Doctor’s Rebirth

Chapter 67

In this world, they express it as the balance of yin and yang being disrupted.

Usually, it’s a temporary condition, so they treat this imbalance through medicine, acupuncture, or inner energy cultivation methods. However, the Severed Meridians were different.

It’s a form where yin energy devours yang energy and flourishes.

Acupuncture and medicine don’t work, and even if they do, it’s only temporary.

They try to endure using inner energy cultivation methods, but usually die before reaching adulthood.

“The source is around the heart.”

“As you already know, it’s a symptom of the Nine Yin Meridian Obstruction among the Severed Meridians.”

The master spoke calmly.

Jin Cheon-hee could feel the flow of energy through his true qi pulse diagnosis.

“Six meridians around the heart were stealing body heat, and the heart was being overworked to survive. If you hadn’t learned internal cultivation, you would have frozen to death in midsummer.”

“Yes. That’s the reason I’ve been able to survive somehow.”

“So that’s why you have seizures when your inner energy is depleted. That’s also why you collapsed before.”

Zhuge Rin nodded.

Jin Cheon-hee said,

“I don’t know how to remove the meridians.”

To begin with, since they’re invisible, there was no way to handle it surgically.

“Without meridians, a person dies.”

“Yes. That’s true.”

Jin Cheon-hee sighed.

“First, although you’re straining yourself with inner energy, that will soon reach its limit too. You already have aortic dissection, and degeneration has occurred in the middle layer.”

The aorta is the most important artery in our body.

Humans send blood to every corner of the body through the aorta.

Aortic dissection.

The aorta consists of three layers.

The innermost intima, the muscular media, and the outermost adventitia.

When the intima is damaged, blood rushes in, and the media splits along the longitudinal axis due to the incoming blood pressure.

Rarely, some people may not feel pain, but when it progresses like in the master’s case, it’s naturally painful enough to faint.

Since it also affects blood supply to the brain, losing consciousness is inevitable, and usually leads to being rushed to the emergency room for urgent surgery.

But the master said the pain had started a long time ago, so it was essentially chronic without being chronic.

Judging by its appearance, it was in a very dangerous state.

The fact that it had endured for so long without rupturing must be because the master was a master of qigong.

“The blood flow to the upper body (ascending aorta) is still in good condition thanks to the strength of the Five-Elemental Divine Technique. Thanks to that, the brain has been safe. But the descending aorta is the problem. Among the symptoms of the Nine Yin Meridian Obstruction, are there instances of reduced sensation or partial paralysis in the lower body?”

The master nodded instead of answering.

Jin Cheon-hee finally realized why the master rarely left the medical pavilion, or if he did go out, why he never used his own footwork or lightness skill but always used horses or carriages.

In his current physical state, using his legs itself was a burden for the master.

“It’s amazing that you’re alive. Normally, you should have gone into emergency surgery.”

If we go with an aggressive surgical approach, we would have to excise all the tissues invaded by the cold energy due to the Nine Yin Meridian Obstruction along with it.

But if we did that, not only would the master’s body not withstand it, but even if we excised it, the yin energy of the Nine Yin Meridian Obstruction would push back again, so it would be an endless battle.

At this stage, it would be suicidal.

‘Transplant would be impossible too.’

It’s already after the clan has been exterminated.

There’s no system to find suitable donors externally, nor are there medical devices.

Even if we somehow found a suitable donor who happened to be brain dead, it would be impossible to deliver within the time limit. And then the battle with yin energy would be waiting again.

‘In the end, what’s left is… an aortic stent graft.’

Artificial blood vessel replacement surgery.

It’s a method of inserting a stent tube towards the heart through the femoral artery.

This way, the stent tube replaces the dissected aorta, greatly reducing the burden and significantly lowering the risk of rupture.

Jin Cheon-hee said,

“It’s not strange that it could rupture at any moment, but once rupture begins, it’s over.”

“How strange. I always used to talk about death to patients, but now I’m hearing it like this.”

The master spoke as if talking about someone else.

After listening to the explanation about the aortic stent for a while, Zhuge Rin asked this:

“If that succeeds, will I be cured?”

Jin Cheon-hee shook his head.

“You’ll get past the dangerous crisis.”

“Either way, you have to risk your life to have the surgery, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

It’s the irony of surgery.

To take a step towards healing, you have to risk your life.

However, there were many diseases that couldn’t be resolved with just one surgery.

In such cases, you had to keep risking your life to live each time.

Jin Cheon-hee thought.

‘Collaborative treatment… we need collaborative treatment…’

Why couldn’t an entire hospital enter the martial arts world?

Is it really feasible for Jin Cheon-hee to handle this alone?

Jin Cheon-hee continued speaking.

The knowledge he gained in this world manifested.

“I’m also considering a method to reinforce internally through the stent.”

“Internal reinforcement. Are you thinking of forcibly implanting a formation imbued with fire energy? Organ transplantation?”

From the perspective of martial arts world knowledge, it might look that way. But it wasn’t wrong.

“It’s difficult to give a definitive answer.”

It’s not just a simple modern heart disease, but unfortunately a Severed Meridian that exists in the martial arts world, making it even more of a headache.

A Severed Meridian with the characteristic of artificially stealing warmth.

‘This is fantasy, this is fantasy.’

But the fact that it actually exists is even more fantastical.

Things that can’t be explained by modern medicine, like gu, exist here.

‘In any case, there’s a limit to what I can do with just my methods.’

Then, wouldn’t it be possible if we applied the knowledge of the Zhuge Clan? That was Jin Cheon-hee’s thought.

Flexible thinking that wasn’t fixed was necessary.

“You said the human body is a microcosm, and when I looked into the Zhuge Medical Records, it wasn’t without precedent. However, since one has to live with fire energy in their body, it’s not something that can be done to ordinary people.”

“Hmm…”

The Zhuge Medical Records.

In terms of modern Earth, it could be considered both medical charts and research papers.

It contained treatment records and disease states of patients who had visited the Zhuge Clan in the past.

For Jin Cheon-hee, this was more important than secret manuals.

That’s why he read it over and over again.

At first, it was difficult to understand what the terms meant. This was because physicians in this world also used many abbreviations.

After gaining some knowledge, he could finally understand.

“We need the inner core of a thousand-year fire carp.”

Fire Carp.

It’s a carp that lives in hot springs.

The longer it lives, the more it condenses fire energy in its body to create an inner core.

The inner cores of the martial arts world are truly mysterious, and it’s said that they can be eaten and absorbed as inner energy.

Depending on the type of inner core, they range from soft to hard.

According to the records, the inner core of a fire carp is elastic and relatively hard, which was fortunate.

Especially for a thousand-year fire carp, not only is its durability exceptional, but it’s said to contain tremendous extreme yang energy.

It was perfect for treating the Nine Yin Meridian Obstruction, which lead to death due to yin energy.

There’s no rejection response, and unless the master deliberately tries to absorb it, it won’t be easily absorbed, making it good material for a stent.

The Zhuge Medical Records already contained research records using fire carp.

Although we’d need to conduct several tests using animals, given the characteristics of the divine pill, it seemed quite possible.

The master said,

“Neither the Beggar’s Sect nor the Hao Sect had information on where thousand-year fire carp live. Can you obtain it?”

It might not have been a surgical idea, but it seems the master had already looked into the inner core of the thousand-year fire carp.

“Doesn’t it say that sincerity moves heaven? I’m sure heaven will respond to my heart.”

That’s nonsense. There’s a location mentioned in the novel.

Of course, it won’t be easy to find, and even going there involves taking many risks.

It’s scheduled to be discovered only after at least 10 years, so we just need to discover it here in advance.

“…”

The master narrowed his eyes and looked at Jin Cheon-hee. However, Jin Cheon-hee had no choice but to play dumb about this.

“By the way, Master, are the preparations for the Dragon Phoenix Gathering going well?”

Jin Cheon-hee changed the subject.

“We’re always preparing, but this time it’s especially meticulous. There’s great anticipation for the new medicine from White Dragon Medical Pavilion.”

It’s the White Dragon Divine Pill.

“It seems to have spread quite a bit despite still being kept confidential.”

The master nodded.

“It’s difficult to keep hiding it when we’ve treated so many patients. Everyone has very high expectations.”

“The medical pavilion members must be on edge because of that.”

“Yes. The bigger the expectations for an event, the more noticeable mistakes become.”

“But that’s why we can gain even more opportunities.”

The master’s eyes half-opened.

He poured tea and handed it to Jin Cheon-hee.

“Many proposals will come. Selecting among them is also the job of a leader.”

***

Arc 10: The Beggars’ Dog

Snow fell.

The permanent snow on the mountain peak felt particularly cold.

The start of winter signals the start of the Dragon Phoenix Gathering as well.

The master and all the hall masters headed to the Martial Arts Alliance.

The Dragon Phoenix Gathering was a significant event in the martial arts world. Significant enough for an entire medical pavilion to mobilize.

As a result, the medical pavilion was quite deserted. And there were fewer patients brought to the medical pavilion during this period.

“It’s because everyone has headed to the Martial Arts Alliance, young master.”

“Aren’t you going too, Chief Yoo?”

Jin Cheon-hee furrowed his brow. Yoo Ho clicked his tongue.

“If I move too, who will fill the master’s vacant position?”

“I suppose. The master did worry about having fewer people to take care of me. You should do your job, Chief Yoo. Taking care of me.”

“Young master.”

“Yes?”

“Do you want to die?”

“Hahaha! Just joking.”

Jin Cheon-hee nonchalantly drank the tea Yoo Ho poured.

“Well, I suppose the master left me behind thinking you alone couldn’t be trusted. After all, you’re just a child. What can you do on your own?”

Completely disregarding each other’s personalities, they both just said what they wanted to say today as well.

“Oh right. A letter has arrived.”

“A letter?”

“Yes.”

He took something out from his bosom. It was a black wooden box.

Wondering what it was, he was about to open it when Yoo Ho said this:

“Young master.”

“Yes?”

“Are you going to open it with people around? Well, I suppose you’ve reached the age where you want to become a public enemy of the martial arts world.”

“What do you mean?”

“Where do you think that wooden box came from? Suzhou^[1]?”

Jin Cheon-hee suddenly realized with a start.

Yoo Ho watched him with a grin.

“You’re far from being called a young lord, young master.”

‘Well well, I’ve been had for the first time in a while. I must have teased Yoo Ho too much.’

Jin Cheon-hee did a little self-reflection… not, and immediately shouted while opening the wooden box.

“What a gift! Chief Yoo, thank! You!”

It meant let’s look at it together.

Yoo Ho was surprised and picked up Jin Cheon-hee as he was and put him in the next room.

1. A major prefecture-level city in Jiangsu province, China.[↩]