Doctor’s Rebirth

Chapter 144

Yeo Ha-ryoon tended to his brother intermittently.

Jin Cheon-hee was slowly starting to adapt to the demonic cult branch.

Of course, he had only adapted to the sounds he could hear.

Since he hadn’t been outside, even Jin Cheon-hee himself didn’t know how things were going.

From what he could tell, it seemed Yeo Ha-ryoon had taken control of this branch.

‘Even those who clearly outrank Yeo Ha-ryoon cower at his words.’

This was natural in the demonic cult, where the strong ruled.

“Brother, how’s your body?”

“Itchy.”

New blood vessels were forming to replace the damaged ones, and cells were beginning to regenerate.

During this process, substances like histamine are secreted, which dilate capillaries to aid healing but also cause itching.

Moreover, as the body regenerates flesh, the nerve fiber endings that sense pain begin to be stimulated, which is also a cause of itching.

Itching was a common problem for many patients with lacerations and burns.

‘Itching around surgical sutures is also a common symptom.’

But scratching could lead to complications, so he endured it.

“Don’t you have any ointment?”

“They didn’t prescribe anything like that specifically.”

He thought it might get better if he could at least moisturize it.

“Get some wound healing ointment and apply it for me.”

“Alright.”

Jin Cheon-hee sighed, looking at the ceiling.

‘When will I fully recover, damn it…’

He recalled the numerous patients hospitalized at the White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

They would often plead with Jin Cheon-hee, saying, “Little White Dragon, it’s really itchy, can’t you just remove the bandages on my hands?” or, “Little White Dragon. Please… please discharge me. I’ll rest at home like I’m dead until I’m fully recovered.”

To patients asking to remove bandages, he would ask if they never planned to use a sword again, and to those wanting to go home, he would ask if they wanted to die from sudden changes at night, or if they just wanted to drink alcohol.

Jin Cheon-hee now understood their feelings.

At that moment, Yeo Ha-ryoon, who had gone to get the ointment, returned midway and opened the door.

“Brother. You have a visitor.”

“A visitor?”

“The person we agreed to deal with this time.”

He said only that and left.

And someone entered.

It was Three Seasons Tiger, Do Baek-ha.

When she saw Jin Cheon-hee, she was startled and said:

“These vicious demonic cult bastards. To bind a patient’s limbs like this…!”

Jin Cheon-hee quickly twisted his ankle to hide the qilin pattern symbolizing the White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

After all, as a disciple, he couldn’t let his master be insulted.

Clank.

Then he calmly replied:

“The demonic cult is scary, as expected.”

“Hmm… I’m not sure if I made the right decision to deal with them, little warrior.”

She said this as she entered.

***

“Why did they tie you up like that? Did they think you might spy on the secrets of the demonic cult branch?”

Jin Cheon-hee gave an ambiguous answer.

“That’s a possibility, but in any case, they said they’d untie me when I’m fully recovered, so that’s fortunate.”

“I… see. That’s somewhat fortunate. But it’s really harsh. I don’t think even ordinary criminals are tied up like this. Little warrior, you’ve really gotten involved with some terrible people.”

“They’re not… that terrible, but anyway, don’t worry too much, I’m fine.”

“Alright.”

Three Seasons Tiger nodded and pulled up a chair to sit next to Jin Cheon-hee.

“Well… first, I should clarify something. I’m a wanderer in the martial arts world. So I don’t strictly adhere to the righteous path and only follow my own principles in my work.”

“I see.”

“This Yeo Ha-ryoon fellow is a bit creepy, but he’s reasonable and different from other demonic cult members, so I decided to deal with him this time. So I hope you won’t feel too upset about it.”

“Although I’m bound in chains, I believe there’s a reason for it. At least I’m being properly cared for.”

“That’s really fortunate. It looks quite dreadful, but it’s truly fortunate.”

She nodded, looking at Jin Cheon-hee bound at all four limbs.

“Anyway, little warrior. All the children were saved, and they were treated well without aftereffects using the antidote for the Lost Soul Poison. I received the antidote too. But since I was only at the entrance and didn’t go deep into the stone chamber, it didn’t take long to detoxify.”

In contrast, Jin Cheon-hee had been pickled from head to toe as he fought a life-and-death battle with the Corpse Spirit Demon.

Jin Cheon-hee calmly said:

“I’ve been fully detoxified as well.”

“That’s good.”

She nodded.

“One more thing. This is the most important… In the process of decoding the documents left by those bastards, we were able to discover several things.”

“Several things…?”

“First, although they look very similar to the demonic cult on the surface, they have no relation to the demonic cult. It doesn’t say what they call themselves, but I could tell it starts with the character for ‘blood’ (血).”

Blood Immortal Sect.

Three Seasons Tiger had figured out that much.

“That’s frightening.”

Jin Cheon-hee pretended as if he was hearing this for the first time.

Three Seasons Tiger continued:

“Moreover, through the circumstances revealed in various documents, I was able to discover something important.”

“What do you mean by important…?”

A small smile appeared on her lips.

“…It seems my sister is alive.”

“What?”

Jin Cheon-hee’s eyes widened.

Three Seasons Tiger spoke to the surprised Jin Cheon-hee:

“She’s alive. She’s alive. There’s a story that they intended to use those they kidnapped as sacrifices, but by the sect leader’s order, they raised them as sect members. So… Eun-i is alive.”

Do Baek-eun. That’s the sister’s name.

Eun-i seems to be a nickname.

Contrary to the joyful Three Seasons Tiger, Jin Cheon-hee’s expression darkened.

“As you know, in such sects, when they take in people, they thoroughly brainwash them. So she might be very different from the sister in your memories.”

Even the demonic cult feeds people blood shackles and raises them as sect members while brainwashing them.

The Blood Immortal Sect is the same, just to a different degree.

That’s why cults are the most frightening, whether in the modern world or the martial arts world.

However, an unexpected answer came from Three Seasons Tiger’s mouth.

“I know. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Then?”

“It’s fine. As long as she’s alive. Then I can knock her out and drag her out if I have to. I’ll think about what comes after later.”

‘Ah, I see.’

The weight of despair between searching for a sister’s corpse for 20 years and searching for a living sister for 20 years was different.

Three Seasons Tiger had been struggling to do anything she could in the midst of despair that crushed her limbs all this time.

Although she said she did her best, there was no one to tell her if that really was the best.

“Every day, I’ve imagined my sister’s funeral. Where to bury her. I’ve even worried about the size of the coffin. I’ve thought a lot about whether I could cremate her on the spot and at least take her ashes with me. In this world… there’s no more miserable worry than this…”

Her voice trembled slightly.

“It’s enough if she’s alive. If she’s alive, I can really do anything.”

She repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fist.

“The only problem is whether I’ll be strong enough to subdue that child. So… I’ve dabbled in demonic techniques.”

Jin Cheon-hee’s pupils dilated.

“It’s okay if you despise me, little warrior. But I don’t have time, and the wall of transcendent level is something an ordinary person like me couldn’t overcome no matter how hard I tried. That probably won’t change in the future.”

She realized her limits in the midst of despair.

“…”

Jin Cheon-hee grasped her hand.

Clank.

Sending out his energy to check her pulse, he found that demonic energy had begun to sprout in her danjeon.

‘That’s somewhat fortunate. It’s not a very dangerous type.’

Jin Cheon-hee asked:

“Did Yeo Ha-ryoon teach you?”

“That’s right.”

Perhaps that’s why. Yeo Ha-ryoon had taught her the most stable but slow to learn among the demonic techniques he knew.

However, that was only in comparison to other demonic techniques; it was no match for orthodox techniques.

It would be more incomplete than orthodox techniques, but faster in return, and the risk of falling into heart demons would also be higher.

‘Why is the world designed so that you have to give up one thing to gain another?’

That principle alone was the same as the Earth where Jin Cheon-hee had lived in his previous life.

‘Fortunately, this one is okay. I can help with this.’

Jin Cheon-hee said:

“There’s a martial art that’s good to practice together with this.”

“What is it?”

“Tai Chi.”

“Isn’t that the exercise the Wudang Sect teaches to commoners?”

…Well, that’s true.

Even if mastered to the extreme, its destructive power and practicality in real combat would be much lower, and with the same effort, it would be better to learn one more supreme martial art next. That’s common sense in the world.

However, Jin Cheon-hee had mastered the Three-Elements Sword Technique, a basic sword technique from the marketplace, to the extreme.

He knew how terrifying that could be.

Jin Cheon-hee said:

“The fact that everyone practices it means it’s not picky about constitution. Compared to that, the principles of yin and yang are properly embedded and stable. I’ve never seen anyone fall into qi deviation while practicing Tai Chi.”

“Of course. Who would fall into qi deviation doing calisthenics?”

At those words, Jin Cheon-hee smiled slightly.

“So please practice it, even if you think you’re being fooled. It will be of great help someday.”

“You’re giving me strange prescriptions, little warrior.”

She scratched her head and then said:

“But thanks to you, I was able to shake off 20 years of heart demons. I’ll listen to you.”

“Thank you.”

“I want to hug you, but given your condition, that’s difficult.”

Jin Cheon-hee laughed softly.

Three Seasons Tiger, having made up her mind, said to Jin Cheon-hee:

“If it’s alright, may I consider you my true friend?”

Jin Cheon-hee immediately understood the meaning.

It meant she wanted to share not just simple friendship, but brotherhood.

A friend in the martial arts world is something that can’t be bought with money.

Three Seasons Tiger proposed this to Jin Cheon-hee.

Jin Cheon-hee nodded.

“You’re welcome anytime.”

“Thank you. Then…”

Three Seasons Tiger took out a small wooden token from her bosom and placed it beside Jin Cheon-hee’s bed.

“Most Tracking Bureaus will immediately give me a letter if you show them this token. Whether you need information or someone to track, just say the word. I’ll do it for free for you, little warrior.”

“Thank you.”

“A wanderer is offering to do something for free. I’m saying this to show off, but it’s special treatment I only give to you, little warrior.”

Following the Putuo token, now a Three Seasons Tiger token.

It could be considered grand for a token of friendship.

Jin Cheon-hee was deeply grateful.

***

Thanks to the clean treatment by his master Zhuge Rin, the devoted care of his younger brother Yeo Ha-ryoon, and Jin Cheon-hee’s determination to end this as soon as possible, his recovery was faster than anyone’s.

When he felt he had fully recovered, Jin Cheon-hee took out the iron needle he had hidden through Three Seasons Tiger and inserted it into the keyhole.

‘The locks of this era ultimately have similar principles.’

Click-click-

Inside the lock were several cylinders.

These cylinders have different heights, and when these heights are aligned in a straight line, the lock opens.

The shape of the key is designed to align these cylinders according to their heights.

So, you can use the iron needle to understand the structure of these cylinders with your fingertips and align them.

The iron needles of the martial arts world are flexible and elastic, making them perfect for this kind of work.

‘This wouldn’t work in modern times.’

Picking locks with wires is a fantasy only seen in movies and is far from reality.

‘This is a form modified in the Central Plains style.’

Jin Cheon-hee inserted the wire and slowly understood the internal structure with his fingertips, then aligned the cylinders.

Using the Profound Origin Divine Technique, he focused his five senses and grasped the internal structure, aligning them one by one.

There was no need to rush.

Click-