Doctor’s Rebirth

Chapter 104

That night, the Namgoong siblings and Jin Cheon-hee gathered in the tea room.

Tang Ah had gone to bed early.

In duels, it’s often the case that the winner is more exhausted than the loser.

That was the case today.

Tang Ah seemed to have used up all her energy for the day, falling asleep instantly as if fainting, and wouldn’t wake up even when roused.

Namgoong Woon said,

“Little brother Jin, is it true that you were able to fight so well against a later-stage seed of the Tang family after just 2 years because of the Zhuge family’s secret technique, the Profound Origin Divine Technique?”

At those words, Jin Cheon-hee tilted his head slightly.

“It seems you know about my master’s martial arts?”

“The Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Clans can’t help but know a certain amount about each other’s martial arts. Even if the Zhuge family suffered a calamity in the past, that hasn’t changed.”

‘The Namgoong family is arrogant.’

This was a story that appeared several times in the novel.

Everyone in the martial arts world knows about the calamity that wiped out the Zhuge family.

Now it’s an old story.

‘If Master gets married and has children, the Zhuge family could continue.’

His terminal condition is now over.

If he meets a good match, gets married, and has children, the Zhuge clan could certainly be rebuilt.

He has enough power, funds, and reputation for that.

The problem is that Master’s personality is so unique that he has no interest in matters of love between men and women.

‘It seems Master doesn’t particularly like people in general, regardless of gender.’

From what Jin Cheon-hee has observed, it seems his master doesn’t really like humans in general.

While he thoroughly collects important information from the martial arts world necessary for the medical pavilion, he doesn’t care at all about interest-based rumors that aren’t.

‘Master doesn’t like animals much either.’

Even Hwanggu seems to have noticed this and doesn’t pester Master.

No, it would be more accurate to say he doesn’t even go near him if possible.

Jin Cheon-hee shook his head.

‘He’s been living with a terminal condition for so long, not getting attached must have become a habit. It will resolve with time.’

Although Jin Cheon-hee had learned the secret technique as a disciple, it would be a shame for the Zhuge family line to end like this.

After thinking that far, Jin Cheon-hee looked at the man in front of him.

Namgoong Woon.

His surgery had ended successfully.

This gathering was a farewell party for Namgoong Woon, who was returning after successfully completing his surgery.

Of course, it’s not normal for a doctor to hold a farewell party every time a patient is discharged.

Usually, there are no such events.

But Namgoong Woon is essentially someone who could be considered to have been invited by Jin Cheon-hee.

Or more precisely, Namgoong Woon himself strongly insisted on holding a farewell party since things had turned out this way.

So on the tea room table were tea, snacks, and the alcohol and beef jerky confiscated from Namgoong Woon.

‘He really hid a lot.’

Some of the beef jerky had gone into Hwanggu’s stomach, but the remaining amount was still enough for drinking snacks.

And the only one drinking that alcohol was Namgoong Woon himself.

Namgoong Woon, drinking the alcohol he had hidden, said,

“The Profound Origin Divine Technique. I’ve heard it has the ability to develop the five senses. Although it doesn’t accumulate internal energy, its effectiveness in combat is terrifying. Especially in creating breaking techniques for other martial arts or allowing for impromptu reversals of situations, right?”

After the duel with Tang Ah, he seemed to have become more interested in Jin Cheon-hee and kept asking various questions.

The Nine Sects and One Clan. The Eight Great Clans.

These refer to the eighteen sects that form the largest pillars of the righteous factions in the martial arts world. And Namgoong Woon was saying it’s no secret that they know each other’s martial arts in considerable detail.

He was also curious about why Jin Cheon-hee’s growth was so rapid.

“O-older brother…”

Namgoong Yeon looked at Namgoong Woon with a complex expression.

Namgoong Woon spoke with a slightly intoxicated voice,

“The level of martial arts, the depth of training. Besides these two, not knowing the characteristics and features of the opponent’s martial arts is also a threat. That’s also why no one helped when the Zhuge family was wiped out in the past.”

Clink-

The wine cup filled up like the moon.

“They were secretly afraid. Of the family that ‘creates’ ‘geniuses’.”

“That’s quite a pointed remark. Is it alright for you to say such things?”

At Jin Cheon-hee’s question, Namgoong Woon burst into laughter.

His actions were those of a refined young master, but there was a sharp edge hidden within.

‘I shouldn’t let my guard down.’

This situation was like that too. While pretending to let words slip due to drunkenness, the content of his words was like a blade.

“Well… consider it a sign of how much I trust you. Originally, a martial artist doesn’t entrust their life to just anyone.”

With Tang Ah of the Sichuan Tang Clan absent, he slightly revealed his true thoughts.

It was a sign that he acknowledged Jin Cheon-hee.

At the same time, it meant that while he cared for Tang Ah like a sister, he was also aware of the competitive dynamics between the great clans.

Although it was regrettable that Tang Ah couldn’t wake up, it seemed he had no intention of missing this opportunity to have a relaxed one-on-one conversation with Jin Cheon-hee.

In any case, Namgoong Woon himself had to shoulder the future of the Namgoong family.

‘What a strange man.’

A refined young master, a strategist, and an excellent swordsman.

Jin Cheon-hee picked up the Shaoxing wine Namgoong Woon was drinking and poured it into his own teacup.

“Ah, are you accepting my cup?”

“It’s for myself.”

“You really have no affection, little brother Jin.”

Jin Cheon-hee smiled.

“Even with the Profound Origin Divine Technique, it would be impossible to know Young Master Namgoong’s true self.”

“Is that so? To my eyes, little brother Jin is much harder to understand.”

“…”

He quietly took a sip of Shaoxing wine and then said this,

“People are like this wine. It depends on what they’re contained in. If it’s in a wine bottle, it takes the shape of the bottle, and if it’s in a wine cup, it takes the shape of the cup.”

He spun the wine cup deftly.

The cup filled with internal energy whirled like a top on his fingertip, but not a single drop of wine spilled over.

‘Impressive.’

Jin Cheon-hee genuinely admired it.

It’s an ordinary porcelain teacup. To fill it with internal energy without breaking it requires extremely delicate control.

Moreover, the fact that not a single drop of wine spills while spinning like this means he’s even holding the wine inside with his internal energy.

‘Has he reached the stage just before Empty Sky Water Grasping?’

He was doing this while in an intoxicated state.

Even while pretending to be drunk, he had actually reached a state of unwavering mind.

‘If this were a blade instead of a wine cup, what would happen?’

It would likely cut a person’s neck without a drop of blood seeping out.

He continued speaking,

“I’m a lazy wastrel, so I find it bothersome to do clan affairs or train. Staying up all night drinking with friends like this is the most enjoyable thing for me.”

Thud.

He set the wine cup down on the floor.

Even after he removed his hand, the cup continued spinning like a top.

“But I know what position I’m in and what I need to do. So I put in just enough effort not to be a disgrace. Well, even that much satisfies the elders of the clan.”

This was Namgoong Woon’s inner thoughts that didn’t appear in the novel.

He wasn’t a diligent person.

He just wanted to fulfill his duties adequately, just enough not to be a disgrace, and play around with the rest of his time.

But even with just that, he grows into a swordsman capable of vying for the title of the world’s greatest sword.

“And if there’s one more thing I want, it’s to fatten up our Yeon’s cheeks this year so I can pinch them… Ouch! Yeon!”

Namgoong Yeon hit her brother’s arm again.

Namgoong Woon pretended to be hurt by Yeon’s attack, exaggerating his pain.

‘So all of this is his true self?’

What an arrogant man this is.

A life born as a strong person and reigning as a strong person, without the blood-draining desperation that others have.

He lives as a tiger born a tiger, just as a chicken lives the life of a chicken born a chicken.

He didn’t have the blood-spitting desperation of Jin Cheon-hee, nor the burning ambition of Tang Ah.

He didn’t need to suppress a Heavenly Killing Star like Yeo Ha-ryoon.

He didn’t need to have the heaven-sent punishment and strangely twisted sensitivity of Zhuge Rin.

Even with just what he learned reluctantly, he kept moving forward steadily.

Jin Cheon-hee thought he was like a hawk.

When other birds were flapping their wings desperately, he was gliding effortlessly at dizzying heights just by riding the wind.

‘It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.’

The middle-aged soul envied him.

He had seen people like this in his previous life too.

Superhumans who could accomplish in just an hour or two what others needed ten hours to study.

Although Jin Cheon-hee prided himself on having studied quite hard as a surgeon, keeping up with such superhumans was an incredibly difficult task.

‘And why do they all have such good personalities too?’

If they had nasty personalities, at least he could openly dislike them, but their strength, untouched by hardship, made their temperaments gentle as well.

Namgoong Woon was like that too.

Even his personality was good.

Numerous martial artists sought to form connections with him, and even amidst that, he knew how to appropriately take care of what was necessary for the Namgoong family without becoming a pushover.

He even cherished his sister, who others whispered about for her stutter, to the point of awakening her as the Iron-Blooded Sword Lord.

As the alcohol took effect, Jin Cheon-hee revealed his inner thoughts.

“I dislike you, Young Master Namgoong.”

“Oh? That’s strange. I find little brother Jin very likable.”

“I’ve been jealous since the first time I saw you.”

“Is that so? Strange. I don’t think I’ve shown off to little brother Jin. Surely it’s not because of the silk martial arts uniform made by the master craftsman in Nanjing?”

“The White Dragon Medical Pavilion is rich too.”

“I know that very well. Who is Divine Doctor Baek Rin Rin? Isn’t he the person most astute about worldly matters?”

“That sounds rather sarcastic.”

“I don’t know how little brother Jin thinks, but let me tell you, I’m afraid of Divine Doctor Baek Rin Rin.”

“Why my master?”

“Sometimes, you know, I often can’t tell if he’s smiling at me or smiling while thinking about killing me. It’s rude to little brother Jin, but sometimes he feels like something with cold blood rather than a person.”

With this, following Phantom Archer and Yeo Ha-ryoon, now even Namgoong Woon had expressed a similar opinion.

Thinking that his master was easily misunderstood, Jin Cheon-hee shook his head.

“Everyone is misunderstanding…”

“…There’s no need to convince me. As a member of the Namgoong family, I’ll deal with Divine Doctor Baek Rin Rin without any shortcomings.”

The inability to be persuaded was the same.

He said,

“I just like you. You said you couldn’t understand my inner thoughts, so I taught you, didn’t I?”

Jin Cheon-hee scratched his temple.

“Is this your role as part of the Namgoong family?”

“Forming a connection with a divine physician’s disciple is indeed important. But if it were simply that, I wouldn’t have spoken badly about your master. That would have been easier to gain your favor.”

That was true.

He was taking a risk and showing Jin Cheon-hee his inner self.

“Why go this far?”

“I said it again, didn’t I? I like you, little brother Jin. I like your efforts, I like your thoughtfulness. I also liked how you held back one move until the end against Tang Ah.”

“…So you knew, Young Master Namgoong.”

“How could I not?”

Jin Cheon-hee never showed his true skills even once while fighting Tang Ah.

He might have easily shown them against Hao Sect rogues who bullied civilians and sought bounties.

That duel he had longed for so much.

When it actually started, he found he didn’t want to break the arms or legs of a child who wasn’t even an adult yet.

Would it have been much easier if the opponent had been a grown adult?

When he met those large, bright eyes, he couldn’t help but let out an “ugh” sound.

The middle-aged man inside Jin Cheon-hee kept lecturing him about what he was doing.

It was a kind of forced moment of clarity.

‘Damn it…’

So Jin Cheon-hee approached the duel just as a duel.

“Even if I had fought properly, I would have lost.”

“Hmm. In this world, who knows vital points better than a doctor? Well, my intuition is a bit different.”

He lightly denied it and said this,

“I want to continue building a relationship with you, little brother Jin.”