Doctor’s Rebirth

Chapter 64

“…”

Jin Cheon-hee didn’t answer.

He merely picked up the dropped piece of lotus root and silently put it in his mouth.

The lotus root piece was crushed by his molars, and the soy sauce seasoning seeped out.

The sweet and salty crisp texture was delicious.

Finally, after finishing his thoughts, Jin Cheon-hee asked this:

“If I go there, can I become the world’s best doctor and cure my master?”

It was a similar question to what he had asked Wangya.

At those words, the Bloodborne Elder Eccentric’s forehead furrowed.

“Later, White Dragon allowed me to take his pulse even if he wouldn’t let me treat him. After taking his pulse, even I couldn’t treat him. It’s amazing he’s still alive until now.”

Jin Cheon-hee nodded. The Bloodborne Elder Eccentric marveled.

“I offered you all the darkness in the world, yet you seek your master first… I envy you, White Dragon.”

Zhuge Rin looked at Jin Cheon-hee with a pleased expression.

“He’s a disciple who is my everything. I’m just grateful, so grateful.”

Jin Cheon-hee thought,

‘This is going according to plan so far, but…’

Originally, the stronger martial artists are, the more they like those who aren’t swayed by money and power.

Just like with Wangya’s offer, if one accepts too readily, they might say they understand but inwardly be disappointed.

‘So you too are tempted by my power and money to come over. Sigh, that’s how the world is.’

It’s similar to the sentiment of 90s drama chaebol characters.

The important thing here is not to give in.

Whether a mother-in-law throws money at your face or a chaebol asks how much you want! You must never! Give in!

Of course, this mentality changed a bit as it entered the 2000s, but that’s how it was back then.

The Bloodborne Elder Eccentric seemed to like Jin Cheon-hee more and more, overflowing with lingering attachment.

“It doesn’t have to be as a disciple. Then how about another way?”

“Another way…?”

The Bloodborne Elder Eccentric became quite urgent.

As a Half-Way to Immortality master, she had lived many more lives than ordinary martial artists.

In the martial arts world, the title ‘Elder Devil’ wasn’t given to just anyone.

It was reserved for those who remained consistently strong and bizarre, not dying no matter what the righteous and evil sects did.

When people give up trying to understand such beings with human logic, the title ‘Old Monster’ is attached with fear, disgust, and awe.

It took 50 years for her title to change from Bloodborne Elder Monster to Bloodborne Elder Eccentric. And after achieving Half-Way to Immortality, she lives on again.

He was the only talented individual she had met during that time.

He was also the only being who could understand her obsession with treating patients even if it meant opening up their bodies.

“Listen, child. I have always thought and believed that among all medical arts, surgery is supreme. If one is sick due to a problem with their body, shouldn’t you naturally open the body to treat the illness?”

There was no patient consent in that.

If she targeted you, you had to be treated.

She was someone whose priorities were all mixed up.

Good and evil were also mixed like mud.

That’s why she is a ‘devil’.

“…”

Instead of answering, Jin Cheon-hee swallowed some bamboo leaf tea.

The Bloodborne Elder Eccentric continued.

“You are the child who will prove that. In this martial arts world where even Hua Tuo’s descendants have abandoned surgery, you have already started to demonstrate it. That’s why I can’t give up on you.”

She let out a small sigh.

Her light brown hair swayed with her breath.

“I’ll give you the privilege of accessing Dark Palace Medical Pavilion’s secret archives.”

At those words, White Dragon’s eyes widened.

Jin Cheon-hee’s heart also nearly dropped.

‘Secret archives? Is she saying she’ll show me the patient charts?’

In any medical pavilion, it’s taboo of taboos for outsiders to open the secret archives.

In the inhumane martial arts world, medical texts are treated like a sect’s secret manuals. But even setting that aside, there’s the treatment records.

That is, patient charts are organized in the secret archives.

Just knowing which patient had what symptoms, what medicine was prescribed and how they were treated, and what the progress was, one can know almost everything about that medical pavilion.

Moreover, just by carefully examining what past injuries a patient had, you can understand the characteristics of their martial arts.

Even with the same sword technique, left-handed and right-handed martial artists will inevitably get injured differently.

If they practice demonic arts, you can tell from their internal injuries.

Then you can also know their weaknesses.

It was a radical offer.

“…”

Jin Cheon-hee fell into thought.

“What would I have to give in return?”

“When the time comes, learn my medical techniques.”

Jin Cheon-hee shook his head.

“I’m already learning my master’s medical techniques.”

He knew the Bloodborne Elder Eccentric’s surgical skills were impressive, but he had 21st-century modern medicine on his side.

He wasn’t very tempted.

“Hey! Then how about martial arts? How about martial arts!”

Jin Cheon-hee glanced at his master and said,

“I’m already learning the world’s best martial arts. It seems meaningless to learn other martial arts.”

The master burst into clear laughter, seemingly proud of Jin Cheon-hee.

“Ahaha, it can’t be helped, Bloodborne Elder. Our sect’s martial arts are already the world’s best, so my disciple refuses. What can we do? Hahaha!”

Crunch-

Hearing White Dragon’s mocking laughter, Bloodborne Elder felt her anger boiling over.

Jin Cheon-hee said,

“Then how about this? When I use surgical techniques, I’ll share with you the prescriptions of how I treated which patients.”

“What?”

In America, hospitals have started sharing patients’ medical data.

It was problematic that patients had to redo all tests every time they changed hospitals, and there were many situations where treatment was impossible without knowing the patient’s medical history.

Especially in emergencies, there were frequent cases where patients died because their chronic diseases and allergy information were unknown.

It was something that could have easily been saved if only the past charts were known.

The more Jin Cheon-hee learned about medical pavilions, the more he regretted this aspect.

It was the same during this Wangya Ju incident.

He thought that if Hwaju Medical Pavilion had known the patient’s medical history information in advance, perhaps they could have detected the gu faster.

No matter how inhumane the martial arts world was, it was undeniable that this closed nature was killing patients.

He knew it couldn’t be easily changed because it was a long-established atmosphere.

But he wanted to save as many martial artists as possible within what he could do.

“So you’re saying I should learn your skills instead? Hahaha.”

“Since you’re showing me the secret archives, I’ll also be learning a lot from Dark Palace Medical Pavilion.”

It could be seen as a kind of medical exchange, breaking out of the master-disciple framework.

Jin Cheon-hee said,

“And if it’s alright, I’d like to receive some medicinal ingredients.”

“Medicinal ingredients?”

“There’s a limit to the medicinal ingredients we can obtain from the righteous sects. And if necessary, we could also send medicinal ingredients that Dark Palace Medical Pavilion lacks.”

It was a kind of alliance.

The two medical pavilion heads were very surprised when they realized Jin Cheon-hee’s idea. It was breaking the existing framework. Something no one had dared to think of.

Zhuge Rin said,

“Hee-ya. You’re drawing a big picture.”

Jin Cheon-hee shook his head.

“I’m not sure if it’s big or small, to be honest. I just think if we can save even one more person within what we can do, that’s enough.”

“Hahahahaha!”

The Bloodborne Elder Eccentric couldn’t help but laugh at Jin Cheon-hee’s answer.

“I’m just coveting one disciple, but you’re coveting the whole world.”

Jin Cheon-hee waved his hands in embarrassment.

“No, I’m just…”

“…Just? No need to pretend to be humble. The development of medical techniques is the fastest way to change the world… This is a fact that we medical pavilion heads all know, but the martial arts world doesn’t know it yet.”

She laughed heartily for a while.

“White Dragon, I’m truly jealous of you.”

Her laughter subsided.

“Then let’s do this. Learn the things that White Dragon Medical Pavilion doesn’t teach you. The Muscle Contraction Technique or hidden weapon techniques should be fine, right?”

Jin Cheon-hee looked at Zhuge Rin.

Zhuge Rin said,

“The Bloodborne Elder Eccentric’s Muscle Contraction Technique and hidden weapon techniques are the best in the world. It’s a good opportunity. Learn them, Hee-ya.”

Jin Cheon-hee nodded.

“Since Master has allowed it, I’ll learn them.”

“The more I hear, the more jealous I become, White Dragon. How did you get such a disciple?”

“It seems our founder is watching over us from heaven.”

The Bloodborne Elder Eccentric sighed.

“For people like us, the best connection is meeting a disciple, and White Dragon has achieved that. A guy who hasn’t even reached Half-Way to Immortality… Tch, child. That guy won’t be able to reach Half-Way to Immortality even if he has enlightenment, because of that body. I would be much better as a master.”

Her lingering attachment to Jin Cheon-hee was dripping.

To the Bloodborne Elder Eccentric, Jin Cheon-hee was that much of a desirable existence.

“I will cure Master.”

“Hmm?”

“I believe that if Master just becomes healthy, he will smoothly reach Half-Way to Immortality. Considering Master’s martial talent and our sect’s martial arts, he might even go beyond that.”

It was a bold response.

When she attacked by asking why he would serve a sickly man who couldn’t even reach Half-Way to Immortality as his master, he counterattacked by saying that if he cured his master, he could aim for a realm similar to or even beyond the Bloodborne Elder Eccentric herself.

It wasn’t an answer a child would give. No, there was no one in the martial arts world who could give such an answer to her.

The opponent was Dark Palace Medical Pavilion, the Bloodborne Elder Eccentric, whom no one in the martial arts world dared to touch.

On the other hand, Zhuge Rin seemed moved, staring at Jin Cheon-hee for a long time.

He never thought he would meet someone who supported him so much in his life that didn’t have much time left.

“Hee-ya. It’s alright even if my life ends now. I truly have no regrets now.”

Zhuge Rin stroked his disciple’s head.

The disciple was his everything.

“I am fulfilled by your single word. Fulfilled.”

At those words, Jin Cheon-hee grumbled, telling him not to say such things.

But Zhuge Rin firmed up a secret resolve he had been harboring.

***

Arc 9: The Edge of Time

Jin Cheon-hee smoothly completed the consort’s second surgery.

Thanks to the fast recovery speed and Jin Cheon-hee’s good skills, he was able to finish the surgery without any major incidents.

Now all that remained was for the consort to come to White Dragon Medical Pavilion from time to time to have his recovery progress examined.

Wangya Ju was overjoyed.

Soon after, the massive sponsorship that had been scheduled arrived at White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

At the same time, the Hao Sect and Hwaju Medical Pavilion were shocked.

Hwaju Medical Pavilion not only suffered financial losses but also faced the dishonor of being seen as inferior in medical skills compared to White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

The movement started, centered around wealthy merchants close to Wangya’s residence.

***

In a certain region.

At the location of a local Hwaju Medical Pavilion branch.

“This happened because our fields are different! Hwaju Medical Pavilion is still the best in the world when it comes to medicine. Yet you leave so coldly!”

A Hwaju Medical Pavilion physician grabbed the merchants’ pants.

“Can’t you stay with us, considering our long-standing relationship?”

“Hmm…”

Some merchants stayed, but many immediately left.

This was especially true for merchant groups that also engaged in large-scale trade.

“Due to the nature of our business, many martial artists incur injuries on credit. If it was an injury like the consort’s, Hwaju Medical Pavilion would have cut off the leg. We can’t betray the martial artists who risked their lives to protect our goods. Sorry.”