Doctor’s Rebirth

Chapter 121

The Old Tree Blood Demon took a light stance and said,

“I’ll give you the courtesy of the first move.”

Jin Cheon-hee responded with a modern person’s mindset.

“Thank you.”

‘Oh, how kind of you.’

It was a matter of life and death. Yet, because of that romantic notion, he was offering to let him strike first. And on one hand, he felt a bit off about it.

‘There’s still a difference in our levels, shouldn’t you give me at least three moves? According to the novel, your internal energy is at least one and a half dan, right?’

The middle manager was being petty.

Jin Cheon-hee gave a brief hand signal to Hwanggu.

Hwanggu lightly launched his body.

“Ho ho, giving the first move to a dog? Are you trying to belittle me?”

The Old Tree Blood Demon sent a kick towards Hwanggu.

Hwanggu twisted his body as if he had been waiting for this.

Woof!

Hwanggu beautifully dodged by twisting his body. However, the Old Tree Blood Demon’s counterattack was also of considerable skill, so it was a close call.

‘As expected, a counterattack!’

The Old Tree Demonic Arts is based on skin as hard as steel and overwhelming strength.

‘There was a description that this skin was so hard it could even withstand sword energy.’

If that’s the case, it was obvious that his martial arts would focus on counterattacks rather than initial strikes.

Take a hit and then deliver a decisive blow to end it!

Originally, the Old Tree Demonic Arts had the disadvantage of being slow, but with internal energy of one and a half dan, he had even compensated for that.

‘Hwanggu is smaller than a human. Naturally, it’s easier for him to dodge this counterattack.’

If that’s the case, there was only one thing for Jin Cheon-hee to do. A reverse counter.

It would be an effective strategy to strike in the moment when the Old Tree Blood Demon was attacking Hwanggu.

Cold energy began to gather on Jin Cheon-hee’s Ice Clarity Sword.

Profound Origin Divine Technique – Ice (氷).

Taiji Immortal-Destruction Sword.

Form.

Twenty-Four Secret Thunder Sword.

Jin Cheon-hee circulated his danjeon to create ice energy.

The ice energy, gathered like a snowball, seeped into and condensed on the Northern Cold Iron.

At the same time, the 24 forms of the Taiji Immortal-Destruction Sword created variations as they left afterimages.

“Hmm. You’re underestimating my skin too much. I thought you’d strike with one powerful blow.”

When facing such Diamond External Techniques, one is taught to offset the defense with a strong single strike. However, Jin Cheon-hee did the opposite, imbuing his variations with cold energy and striking.

Kagagagak!

Frost formed on the Old Tree Blood Demon’s skin. It left a mark but couldn’t penetrate.

Only traces of cold energy remained.

“Didn’t your master teach you that such petty tricks won’t work!”

The Old Tree Blood Demon’s fist flew towards Jin Cheon-hee.

‘Danger!’

Jin Cheon-hee immediately used the Heaven’s Foresight to spin his body and dodge.

In the process, he again pressed the blade of the Ice Clarity Sword against the Old Tree Blood Demon’s skin. It was an elegant movement, as if peeling an apple.

Apart from the cold energy, it couldn’t penetrate the skin.

‘So it’s resistant to sword energy too. This is killing me.’

Although blood lines were drawn, unless the skin was penetrated and the muscles were torn, a proper hit would be impossible.

But it didn’t matter.

Killing that monster shell with one sword strike was impossible. If that was the case, it was a matter of building up.

As Jin Cheon-hee continued to dodge with foresight and scratch the skin with cold energy imbued in his sword, the Old Tree Blood Demon started to get irritated.

It felt like trying to catch a mosquito with his hands.

Just one punch would do it.

Still, the Old Tree Blood Demon didn’t rush.

“Kekekek. Although the Zhuge family’s Heaven’s Foresight is excellent, how long can you dodge in this alley?”

Jin Cheon-hee was aware of this too. And, he stepped into a place where he couldn’t dodge.

As if he had been waiting for this, the Old Tree Blood Demon slowly threw a punch.

Old Tree Demonic Arts.

Variation.

Collapsing Dark Fist–!

It was slow but clearly contained a heavy force.

‘If I get hit, I’ll die. I can’t deflect it with force either.’

But the alley. The space was narrow.

If he disrupted his posture to dodge, his head would be smashed by the next direct hit.

‘No choice.’

Jin Cheon-hee rapidly circulated internal energy in his danjeon.

His body, which had undergone rebirth of bones and shedding of skin, responded to Jin Cheon-hee’s will.

In an instant, fire energy traveled through his entire body’s meridians and climbed to the tip of the Ice Clarity Sword.

Surprisingly, what Jin Cheon-hee did was a simple middle thrust.

However, without variations, he poured all his strength into this simple move.

The fist imbued with the Old Tree Demonic Arts and the tip of the Ice Clarity Sword collided head-on.

Just before the collision, Jin Cheon-hee didn’t miss the Old Tree Blood Demon’s sinister smile.

He must have expected the sword to shatter into pieces.

Kang!

Surprisingly, what broke was the Old Tree Blood Demon’s fingers.

The hard outer shell cracked. And the sword went deep inside.

It tore through the skin and ground the bones. And as it went deeper, Jin Cheon-hee pushed more fire energy into it.

Kkajajajak!

Amazingly, the Old Tree Blood Demon’s arm shattered from the inside.

“Kuaaagh! How on earth?!”

‘Oh. It worked. Really, that arm… what is its composition made of?’

What Jin Cheon-hee used was a simple principle of thermal expansion.

He utilized the property of objects expanding and contracting with heat.

The reason Jin Cheon-hee had persistently attacked with cold energy mixed in his variations was that he had been waiting for the cold energy to seep into and condense in the Old Tree Blood Demon’s skin.

Like pouring hot water into a cold glass, he simply delivered a hot single strike to the Old Tree Blood Demon’s cooled fist.

Even once was enough.

It was a matter of penetrating the skin just once.

‘If it’s difficult to penetrate due to its hardness, why not try breaking it with thermal expansion and contraction?’

And like a glass breaking, the Old Tree Blood Demon’s arm was shattered.

The front part of the shattered arm was hard to consider as human.

Jin Cheon-hee felt a bit creeped out.

‘Is this what a demonic technique is?’

Although the hard skin of the Old Tree Demonic Arts clearly looked solid, the fact that its inside had liquid properties made Jin Cheon-hee think it might be worth trying.

That’s what produced this result.

‘I shouldn’t look at that as a human arm. That thing.’

The Old Tree Blood Demon swung his other fist towards Jin Cheon-hee.

That arm also had cold energy created by the Five-Elemental Divine Technique embedded in it as scars.

Jin Cheon-hee delivered a middle thrust exactly like before.

Perhaps because he had used his internal energy to the limit, his danjeon tingled.

Strangely, he felt confident that it was worth trying.

Kkaaang!

“Kuaaagh!”

Even the other arm shattered.

It was unbelievable. To be shattered with one and a half dan of internal energy.

And it probably wasn’t the sword strike he had expected.

Jin Cheon-hee took a step towards him who had lost both arms.

Thud-

At that moment, the Old Tree Blood Demon retreated from Jin Cheon-hee.

“It seems the match is decided. What do you think?”

“You… you…!”

Jin Cheon-hee expressed that he didn’t want to fight anymore.

“The Dark Palace Medical Pavilion might give you good new arms.”

“I will surely return!”

Normally, losing both arms would mean being crippled, but it was bizarre that he was still alive without shedding a drop of blood.

Jin Cheon-hee nodded.

Dark Palace Medical Pavilion.

It wasn’t Jin Cheon-hee’s business to know what that Bloodborne Elder Eccentric would do when told that he had attacked Jin Cheon-hee, whom he had marked as a future disciple, and ended up like this.

The honeymoon relationship between the Dark Palace Medical Pavilion and the White Dragon Medical Pavilion was known only to the Bloodborne Elder Eccentric himself, Jin Cheon-hee, Zhuge Rin, and Yoo Ho.

As long as none of these four betrayed, it was information that neither the Hao Sect nor the Beggars’ Sect could know.

‘Since traces of the Five-Elemental Divine Technique remain in the scars, he should know.’

Jin Cheon-hee bid farewell to the Old Tree Blood Demon’s worldly wisdom.

‘If his tongue is long, he might be able to live… maybe?’

He didn’t feel pity.

Threatening and intimidating a child, saying he’d kill them.

He had no intention of letting him off easily after insulting his master.

“Brother. Are you okay?”

Sama Hyeon ran towards Jin Cheon-hee.

“……”

Jin Cheon-hee didn’t answer and stood there, watching until the Old Tree Blood Demon completely disappeared.

When he had finally gone out of sight, he said this.

“Take me to the White Dragon Medical Pavilion branch as quickly as possible. Can you do that?”

“What?”

Cough-!

Black blood clots flowed out of Jin Cheon-hee’s throat.

It was internal injury from facing the Old Tree Blood Demon.

‘I pretended to be fine while facing him, but one and a half dan is indeed strong…’

With that final thought, Jin Cheon-hee collapsed backwards.

Sama Hyeon caught the unconscious Jin Cheon-hee and shouted.

“Brother, you’re not dying, right? Brother! Shit… Ah. The branch, the branch!”

Woof!

Hwanggu barked shortly and strongly at Sama Hyeon, as if telling him to follow.

***

When he closed his eyes and opened them again, he saw the ceiling of the patient room in the branch.

“Last time you came as a doctor, and this time you come as a patient, Lord Little White Dragon.”

“When you arrived unconscious and carried by a child, everyone was so surprised.”

The doctors of the Hangzhou branch burst into laughter.

“Ugh……”

Jin Cheon-hee groaned and looked around.

The doctors of the Hangzhou branch were looking at Jin Cheon-hee.

“We gathered because your pulse indicated you would wake up soon.”

“How is it? Our treatment skills.”

Jin Cheon-hee clenched and unclenched his hand. Then he lightly circulated his internal energy to examine his body.

“You did well. For both internal and external injuries, this level is… passable.”

“Hahaha, I’m very glad to hear that.”

Everyone burst into boisterous laughter.

It wasn’t empty words. From the stitching skills to the dressing, nothing was lacking. Moreover, the internal injuries were in a considerably improved state.

‘No fever. No signs of infectious complications. Hmm. As expected of me. I taught them well.’

Although he never imagined he would confirm it with his own body.

Plus, seeing those brazen smiles made him so annoyed he wanted to hit them.

‘Oh, that’s an expression I’ve seen somewhere before.’

The knowledge, and the spirit. It was being passed on surely.

The oldest senior doctor approached Jin Cheon-hee.

“I’m glad your bones and organs are safe.”

“You must have been very shocked.”

“What’s the use of saying that? Some medical pavilion members burst into tears as soon as they recognized you.”

‘Hahaha, I guess that’s because it’s like their master being brought in injured.’

Jin Cheon-hee felt a bit strange.

‘Just as Zhuge Rin is my master. I must be their master too.’

Jin Cheon-hee could hear about what kind of commotion occurred when he was brought in carried by Sama Hyeon.

It seemed it was truly a chaotic situation.

Still, the senior doctors regained their senses first, and treated him while calming their trembling hands, they said.

Recalling one by one what they had learned.

“Let me check your pulse to see if you’ve recovered well…”

“…It’s okay. I’ve checked my own pulse and everything is normal.”

“Indeed, the teaching that the worst patient for a doctor is another doctor fits perfectly.”

“Hahaha. That’s right. And they don’t listen well either.”

Everyone burst into laughter.

After that, one of the senior doctors said quite seriously.

“I hope you never come as a patient again. We don’t want to experience this twice.”

At those words, Jin Cheon-hee gave a bitter smile. The senior doctor added one more thing.

“If a situation arises where you must come, please use our branch.”

“……”

Jin Cheon-hee nodded.

“We heard well the story of how you risked your life to protect a child.”

“We were about to send a letter to the Pavilion Master…”

“…Don’t.”

“Yes. He would probably drop everything at the Dragon Phoenix Gathering and rush here immediately. Like last year.”

‘Hmm, it seems Master’s temperament is known to everyone. I wonder if he’ll bring Ten-Thousand Cold Iron shackles this time too.’

It seems they don’t know about the upgrade yet.