Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 609

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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 609
Perhaps there was simply much to gain.
Was it because I saved their life? Because they coveted my medical skills?
If that were the case, there’d be no need to manipulate them with talk of shared blood.
There are countless other ways to win someone’s heart.
Just the position of Medical Director bestowed upon my Master was already an extraordinary reward.
Frankly, what if I myself harbored ill intentions and exploited this blood connection?
Surely they weren’t ignorant of how easily people succumb to corruption before power.
‘What are they trusting me with, going to such lengths? Honestly.’
I exhaled a small sigh.
‘First, I should identify the secret martial techniques in the imperial archives.’
Since I’d already examined the palace archives once before, I quickly located what I sought.
The Immortal Divine Art.
The Spring Dragon Art.
The Immortal Divine Art was a martial technique that drastically increased human vitality.
As long as the heart and brain remained intact, one supposedly wouldn’t die under most circumstances.
If what was written in the secret manual was true, even severed limbs could regenerate!
‘But this consumes inner energy at a demonic cultivation level?’
In the martial arts novels I’d read before, whenever the word “immortal” appeared,
techniques bearing such a name were never properly executed, which made me uneasy.
‘There’s always some hidden drawback lurking somewhere.’
What remained was the Spring Dragon Art.
This wasn’t a divine technique of the highest caliber.
‘The name “Spring Dragon” sounds grandiose, but the character is “spring” as in a water spring.’
In other words, a spring’s dragon.
Which meant a lizard!
Exactly.
The Spring Dragon Art was a martial technique that regenerated damaged bodies like a lizard’s tail!
Of course, I’d only know if it was genuine after actually practicing it myself.
‘At least the title is less anxiety-inducing than the Immortal Divine Art.’
This is why titles matter.
Even third-rate martial arts techniques aren’t randomly prefixed with words like “Heaven and Earth,” “Under Heaven,” or “Overlord.”
They need to look impressive to hook people.
Of course, the problem was that while learning this way, you might later realize, ‘Ah, dammit… This bastard wrote about a realm he’d never even achieved himself as a secret manual?’ and cough up blood at the seventh stage, leading to demonic possession.
This world had no system for verifying treatises.
If even papers lack verification, who would validate secret manuals?
‘That’s why people want to learn from renowned sects. It’s about credibility.’
One must choose their master wisely.
If you don’t want to end up possessed later.
Perhaps this was precisely why martial artists clung so desperately to their roots.
Jin Cheon-hee pondered this.
‘Without a verification system for secret techniques, all they have to rely on is tradition.’
But secret techniques of a sect were, by definition, transmitted in secrecy.
If someone were to verify them, setting aside whether the verifier was fair or credible,
wouldn’t people outside the sect learn of such information?
‘Usually, secret technique leaks end in murder and extermination.’
Goodness, my head.
‘Well then, shall I look for the next book?’
Jin Cheon-hee soon arrived at the next shelf.
A place where secret techniques related to soul control were gathered.
‘Soul control techniques are typically considered a form of dark magic—a hybrid of sorcery and martial arts that brainwashes and manipulates other humans, making it both a dark art and a forbidden technique.’
Why was I looking for this?
Because of Hyeolseonggyo.
Meeting Gwanghonin this time had taught me much.
‘I know so little. I have no idea how to save the commoners brainwashed by Hyeolseonggyo.’
Changing one’s voice was something they could do easily.
So the vocal range I had learned in advance was now useless.
‘I have no choice but to study.’
As I searched through the shelves, one book caught my eye.
Soul Restraining Art.
I pulled it out and flipped through it quickly.
‘Oh… So this is a soul control technique that temporarily stupefies the opponent’s mind. Excellent.’
Just being able to temporarily stop brainwashed commoners would be tremendously helpful.
Jin Cheon-hee secured the Soul Restraining Art.
‘What about poison techniques next?’
I had learned about them when meeting the Hyeolseon Leader in my previous life, and poison techniques proved more useful than expected.
Even the Hyeolseon Leader, though he blocked Yeo Ha-ryun’s sword force, was slow to respond to poison.
To freely control the black flame dragon(?) on my left arm, I needed more properly developed poison techniques.
The poison techniques I had learned so far were merely for building poison resistance, not for freely wielding poison itself.
‘Hmm, is there something suitable? But if I just take something from the Sichuan Poison Sect, I’d become a dog.’
With sword or fist techniques, I could mix in different movements like Yeo Ha-ryun had done before.
But poison techniques were difficult to do that with.
So I searched for something that wouldn’t clash as much as possible.
Poison Dragon Divine Art.
A divine technique that grants strength like a dragon infused with poison.
“Oh, with this I won’t clash with the Five Elements Divine Art lineage?”
I had found a fairly decent martial art that was not well-known yet belonged to the axis of divine technique philosophy.
Jin Cheon-hee couldn’t help but smile with joy.
‘Indeed, the imperial palace’s secret archives are wonderful. A life cut off from the world, just reading books—truly delightful.’
This is a vacation, what else could it be.
I pondered this and added a thought aloud.
‘Ah, I want to eat cup ramen. Reading books like this while slurping down a cup of ramen—that would be perfect.’
Though not the large cup ramen.
The small cup ramen they make these days.
The ones packed with fried bits inside, or those with dried shrimp, or even the ones loaded with ham—those are all good.
The spicy chicken varieties used to upset my stomach in my old body, but with this young body now, wouldn’t it be fine?
‘Now I can’t eat it.’
I could recreate most things, even hamburgers, french fries, and chicken, but these factory-made ramens were impossible.
In terms of difficulty alone, wouldn’t they rival canned tuna?
The factory ramen’s distinctive fried noodle texture and the heavy MSG flavor were difficult to recreate.
I’d been getting spices from an artisan who could produce something close to MSG flavor, but I still couldn’t capture that ramen taste.
‘Ugh. I want to eat cup ramen. Slurp the noodles once, slurp the broth once. Top it off with a single sheet of tuna mayo seaweed.’
While thinking such thoughts, a strange yet familiar book suddenly caught my eye.
Soul Transfer Technique.
‘Wait, why is this in the independent study section? And tucked away in a corner at that?’
It was even shelved backwards, making it impossible to know it was there unless one examined each book individually.
Even the Imperial Palace’s Secret Archive displayed most forbidden texts, so it was curious that only this one was hidden away in a corner.
“Found it at last!”
After finding all the books, I spent time reading and enjoying them.
After memorizing the entire book, I began picking up other texts in my spare moments—it was truly a pleasant vacation.
“No ramen, but… hmm… at least the udon turned out reasonably well.”
I was fortunate to have brought the ingredients in advance.
Coming all this way only to make and eat udon might make me seem a bit eccentric, but what did it matter?
This too was a form of refinement.
“I wish I could stay holed up in a place like this forever without a care in the world.”
But freedom always came with a price.
“When I grow old and retire, I’d like to build a library like this and spend my days in leisurely comfort.”
I wanted to dig a small pond in the garden and build a pavilion beside it to spend my time there.
“Yes, yes. Let’s save that for after retirement.”
Saying so, I deliberately groaned and pushed myself up.
The body of a Kang Ho-in who had cultivated inner energy did not tire easily.
Now it was time to meet Eungryong.
‘I’d like to enjoy this more, but I have questions I want to ask.’
Following the hidden passage of the Imperial Palace’s Secret Archive, I descended along the same path I had come down before.
-Those without qualification shall perish.
Mist appeared again, and shortly after, a voice rang out once more.
-Those with qualification, proceed forward.
After confirming once again that this body carried Boggi’s blood, I descended further and a massive underground lake came into view.
‘Hmm, it seems Eungryong is sleeping this time.’
I was about to shout loudly to wake him, when suddenly Eungryong surged upward again with a powerful rush of water.
—Hmm, you’ve come this far. Fearless, aren’t you, human.
“Ah, it’s good to see you, Eungryong!”
Golden scales rippled like waves across the water.
My own reflection shimmered in the eyes of the colossal dragon. He gazed down at me and spoke.
—So, rewinding time feels pleasant, does it?
“You can sense that?”
—Even though my body lies submerged beneath this lake, I can perceive such things.
It seemed Eungryong possessed the ability to discern such matters.
—Still, you’ve made good use of the gift I gave you.
“Made good use of the gift?”
—Had it not been for the jewel I bestowed upon you, it wouldn’t have been merely a finger—your entire arm would have vanished completely.
Such a thing could have happened?!
I asked in astonishment.
“So the jewel wasn’t simply enhancing my regenerative ability?”
—Regenerative ability? Hehehehe, yes. To human eyes, it might appear that way.
“Then what is it…?”
—Hmm… I find it tedious to explain.
With that, he flicked his tail several more times.
Given his immense size, merely swishing his tail caused the entire lake to tremble.
‘Right. His help back then was ultimately just a whim.’
Leaving as if disinterested, like before, would be amateurish.
Because I’d already tried it once.
Last time, I’d managed to pique his curiosity from my side, but using the same approach again meant there was a high likelihood he wouldn’t take the bait a second time.
Most importantly, I was the one at a disadvantage.
So I had prepared something.
“I’ve brought a bottle of Cheonil Liquor for you.”
—Oho?
I retrieved the alcohol.
Yes, that very Cheonil Liquor I used for making curry and cooking.
Though Gongseon Yeong had tried every way to steal it from me, I’d managed to carefully hide away this final bottle.
Pop—
The moment I uncorked it, a fragrant aroma wafted forth delicately.
—Alcohol. And that too… a peerless fine wine. So there still exist artisans capable of crafting such a thing.
“It was carefully aged in the Imperial Archives as a secret treasure. The rest has been refined by time itself.”
—Excellent. Most excellent.
With a subtle gesture from Eungryong, wine cups and refreshments materialized in the air.
Eungryong himself transformed into human form.
A man with long hair dressed in golden silk robes.
For some reason, his face above the nose was concealed by a mask, though I couldn’t discern why.
—It has been long since I’ve tasted human alcohol. And such an exquisite vintage at that.
Glug, glug, glug, glug.
I filled the cup to the brim with liquor.
Just as I had seen at the King Aisha’s banquet long ago, I poured it until the surface tension caused the liquid to bulge slightly above the rim.
The cup gleamed like a golden full moon.
Eungryong drank it with satisfaction, savoring each sip.
I retrieved dried meat and dried fish, arranging them beautifully on the remaining plates.
K-Chuseok ancestral offering formation!
I even brought out precious spring apples, peeling only the tops for the ritual offering rather than the whole fruit.
“Are you satisfied?”
-Cunning indeed. You know well how to please beings like us.
He narrowed his eyes as he spoke.
I sent my gratitude.
‘Yoo Ho… thank you.’

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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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