Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 546

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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 546
I deliberately sighed as if troubled and answered.
“That couldn’t be further from the truth. Only those who’ve experienced it know how thorough my Master is. If I were to decide such a grand strategy on my own, I’d face severe punishment. Hahahaha!”
“…I see. Very well. I shall take my leave then. I’ve committed a grave discourtesy by visiting so abruptly at this late hour. I shall certainly send a gift of gratitude at a later date.”
“Ah, there’s no need for such things.”
With those words, I bowed and saw the Dark Shadow Hall Master out.
The tea in the Dark Shadow Hall Master’s cup had barely diminished at all.
I’d thought he’d drunk quite a bit, but it seemed he’d only wet his lips.
‘This is how it is. The Gangho is like this, truly like this.’
Had my Master been handling such matters alone all this time?
It’s quite remarkable that I felt overwhelmed by merely this level of hospitality.
When I suddenly glanced at my own teacup, I noticed that my tea hadn’t diminished either.
‘Right. I didn’t even notice my thirst.’
Though I was smiling, I’d been carrying daggers in my chest, leaving no mind for drinking tea.
‘They all… think killing people for greed is such a simple matter.’
They say the higher you climb, the farther you can see. This moment was precisely that.
Standing in my Master’s position, I could see each individual’s desires so clearly that they weighed upon my chest.
“Hwang-gu. Come here.”
Woof?
I suddenly pulled Hwang-gu into my arms and buried my nose against his forehead, breathing in his scent.
When melancholy strikes, a furry friend’s forehead is the best medicine.
‘Yes. The Gangho is like this. It’s like this.’
Holding Hwang-gu tightly, I fell asleep.
Hwang-gu shifted uncomfortably under my arms a few times before eventually settling down to sleep beside me.
In my dreams, I ran through endless waves of rice awaiting harvest.
A massive harvester rumbled through those waves, reaping steadily.
Suddenly, I realized that the swaying rice stalks all resembled Hwang-gu’s fur.
Indeed, Hwang-gu always smelled good.
Though the earth differs and the constellations change, a dog remains forever constant.
A dog is a fool.
Humans are different yesterday and today, yet a dog knows nothing of this and remains unchanged until death.
Where else could you find such a fool?
I love such a fool.
* * *
The next day.
The round of thirty-two began.
“Oh, Eun Gong. I have no match today, but there’s a sparring match at Cheonwoo’s dojo.”
Sama-hye smiled gently and handed me some clothing.
“My brother said to give this outer robe to you. He said the wind would blow strongly and it would be quite cold.”
The thick windproof robe looked expensive and warm at first glance.
Sama-hye naturally moved to drape it over my shoulders. The passing Uigak-won couldn’t help but gasp in surprise.
I observed it through the Hyeonwon Jeondan Singeong.
Sama-hye noticed my gaze and, as if everything was proceeding according to plan, broke into a knowing smile.
‘Hye-a, are you truly willing to have your marriage prospects blocked because of me?’
In that moment, Sama-hye whispered softly through sound transmission.
[Eun Gong, stay still!]
The overwhelming pressure froze my body instantly. Sama-hye naturally draped the feathered cloak over my shoulders.
“Safe travels, Eun Gong.”
She even deliberately flushed her face.
[Hye-a… surely you don’t mean to…]
[I’m truly sorry, Eun Gong.]
If anyone should apologize, it’s me.
Whatever rumors spread through the Medical Guild now—and they certainly will—the stakes are now firmly planted.
‘I wonder if there’s some persistent hawk clinging to this situation.’
* * *
The feathered cloak Sama Hyeon had given me was so splendid that anyone could see it was something that couldn’t possibly be obtained anywhere except the Golden Blood Hall.
‘Hyeon-a, this feels like too much of a burden…’
If Sama Hyeon had draped it on me, I could have refused, but with Hye-a doing it, taking it off felt awkward.
Watching them work together, Hyeon and Hye-a had such perfect synchronization.
Sometimes their teamwork was so bold it made me speechless.
‘Right. Hye-a must have some plan in mind.’
With that thought, I headed to watch Cheonwoo’s match in the Round of 32.
“Wow… I thought some celestial being was walking by, but it’s the Veiled Madman.”
“With such flashy clothes, he really stands out.”
“I heard he became sworn siblings with the new Fire Master of the Golden Blood Hall—so it was true.”
“Since Cheonmyeon Hori isn’t in his right mind, perhaps madmen recognize each other.”
“I concur. Haven’t you noticed the alias ‘Gwang Myeon-hori’ spreading lately?”
‘No, you fools! Yes, I act mad so I am mad, but Hyeon is not!’
I shouted internally, but no one would understand.
How perfectly rational Hyeon truly was.
“Mudang Faction’s Cheonwoo versus Gonggong Faction’s Bok Geon-yang! Place your bets—!”
At those words, everyone rushed to wager their money.
I had no hesitation in betting on Cheonwoo.
His victory was inevitable.
As I settled into my seat, Cheonwoo and the Gonggong Faction master had already exchanged greetings and taken their opening stances.
‘Whew, I almost missed it.’
Fortunately, I’d made it just before the match began.
“Match, begin!”
Kiiiiiing–!
The moment the gong rang, the Gonggong Faction master launched the first attack.
‘So he’s going with the Demon-Subduing Sword Technique after all? The Gonggong Faction’s Demon-Subduing Sword Technique is certainly a divine art worthy of study.’
The Gonggong Faction master immediately unleashed his sword qi and began his assault.
As I analyzed his attacks, I studied the Demon-Subduing Sword Technique in detail.
‘The defining characteristic of the Demon-Subduing Sword Technique is indeed its bizarre sword paths and grotesque movements.’
His limbs flailed in particularly peculiar ways—to an ordinary observer, he looked less like a swordsman and more like a madman.
However, those flailing movements actually served to amplify the destructive power of his blade, and the apparent openings were so numerous that an unwary opponent would rush in only to fall victim to a meticulously calculated counterattack.
Sure enough, I heard murmurs from the spectators beside me.
“I can’t tell if this lunatic is just thrashing about.”
“That’s just how the Gonggong Faction’s sword technique is. It’s like watching a monkey rampage.”
Yet Cheonwoo blocked his blade with nothing but his fists.
Clang!
“Oho! Truly the Mudang’s Piercing Eye! He actually blocked that!”
“He must have found the path through the chaos and confusion. Wait, wasn’t he called the Mudang’s Soaring Dragon?”
My Master’s desire to flaunt the Righteous Faction’s affiliation had left Cheonwoo’s epithet wandering without a home.
The Gonggong Faction master continued his offense and defense, but he could not penetrate Cheonwoo’s Tai Chi Fist.
“Ugh!”
A frustrated roar escaped him, loud enough for the audience to hear.
“That’s understandable. It’s merely the Tai Chi Fist, a basic qi technique. To be unable to break through it with a divine art is shameful.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. When he returns home, he’ll need ten years of closed-door cultivation.”
“If it were me, I’d bash my head against a beam and end it all. How could one bear such humiliation?”
“Come to think of it, the Mudang’s Piercing Eye has quite the temperament… a vicious one at that.”
“Look at him flailing with that sword, yet he responds only with the Tai Chi Fist. A ruthless fellow indeed.”
‘No, that’s not it. Our Cheonwoo simply refuses to draw his blade to avoid killing!’
My silent cry echoed within me.
Finally.
Cheonwoo made his decision, took a decisive step forward, and penetrated the opponent’s defense.
The Gonggong Faction swordsman belatedly thrust toward Cheonwoo, but his wrist was caught in Cheonwoo’s massive hand.
Crack!
His arm was twisted, dislocating the joint. Then.
Boom!
A strike to the abdomen sent him flying.
Crash!
“Out of bounds! Victory goes to the Mudang Faction’s Cheonwoo!”
Roooaaarrr!
The crowd’s cheers grew louder and louder.
“What remarkable hand techniques! For the Mudang Faction to display such domineering power with nothing but the Tai Chi Fist!”
“How could anyone still call that the Tai Chi Fist? It’s even more tyrannical than the Hwangbo Sega’s Single Fist!”
Among the spectators, I alone felt a quiet joy.
‘Cheonwoo. Even so, this time there was more of the subtle principle of Soft Overcoming Hard woven in. Truly, that’s our Cheonwoo. He’s already learned so much.’
And indeed.
Cheers erupted from the Mudang Faction’s encampment as well.
And for good reason.
Cheonwoo’s martial reputation had actually been understated compared to his true abilities.
“Cheonwoo!”
Gwon Je shouted his name.
‘Ah, so Gwon Je came as well.’
This man who cultivated disciples like weeds, yet he couldn’t hide his joy at this victory, grinning from ear to ear.
As Cheonwoo descended from the arena, I rose from my seat and approached him to offer my congratulations.
Gwon Je’s voice rang out.
“Well, well, you little beast! So you’ve finally grasped even a speck of the Flowing Jade Strength! That’s right—despite that hideous face of yours, your mind is quite sharp.”
Was he pleased? Or was he insulting him?
‘He could just offer straightforward praise, but that’s not his way.’
Well, martial artists are generally clumsy with emotional expression.
That’s different from being sarcastic.
Especially warriors like Mudang Gwon-je, who have lost countless precious people—they tend to struggle with simple words like “well done” or “thank you.”
Master Jegalling was rather unique in that regard.
Gwon Je finished praising Cheonwoo and finally noticed me.
“Ah, you’ve arrived!”
“I greet Mudang Gwon-je.”
“Enough with the formalities—come here.”
Unable to hide his delight, he tugged at my collar.
Even from just that simple tug, I could faintly sense the subtlety of the Golden Essence technique.
‘Has he grown even stronger?’
I couldn’t discern any obvious change in his realm from appearance alone, yet why did facing him feel like standing before Mount Mudang itself—so vast and overwhelming?
Gwon Je promptly led us both to a suitable tea room.
Then he began catching up on accumulated matters.
“You’re doing well. I hear you’ve achieved remarkable things.”
“You’re too kind.”
“In any case, you should be more arrogant. Gangho favors arrogant masters, not humble ones.”
“Ha ha ha ha.”
As we exchanged words back and forth, Gwon Je suddenly broached a new topic.
“The Elders have been making noise about the Righteous Faction Conference.”
“…As expected.”
“Well, too many factions have their interests entangled. And movements from the Eastern Palace have been detected. The Imperial Court desperately desires the Righteous Faction Conference. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
So he was indeed working in the shadows.
A headache crept in.
“So… do you want to stop it?”
“….”
Crunch—
I bit into the pastry.
“I haven’t made a decision yet.”
“So whose side do you want to take?”
“…I have no intention of siding with the Heterodox Faction. The Righteous Faction may be hypocritical, but it’s better than nothing.”
“Kekeke. Haven’t you already crossed a bridge you shouldn’t have?”
I don’t deny his words.
“Yes. I’ve already crossed that bridge, and if situations like those of the Sea Merchant Association, Hangzhou’s back alleys, or the Green Forest emerge before my eyes again, I will act.”
“Right. Even if it’s hypocrisy, it’s better than slaughtering people in broad daylight and extorting money. Of course, you wouldn’t like hypocrisy either.”
A blue light flickers briefly between the long bangs before fading away.
What calculations is this small head making?
Mudang Gwon-je grew curious but chose not to ask.
‘Haven’t I witnessed countless times what this child truly desires?’
Though the methods were neither of Gangho nor of the common world—something utterly foreign—the purpose had always been the same: saving lives.

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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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