Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 971

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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 971
Yeo Ha-ryun naturally lowered his feet to the ground.
I asked him.
“Hyeongyeong?”
“…No, I’m still one step short.”
“Same as me.”
“Hmm….”
Yeo Ha-ryun appeared pleased. Then he spoke.
“Even so, your Hyeongyeong and mine will surely take different forms.”
“If the path differs, the destination differs as well.”
“I’ve come to think that Hyeongyeong—that realm—is merely something the ignorant have bound together through conjecture, when in truth it might be an entirely different landscape altogether.”
“….”
A dialogue that seemed almost like a Zen exchange.
Though we had not spoken much, Yeo Ha-ryun and I understood each other’s intentions.
“Perhaps, but perhaps not.”
I spoke only that much, then fell into thought before asking.
“Ryun, what do you see?”
As one approaches Hyeongyeong, the ability to perceive intent awakens. Yet that perception was not the same as witnessing the same landscape.
Depending on each person’s inner vision and the path they have walked, such perception expands differently for each.
“I have seen that even a handful of stone can harbor a heart. And you?”
In everything I do, I drift further from humanity, so I have devoted all my strength to grasping onto a single human heart.
Could this desperation have reversed itself, allowing me to perceive heart in the inanimate?
Not glimpsing the hearts of people, but merely lifeless objects.
One might dismiss it as trivial.
Yet if perfected, Yeo Ha-ryun would gain the ability to perceive the intent of all things under heaven and earth.
Truly, he was advancing toward a martial art most befitting of him—and most terrifying.
“…I….”
I smiled sadly.
“I have seen that all things in this world can die.”
“You seek to save people. The more you learn the ways of saving, the more you learn the ways of killing, do you not?”
“….”
I nod.
Today too, I drift one step further from my Master and the martial art I have yearned for so deeply.
Soon I close my eyes.
“When the seed of the Cheonma took root, I came to understand what I had denied all this while. Yes. If I wish to drift away, then conversely I must understand what I am drifting from. To drift away from death means….”
“…to face death more directly than anyone else.”
Why has such a vision begun to bloom within the Doctor?
‘Ah, I can never harbor what my Master possesses.’
Despair welled up within me.
I could never reach that beautiful, vibrant garden of life that nurtures all things under heaven and earth.
Rather, the more I complete it, the more I feel myself drifting toward the colorless void.
If one were to consider my Master’s path, people would surely conjure the opposite image.
Yet, why is it that….
My Master approaches creation and preservation in his mental imagery, while I draw closer to destruction and death.
The more I cling to distance myself.
The more I find myself gazing in that direction instead.
The human mind knows not how to deny.
Was I not born with such a foolish brain that the more I tell myself not to think of something I dislike, the more it haunts me?
Yeo Ha-ryun observed his brother and reflected.
‘A Doctor encounters death more frequently than any warrior.’
Why would anyone seek a doctor if they were merely healthy and content?
People seek them because they suffer and struggle.
Especially since my brother is the greatest divine physician under heaven, many warriors on death’s doorstep must seek him out.
That means he must encounter death that much more often.
Of course, I know how many people my brother has saved.
Yet, human knowledge.
Even when squeezed to its very limits and despite all effort, those destined to die will die—such is the natural order.
My brother’s profession is one of endless loss of human life.
And he must have endured countless instances of fighting desperately for his patients until the very end, only to find that he cannot overcome heaven’s mandate and ultimately loses them.
Have those brutal experiences calcified like calluses upon his martial arts?
Yeo Ha-ryun pondered.
The place where my brother dwells is always ‘the day humans die.’
The day a human dies within the Medical Guild.
Solitude—with no distant family, no close friends, no one at all.
At the end of that final journey where life turns toward death, only the doctor remains at their side, does he not?
For that is the fate of a doctor living in this Gangho.
How many ‘days of death’ has my brother witnessed during this brief period of bloodshed?
Both within the Medical Guild and upon the battlefield.
Humans die.
And upon those layers of accumulated days, the doctor stands.
Fighting and fighting until finally embracing the Demon, and even that Demon becomes merely a tool to continue fighting.
‘Throughout the day humans die.’
Thus his martial arts began to take on a form entirely contrary to his will.
Yeo Ha-ryun spoke.
“…It is not yet complete.”
“….”
“Your mental imagery is not yet complete, brother. So….”
I never thought the day would come when this fellow would console another.
Jin Cheon-hee nods his head.
“Yes. That’s right. I am not yet complete.”
My inner landscape remains incomplete.
If it were a painting, it would still be an unfinished abstract work.
No one yet knows what kind of painting it will become.
“And… while it may not be comforting, the landscape you’re currently facing is one that every martial artist in this world desperately desires.”
“The essence of martial arts?”
“Because all martial arts ultimately lead to death in another form.”
“…That’s not really comforting at all.”
“I suppose not. But the fact that it remains incomplete means there’s still potential, and recognizing it means you can change it, doesn’t it?”
“…Now that’s somewhat comforting.”
For Yeo Ha-ryun to say something so plausible was rather amusing.
Looking down the mountain, I could see Namgung Un organizing the people to handle the cleanup.
“So, all the dantians have been sealed?”
“Yes! Every single one has been sealed without exception.”
Watching him naturally become the leader of the group while wearing a mask and concealing his identity made me laugh.
‘He truly is a born leader, that fellow….’
And beneath the mask, I could sense his aura had grown considerably stronger.
‘That’s right. He’s become even more powerful in the meantime.’
Namgung Un recognized me and ascended to the mountain peak in a single bound.
A formidable movement technique.
Judging from the lightning I felt at his feet, the power contained within it had grown even more formidable.
“For now, I’ll report him as Sueok and have him transported to Baekrin. Sending him to the Martial Arts Alliance would only cause complications.”
‘My, the future Martial Arts Alliance Leader speaks with such authority.’
Since I’ve altered the heavenly fortune, he might not become the Alliance Leader… but regardless, he’s fundamentally a righteous faction man, occupying the highest rank in the righteous faction’s caste system.
“It will certainly be troublesome when the Demonic-Righteous War comes.”
“That’s how it is. Each will receive punishment befitting their crimes. That’s what you want, isn’t it? As for form, what matters is the essence of atonement.”
At those words, I couldn’t help but smile.
“Indeed.”
Even if we’re wicked friends—or rather, because we are—we understand each other well.
Just then, Jeon Seo-gu flew over rapidly.
Ilkana checked the message and approached.
“My lord, a message has arrived from headquarters.”
“Hmm?”
“They’re ordering you to return to headquarters. The Soegoojus are to engage in one-on-one blood duels.”
“…Is this the Cheonma’s intention?”
“There’s no seal, but as you know, the Cheonma sometimes issues orders without seals. So I cannot be certain of that. However, based on the appearance of the letter and the form of the cipher, it’s definitely from the upper echelon.”
Yeo Ha-ryun looked at me.
I answered.
“Well… I’m not going. Tell them to be prepared to strike me from behind and drag me there if they want to take me to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.”
The Doctor had made a decision.
I absolutely had to flee. This was something I had to flee from.
If I get dragged into this, I’ll definitely lose.
“…This is absurd.”
“I was never the Soegooju! You demon! I simply received the sweet and sour pork in a strange manner! Hmph?”
Hyeong’s specialty had emerged.
Stubbornness.
Unconditional stubbornness.
And he spoke to the side.
“Well, assuming that scorpion’s message truly came from Cheonma… it seems like she’s telling us to stop bickering with each other and finish this quickly. That’s what it looks like, given how Cheong-yeon fled this time too.”
“What if the Six Demon Clans sent it?”
“Cheonma probably isn’t at the Ten Thousand Mountains right now, and the fact that they conveniently omitted whether the message came from Cheonma or the Six Demon Clans means forgery charges won’t stick. Still, since it was sent through the leadership, there would be some burden in handling the aftermath. But even so… it seems like they want to settle this while Cheonma is away, even if they have to bear that risk.”
“…That’s the form we want too.”
“Even though it could be a trap?”
“Yes.”
Yeo Ha-ryun nodded.
Jin Cheon-hee spoke.
“And there’s a third variable. It might be just a blood duel without a life-or-death conclusion.”
“Hmm? Is that even possible?”
“Who knows. For now, destroying Hyeolseonggyo seems like an important objective… or maybe they’re trying to tighten discipline among the members before that.”
“The third possibility seems least likely.”
“…I’m not so sure? Normally that would be the right judgment, but.”
Jin Cheon-hee rubbed his chin.
He felt that thinking only in normal terms would never allow him to fathom Cheonma’s true intentions.
Yeo Ha-ryun spoke.
“Then I’ll head back.”
“….”
Jin Cheon-hee stared intently at Yeo Ha-ryun.
As if trying to etch this image into his memory.
‘…This is strange. For some reason, I have a premonition that I’ll see him again sooner than last time…?’
Normally, once they parted, years would pass without much thought.
But somehow, he felt their next meeting would come sooner than that.
A time of some crucial ‘choice’, he thought.
‘What is this?’
A strange premonition.
Jin Cheon-hee touched his chest.
* * *
The garrison soldiers arrived and arrested all the Demonic Sect members whose dantians had been sealed.
After various arrangements, the group commandeered the ship their enemies had arrived on and set off.
Even though Jin Cheon-hee had destroyed the ships with his formation, one decent vessel somehow survived.
It was quite a good omen.
If it could survive within that formation, it meant it was a ship crafted by truly exceptional masters.
“Brother. The Six Demon Clans’ ship is quite exquisitely crafted, isn’t it? Kekekeke!”
Ilkana laughed with a mischievous grin while turning the helm.
Since Ilkana hailed from the desert, she seemed exceptionally interested in such a massive vessel.
She mentioned that a ship this expensive and light could even sail upstream against the current, allowing them to travel near the headquarters along the Yangtze River, which would save considerable time.
Thus, we set Jin Cheon-hee and Namgung Un ashore at a nearby location.
“Stay healthy, brother.”
“You too, take care.”
‘For some reason, I have an uneasy premonition that we’ll meet again soon….’
I kept that thought to myself and exchanged only a brief farewell.
As we disembarked, Ilkana’s cry of “Lower the sails!” rang out, and the sails unfurled swiftly in perfect coordination.
The ship was preparing to sail upstream at maximum speed.
Then, Yeo Ha-ryun’s voice transmission reached me.
[You’ve likely already guessed, but I should state it clearly.]
[Hmm?]
[The spy within the Namgung Family is Ju Yeong-yeong, the third wife of the previous Gaju. The previous Gaju’s rampage was also orchestrated by her.]
[Damn it….]
I turned to look back, but the ship had already caught the wind and drifted far away.
‘Cursed man. How could you dump such a bomb and sail away like that.’
I had indeed suspected as much all along, just as Yeo Ha-ryun said.
However, without evidence and since it was another family’s internal matter, I had refrained from meddling.
But now that Yeo Ha-ryun had spoken of it directly, things were different.
‘Ah, ahhh…. He seems to be trying to help me in his own way….’
As I was wiping my face in frustration, Namgung Un asked.
“Why that expression, Jin? What’s wrong?”
Should I tell him or not?
Namgung Un had apparently already sensed that I had heard something unusual.
Despite appearances, the man’s intuition was uncanny.
‘Ah…. I have no choice.’
Once suspicion had solidified into certainty, there was no way around it.
“What has the previous Gaju’s third wife, Lady Ju Yeong-yeong, been doing lately?”
“She went to visit her younger sister at her family home. Her sister has weak health, so she visits frequently.”
“That’s not a visit to see her sister. She’s going to spread demonic cultivation. She’s with the Demonic Sect.”
“What…?”
Namgung Un’s eyes widened.
I patted his back as he stood frozen like stone.
“Yeo Ha-ryun just told me as a matter of honor toward his benefactor. Normally, it would be right to keep this hidden until the end, but since you showed kindness in the Gangho way, this is how such favors call forth other favors.”
“…No, that’s not the issue. Our stepmother is a spy for the Demonic Sect?”
“That’s how it is.”
“…No…. A spy?!”
Namgung Un collapsed to the ground.
It was shocking enough to leave anyone reeling.
I patted Namgung Un on the back.
“Why do you speak of such grave matters with such cheerfulness?”
“Speaking of grave matters more gravely won’t solve anything.”
“Damn it! You’re just like Ilgwang!”
“Hahahaha.”
Namgung Un sighed as he watched my shameless attitude.
‘It’s like explaining to a patient with an incurable disease. This younger brother of mine….’
He understood that this was my way of showing consideration.
If what I said was true, then I myself had come to the Namgung Family out of nowhere and experienced every conceivable trouble, even getting caught up in family strife.
It was obvious that I was telling him not to apologize. Obvious, but….
‘He’s really irritating. Sigh.’
Still, instead of sobbing, wailing, and drowning in betrayal, he managed to regain his composure and think clearly.
It was funny.
To recover his reason so quickly.
‘If that’s true—and it must be—I’m worried about my youngest brother.’
Namgung Un asked.
“Do you have proof?”
“Ah, no. But I have testimony. There were also things I’d been suspecting on my own.”
“Ugh….”
“It seems you have some suspicions of your own after hearing what I said.”
That was true.
The Third Consort, Ju Yeong-yeong.
The family’s children simply called her “Aunt” for convenience.
Aunt went out unusually often.
Of course, no one suspected her because of her characteristically dull temperament and optimistic demeanor.
Above all, she had never shown any ambition.
The servants who followed Lady Wiji, the Second Consort, even secretly pointed fingers at Ju Yeong-yeong as if she were a lazy bear.
But… was that really the case?
‘Many things went missing whenever she said she was visiting her family home.’
I spoke.
“There is one thing I’m certain of.”
“Hmm?”
“Only you can change the Namgung Family as it is now.”
“…You give the disease and the medicine both.”
“Let me be clear. I found the disease and provided the medicine.”
A doctor is a doctor, after all.
And not just any doctor—the greatest physician, the finest healer under heaven.
“I should be heading back soon.”
Namgung Un suddenly gazed at something distant.
“Huh? Jin’s younger brother. What is that?”
It was an enormous banner hanging from Bunta, who was attached to Baekrin Uiseon in Hwahyeon.
The characters written in one sweeping stroke with a massive brush were visible from very far away to any martial artist of Namgung Un’s caliber.
And the same held true for Jin Cheon-hee.
[Celebrating★Savior★Cheonma]
My Master’s handwriting.
‘…Damn it.’
Jin Cheon-hee collapsed face-down on the ground, his face flushed crimson.
“Hmm? It’s a name I’ve never heard before. Quite an impressive epithet—Cheonma, no less. Is this how the Heterodox Faction’s demon leaders refer to themselves? Do you know of this Savior Cheonma, Jin’s younger brother?”
“….”
Jin Cheon-hee could not speak.
He only wished to bury his face in the dirt.
-From now on, would you call me the Savior Cheonma?
Why did my Heart Demon have to spout such nonsense?
Dang-a… Dang-a… I miss you so much….

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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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