Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 172

Jin Cheonhee inwardly wailed at his master White Dragon’s (Zhuge Rin’s) behavior while slowly relaxing his tension. He instinctively recognized the other party’s strength and remained cautious, but he could tell that the other was by no means an enemy.

Nevertheless, while circulating his internal energy, he heightened his senses even more. It was the instinct of a martial artist wanting to properly measure the other’s strength.

His tension decreased, but his senses grew sharper.

As a result, cold sweat began to form on Jin Cheonhee’s forehead.

A sensation as if Mount Tai was pressing down on him!

This meant that the power of the Fist Emperor, Immortal Myeong Gil, was that immense.

‘Is this… really human?’

Just as Jin Cheonhee was inwardly astonished, the old Taoist spoke:

“Hooh… Look at this fellow. He’s really tempting, isn’t he?”

The old Taoist said this and stretched out his hand.

‘Huh!?’

It was like mist.

The hand was so hazy that its outline couldn’t be seen clearly.

Though he didn’t know by what principle this was possible, Jin Cheonhee instinctively reacted and drew his sword.

It was an action ingrained in his body through nightly training sessions with Yoo Ho.

Pa-pa-pat!

In the blink of an eye.

Jin Cheonhee swung his sword three times, colliding very lightly with the old Taoist’s hand before bouncing off.

But thanks to that, the old Taoist’s hand returned to a state where its shape could be clearly seen with the eye.

“Hahaha. Truly amazing. Very amazing indeed. To think a tiny fellow like you could block my Taiqing Mountain Hand!”

Taiqing Mountain Hand^[1]!

It was one of Wudang Sect’s supreme techniques. Among bare-handed techniques, it was renowned as one of the top five martial arts in the martial world.

However, it was also infamous for being extremely difficult and complex to learn.

At the same time, Jin Cheonhee felt at ease.

Because once again, he couldn’t sense anything from the other party.

‘So this is the skill of one of the Two Emperors, the Fist Emperor, who is said to have almost reached the Profound Realm…’

A corner of his heart chilled. Yet an irrelevant thought also crossed his mind.

‘Master said he had at least similar martial prowess to the Two Emperors. Does that mean Master is this strong?’

Somehow, he felt good about it. But outwardly, he didn’t show even the slightest expression.

Perhaps his imperturbable reason suppressed his emotions.

However.

Even that iron mask crumbled at the old Taoist’s next words.

“Amazing. Amazing. I really want to bring you in as a disciple of our Wudang Sect. But then that White Dragon fellow would cause an uproar, wouldn’t he? I heard he’s gotten healthier recently… If he comes here and makes a fuss, this old man would have a hard time dealing with it…”

The old master grumbled while stroking his beard.

“…So, tell me. How many levels have you reached in the Dual Mind-Intention Technique?”

‘Gasp!’

Jin Cheonhee swallowed hard.

He had kept his learning of the Dual Mind-Intention Technique strictly secret, but had the old master noticed?

His heart sank, but Jin Cheonhee composed his expression.

‘There’s no point in hiding it now, is there?’

There was no way an expert of that caliber would have attacked Jin Cheonhee for no reason.

To begin with, one of the world’s top ten experts was like a natural disaster. It was impossible to predict how they would act or what they would do.

Countless experts, demon cultivators, and immortals in the martial world couldn’t predict Bloodborne Elder Eccentric’s next move and ended up being captured and treated.

‘Our master is relatively normal in comparison. Indeed.’

Since it had come to this, he decided to put on a brazen face.

Jin Cheonhee immediately cupped his fists.

“You flatter me.”

“Flatter, my foot. Seeing the martial prowess you just displayed, I think the rumors in the martial world are believable. Anyway. Aren’t you going to answer? I asked how far you’ve progressed in the Dual Mind-Intention Technique.”

Then he grinned.

Jin Cheonhee realized it would be difficult to deceive the person before him.

“Sigh… I believe my current achievement is around four levels.”

“You’ve already reached four levels? Hmm… Without deep Taoist cultivation, it shouldn’t be easy to comprehend, should it?”

“Immortal Myeong Deok left very detailed annotations.”

At Jin Cheonhee’s words, Immortal Myeong Gil nodded.

“I see. I also heard you brought Myeong Deok’s remains.”

Jin Cheonhee nodded at the deceased’s Taoist name.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“I see. Myeong Deok has returned. That slow-witted fellow, only returning now…”

Immortal Myeong Gil muttered softly in a voice tinged with regret, joy, and sadness.

“But he’s returned, and that’s what matters. That’s enough. That’s good enough.”

The old Taoist closed his eyes, lost in memories.

“If Myeong Deok had lived, he would have become one of the world’s top ten experts. Our master taught him the Dual Mind-Intention Technique and the Taiji Sword Sea^[2], while he taught me the Taiqing Divine Technique and the Taiji Mountain Hand…”

Distant memories flowed from the old Taoist’s mouth.

“That’s not to say I didn’t learn the Dual Mind-Intention Technique… but I lack depth. So, since this is fate, I’ll give you a small lesson.”

“Pardon?”

‘What? A lesson? Is this that thing that often appears in martial arts novels…?’

Just as Jin Cheonhee was startled, the old man’s two hands approached.

One was extremely slow. But it moved softly like a cloud.

The other was so fast and light that it seemed to fly like an arrow.

‘Oh my!’

Though flustered, because he had been circulating his qi until just now, the Profound Origin Heaven and Earth Divine Technique activated automatically.

His thoughts accelerated, and Jin Cheonhee also dropped his sword and raised both hands to meet the other’s movements. Then he faced the other’s two hands with martial arts techniques he knew.

“Huh!”

But the fast hand became even faster, and the slow hand was like a bulldozer pushing in, making it difficult to block.

So in an instant, his defense was broken, and the old Taoist’s two hands reached Jin Cheonhee’s solar plexus.

“Now. How about it? This is how you use the Dual Mind-Intention Technique.”

“Ah!”

It felt like a thrilling lightning bolt flashed through his mind.

It could be described as a fragment of enlightenment.

“It’s not just about dividing your thoughts in two. If one side is fast, the other is slow. If one side’s force is strong, the other side’s force is soft. Hard and soft go together, yin and yang coexist, and eventually, they harmonize. Do you understand what this is?”

“Tai… ji.”

“That’s right. Taiji is the source of the Dual Mind-Intention Technique. You must remember this.”

The Dual Mind-Intention Technique.

He thought he knew everything from reading the annotations. But that wasn’t the case.

Without deeply understanding Wudang Sect’s Taoist teachings, one cannot fully comprehend the Dual Mind-Intention Technique.

In an instant, Jin Cheonhee was about to slip into unconsciousness. Enlightenment was near.

“Stop!”

At that moment.

Someone’s voice pulled Jin Cheonhee from the world of consciousness to the outside.

“Uncle. You’ve gone too far. Teaching such profound principles to an outsider!”

“Disciple Jeong Gwang. That’s enough.”

“Sect Leader! This is…”

“Hey now. Didn’t I say that’s enough!”

When Jin Cheonhee came to his senses, he saw two old Taoists.

One wore the Taoist hat symbolizing the sect leader, while the other wore a Taoist robe with the elder’s insignia.

Wudang Sect Leader Jeong Hyeong and Elder Jeong Gwang had appeared.

Looking at the two of them, Jin Cheonhee had to feel a very deep regret.

Jeong Gwang’s interference.

It’s understandable. He must have tried to stop an outsider from obtaining something belonging to Wudang Sect.

“Aish. That Jeong Gwang fellow really… I don’t like him at all. If it weren’t for Senior Brother Myeong Sin…”

Myeong Sin was the senior brother of Myeong Gil and Myeong Deok, and Jeong Gwang’s master.

“A troublesome fellow has appeared, so I’ll take my leave. Let’s meet again later!”

Saying this, the old master flew away and disappeared.

The sect leader pressed his forehead hard.

‘Uncle has always… had a free-spirited nature, but why at a time like this…’

While it’s said that there are many eccentrics among old masters on the verge of ascending, the martial world usually treats this as a touching story.

However, the sect leaders who had to deal with the aftermath had to fight headaches.

Why teach the Dual Mind-Intention Technique to Little White Dragon outside, of all things? Moreover, he was on the verge of gaining enlightenment.

If he had secretly taught it somewhere in a mountain or cave, there might have been room to turn a blind eye.

But he had done it in a way that left no room for denial.

‘Uncle… Is this how you do things? Is it because you’ll be done once you ascend?’

He let out a sigh.

‘He’s always been willful, but he’s not the type to do something harmful to Wudang. There must be a greater purpose…’

What greater purpose! He felt the urge to grab him by the collar.

But that was impossible both Confucianly and physically.

“We greet the Sect Leader.”

Jin Cheonhee and Cheon-woo cupped their fists.

The sect leader glanced at the collapsed Cheong Yeong and his lackeys.

According to witnesses, they had rushed in together and lost.

‘What a disgrace.’

His face burned.

The sect leader spoke politely to Jin Cheonhee.

“Young hero. I apologize for our rudeness. To think we would request a martial arts match from a guest who hasn’t even rested from his journey…”

“Not at all. Please speak comfortably. I’m much younger in age.”

“For several people to gang up on one martial artist…”

“I requested it. It’s fine.”

Even if he had requested it, it shouldn’t have been accepted.

It meant they had thrown away both their pride and dignity as martial artists. His teeth gritted.

On the other hand, Jin Cheonhee remained calm, showing neither anger nor arrogance.

At the prime age for a martial artist, full of vigor. It was rare to see someone so composed.

‘No wonder White Dragon boasts about his disciple.’

It was quite chilling to see that monster of the martial world change into a different person after gaining a disciple, going around boasting about him.

Now he’s living as a braggart, but wasn’t he not that kind of person in the past?

Especially for those who remember the bloodbath he caused.

What White Dragon had done back then was something far beyond simple grudges.

Without even a fragment of emotion remaining, and without attachment to life, he went about doing what needed to be done.

One might wonder if he even felt emotions like compassion, anger, or sadness.

And now that guy has become a disciple-bragging braggart, boasting about his disciple until one’s ears bleed.

‘It’s unfortunate for the young hero, but it’s a good thing.’

While it’s a bit pitiful that his life is mortgaged to such a monster, there’s no law saying you must only meet normal masters.

It would have been better if he had come to Wudang. As a sect leader, he felt regret.

“I understand. Then let’s speak comfortably. First, let’s go inside. We can’t talk with a benefactor in a place like this.”