Chapter 146 |
“Don’t tell me you’re going to resolve this in the way of the martial world?”
“That’s right. I don’t expect you to defeat me. I’ll give you three moves. If you can even tear my clothes, I’ll allow you to become my human shield.”
Human shield.
A shield made of people. In modern terms, it literally means a meat shield.
It was arrogant.
And Jin Cheon-hee was troubled.
‘Is Heavenly Demon now going to pick up a sword himself to test if I’m qualified to be his brother by cracking open my skull? What is this, some kind of vehicle durability test? See if I survive getting smashed? Is that what this is?!’
It sounds cool when you just hear it.
You could say it has the unique charm of the martial world. However, as a doctor, Jin Cheon-hee has to worry about the aftermath.
“Brother. No. They wouldn’t have proposed sworn brotherhood to you with shallow resolve. Even if by chance they did, that sin must be paid for with their lives.”
Yeo Ha-ryoon’s eyes gleamed coldly.
Even the red gleam in his eyes characteristic of the Cheonsal Star began to shine fiercely.
“Let’s take a good look and see.”
Seeing that look, Jin Cheon-hee’s mind flew off into space.
‘The kids won’t accept the proposal, right? I hope they don’t accept, but if they do… I hope the location is close to White Dragon Medical Pavilion. No, it’d be best if they did it inside White Dragon Medical Pavilion.’
Still, Jin Cheon-hee thought that since they were kids with common sense, they wouldn’t accept.
‘Ah, no matter how much it’s the way of the martial world, they have brains. Why would they accept that? They won’t do it.’
Thinking that way made him feel a bit lighter.
**
Time passed.
Jin Cheon-hee monitored Yeo Ha-ryoon’s condition and treated patients from the Demonic Cult in his spare time.
Bloodborne Elder Eccentric enjoyed spending time exchanging medical knowledge with Jin Cheon-hee.
“It seems the herbs used in jiangshi techniques can also help with anesthesia?”
“If used properly, you can induce a patient into a state of suspended animation for a long time. It also slows down metabolism, so the elderly might just die like that, though.”
“Oh? What happens to patients whose bodies have been transformed by demonic arts?”
“It depends on the demonic art. I categorize them broadly into hardening types, hypertrophy types, soft tissue types, and special quality types.”
Unexpectedly, they got along well.
While learning poison techniques from Bloodborne Elder Eccentric, Jin Cheon-hee also shared the knowledge he knew.
“So that’s how you deal with jiangshi. It’s a good method. But now that I know the method to break it, don’t you know I’ll think of a way to counter that method?”
Jin Cheon-hee smiled at those words.
“Even if you do think of one, I trust you’re not the type to tell other Taoists about it.”
“Hahaha, now that you’ve said that, I can’t tell anyone else. I see why White Dragon is head over heels for you.”
She threw back her reddish-brown hair and laughed loudly.
In front of Jin Cheon-hee, Bloodborne Elder Eccentric transformed into the appearance of a young woman around Jin Cheon-hee’s age.
It was a choice made out of consideration, in case Jin Cheon-hee might fear her.
But from Jin Cheon-hee’s perspective, no matter what form Bloodborne Elder Eccentric took, she was just a strange person and a fellow scholar exchanging research.
Bloodborne Elder Eccentric was increasingly pleased with Jin Cheon-hee to the point of being troubled.
“Oh, by the way, I recently created a jiangshi that hardens its body like an old tree on its own.”
Old Tree Blood Demon.
Jin Cheon-hee immediately recognized what she meant.
“I see.”
“I made a bet with that fellow. If he wins the bet, he’ll receive even greater power, but if he loses, he’ll become my jiangshi and be my servant even after death. He accepted the bet because he wanted to defeat you, and that boy became a jiangshi.”
Jin Cheon-hee just nodded without replying.
“I’m telling you this in advance so you won’t be surprised if you see Old Tree Blood Demon as a jiangshi. Don’t mind it too much. That boy was led to ruin by his own greed.”
“I understand.”
Jin Cheon-hee prayed for Old Tree Blood Demon’s soul.
There was no way the bet proposed by Bloodborne Elder Eccentric would be easy.
That’s a fact even a five-year-old walking down the street would know.
Nevertheless, humans are blinded by the desire for greater power.
‘He ended up becoming an involuntary murder victim.’
If he had honestly trained and challenged Jin Cheon-hee, even if he lost, it would have ended with just his danjeon being destroyed and some damage to his limbs and meridians.
Now he will live a life of eternal servitude to Bloodborne Elder Eccentric, unable to find peace even in death.
That too is the way of the martial world.
Jin Cheon-hee decided not to think too deeply about it.
***
The day to return approached.
Jin Cheon-hee examined Yeo Ha-ryoon’s hand condition one last time.
“At this point, you can start physical therapy.”
After teaching him some light physical therapy techniques, Yeo Ha-ryoon smiled slightly and summoned his sword from afar with Void Grasping Technique.
Tak-
“This is my training, brother.”
“Still, do it consistently.”
“Alright.”
“Since it’s healed so well, there shouldn’t be any problems anyway.”
Yeo Ha-ryoon nodded towards Jin Cheon-hee.
“Oh, I taught the Heavenly Thunder Hawks the locations of the Demonic Cult’s branch offices. If you want to send a letter, just send it to any of the three Heavenly Thunder Hawk, and they’ll deliver it to me right away.”
“…How did you manage that?”
“I bribed them with food, and they learned.”
‘Am I raising spirit beasts or pigs?’
Sure enough.
Hwanggu, Noe-jin, Cheon-jin, and Nan-man, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, had all put on weight and become plump.
Woof woof, Peep peep! Squeak squeak!
The three of them rushed towards Jin Cheon-hee at the same time. Even without using a bracelet, he could guess what they were saying.
After their emotional reunion, Jin Cheon-hee shouldered his luggage.
And he went out just the same way he came in.
“Brother.”
“Yes…?”
Yeo Ha-ryoon waved his hand towards Jin Cheon-hee.
“Stay healthy. If not, next time I’ll eat your other hand’s fingers too.”
“Ahahaha.”
Jin Cheon-hee broke out in a cold sweat at the threat filled with sincerity.
When he went outside, his master was waiting for Jin Cheon-hee with his face covered by a face veil.
“The black hair suits you well too.”
At Jin Cheon-hee’s words, his master narrowed his eyes slightly.
“There are many annoying things when I go out, so it can’t be helped. But seeing your appearance, annoying things are bound to happen,”
A wolf… no, a pig-sized dog. Three giant birds.
Even if he used something like Body Shrinking Technique to reduce their size, with so many animals following him around, they were bound to stand out.
His master took Jin Cheon-hee outside the inn. When he handed some coins to the servant, he brought two horses they had left in his care.
Two war horses.
“I’m familiar with one of them.”
“The Namgoong Clan’s Ruling Black Horse. And its offspring. It’s grown into a fine steed.”
“Did you borrow them from the Namgoong Clan?”
“…Yes. Thankfully, when I said I was going to look for my disciple, the clan head lent them to me willingly.”
It definitely wasn’t a normal loan. However, Jin Cheon-hee pretended not to notice and mounted the horse.
“We’ll have a comfortable journey back.”
“That’s a good thing.”
Jin Cheon-hee patted the horse’s neck like that.
Now finally on the way back.
Jin Cheon-hee received a scolding from his master about his reckless actions of the past days until his ears bled.
***
“Our Hee is really lucky. Instead of boasting about medical skills, you should have boasted about luck, but this master didn’t know that.”
The implied meaning here would be that he should have died long ago but survived thanks to sheer luck.
“It’s fortunate that I tracked you well at that time. If I had gone to the wrong place, what would have happened? No, even that must be luck. Indeed, my disciple is lucky.”
This means praise the master who found out and chased after you like this.
Although his ears were bleeding, Jin Cheon-hee tried his best to soothe his master’s anger.
“The fact that I survived is all thanks to your teachings, Master. I don’t know how fortunate it was that you were close by. Right, Hwanggu?”
Woof woof! – Looking at the hand signal, ah. It means do a somersault. Got it!
Hwanggu stopped running and did a somersault in mid-air.
Jin Cheon-hee clapped desperately.
“Wow, Hwanggu says Master is the best!”
“You’re pulling dog tricks again, Hee.”
This time it was really a dog trick since he made the dog perform as well.
But seeing his disciple’s desperate efforts, even from the master’s standpoint, it was inevitable that his anger would subside little by little.
Zhuge Rin sighed.
“It’s amazing to gain even one enlightenment in a lifetime, but to gain several… you really are…”
The end of the scolding.
His master sighed and said,
“Hehehe, I think it would be good if Master learned Yang Medical Qi Gong too. Even if you don’t use it for medical purposes, you can circulate two types of mental energy, so it’s that much better for your health. Oh, I’ve also modified it somewhat to be more stable according to the Five-Elemental Cultivation Technique.”
“I don’t think the Wudang Sect would like that.”
Jin Cheon-hee nodded at those words.
“It’s fine if we don’t tell them.”
“Hahaha, as I’ve said before, you really aren’t like someone from the martial world. At times, you’re more like a scholar or someone outside the world rather than a martial artist.”
Zhuge Rin stopped there and fell into thought.
“You’re an eccentric who deviates from the norms of the martial world, but you’re clearly a good person. Nevertheless, you’re not the type to be picky about means and methods to achieve your goals. I don’t dislike that about you.”
“…”
After pondering for a while, his master said this.
“Alright. Let’s give it a try.”
Jin Cheon-hee had Hwanggu and Noe-jin find a secluded cave with few people around.
Then he had all the spirit beasts retreat to the back.
His master’s expression was the same as usual, but Jin Cheon-hee knew.
He seemed to be slightly amused, like a child playing a naughty prank.
His master sat cross-legged and circulated his inner energy following the incantations Jin Cheon-hee spoke.
And when the final incantation ended, Jin Cheon-hee saw his master’s brow move slightly.
A flash of enlightenment.
Woowoong-
Waves of energy began to rise around his master.
His master’s hair and martial clothes puffed up.
Five-colored clouds began to form along with the waves of energy.
‘Has he crossed the wall of enlightenment?’
Jin Cheon-hee immediately began to stand guard.
Because the moment of crossing the wall of enlightenment is the most dangerous time for a martial artist.
How much time had passed?
It was 1 hour later when Zhuge Rin opened his eyes.
‘I guess complete rebirth of body and bone is too much.’
There was still some regret. However, his master’s eyes were shining with a mysterious light that couldn’t be seen before.
“Our Hee is really a lucky charm.”
“Master, did you achieve great success?”
“Hahaha, not quite great success. If that were the case, I would have broken through the wall and reached the legendary Profound Realm. But it seems that wall has crumbled quite a bit. It feels like I’ve reached the very edge of the Transformation Realm.”
That meant he was really not far from reaching the Profound Realm now.
Jin Cheon-hee clenched his fist in joy.
“That’s amazing. At that level, you must be the strongest in the world, right?”
“To that extent, you say. Even though I’m at the edge of the Transformation Realm, there are still at least three people stronger than me in the martial world.”