Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 168

The Wudang Sect in “Supreme Heavenly Demon” is moderately corrupt.

Of course, it’s not completely rotten, but there were stories of it acting as a hypocritical orthodox sect while having severe internal power struggles.

This meant that good Taoists were mixed in with the bad.

Moreover, since it was before the Heavenly Demon directly intervened, it wasn’t at the peak of corruption yet, so it was at an acceptable level.

All in all, it was a good time for Cheon-woo to learn martial arts moderately and fly away like a mountain bird if necessary.

“I’ve come to return the remains of the deceased to Wudang.”

Jin Cheonhee answered as respectfully as possible, giving a general account of the deceased’s name, the secret manual, and where they were found.

The other party seemed not to have expected this answer, as their eyes nearly popped out in surprise.

“Ah, I see. Please rest here for now!”

Saying this, he guided Jin Cheonhee to the largest and finest tea room.

It meant that the name of Little White Dragon, Junior Pavilion Master of the White Dragon Medical Pavilion, and this situation were significant.

Jin Cheonhee quietly entered the tea room and received tea.

Warming his hands with the hot Dragon Well tea, he thought:

‘I wonder how much Cheon-woo has grown.’

Though they had always exchanged letters and gifts, this would be the first time seeing him in person since then.

‘I wonder if he used the windproof clothes and scarf I gave him well. I also sent gloves and a jade pendant I made based on estimates.’

He was already curious about how that little boy had grown.

‘He said the scars had faded a lot, but…’

However, the cruel thing about the human body is that an eye once lost doesn’t come back.

Normally, in Cheon-woo’s situation, the eyeball would be removed and an artificial eye inserted, but this wasn’t the modern era. With the methods of this era, a glass eye would need to be replaced every 1-2 years.

And that’s not the end of it.

In this era, if a sword fight breaks out, it could become really dangerous.

Rather than removal, it’s better to preserve the eye when possible, and Wudang Sect’s divine techniques are optimized for nourishing life, befitting an orthodox sect.

Considering various factors, it seemed better to preserve the eyeball and use an eye patch.

So he had made and sent an eye patch.

‘He said in his letters that he’s using the eye patch well.’

He kept sending them as Cheon-woo grew.

Cheon-woo always replied with great joy each time.

Slurp-

‘I’m excited.’

It was the same in modern times.

As a doctor, there was no greater satisfaction than hearing that a child he had treated had grown up healthy.

If he happened to run into them by chance and they recognized each other, he’d be in a good mood for a whole week.

‘I wonder how much he’s grown since then.’

He was about to meet a child he had treated back then.

Jin Cheonhee was already filled with anticipation.

***

The remains of Wudang Sect’s former elder, who had disappeared in the Valley of No Return, were finally returning to Wudang after a long time.

This fact threw Wudang into chaos.

“Is it true? Martial Uncle Myeong Deok, Martial Uncle Myeong Deok has returned!”

Martial artists age more slowly than ordinary people. This was especially true for martial artists with profound enlightenment.

The sect leader was over eighty years old, but outwardly he looked no more than middle-aged.

However, his eyes were those of an old man.

And to the sect leader with old man’s eyes, the deceased was still his uncle.

“You’ve finally come…”

As tears welled up in the sect leader’s eyes, the elders swallowed hard.

Myeong Deok.

It was the deceased’s Taoist name.

He was given that name with the hope that he would always be bright and virtuous.

Myeong Deok had lived in Wudang together with the sect leader, and one day became a guest of no return.

An uncle who had caused trouble together and sometimes been a nuisance.

The sect leader had searched for his uncle’s body as if hunting for mice, but ultimately failed to find it.

“Did you say Little White Dragon? I must meet him in person.”

At those words, Elder Jeong Gwang hurriedly stopped him.

“There’s no need for the sect leader to go out personally. We can meet him on your behalf.”

“No…!”

Jeong Gwang could be considered the real power in Wudang Sect.

After blocking an enemy’s sword in place of Sect Leader Jeong Hyeong, he became unable to use his left arm.

Out of guilt, the sect leader tried to listen to Jeong Gwang’s words as much as possible, and Jeong Gwang gradually expanded his influence within Wudang Sect.

But this time, even the sect leader was different.

“I will greet my uncle personally.”

“I understand your desire to greet your uncle, senior brother. But doesn’t handing over remains require a procedure? The sect leader of Wudang is a crucial position. Please maintain your dignity and leave the rest to us.”

“Ahem!”

At Jeong Gwang’s words, several elders cleared their throats.

The remains weren’t the problem, but the Dual Mind-Intention Technique secret manual that Jin Cheonhee brought was.

The Dual Mind-Intention Technique was originally a divine technique that only a few Taoists within Wudang Sect were allowed to learn.

The problem was that an unauthorized Wudang Sect Taoist might get hold of this secret manual.

And Jeong Gwang was one of those unauthorized individuals.

The previous sect leader had not allowed Jeong Gwang alone to learn it.

Even after Jeong Gwang became an elder and established his position in Wudang Sect, the Dual Mind-Intention Technique remained bound by the last will.

It was the order of the previous sect leader who had early on grasped Jeong Gwang’s nature.

And now he was offering to receive the Dual Mind-Intention Technique secret manual on their behalf?

The implication was obvious.

“That can’t happen, Jeong Gwang…”

Jeong Hyeong, the sect leader of Wudang, called him by the name from when he wasn’t an elder or sect leader.

Therefore, Jeong Gwang also called him by his youthful title.

“Senior brother. Will you refuse me to the end?”

“The Dual Mind-Intention Technique is certainly an excellent divine technique, but you know without me saying how dangerous it can be if learned incorrectly. There must have been a reason the previous generation didn’t give it to you and bound it with his last will.”

“…”

Jeong Gwang clenched his fist. His nails dug into his palm, drawing blood.

‘Even after… even after gaining this much influence, the Dual Mind-Intention Technique still doesn’t come to me!’

He had prepared everything meticulously.

Originally, him taking the sword for the sect leader was just how the sect leader perceived it in that urgent situation.

Jeong Gwang had merely been injured while aiming for the enemy’s blind spot.

When he became unable to move one arm, he couldn’t describe how desperate he felt.

That’s why he used the sect leader’s guilt, and drew numerous elders and lower-ranked children to his side.

To obtain the Dual Mind-Intention Technique!

He aimed for the slim possibility that it might be able to heal his arm.

Nevertheless, Jeong Hyeong remained unmoved.

With a face tinged with guilt, he still blocked that one thing.

‘I can’t miss this chance.’

If he missed this, the opportunity to learn the Dual Mind-Intention Technique might never come again.

If only he would close his eyes for just a moment.

If only Jeong Hyeong would trust his conscience, or at least pretend to trust it, during the time he received the secret manual and delivered it to Jeong Hyeong.

He was willing to do anything for that.

When Jeong Gwang cleared his throat, the elders began to speak one by one.

“Don’t you trust Elder Jeong Gwang?”

“If you insist, I and other disciples will also attend to observe while receiving the remains.”

A long battle began.

Originally, there shouldn’t have been much room for controversy.

It was a battle between a desperate, corrupt Taoist and a sect leader weakened by guilt.

***

While a meeting was being held in Wudang Sect, Jin Cheonhee sat blankly eating refreshments.

‘Hmm, Wudang’s refreshments… They use a lot of cinnamon. It’ll be an acquired taste. This is definitely an adult palate. Still, the cook is not lacking in skill. It’s X-flavored refreshments pretending to be Taoist simplicity.’

Strictly speaking, it’s a bit much to call these Taoist refreshments.

The reason he said they were pretending is that all the ingredients used in these refreshments were expensive.

‘Isn’t there beef tallow in this rice cake? At least it’s certain that they eat meat at Wudang.’

On the surface, it looks like simple vegetarian refreshments, but things are fried in beef oil, and there are traces of pork fat used as well.

‘This doesn’t seem to suit Master’s taste.’

If it was good, he thought about learning it to serve to his master, but this is something Zhuge Rin would eat three bites of and discard.

‘Master likes things that are clearly sweet when sweet, and clearly bitter when bitter. He doesn’t like this pretend-Taoist palate.’

But that didn’t mean it didn’t suit Jin Cheonhee’s taste.

Jin Cheonhee quickly emptied the refreshments, called for more, and emptied them again.

Each of his eating motions was graceful, but the speed was formidable.

It was then.

“Brother…!”

Creak-

The tea room door opened, and a man with a huge, mountain-like build entered.

‘Who… is…?’

Full-body muscles, a white tiger windproof garment, and black leather gloves. A pitch-black eye patch on his face.

His voice was undoubtedly gentle, but his impression was so fierce that Jin Cheonhee’s thoughts stopped for 3 seconds.

And around his neck was a black and white rabbit scarf.

It was small and even cute for such a large man to wear.

“Could it be… Cheon-woo…?”

“Brother, you haven’t changed at all!”

His face had grown into that of a fine young man, but the synergy between the eye patch and his physique was terrifying.

He looked more like a famous general from an unorthodox sect who had been through thick and thin, rather than a Taoist from Wudang.

On the other hand, his manners were exactly those of a prestigious orthodox sect.

“You’ve grown a lot.”

“Brother, can I hug you just once?”

“Sure. Let’s hug.”

As soon as Jin Cheonhee gave permission, Cheon-woo embraced him tightly. Then he patted Jin Cheonhee’s back with his large hands.

“You don’t know how much I’ve missed you, do you? How happy I am to see you like this.”

Cheon-woo had indeed been on the brink of death from malnutrition and congenital syphilis back then.

He had been a worryingly small child, beyond just being described as petite.

“Wudang Sect’s internal energy is really good.”

“Hahaha. I suffered a lot from joint pain, but at some point, I just grew like bamboo.”

“That’s great. That’s great. You look good and healthy.”

He felt a sense of fulfillment as a doctor.

“You’re still wearing the rabbit scarf.”

“Of course, it’s from you, Brother.”

“…I’ll make and send you a new one.”

A rabbit scarf doesn’t suit that physique at all.

“Ah, that’s right. Brother, I received my Taoist name.”

At those words, Jin Cheonhee’s eyes widened.

It was a different story to leave at an appropriate time as a lay disciple versus receiving a Taoist name and putting down roots.

“Then you won’t be able to marry for life. Are you okay with that?”

Becoming a Wudang Sect Taoist wasn’t simply a matter of living with such a mindset.

While there might be slight differences in rules depending on the work, basically one had to live a life of celibacy without taking a lifelong partner.

In an era where “cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world” was passed down like a golden rule, not continuing the family line was a big deal.

“It’s fine. I never intended to marry in the first place.”

“…”

Although Cheon-woo didn’t say it, it seemed he had made a big decision.

His voice sounded almost relieved as he answered.

“I see. A life devoted solely to martial arts can be meaningful too.”

Jin Cheonhee was a little moved.