Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 591
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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 591
“….”
Prince Han-bing attempted to offer some words of comfort, then gave up.
‘As a warrior who has lost both arms and family, even his sect—no words of consolation would reach him.’
Only Gongseon Yeong spoke.
“You came rushing to stop it, so you did well. Why torment yourself over it?”
“Pardon?”
“I know the Holy Maiden holds a position in the North Sea Ice Palace, but that doesn’t mean even a martial arts master can fix everything. That’s the kind of work a swordmaster like me is meant for.”
“…Miss Gongseon.”
“So don’t blame yourself. When this is over, let’s share a drink together.”
With those words, she patted the Holy Maiden’s back repeatedly.
“….”
Everyone present witnessed it.
The Holy Maiden’s face flushing slightly at Gongseon Yeong’s touch.
Seeing this, I reflected.
‘…I see. So when Wang Gak-yeon said Gongseon Yeong was bewitching even to women, this was what she meant.’
I understood it well.
Tall, dependable, and straightforward—such women were popular among their own gender.
Whether an older sister or younger sister made no difference.
This wasn’t merely a phenomenon of girls’ middle schools, high schools, or universities.
They were simply popular.
Such people even received more Valentine’s chocolates than most handsome men, or so I’d heard.
True to form, the Holy Maiden nodded.
“Thank you. Great Swordmaster Gongseon.”
“Ha ha ha, think nothing of it. Just call me Miss like you did before.”
“Oh, no.”
She shook her head and spoke softly.
“I wish I had a personality like yours, Great Swordmaster Gongseon.”
She spoke with deep admiration.
Thus our group arrived at the summit of Cheonbingsan.
What appeared at the summit of Cheonbingsan were houses made of ice and a massive ice structure resembling a palace at the center.
And there was an aura I couldn’t comprehend, even as myself.
That aura was immense and formidable.
It reminded me of when I encountered the Six-Horned Venomous Snake.
The place that massive serpent had guarded felt similar to this.
Of course, it wasn’t filled with such incomprehensible energy like here.
‘Sacred grounds are truly special spaces.’
[Cheon Hee. This place feels really… special….]
Perhaps due to the atmosphere, Gongseon Yeong transmitted her thoughts to me.
[Yes. It certainly seems like a special place. I’ve never seen anywhere like this in Gangho before.]
“…How could anyone possibly live in a place like this?”
Gongseon Yeong finally couldn’t hold back and posed the question to the Holy Maiden. She answered in turn.
“It’s warmer than it appears. Besides, the Elders’ presence here is ‘legitimate,’ so there’s no issue.”
So this is what happens when the Icy White Divine Art reaches its zenith.
I nodded in understanding.
‘They’ve likely come here not for comfort, but to cultivate the Icy Art to its extreme.’
Though that couldn’t be good for one’s health.
Does one’s constitution change when cultivating the Icy White Divine Art? But if the body transforms in such a way, wouldn’t there be side effects like those from demonic cultivation?
I pondered this.
Then, from within the building, five Elders emerged.
The elderly men, whose ages were impossible to discern, all gazed at the Holy Maiden with smiles.
“I sense the aura of Hyeolseon.”
“That must be why you’ve come.”
“Holy Maiden. A child chosen by the Guardian. Are you attempting to change the Gungju’s position?”
“Even so, for one who scatters the Heavenly Mandate to come along…”
“Isn’t it fitting to correct discord with discord?”
The voices of the five Elders resonated together.
Yet I could understand their words with perfect clarity.
‘…What is this? I cannot discern their realm at all with my eyes?’
When I looked at them in shock, Yeo Ha-ryun sent a transmission.
[They have reached the realm of the Master. However, it seems incomplete. There appear to be restrictions upon them.]
‘They’ve reached the Cheonma realm!? Then… that’s the realm of Hyeongyeong!’
Though incomplete, five beings who have entered Hyeongyeong!
This would be something that would astonish the entire Gangho.
“With the will of the Guardian present in this place, I greet you, Elders.”
The Holy Maiden offered her respects using the Guardian Sect’s distinctive etiquette.
“There’s no need for formality, Holy Maiden. Do what you must do.”
“Yes. You must set your father down.”
“One who scatters the Heavenly Mandate. You must be curious about who we are?”
“We are merely old men who follow the Guardian’s will. Here, we protect a portion of the world.”
“We are simply phantoms unable to leave this sacred ground.”
Upon hearing this, I grasped the truth instinctively.
These five monsters were bound by a restriction—they could not leave this sacred ground.
For what reason did they exist here?
What was the Guardian’s will? What was the Guardian Sect truly?
‘In a sense, this is the Guardian Sect’s final reserve of strength.’
The Holy Maiden abandoned her name and lived her entire life as the Holy Maiden, while the Elders lived their entire lives protecting the sacred ground on Cheonbing Mountain for the Guardian’s will.
“And another guest has arrived.”
At the Elders’ words, I turned to see the Gungju revealed, along with his son, transformed into a Blood Dragon Body.
The Holy Maiden turned to look back with composed eyes.
“Father. So you’ve finally come here.”
To pass through the formation laid beneath the sacred grounds of Cheonbing Mountain, the Holy Maiden’s ceremony was necessary. But then, how had the Gungju reached this place?
“As Gungju and the Supreme Guardian of the Shuho Sect, surely you don’t think I lack the qualifications to ascend Cheonbing Mountain’s sacred grounds. Besides, the successor of Jegallga over there doesn’t seem surprised either.”
Jin Cheon-hee answered.
“I already knew you wouldn’t simply allow the Holy Maiden to proceed with the ceremony. And besides… the person standing behind you is your son, isn’t he?”
“We meet for the first time. I am Gunbaekgeom, the Young Lord. Jin Sogakju… after hearing your story, I wished to meet you. And we do have prior acquaintance, do we not?”
The figure standing behind the Gungju stepped forward and clasped his fists in salute.
The strikingly handsome man was now dressed in the martial robes of the North Sea Ice Palace, and at present, he appeared to possess a properly sound mind.
Had it not been for the crimson scales extending down from his neck, he would have looked like a noble young master.
Moreover.
His hands were also completely covered in scales, making it difficult to regard him as having a human form.
“For the first time… or rather, our eyes met in the collapsing Bidong, so we do have acquaintance. Young Lord Gunbaekgeom. Why did you wish to meet me?”
“To kill you. I must collect a blood debt from the disciple of Hyeolrin Gwangssal.”
At Gunbaekgeom’s fierce smile, Jin Cheon-hee regarded him quietly.
Even as Yeo Ha-ryun unleashed a terrifying killing intent beside him, Jin Cheon-hee spoke without hesitation.
“Have I misunderstood something? My Master obtained this Bing Jeong Sword justly. And I believe it was you who opposed that.”
“You understand correctly. However… the Bing Jeong Sword is a sacred treasure of this palace. Could it be given so easily to an outsider? This is something our palace’s pride cannot permit.”
“Ah…? So you tried to kill my Master because of that pride. Because it was more precious than gratitude.”
Observing this, Gongseon Yeong thought to himself.
‘Ah, the little Jegallga brat is provoking him.’
As expected. Having struck a nerve, the Young Lord Gunbaekgeom spoke.
“Your Master insulted us!”
“So you turned your back on his kindness and tried to kill him… isn’t that right?”
At Jin Cheon-hee’s words, killing intent erupted from the Young Lord Gunbaekgeom’s entire body.
That was when it happened.
Hwaaak!
All energy vanished at once.
Even Yeo Ha-ryun’s killing intent disappeared without a trace, and Gunbaekgeom was forcibly calmed.
A quiet, pristine energy filled the space, as if someone had forcibly seated a person in meditation.
“Disturbances in the sacred grounds will not be tolerated.”
One of the Elders had raised his hand.
‘This place… truly is no ordinary location.’
Jin Cheon-hee observed the Elders with inner surprise.
“Gungju. As the Supreme Guardian of the Shuho Sect, have you permitted the power of Hyeolseon? Surely you cannot be ignorant of what Hyeolseon is.”
One of the Five Elders posed a question.
“This Gungju is well aware that Hyeolseon is one who disturbs the world. However, this Gungju has not abandoned the Guardian’s will.”
“….”
“For the sake of the Shuho Sect, we merely made use of a portion of Hyeolseon’s power! Observe—the Guardian herself permitted this, which is how this Gungju was able to reach this place!”
Jin Cheon-hee thought to himself.
‘So even this mess came about through divine will. In other words, that’s the argument being made?’
From the perspective of a modern person like myself, biomedical experimentation was already nonsensical.
Yet, including the Elders, everyone in the North Sea Ice Palace was deadly serious.
That was when it happened.
Yeo Ha-ryun opened his mouth.
“So, what comes next? Are we just going to settle this with words?”
In truth.
My side possessed superior military strength.
The power of those Five Elders and the sanctuary’s unique properties overwhelmed the Gungju and Young Lord with ease.
“I ask whether the will of Cheonbing rests with you or with me.”
“Hmm?”
“To protect Cheonbing and safeguard its people is the purpose of this palace and this sect. I hereby declare that the Young Lord is the rightful successor to lead the Protector Sect into the future. I shall conduct the Ceremony of Cheonbing!”
Whoosh.
The energy and momentum surrounding the space transformed.
The entire space trembled as a fragment of light descended from the heavens.
It was the Holy Seal of the Protector Sect!
The Holy Seal resembled a deer’s antlers at first glance.
It suspended in midair. Watching it, the Elders exhaled in awe.
“The Protector has accepted your will.”
At this sight, I was astounded.
‘It’s not inner energy. This is…?’
Rather, it was a sensation I’d only felt from the Six-Horned Venomous Snake or an enraged Yoo Ho.
Or perhaps… it even seemed comparable in grade to Eungryong.
“Gungju. To draw such an ominous presence into this sect… you must understand that the Protector tests your will.”
“Ugh… Protector…”
The Holy Maiden gazed at the Holy Seal in surprise. Watching her, I also pondered internally.
‘So a being similar to Eungryong is called the “Protector” here. At least it doesn’t carry the sinister aura of the Hyeolseon Sect. But what exactly is the Ceremony of Cheonbing?’
“The Ceremony of Cheonbing! Does it truly exist…?”
[Your Highness. What is the Ceremony of Cheonbing?]
[It’s a martial contest to determine who becomes Gungju. The victor becomes the new Gungju. I’d heard such laws existed, but I never imagined it would take this form… And moreover, I never knew the Protector actually existed.]
The Prince believed in the Protector Sect, yet was unaware that the Protector—its deity—actually existed.
In truth, it was understandable.
Who would know that Eungryong’s existence was real?
Only those among the royal family who had reached the hidden underground chambers beneath the Imperial Palace would know.
“My daughter. Do you not see that your brother lives? The Hyeolseon Sect members are heretics, but some of their power is quite useful.”
“Father!”
“Listen to me first. If we join hands with them and utilize them, spreading the Protector’s will and elevating this sect’s fortune is no difficult task. Look. Is not that Holy Seal proof of the Protector’s will that my intentions are righteous?”
The Holy Maiden shook her head at the Gungju’s words, but he continued arrogantly.
“Elders. The Young Lord shall challenge the Ceremony of Cheonbing. Who dares oppose?”
The Young Lord stepped forward.
Thud-
Watching him flash that confident smile, the Holy Maiden clenched her teeth.
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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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