Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 178

“As long as the Dual Mind-Intention Technique is the Dual Mind-Intention Technique, and the Taiji Wisdom Sword is the Taiji Wisdom Sword, it’s a problem that can’t be fixed. We can’t even make them understand. The moment they see the wall, their qi and blood or their mind will be destroyed,” Immortal Myeong Gil candidly explained the weakness of the main text to Jin Cheonhee.

“Do you think Taiji is gentle? Do you think it’s always harmonious and comfortable like a parent’s embrace?”

“……”

“Taiji is fierce and vast. It can only be called gentle when one becomes part of Taiji in ignorance, or when one has developed the capacity to handle it.”

This was because he was eccentric, and paradoxically, because he was strong enough to be called Fist Emperor, and because he was equally tired on the other hand.

“So the lost secret manual was actually well preserved, to be a strength for Wudang in difficult times. Yes… to protect Wudang again at the right time… Myeong Deok knew about this…”

The final piece fell into place. When the Sect Leader died from a demonic heart after the Taiji Wisdom Sword was reduced to ashes with only traces remaining, it wasn’t just because the secret manual was the Taiji Wisdom Sword, but also because this itself was Wudang’s shameful secret. Yet it was also the heart of the previous generation who ultimately couldn’t abandon Wudang.

In this continuous stream of emotions, Immortal Myeong Gil shed tears like a child.

“Am I a fool?”

Jin Cheonhee shook his head.

“No, you’re not.”

“I don’t understand why the good ones leave so hastily. In the end, only useless ones like me remain, and they all hurry without knowing that. Hehehe…”

For a moment, the old man became the young man of his youth.

“How much longer do I have to live for you to give me the Taiji Wisdom Sword only now? Myeong Deok, you fool.”

Jin Cheonhee silently stayed with him.

Returning the Taiji Wisdom Sword to Wudang was the right choice.

‘Elder Myeong Deok. I’m sorry for using your name so much. But I’ve properly returned it to Wudang.’

Jin Cheonhee felt a slight pang of conscience in this emotional moment.

‘Cheon-woo, your brother did well!’

Although they say it discerns qualifications, it seemed possible for Cheon-woo, who was personally chosen by Wudang Fist Emperor.

‘With the Taiji Wisdom Sword, becoming the supreme master of the righteous path is totally possible. I’ll carry you, Cheon-woo. Let’s go!’

His sworn brother Cheon-woo had unexpectedly gained an additional fortuitous encounter.

***

Immortal Myeong Gil read the Taiji Wisdom Sword after emptying two bottles of wine. It was the time needed for his emotions about Wudang and feelings for the deceased to settle.

Finally, he was able to open the Taiji Wisdom Sword with difficulty.

“Huh… Hmm…!”

‘As expected, Immortal Myeong Gil seems to understand it.’

Jin Cheonhee could only memorize it, but understanding was impossible.

However, Immortal Myeong Gil savored each character as if eating them, understanding one by one.

Eventually, a dizzying light appeared in his eyes.

“…I see. So Taiji is… ultimately the self. The ancestors’ saying that humans are a small universe means…”

As Immortal Myeong Gil thought this far, energy began to fluctuate around him.

Woowoong–

The energies of yin and yang began to circulate, forming the Taiji symbol.

Just moments ago, Immortal Myeong Gil had been battling his worries while drinking wine. But as he reached enlightenment, he transformed into a supremely benevolent figure.

Soon after, the scattered Taiji waves returned to his body.

“I’ve made a small achievement. Thank you.”

Once again, there was no complete transformation.

However, Immortal Myeong Gil’s eyes were much clearer and more profound than before.

“So, have you entered the Profound Realm now?”

Immortal Myeong Gil answered Jin Cheonhee’s question.

“Hehehe, not quite. I’m just half a step short. If I continue to cultivate this a bit more, I should be able to reach it then.”

‘Master also said he was just before the Profound Realm, so in terms of realms, he’s on par with Immortal Myeong Gil.’

Considering the significant age difference, yet similar realms, Zhuge Rin was indeed a genius. Although he had been held back by the broken meridians until now, there was truly nothing left to hide anymore.

“Are you thinking about your other master while this old man is right here?”

Tak!

How did he not avoid that?

Jin Cheonhee held his forehead.

“That’s too much!”

“I can see it all. This kid, even from so far away, he’s only thinking about his master. Too much filial piety becomes unfilial. You brat.”

Immortal Myeong Gil clicked his tongue at Jin Cheonhee and then said:

“The Taiji Wisdom Sword. This old man will pass it on to you.”

“What? But I’m a lay disciple.”

Jin Cheonhee asked back with surprised eyes.

“You’ve already learned the Dual Mind-Intention Technique, what’s with this modesty? And learn the Taiqing Mountain Hand technique too.”

“But other Wudang Taoists might not like that.”

“If you call the Way the Way, then it’s not the Way. If they feel jealous of you, aren’t they already straying from the Way?”

“Taoists are still human, it can’t be helped.”

“Enough! How shameless are you trying to make me? You brought the Dual Mind-Intention Technique and the Taiji Wisdom Sword, and you want me to teach you half-heartedly and send you off? If I do that, I won’t be able to face Myeong Deok later.”

Later.

An indescribable longing could be felt in those words.

What weight did the deceased hold for him?

In the martial world, a master was like a parent, and fellow disciples were like siblings.

That heaviness became longing, weighing on his heart.

“Besides, with your personality, you’ve already read it, haven’t you? You’ve memorized the entire secret manual, right?”

“I was only planning to study the basic martial principles. I’m already learning the Taiji Immortal-Destruction Sword.”

“That’s also a divine technique, but compared to the Taiji Wisdom Sword in the main text, it’s like the difference between a child and an adult. Then let’s do this. I won’t pass on the Taiji Wisdom Sword, but I’ll explain its principles in detail. How about that?”

Jin Cheonhee fell into thought.

It was a good offer. But would the Taiji Wisdom Sword really be applicable to the Taiji Immortal-Destruction Sword?

The Dual Mind-Intention Technique and the Profound Origin Heaven and Earth Divine Technique had shown the best efficiency. Would it be the same this time?

His contemplation didn’t last long.

“Then please do. But I won’t learn the Taiqing Mountain Hand technique. If I learn that too, it might be too much for me to handle.”

“You’re truly eccentric. Usually, people are desperate to learn even one more thing. Well, alright. Let’s do that.”

“And instead of learning the Taiqing Mountain Hand technique, I have one more request.”

“What is it?”

Jin Cheonhee hesitated for a moment, but finally voiced what he truly wanted to say.

“…Please take care of Cheon-woo.”

“You’re really looking out for your brother, aren’t you?”

“He’s been through a lot. I hope only good things happen to him from now on.”

“It seems like he could spend his whole life repaying you and it still wouldn’t be enough. No, given his temperament… he’d probably force you to accept his filial piety even if you didn’t want it.”

Jin Cheonhee burst into laughter at those words.

“Filial piety is only possible if he grows up well. And before that, what filial piety between sworn brothers? It’s just affection, affection.”

“I’ll tell him about today’s events as they are. Remember that. My, giving up the Taiqing Mountain Hand technique to ask for your brother’s welfare.”

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I was planning to do so anyway. This Wudang Fist Emperor will pass on everything to that child.”

Jin Cheonhee nodded.

That was enough. No matter what storms hit the martial world, Cheon-woo would survive.

That was the gift Jin Cheonhee most wanted to give Cheon-woo.

***

A month passed.

There was much progress as he discussed the principles with Immortal Myeong Gil.

Although he hadn’t reached the Transformation Realm, he was able to refine all his martial arts comprehensively and integrate them.

The development of the Dual Mind-Intention Technique was especially remarkable, and now he was extremely proficient in handling two energies.

In addition, he ended up learning the Taiji Wisdom Sword, and he could understand why it was counted as one of the five great divine techniques.

‘They’d probably say it’s not just one of the five, but absolute. The best under heaven.’

In any case, all divine techniques believed without doubt that their technique was the best under heaven.

However, it was true that the Taiji Wisdom Sword was special among them.

Especially when combined with the Dual Mind-Intention Technique, it showed its true power, and he could see that the essence of the Taiji Wisdom Sword lay in ultimate defense.

It was a sword technique of soft overcoming hard, grafting flowers to a tree, capable of deflecting all attacks by tracing the Taiji symbol to redirect all force.

And when one grasped the profound meaning of this sword technique, something terrifying happened.

Immortal Myeong Gil, who had just read the secret manual of the Taiji Wisdom Sword and started training together, demonstrated a phenomenon where space appeared to distort.

‘How on earth… how does the principle work?’

Jin Cheonhee, not being a physics major, had no way to interpret this phenomenon.

No, even before that, in a world where people could run on water and split rocks, he didn’t think learning physics would help interpret this.

“Is it possible to… bend space?”

“When the mysteries of yin and yang reach the Way, it’s possible to bend it through the Taiqing Mountain Hand technique. You should try to unfold it with the Taiji Immortal-Destruction Sword.”

“If that were possible, I’d be the best under heaven.”

“Hehehe, you’re quite audacious. But you’re right. Even I find it difficult to fully unfold this. Now I understand why it was lost. Cheon-woo, do you know why?”

At those words, Cheon-woo wiped his sweat and stood up.

Over the past month, Cheon-woo had made great achievements, even more than Jin Cheonhee.

Seeing and feeling qi was Cheon-woo’s specialty.

For such a Cheon-woo to personally learn Taiji from Wudang Fist Emperor was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Cheon-woo answered calmly in a low voice.

“Is it alright if I answer based on intuition, Master?”

“Go ahead.”

“From what I can see, the Taiji Wisdom Sword feels like a preparation for martial artists who have reached the Profound Realm.”

“Oh? Continue.”

“When space was distorted, I could feel the flow of qi. The internal energy one possesses, and the principles to handle that energy. If either of these is lacking, one won’t be able to control yin and yang, and won’t be able to handle Taiji.”

Satisfied with Cheon-woo’s words, Immortal Myeong Gil continued.

“My master said that to reach the Profound Realm beyond the Transformation Realm, one must reach the state of Mind Martial Ultimate Technique^[1].”

“Mind Martial Ultimate Technique?”

“Kukuku. Originally, internal energy is accumulated through breathing and moves within the body through the eight extraordinary meridians to be exerted. Is there anyone in the martial world who doesn’t know this?”

“I know it’s the foundation of all martial arts.”

“Yes. However, when one reaches the Profound Realm, there’s a state called ‘mind is killing^[2],’ where one can kill with will alone. Martial artists call this the Realm of the Mind Sword.”

It’s a realm that every martial artist imagines at least once.

“But that’s something you naturally attain when you reach the Profound Realm. After that, there exists a realm where you control and use internal energy with your mind. That’s the Realm of the Mind Martial. It means the Mind Martial Ultimate Technique.”

Jin Cheonhee asked.

“So, the Mind Martial Ultimate Technique is an evolved version of the Realm of the Mind Sword?”

“Yes. This Taiji Wisdom Sword is a martial art that unfolds based on the Realm of the Mind Martial. That’s why it can distort space.”

“Ohhh…”

As expected, a modern person couldn’t understand.

It was already strange enough to be able to kill someone with just the power of the mind, but the principle of creating ultimate techniques based on the Realm of the Mind Sword was even more unfathomable.

‘So that’s why I couldn’t understand even after memorizing it.’

Jin Cheonhee roughly knew what the Mind Martial Ultimate Technique was.

The reason was simple. It appeared in the novel.

Later, when Yeo Ha-ryoon perfects the Heavenly Demon Divine Technique, he becomes able to use the Mind Martial Ultimate Technique with it.

But even in the novel, only Yeo Ha-ryoon, the final boss that Yeo Ha-ryoon would defeat, and the Three Venerables, who were called the strongest among the ten great masters of the martial world, could use the Realm of the Mind Martial.

Moreover, by the time Yeo Ha-ryoon was active, one of the Three Venerables had either ascended to immortality or died naturally and was no longer in this world, and two were killed by the hidden mastermind.

In other words, only Yeo Ha-ryoon and the final boss remained as absolute supreme beings using the Mind Martial Ultimate Technique, destined to clash.

To think he would learn and see fragments of such a Mind Martial Ultimate Technique here!

‘Wow… this is peak martial arts right here.’