea to Cheon Hee as he spoke hesitantly.
“Thank you.”
Look at how he accepted the teacup with his own hands and drank from it.
I was moved once again.
Had those old enemies who remembered me from the days of Hyeolrin Gwangssal witnessed that expression, they would have felt a cosmic horror.
Especially the Tang Family Head—seeing “that bastard” who used to jam needles into finger joints, and “this bastard” moved to tears because his mad disciple had done something slightly less insane this time, might have made him deny reality itself, convinced they had to be different people.
“The tea is delicious, Master.”
“Would you like more millet cake?”
“Yes!”
Cheon Hee laughed brightly.
People of the world, take note. My disciple has kept all his limbs intact today. There’s not a single place where he’s torn anything apart.
Hyeolrin Gwangssal felt deeply moved.
* * *
Several days passed in a flash.
Traces of the Suksin Tribe were discovered, but their whereabouts remained unknown.
And finally, the Empire’s four hundred thousand troops, gathered from all regions, had arrived, along with martial artists from distant sects.
Combined with Danmok Fortress’s one hundred fifty thousand soldiers, a massive force of five hundred fifty thousand had assembled.
The numbers were so vast that they couldn’t all fit within Danmok Fortress itself, requiring military camps to be erected in the surrounding areas!
And among the martial artists who arrived with this great army were some unexpected figures.
Tugoe and Gwon Je themselves!
Two of the ten greatest masters of Gangho, who had long held their positions, had arrived. And Tugoe’s arrival was for no other reason.
I had summoned him after witnessing my disciple charging forward and destroying cannons.
In truth, according to Cheon Hee’s assertion, breaking out beyond the fortress walls to destroy cannons and return was something only Tugoe could accomplish besides Cheon Hee himself.
Rather, Jegalling had called upon Tugoe to prevent Jin Cheon-hee from doing such reckless things.
Several others had arrived as well.
The Tang Family of Sichuan, the Hwangbo Sega, the Gonglun School, the Qingcheng School, and so forth.
There was no particular reason for their arrival at this time.
Simply because of the distance.
Sichuan Province and Shanxi Province were located at the southern and northern extremities of the empire respectively, which was why it had taken so long.
And naturally, the lesser patriarchs and lesser sect leaders of each faction had also arrived.
* * *
“Hey, little benefactor! You’re safe?”
Gongseon Yeong arrived and swept Jin Cheon-hee into a tight embrace.
The pain from my wounds was excruciating.
Seeing this, my Master strictly controlled who could visit.
Still, Tugoe was permitted to enter.
Tugoe Gong Ya-geon gazed down at Jin Cheon-hee lying in the sickbed for a long moment before speaking.
“Hmm… You’re in better shape than I expected?”
“I didn’t expect you to come.”
“Your Master said my disciple did something insane again and called me directly. How could I refuse when my superior summoned me in anger?”
“…”
I forced my gaze away and stared into the distant void.
“Stop doing such reckless things. I feel like I’m dying too.”
“Couldn’t you simply choose not to do this if you wished, Tugoe?”
“I promised that if I went, I’d hire a top-tier tutor for my granddaughter’s education. I have no talent for teaching, but she might be different.”
‘A top-tier tutor for private lessons…?’
I tried to count on my fingers which of those busy people could spare the time, then realized such calculations were useless before my Master.
‘No matter how renowned a tutor is, if the Patriarch orders it, they must go. They must provide tutoring.’
My Master had coaxed Tugoe with both carrot and stick in one fell swoop.
Tugoe had grumbled but ultimately came.
“Damn it… I was trying not to interfere in the Gangho, and now I’m interfering in military affairs.”
“…I apologize.”
“Your apologies are worthless. You wicked thing.”
Tugoe grumbled for a while before saying this.
“I heard you cultivated this top-tier tutor yourself. Do you teach well?”
At those words, Jin Cheon-hee nodded.
“Yes, I teach reasonably well.”
“I heard the mental cultivation method taught by this top-tier tutor doesn’t conflict with other martial arts. If my granddaughter learns the basics there and later receives transmission of my martial arts, could demonic cultivation possibly occur?”
At those words, my eyes widened.
“You would teach her?”
“If, that is, if this wretch can take care of herself.”
So there was still lingering attachment.
Indeed, her divine movement technique was a peerless technique.
In this world, there is no one who could follow her on foot.
Perhaps the Khan of the Suksin Tribe might manage it, but since I haven’t seen it myself, I’ll exclude that possibility.
Jin Cheon-hee answered.
“Well… that itself shouldn’t be a problem. In fact, learning the fundamentals beforehand might be beneficial. These things are all about having a solid foundation, after all.”
“Your answer is strange somehow. Then again, you’ve always been strange.”
She clicked her tongue and let out a soft laugh.
“Is the situation serious enough for me to come?”
At those words, Jin Cheon-hee nodded instead of answering.
I knew the flow of the original story.
That the Suksin Tribe would not stop, that tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions of people would die, be enslaved, and be forcibly conscripted to fight against the Suksin Tribe.
It was Earth’s history, and though this place was different, the broad strokes were similar, and it was also the story of this world.
Moreover, it was a future that could be understood even by those who hadn’t read the Jicheon Cheonma.
“If this front line breaks through, it will probably be difficult to reverse.”
Still, many had come here, hadn’t they?
Those I had saved with my own hands as a doctor.
Gongyageon reached out and brushed Jin Cheon-hee’s head.
“You have the face of someone with much on your mind. When your head becomes too heavy, your feet grow sluggish.”
She spoke with a soft laugh.
“Walk. As you walk, your worries will fly away.”
“I understand.”
“And a one-hit instructor must be paired with an excellent one. She’s my granddaughter, but it seems she lacks talent.”
Perhaps it was because Tugoe taught so poorly.
Jin Cheon-hee thought this but did not voice it.
“Your expression has improved somewhat. You’re mocking me inwardly, aren’t you? This dark-hearted Jegallga bastard.”
She grabbed and pulled at Jin Cheon-hee’s cheeks.
“Ow, ow, ow. Tugoe, it hurts. Ow, ow, ow.”
“A man with arrows lodged in his back complains about my teasing? Unbelievable.”
Tugoe released her grip on his cheeks.
“When you’re troubled, move your feet first, baby Jegalla. That’s the secret technique this old demon has used to survive this long.”
With those words, she left with a refreshed expression.
‘So the answer comes as you walk.’
It was truly advice befitting Tugoe.
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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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