“My master, Zhuge Rin of the Divine Doctor White Dragon, was actually destined to die this year. He was fated to pass away, unable to overcome the Nine Yin Meridian Obstruction.”
A definitive tone filled with certainty.
His Imperial Highness Eun neither confirmed nor denied, silently listening to Jin Cheonhee’s words.
“Also, after Master’s passing, the White Dragon Medical Pavilion would have disbanded, and during that time, ominous events would have begun occurring throughout the world. The righteous and unorthodox sects would fight each other. The Demonic Cult would join in, causing an unprecedented chaotic era—no, a bloody era. All of it would have been secretly orchestrated by the Blood Immortal Sect.”
“You speak as if you’ve seen it firsthand.”
“Meanwhile… Her Imperial Highness Ju would have been consumed by rage after losing her consort. And probably… Your Highness would also have passed away, unable to overcome your illness.”
At that moment, killing intent flowed from invisible corners.
Killing intent emanating from the shadows.
When His Imperial Highness Eun raised his hand to restrain it, the killing intent immediately dispersed.
“Fascinating. You’re saying… that was the fate that should have been. Is that right?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I see. You… possess the ability to foresee the future. You’re telling me you can read heavenly secrets and have the ability to twist them.”
“You’re perceptive. However… to be precise, I’ve been acting based on what I had already seen in the past. I no longer know how the future will unfold. Because I’ve already changed it.”
“Indeed. You saved your master’s life, my sister’s consort, and then, me.”
“Yes.”
“Additionally, you’ve saved countless people from epidemics considered incurable through the White Dragon Divine Pills. With your medical skills, you’ve saved numerous lives that would have otherwise perished.”
“Your Highness. I am a physician.”
“Yes. Because you’re a physician, you walked forward like an ox without fearing what the future might hold. Like an ox, you walked.”
He clicked his tongue softly and fell into deep thought.
“…”
“In the imperial family, individuals with special abilities to read heavenly secrets and foresee the future occasionally emerge. Well, with such diverse bloodlines mixing and manifesting, it happens surprisingly often. However, no one with such powerful abilities lives long.”
“Why is that?”
“Because those who defy the heavenly order live short lives.”
“…”
“Does my statement sound like a joke?”
Jin Cheonhee merely shook his head with a pale, exhausted expression.
‘The Seed of the Half-Immortal.’
Hadn’t he already received a warning from the Heavenly Demon?
“No. I know it’s the truth.”
“They say beautiful people have unfortunate fates… You will ultimately die young.”
“I know. That’s why I want to open a path to survive.”
“The answer lies in the Profound Realm?”
“Yes.”
“Ha, hahahahaha!”
The emperor burst into laughter for quite some time, finding something greatly amusing. Then he suddenly said:
“There’s an easier way than that. A much safer and faster path than reaching the Profound Realm.”
“What is it?”
“Stay by my side. I’ll give you a position above all others, second only to me. That would open the path to saving all people that you so desire.”
Jin Cheonhee didn’t answer. He simply shook his head.
“My place is here, Your Imperial Highness.”
For a moment, Jin Cheonhee and His Imperial Highness Eun’s gazes collided in empty space. But soon, His Imperial Highness Eun shook his head from side to side.
It was because Jin Cheonhee’s gaze remained clear and unwavering.
“Hmph. You still won’t come over. Not even budging at such temptation.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t give me empty words. Well, fine. Then I shall grant you access to the Imperial Palace’s Secret Archives. Ten days.”
Finally, finally he’d reached the turning point.
Jin Cheonhee found it difficult to hide his expression.
“I’m deeply grateful.”
“However, there’s a condition.”
“…What?”
His heart sank, wondering what unreasonable demand might come next.
His Imperial Highness Eun said:
“Leave behind those strange cooking methods of yours. We won’t see each other for quite some time, so at least leave your recipes. This is an imperial command!”
“What…? If it’s cooking…”
“I mean those fried potatoes! I know they’re not just simply fried! And you must properly transmit the recipe for that wheat bread coated with egg!”
That’s right. His Majesty had become obsessed with french fries and toast from another world’s Earth.
‘He has capitalist tastes.’
He should probably teach him how to make hamburgers too.
***
The thrilling audience with His Imperial Highness Eun ended.
Returning to his lodgings, Jin Cheonhee found Ilkana already waiting.
She gave Jin Cheonhee a peculiar look and asked:
“Brother, can you really see the future?”
“I saw it… I should say. As I told you before, it’s limited.”
She fell into thought for quite some time before smiling.
“I see. Perhaps this too might be divine guidance. Though it’s not my place to say as an apostate.”
“Hmm, I think it’s better not to believe in a religion that demands suicide after failed assassinations.”
To Jin Cheonhee’s words, she replied:
“I imagine Brother wouldn’t like the Demonic Cult either.”
“Ah, I consider all religions that don’t prioritize life to be cults.”
If counting by this martial arts dimensional planetary worldview, it would be Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism… just about these.
This planet has none of the countries that existed on Earth.
To begin with, even the Zhuge Clan descended from Zhuge Liang as its founding ancestor.
A world line where he survived well and enjoyed retirement life doesn’t make sense.
Yet despite that, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism still exist here.
But Islam and Christianity don’t.
Instead, there’s the Selim religion of the Selim Theocratic State and Greek-style polytheism.
In Western continent fantasy worlds, gods supposedly capture heroes and turn them into constellations, so the fundamental physical laws must be different too.
If asked whether the doctrines are the same as Earth’s Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, most are similar but have subtle differences adapted to the martial world.
‘To begin with, even the Hua Empire doesn’t make sense.’
The previous empire was “Feng.”
The Feng Empire.
Before the Feng Empire was Hyun, apparently. Not sure if they called themselves an empire back then.
People in this world believe the world is flat, not round, and here that might actually be true.
The flat Earth theory is real here.
‘At this point, it really feels like a different dimension.’
He felt a bit lonely.
With many similarities, he had found comfort by looking around, but this isn’t Earth.
Still.
“Places that disregard life are all cults. Nothing can be more important than human life, not even religion.”
Though dimensions differ, what he learned on Earth remains deeply embedded in his heart, making him say what’s wrong is wrong.
“Brother is truly an interesting person. Well, ultimately what you want is to save people. And for that, I need to become stronger.”
“That’s right.”
“…How strange. That someone like me, merely an assassin, could change something.”
Ilkana closed her eyes and fell into thought.
She still heard her mother’s murmuring voice before death in her ears.
Without ever becoming clear, it spread like fire in her heart.
“Brother, I won’t change. I respect the life of a physician like you, but I won’t be able to stay with you for long.”
Because her essence is that of an assassin.
Because she knows she will forever follow that voice.
Jin Cheonhee calmly replied:
“It doesn’t matter. Let’s just say we happened to meet at an intersection in life. Five years is short if you think it’s short, and long if you think it’s long.”
“During that time, I’ll see enough of Brother saving people to get sick of it.”
Jin Cheonhee nodded and smiled.
‘This time, Yeo Ha-ryoon won’t survive alone.’
Yeo Ha-ryoon, the Supreme Heavenly Demon, always survived alone.
Precious comrades, masters with whom he briefly connected, close friends.
Everyone passed by like a flash and died.
If it were merely a novel, it would be the protagonist’s lonely path in the martial world, but it’s not something a real human should experience.
If it started from childhood, continued into adulthood, and kept repeating until the climax of life, what shape would that person’s life take?
Jin Cheonhee asked:
“What will you do after five years?”
“I’ll prepare for revenge in earnest. Since the unorthodox sects won’t help kill the frontier forces, the Demonic Cult, which is hostile to the Selim Theocratic State, seems appropriate, Brother.”
Living life twice has taught him something.
Some things repeat.
No matter how hard you try to change them, some parts can’t be changed.
“So you’re going to the Demonic Cult.”
“Yes. They say enemies know a person better than friends. While living as an assassin for the Selim Theocratic State, I studied quite a bit about the Demonic Cult. If I capture a decent Junior Cult Leader and make him the Heavenly Demon, my revenge will be easier.”
She would join Yeo Ha-ryoon.
She would prepare to deal a blow to the detestable Selim Theocratic State by making him the Heavenly Demon.
“The probability of survival is extremely low. It’s dangerous.”
“I know. However, this path has the highest probability.”
Despite Jin Cheonhee’s dissuasion, she merely smiled.
‘Yes. This is a future that can’t be changed.’
This wasn’t fate determined by heaven but rather due to human inertia.
Given her personality, she wouldn’t give up on anything.
Just like the Three-Jointed Autumn Tiger chasing its sibling.
The fate humans create is more terrifying than heavenly secrets.
“Then I need to become much stronger during these five years. That way, the probability will be at least a little higher.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
‘This much is within my power.’
If these efforts accumulate, Yeo Ha-ryoon’s future might become more humane.
Jin Cheonhee wasn’t one to criticize someone for living with blood on their hands, but he wanted to reduce the sorrow of being left alone after everyone else died.
***
“This should be good enough.”
A few days later, Jin Cheonhee briefly examined the pulse of the Third Prince Raman.
As a patient suffering from the Three Yin Meridian Blockage, his recovery needed to be monitored for quite some time, and thanks to that, the Third Prince recovered safely without major seizures.
“Thank you. I was able to recover thanks to you, physician.”
The Third Prince awkwardly made a fist-palm salute in the Central Plains style.
“Not at all. It’s because you regularly practiced martial arts and maintained your physical strength.”
Raman smiled slightly.
“Thanks to you, I can safely proceed with the wedding.”
“Ah, you’re getting married?”
Jin Cheonhee pretended not to know and asked. Raman blushed.
“Yes. Though I’ve never met her… political marriages are common. Still, I worried a lot about having aftereffects. She’s coming from so far away, and she’d surely be disappointed with such a groom.”
He seems anxious about the upcoming marriage.
He added one more comment:
“Of course, I worry she might be disappointed even with my current condition.”
“That won’t happen.”
The woman he was talking to was about to marry the Second Prince, a drunkard who beats people and can’t communicate properly, but now she’ll marry the Third Prince instead—there’s no reason for disappointment.
Above all…
“I’ve learned cooking well from you, physician. I hope it suits my bride’s taste. Should I also learn a few Central Plains songs to lessen her homesickness?”
He’s the frontier version of an idol, with cooking and musical instrument playing as hobbies.
Even his sister Han Yi-jeong would approve of him, which is probably why she quickly arranged matters.
Jin Cheonhee scratched his cheek.
‘Well… the more deeply I think about these things, the more I lose.’
Life in the frontier had been filled with conspiracies, schemes, war, the Three Yin Meridian Blockage, and parasites.
Now he can only think about waving goodbye and returning home.