Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 698

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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 698
My body would not move, yet I could sense the sounds and presences around me.
As I felt myself dying, a voice echoed from within my consciousness.
-It is insufficient.
Insufficient.
Life itself is insufficient.
And even when the Hwaju Divine Elixir entered my body and awakened me anew.
That inner voice continued to resound.
Life is insufficient.
* * *
‘That… looks like demonic cultivation?’
Blood is the wellspring of life, the ocean of vitality.
Without blood, one cannot survive; thus blood must be treasured and held sacred.
This was a passage from the sorcery I had learned in my past.
Like such peculiar teachings, blood held significant importance in both sorcery and martial arts.
Daoist martial techniques rarely employed blood as a medium, yet heterodox factions and demonic cultivation contained numerous techniques that used blood as a catalyst.
Among these, most blood-consuming martial techniques were demonic cultivation.
What is demonic cultivation?
It comes with a price, yet allows one to grow rapidly and dramatically stronger.
That price typically means the mind and body twist unnaturally, causing one’s temperament to become savage and malevolent.
It could also mean permanent bodily damage, or in some cases, the sacrifice of one of the sensory organs.
And now.
The Patriarch of the Namgung Family was drawing blood from the Vice-Patriarch while radiating a formidable aura.
The Namgung Family’s martial artists guarding the sickroom lay collapsed and unconscious all around.
The Patriarch’s consorts were fortunately absent, and the physicians of Hwaju Medical Institute lay broken and sprawled in various places.
Namgung Un froze at the sight.
How many could witness their father’s madness without their hearts wavering?
But Jin Cheon-hee was different—one who perceived a single second as a full minute.
‘Oh? So he’s mastered demonic cultivation? When I took his pulse before, I did notice some abnormalities in the cerebral blood vessels. Given the mercury poisoning, it’s hardly surprising—people do have their moments of instability.’
Still, a martial artist of deep cultivation could endure such things.
But it seemed the Namgung Patriarch was not one of them.
‘To practice blood-draining demonic cultivation in a situation like this?’
Wow, the Gangho world truly is fascinating.
‘For now, there’s only one thing to do. Strike first to ensure victory!’
Jin Cheon-hee moved first.
He extended one hand, flicked his fingers to unleash Finger Flick Heaven Piercing, then charged forward himself.
A powerful energy projectile shot forth rapidly, targeting Patriarch Namgung Cheol’s shoulder.
Whoosh!
Namgung Cheol, sensing the force, hurled the Vice-Patriarch aside and swept his hand outward.
As a brilliant blue aura deflected the Finger Flick Heaven Piercing, Jin Cheon-hee was already nearly upon him.
‘Still, the patient is a patient. I should avoid inflicting serious injuries if possible. I’ll handle this with Kwon Gak techniques!’
Jin Cheon-hee drew upon his inner energy.
In a world where patients used lightness martial arts to demolish houses and injection needles couldn’t penetrate skin simply because they flexed their muscles—this was the reality.
That’s why all the Physicians of Hwajui-gak had to learn martial arts.
“Patient, please calm yourself.”
His two hands moved with fluid grace.
The Taoist Tai Chi Palm wavered from Jin Cheon-hee’s hands. In response, a blade-like energy erupted from Namgung Cheol’s palms.
Sword Blade Palm!
One of the secret techniques of the Namgung Family—created from the desire to execute sword techniques even without a blade!
Its ferocity and sharpness flew toward severing Jin Cheon-hee’s hands.
“Jin, be careful!”
Yet Jin Cheon-hee’s expression remained serene with a smile.
“It’s fine.”
Jin Cheon-hee gently pushed the side of the sword energy, tracing a circle.
The blade energy of the Sword Blade Palm scattered left and right, embedding itself into the ground.
Crash!
Through the gap that opened, Jin Cheon-hee’s palm pressed in like a cloud, soft yet penetrating.
Taoist Ten-Stage Seal.
Boom!
A fierce strike shook Patriarch Namgung Cheol’s internal organs, producing a thunderous sound.
His body flew backward and crashed into the ground.
“Father!”
Only then did Namgung Un seem to regain his senses, crying out as he rushed forward.
“Namgung, it’s not over yet.”
“What? What kind of—. Ugh!”
Crash!
Namgung Cheol emerged again, obliterating the spot where he’d been embedded.
The muscles of his body swelled grotesquely as if wrapped in iron armor, and his entire frame radiated protective energy that flickered like burning flames.
“This… what is this…?”
“Demonic cultivation.”
Namgung Un’s eyes widened.
Jin Cheon-hee spoke with an expression of scientific resignation.
“I’m uncertain of the reason, but it appears he has learned demonic cultivation. Combined with the Hwaju Divine Elixir and mercury poisoning, it seems this has caused him to lose his rationality.”
“The blood-sucking technique from before?”
“Yes. It’s one of the typical side effects of demonic cultivation.”
“Sigh…”
Namgung Un’s face appeared to have aged ten years in an instant.
“Father, what exactly have you been dabbling in?”
Yet after a brief moment of deep breathing, his eyes shone with renewed determination.
“I’ll buy you time. Please treat the wounded.”
“Can you handle this alone? It seems like whoever is beyond Hwagyeong is quite formidable….”
Memories of the Oh Dok-mun incident surfaced.
That man who had forced his way into Hyeongyeong and fought like a madman.
Thanks to him, I had sealed Hyeongyeong’s poison in my left arm, but even now it remained a horrifying memory.
“If I do not stand, who will protect Gasol and our guests? If I can buy us some time, Grandfather and the family’s elite will arrive. I ask for your trust.”
“Then… understood.”
After exchanging words, they parted immediately.
Namgung Un headed toward the Patriarch, while Jin Cheon-hee moved toward the wounded.
* * *
“Sigh…. I never wanted to reveal my achievements to Brother Jin in such a manner….”
In the past, the Namgung Family had suffered humiliation at Jin Cheon-hee’s hands.
The Namgung Family’s pride, the Cangqiong Wuya Sword Formation, had been shattered by both Yeo Ha-ryun and Jin Cheon-hee.
Jin Cheon-hee’s actions in interfering with the Namgung Family’s affairs to rescue Tugoe were, from a Gangho warrior’s perspective, neither black nor white—a matter of personal debt.
Therefore, the defeat of the Namgung Family’s sword formation was indeed a humiliation.
And it was a separate matter entirely from Eun.
A defeat in martial prowess was something to be avenged, not resented.
That was the way of Gangho. And the law of the Namgung Family.
Therefore, Namgung Un had made ceaseless efforts to display his advancement to a new realm to Jin Cheon-hee and achieve vengeance.
During the subjugation of Haesabang.
Namgung Un had settled his debts with Jin Cheon-hee and the Jegallim Family in his own way.
Now only martial vengeance remained.
But who could have foreseen such an unfortunate turn of events.
“Sigh…. I crave poisoned wine. On a night like this, Jukyelp Cheong alone won’t suffice.”
Rumble!
Thunder roared from Namgung Un’s body.
Azure lightning writhed across his entire form, dancing like a dragon.
His blade blazed with brilliant azure light, and simultaneously the ground around him fractured and crumbled.
The Emperor Sword Form. And the Cangqiong Wuya Sword Thunder was unfolding at its peak.
Originally, the Namgung Family possessed martial arts based on thunder qi, such as the Nine Heavens Lightning Sword Technique and the Flash Thunder Thirteen Sword Thunder.
But they were incomplete. Now they had been perfected by combining them with the Five Elements Internal Energy techniques of the Jegallim Family.
And.
By fusing this secret art with the Namgung Family’s supreme secret technique, the Cangqiong Wuya Sword Method, a superior sword technique was born.
That was the Cangqiong Wuya Sword Thunder.
Divine techniques and supreme arts were simultaneously deployed, distorting the very air around him.
“O… oh…. Un?”
“Father.”
“You brat…. Did I not tell you to address me as Patriarch?”
Yet surprisingly.
Namgung Cheol, the Patriarch of the Namgung Family, seemed to have regained consciousness.
“My proud eldest son. When did you become so formidable? Ah…. I am delighted. Delighted. Behold. Your father has finally become strong enough to face you with honor.”
Namgung Cheol’s muscles swelled to nearly twice their size, resembling a vajra guardian, and protective energy blazed across his body.
“By the way… my throat is parched. Oh. Yes. I should drink that life water over there.”
The Patriarch’s hand pointed in one direction.
A physician from Hwaju Medical Institute who had been lying there suddenly floated upward.
The technique of seizing objects from thin air!
That was the moment.
Bang!
A projectile from somewhere severed the invisible grip.
“Patient~ please regain your senses. You shouldn’t attack other patients, right? And brother, what are you doing? The patient is delirious right now—you need to restrain him quickly.”
A voice came from somewhere, excessively kind and dripping with artificial sincerity.
The Patriarch’s eyes turned toward where that voice originated.
There stood Jin Cheon-hee, treating the Vice-Patriarch of Hwaju Medical Institute.
“Ah… so you’re Jin Cheon-hee, the disciple of Baek Rin-ui-seon? I hear you’re friends with my son? Thank you for treating him well. My son has many who would suit him, but I’ve been worried that he has no one he calls a true friend.”
Making formal introductions in a situation like this?
And after just moments ago trying to seize a physician from Hwaju Medical Institute while spouting nonsense about ‘life water’?
‘Ah, he’s completely lost his mind. But in which direction? His reactions are rather peculiar.’
I stopped the bleeding from the Vice-Patriarch’s neck, stabilized his breathing, then hurled his body far away.
The Vice-Patriarch, launched with the subtle principles of martial arts, descended very gently and softly at a distance.
An application of the Tai Chi principle.
Yet it was a divine gesture that ordinary eyes could never perceive.
Then I turned my head.
‘He’s not the type to have completely lost reason and attack instinctively… The problem is that while he tries to suck up physicians like they’re some kind of beverage, he treats me and Namgung Un like actual people.’
Even his conversation seems functional at first glance.
‘His cognitive abilities are naturally damaged… but this isn’t even my specialty…’
Besides, even if I were a specialist, I’m not sure what conversation one could have with a patient who has learned demonic arts and is running amok.
‘There don’t seem to be any critically injured patients on the verge of death, so let me buy time by playing along for now.’
Namgung Ban.
And the elite forces of the Namgung Family.
If they arrived, we could restrain the Patriarch without difficulty.
I rose from my position, cupped my fist in salute, and greeted him.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Patriarch. I am Jin Cheon-hee of Baekrin Medical Guild. I’ve been getting along quite well with Namgung.”
“Oh! Is that so? What a joyous day this is! My realm has elevated, I’ve confirmed my son’s achievements, and now I meet my son’s friend—I couldn’t be happier!”
[Brother Jin. Father’s condition is… strange. What in the world is this…?]
[I’m not sure. It seems he hasn’t completely lost his mind, but rather gone halfway mad. Let me try to lead the conversation. Don’t let your guard down.]
The two exchanged words through sound transmission.
Namgung Un still maintained a guarding stance with brain light surrounding him, and I released my fist salute and spoke.
“I’m equally delighted to meet you, Patriarch… but there are quite a few wounded nearby, so I’d like to treat them first. Would you permit it?”
“Wounded? Where are there wounded?”
Despite wounded scattered all around, the Patriarch’s face showed confusion.
A strange chill crept up the back of my neck.

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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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