Chapter 67 The Balance of Yin and Yang

In this world, it is said that the balance of yin and yang has been disrupted.

Normally, this is a temporary condition that can be treated with medicine, acupuncture, or internal energy techniques.

However, the "Jeolmaek" is different.

It is a condition where yin energy devours yang energy and grows stronger.

Neither acupuncture nor medicine works, and even if they do, the effects are only temporary.

At best, one can endure it using internal energy techniques, but most die before reaching adulthood.

"The root of it lies near the heart," the master said calmly.

"As you already know, it is a symptom of the 'Guyin Jeolmaek.'"

Jin Cheon-hee could sense the flow of energy through his "Jingi Jinmaek."

He shared what he had felt.

"The six meridians near the heart were draining the body's warmth, and the heart was being overworked to survive. If you hadn't practiced energy cultivation, you would have frozen to death even in the middle of summer."

"That's right. That's the reason I've been able to survive this long," the master replied.

"So, the reason you have seizures when your internal energy is depleted is because of that. That's also why you collapsed the other day," Jin Cheon-hee deduced.

Zhuge Lin nodded in agreement.

Jin Cheon-hee continued, "I don't know how to remove the meridians."

After all, they were invisible, so there was no way to surgically address them.

"Without meridians, a person dies," the master said.

"Yes, that's true," Jin Cheon-hee sighed.

"For now, you're pushing yourself with your internal energy, but even that has its limits. The aortic dissection has already begun, and degeneration has occurred in the middle layer."

The aorta is the most important artery in the body.

It is through the aorta that blood is sent to every corner of the body.

Aortic dissection occurs when the inner layer of the aorta is damaged, allowing blood to seep into the middle layer, which then splits under the pressure.

While some people may not feel pain, in cases like the master's, the pain is severe enough to cause fainting.

The brain's blood supply is also affected, leading to loss of consciousness.

Normally, such a condition would require emergency surgery.

But the master had been enduring this pain for a long time, making it a chronic condition.

From the looks of it, his condition was extremely dangerous.

The fact that he hadn't ruptured yet and had endured for so long was likely due to his mastery of energy cultivation.

"The blood flow to the upper body (ascending aorta) is still manageable thanks to the strength of your Five Elements Divine Energy. That's why your brain has been spared. But the descending aorta is the problem. In cases of Guyin Jeolmaek, do symptoms like numbness or partial paralysis in the lower body occur?" Jin Cheon-hee asked.

The master nodded instead of answering.

It was then that Jin Cheon-hee realized why the master rarely left the medical hall, and even when he did, he avoided using horses or carriages, relying instead on his own movement techniques.

In his current state, using his legs was a burden.

"It's a miracle you're still alive. Under normal circumstances, you would have needed emergency surgery," Jin Cheon-hee said.

If they were to proceed with aggressive surgery, they would have to remove the tissues damaged by the cold energy of the Guyin Jeolmaek.

But even if they did that, the master's body wouldn't be able to withstand it, and the yin energy of the Guyin Jeolmaek would return, leading to an endless battle.

At this stage, it would be tantamount to suicide.

"Transplantation is also impossible," Jin Cheon-hee thought.

The clan had already been wiped out.

There was no system or medical equipment to find a suitable donor from outside.

Even if they somehow found a suitable donor who happened to be brain-dead, delivering the organ in time would be impossible.

And then there would be the battle against the yin energy again.

"In the end, the only option left is an aortic stent graft," Jin Cheon-hee concluded.

This was an artificial vascular replacement procedure.

A stent would be inserted through the femoral artery toward the heart.

This way, the stent would take over the dissected aorta, significantly reducing the burden and the risk of rupture.

Jin Cheon-hee explained, "It's a miracle that it hasn't ruptured yet. Once the rupture starts, it's over."

"It's strange. I've always been the one telling patients about death, but now I'm the one hearing it," the master said, as if discussing someone else's fate.

After listening to Jin Cheon-hee's explanation about the aortic stent, Zhuge Lin asked, "If it succeeds, will I be cured?"

Jin Cheon-hee shook his head.

"You'll just pass a dangerous hurdle."

"Undergoing the surgery itself is already a life-or-death situation, isn't it?"

"Yes," Jin Cheon-hee replied.

It was the irony of surgery.

To take a step toward recovery, one had to risk their life.

But there were many diseases that couldn't be solved with just one surgery.

In such cases, one had to keep risking their life to survive.

Jin Cheon-hee thought, "We need a multidisciplinary approach... Why couldn't an entire hospital enter the martial world? Is it really feasible for me to handle this alone?"

He continued, "I'm also considering a method to internally reinforce the stent."

"Internally reinforce? Are you thinking of forcibly implanting a fire-based technique? Like 'Gigwan Jinseok'?" the master asked.

From the perspective of martial world knowledge, it might seem that way.

But it wasn't entirely wrong.

"It's hard to say for sure," Jin Cheon-hee replied.

This wasn't just a simple modern heart disease; it was a Jeolmaek that existed in the martial world.

A Jeolmaek that artificially drained warmth from the body.

"This is fantasy, this is fantasy," Jin Cheon-hee thought.

But the fact that it actually existed made it even more fantastical.

Things like "Gu," which couldn't be explained by modern medicine, existed here.

"Regardless, my methods alone have their limits," Jin Cheon-hee thought.

Perhaps if he applied the knowledge of the Zhuge family, it might be possible.

That was his line of thinking.

A flexible approach was needed.

"The human body is said to be a microcosm, and according to the Zhuge Medical Records, there have been precedents for this. However, carrying fire energy within the body is not something an ordinary person can do," Jin Cheon-hee explained.

"Hmm..." the master murmured.

The Zhuge Medical Records were akin to medical charts and research papers in the modern world.

They contained the treatment records and conditions of patients who had visited the Zhuge family in the past.

For Jin Cheon-hee, this was more important than any secret manual.

He had read and reread it countless times.

At first, the terminology was difficult to understand, as the medical practitioners of this world used many abbreviations.

But as he gained more knowledge, he began to understand.

"We need the inner elixir of a 'Manlyeon Hwari,'" Jin Cheon-hee said.

The Hwari is a carp that lives in hot springs.

The longer it lives, the more it condenses fire energy into an inner elixir.

The inner elixirs of the martial world are truly bizarre; it is said that one can absorb them as internal energy.

Depending on the type, they can range from soft to hard.

According to records, the inner elixir of the Hwari is elastic and relatively hard, which was fortunate.

Especially for a Manlyeon Hwari, its durability was unquestionable, and it contained an immense amount of extreme yang energy.

It was perfect for treating the Guyin Jeolmaek, which led to death due to yin energy.

It also had no rejection issues, and unless the master deliberately tried to absorb it, it wouldn't be easily absorbed, making it a good material for the stent.

The Zhuge Medical Records already contained research records using the Hwari.

Although they would need to conduct several tests on animals, given the nature of the elixir, it seemed entirely possible.

The master spoke, "Whether it's the Kaifang or the Haomun, there's no information on where the Manlyeon Hwari resides. Can you find it?"

Though it wasn't a surgical approach, it seemed the master had already looked into the inner elixir of the Manlyeon Hwari.

"They say sincerity moves heaven. Surely, heaven will respond to my sincerity," Jin Cheon-hee said.

It was nonsense.

There was a location mentioned in a novel.

Of course, it wouldn't be easy to find, and getting there would involve many risks.

It was supposed to be discovered at least ten years later, so if they found it now, it would be ahead of time.

"..."

The master narrowed his eyes and looked at Jin Cheon-hee.

But Jin Cheon-hee had no choice but to play dumb.

"By the way, Master, how are the preparations for the Yongbong Assembly going?" Jin Cheon-hee changed the subject.

"The preparations are always ongoing, but this time it's particularly special. There's a lot of anticipation for the new medicine from the Baekrin Medical Hall," the master replied.

The Baekrin Elixir.

"Even though it's still under wraps, it seems to have spread quite a bit," Jin Cheon-hee remarked.

The master nodded.

"We've treated so many patients that it's hard to keep it hidden. Everyone has high expectations."

"The medical hall staff must be on edge," Jin Cheon-hee said.

"Yes. The higher the expectations, the more glaring the mistakes become."

"But that also means more opportunities," Jin Cheon-hee added.

The master's eyes half-opened.

He poured tea and handed it to Jin Cheon-hee.

"There will be many proposals coming in. It's the leader's job to sift through them," the master said.

The beggars' eyes fell.

The eternal snow on the mountain peak felt particularly cold.

The start of winter was also a signal that the Yongbong Assembly was about to begin.

The master and the elders of the medical hall had all headed to the martial alliance.

The Yongbong Assembly was a significant event in the martial world, so much so that an entire medical hall had to mobilize.

As a result, the medical hall was quite empty, and the number of patients arriving during this period was also low.

"Everyone has gone to the martial alliance, Young Master," someone said.

"Aren't you going, Chief Yu?" Jin Cheon-hee frowned.

Yu Ho clicked his tongue.

"If I leave too, who will fill the master's absence?"

"True. The master was worried that there wouldn't be enough people to attend to me. Chief Yu, you should just focus on your duties. As for attending to me..."

"Young Master."

"Yes?"

"Do you want to die?"

"Hahaha! Just joking," Jin Cheon-hee said, sipping the tea Yu Ho had poured with a straight face.

"Well, I suppose the master left me behind because he didn't trust you to handle things alone. But still, you're just a child. What can you do by yourself?"

Ignoring each other's personalities, the two continued to say whatever they wanted.

"By the way, a letter has arrived," Yu Ho said.

"A letter?"

"Yes."

He pulled something out from his pocket.

It was a black box.

As Jin Cheon-hee was about to open it, Yu Ho spoke up.

"Young Master."

"Yes?"

"Are you really going to open it in front of people? Though I suppose you're at the age where you might want to become a martial world outlaw."

"What are you talking about?"

"Where do you think that box came from? Xuzhou?"

It was only then that Jin Cheon-hee realized what was going on.

Yu Ho looked at him with a sly smile.

"You've got a long way to go before you can call me 'Little Master,' Young Master."

'Well, well, it's been a while since I've been outsmarted.

I must have teased Yu Ho too much,' Jin Cheon-hee thought, though he didn't reflect on it for long.

Instead, he shouted as he opened the box.

"What kind of gift is this! Chief Yu, thank you!"

It was an invitation to join him in trouble.

Yu Ho, startled, picked up Jin Cheon-hee and tossed him into the next room.