Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 552

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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 552
Duck meat broth xiaolongbao.
“Duck naturally renders a lot of fat, you see. We use that to make xiaolongbao. Your head chef has an exceptional touch with eliminating any gamey notes, doesn’t he?”
I placed a xiaolongbao in my mouth and savored it thoroughly.
“Ah… This is genuinely delicious. I should invite this head chef over.”
The Baekrin Medical Institute’s main headquarters had already transformed into a culinary paradise, with the most renowned chefs from the Gangho gathered there.
Of course, the signature menu consisted of medicinal cuisine befitting a medical institute, but their skill was truly exceptional.
Cheonwoo pondered.
‘If medicinal herbs are added to these duck dumplings, it would complete the duck medicinal xiaolongbao.’
Sama-hye ordered additional xiaolongbao and spoke.
“Now that I think about it, with the Righteous and Heterodox Tournament approaching, the Gonggong Faction and Hwaju Medical Institute have joined hands. What are the Mudang Sect’s intentions?”
“Ah.”
Cheonwoo scratched his cheek with a hand as large as a pot lid before reluctantly speaking.
“Miss Sama, well… It’s possible the Martial Arts Alliance could disband.”
“What?”
“Yes. You see, as you know, the Martial Arts Alliance is divided into inspectors dispatched from the Righteous Faction and inspectors directly trained by the Martial Arts Alliance itself, right?”
“That’s correct.”
Sama-hye nodded and placed a fried dumpling into her mouth.
The steaming fried dumpling crumbled between her teeth, releasing hot broth.
With chili oil added to it, it was nothing short of heavenly.
“Among the Eight Righteous Sects, our Mudang Sect, Shaolin, and the Huashan and Gaebang Factions oppose the tournament. Among the Eight Great Families, the Namgung Family, Sichuan Tang Family, and Gongseon Family also opposed it.”
“More opposition than I expected.”
“Yes. There are ideological reasons, certainly. But if I’m being honest, the profits gained during peacetime now exceed what the Righteous and Heterodox Tournament would bring.”
“Interesting. Could it be because of your ventures with the Baekrin Medical Institute?”
“Precisely. You caught on immediately. Sects with financial interests tied to the Baekrin Medical Institute naturally must distance themselves from the tournament. The profits are far greater that way. But there’s one more factor.”
This time, Cheonwoo ate a dumpling as well.
As a hermit, vegetarianism is commendable, but abstaining entirely from meat is not required.
Moreover, it would be impolite to be picky about food someone else provides.
Cheonwoo continued.
“Additionally, since Sadoren is reportedly struggling financially these days, some of the elders predict that given time, they’ll collapse on their own.”
“When money runs short, the Heterodox Faction fractures easily—so this is a strategy to exploit that.”
“It’s not really a strategy. We’re simply waiting.”
The two exchanged words back and forth.
Suddenly, I realized I had been silently observing them both.
Sama-hye asked.
“What do you think, Eun Gong?”
“Hmm…”
*Crunch—*
I placed a fried dumpling in my mouth and fell into thought for a moment.
After a while, I spoke.
“Are you thinking you should send them both to rest since they have a martial competition tomorrow?”
“…You’re not saying anything, Eun Gong.”
Cheonwoo added a word as well.
“You didn’t open up to Gwon Je either, hyeong.”
Jin Cheon-hee nodded.
Then he ordered the most expensive dish at the restaurant.
“One sea bream in sweet and sour sauce, please!”
“Ooh! Great Hero! Understood! I’ll bring it right away!”
Not long ago, he was crunching on poorly made bitter pastries.
This time, he ordered an extravagant sea bream in sweet and sour sauce.
The two of them couldn’t figure out Jin Cheon-hee at all.
* * *
Several days passed.
The Dragon Phoenix Gathering continued.
Sama-hye was eliminated in the semifinals because her opponent was a master of the highest caliber.
“It’s already remarkable that I made it this far. Well, I have no regrets.”
A warrior from the Hwaju Medical Institute came out in the middle and she was able to fight with all her strength.
That day, she ate two bowls of rice.
The champion was Cheonwoo, which was only natural, one might say.
There was no one else who had reached the Hwagyeong level besides Cheonwoo.
“Isn’t this cheating? If the Mudang had any conscience, he shouldn’t have sent Cheonwoo to compete!”
“That’s right! Isn’t it strange if he loses!”
To the cries of the other sect leaders, Mudang Gwon-je said, “Khekhekhekhekhe! If you’re upset, raise your disciples to the Hwagyeong level! Or come at me now!”
That was that.
Fists against fists, age against age.
In this Confucian world of swords, he had both drawn his blade and lived long enough that there was nothing anyone could challenge him with.
“Hyeong, we’re holding a celebration feast for the martial competition victory. Won’t you come?”
Jin Cheon-hee shook his head at Cheonwoo’s words.
“Sorry. It’s a Mudang sect event. And I have something to do.”
Cheonwoo’s expression became slightly disappointed.
“Instead, I’ll send the other doctors.”
With those words, he left his seat.
Cheonwoo watched his hyeong’s back for a long time.
* * *
The Baekrin Medical Institute’s temporary clinic was quite deserted.
It was only natural.
Most patients were being drawn to the Hwaju Medical Institute, and the Dragon Phoenix Gathering had ended without incident.
A single warrior stood in the middle of the empty clinic.
“Are you an envoy sent by the Martial Arts Alliance?”
“How did you know that?”
“….”
At those words, Jin Cheon-hee simply smiled with his blue eyes.
“Let me take a guess. Now that the Dragon-Phoenix Conference has concluded, the Martial Arts Alliance leadership must be holding a council meeting. You’ve sent an emissary to summon me.”
“Does the Jegallim Family also study astrology?”
As the emissary grumbled, Jin Cheon-hee replied.
“As it happens, I’ve procured some excellent tea leaves. It would be perfect for everyone to share.”
“What kind of tea?”
“Hawthorn tea. It’s ideal for indigestion. And it also lowers blood pressure a bit. I imagine our Elders’ blood pressure has risen considerably, so it should prove helpful.”
He grinned widely as he gathered the tea container.
Clink—
He gently stroked Hwang-gu’s forehead.
‘So the real battle finally begins.’
With that, Jin Cheon-hee followed the Martial Arts Alliance’s emissary.
* * *
The Grand Conference Hall of the Martial Arts Alliance.
A massive throne-like chair stood there.
Ak-jin, the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, sat upon it.
To his left and right sat the patriarchs and sect leaders of the Nine Great Factions and Eight Major Families.
No one here mistook the ornate chair of the Alliance Leader for a reflection of his actual authority.
Everyone gathered here was among the highest echelon of the Martial Arts Alliance.
Jin Cheon-hee also occupied one of these seats, though he sat in the lowest position—farthest from the Alliance Leader’s chair.
Premium refreshments and the hawthorn tea Jin Cheon-hee had requested were brought out.
After the tea was tested for poison and confirmed safe, hawthorn tea was also served to the other sect leaders, yet none of them touched it.
Only Jin Cheon-hee alone enjoyed the hawthorn tea and refreshments with relish.
‘Hmm. They roasted this perfectly.’
The blend of red beans was exquisite.
‘Strictly speaking, the Baekrin Medical Institute isn’t part of the Martial Arts Alliance, so the lowest seat makes sense… but then why summon me? I’ve heard that Master normally attends these conferences….’
My master, Jegalling, had attended the grand conference at the Dragon-Phoenix Conference to discuss the interests of Gangho.
However, I’d also heard that when truly important matters arose, even Jegalling couldn’t participate in the council, and that this grand conference itself lasted at least ten days.
In any case, everyone had gathered in the conference hall.
The patriarchs and sect leaders of each faction sitting in complete silence, observing one another, was almost eerie.
‘They’re probably communicating through voice transmission, aren’t they? Everyone’s so meticulous….’
Just as he was thinking this.
Dokgo Seon, standing beside the Alliance Leader’s seat, struck the gong next to him with the fan he held.
Gong—!
“Then we shall begin the Martial Arts Alliance Grand Conference.”
At General Dokgo Seon’s words, everyone’s attention turned to the Alliance Leader.
“Without further preamble, let me begin. You all know of the Sadoren’s movements, I’m sure. Everyone here has some intelligence network.”
At Alliance Leader Ak-jin’s words, everyone remained silent.
“However, not all of Sadoren desire war. Hao-mun and the Guiryeong Faction oppose it. Moreover, Haesabang and Oh Dok-mun are in the process of being annihilated or dissolved, while the Eighteen Greenwood Bandits and the Yellow River-Yangtze River Waterway Alliance have been reduced to half their fighting strength.”
Saying so, Ak-jin looked toward me.
I pretended not to notice his gaze and simply enjoyed the refreshments with an enigmatic smile.
I’d thought he would add some commentary.
‘So he truly intends to maintain neutrality. His thoughts are as inscrutable as his master’s—or his disciple’s, for that matter.’
With that thought, Ak-jin continued.
“Recently, the Blood Sect and the Qingcheng Faction even decimated each other, further weakening their forces. In other words, Sadoren’s strength is now only half of what it once was. If we were to wage war, we would certainly emerge victorious.”
“Amitabha. Is there not a flaw in the Meng Zhu’s reasoning?”
The Divine Monk Weon Seon.
The wrinkled elderly monk sat in his monastic robes.
Though his body was small and frail, no one dared to disrespect him.
He was the abbot of Shaolin Temple, after all.
Weon Seon, representing Shaolin, continued his words.
“This old monk has heard that they have allied with foreign forces. The Northern Sea Ice Palace. And it is said that the Joyous Secret Religion of Western Tibet and the Small Thunder Sound Temple have also mobilized.”
“Divine Monk. Is that truly so?”
“The Small Thunder Sound Temple….”
“The Northern Sea Ice Palace has moved?”
Everyone murmured, as though hearing this news for the first time.
‘The Northern Sea Ice Palace… geographically located in a region similar to Russia? Their forte is the Ice White Divine Technique. The Joyous Secret Religion and Small Thunder Sound Temple appeared in the Jicheon Cheonma records too. Both are sects situated between the Dadu Kingdom and the Seline Theocracy… a blend of Indian Buddhism and heterodox religion, if I recall correctly….’
I pondered this silently.
The Northern Sea Ice Palace typically had many fair-skinned, blue-eyed individuals.
In contrast, sects like the Joyous Secret Religion and Small Thunder Sound Temple had a character closer to India or Thailand.
Indeed, numerous novels depicted them this way.
‘Now that I think about it… isn’t the origin of Buddhism in this world near the Dadu Kingdom?’
Near the Dadu Kingdom, there existed more than just the Dadu Kingdom itself.
Crossing westward from the Dadu Kingdom across a vast desert lay the Seline Theocracy, but between them existed several other kingdoms as well.
There were numerous nations based in desert oases and jungle regions, and in those areas existed sects such as the Joyous Secret Religion, Small Thunder Sound Temple, Great Thunder Sound Temple, and the Potala Palace.
‘There were indeed many sects not even mentioned in the Jicheon Cheonma records.’
Through my education as the Soggakju of the Baekrin Medical Institute, I learned numerous facts and information not found in the Jicheon Cheonma. One of them was the foreign martial world.
The Hua Empire—those arrogant ones who called themselves the Central Plains.
Thus, they referred to anything resembling the martial world in other regions as the foreign martial world.
However, strictly speaking, the term was inaccurate.
Because cultures differed by nation and region, organizations in other areas naturally differed greatly from the martial sects of the Central Plains.
Many of the techniques they cultivated could hardly be called martial arts at all.
Take Ilkana, for instance—hadn’t she cultivated the chakra unique to the Seline Theocracy?
“It is hardly strange that they would draw in the peculiar Joyous Secret Religion and Small Thunder Sound Temple as allies. But why would the Northern Sea Ice Palace form an alliance with them?”
To the question posed by Doseon Jinin, the Patriarch of Gonggong Faction, Seolgyeon answered.
“We are investigating, but nothing has come to light yet.”
“Hmm….”
It was clear that everyone’s minds were churning with this new information.

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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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