Doctor’s Rebirth

Chapter 41

Everyone stood up at once and greeted the master.

The master barely acknowledged the morning greetings with a wave of his hand and sat in his place.

The tengen (天元) position, the center point of White Dragon Medical Pavilion’s Go board.

It was the seat of Zhuge Rin, the head of White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

The master, who always smiled brightly at Jin Cheon-hee, didn’t even glance at his disciple today.

He seemed like a completely different person. He said to the Chief Administrator, Yoo Ho.

“Let’s start the meeting.”

At his voice, the four hall masters adjusted their postures.

***

“The Martial Arts Alliance has requested a dispatch this time. It seems they plan to hold the Dragon-Pheonix Gathering without fail this year as well.”

The Dragon-Pheonix Gathering.

It refers to a martial arts competition held by the Martial Arts Alliance, gathering young talents from each sect for unity.

While it’s a good opportunity for martial artists to earn a title, it’s a period of death for doctors.

‘From a doctor’s perspective, it’s a period when mass emergency trauma patients occur.’

Images of emergency room hell flashed through Jin Cheon-hee’s mind.

Sure enough, the expression of Sama Byeong, the Acupuncture Hall Master, was not good.

Sama Byeong.

With a skinny and stubborn-looking impression and a sharp voice, he had an unapproachable appearance.

He was quite handsome for his age, with a large build and solid bone structure. With his short-cut hair, he even looked like a veteran boxer.

The Acupuncture Hall is in charge of acupuncture and moxibustion within the medical pavilion.

They use needles for hemostasis or injecting inner force into acupoints for anesthesia, then proceed with treatment.

When needles aren’t enough, they use moxibustion to treat both external and internal injuries.

Literally, this was the department that suffered first in such events.

“What’s the scale of the martial arts competition?”

“It seems to be similar to last year’s level.”

“Haa, similar to last year…”

At Acupuncture Hall Master Sama Byeong’s words, Medicinal Herbs Hall Master Man Pagok burst into laughter.

“Who can control the vigor of young martial artists.”

“Oh my, Medicinal Herbs Hall Master, you laugh because it’s not your problem.”

“I’ll brew plenty of wound-healing medicine. Do your best.”

While it might seem like ordinary banter between elderly people at a community center, the content was far from ordinary.

As long as one wields a sword, whether an arm is cut off, a leg is cut off, or internal organs are cut, something is bound to get injured.

Even the lightest injury among these would be just a skin cut.

Even then, if not treated properly, it could lead to secondary infections like tetanus and suddenly take a life.

Knowing this, the four hall masters tried to gauge each other’s intentions and draw out even one more supporter.

Acupuncture Hall Master Sama Byeong rubbed his beardless chin.

“In that case, why don’t you help from the Medicinal Herbs Hall? It seems we’ll be severely short-handed.”

At those words, the Medicinal Herbs Hall Master smiled slyly.

“I hear that many young talents from the Tang family are coming to this Dragon-Pheonix Gathering, so it might be difficult. We’ll probably spend all night making Cheongmyeong (Thousand-Year Clear) pills needed for detoxification.”

“Then how about the Chiropractic Hall Master?”

Chiropractic Hall Master, Joo Danha.

A woman in her 30s with a strong impression, thick eyebrows, and large eyes.

Her build was smaller than the two elderly people before, but her bone structure was the most solid of all.

As the Chiropractic Hall Master, she was in charge of the medical pavilion’s chiropractic therapy.

Using chiropractic therapy, she pounded bodies to reset bones and correct qi and blood flow. She also forcibly opened blocked acupoints or blood stasis to promote recovery. She could reattach broken bones or straighten twisted ones.

It’s quite a rough method, but effective.

Chiropractic Hall Master Joo Danha answered indifferently.

“What use is chiropractic therapy for martial artists stabbed with swords? Take my kids if you need them. They can help with moving patients at least.”

“Wouldn’t there be many bone-breaking cases too? I heard there are quite a few fist masters among the new rising experts this time.”

“Fist techniques are, well, fist techniques…”

“Unfortunately, I heard a new rising expert who has awakened to the mysteries of Taichi is coming.”

Her expression hardened.

Taichi, the soft technique that overcomes hard techniques, inevitably leads to dislocations or fractures when hit by it.

Like other external injuries, time is of the essence for fractures, and chiropractic therapy is needed to resolve them.

“Why do they even hold the Dragon-Pheonix Gathering? Do they all enjoy getting hurt?”

She grumbled while selecting a few more people to assign.

Watching this scene, Jin Cheon-hee was filled with a very strange feeling.

‘So this is what the Dragon-Pheonix Gathering feels like to doctors.’

As a former surgeon, he even felt a strange sense of camaraderie.

Yoo Ho, as the Chief Administrator, took notes on the hall masters’ discussions and asked.

“Does the Martial Force Hall Master have anything to say?”

Martial Force Hall Master, Dokgo Junghoo.

A middle-aged man with an eye patch, his distinct features drew people’s attention.

He always exuded an air of having transcended worldly matters, and it was said that one of his eyes was blinded in the past while protecting Zhuge Rin.

His build was larger than Joo Danha’s. His arms were covered in scars.

He answered indifferently.

“I want to retire.”

“Pardon?”

At those words, the hall masters’ heads turned towards him. Even Yoo Ho, who had asked, was dumbfounded and asked again.

Dokgo Junghoo said.

“A master who has reached the Transformation Realm has joined the medical pavilion, so what reason is there for me to stay here? I want to hand over to Phantom Archer Wang Chaebaek and spend my days fishing in the countryside.”

Everyone was speechless at this sudden retirement announcement.

‘No, this is really out of nowhere.’

It was like a professor-level doctor at a university hospital morning assembly suddenly declaring, “I hear a star American surgeon is joining our hospital! You don’t need me anymore, right? I’m retiring!”

Then Zhuge Rin spoke.

“As you know, the position of Martial Force Hall Master in the medical pavilion is not determined simply by strength. Phantom Archer lacks both the reputation and experience to take on the position of hall master.”

“But retirement…”

“…Please continue to serve well, Martial Force Hall Master.”

However, he did not grant permission.

Dokgo Junghoo said in a hollow voice.

“Last year too, we went through so much trouble because the new rising experts at the Dragon-Pheonix Gathering kept picking fights…”

“Hahaha, didn’t you handle it well, Martial Force Hall Master?”

Dokgo Junghoo was destined to continue being ground down like this.

After dealing with the agenda items one by one, they finally entered the most important main topic.

Yoo Ho said.

“The next agenda is about Young Master Jin’s position.”

At those words, the four old monsters’ eyes lit up at once.

‘No, why are these people who wouldn’t even greet me until just now suddenly looking at me so enthusiastically?’

Jin Cheon-hee felt somewhat burdened receiving those gazes.

***

“This medical pavilion originally started from the Zhuge Medical Pavilion.”

It’s an old story.

When the Zhuge family existed, they operated a medical pavilion called the Zhuge Medical Pavilion. Although it wasn’t one of the three great medical pavilions in the world at the time, it still had considerable prosperity.

Later, although the Zhuge family declined, Zhuge Rin, the last survivor of the Zhuge family, succeeded it.

He established White Dragon Medical Pavilion and made it one of the three great medical pavilions in the world.

If there had been even one more descendant of the Zhuge family, they might have revived the name Zhuge Medical Pavilion.

However, Zhuge Rin had a body that could die at any time, and he was the only one who inherited the family bloodline.

That’s why he simply gave it a new name and established White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

The four remaining hall masters were those who had helped Zhuge Rin since the time of Zhuge Medical Pavilion.

They had firmly supported Zhuge Rin against the fires of the martial world.

Medicinal Herbs Hall Master Man Pagok.

Acupuncture Hall Master Sama Byeong.

Chiropractic Hall Master Joo Danha.

Martial Force Hall Master Dokgo Junghoo.

People called them the four great hall masters of White Dragon Medical Pavilion.

Therefore, these four were no different from retainers who had served the Zhuge family for a long time.

Their loyalty was deep and profound. However, befitting old monsters of the martial world, they also had strong personalities.

They were doctors, scholars, and also martial artists.

Zhuge Rin showed deep respect for them.

“If it weren’t for your efforts all this time, this Zhuge would not even be alive now.”

The four of them quietly listened to Zhuge Rin’s words.

“However, looking back, I thought we should also consider the future of our medical pavilion. So I took on a disciple. A child who is clever and knows medical techniques completely different from ours. The depth of medical knowledge this child possesses seems sufficient to create a new hall, which is why I convened this meeting. Please share your esteemed opinions candidly.”

“It is said that a master should be careful in choosing a disciple, and a disciple should be thoughtful in serving a master. This old body acknowledges the Pavilion Master’s insight, and curing Phantom Archer’s daughter, Wang Gak-yeon, was certainly a marvel.”

The sharp voice of the Acupuncture Hall Master rang through the meeting room.

“However, isn’t he still too young? His medical skills are amazing, but there are still many unverified aspects. We are responsible for patients’ lives, so we cannot carelessly use unverified medical techniques. I suggest we create a new hall after further verifying the young master’s medical skills.”

Jin Cheon-hee thought.

‘From the Acupuncture Hall Master’s standpoint, it’s a correct judgment. But on the other hand, it’s also frustrating.’

Jin Cheon-hee’s medical knowledge was sufficiently verified. He had modern medical knowledge accumulated over thousands of years. But of course, they don’t know that.

How long would it take to verify the medical techniques Jin Cheon-hee possesses?

‘Moreover, Master’s body won’t last until then.’

However, Jin Cheon-hee remained silent for now. It wasn’t something that could be resolved by insisting he was right without evidence.

“Isn’t there a problem before that?”

The Chiropractic Hall Master opened her mouth in a languid voice.

“I’ve never seen or heard of such medical techniques to begin with. Even the surgery of the Black Palace Medical Pavilion of Bloodborne Elder Eccentric, one of the three great medical pavilions in the world, doesn’t do it this way. In fact, suspicions about the young master’s identity have yet to be cleared.”

‘I was wondering why that wasn’t being brought up.’

Anyone could see that Jin Cheon-hee was a suspicious child.

Even for a genius, there’s a limit.

A martial arts sect wouldn’t ignore the roots of unheard-of medical techniques. The martial world is a forest (林) made of martial arts (武).

Asking about the roots of the trees that make up the forest is almost like an instinct of the martial world.

“I can vouch for that part.”

At that moment.

Yoo Ho opens his mouth.

“You, Chief Administrator?”

“Yes. I’ve finished verifying through certain means. You can rest assured. The young master’s true intentions are not harmful to the master.”

At those words, the expressions of the four hall masters changed.

“Hmm… if Chief Administrator Yoo says so…”

He calmed the four old monsters with just one word. That was something difficult to do with ordinary trust.

Jin Cheon-hee looked back and forth between Yoo Ho and the hall masters in disbelief.

‘No, what is this? Why are they accepting it just because Yoo Ho said that?’

Jin Cheon-hee’s curiosity about Yoo Ho grew even more.