《Genius Martial Arts Trainer》 Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Arge fitness center located in Gangnam, Seoul. In a corner of the office meant for the staff. Nice to meet you, Fallen members! This is Choi Kang-hyuk of Strongest Muscle TV! Todays content is a mukbang! A muscr man, Choi Kang-hyuk, was speaking lively in front of the camera. Yes! Thanks to the enthusiastic support andments from the Fallen members, Im doing a mukbang again. And today, its the menu with the mostments! Chicken with cheese balls. And what cant be missed with chicken? Beer! After finishing his intro, Choi Kang-hyuk tilted the camera to focus on the chicken, cheese balls, and beer he brought, then began savoring the food one by one. Damn it. Muscle loss for me. Ah, damn. Its dirty delicious. He experienced two conflicting emotions simultaneously. As one could easily guess, the muscr man lived the life of a fitness fanatic.However, he wasnt born a fitness fanatic. The reason he became one was that, without maintaining his muscles, even walking would be challenging because his body had deteriorated. After his body was wrecked while serving in a special forces unit during his younger years, he started receiving manual therapy and physical therapy for rehabilitation. After that, he gradually mastered exercises beneficial to his body, like yoga, fitness, and Ptes. He even studied nutrition to n his own diet. Eventually bing a famous fitness trainer. And with the tenacious mindset he developed from serving seven years in the special forces, he managed a workload close to workaholism for several years, ultimately bing the owner of Strongest Fitness Center with five branches in Seoul. So why was such a sessful fitness center owner worrying about muscle loss while doing a mukbang? Freaking COVID-19!!!! It was because of the disaster that struck in 2020. He started YouTube to cover the maintenance costs of the gym, which had to cease operations due to COVID-19. Initially, he focused on the home gym trend that emerged due to COVID-19, uploading videos on various exercises or stretches that could be done at home without any equipment. asionally, he also shared stories from his time in the special forces. Then one day, unable to contain his stress, he turned on the stream to relieve his frustration while eating food and drinking alcohol. After that, the mukbang content titled Fallen Gym Bro became a huge hit, leading him to asionally do mukbang streams like this. Of course, even with that, the YouTube revenue was nowhere near enough to cover the operating costs of five gyms, but it had certainly helped him endure the COVID-19 period. And now, in 2021. Even though vination had begun and social distancing measures had eased, he was still uploading mukbang videos on YouTube. Even if social distancing had eased, it didnt change the fact that the number of members had sharply declinedpared to before COVID. Well then, Fallen Squad! Ill see you again with a new video tomorrow! Please like and subscribe! After finishing the chicken, cheese balls, and beer, Choi Kang-hyuk greeted the camera, let out a deep sigh, and turned off the camera. Phew. Im worried about tomorrow. He had eaten cheese balls and chicken, which could be considered lumps of grease. He wanted to burn them off with exercise right away, but he had already consumed two cans of beer. As apetent health trainer, he knew very well how bad it was to overdo exercise after drinking alcohol. Well, I should just go in and rest today. The doctor told me to take it easy. In fact, mukbang wasnt the only thing that COVID had given him. Choi Kang-hyuk recalled the words he had heard during a consultation with the doctor a few days ago. * * * Stress-induced hair loss. The words from the doctors mouth were like a bolt from the blue. Pardon? Stress? But I seem perfectly fine. With consistent exercise and a well-managed diet, he had no health issues. So, stress-induced hair loss? What was that supposed to mean? However, to Choi Kang-hyuks question, the doctor sighed lightly before speaking. You appear healthy, but your body is on the verge of breaking down from stress. The symptoms have manifested as hair loss. So, what should I do? Is there any medication or something I can take? Ill prescribe some medication, but the most important thing is to reduce your stress. Be honest, how many hours do you usually work per week? Around 90 hours There you go! With such a heavy workload, no matter how healthy your body is, youre deteriorating inside! At the doctors outburst, Choi Kang-hyuk was left speechless. The truth was, he had understated the hours. From now on, you need to reduce your working hours. Otherwise Otherwise? Your hair will all fall out. !!! The doctor continued to list off warnings about internal damage and bodily harm caused by stress, but Choi Kang-hyuk didnt hear any of it. He had been obsessed with work and exercise for ten years. Now, at thirty-seven, he had sessfully grown hispany and recently set a new goal: dating and marriage. If I go bald, Ill be single forever! He instinctively realized he was in a very dangerous state. * * * Recalling the horrific memory from a few days ago, Choi Kang-hyuk went straight home. However, even after arriving home, he still had one lingering concern. Having been obsessed with work and exercise for ten years, he wondered, But what should I do to rx? He had no hobbies. Hmm. After pondering what hobby he might enjoy, he decided on a pastime from his school days. I wonder if the new ones are any fun. He searched for martial arts novels on his phone and ended up on a web novel tform. Reading martial arts novels had been his main hobby during his school days. Growing up without parents in a poor environment under the care of his grandparents, the joy of renting a martial arts novel for 700 won at the neighborhood bookstore was quite precious to him. Like people who waste time scrolling through Netflix unsure of what to watch, he browsed through the titles and descriptions in the martial arts section on the tform, repeatedly hitting the back button. After wasting time like this, he thought, Perhaps? and typed Ga-gyeong into the search bar. Seeing the results, his eyes widened. [Record of the Demon Sovereigns Return] [Legend of the Evil Emperor] [Chronicles of the Shaolin Saint Monk] Ga-gyeong was his favorite martial arts writer during his school days. And Record of the Demon Sovereigns Return and Legend of the Evil Emperor were his favorite martial arts novels from that time. Chronicles of the Shaolin Saint Monk? However, thest one, Chronicles of the Shaolin Saint Monk, was a novel he hadnt read before. Curious, he touched the title with his thick finger and found out from the details that it was a recently serialized novel. Ooh. He felt as though he was being pulled into a fragment of childhood memories. Feeling a peculiar excitement for the first time in a while, he eagerly tapped the Read First Chapter button with his muscr arm. Hmm~ He savored each sentence, each word. As he rxed during this nostalgic journey, the fatigue from the past ten years hit him all at once. Thud. Not even ten minutes after starting to read, he fell asleep. * * * Mu-jin, wake up! Ughhh. The noise right in front of him made Choi Kang-hyuk groan as he curled up. It had been ten years since hest rxed, and, uncharacteristically for him, he could not awaken from his deep slumber. Mu-jin! Its time for morning training! Morning training! Yet, at the mention of training, his eyes snapped open as if reflexively. But what he saw upon waking was the unexpected sight of a young monk whose origin he couldnt determine. Kid, how did you get into my house? Faced with the sight of the shaven-headed little boy, Choi Kang-hyuk asked with a bemused tone. No, rather, what kind of parent shaves their sons head so bald? Hes not even a baby. As Choi Kang-hyuks thoughts began to amplify suspicions of domestic abuse, the mischievous intruder blurted out something absurd. What are you talking about, Mu-jin? Youre shorter and younger than me, why are you calling me a kid? You think youre smaller than me? Are your eyes deceiving you, kid? Standing exactly 180 cm tall, with a muscr build weighing 90 kg, and maintaining a body fat percentage of 8-10% for health reasonssince going too low could actually be detrimental to healthhe managed to lift a total of 650 kg across the three major strength exercises. What nonsense was this? Perhaps it was the absurdity of the conversation, but now fully awake, Choi Kang-hyuk began to notice his surroundings more clearly. Kid, where on earth is this? The interior looked simr to a traditional Korean house, like those featured in TV or YouTube videos about Hanok experiences. The quilt too, made in a very old-fashioned style, made him wonder about its thermal instion. Wait? Did that kid just call me Mu-jin? Mu-jin as in The protagonist from Chronicles of the Shaolin Saint Monk! Though he had fallen asleep in just ten minutes, he had read two volumes and could recall at least the protagonists name from the novel. Once he pieced this together, the situation became somewhat clearer. Why he suddenly found himself in this shabby ce and why there was an unknown young monk in front of him. Its a dream. Choi Kang-hyuk concluded that he had fallen asleep while reading the novel and was now dreaming of being the protagonist. Hehehe, its been a long time since Ive experienced this. Even during his school days, when he was deeply engrossed in martial arts novels, he would asionally have such dreams. What have you been talking about all this time? Now understanding the situation, Choi Kang-hyuk found the young monks scolding somewhat endearing. Eek, were going to bete for morning training. What should we do? Alright, alright. Sorry. Lets go together. Realizing this was all a dream, Choi Kang-hyuk, or rather, Mu-jin, decided to enjoy the scenario and followed the young monk. After running for a while, Mu-jin arrived at a wide training ground where dozens of young monks were lined up. Ah! To bete on the first task. You must be thoroughly scolded! Go find your ce quickly! Mu-jin and the young novice monk were thest to arrive, and a middle-aged monk along with some younger monks scolded them sternly. Im sorry! Im sorry! Mu-jin mimicked the novice monk and shouted, then followed him to an empty spot, jumping into it. Its a dream, why does it feel so real? The appearance of the training ground, and every expression and movement of the monks and novice monks there, felt incredibly realistic. Moreover, despite it being a dream, he felt out of breath from running. But regardless of Mu-jins thoughts, as all the novice monks gathered, the monks shouted with a majestic voice. The training begins with the horse stance! Everyone, take your position! As the monks barked their orders, the novice monks quickly assumed the horse stance, their movements swift and beyond their years. And Mu-jin, catching on, spread his legs shoulder-width apart and took a stance simr to squatting. Ah, they know something. He was pleased that they started with the lower body, which he favored. Often, he saw members or trainers foolishly focusing only on building the upper body, ignoring the lower body, which Mu-jin did not view favorably. Especially since he had started working out for rehabilitation purposes, he valued lower body and core training highly. Even in a dream, he was constantly pondering about exercise. That was the life of a fitness fanatic. Ah, my legs are already shaking! Is it because I still have the body of a child? While others might moan in pain, he was enjoying the screams of his muscles. But that was momentary. Somethings wrong. After maintaining the bent-knee horse stance for over five minutes, he began to feel that something was off. No If you exercise like this, itll ruin your knees! His lower body and knee muscles were already at their limit. He felt no stimtion; it was just torture on his knees now. Especially for someone like him, who had experienced physical breakdown in the military and studied exercise and muscles for a decade, such foolish exercise methods were simply infuriating. Even if it was just a dream. No. But is it really a dream? Why do my knees hurt? As Mu-jin began to grow suspicious, The lower body is the foundation of martial arts! If the lower body cannot stabilize, no martial arts or staff techniques can be powerful! The young monks, who had been vigntly watching the novice monks movements, yelled at those whose legs gave out and fell. And Choi Kang-hyuk was not the kind of man to overlook such improper exercise methods. Idiots who dont even know the exercise in exercise! Even if it was just a dream. Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Hey, you ignorant fools who dont even know the first thing about exercise! The moment Mu-jin shouted out loud, A chilling silence fell over the training grounds. Mu, Mu-jin? Whats wrong? In the midst of that silence, the worried voice of the young monk who had woken Mu-jin up in the morning pierced his ears. However, Mu-jin couldnt soothe the boys concern. The young monks who were observing the training. The second-generation disciples of Shaolin, who didnt even resemble monks, stared at Mu-jin with demonic expressions and shouted, You insolent fool!! How dare you utter such nonsense during training!Making such excuses just because the training is hard! Are you really a Shaolin disciple? Straighten your posture immediately!! Even ordinary people tend to shrink back when being yelled at in a group. Moreover, since the second-generation disciples of Shaolin were young men skilled in martial arts, their shouts naturally carried an aura of intimidation. In such a situation, a faint-hearted person would have wet their pants. Is it a crime to point out whats wrong? But Mu-jin wasnt the kind of man to be intimidated by such threats. He had endured seven years of rigorous training in a special forces unit, and he had dealt with troublesome clients as a fitness trainer for ten years. His life had been too tumultuous for him to shrink back from mere shouts from young men. Because of his confident demeanor, even the second-generation disciples who were shouting at him looked at him with astonishment. As a disciple of Shaolin, are you really saying that Shaolins training is wrong? One of the second-generation disciples stepped forward and asked, and Mu-jin couldnt help but chuckle. Wow, this dream feels so real. Even the young mans tone and demeanor were exactly what one would expect in a martial arts novel. Should I respond with an archaic tone, fitting for a martial arts novel? With this thought in mind, Mu-jin spoke up. If you exercise like this, when you get older, youll suffer severe pain from damaged knee cartge. Thats just an excuse for the weak. Isnt martial arts something that the weak learn to discipline their body and mind? And yet, you say the weak cant learn it. What a contradiction. The second-generation disciple who initially stepped forward to scold Mu-jin was momentarily at a loss for words due to Mu-jins criticism. Fortunately, another second-generation disciple stepped forward to assist him. Our Shaolin martial arts are different from the martial arts youre referring to. The reason we practice martial arts is to cultivate ourselves and achieve enlightenment. Then, by that logic, does it mean that those who are physically weak should not seek enlightenment? Thats not it! It means that through ascetic practices, one can cultivate their spirit! The second-generation disciple, momentarily flustered, shouted back, but by then, a smile had already formed on Mu-jins lips. Why must one attain enlightenment through asceticism? The human mind is weak. In difficult situations, people tend to seek convenience and harbor evil thoughts. Through training that involves enduring such situations, one cultivates their spirit. Can one attain enlightenment that way? Yes. Is enlightenment something that can be achieved in just a day or two? Whats this nonsense all of a sudden? Isnt that what the monk is implying? He said that through asceticism, one can cultivate their spirit, so its fine if their knees get damaged. This suggests that asceticism is unnecessary when one gets older. Therefore, it means that one can achieve enlightenment before they get old. If thats the case, how poorly must the monk over there have practiced asceticism to not have attained enlightenment yet? Mu-jin pointed at the middle-aged monk overseeing the entire training from the upper seat. The first-generation disciple Hye-jung (). The second-generation disciples all fell silent. While part of it was due to being struck by Mu-jins logic, What nonsense is this crazy guy spewing now!? they were also in a state of panic because an aspiring third-generation disciple and novice had dared to point fingers at a first-generation disciple, who was like their grandmaster. And as Mu-jin silenced the second-generation disciples, he stood there with a satisfied smile on his face. This was the reasoning and eloquence he had developed over ten years of dealing with clients. Indeed, service jobs werent for just anyone. He only regretted that he was using this brilliant eloquence in something as trivial as a dream. Kal! At that moment, the first-generation disciple Hye-jung, who had been pointed at by the young novice, roared like a lion and approached Mu-jin with bold steps. Ive heard your point. As the second-generation disciples said, generally, the martial arts practiced in Buddhism are merely tools to attain enlightenment. However, our Shaolin martial arts are different. How are they different? We do not practice martial arts merely for personal cultivation. The reason we practice martial arts is to save the sentient beings. This means, we protect them from evildoers and demons who torment them. To protect the sentient beings, are you saying we must engage in such knee-destroying exercises? Indeed. Disciple Hye-jeong red at Mu-jin with displeasure. Despite being a monk, he was also a martial artist and held the important role of training novice disciples. To someone like him, thiszy novice was naturally unwee. Especially since, if left unchecked, other novices might also follow his example. However, disciplining a novice who could be his grandchild wasnt a good look, nor was it fitting behavior for a Buddhist disciple. With his experience, Hye-jeong quickly devised a n. If you truly believe that Shaolins training methods are wrong, then prove it. What do you mean by prove? If Shaolins training methods are wed, that would mean you know the right methods. In that case, defeat a disciple who has trained under Shaolins methods. At Hye-jeongs words, Mu-jin snorted. Wow, stepped on shit. Mu-jin instinctively sensed it. The middle-aged monk in front of him was a ssic kkondae C someone who would try to crush others with force if logic didnt work. And unfortunately for this kkondae monk, Mu-jin wasnt one to back down to such force. Having experienced much in life, he knew that if he kept yielding, his opponent would look down on him. Who should I defeat? Surely youre not suggesting I fight you, Monk? Hahahaha. As much as I dislike the idea, I wouldnt raise my hand against a child. Naturally, you should fight a fellow novice for fairness sake. Mu-gung, step forward! Despiteughing heartily like an enlightened monk, Hye-jeongs chosen opponent, Mu-gung, was far from a fair match. Mu-jin had been in Shaolin Temple for less than a week, while Mu-gung was the most senior among the novices. To make matters worse,pared to the other young monks who had not yet experienced puberty, Mu-gung was a head taller and bulkier. Wow Can a monk be this petty? Mu-jin, who was looking at Mu-gung, who had stepped forward, let out a hollowugh again. But a hollowugh was just that. Coming this far only to back out wasnt his style. Should we begin the sparring right now? Seeing that Mu-jin was not at all intimidated by the boy, who was a head taller than him, Hye-jeong shook his head. You understand that wouldnt be fair, dont you? Didnt I tell you to prove what you imed was true? You said the Shaolin training methods were wrong, so after seven days and nights of training as you see fit, you can spar with Mu-gung. It was a very orthodox way of doing things. While sounding considerate of his opponent, the intention was to leave no room for excuses and thoroughly crush him in a weeks time. Moreover, it was a warning to the young disciple. The intention was to scare him a little and make him apologize first. I will do so. From Mu-jins perspective, who thought this was a dream, it was a story he didnt care much about. He rejects the invitation to drink and chooses punishment. Amitabha. Hye-jeong nced at Mu-jins confident face, then turned back to the main seat. Perhaps it was because of Mu-jins unusual behavior, but not only Hye-jeong and the second senior disciples, but even the novice disciples who were training together were looking at Mu-jin with displeased expressions. Resume training! Yes! At Hye-jeongsmand, the second senior disciples, who were assisting in the training, each red at Mu-jin once before returning to their positions. Mu-jin, why did you do that Lets apologize to Master Hye-jeong, okay? Amidst the atmosphere where everyone was antagonistic toward Mu-jin, the young monk who woke him up in the morning was the only one worrying about him. Mu-yul! Focus! Yes! However, when the second senior disciple pointed him out specifically, Mu-yul responded in a surprised voice and had no choice but to focus on training. Resume horse stance! Naturally, training resumed in a strange atmosphere due to Mu-jin. In that awkward atmosphere. Whew. Mu-jin also, like the other children, spread his legs shoulder-width apart, bent his knees, and lowered his buttocks downwards. It was the horse stance that they had been practicing. Of course, a small sneer appeared on the lips of all those who were sneakily watching to see what Mu-jin might do next. Only Hye-jeong, who had deep cultivation, thought, As expected, while maintaining a poker face. Seeing Mu-jin stand in the horse stance only to straighten his knees in a short moment so brief it was called Su-yu, which is ten times shorter than a Shun-sik a few young monks couldnt contain theirughter. Chuckle. They assumed that Mu-jin was making excuses because the training was difficult. Hey, who daresugh during training? Nevertheless, Hye-jeong, being a follower of the Buddha, warned the disciples who were mocking others. Sigh. However, Mu-jin, who was the subject of theughter, remained unperturbed, regting his breathing as he bent his knees. Whew. Then, straightening his knees again, he stood up and exhaled the breath he had been holding. What Mu-jin was doing wasnt the horse stance; it was a squat. Mu-jin focused his mind as much as possible, repeating the squat slowly to feel and stimte every single muscle fiber of the primary muscles the gluteus maximus and quadriceps, and additionally the spinal erectors and semitendinosus. Whew. After repeating it fifteen times, he paused to catch his breath, slightly rotated his knees, and loosened up. ??? Atst, Hye-jeong, along with the other disciples, realized something was amiss. Tsk. Regardless, Mu-jin went on with his second set, acting as if he was just doing his job. You scoundrel! What are you doing during sacred training time? When Mu-jin, once again, bent and straightened his knees fifteen times while breathing strangely, a second senior disciple, unable to stand it anymore, shouted. However, Mu-jin, upon hearing the senior disciples outburst, simply wore a blunt expression and pointed at Hye-jeong. Didnt you say to prove it? Master Uncle told me to exercise my way for seven days and nights, but are you, monk, higher ranked than Master Uncle Hye-jeong? The second senior disciple, who had shouted, looked at Hye-jeong with a bewildered face after Mu-jins logical retort. Hye-jeong sighed inwardly and allowed Mu-jin to train individually. A promise is a promise, just leave him be. Understood, Master Uncle. In the end, Mu-jin, who had been granted immunity, then proceeded to train in earnest, feeling at ease. While the other children were already maintaining their horse stance for over an hour, gritting their teeth to endure their shaking legs and aching knees. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. The rhythm of Mu-jins peculiar breathing was enough to captivate the childrens attention. Hey! Stop looking around! When the childrens gazes repeatedly turned toward Mu-jin, the second senior disciples shouted. Inhale. Exhale. Of course, Mu-jin just focused on his exercise, paying no mind to them. After finishing four sets of fifteen repetitions each, Mu-jin loosened his squat stance, caught his breath, and then extended his left leg back while bending his right knee. It was the lunge position. Once again, he slowly focused his mind and adjusted his posture. Simply bending and straightening the knee without focusing on the muscles wasnt exercise; it was just knee abuse. Hmph. Of course, in a situation where others were dying from maintaining the horse stance, Mu-jins strange actions naturally stood out. I have to pretend I dont see it. Having already promised seven days and nights, Hye-jeong had no choice but to overlook Mu-jins antics. Lets see after seven days and nights! Whether he knew what Hye-jeong was thinking or not, Mu-jin would quietly mutter something inaudible after each set. Tsk. Thats not how you exercise. Hell ruin his joints like that. Whos going to take responsibility for a ruined knee at that age~ Naturally, those small mutterings reached Hye-jeongs ears like thunder, even though they were just mumbles, as he was already at an advanced level. Namo Amitabha. At some point, Hye-jeong, who had been reciting silently, started reciting aloud with a gritting sound. Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Phew. This, too, must be a trial from Buddha. If I stay like this, I might fall into delusion. When the patience of the monk, who had been cultivating himself for thirty-five years, was nearing its limit, fortunately, the sound of a bell signaling the end of the early morning training echoed throughout the Shaolin Temple. Since mealtime is approaching, we will end todays early morning training here! Yes!! Understood, Master Uncle!! Leaving behind the replies of the other novice monks, Hye-jeong nced at Mu-jin briefly before swiftly turning away. In seven days and nights, he will be punished. However, whether Hye-jeong thought such things or not, Mu-jin had already lost interest in Hye-jeong. Oof. My muscles are really sore.Originally, with his previous body, he would have needed to repeat far heavier weights for many more sets to feel this kind of muscle pain and tautness. Perhaps because it was a childs body not yet used to exercise, the effects were showing immediately. Mu-jin, who was feeling a peculiar pleasure from the rewarding sensation of muscle soreness, was a genuine gym enthusiast who thought about muscle growth even in his dreams. It would have been better if this wasnt a dream. As Mu-jin muttered to himself, he noticed something strange. But if this is a dream, why does it hurt? It was only after finishing his workout that Mu-jin began to feel that something was off. The argument with the middle-aged senior monk and the focus on exercise and muscles had prevented him from thinking deeply about the problem. No way Could it be that Ive really entered a novel? The thought was absurd, but on the other hand, considering his current physical condition, it was entirely possible. Especially when he recalled the conversations hed had until now, it seemed even more so. Without thinking much, he had been conversing, but upon reflection, he realized he hadnt been speaking in Korean. He had assumed it was a dream, but when he considered it wasnt, it became a very peculiar matter. While Mu-jin was deep in confusion, Mu-jin What kind of weird muttering have you been doing since earlier? Are you really out of your mind? The novice monk Mu-yul, who had woken him up earlier in the morning, once again woke him up to reality. He wore a look that seemed to say, Is it possible to ask if youre crazy with such an innocent face? Your name was Mu-yul right? Now youve even forgotten my name? Are you really sick, Mu-jin? No. Never mind that. Could you hit me just once here? Mu-jin said this to confirm whether it was a dream or not, but Mu-yul just looked at him with a truly pitiful expression. If youre not going to hit me, forget it. Mu-jin looked away from that expression, and pped his own cheek with his hand. As Mu-yul, who had been watching this scene with a downcast look, muttered. Hmph. Mom told me not to hang out with crazy people. Im not crazy, okay? Mu-jin responded, rubbing his cheek that was starting to sting. Damn it. Is this really not a dream? Even without the need to p his cheek, the muscle soreness he felt all over his body was evidence enough. He only attempted a mental rebellion because he found it hard to ept this reality. Oh, right! Mu-jin, we have to go eat now! The novice monk who had been watching Mu-jin with a worried expression suddenly eximed as if he had just remembered. Even though he treated Mu-jin like a crazy person, he still took care of him, leaving Mu-jin uncertain whether this child was kind or strange. Sigh. Yes, we need to eat. If this wasnt a dream, he needed to eat even more. Having exhausted his muscles for one si-jin (two hours) since dawn, he needed to replenish nutrients. As the famous saying goes, eating is part of the exercise. However, since he was deeply preupied with whether this was a dream or reality, he only noticed a crucial fact toote. This ce was Shaolin Temple. That is, a temple. * * * The novice monk taking care of Mu-jin. Shaolin Temples dining hall, following Mu-yul. Inside the meal room. Is something wrong with my eyes? Why? All he could see on the table was green or yellow. The yellow was hulled barley rice, and the green was vegetables. Thats right. The diet offered at Shaolin Temple. It was, of course, a temple diet, and a temple diet meant vegetarianism. Sure, whats so wrong about eating temple food at a temple? But, from Choi Kang-hyuks perspective, this was extremely wrong. He had woken up at dawn and tortured his muscles for one si-jin. And the other kids, who had exercised inefficientlypared to him, were also physically exhausted. And now, theyre supposed to eat this kind of food, which doesnt have a single gram of protein? This is child abuse, by any measure!! Hey!! Who dares to shout during a meal!! As soon as Mu-jin shouted, everyone in the dining hall, novices and monks alike, turned their heads towards him. Of course, Mu-jin wasnt someone who would get intimidated or fail to say what he needed to say just because people were looking at him. After doing such intense exercise in the morning, isnt it too much to ask us to endure with just these vegetables and barley rice?! When Mu-jin yelled, unable to contain his anger, a cold silence enveloped the area. Those who had been with him during the morning training looked at him with expressions that said, Its him again? while others nced at him with expressions saying, Whats up with this crazy guy? As the second and first-generation disciples who were preparing the meal stood up, ready to admonish him, the silence was broken first by Hyun-mun, the manager of the meal room, with a heartyugh. Ha ha ha. It seems our disciple was very hungry after the morning exercise. Hyun-mun, who was already over sixty and a head of one of the groups in Shaolin Temple, merely thought of the novice monks actions as youthful whining. No matter how strict the Shaolin Templesws were, it would be ridiculous for an elder like him to scold and grapple with a young novice monk. I, too, went through a time like yours, so how could I not understand your feelings? Alright, if you want to eat more, Ill make sure you have more. But shouting like this is against the rules. Do you understand? Hyun-mun intended to let it pass with gentle advice, but that was only if it werent for Mu-jins next words. The rice is sufficient. Then what is the problem? Protein supplement. No, isnt there any chicken breast? What was this? Was he crazy? Not only had Hyun-mun never heard of protein supplements, but what was this talk of chicken breast in a temple? Luckily for Hyun-mun, there was a child who expressed his feelings for him. Mu-jin, whats wrong with you since this morning? Have you really gone crazy? Mu-yul, who was sitting next to Mu-jin, asked him that. While Mu-jin, who had been spouting nonsense, stared nkly at Mu-yul, who was tugging at his sleeve. To be precise, he was staring at himself reflected in Mu-yuls clear, innocent eyes. A small frame, at the age when puberty was just starting, with a freshly shaven head. And the yellow and orange monk robe reminiscent of those seen in old martial arts movies. The perfect image of a Shaolin novice monk was reflected in Mu-yuls eyes. Sigh. Yeah, this is Shaolin Temple. Only now fully epting that this situation wasnt a dream, Mu-jin decided to apologize to Hyun-mun. I apologize. I was so hungry that I spoke nonsense. Eating only vegetables in Shaolin Temple would be, at least from their perspective, a given. However, Hyun-muns suspicion only grew stronger due to Mu-jins sudden apology. Theres no doubt hes crazy. A mad novice monk entering Shaolin Temple? Hyun-muns heart was heavy with worry about Shaolins future. As Hyun-mun was worrying about the future of Shaolin, Mu-jin spoke again to Hyun-mun. Excuse me, then, if theres no chicken breast, do you have beans or mushrooms? He was sorry, but he needed protein. * * * After a turbulent breakfast, the first task of the morning was studying Buddhist scriptures. It was a fitting routine for the Shaolin Temple, but Whose idea was this ridiculous schedule? From Mu-jins perspective, it was not ideal. Getting up at dawn for intense exercise, followed by studying immediately after breakfastit was closer to a battle against sleep than actual study. Thwack! Hey. Whenever the novice monks dozed off, the second-ss disciples, who were always on standby, would wake them by tapping their shoulders with bamboo sticks. However, despite entertaining suchints, Mu-jin had never been hit with a bamboo stick even once. It wasnt because he fell asleep unnoticed. Conversely, he wasnt diligently listening to the scripture ss either. Had he been listening to such a tedious ss, he would have dozed off right away. The reason he hadnt fallen asleep so far was Alright, assuming Ive entered the novel somehow, what should I do now? It was because he was organizing what he needed to do from now on in his mind. Why had he entered the novel? Why had such an extraordinary thing happened to him? Now that the event had urred, those questions were unimportant. Before worrying about such things, it was more important to understand and respond to the current situation, something Mu-jin understood very well. Hmm if Ive entered the novel, wouldnt I have to conclude the story to get out? It wasnt certain, but that seemed the most likely. From that perspective, the current situation wasnt entirely bleak. The body of this novice monk, Mu-jin, was the protagonist of the novel, so the body was likely endowed with exceptional talent. Moreover, the current location was the Shaolin Temple, which appeared in most martial arts novels as the pinnacle of the martial world. If he mastered the protagonists talents and the unparalleled martial arts of the Shaolin Temple, returning to the original world wouldnt be impossible. However, there was a problem. Have I gotten myself into trouble? Only then did Mu-jin realize that he had caused an enormous incident at dawn. However. Well, nothing can be done about it. Did he regret what he had done at dawn? Not at all. For someone who had experienced his body breaking down before, the Shaolin Temples exercise methods were something he could never ept. Given this, there was only one choice left. At the promised duel in a week, his only option was to knock down his opponent and get his training method acknowledged. It was the perfect solution that fit Mu-jins character. * * * At the time when Mu-jin was half-heartedly listening to the Buddhist scriptures while analyzing the current situation, Hyun-mun, the person in charge of the Ban-dang, and Hye-jeong, who was responsible for the basic training of the novice monks who joined Shaolin this year, were discussing Mu-jin. What on earth is with that child? By that child do you mean Mu-jin, Master Uncle Hyun-mun? Yes, I mean that child, Mu-jin. Could it be that Mu-jin caused some trouble even during mealtime? Even during mealtime, you say? Does that mean he caused trouble during the morning training as well? Well. Hye-jeong cautiously conveyed to Master Uncle Hyun-mun what had happened during the morning training. Huh. Hahaha. Hahahahaha. After hearing everything, Hyun-munughed awkwardly. Though he had sensed it when Mu-jin asked for chicken breast, hearing that he denied the millennium-old training methods of Shaolin after joining the temple was beyond belief. To think he was really a crazy kid. The suspicion had turned into certainty. So, did you decide to just leave the child alone? I told him to prove his words by sparring with Mu-gung after giving him seven days and nights. As expected of you, Hye-jeong. Thats a very wise solution. Hyun-mun nodded in satisfaction at Hye-jeongs words. As a disciple of Buddha, it wouldnt do to persecute someone just because they seemed crazy. However, since the child dared to deny the millennium-old Shaolin, he must prove his words. Given that they provided seven days and nights as respite for the proof, it could be considered a mercy of Buddha. Moreover, Hyun-mun was even more pleased with the fact that the child selected as the sparring opponent was Mu-gung. He was said to be the most outstanding among the neers this year. Whenever its time for Shaolin to select new third-ss disciples, dozens to hundreds of children join every year. Among the novice monks, some couldnt endure the harsh training of Shaolin and dropped out, while others learned just a few basic martial arts before leaving as secr disciples. In the end, only one or two out of ten novice monks became genuine disciples. Therefore, the number of novice monks who were known by first-ss disciples or elders was few. Mu-gung was one of those few children. Chapter 4: Chapter 4: The Fist of Shaolin After what felt like a battle against sleep, the scripture ss ended. Wow, Mu-jin, how did you not fall asleep even once? Mu-yul, who sat next to him and had been smacked on the bamboo slip at least twenty times, asked with bright eyes. Mu-yul, who had a clear head, found the scripture ss, filled with difficult Chinese characters, the hardest. As a result, he often got smacked on the bamboo slip, but today, he got twice the usual. This was because the Second-ss Disciples were already set on scolding Mu-jin, who had caused a scene during the early morning training and breakfast. However, Mu-jin, who had been analyzing the current situation and nning for the future, didnt fall asleep even once during the scripture ss. Sadly, Mu-yul, who was sitting next to him, ended up monopolizing the loving punishment meant for Mu-jin. Na?ve Mu-yul, unaware of these circumstances, merely looked admiringly at Mu-jin, who hadnt nodded off while he himself was struck more than twenty times.Hmm? How did I not fall asleep? Yeah, yeah! I get scolded every time. No matter how much I listen to the scripture, its too boring. I think its even sleepier than the lubies my mom sang to me when I was little. Hehe. Seeing Mu-yulughing innocently even after being smacked on the bamboo slip, Mu-jin let out a slight chuckle. Even though he was single until thirty-seven, obsessed with work, he thought that if he had married early and had a child, it would have been like this. How did you not fall asleep? Yeah, yeah. Its simple. You just listen with one ear and let it out the other. Huh? Both ears are open, so how do I listen with one ear only? Should I block one? To Mu-jins yful answer, Mu-yul, with a serious expression, blocked his right ear and muttered to himself. Ah, ah. Namo Amitabha. Hmm? Is it onlying through the left ear? No, I can hear it from the right too. Watching the scene for a moment, Mu-jin decided to change his thoughts about Mu-yul. Not a son, but a nephew. Surely, his future son wouldnt be this dumb. Hey, Mu-yul. After the scripture ss, whats next? Next is, of course, the morning training! Its already been three days and youve forgotten the schedule again? Hehe. It seems like Mu-jins not too bright either. Thinking to himself that he would have smacked him if he were not his nephew, Mu-jin sighed once and said, Then, lets head to the martial arts training ground. Eh? Theres still a little time left? Theres something I need to do beforehand. Eh? Something to do beforehand? Instead of answering Mu-yuls question, Mu-jin strode off towards the training grounds. Whats there to do beforehand? Mu-yul, with a bright smile, followed Mu-jin. Upon arriving at the training grounds, exchanging light chat with Mu-yul, they saw a few novice monks moving their bodies around. Although they were beginner disciples of Shaolin, most were young kids who hadnt even reached puberty yet, so they naturally wanted to y whenever they had free time. Even during their free time, only a handful of kids came out to the training grounds for practice. Among those few exemry novice monks, some were engaging in the strenuous training they had done earlier in the morning, while the rest were in horse stance, practicing straight punches. Tsk tsk. Watching the scene, Mu-jin clicked his tongue with a sympathetic expression and plopped down on the stone floor. In that position, he slowly spread his legs to the sides and leaned his upper body toward his left leg. Oh. Is it because this body is young? Its really flexible. Mu-jin had felt it when he stretched his legs, but as his body stretched easily without any pain, he internally let out a small exmation. The reason Mu-jin went to the training grounds beforehand was to stretch. Stretching before and after exercise was a basic necessity. It was important to prevent future hardships due to aging and to avoid damaging his body through excessive exercise. Sss. Whoo. While he was breathing deeply and stretching his leg muscles, Mu-yul, awkwardly standing and looking down at him, caught Mu-jins eye. Yul-ah. Want to join me? Huh? What youre doing, Mu-jin? Yeah. You should do it in advance too. Otherwise, you might suffer from chronic illnessester on. After pondering for a moment, Mu-yul made up his mind and plopped down on the ground like Mu-jin. Do I just stretch my legs like this? Oh. Thats right. Youre good at this. Want to try this one too? As Mu-jin stretched forward with his legs spread, exhaling slowly, Mu-yul naturally imitated the stretching movement. This kid also finds stretching easy, maybe because hes young? Mu-jin thought to himself that maybe exercise should be learned from an early age. Tsk. As soon as the time for chanting the Buddhist scriptures ended, Mu-gung, who was training in the martial arts training hall, clucked his tongue inwardly and nced at the two. Whew. After catching his breath, Mu-gung focused on himself, disregarding Mu-jin and Mu-yul. In fact, Mu-gung wasnt particrly interested in Mu-jin. Although he found Mu-jin, who made flimsy excuses to skip training, to be pitiful, he didnt intend to mock him like the other novice monks did. This was because he understood that swinging his fist even once more would benefit him more than mocking the two. Though he was only thirteen years old, Mu-gung was physically more mature than his peers, and his mind had also matured ordingly. Instead of concerning himself with squabbles among children, it was more important to focus on training and strive to gain recognition from his teacher. This was because his dream was to be a named disciple of Shaolin and make a name for himself in the martial arts world. In other words, to Mu-gung, Mu-jin was nothing more than a stepping stone he had to step over to achieve his dream. Hap!! To be acknowledged by the second-ss disciples and Master Uncle Hye-jeong as a named disciple, Mu-gung shouted a big yell and repeatedly punched the air. This was the Shaolin introductory martial art that Mu-gung had learned over the past three months, the basics of the Revolving Fist. Oh my, quite the voice. Upon hearing Mu-gungs resounding yell, Mu-jin, who was stretching with Mu-yul, couldnt help but express his admiration. Hehe. Isnt Senior Brother Mu-gung amazing? His voice is loud, and his punch is super strong! His punch even makes a whooshing sound. Mu-yul, who was stretching along with Mu-jin, added in a bright tone. It seemed Mu-yul had already forgotten that Mu-jin was supposed to spar with Mu-gung in a week, as his voice was carefree. Senior Brother Mu-gung? Yeah, of course. He entered two months earlier than me. Oh, and since you entered a monthter than me, you should call me Senior Brother too. Forget that. So, youre saying that Mu-gung has been training for over three months? Yeah. He probably came in the earliest. And hes doing much better than the other senior brothers who joined around the same time. Master Uncles and Master Uncle Hye-gwang praise him every day. They say Senior Brother Mu-gungs Revolving Fist is the best. Oh, really? After hearing Mu-yuls exnation, Mu-jinughed sarcastically inwardly. That monk is only as big as a soy sauce bowl. He thought they matched him with someone decently built, but it seemed they paired him with the most outstanding of his peers. To give him such an opponent and only a week to prepare. Even though its just a childrens fight, I wont lose Vwoom!! Mu-gung created an explosive sound in the air with each punch, causing Mu-jin to visualize the scene a weekter in his mind. Winning wouldnt be a big problem, but the process was concerning. The physical difference is too great. Even if he won, Mu-jin had a strong feeling it would look unseemly. After all, he was now twelve-year-old Mu-jin, not Choi Kang-hyuk, who was in his prime. Its embarrassing to fight tooth and nail against a kid more than twenty years younger. Sigh. As Mu-jin was thinking about this, the martial arts training hall gradually became noisy. During the break between the scripture chanting and morning training, the novice monks, who had been ying, began to gather at the training hall. As they approached, the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the fifth hour (11 am C 1 pm), and soon, Master Uncle Hye-jeong and the second-ss disciples appeared in the training hall. For the morning training, as usual, we will practice Revolving Fist, the introductory martial art of our thousand-year-old Shaolin! Master Uncle Hye-jeong, who had nced at Mu-jin upon arrival, shouted in a solemn tone. For some reason, hearing Hye-jeongs shout made Mu-jins eyes sparkle. The opportunity to learn Shaolins introductory martial art. As someone who once loved martial arts novels, this was nothing short of a dreame true. He had resisted the physical training conducted in the morning since it was a field he was already well-versed in, but martial arts were a different story. If it was a field he knew well, he might have pretended to be knowledgeable, but in an unfamiliar field, he was more inclined to actively learn. Moreover, The Revolving Fist was the technique that Mu-gung was using earlier, right? The martial art used by the opponent he was to spar with in a week. The ancient sages left a famous saying: Know thyself, know thy enemy, and you will never be defeated. Learning the Revolving Fist would be beneficial for Mu-jin, especially if he wanted to beat that bulky kid easily. First Form! Heart Center Punch! Hap!! Hap!!! Following Hye-jeongs shout from the elevated seat, the novice monks executed each form in order, and the second-ss disciples assisting Hye-jeong moved around the training hall, correcting the childrens postures. Fourth Form! While shouting from the elevated seat with amanding presence, Hye-jeongs brow began to furrow. Why is that kid training so obediently? The reason was Mu-jin. The one who caused trouble during dawn training and breakfast was now diligently training, as if he had repented, which was baffling. Is fighting that guy with this really the most foolish thing in the world? The Revolving Fist Technique had fairly simple movements. Conversely, due to its low technicalplexity, it was a martial art whose power heavily depended on the physical capabilities of the user. In other words, fighting Mu-gung with the Revolving Fist Technique when he was physically superior was tantamount to imposing a penalty on oneself. So, how could he cleanly defeat that bulky kid who was over twenty years younger? During training, he briefly observed Mu-gungs punching technique. Ah! Thats what I should use? An idea to overpower Mu-gung with a single move popped into Mu-jins head. Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Choi Kang-hyuk demonstrated the Close-Range Spear Technique during the time from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and afterpleting all his daily routines, it was evening. In front of the amodations given to the novice monks, Mu-yul tilted his head and spoke. Mu-jin? What are you doing? Whew. After repeating something for a while, Mu-jin took a break, caught his breath, stood up, and answered Mu-yuls question. Im practicing to defeat Mu-gung in one go. To defeat Senior Brother Mu-gung? Yeah. Uh? Senior Brother Mu-gungs punches make a whooshing sound like the wind. And hes a whole cheok (about 30 cm) taller than us.Come on, hes not a full cheok taller, more like 20 centimeters no, lets see. One chi is 3 cm. So, hes about seven chi taller. Mu-yul, puzzled by the talk about centimeters, again asked with a confused expression. Uh? Senior Brother Mu-gung is seven chi taller, and his punches make a whooshing sound? Ts-ts. Mu-yul, in fights, its not always the bigger person who wins. Gasp. Its a fight? I thought it was sparring? No, I mean, thats just a manner of speaking. At Mu-yuls innocent reaction, Mu-jin let out a light sigh. I cant say anything in front of this kid. The advice from adults to be cautious with their words in front of kids wasnt wrong. Anyway, sparring isnt necessarily won by the bigger person. So, Mu-yul, even if someone bigger than you picks a fight, dont be scared, okay? Mu-jin, who left Mu-yul with a life lesson, resumed the movements he had been practicing. Whew. Since its been a while, I need to practice. Although he had spent thest ten years focusing on exercises for building and maintaining his body, he was once a human weapon who served in a special forces unit for seven years. Well, he did struggle with injuries in thest two years. At any rate, during the five years before getting injured, he practiced and experienced enough hand-to-handbat to be sick of it. And most realbat techniques are full of moves that could cripple or kill someone if mishandled. The reason he was now practicing so intensely wasnt to defeat Mu-gung but to subdue him without injuring him. Not only had it been over ten years since he had used them, but his current body was also that of Mu-jin, not his original body of Choi Kang-hyuk, and it still felt unfamiliar. Mu-jin judged that if he didnt practice to some extent, it would be dangerous in many ways. And while Mu-jin was focused on training to spare Mu-gung, Is Mu-jin an idiot? Mu-yul tilted his head again. He needs to defeat Senior Brother Mu-gung, so why is he rubbing his body against a tree? To Mu-yul, the training Mu-jin was doing seemed too profound. * * * After practicing techniques for sparring with Mu-gung during their free time, it was time to sleep. Hey, if you sleep like that, youll ruin your health. When Mu-yul was about to lie down on his nket, Mu-jin suddenly yanked the nket away. Why would resting and sleeping ruin my health? When Mu-yul asked with an innocent face, Mu-jin clicked his tongue and said, Your muscles are strained from moving since early morning. If you dont relieve those tense and tired muscles, theyll stiffen up while contracted. ??? You dont understand, do you? Nope! Hehe. If you dont understand, just do as I say. Im only saying this for your own good. Hmph. Im the senior disciple, you know? Ignoring Mu-yuls whining, Mu-jin sat Mu-yul cross-legged, ced his right arm on his left knee, and stretched his left arm over his head to the right. It was a stretching exercise for the quadratus lumborum, a muscle located at the side of the body connecting the pelvis and the ribcage. How does it feel? Does it feel good? Huh? What do you mean by feeling good? Will this make my body cool down? Uh no. Havent your ufortable muscles rxed? Oh! Yes, yes! They feel so much better! Seeing how Mu-yul took everything literally, Mu-jin chuckled. Afterwards, Mu-jin showed various stretching movements to rx his own body and also taught the same stretches to Mu-yul. Hes an interesting guy. He seems a bit clueless, but hes pretty good at following physical movements. Mu-jin marveled at Mu-yul who followed the stretches well. * * * Next dawn. Mu-jin, who had gotten up early for morning training as usual, shook Mu-yul, who was still asleep, to wake him up. Ugh, huh? Why did you get up so early? There was still time before the bell rang for the dawn training. Stretching should be done before exercise. Yesterday, he had overslept after being abruptly dragged into a novel. Originally, Mu-jin was a man who lived so busily that he was called a workaholic. He forcibly woke Mu-yul, who was dragging his feet, and began to loosen up with stretching, just likest night. But what is the stretching you keep talking about? When Mu-yul, who was loosening up with a sleepy face, asked while yawning, Mu-jin thought for a moment. Well, its not like I can use English in a martial arts world. If he kept using it, people around him would definitely look at him strangely. Kic Thaumaturgy is what it means. From now on, thats what Ill call it. You understand what Kic Thaumaturgy means, right? Yes! It means stretching muscles. Good. If you understand, then its a good word. Huh? What do you mean by that? It was just me talking to myself, dont worry about it. Hehe. Mu-jin, you seem to like talking to yourself. By the time Mu-jin and Mu-yul had finished stretching adequately, the bell signaling the dawn at Shaolin echoed through the temple. After getting ready, they moved toward the training ground. As soon as the children arrived at the training ground, Hye-jeong, who appeared again, looked at Mu-jin briefly before turning away. Since he showed signs of reflection yesterday, I guess hell participate in training today. Tsk. But Ive already arranged a sparring session, so what to do now. Bothering a child who was reflecting was against the nature of Shaolin. But Hye-jeongs concern was utterly pointless. Why? Because Mu-jin didnt have the slightest intention of reflecting. Take the horse stance!! At Hye-jeongs shout, the other novice monks began to torture their knees again. Sniff. Mu-jin assumed a posturepletely unrted to the horse stance and regted his breathing. I destroyed my lower body yesterday, so I cant do lower body again today. Yeah. In modern exercise science, the method of building muscle is based on the theory of supepensation. ording to this theory, when the human body is injured, it reinforces the injured area during the recovery process. And what was really important here was recovery. Inflicting an unrecoverable injury on a muscle or continuously piling up injuries without time to recover. That wasnt exercise; it was self-torture. However, just because of recovery, you couldnt exercise for one day and rest for two or three days. Thats why the weekly routine was developed. If you spent one day destroying your lower body, during the period when your lower body was recovering, you would destroy other parts like your arms, chest, or back instead of the lower body. Then, while you were destroying other parts, if your legs recovered, you would destroy your legs again. Through such a regr routine, each part would rest in turn, but no exercise day would be skipped, creating a beautiful schedule. Today, the area Mu-jin, who destroyed his lower body yesterday, chose was the chest and back. Mu-jin ced both hands on the ground and assumed a push-up position. Sniff. Mu-jin inhaled and focused on the movement of the pectoralis major (chest muscle) and the shoulder des as he slowly bent his arms. Whew. Exhaling, he straightened his arms again, lifting his upper body. This action wasmonly known as push-ups or press-ups. While Mu-jin, a ten-year veteran trainer, was repeating push-ups with a form that could be called exemry. This, this, this brat dares!? The veins on Hye-jeongs forehead popped out as he was watching the novice monks horse stance. Did the act he showed yesterday mean that he was mocking me!? One of the greatest teachings of Buddhism waspassion, so Hye-jeongs heart softened a little when he saw Mu-jin actively participating in the Revolving Fist Technique practice. Hes even worse today than he was yesterday!! At least yesterday, he had assumed postures somewhat simr to the horse stance (like squats or lunges, lower body exercises). But today, why was he doing push-ups here all by himself? If this act wasnt intended to mock him, what else could it be? Tree crack Amitabha Buddha. Naturally, from the lips of Master Uncle Hye-jeong, the sound of chanting grew louder than the day before, along with the sound of this thinning. Swallow. Sigh. Busy concentrating on his muscles, Mu-jin didnt even bother to pay attention. * * * During the morning training session, Mu-jin, who had exerted his utmost in tormenting the muscles of his back and chest, was greeted by breakfast time. I would appreciate just a little more beans and mushrooms! Mu-jin, who had already filled his bowl with beans and mushrooms, called out as if he could not be satisfied with just that. Ah! A disciple of Buddhism is picky with food! The Second-ss Disciple, who was serving the food, also already knew of Mu-jins notorious reputation and admonished him sternly. Anyway, dont all the other kids avoid the beans and mushrooms, leaving so much behind? Would it not be a true mistake to waste the food that farmers and herbalists toiled to grow and gather? I shall eat the remaining beans and mushrooms to dissipate them, thus bestowing Buddhas mercy. The Second-ss Disciple, who seemed only in his mid-twenties and had not really lived social life properly due to over ten years of training, had no way of verbally outmaneuvering Mu-jin. Having effortlessly handled the Second-ss Disciple, Mu-jin made a mountain that looked like it could overflow with beans and mushrooms and then sat down next to Mu-yul. Here. You eat some, too. Why should I? And, Mu-jin also showedpassion by passing on some of the plenty of beans and mushrooms he had gathered to Mu-yul. The foundation of kinematics was in super-recovery, so in order to heal the lost parts of the body, it was necessary to intake the nutrients needed for that area. This meant that a lot of protein was necessary. And in this damn Shaolin Temple, there were no protein supplements or even meat. In the end, to make up for theck of protein, one had to force down at least beans and mushrooms. Of course, among the novice monks of the Shaolin Temple, who had no such scientific knowledge, there were some children who, true to their young nature, avoided beans and mushrooms. Mu-yul was one of those children. Do you remember the Close-Range Spear Technique I taught you yesterday? Yes. Didnt your body feel much morefortable after doing it? Yes. Its the same thing. Just trust me and eat for now. Whine Hesitating under Mu-jins persuasion, Mu-yul started to reluctantly eat the beans and mushrooms passed to him with a sullen face. That brat. Hell probably want to bow in gratitudeter on. Watching his charming nephew, Mu-jin also began to reluctantly chew and swallow the copious amount of beans and mushrooms in his bowl. The harsh training methods of Shaolin, which he had rejected, were too cruel for a child. In modern times, it would be highlighted in the news for child abuse. Mu-jin, who wanted to guide the training himself but hadnt yet received recognition, at least wanted to take care of stretching and eating. And why doesnt he take care of the other novice monks? Why should I care for those brats when theyck manners? Among the dozens of novice monks that could be seen as his motivation, the only one who did not scoff at Mu-jin was Mu-yul. Goodness for goodness. Greater malice for malice. That was the motto of Mu-jin, who had been through all sorts of trials. * * * In the early morning training, I beat the muscles, and in the morning training session, I practiced the Revolving Fist Technique, contemting counter techniques. During my evening free time, I physically trained the counter techniques myself. During mealtime, I forced down beans and mushrooms like rice to recover my body, and whenever there was spare time, I would stretch. Thus, the time known as seven days and seven nights flew by like an arrow. And finally, today. The day of the sparring match with Mu-gung has dawned. Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Its beenpletely shattered, hasnt it? Mu-gung and Mu-jin,e forward! It was the morning of the sparring day. With a resonant voice that indicated no need for further discussion, Hye-jeong called out. Hye-jeong nced at Mu-jin with aplex expression. For the past week, Mu-jin had been practicing on his own each dawn, but during the morning martial arts training session, he always practiced the Revolving Fist Technique with utmost effort. After observing this behavior for seven consecutive nights, even Hye-jeong started to feel somewhat perplexed. At least, it doesnt seem like he is making excuses to avoid training. The youngd seemed to have his own unique method of training.But even so, it was not something that could bepletely forgiven. Even if he had his own training method, how could he darepare it to that of the Thousand-Year Shaolin? I hope that through this opportunity, you wille to recognize that Shaolins methods are superior to any training methods you know. As a martial artist of the Buddhist sect, it was also his role to correct the misguided path of a young disciple. Having concluded his thoughts, Hye-jeong then turned to look at Mu-gung. With Mu-gung, correcting that childs erroneous thoughts should be more than achievable. Hmm. He was the one who had shown the most remarkable progress among the seventy or so neers. Despite being just basic martial arts, the young child had an exceptional understanding of theplex Revolving Fist Technique. Every day, he participated diligently in training and took the initiative to practice whenever he had the time. Added to that, his natural physical strength was far superior to the other children, making him a truly promising talent for Shaolin. Feeling Hye-jeongs expectant gaze, Mu-gungs heart was racing. Master Uncle Hye-jeong is watching me! His dream was to be renowned in the martial world as a Shaolin disciple. At this moment, he intuitively felt that he was taking a step closer to that dream. Im sorry for you, but I must step over you to rise. Seeing an opportunity to make a strong impression on Master Uncle Hye-jeong, Mu-gung emitted a fighting aura and stared down Mu-jin. Eutcha. Regardless of what Hye-jeong and Mu-gung were thinking to themselves, Mu-jin was casually stretching his legs, alternating between them to loosen his muscles. Once he felt his muscles were sufficiently rxed, Mu-jin asked Hye-jeong in an easygoing tone, Are we ready to start now? Mu-gungs forehead vein bulged at the calm demeanor. Hmph. Hes just putting on a front! Even though that was what he was thinking, the still young Mu-gung was unwittingly bing more tense. Begin! Was it due to his anger? Mu-gungs judgment was somewhat clouded, and as the ever-rxed Mu-jin rushed in at the start of the sparring, Mu-gungs body moved before he had fully thought it through. The first form of the Revolving Fist Technique, which he had been training relentlessly for the past three months, sprang out reflexively. As expected, and to Hye-jeongs hope, the Revolving Fist Technique performed by Mu-gung boasted a level ofpletion that was iparable to his peers. His punch, which shot out in a straight line like a drawing, was incredibly swift, and even produced a sound-breaking effect that was umon for his age. However. For Mu-jin, who had been observing and practicing the Revolving Fist Technique for seven nights and days and understood Mu-gungs movements, the attack was predictable to the point that he could dodge it without even looking. Right before Mu-gungs fist could make impact with his face, Mu-jin dodged at thest second by swiftly bending his upper body. !? Startled, Mu-gung tried to transition to a different form at the moment he saw his punch miss. But Mu-jin did not miss the split second when Mu-gungs bnce was off. He used his shoulder to press down on Mu-gungs abdomen and simultaneously pulled at Mu-gungs legs with both arms. It was a perfect tackling move. The action that Mu-yul had been practicing by rubbing against trees was, in fact, practice for this tackle. Wha- What?! Whats going on?! As everyone who had expected Mu-gung to win the sparring match was left in shock by the sudden turn of events, Mu-jin carefullyid Mu-gung down, making sure the young boys head did not hit the ground as he fell from the tackle. Then, with a lightning-fast move, he slipped to the side and simultaneously applied an armbar. The entire confrontation, from the start of the sparring to Mu-gung being subdued, took barely more than a second. With the battle decided in such a short span, some were left with dumbfounded expressions, unable to grasp what had happened, while others gaped in amazement. Get up and free yourself! A Shaolin disciple cannot even withstand that much! After the situation had concluded, some of the second-ss disciples, who had regained their senses, threw out their unsolicited advice, though they knew it amounted to nothing. However, they understood in their minds. Even though they were unfamiliar with the technique of the armbar, as individuals who had practiced martial arts for at least a decade, they knew the position could cause immense pain to the arm. It was just that they found it difficult to ept the situation when the disciple they had faith in was defeated so easily, and their words were merely an expression of their struggle toe to terms with it. Grrrgh. And Mu-gung, who was caught in the technique, was in agony. A terrible pain shot through his arm, while the second-ss disciples he wanted to impress kept shouting at him to free himself and stand up. Adding to this, the kid Mu-jin, who had overpowered his arm, was now saying, Hey. If you resist, your arm might break. Why not just give up? Creak. He pressed just enough on the arm, adding a subtle threat to his words. Mu-jin had no intention of actually breaking the arm of the child who was much younger than him. His words were merely meant to encourage the child to surrender before getting hurt. The only issue was the current predicament Mu-gung found himself in. Oh,e on, get up! You havent even trained properly! With your strength, Mu-gung, you should be able to break free! On one side, the second-ss disciples that Mu-gung wanted to impress were yelling at him to stand up. Creeeak. Hey, hey. If you apply more force, your arm will dislocate, you get the feeling? If you push any harder, you might end up crippled for life, kid. Just surrender already. On the other side was Mu-jin, still holding onto his arm and adding pressure with his words. Unable to withstand the pain and the tremendous pressureing from both sides, Mu-gung finally Grrrgh. Sob. Sniff. Waaaah!! burst into tears. This was the same kid who stood a head taller than other children and who tried to act like an adult. As Mu-gung, who had been notablyrger than his peers,y on the ground crying his heart out, a hush fell over the practice area. I let go. I let go. Im sorry, okay? It was my fault. As Mu-gung began to cry, Mu-jin quickly released the armbar and soothed Mu-gung, gently massaging the arm that must have been under strain. Tch. This is why you shouldnt make an adult fight with a child. Even though it was a fair sparring match, Mu-jin muttered to himself, feeling as though he had bullied a much younger child. Naturally, everyones gaze turned toward Hye-jeong, who had arranged this sparring match. Ahem. One of the second-ss disciples, who had quickly regainedposure, coughed awkwardly, and everyone else turned away their gaze. Grrrgh. Sob. Its, its so unfair! Then, amidst his crying, Mu-gung shouted out with a voice filled with sorrow. Unfair? You just rushed in at the start! And you didnt use the Revolving Fist Technique, you used some strange technique to attack! Its unfair! If we fought properly, I could win! Mu-gung, who had been trying to act mature, started wailing like a child once he began crying. Oh dear. Thats right. Im sorry. Our Mu-gung-hwa is exceptionally good at the Revolving Fist Technique, isnt he? Its Mu-gung, not Mu-gung-hwa!! Oh dear, my mistake. As Mu-jin was consoling the whimpering Mu-gung lying on the ground, It seems there is some merit to what Mu-gung is saying. One of the second-ss disciples stepped forward, having observed the situation. If it is a sparring match between Shaolin disciples, it is natural to use Shaolin martial arts. You have broken that rule. The second-ss disciple spoke triumphantly as if he had caught Mu-jin in a fault, but Mu-jin merely snorted in response. Didnt you say just a few days ago? The focus of Shaolin martial arts is to subdue the opponent. Thats correct. I have clearly subdued Mu-gung. More cleanly than if I had used the Revolving Fist Technique. What!? If I had used the Revolving Fist Technique, we would have continued to exchange blows, which could have led to more serious injuries than now. But how is it now? Although Mu-gung has burst into tears, isnt it true that he is not injured in the slightest? While Mu-jin did threaten to break his arm, he did not actually do it. Moreover, he was careful even when tackling Mu-gung to the ground to avoid any mishap like hitting the head. In essence, he had managed to subdue Mu-gung without leaving any injury or harm to the body. But, thats Thats preposterous! How can you not use Shaolin martial arts in a Shaolin sparring match! The second-ss disciples, who outwardly appeared much older, started to argue unreasonably against Mu-jins logical rebuttal. Watching this unfold, Hye-jeong quickly realized that the atmosphere was turning sour and stepped forward. Mu-jin. Yes, Master Uncle Hye-jeong. Are you saying that you deliberately used that technique to subdue Mu-gung without injuring him? Thats correct. Then, the technique you used could be seen as somewhat aligning with the spirit of our Shaolin. After all, the essence is to subdue without harm. !!! Therefore, todays sparring victory rightfully belongs to you, Mu-jin. The second-ss disciples looked at Hye-jeong in surprise at his unexpected support for Mu-jin. Even Mu-jin, who had thought of Hye-jeong as rather old-fashioned, was visibly stunned. However, Hye-jeong had more to say. However, there is one important issue that has been overlooked. The technique you used could indeed be more efficient than the Revolving Fist Technique in subduing an opponent. But that is only when the opponent is a mere street thug. The reason why we at Shaolin learn martial arts is to subdue vile demons and wicked bandits who have mastered martial arts for evil. Hye-jeong had interrupted the second-ss disciples objections and validated Mu-jins victory for a reason. It was because of the subtle current that had begun to flow among the novice disciples who had witnessed the sparring. The Revolving Fist Technique, which they had struggled to learn over the past few months, had been so easily countered. To make matters worse, the second-ss disciples, who had been teaching them this martial art and tormenting them for months, were now resorting to petty arguments. It was natural for the novice disciples to start wondering, Why am I enduring such hardship to learn this when it seems so ineffective? While the second-ss disciples, inexperienced in societal interactions due to their focus on training, failed to read the mood, Hye-jeong, a first-ss disciple with considerable experience in the martial world, had picked up on the sentiment. If left unaddressed, all these disciples might leave Shaolin. It would be fortunate if they merely left, but if the departing disciples spread word of this incident, it would bring unparalleled disgrace to Shaolin. Therefore, Hye-jeong decided to acknowledge Mu-jins victory as a way to shift the atmosphere and then So, this time I will personally demonstrate the essence of our Shaolin martial arts! The power of martial arts meant to oppose the vile demons who misuse their skills! Hye-jeong intended to show the disappointed novice disciples what Shaolin martial arts truly were, aiming to transform their disappointment into anticipation. Bring me a rock! At Hye-jeongsmand, two of the quicker-witted second-ss disciples understood his intent and rushed out. A short whileter The two second-ss disciples returned, carrying a rock that was muchrger than an average person. Hoo. Approaching the rock, Hye-jeong steadied his deep breath and assumed the starting stance of the Revolving Fist Technique. Watch carefully. This is the true power of the Revolving Fist Technique that you have all been learning. His powerful internal energy, which had been coiled in his dantian, spread through the hundred meridians of his limbs, and the moment the prepared Hye-jeong threw his punch Boom!!! The massive rock was shattered into countless pieces. Wow!! Thanks to Mu-jins earlier performance, the young novice monks who had momentarily doubted Shaolins martial arts now burst out with exmations of awe without exception. Mixed into their exmations was the anticipation that if they could endure their current hardships a little longer, they too could obtain such divine power. Hye-jeong, looking pleased at this scene, turned his gaze towards Mu-jin, the one who had initiated this event. Ohhhh! And Mu-jin too, let out an exmation of admiration while looking at the shattered rock. Yes, this is martial arts. Before him was a scene he had imagined while reading martial arts novels in his youth. What were martial arts as described in those novels? With a single sweep of a de, a mountain would be cleaved. With one swing of a sword, hundreds of enemies would be utterly destroyed. With one punch thrown, the bodies of foes would explode Uh? While expressing his admiration like the other children, Mu-jin suddenly made a curious face, then pointed at the shattered rock and looked towards Hye-jeong. Didnt you say the technique was for subduing? That, thats what I said, yes? Its been shattered to pieces, hasnt it? A peculiar silence once again descended upon the practice ground. Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Beob Gang (1) In the morning hours, when the novice monks were deeply immersed in their sutra studies. Master Uncle Hye-jeong, how did the sparring between Mu-jin and Mu-gung go? Hyun-seong, the leader of the Arhat Party responsible for the education of disciples and Master Uncle Hye-jeongs teacher, queried in a low tone. Choi Kang-hyuk, who had be possessed by Mu-jin, had caused his first incident seven days and nights ago. By this time, Hyun-seong had already received reports about Mu-jin from Master Uncle Hye-jeong or Ban-dangju Hyun-mun. Upon receiving Hyun-seongs question, Master Uncle Hye-jeong, while internally chanting prayers to maintain calm, recounted the events of that dawn. So youre saying, this boy named Mu-jin subdued Mu-gung in just a single exchange? Yes, Master. Huh It seems he was not just a mad child, after all.In my view as well. Though the boy acts willfully during morning training, when ites to practicing the Revolving Fist Technique, he trains harder than anyone else. Its just Youre worried that his training in the Revolving Fist Technique might have been to figure out how to counter it, arent you? Yes, Master. Hyun-seong appeared to ponder for a moment before shaking his head. Its unlikely thats the case. Logically, if he were a spy from an evil sect or the Demon Cult, he wouldnt draw attention to himself with such conspicuous actions. Could it not be a deliberate ploy to attract our attention? What if it is? The Revolving Fist Technique is merely a beginners martial art. It wouldnt be worth it for the Demon Cult to research a counter for a beginners technique. Unless it were one of the Shaolins seventy-two secret arts, that might be a different story. Frankly, anyone with a considerable level of martial arts mastery could devise dozens of ways to counter a simple martial art like the Revolving Fist Technique just by watching it once. Theres no need to worry. That child hasnt even officially be a third-ss disciple yet. By observing him over time, well determine whether he truly is a spy or just a slightly unusual child. Yes, Master. Master Uncle Hye-jeongs concerns were appeased by Hyun-seong, who paused to stroke his beard. Hmm. A curious tone of interest flowed from his mouth. If we assume that child is not a spy for the evil sect, perhaps he might be from some martial family. I also thought that might be the case. It doesnt seem likely that a young child woulde up with such bizarre training methods on their own, so perhaps they are techniques practiced by his household. Ban-dangju Hyun-mun had reported about strange items like protein supplements, which, they spected, could perhaps be special foods consumed during training in that family. The greatest person to a child is their father. It seems that the child wanted to prove that his fathers training methods were superior to those of our Thousand-Year Shaolin. After stating his hypothesis, Hyun-seong added with regret, Its truly a shame. If the child could defeat Mu-gung with such foolish training methods, then his talent might be beyond imagination. Its a pity that such a child is wasting time on ineffective training methods. Tsk. Its truly regrettable, Master. It would have been an utterly shocking misconception and nonsense to Mu-jin. Especially since he has even defeated Mu-gung now, he must have gained confidence in his useless training methods. What should we do about this? How about we force the child to practice Shaolins training methods and let him experience their effectiveness for himself? Considering Hye-jeongs suggestion for a moment, Hyun-seong shook his head. That is not advisable. Taking into ount the stories from both you and Novice Monk Hyun-mun, it seems the child has a resolute character. He would break before bending, so we cannot force him; he muste to realize it on his own. Despite the pressure of many peers and even Second-ss Disciples who had reached far greater heights, including Hye-jeong, the child had confidently expressed his own beliefs. It wasnt difficult for Hyun-seong, an elder of Shaolin, to deduce that a child with such courage would not easily be swayed by force. Thinking about it this way, its even more regrettable. The child had extraordinary martial talent and a steadfast character that upheld his beliefs in any situation. If properly nurtured, Hyun-seong was convinced that he could be a pir of Shaolin. Continue to observe the child. Not only to verify that hes not a spy from the evil sect but also to look for an opportunity to prove that Shaolins training methods are superior to his. We must somehow start him on Shaolins training methods. We cannot let him waste any more time on such useless training. Do you understand? Yes, Master. Mu-jin, if he had heard, would have grabbed the back of his neck at the conversation they were havingit was about how to entice Mu-jin. Then, as Hyun-seong was deep in thought, he suddenly spoke as if a good idea hade to him. Ah. How about entrusting the matter to Beob Gang? Is Beob Gang not currently with the Jurisdiction Department? Surely you dont intend to send Mu-jin to the Jurisdiction Department? Hehehe. Do not worry. Beob Gang is scheduled to move to the Arhat Faction tomorrow. With Hyun-seongs exnation, Hye-jeong looked at his master with a face full of admiration. As the Master says, Beob Gang should indeed be able to lead Mu-jin onto a good path. Both disciples thought of Beob Gang, a smile of satisfaction forming on their lips. * * * That evening, after finishing their daily duties at Shaolin, the second-ss disciples were moving in groups. Sigh. Its not Law-Crazed, its Beob Gang Brother. At that moment, one of the second-ss disciples, who was heading towards the dormitories, murmured in surprise, causing the others headed in the same direction to change course without any discussion. Phew. Its unusual for Beob Gang Brother, who usually trainste into the night at the training grounds, to be over there. Did the junior run away without even looking properly? He was in the middle of horse stance training. Why would he leave a perfectly good training ground and go there instead? Its obvious, isnt it? It means dont go back to your quarters, but to the training grounds to practice. Ugh. Hes really harsh. So harsh. One second-ss disciple shook his head, and another let out augh. Beob Gang Brother has been harsh for more than just a day or two. Whats new for a disciple whos not even a beginner? Indeed. Hes rightly not called Law-Crazed for nothing. Tsk. I think Law-Dog suits him better than Law-Crazed. One second-ss disciple who had recently been harshly treated by Beob Gang grumbled. He really joined the right ce. The Jurisdiction Departments Law-Dog! Haha. Tsk tsk. Yourete with the news, junior. I heard that as of tomorrow, Beob Gang Brother will be moving to the Arhat Faction. The average age of the current Shaolin second-ss disciples was in their mid tote twenties. Though they were adults capable of holding their own, this age was still considered young in the martial sects. Therefore, during their time as second-ss disciples, they would rotate through various factions and departments periodically to gain experience, before finally settling in one ce. In other words, it was not unusual for a second-ss disciple to move to another faction or department. Except when that individual was Beob Gang. Wasnt it decided that Beob Gang Brother would be in the Jurisdiction Department? Since his third-ss disciple days, he was expected to be the next head of the Jurisdiction Department. Beob Gang was highly regarded among the second-ss disciples, and since his days as a third-ss disciple, he had been notorious for toughening up the juniors and straightening out Shaolins discipline. Everyone felt it strange why Beob Gang would move from the Jurisdiction Department to the Arhat Faction, but they all nodded understandingly after hearing the senior brothers exnation. In order to uphold thews of Shaolin, he proposed to the head of the Jurisdiction Department to experience all factions and departments ording to the rules before returning to the Jurisdiction Department. As expected of Beob Gang Brother. A man who lives by thew and dies by thew. Well, thats why hes frightening but also admirable. After rying the news of Beob Gangs transfer to the Arhat Faction, the second-ss disciple spoke with a serious expression, and the others, despite initially speaking ill of Beob Gang, ended up nodding in agreement. They all feared and avoided him since they had been troubled by him since their third-ss disciple days. He was indeed a remarkable person, in more ways than one. And just by revealing himself, the man who sent all the priests to the training ground with a single appearance, Beob Gang was currently drenched in sweat as if it was raining, repeatedly training. This was not only because he was training without using any internal energy but also because of the immense pain, it wasnt just normal sweat but cold sweat flowing. The guardian of thew, Beob Gang, who became an object of fear among numerous priests. Ever since he took on the role of the guardian of thew, he always tried to lead by example before the priests. It was because he thought it was not right to reprimand others for something he himself did not adhere to. Such was Beob Gang, naturally, he had invested more than twice the time in basic trainingpared to other priests. Whether it snowed or rained, every day from evening till dawn after the days work was done, repeatedly. Thus, without taking a single day of rest, his knees that have been continuously tempered were nowpletely broken. Without using internal energy, even just walking would make him feel pain. But he did not care. Basic training was training but at the same time, it was asceticism. He thought it was too natural for pain to apany it. Sigh. And having endured that terrible pain for more than half an hour, he stretched his creaking knees and took a deep breath. Was it Mu-jin? The problematic and promising child of the Arhat Faction, as he heard from Master Uncle Hyun-seong. A child with exceptional talent but refusing the training of Shaolin. I will definitely teach that child what the spirit of Shaolin is. With a firm vow to himself, he started the horse stance again, bending his knees. Considering the terrible screams of his knees merely as part of asceticism. * * * The following dawn. Mu-jin, who woke up early for morning training as usual, loosened up his body with the Close-Range Spear Technique alongside Mu-yul before heading to the training ground. And with the sound of the morning bell, Master Uncle Hye-jeong and the second-ss disciples began to appear one by one at the training ground. Huh? Mu-jin noticed that a few of the second-ss disciples showing up at the training ground had changed. And among them, there was one man in particr who caught Mu-jins eye. Is he just a perfect soldier? In modern times, anyone would have asked if the man with such a military demeanor was a soldier. And strangely enough, Mu-jin wasnt the only one who felt puzzled by the military-like second-ss disciple. But, Brother Beob Gang? The second-ss disciples, who had suffered terribly during their third-ss period, called out his dharma name with shocked expressions upon the sudden appearance of Beob Gang. Why, what brings you here, brother? From today, I have transferred to the Arhat Faction, and I will be together with you all. I ask for your good cooperation. Why was it? Although Beob Gang greeted them with a blunt tone, the disciples all looked as if they had received a death sentence upon hearing his answer. Hoho. And Mu-jin, who had been watching the scene from beginning to end, was able to quickly grasp the situation. The new arrival is the discipline leader for the second-ss disciples. As the saying goes, it takes one to know one, and Mu-jin, who had spent seven years in the military, immediately realized the role Beob Gang was ying among the second-ss disciples. Begin the morning training! Whether Mu-jin was contemting this internally or not, Master Uncle Hye-jeong announced the start of training with a resounding roar. Well, its none of my business. Whether a discipline leader hade or not, Mu-jin had one thing to do. He had to train his body to see the end of this novel. Having turned his attention away from Beob Gang, Mu-jin focused on his breathing and concentrated on his exercise. As days passed and todays training hade full circle, it was time to train the lower body muscles again. Like the other novice monks, he began squats by bending his knees, then straightened them on his own. Sseup. Hoo. While Mu-jin was focused on his own exercise routine. Before long, Beob Gang approached Mu-jins side and began to examine his posture. Beob Gang thought to himself. To scold someone, one needs to understand exactly what they are doing. Knowing oneself and the enemy means you will not be endangered in a hundred battles, and understanding the opponents actions allows for more urate and logical chastisement. Is this how its done? To personally experience how futile the training method was, Beob Gang willingly began to imitate Mu-jins posture. Sseup. Hoo. He even briefly mimicked the breathing technique for urate understanding. Hmph. Its indeed futile as I thought. After repeating the squats a few times, Beob Gang soon stood up because he felt a sharp pain in his knees, no different from standing in a horse stance. Ultimately, as he was about to speak, having concluded that it was a trick to avoid the arduous Shaolin training. You shouldnt do it that way. Instead, Mu-jin, with a stern expression, pointed out Beob Gangs posture. Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Beob Gang (2) From Mu-jins perspective, it was an unavoidable situation. With a scrape of joints every time he bent and straightened his knee beside him, saying, My knees busted, how could he, as a trainer, just overlook it? Moreover, If I could get the squad leader on my side Wouldnt that be a huge gain? The thought of an easier training session if he could entice the real power among the second-ss disciples crossed his mind. He started as a novice trainer at a local gym and rose to the position of owner of five stores. He had a knack for leading someone into the world of personal training. Looking at it now, your knee seems to be in bad shape, and exercising like this when your knee hurts is self-harm. Self-harm. Please straighten your leg. With a look of pity, Mu-jin began to massage Beob Gangs knee area gently. Tsks. As expected, Shaolins training is wed.The massage revealed how badly damaged the knee was. This squad leader in front of him was evidence of what bes of someone after fifteen, twenty years of Shaolin training methods. And surprise registered on Beob Gangs face as he received Mu-jins massage. At first, he felt pain as if he was being attacked, but after the pain subsided, a strange sense of refreshment enveloped his knee. When your knee is in poor condition, you should exercise like this. After loosening the knee moderately, Mu-jin began to demonstrate, as if conducting a personal training session for Beob Gang. Members (?) with a military-like appearance, contrary to their tough exterior, were very susceptible to kind people. Mu-jin meticulously exined each posture, guiding Beob Gang into the world of personal training. Like this, you only need to bend your knees halfway, as if you were about to sit on a chair, before they fully bend. During the descent, dont put any strength into your knees; rather, concentrate the force in your thighs and buttocks, slowly going down. The same applies whening up, use the strength of your thighs and buttocks. Mu-jin showed the so-called chair squat stance and then reached out his hand. Now, lets start. Ill hold your hand, just go down as if youre sitting on a chair and thene back up. Confused by the sudden turn of events, Beob Gang found himself unwittingly adopting the posture Mu-jin had instructed. For some reason he could not fathom, the child standing before him exuded the presence of an expert who had reached a high level of mastery. Yes, stop right there! Dont put strength in your knees. Youll hurt them. Im holding you, so dont worry and just focus on powering through your thighs and hips! And be mindful of your breathing! As if under a spell, he bent and straightened his knees several times as Mu-jin directed. Hmm? The pain is definitely less? Not only had his knee pain lessened, but as he followed Mu-jinsmands to put strength into his thighs and hips, he could clearly feel the stimtion. Lets take a short break, and then well repeat it fifteen times. Your knees are in bad shape, so you mustnt overdo it. After three sets, or rather, the third round, lets move on to the calves. Steady your breathing for a moment. Having felt the relief in his knees, Beob Gang began to mindlessly follow the exercises one by one as Mu-jin instructed. What the hell is he doing over there? Master Uncle Hye-jeong, who was overseeing the training of the novice disciples, watched the scene with a face that read this is ridiculous. The Second-ss Disciple, standing beside him, responded in a hesitant tone to what could have been a rhetorical question or a direct one from Master Uncle Hye-jeong. Well, I suppose? The scene was so absurd that he inadvertently responded in a tone that was inappropriate for thew. A man obsessed with thew. The dog of thew. Together, called the mad dog. If Beob Gang had seen this scene, he would have surely issued a sternmand. But isnt that mad dog right there doing just that? Mad dog, mad dog, and now has he truly gone mad? The Second-ss Disciple, who had been relentlessly drilled by Beob Gang since his youth, was now seriously worried about his own head. Good. As expected of someone who has exercised before, youve quickly mastered the posture. Hahaha. Isnt that a given? It has already been eighteen years since I enrolled in Shaolin. Regardless, Mu-jin and Beob Gang were continuing their PT in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Amitabha Buddha. Feeling a throbbing headacheing on, Master Uncle Hye-jeong ultimately had no choice but to turn away from the two of them. Having promised to acknowledge Mu-jins training, he could notin about Beob Gang joining in. Whether it was a faction from the pugilistic world or a local martial arts n, a Second-ss Disciple of the prestigious Shaolin could not engage in such petty behaviour. * * * After the dawn training, it was time for breakfast. As the novice disciples all headed to the Banquet Hall for their morning meal, Mu-jin was wrapping up his first PT session at Shaolin. Just like he had shown Mu-yul, he shared several movements of the Close-Range Spear Technique that were beneficial before and after lower-body exercises. Please sit down and straighten your legs. As a finale, he massaged the clustered muscles around the knees to loosen them up. Beob Gang, who had been watching the entire process calmly, looked at Mu-jin with a strange expression. He might have followed along as if under a spell at first, but that didnt mean he had lost his wits the entire time. Havinge this far, he decided to fully experience the effectiveness of the exercise methods Mu-jin was teaching before making a decision. And after an hour-long session of PT and Close-Range Spear Technique, including a massage, Beob Gangs judgment was as follows: These are excellent techniques. He couldnt deny the effectiveness of the exercise methods, and the subsequent techniques of Close-Range Spear Technique and acupressure were also outstanding. The knee pain that used to throb every time after training was almost non-existent today. On the contrary, the muscles in his thighs and calves were definitely feeling tightened. The reason he was called a mad dog was simply because he had drilled too harshly and too often when something was wrong, not because he made up non-existent faults or forced issues. Is this the technique passed down in your family? Huh? Taken aback by Beob Gangs sudden question, Mu-jin concealed his what nonsense is this? inner thoughts and responded. Unaware of Mu-jins internal reaction, Beob Gang shared some of the stories he had heard from Hyun-seong the previous evening. He ryed their assumption that Mu-jin was adhering to his familys training methods. Oh ho. So they were all under that misconception. It was natural for Mu-jin to have an idea spring to mind upon hearing Beob Gangs story. He had been worried about how to package the knowledge he possessed, but this seemed to be the perfect solution. In the world within martial arts novels, there were countless ns and martial families. Even Shaolin couldnt possibly know all the ns and martial families located throughout the central ins. Good. It was indeed a wise decision to help. As the effects of winning the disciplinary monitor over to his side became apparent, a satisfied smile naturally appeared on Mu-jins lips. Yes. These are techniques Ive learned from my family. Hahaha. Indeed, they are excellent skills. Pleased with Mu-jins response, Beob Gang soon put on a stern expression and added: One thing, though. My praise is for the therapy aspect. No matter what, the training for martial arts is best left to our Thousand-Year Shaolin. I understand your intentions, but still, I would like you to follow Shaolins training methods at least once. Mu-jin gave a nomittal response, Ill keep it in mind, as he did not wish to seem obstinate. Mu-jin, are you done? As Mu-jin finished his conversation with Beobgang, Mu-yul, who had been waiting impatiently beside him, asked with an expression akin to a puppy that needed to go out. Yeah. Lets go eat. Okay! No sooner had Mu-jin mentioned going to eat than Mu-yuls face lit up with joy. He must have been quite hungry from the wait. Why didnt you go eat if you were hungry? Hehehe. I wanted to wait for you. At Mu-jins light teasing, Mu-yul just smiled brightly without a care in the world. Mu-jin chuckled at his innocence and led Mu-yul towards the Banquet Hall. During this brief exchange, Beobgang watched them with a content smile. Ahem. Suddenly, Master Uncle Hye-jeong approached Beobgang and cleared his throat loudly. Ah, Master Uncle Hye-jeong. I have made a fool of myself. Hoho. Did you do it knowingly? Master Uncle Hye-jeong couldnt help butugh with disbelief, while Beobgang remained unashamed. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. I thought it best to experience it firsthand. Hmm. And how was that experience? Swallowing the retort You talk a good game, Master Uncle Hye-jeong asked with curiosity. From what Ive observed, the boy named Mu-jin doesnt seem to hail from a martial family but rather from a family of healers. A family of healers? What makes you think so? Prompted by Master Uncle Hye-jeongs question, Beobgang looked around cautiously before answering in a hushed tone. The truth is, my knees have been in poor condition due to overexertion in training. Oh this is troubling Master Uncle Hye-jeong showed genuine concern, having been unaware of the situation. Why have you hidden this from us? I did not want to worry the elders of the sect, nor could I show weakness in front of my disciples. He felt he had to set a strong example for his disciples and could not afford to show any frailty. But, astonishingly, none of my disciples, who have been with me for decades, noticed the condition of my knees. On the other hand, Mu-jin identified the problem immediately. Could it be? Yes. The movements that I was practicing with Mu-jin earlier, they were all exercises he suggested that wouldnt strain my knees. Huh Now that I hear it, it does make me wonder if he truly mighte from a family of healers. Yes, and when I casually asked Mu-jin, he told me that all the exercises and techniques he shared with me today were learned from his family home. Thus, through Beob Gangs mouth, Mu-jins lies were conveyed to Hye-jeong as if they were the truth. Furthermore, the two of them began to fabricate Mu-jins nonexistent past on their own. Huh. Then perhaps his family home might be a medical household that deals with martial artists. Yes, it must be a family that realized how to enhance muscles during the process of healing the injuries of martial artists. And this child, having seen too many injured martial artists since a young age, must undoubtedly be wary of our Shaolin training methods. You truly are a master, Uncle. Even I, who conversed with Mu-jin, could not read into it that deeply. How can this be? Such a talented child is hesitant about our Shaolin training due to such reasons. Do not worry, Master Uncle. I will guide the child to the right path. Will you, now? Yes. Young children often listen well to adults they are friendly with. Instead of forcing him, I will first be friends with the child and then gradually integrate him into the Shaolin training methods. Beob Gang, oblivious to the fact that he had been duped by Mu-jin into receiving PT, showed an unfounded confidence. Right. You speak the truth. We should not rush this and take it slowly. And Hye-jeong believed it. * * * As always, after sweeping clean the leftover beans and mushrooms in the Banquet Hall and fighting the battle of drowsiness during the morning Buddhist prayer time, Mu-jin was once again met by the morning martial arts training time. However, for some reason, todays atmosphere was peculiarly different. Its not because of Beob Gang, the discipline officer. If it were because of him, this atmosphere would have been present since dawn. Wondering what the difference was, Mu-jin tilted his head in curiosity when Hye-jeongs resonant voice, filled with internal power, spread from the upper stage of the training field. Now that you all seem to have perfected the form of the Revolving Fist Technique, we will move on to the next training starting today. Aha. So that was it; they were finally moving on to the next stage. Martial arts trulye into their own when internal and external energies harmonize. Starting today, we will begin preparations to learn that internal energy. As Hye-jeong exined, the two Second-ss Disciples, who were positioned to his left and right, seated themselves in the lotus position right there in the training field. You too, follow Beopgyeong and Beopgong and sit in the lotus position. Hearing Hye-jeongs voice, Mu-jin mimicked the two disciples and seated himself in the lotus position. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Breathe in slowly through your nose, as deeply as possible. The breath you inhale should pass through your nose and throat and reach the danjeon located at the center of your body. Hmm? Focusing on Hye-jeongs voice and taking several deep breaths in and out, a question popped into Mu-jins mind. Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Internal Energy (1) The question he had was simple. What about internal energy cultivation methods, like the ones in martial arts novels? Are they not going to teach us those? It was a question about the cultivation methods often seen in martial arts novels. You know, the ones that talk about the principles of the universe, the five elements, and the eight trigrams, and then suddenly the protagonist reaches a high level of internal energy? I guess there must be a reason for it. But since Mu-jin didnt know anything about internal energy cultivation, he just focused on following Master Uncle Hye-jeongs instructions and concentrated on his breathing. This was the time to learn internal energy, the foundation of martial arts. What martial arts enthusiast wouldnt want to obtain internal energy?When you breathe out, imagine that all the evil energy inside your body is leaving through your mouth, and gather all the bad energy inside your body and exhale deeply. Huu. Mu-jin, who didnt know anything about internal energy, simply followed Master Uncle Hye-jeongs instructions and practiced the internal energy cultivation method of the Shaolin Temple. Meanwhile, the second-ss disciples who were watching the training corrected the novice monks who were not concentrating or had the wrong posture. After about half an hour had passed Everyone, open your eyes. When the novice monks seemed to have gotten used to the breathing and sitting posture, Master Uncle Hye-jeong stood them up. What youve learned is the Breath Control Technique, the most basic breathing method to feel and store energy in your body. Mu-jin felt a sense of disappointment upon hearing Master Uncle Hye-jeongs words, realizing that he had only learned a simple breathing method, not internal energy cultivation. But this was unavoidable. To operate internal energy, you must first feel the energy. So, from today on, you must practice the Breath Control Technique every day to feel the energy. To learn internal energy cultivation, Mu-jin had to follow Master Uncle Hye-jeongs words and feel the energy. Next, he had to make the felt energy flow through his blood vessels ording to the meridians. From now on, the second-ss disciples will give you a book that marks the human meridians. As soon as Master Uncle Hye-jeong finished speaking, the second-ss disciples handed out thin books with the meridians marked to the novice monks. You dont need to memorize all the meridians, but you must memorize the important ones. There are meridians you must pass through when operating internal energy, and many meridians that are good to know when suppressing an opponent. Master Uncle Hye-jeong pointed to the second-ss disciples body, naming each meridian one by one. Oh, meridians. Mu-jin, who had seen meridians often in martial arts novels, anxiously checked Master Uncle Hye-jeongs teachings and the contents of the book, trying to memorize them quickly. After another half hour had passed, Master Uncle Hye-jeongs serious voice flowed out, finishing the meridian education. Now that youve learned the meridians and can feel energy through the Breath Control Technique, youll learn our Shaolin Temples introductory internal energy method, the Bulsim Gong. Do you understand? Yes!!! Mu-jin replied with all his might, his heart pounding with excitement. Ill memorize everything today! He felt like his body was burning with the desire to learn internal energy cultivation right away. * * * That evening. After finishing his day, Mu-jin cheerfully made his way to his quarters. His heart was pounding with excitement at the thought of memorizing all the acupressure points during the evening free time and even practicing the supplementary Breath Control Technique. But his cheerful mood plummeted in an instant due to the sight of Master Uncle Beob Gang practicing alone in the Arhat Faction training hall. Master Uncle Beob Gang! What are you doing right now!? Hahaha. Thanks to the exercise method that Mu-jin taught me today, my knees hurt less, so I was trying to train a bit more. As Beob Gang replied with a bright voice, Mu-jin could not hold back and sighed deeply. The purpose of the exercise was to make your knees hurt less, not for you to overdo it! The training from dawn was already enough! Here he was, a trainer, and his charge was harming himself with unsanctioned exercises. It would be different if he were training a muscle-building athlete preparing for apetition. But in reality, the person in question was a patient. Ah, iron bes stronger the more its forged, and the same is true for the human body. Look at these muscles, the muscles Ive trained in Shaolin for eighteen years. Beob Gang proudly rolled up his sleeve to show off his biceps, which to Mu-jin, of course, seemed incredibly inadequate. Muscles grown not through proper exercise but through what was closer to self-harm, were nothingpared to the muscles that Choi Kang-hyuk used to havethey were merely skin and flesh. Iron must be forged moderately to be stronger; if its overdone, it breaks. The same applies to the human body, Master Uncle. With a sigh, Mu-jin forcibly stopped Beob Gangs training and began acupressure on his knees. Having entered Shaolin eighteen years ago, this was the first time Beob Gang had been forced to stop training because it was important to rest, and he looked awkwardly at Mu-jin. This may hurt a bit. Mu-jin started more serious acupressure than in the dawn to relieve the overstrained knees and muscles around them. True to his reputation as the incarnation of patience, Master Uncle Beob Gang bore the immense pain transmitting through his knee without changing his expression, enduring the agony. You can say it hurts if it does. But who is Mu-jin? Even through the fingertips performing the acupressure, he could keenly feel the extent of damage to Beob Gangs knee and the surrounding muscles. Naturally, he had a clear understanding of the level of pain that woulde from there. Sigh. Who exercises to the point of breaking themselves? If you ruin your body, youre the one who suffers. No one else will take responsibility for you. So please take care of your own body, Master Uncle Beob Gang. Mu-jin offered his heartfelt advice to Beob Gang. As he was treating his knee, Mu-jin couldnt help but be reminded of his days serving in the special forces. Thest years in the special forces when, despite being injured, he stubbornly pursued training until his body waspletely destroyed. Despite all that hardship, he ended up failing to serve a longer term and was forcefully discharged. Perhaps it was because Beob Gangs appearance and personality were too reminiscent of a soldier. Watching him ruining his body with excessive training reminded Mu-jin painfully of his own past. After silently observing Mu-jins face filled with genuine concern, Beob Gang spoke with a tone of certainty after a moment. Mu-jin, I do not know what you went through while you were in the secr world. But theres one thing I would like you to believe. Shaolin does not abandon its disciples just because their bodies are a bit broken. No, Shaolin is a ce that never abandons its disciples, no matter what happens. For a moment, silently peering into the eyes of the young man who reminded him of his own youth, Mu-jin replied with an uncharacteristic smile for a child. Well, if thats the case, then it must be so. Whether Beob Gangs words were right or wrong, only time and circumstance would tell. Mu-jin decided it was unnecessary to argue over such a topic. Misinterpreting Mu-jins smile as agreement, Beob Gangughed heartily and began to ramble. Uhahahahaha. Thats why, from tomorrow, you should trust me and our Shaolins training methods, ugh!! Caught off guard by Mu-jins sudden and intense massage, Beob Gang couldnt help but groan out loud. It was the first groan he had let out in the eighteen years since he joined Shaolin. * * * Afterpleting the Close-Range Spear Technique and acupressure spanning about two hours, Mu-jin dusted off his hands and stood up. You did well to endure. Master Uncle. Heh. This is nothing to me. Beob Gang, dripping with cold sweat, continued to bluster, even though he was clearly embarrassed by his own words. He hastily changed the subject. Ahem. Sorry for taking up your time. It seemed like you were in a hurry, where were you headed? Ah. I was thinking of going back to my quarters to practice the Breath Control Technique I learned this morning. Breath Control Technique? Yes. In order to master the Buddha Mind Technique, one must first feel the qi. At Mu-jins response, Beob Gang cocked his head, puzzled. Didnt you already feel qi through your familys internal energy cultivation technique? If Mu-jin had been an ordinary child, it would be one thing, buting from a medical family that dealt with martial artists, it was likely he had learned his familys internal energy technique. Faced with Beob Gangs question, Mu-jin managed his expression andid out a lie. Due to family circumstances, I have not yet learned it. Is that so. Yes. Hmm. Believing that Mu-jin had no reason to lie to him, Beob Gang pondered for a moment on how to help him. The simplest method would be to transmit qi directly through Direct Body Transmission. If qi was flowing through ones body due to someone elses doing, anyone with even a slightly developed sense of qi should be able to feel it easily. The only issue was: That would be a vition of our Shaolins rules. Why else would they have only taught the Breath Control Technique in the morning training and not performed the Direct Body Transmission? Feeling qi was also a kind of trial. A trial to select the true disciples. Without assistance from others, only those who could feel qi through the Breath Control Technique alone were eligible to be chosen as true disciples. True to his dedication to the rules, Beob Gang could not defy such regtions. Instead, he came up with an alternative idea. Ahem. In that case, how about you try practicing the Breath Control Technique here instead of at your quarters? Here, you mean? I was about to perform qi cirction myself. Who knows? If Im circting qi next to you, it might be easier for you to sense it. While it wasnt a direct infusion of qi into the body, the flow of qi created artificially by someone else was much easier to detect than natural qi flows. Mu-jin quickly grasped Beob Gangs intention and willingly sat cross-legged on the floor of the training hall. Im ready, Master Uncle! Hahahaha. Then I must begin my qi cirction. Focus your mind. Beob Gang also sat down in a cross-legged position and began to recall the intricacies of the internal energy technique as he inhaled the qi from the air through his nose. Following the Shaolin internal energy technique, the qi circted through his body. Some of the qi transformed into the majestic energy characteristic of the Buddhas work through the technique, while the rest was exhaled with his breath back into the atmosphere. However, Mu-jin, who had yet to feel qi, simply closed his eyes and focused on the basic breathing of the Breath Control Technique. As his body began to mechanically repeat the breathing pattern, Mu-jin started to concentrate his mind elsewhere. Master Uncle Beob Gang is currently circting qi. There should be qi flowing around him. I have to feel that qi! Naturally, it was not an easy task. Especially since he didnt even know what qi felt like in the first ce. With that realization, he thought deeply. I must feel the difference. There has to be something unique around Master Uncle Beob Gangs mouth and nose that I can sense. Instead of aimlessly trying to sense it, Mu-jin sought to discover the difference byparing it to other areas. As Mu-jin concentrated on Beob Gangs breathing for a while, from a certain moment, the majestic Buddhist internal energy began to flow out from around Beob Gang, deeply immersed in qi cirction. Is this it? Mu-jin, who was deeply focused, could easily feel that energy. Feeling that energy, he realized that his own breathing also contained such energy. Inhale as deeply as possible, drawing it to the danjeon at the center of the body. Recalling Master Uncle Hye-jeongs words from the morning training, Mu-jin drew in the qi through his nose, visualizing the energy being stored in the danjeon, a vessel within him. As he exhaled the air deep from his lungs, he tried to retain the drawn-in qi. Of course, it wasnt going to go well right from the start. The frustration of the qi, drawn in through the nose, escaping entirely through the mouth, was indescribable. However, Mu-jin was not the kind of man to give up over such a minor setback. He continued to practice the Breath Control Technique, drawing in and exhaling qi. After much repetition, Out of the qi he inhaled, a minuscule fraction If he drew in qi 100 times, he managed to retain about 0.0001 of it. It might have been less than a speck of dust, but a broad smile formed on Mu-jins lips. Even if its just 0.0000000001%, if it contains truffle, its considered a truffle-infused snack, right! Yes!! Mu-jin reminisced about the truffle snacks he had eaten during his days of watching food vlogs on Neurtube. Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Mu-jin, who had seeded in storing energy in his body, albeit very minutely, began to put more effort into his Breath Control Technique. As he continued to repeat his inhtion and exhtion, he began to gather a little more energy with each repetition, and the amount of energy he absorbed seemed to increase ever so slightly each time. If it started at the fifth decimal ce, it seemed to have climbed up to the fourth decimal ce before long. And before he knew it, Beob Gang, who had finished his Qi Conducting Technique, was watching Mu-jin, who was deeply immersed in the state of Muah Ji-kyung. A sijin had already passed since Mu-jin had started the Breath Control Technique. Beob Gang, too, had circted his internal energy for several cycles and a considerable amount of time had passed, so he stood up. But to think that this young child was still maintaining his concentration and repeating the Breath Control Technique. On top of that, as if that wasnt enough, He, he felt the energy in just one day?He noticed that the amount of energying in and out through the childs nose and mouth had a very slight difference. Beob Gang was looking at Mu-jin with a face that seemed about to fall over in surprise, which was unlike him. This was truly an astonishing rate of development. Even for Beob Gang, the embodiment of effort, it took about ten days to feel energy through the Breath Control Technique. Honestly, even if he performed the Qi Conducting Technique by his side, he thought it would be impossible to feel it in just one day. This was made possible not only because of the perseverance and concentration unique to Choi Kang-hyuk, which resided in Mu-jins body, but also because the child Mu-jin himself was endowed with exceptional talent. These two factors caused a synergistic effect, and with the slight help of Beob Gang, such a miracle had unfolded. Looking at the child brimming with talent, Beob Gang thought to himself, [3:47 PM] Master Uncle Hyun Seong and Master Uncle Hye-jeong were right. This child is going to be the main pir of our Thousand-Year Shaolin. Among his peers, who were second-ss disciples, he was considered the most genius, even more talented than the senior brother Beob Seong (). Of course, since Beob Seong was from a martial family and had already felt energy before entering Shaolin, a directparison was a bit of a stretch. Watching the outstanding performance of such a talented junior, Beob Gang made a resolve in his heart. Wait just a little longer, Mu-jin. I will shatter that fear of yours and definitely make you start the training of Shaolin, was a vow that would have startled Mu-jin had he heard it. And perhaps feeling the ominous aura within that vow, Mu-jin, who had been deeply concentrating, finally took hisst breath and opened his eyes. It must have been just at dusk when he started the Breath Control Technique, but now the surroundings werepletely engulfed in darkness. I apologize, Master Uncle. I did not realize it had gotten sote. Its alright. More importantly, head back to your quarters. It will soon be time for the evening bell. I was worried you might be toote, but fortunately, youve woken up just in time. Yes, thank you for your help, Master Uncle! Mu-jin, now somewhat ustomed to the unique one-handed Shaolin salute, lifted it towards Beob Gang. Hahaha. Now that youve felt the Qi, from tomorrow, you can start learning the Buddha Mind Technique, the introductory Internal Energy Technique of Shaolin. Qi is one thing, but dont I also need to memorize all the acupoints? Wouldnt you, the son of a doctor, know all the acupoints? Ah Ah, yes, I do! Hahaha. Just, just a little joke. Hahaha. Quite the yful jest. Itste, so you should head inside. Yes, Master Uncle! Fearing that his lie would be discovered, Mu-jin quickly turned and ran towards the quarters. I must memorize all the acupoints by tonight no matter what. If he fails to memorize the acupoints by tomorrow and cannot learn the Buddha Mind Technique, all his lies would be exposed. Unintentionally, Mu-jin was in for a night of studying. * * * The next day, Mu-jin, who had risen early from dawn, forcibly woke up Mu-yul, who was still dreaming, and they warmed up together. During the morning training session, he did abdominal exercises with Beob Gang, ensuring not to strain his knees. Those who have felt the Qi and memorized the acupoints, step forward. It was finally time to learn the Buddha Mind Technique during the morning training session. Having felt the Qi and memorized all the major acupoints through forced overnight studying within just one day, Mu-jin confidently stepped forward, but Huh? To his surprise, there were several other kids stepping forward besides Mu-jin. Is feeling the Qi easier than I thought? Mu-jin thought to himself. This is the foundation and core of our Shaolin Internal Energy Technique. This booklet contains the essentials of the Buddha Mind Technique, announced Master Uncle Hye-jeong, addressing the children who had stepped forward. He meticulously exined the contents of the booklet to the children. As the Buddha Mind Technique was an introductory martial arts technique, its content was notplex. It simply involved the sequence of circting the Qi inhaled through breathing. Being a basic Internal Energy Technique, the Buddha Mind Technique only contained the safest and most robust acupoints necessary for containing the energy of Buddhas Way in the correct order. As one progresses to higher levels, the number and sequence of acupoints be moreplex, and touching the wrong acupoints could be dangerous. Conversely, as the number and sequence of acupoints be moreplex, the rate at which internal energy increases also doubles, but it was natural to start with the safest, the Buddha Mind Technique, in the beginning. [4:34 PM] Now, return to your ces and begin practicing the Buddha Mind Technique. If you have any questions or do not understand something, raise your hand at your ce, and I or the second-ss disciples wille to assist you, Master Uncle Hye-jeong concluded his exnation on the Buddha Mind Technique. After the exnation, Mu-jin and the other children returned to their ces. Mu-yul, who had been practicing the Breath Control Technique at his ce, weed Mu-jin back. Wow, Mu-jin, how did you manage to do all that in just one day? Born into an ordinary family and having inadvertently caught the eye of a second-ss disciple during his casual venture into the world of martial arts, Mu-yul had yet to experience the sensation of Qi. Seeing his friend advance ahead without any hint of jealousy, but rather with an innocent curiosity, Mu-jin responded with a lightugh. Youll be able to do it soon too. Keep quiet or we might get scolded, so focus on your breathing for now. Mu-jin, while ncing around at the locations of the second-ss disciples, put his index finger to his lips signaling shh. Hehehe. Mu-yul, seemingly pleased with something, smiled broadly, closed his eyes, and concentrated on his breathing. Maybe I should focus too. After finishing his chat with Mu-yul, Mu-jin, just to be safe, reviewed the Buddha Mind Technique booklet once more to fully engrave the acupoints and their sequence in his mind. Then, sitting cross-legged as he did during the Breath Control Technique, he took a deep breath through his nose. Using the method he practiced the previous night, he circted the Qi mixed within the air ording to the essentials of the Buddha Mind Technique along the acupoints. Oh ho. This is much more efficient than just holding onto it randomly? During the process of circting through the acupoints, more natural Qi seemed to adapt to his body and stayed in his Danjeon than the day before. Of course, it was only a small increase from four decimal ces to three, but even that was a significant improvementpared to the Breath Control Technique. Hehehe. Internal energy. Internal energy! ted by the fact that he was finally gaining internal energy, the essence of martial arts novels, Mu-jin lost track of time and immersed himself in practicing the Buddha Mind Technique. * * * Five days had passed since Mu-jin started learning the Buddha Mind Technique. [4:37 PM] In that time, his internal energy, which was once as small as a speck of dust, had grown to the size of a grain of rice. Having thoroughly enjoyed increasing the size of his internal energy, Mu-jin was diligently practicing the Buddha Mind Technique during the evening free time in his quarters. Beside him, Mu-yul was also sitting cross-legged, repetitively practicing the Breath Control Technique. Mu-jin, based on his own experience of feeling Qi with the help of Beob Gang, made Mu-yul sit with him forcibly every time and practiced the Buddha Mind Technique together. Mu-yul, who was forced to repeatedly practice the Breath Control Technique by Mu-jin, soon opened his eyes after a moment had passed. Noticing that Mu-jin waspletely immersed in the Qi Conducting Technique, Mu-yul carefully got up. For the still young Mu-yul, repeating the Breath Control Technique for more than a moment was very strenuous. In truth, he wanted to wake up Mu-jin, who was deeply absorbed in the Buddha Mind Technique, and y together, but he dared not because of a story he had heard somewhere. It was a story that said it was dangerous to disturb someone who was circting their Qi. With the disappointment of not being able to y with his friend, Mu-yul reluctantly moved quietly and stealthily opened the door of the quarters. Phew. Having sessfully slipped out of the quarters, Mu-yul let out a sigh and began his evening stroll with a cheerful expression. As a beginner disciple, the areas he was allowed to wander during free time were limited. The training grounds of the Arhat Faction and the vicinity where the quarters of the beginner disciples were located were among the few areas. Mu-yul wandered here and there around the quarters of the beginner disciples as if embarking on an adventure. During his exploration, he came across a child lying on the ground, seemingly asleep, in a secluded ce behind the quarters. Hmm? Mom said your mouth will get crooked if you sleep on the ground? Not able to leave the child with the risk of getting a crooked mouth, Mu-yul approached him. Huh? As Mu-yul got closer, he realized that the child was not sleeping but lying on the ground. Oof, oof. The child was not asleep but had copsed on the ground, with his clothes covered in dust and groaning. * * * Meanwhile, at that very moment, Mu-jin, who was deeply immersed in the Buddha Mind Technique, only realized that Mu-yul had disappeared after finishing his Qi Conducting Technique. Ah, shoot. Frustrated that his nephew had skipped training and run off, Mu-jin kicked open the door of the quarters and stepped out. Where have you been? Right at the door, there stood Mu-yul, who had just been about to return to the quarters. And whats with that body? Dragging along what seemed to be a body. Its not a body! Its my senior brother! Did you do your senior brother in? Looking at the nearly dead face and the trail on the ground where the body had been dragged, it almost seemed like a scene from It was you who did it! No! Its Mu-gyeong senior brother! Hes the one who entered the sect before me! But why are you dragging that senior brother like that? Hehehe. He was too heavy to carry, so I had to drag him here for now. The senior brother needs to sit up a bit so I can carry him, but he copsedpletely. Hmm. He was already copsed like this? Yeah. So, why was the senior brother copsed? Hmm Im not really sure. After hearing Mu-yuls response, Mu-jin bent down to take a closer look at Mu-gyeong, who looked like a corpse. These look like mud stains from when Mu-yul dragged him And these are footprints? It didnt take long for Mu-jin toplete his deduction. This No matter how I look at it, these are marks from being hit? Hit marks? Yes. And looking at the footprints and lifting his clothes a bit, there are quite a few bruises all over his body? Huh? Why would Mu-gyeong senior brother get beaten up like this? Mu-yul asked with a puzzled look, but Mu-jin had no way of knowing the reason either. No. To begin with, Mu-jin had little interest in his peers except for Mu-yul. This Mu-gyeong was only getting some attention because Mu-yul had dragged him here. [4:44 PM] Hm? But now that I think about it, why does the name sound familiar? Why indeed? Despite being a peer from the recent joint training, the face was unfamiliar, but the name strangely resonated with him. Even after pondering for a moment, nothing specific came to Mu-jins mind, so he quickly dismissed the concern. Instead, what caught his eye was Mu-yuls sympathetic gaze upon Mu-gyeong, and Mu-jin, slightly shaking his head at the innocent look, spoke up. Why? Want to know the reason? Yeah! But didnt you say you dont know, Mu-jin? I might not know but Trailing off, Mu-jin lifted his hand and pointed somewhere with his finger. Theres someone who probably knows. Following the direction Mu-jin was pointing, Mu-yul turned his head and saw Mu-gung, who was intensely practicing alone. Mu-gung senior brother? Yeah. Mu-gung senior brother knows why? Ah! Did Mu-gung senior brother beat him? Mu-yul innocently suspected the innocent Mu-gung as the culprit. That crybaby having the courage to beat someone up would be a relief. You said before, didnt you, Mu-yul? That Mu-gung was one of the first to enter the sect among the kids here. Yeah, yeah! So, he should know the situation before we arrived here better than us. Ah! Wow, Mu-jin is really smart! For some reason, despite Mu-yuls pure praise, Mu-jin couldnt quite feel happy about it. He wondered if there was anyone who, by Mu-yuls standards, wasnt smart. Anyway, since that guy might know, go ask him. Okay!! Mu-yul cheerfully responded and turned around, dashing off towards Mu-gung, who was training alone. Thud! As he did so, he carelessly dumped the body named Mu-gyeong onto the ground. Confirming the kill? Mu-jin watched Mu-yul for a moment with an incredulous expression. Whatever Mu-yul said, Mu-gung, who was interrupted in his training, began scowling and ring at Mu-jin. Sigh Feeling that things were getting unnecessarilyplicated, Mu-jin walked over to where Mu-yul and Mu-gung were. Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Why are you out here? (1) Why should I, in the midst of precious training time, be bothered mingling with you guys? Mu-gung, who seemed not to have gotten over the grudge from thest sparring session, scowled at Mu-jin and Mu-yul with a face that was uncharacteristically childish for his age. At that pettiness, Mu-jin also red at Mu-gung with a fierce expression. Hey. Arent you a senior brother? A disciple is in that state, and your training is more important? Huh? Arent you also a disciple? Mu-gung asked with an incredulous look, to which Mu-jin responded with an open sneer. Then, if you prefer being a senior brother who got beaten by a disciple, Ill call you that. Mu-gung senior brother. With the sass thates from experience, Mu-gung trembled with his fists shaking.That, that was because I let my guard down! Oh, yes, of course. Squeak!! Unable to contain his anger, Mu-gung eventually charged at Mu-jin. Mu-gung thought he had lostst time because he was caught off guard, because it was a surprise attack. Naturally, this time he aimed to deliver his best strike from the start. However Tsk. Of course, it didnt reach Mu-jin. Even though it was a destructive punch that would have made a whooshing sound, to use Mu-yuls words. And Mu-jin, who easily dodged that punch, went straight into Mu-gungs embrace. Hmph! Having been caught off guardst time, Mu-gung immediately lowered his stance to block the tackle. But Mu-jin, who had anticipated that, straightened up from his lowered stance, circled to Mu-gungs side, and used his own limbs to bind Mu-gungs. The tackle was a feint from the start. Mu-jin twisted Mu-gungs body, which was bound by limbs, into a bizarre angle. It was the Twister, a technique from modernbat sports. Kkeueuk. Mu-gung, who thought he couldnt burst into tears likest time, tried to endure, but the pain from the abnormally twisted joint was beyond imagination. Dont you understand why youre losing? Mu-jin, having subdued Mu-gung, whispered into his ear. Tell me why that guy ended up like that, and Ill tell you why youre losing. So lets just stop the sparring here, okay? Not wanting to make the kid cry again, Mu-jin spoke just that much and then casually released the Twister. Freed from the Twister, Mu-gung red at Mu-jin for a moment while catching his breath, but he didnt charge again seeking revenge. He was genuinely curious about why he was losing, and he also considered himself a disciple of the prestigious orthodox sect of Shaolin. Alright. You seem to have calmed down a bit, so now will you tell me why that Mu-gyeong ended up in such a state? In response to Mu-jins question, Mu-gung, massaging his aching joints, answered bluntly. Why else? He got on the bad side of the secr disciples. Got on the bad side of the secr disciples? Yeah. That secr, as in the secr disciples youre talking about? Yeah. That secr. Upon Mu-gungs answer, Mu-jin scowled and asked again. So, why did getting on the bad side of the secr lead to this? Isnt this Shaolin? Its about his background. Background? His father works as a courier for a courier service started by secr disciples. Amidst the flimsy excuses of Mu-gung, a peculiar tale emerged, prompting Mu-jin to furrow his brow and ask. What do you mean by three people? You said Mu-taes father is a secr courier service boss, right? There are two more guys who are sworn brothers with that courier boss, from secr disciple ns. They were deliberately sent here at the same time. So what do you mean by even one is too much? ording to this guy, youre the strongest here? Mu-jin gestured towards Mu-yul as he asked. Mu-yul had indeed said so before. Among the disciples currently training together, Mu-gungs Revolving Fist Technique was the best. Mu-yul might see it that way. Those guys, they dont take training seriously. They dont take training seriously? Yeah. Those guys are from secr disciple families here at Shaolin. Ah With Mu-gungs sinct exnation, Mu-jin quickly grasped the situation. If they were from secr disciple families, their martial arts would naturally be based on Shaolins techniques. Therefore, those guys would have already mastered both the Revolving Fist Technique and the Buddha Mind Technique. Life is simr everywhere, it seems. In simple terms, they had already learned a lot through advanced study. Of course, there are those who would consider relearning what theyve been taught as revision and work hard at it. If they were that kind of people, they wouldnt be causing this sort of trouble. Having finished his deduction, Mu-jin could now understand why there were so many like him who had mastered the Buddha Mind Technique in just one day. So, are you also from a secr family? No. Im also from a martial family, but our house isnt one of Shaolins secr families. Thats why Im learning Shaolins martial arts and striving to be a true disciple. Hmm. So, when a little more time has passed and those guys start learning techniques they havent yet, theyll probably start taking it seriously? Probably not. They dont n to learn it? Why? Because those guys dont intend to be true disciples anyway. They also have to seed their families, and those who were livingfortably at home wouldnt want to suffer here needlessly. Theyve all been sent by their parents to just bide their time until the selection of the true disciples, and when that timees, they will naturally withdraw to be secr disciples. So tormenting that Mu-gyeong is just a way for them to kill time? That could be one reason. The more Mu-jin heard, the more outrageous the story became. Seemingly feeling unjustly hit on the back of the head, Mu-gung again added a flimsy excuse. I didnt like them acting out either. To think that disciples from the prestigious orthodox Shaolin are bullying their own. If I could beat all three, I wouldve stepped in already. So? You didnt step in because you were afraid of losing? Yeah, thats right! I hate losing! With each of Mu-jins prods, Mu-gung again cried out with the face of a child. Tsk. What am I expecting from a kid. It was then that Mu-jin remembered that, despite his size, he was still dealing with a child, and he clicked his tongue lightly. Seeing that expression from Mu-jin, Mu-gung felt looked down upon and burst out with a shout. And I can beat one of them! Its just that those sneaky guys always roam around in threes, thats why I couldnt touch them! Yeah, yeah. I know our Mu-gungs capabilities well. Sure. Tch! As Mu-gung sulked and Mu-jin grew tired of arguing with a child, they were about to engage in a pointless quarrel when Kkeueuk Mu-gyeong, who had been sprawled on the ground, groaned as he regained consciousness. Naturally, Mu-jin, Mu-gung, and Mu-yuls eyes turned toward him. Uh, huh? As soon as he opened his eyes and saw the three of them staring at him, Mu-gyeong instinctively curled up on the ground. It was a defensive reflex ingrained in him from the experiences of the past two months. Mu-jin sighed at the pitiable sight and calmly walked over to Mu-gyeong, followed by Mu-yul, and Mu-gung, who, after a moment of hesitation, joined with a resigned expression. Approaching Mu-gyeong, Mu-jin clicked his tongue lightly and spoke to him. Dont worry, I wont hit you. Uh, okay. Despite nodding in acknowledgment, Mu-gyeongs body was still trembling under the gaze of the three. As pitiful as he looked, Mu-jin spoke in the kindest tone he could muster. Also, Ive heard about your situation from Mu-gung. Mu-jin gestured with his chin towards Mu-gung standing behind him, and Mu-gyeong looked at him with a bewildered expression. After waiting for Mu-gyeong to collect himself, Mu-jin spoke when Mu-gyeong turned his head back to him. So, Ive been thinking, and there might be a pretty simple solution? A solution? Yeah. Want to hear it? After a moments hesitation, Mu-gyeong cautiously nodded, and with an its-no-big-deal demeanor, Mu-jin said, Its simple. You just have to report everything youve been throughbeing bullied and threatened over your fatherto Master Uncle Hye-jeong. Mu-gyeongs face fell at Mu-jins straightforward solution. It wasnt that Mu-gyeong hadnt thought of that himself. Are you mocking me? Then those guys wont leave my father alone. Thats simple too. If you can be a true disciple, all your problems will be solved. ??? Mu-gyeong wore a look of iprehension, and not only him, but Mu-yul and Mu-gung also had faces of confusion. Sigh. Thats kids for you. It was the same in modern Korea. During middle and high school, the majority of kids suffering from school violence or ostracism were too afraid of retaliation to report it. And as time goes on, they be trapped in negative thoughts like my future is doomed anyway, and their perspective narrows. Mu-gyeong couldnt picture himself achieving anything; such images simply didnt form in his mind. Instead, what unfolded in his thoughts was a different scene. His failure to be a true disciple If I fail, father will have to continue working under Mu-tae The image of his father, who had descended the mountain as a secr disciple, being tormented by Mu-tae was all too vivid. Faced with this dreadful possibility that seemed all too likely toe true, Mu-gyeong lifted his head with resolve. Fine, Ill give it a try! Pleased with the answer, Mu-jin pped his hands and began with a cheerful tone, Good. Then lets discuss the first solution we talked about earlier. After snitching, lets talk about the second solution, shall we? A second solution? The first method might be enough to give those guys a hard time, but it wont settle the grudge youve suffered up until now. Right? You have to at least pay them back for what they did to you. Pay them back? You, you dont mean were going to beat them up, do you? What nonsense. Its not about beating them up; its about beating them together. Me, beat them? No. We will. It was a moment that could be considered moving, but Mu-gung, who was listening to Mu-jin and Mu-gyeongs conversation from behind, eximed with a shocked expression, Dont tell me Im included in that we too!? You think you can sit this out? You didnt hear our conversation just now? Mu-gyeong is going to be a true disciple of Shaolin, just like you. But, thats At just thirteen, Mu-gung had no chance of winning an argument with Mu-jin. Seeing Mu-gung flustered, Mu-jin drove his point home, Or are you scared you might lose? Hmph! With how hard Ive trained over the past hundred days, I can easily take on such guys one-on-one! Great. Thats settled then. Since there are three of them, Ill take one, Mu-gung will take another, and Mu-gyeong and Mu-yul can take on the third one together. With a p of his hands, Mu-jin easily summarized the situation and then added with a slightly regretful expression, Hmm. It wouldve been easier if Mu-yul could also sense Qi. Looks like Mu-gung and I will have to defeat two of them quicker. Huh? What are you talking about, Mu-jin? I can feel Qi too. Really? At Mu-yuls response, Mu-jin asked with a puzzled look, Then why have you been practicing only the Breath Control Technique until now? Hehehe. I can feel the Qi, but I havent memorized all the meridian points yet. Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Why are you out here? (2) Once again confirming that this bright-eyed fellow had built a wall between himself and the use of his head, Mu-jin deliberately ignored Mu-yul and opened his mouth. Since Mu-gung has decided to join us, lets continue the conversation we were having earlier. The conversation from earlier? You said you were curious why you keep losing to me, Mu-gung. Oh! Thats right, I have to keep my promises! The guy who was so nonchnt about fighting together was surprisingly enthusiastic on this subject. Despite the unimpressed attitude, Mu-jin continued with his teaching, as it would also be helpful to Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong. Your Revolving Fist Technique, Mu-gung, is certainly fast and powerful. But, on the flip side, thats all there is to it.If a martial technique is strong and fast, that should be enough. What else is there? To Mu-gungs answer that was close to a straightforward martialw, Mu-jin sighed and assumed the first stance of the Revolving Fist Technique. Lets have you experience it with your body to understand. Now, I am going to attack you with the first form of the Revolving Fist Technique, try to dodge it. As soon as Mu-jin threw his punch, Mu-gung dodged it effortlessly. Good. Now, Ill attack with the second form, so try to dodge again. This time, Mu-jin pretended to assume the second forms stance and then suddenly swung his leg in a low kick, striking Mu-gungs thigh. Of course, Mu-gung, who had moved only his upper body to avoid the punch, was hit squarely by the low kick and limped. What the! Why are you lying! Mu-gung, feeling wronged, shouted out, and Mu-jin clicked his tongue once before replying. Thats the point. Who would willingly get hit if they knew exactly what the opponent was going to do? You have to deceive like this tond a hit. !!! Understand? Your punches are fast and powerful, but its obvious what youre going to do just by looking at your stance before you even throw a punch. Ah, so I just need to attack fast and strong enough that even if you know, you cant stop it! Sounding irritated from taking a hit to the leg, Mu-gung came back with a nonsensical rebuttal. Yeah. Well, your words arentpletely wrong. Maybe one far-off day when you be the unparalleled number one in the world, then what you say might be true. For instance, like the protagonist of [Legend of the Evil Emperor], the second work of the author who wrote [Chronicles of the Shaolin Saint Monk], which Mu-jin joined. The protagonist, known as the number one under the heavens or the supreme swordsman, was described in the novel as having an iprehensible sword technique that could not be blocked even when known. Conversely, it meant that such ludicrous statements did not apply unless one was the number one under the heavens. Thats why, until you be the number one under the heavens, you need to know how to do this. Understand? After contemting Mu-jins exnation for a moment, Mu-gung seemed to agree, nodding his head thoughtfully. Then he added a curious statement. Still, Ive learned something good, so Ill give you one piece of advice. Advice? When you fight those guys. Itll be dangerous if you underestimate them thinking of me. Mu-jin tilted his head at Mu-gungs words. What nonsense is this guy spouting all of a sudden? Was he about to make some strange excuse that he had been holding back until now? So, youre saying youre stronger than them? If I were really fighting, I would be stronger, since I would use my familys martial arts. Are you saying youre stronger when you use your familys martial arts? Yes. When I use my familys martial arts, I can use my internal energy. Ah Only then did Mu-jin understand what Mu-gung was trying to say, but a question arose. Then why didnt you use your internal energy when you sparred with me? Because Ive only learned the form of the Revolving Fist Technique and the Buddha Mind Technique so far, I havent learned how to infuse my internal energy into the Revolving Fist Technique. Why not use your familys martial arts? What kind of crazy person woulde to Shaolin to be a disciple and use their familys martial arts during sparring? Youre implying Im the crazy one, arent you? Hmm. As Mu-jin red with half-closed eyes, Mu-gung discreetly turned his head away. After staring down Mu-gung for a moment, Mu-jin casually asked another question. So, dont tell me, are those guys also capable of breaking rocks and such, like Master Uncle Hye-jeong showed us? Thats something only Master Uncle Hye-jeong can do because of his level. Considering the level and age of those guys families, they might not be as good as me, but the difference probably wont be big. Upon hearing Mu-gungs response, Mu-jin contemted for a while. He had initially thought that they were dealing with opponents at the level of a somewhatpetent sixth grader or a first-year middle schooler, but they could be more skilled than he had anticipated. It wasnt just himself or Mu-gung; there was a risk that Mu-yul or Mu-gyeong could get hurt. Telling Master Uncle Hye-jeong and ending it might be one way to handle it Mu-jin slightly turned his head and looked at Mu-gyeong, who was squatting down in disarray. A child whose self-esteem had already been shattered by prolonged bullying. The reason why Mu-jin was willing to fight that gang wasnt just to correct the misguided entitlement of children believing in their parents authority; it was more to help heal the childs trauma. He wanted to gift the experience of standing up to the bullies and oveing them with his own two fists. Still holding on to that sentiment, Mu-jin, with a sense of maybe, asked Mu-gung. Then, could you show me just once the level of those guys? Im talking about that family martial art you mentioned. What? Well fight if it seems worth fighting after seeing it, or well just inform Master Uncle Hye-jeong otherwise. After a brief moment of astonishment at Mu-jins bold request, Mu-gung looked around discreetly and spoke cautiously. Lets go over to that secluded spot then. If the Shaolin elders catch us using martial arts from another n, well be marked. With a trivial excuse, Mu-gung headed towards a more secluded area. Mu-yul, could you help Mu-gyeong up for a moment? Sure! As Mu-yul helped Mu-gyeong to stand, Mu-jin picked him up and followed in the direction Mu-gung had disappeared. Hehehe. Watching the three of them, Mu-yul smiled brightly and followed behind, apparently amused by something. As Mu-jin, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul followed, Mu-gung assumed the ready stance to demonstrate his familys martial arts. Heh. Theyll be surprised. In truth, the biggest reason why Mu-gung decided to show off his martial arts was to protect his own shattered pride. He wanted to show Mu-jin, who had beaten him twice, just how skilled he really was. Hoo. Mu-gung concentrated his mind and manipted one of the two small energies located at his Danjeon. It was the internal energy obtained through his familys internal energy secret techniques, which he had sealed away to learn the martial arts of Shaolin. Though the internal energy gained from the Buddha Mind Technique was intended to naturally absorb this internal energy once its realm was elevated, Mu-gung still had more of his familys internal energy than what he had obtained from the Buddha Mind Technique. Havingpleted his preparations, Mu-gung began to move his arms and legs while employing his internal energy. Boom! Bang! With every punch and kick he swung, there was a small sound of the air bursting. Wow. Watching the scene, Mu-jin let out a small exmation of admiration. Indeed,pared to when he was only using the Revolving Fist Technique, both the power and speed had increased noticeably. Of course, it wasnt an extraordinary power, perhaps akin to a professional MMA fighter in training, or a high school boxing athlete? Considering the age, even that doesnt quite make sense. After all, a thirteen-year-old was exhibiting strength and speed greater than that of an average adult. But this level was certainly enough to warrant an attempt. Judging by Mu-gungs words and level, neither he nor those guys had reached the realm of freely manipting internal energy. In simple terms, it meant that they could only use internal energy when swinging their fists ording to specific forms and techniques. And if the martial arts they use are the Revolving Fist Technique, then their movements will be predictable. Though they might be stronger and faster than Mu-gung, if the techniques they could use were the same, it would be manageable. The problem lies with Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong. If Mu-gyeong gets beaten up while hes taking down one of the opponents, this n would be for naught. Even if they couldnt win, they needed at least to have the experience of standing up for themselves. Alright. Now that we know their level, lets start preparing. Therefore, Mu-jin intended to prepare Mu-gyeong and Mu-yul to be able to face disciples who could use internal energy. Yul, try taking the first stance of the Revolving Fist Technique. Okay! Without hesitation or question, Mu-yul smiled and took the first stance as instructed by Mu-jin. Now, swing your fist in rhythm with the form. Ha! Now, as you can see, the first form of the Revolving Fist Technique requires spreading your legs shoulder-width apart, starting from the tips of your toes, twisting your waist, and swinging your fist. In other words, when you take the proper punch stance with your legs shoulder-width apart, it means you are using the first form. And so, Mu-jin began to go over the characteristics of each stance within the Revolving Fist Technique one by one. At this time, the path of the punch flies straight towards the opponents sr plexus. Now, the question is, which side will be exposed? Mu-jin didnt stop there; he exined the openings created by each stance as well. This was based on the analysis he had done a few days earlier in preparation for sparring with Mu-gung. For the fourth form, its an initial form that counters while breaking the opponents defense, but if you just induce it, it actually creates a bigger opening. After drawing out the fourth form with a feint, you can immediately dive inside. A peculiar scene unfolded at the Shaolin Temple: a Shaolin disciple teaching another Shaolin disciple how to counter Shaolin martial arts techniques. * * * Three dayster, during the evenings free time, in a secluded spot between the Arhat Faction dormitory buildings. Three novice monks were kicking the ground with their feet while having a conversation. Mu-tae, hesing today, right? Of course. I whispered to him earlier today. If he doesnt show up, Ill send word to his family. Heh heh. Mu-tae replied with a sly smile to his friends question. They were both from the same secr disciple n at Shaolin and had grown up together. Time to loosen up the hands after a while. Keuk. What do you mean after a while? Its only been two days, man. If we do it every day and then take a two-day break, it feels like a while~ Ah, does it work like that? Laughing at his friends jest, Mu-tae and the other friend burst into heartyughter. Three days ago, they had beaten someone up more severely than usual, so they had no choice but to take thest couple of days off. They still had nearly a year and a half left to endure the tedious time before they could officially obtain the status of Shaolins secr disciples. During that year and a half, if they wanted to use Mu-gyeong as a punching bag without getting caught, they had to manage him just right, which is why they let thest two days slide. Hey. Buttely, it seems that kid has been hanging out with some weirdos? You mean that crazy Mu-jin and the dumb Mu-yul? Yeah. And Mu-gung was mixed in with them too? Why is that braggart bear cub mingling with those weirdos? How would I know? Hey, you dont think Mu-gyeong is gonna bring those three with him today, do you? Heh. So what if he does? It just means there are more guys we can beat up. At Mu-taes confident response, the other two also let out a small chuckle with a pfft. Despite being only thirteen, the three of them overflowed with confidence in their ability to handle internal energy. It was understandable, given that nearly no one among the adults in their family could match them. Blissfully unaware, the young trio didnt realize that the adults in the family often lost to them on purpose, due to the head of the family their parentscoddling them excessively. Hehehe. Ive been wanting to teach that crazy Mu-jin a lesson for a while now, it would be great if he came along. Right. That guy is way too presumptuous. He just doesnt get it. Then Ill take care of Mu-gung. I really cant stand his arrogant act. Hahaha. Remember how Mu-gung cried a few days ago? Hehehehe. That was so funny, I thought I was going to dieughing. If that guyes along too, Ill be the one to make him cry this time, so look forward to it. As the three novice monks unleashed small, sinisterughs with cunning smiles on their faces. Clop. Small footsteps began to approach from behind the building where they were seated. A momentter, as Mu-gyeong turned the corner of the building, a cruel smile appeared on the lips of the three novice monks. Hey. Did that brat really bring them? Following Mu-gyeong, the figures of Mu-jin, Mu-yul, and Mu-gung appeared, and broad grins spread across their faces. Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Why are you here? (3) Hey. Did he really bring that guy here? Upon hearing the words of one of the Novice Monks behind the humble hall, Mu-jin let out a slight chuckle. Wow. Did you expect us toe? Weve been hanging around together these past few days, how could we not know? You knew we wereing but didnt run away, what were you thinking? In response to Mu-jins question, the three Novice Monks tried to suppress their emergingughter by covering their mouths with both hands. Even though it was a secluded ce, they had to be careful not tough too loudly since someone from the Shaolin temple coulde by. Keheheheh. Why should we run away?Wow. Just because you beat that big oaf, youre overflowing with confidence? See. I told you that guys crazy. The three managed to hold back theirughter, taking turns to speak. For some reason, Mu-jin also burst intoughter at their words. Keheheh. Hey, did you hear them? They called you a big oaf. Didnt you say you were sure to win? They were looking at me like that? Provoked by Mu-jins taunt, Mu-gung stepped forward with veins bulging on his forehead. Anyone,e at me. Ill make sure you wont be able to spout such nonsense again. Hmph. As if someone would be scared by that. The Novice Monk, who had just boasted about beating Mu-gung in front of his friends, approached him. Hmm. Then is that remaining guy mine? Since Gyeong and Yul are taking care of Mu-tae. And Mu-jin approached the Novice Monk standing beside Mu-tae, as if he was going out for a casual stroll through the neighborhood. Hmph. Ive been waiting for this moment, you brat. Ill humble that arrogant nose of yours since you got cocky beating Mu-gung. With each individuals opponent decided, the only ones left were Mu-gyeong, Mu-yul, and Mu-tae. Mu-tae walked confidently towards Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong. As Mu-tae approached, Mu-gyeongs hands began to tremble more and more. Over the past two months, due to repeated violence, the image of Mu-tae that had taken root in Mu-gyeongs heart had grown toorge. Oh, is our little friend Mu-gyeong, the son of our enemy, trying to hit me? As if knowing exactly what was in Mu-gyeongs heart, Mu-tae taunted him with ease. He even went as far as to approach Mu-gyeong, sticking his face right in front of him as if daring him to throw a punch. Instead of fighting back, Mu-gyeongs body shrank even more at that provocative attitude. Even though his opponent did not assume a stance to attack, Mu-gyeongs body had instinctively curled up like a turtle. From the experiences of being hit and trampled on, Mu-gyeongs body had be ustomed to trying to minimize the pain as much as possible. A smirk appeared on Mu-taes lips at the sight of Mu-gyeong looking like a turtle. Mu-tae leaned in closer to Mu-gyeongs ear and issued onest threat. If you hit me, do you know what will happen to your father? However, those words acted as a catalyst instead. The fear of Mu-tae was overshadowed by concern for his father. As Mu-jin had said, enduring this bully would ultimately lead to his father being treated like a ve by this guy. There was only one way out. To stand up to this guy and be a True Disciple. Dont you dare bully my father!! In the moment when anger overcame fear, Mu-gyeong, with a shout, swung his fist towards Mu-tae, who hade right up to his nose. Whoops! However, Mu-gyeongs punch, driven by anger, was too straightforward. This guy must be crazy! Mu-tae easily dodged Mu-gyeongs punch and counterattacked. His fist, filled with internal energy following the initial move of the Revolving Fist Technique, flew towards Mu-gyeongs abdomen. Ha! Just before Mu-taes punch could hit Mu-gyeong, Mu-yul, who had leaped in with perfect timing, pushed Mu-gyeong away. Mu-gyeong senior brother! Snap out of it! Perhaps it was his pride that was hurt when his punch hit nothing but air, for Mu-tae immediately redirected his target and began swinging his fist toward Mu-yul. Huff! But to his surprise, Despite the fist being charged with internal energy, Mu-yul was dodging all of his punches. This was thanks to the teachings of Mu-jin over the past two days. While young Mu-yuls eyes couldnt follow a fist filled with internal energy, he could recognize the preparatory movements well enough. Hah! Mu-yul was leaping here and there, narrowly avoiding the punches. However, because the speed was too fast, Mu-yul had no opportunity to counterattack. He was too busy scrambling like an acrobat to avoid being hit. While Mu-yul was buying time, Mu-gyeong, who had been knocked to the ground and had regained his senses thanks to Mu-yul, lifted his head to observe Mu-taes movements. I can see it! He couldnt see the fist properly, but the preparatory movements and trajectory were exactly aligned. I can do it! With newfound confidence, Mu-gyeong cautiously approached Mu-tae. Revolving Fist Technique, the fifth form! Watching Mu-taes stance, shoulders, and the position of his elbows, Mu-gyeong predicted his next move and swung his fist toward Mu-taes left side. The blind spot created when using the fifth form of the Revolving Fist Technique. Naturally, Mu-tae couldnt notice Mu-gyeongs approach. Take this!! Thump! Mu-gyeongs fist dug into Mu-taes left side. * * * Meanwhile, Mu-jin was also engaged in a fierce battle with a Novice Monk from a secr background. Whew, thats fast. Indeed, experiencing a fist charged with internal energy right in front of him, the speed and power were beyond imagination. As Mu-jin still didnt know how to use internal energy, getting hit now would likely send him to his grave. Well, thats all there is to it. The fact that Mu-jin hadnt immediately subdued his opponent was to prepare for any eventuality. His opponent used attacks that were dangerous even with a mere brush. If there was some other move besides the Revolving Fist Technique, diving in recklessly could lead to a quick defeat. So, for safety, he kept a careful distance and watched, but so far, there had been no sign of any other techniques beyond the Revolving Fist Technique. There wasnt even a hint of using any fake or feint moves. Now its done. As if there was nothing more to see, Mu-jin charged at his opponent. The opponent, seeing Mu-jin closing the gap, mistook it for an opportunity. As Mu-jin raised his fist, the opponent prepared a counterattack, but Tsk, tsk. Mu-jin, who had intended to induce that response, slipped past the hand that was swung for defense and drove his fist straight into the abdomen. Ugh. The Novice Monk, who only knew how to swing a fist, had not reached the level of using internal energy to bolster his body and let out a violent groan from that single blow. Putting aside internal energy, he had almost no experience getting hit due to being coddled as he grew up. And Mu-jin had no intention of waiting for his opponent to regain his senses. Thump! Thump! Mu-jins rapid strikes hit the Novice Monks face and abdomen in quick session. Ugh. Uh, ugh. Eventually, the Novice Monk, clutching his aching abdomen, burst into tears. Wow. This way it looks like Im the bad guy, doesnt it? What were you guys thinking, beating up the kid so mindlessly? Uh, ugh. Ah, ahaha. I, Im going to tell my dad! Struck speechless by the Novice Monks unabashed crying, Mu-jin let out a hollow sigh. At this point, it felt like it wasnt the kids who should be punished but their parents. How had they raised their children? Whoops. Nows not the time for this. He wasnt alone in this fight. Having taken down one Novice Monk, Mu-jin scanned the area. First, Mu-gung seems to be doing fine. Maybe because he taught him how to counter the Revolving Fist Technique, Mu-gung was also overwhelming his Novice Monk opponent with ease. And then, Mu-yuls urgent voice burst out. Mu-jin! Hurry up and help!! Startled, Mu-jin immediately turned his head towards the direction where the three were fighting. ??? A puzzled expression naturally crossed his face. There was no need for help; Mu-tae was already on the ground, getting pummeled with glee. What does he need help with? Mu-jin wondered inwardly. Just then, Mu-yul shouted again, urgently. Help me hold back Mu-gyeong senior brother! Mu-yul cried out and rushed toward Mu-gyeong, who shook off Mu-yul and climbed back on top of Mu-tae to swing his fist. As he mercilessly beat the already bloody-faced opponent, Mu-taes face turned into a bloody mess. But Mu-gyeong, who hadpletely lost his senses, continued to pound the bloodied face relentlessly. And the blood spattering from Mu-taes face was now drenching Mu-gyeongs fists and face in red. The sight of his blood-stained face and eyes shimmering with madness brought back a certain memory buried deep in Mu-jins mind. The mad priest who loved blood more than anyone. The lunatic who imed that all humans are evil and that he washes away their sins with blood. He was the most insane viin character from Record of the Demon Sovereigns Return, the first work by Ga-gyeong, the author of the novel Chronicles of the Shaolin Saint Monk that Mu-jin had joined. Blood Monk Mu-gyeong. Crazy. He was that guy? It was then that Mu-jin remembered why the name Mu-gyeong sounded familiar and was horrified. No matter how much he liked the novel, it had been eighteen years since hest read it. Moreover, it was a character he remembered not through pictures or images but through text, so it was impossible to recall right away. In the novel, the scene of the Blood Monk bursting into maniacalughter amidst bloodshed ovepped with the sight of Mu-gyeong relentlessly throwing punches while covered in Mu-taes blood. At that moment, Mu-jin felt chills unwittingly creep up his spine. What have I awakened? A child whose self-esteem had been shattered by prolonged bullying. The very act intended to revive that childs self-esteem was now flowing in such an unexpected direction. However, now was not the time to be shocked. Mu-jin dashed towards Mu-gyeong and shouted, Hey! Grab him quickly!! As Mu-jin and Mu-yul grasped his arms from both sides, Mu-gyeong struggled violently as if having a seizure. How can he be so strong? It was as if he was channeling some innate divine energy. Let go!!! Hes the one!!! He was going to bully my dad!!! After a while of Mu-yul and Mu-jin desperately holding on, Hu, huuuuk. Huuuuk. Perhaps his anger had subsided, Mu-gyeong suddenly burst into tears. Mu-jin then let out a sigh of relief as he watched. Hes not the Blood Monk yet, is he? He had worried whether this incident would be a catalyst for Mu-gyeong to turn into a blood-crazed madman. But considering his current state, it didnt seem quite so. Im not sure if my memory serves me right, but the Blood Monk just appeared as a madman. There was no story about why he became mad. Perhaps, as a child, he endured bullying like this, and eventually, he crossed a line he should not have. Mu-jin was contemting this when, Halt!!! A deep, resonant shout from the Buddhist tradition burst out behind them. Only then did Mu-jin snap out of his reverie, and his eyes refocused on the situation at hand. The two Novice Monks, whom he and Mu-gung had beaten, were sprawled on the ground crying, and there was Mu-tae, turned into a bloody mess. Were doomed. As he pondered how to resolve this situation, Mu-jin cautiously turned around, And what met his gaze was the figure of Master Uncle Beob Gang. Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Rather Good (1) Mu-jin had shared a spiritual connection with Beob Gang, but todays Beob Gang was different. What is going on here? You need to exin it to me in a way that I can understand. He was no longer acting as the opponent of Mu-jin but had returned to his original role as the self-proimed guardian of the martialw. Noticing that a casual excuse wouldnt work, Mu-jin immediately approached the crying Mu-gyeong and stripped off his clothes. What are you doing? Even Beob Gang, who was wearing a stern expression, was taken aback by the action and shouted in rm, but Mu-jin was confident. Look at Mu-gyeongs body, Master Uncle Beob Gang. Mu-gyeong continued to cry even after his clothes were removed. Beob Gangs brows furrowed as he carefully examined Mu-gyeongs body.As a second-ss disciple of Shaolin and a warrior in the martial world, he could easily tell that the scars and bruises on the body were the results of someones violence. And they werent fresh wounds, but scars that had been there for quite some time. What has happened here? The ones lying on the ground are the ones who have been tormenting Mu-gyeong for the past two months. Are your words true? Beob Gang looked sternly at the novice disciples seated around the area. His formidable presence made even Mu-gung shrink back, and two novice monks who had already been crying burst into even louder sobs, Huuuuaaaahhh! The only ones not intimidated by Beob Gangs presence were the confident Mu-jin and the indifferent Mu-yul. Due to the outcry of Beob Gang and the weeping of the novice monks, other second-ss disciples began to appear behind Beob Gang. However, Beob Gang, as if uninterested in the second-ss disciples who appeared behind him, continued to shout with a stern face and an intimidating aura. Why does no one answer! Mu-hwi, Mu-hwan! Did you truly torment Mu-gyeong? Beob Gang questioned the other two, excluding the beaten and unconscious Mu-tae, but they were only pressed by his presence and burst into even louder cries. At that, Beob Gang turned his head towards Mu-gyeong and asked in a stern voice. Mu-gyeong! You must confess the truth! Have those two truly been tormenting you for the past two months? Naturally, Mu-gyeong also shrank back at Beob Gangs fierce presence. Its okay. Just tell it as it is. Master Uncle Beob Gang is a fair person. Encouraged by Mu-jins words as he stroked his head, Mu-gyeong gradually stopped crying. Hic. Mu-jin is right. I, I have been hit by Mu-tae and Mu-hwi, Mu-hwan over the past two months. Mu-gyeong, who had been crying violently, began to recount his experiences in a trembling voice. Although the story was disjointed due to the emotional state of the young child, the core of the tale was clearly conveyed to Beob Gang. If, if I resisted. They, they said they would harass, harass my father. As Mu-gyeong finished his exnation, a moment of silence fell over the area. And Mu-jins voice pierced through the stillness. I stepped in because they were nning to call out Mu-gyeong and beat him again today. Master Uncle Beob Gang, you said that Shaolin never abandons its disciples under any circumstances. I thought it was necessary to protect Mu-gyeong, as he is also a disciple of Shaolin. With his confident promation, Beob Gang looked at Mu-jin as if engaging in a battle of wills. However, those children are also disciples of Shaolin. Are you saying that those who threaten a child over his fathers livelihood are disciples of Shaolin? Is that truly the spirit of Shaolin? Speechless at Mu-jins outburst, Beob Gang closed his mouth. Thats right. Your words are just. Parting the crowd of second-ss disciples, an old monk revealed himself. It was Hyun-seong, the Ban-dangju of the Arhat Faction, overseeing the entire faction. However, that is only if your and Mu-gyeongs words are true. And whether those words are indeed true will be determined by an investigation that willmence now. If your words are found to be correct, those children will no longer be disciples of Shaolin. Disciple. I have no doubt that a just and fair investigation will be conducted. Upon hearing Hyun-seongs words, Mu-jin spoke up with a sense of responsibility, and Hyun-seong continued with a stern expression. However, even if those children are no longer Shaolin disciples, it does not erase all their sins. The essence of Shaolin martial arts lies in subduing, not in excessive violence, especially not against mere children. As Hyun-seong pointed at the beaten and fallen Mu-tae, Mu-gyeong tried to stand up and speak. Or, he would have, if it werent for the figure who stepped in front of him, blocking his way. I apologize. Rage got the better of me because of those who tormented Mu-gyeong, and I failed to control my emotions. The owner of that back was none other than Mu-jin. Mu, Mu-jin? Mu-gyeong called out to him with a perplexed expression, but Mu-jin, while still looking at Hyun-seong, only waved his hand slightly backward. It was a gesture implying not to worry. Its my fault that it hase to this, after all. He hadnt expected things to turn out like this, but he knew he shared in the responsibility. However, he hadnt stepped forward solely because of that sense of responsibility. Above all, I cant just let that guy be a blood sessor. If he were to betray (?) Mu-gyeong again at this moment and shift the me, theres a chance that Mu-gyeong, disappointed by that act, could be a blood sessor in the future. On the contrary, if he prevents Mu-gyeong from bing a blood sessor. That would make him the ultimate ally. The viin who made the protagonist suffer so much in the first part of the story was precisely a blood sessor. If he could just get that guy to trust and follow him, then watching the novels ending unfold would be so much easier. While it was a sense of responsibility that made him step forward, it was, in many ways, not a bad situation for Mu-jin. Observing Mu-jin voluntarily stepping forward, Hyun-seong asked with a peculiar expression. So you admit to your actions. Yes, I do. Then you must also ept the punishment that fits the crime. Are you truly prepared to take responsibility for your actions? If the person who should receive punishment changes, then how can it be considered a punishment? Hyun-seongs eyes lit up at Mu-jins confident response. Hyun-seong, the elder monk in charge of Shaolins Ban-dangju, had naturally noticed that it was Mu-gyeong who had been beaten to that state by Mu-tae. However, he inwardly admired Mu-jins desire to protect Mu-gyeong. Indeed. If he is raised properly, he will be a cornerstone of our Shaolin. And Hyun-seong was not one to offer convenience simply because someone could be a cornerstone. In fact, he believed that the greater the potential of the individual, the more strictly they must be disciplined. Then, as the Ban-dangju of the Arhat Faction, I will impose a suitable punishment for the novice disciple Mu-jin. Mu-jin, Imand you to undergo seven days and nights of wall-facing meditation. Disciple. I will ept the punishment with gratitude. As Mu-jin responded with a bow, Hyun-seong nodded and then turned to speak to the gathered second-ss disciples of the Arhat Faction. Beob Gang. Take charge of Mu-jin. And to the other second-ss disciples, listen. We will nowmence a thorough investigation of the novice disciples. We must clearly uncover whether Mu-tae, Mu-hwi, and Mu-hwan have indeed been tormenting Mu-gyeong. We will follow the Ban-dangjusmand! As soon as Hyun-seongs order was given, the second-ss disciples scattered in all directions throughout the temple. Beob Gang, who was in charge of escorting Mu-jin, approached him, and Mu-jin cautiously made a request. Master Uncle. May I have a little time before I receive my punishment? Very well. With Beob Gangs permission, Mu-jin turned back to look at Mu-gyeong. Dont worry about me, Ill be fine. After patting Mu-gyeongs head reassuringly, Mu-jin looked at Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong. Take good care of Mu-gyeong, both of you. Okay! Me? Why should I? At the contrasting responses from Mu-yul and Mu-gung, Mu-jin frowned and red at Mu-gung. Act a little more like a senior brother, would you? But Mu-yul is here too, right? You want Yul to take care of Mu-gyeong all by himself? To that kind soul who is a bit dim? Catching the meaning in Mu-jins eyes, Mu-gung looked at Mu-gyeong with a reluctant expression. And involuntarily, a hup burst forth from Mu-gung at the sight of the bloodstains on Mu-gyeongs face. For the thirteen-year-old Mu-gung, the sight of Mu-gyeong, who had beaten someone to a pulp, was nothing short of terrifying. Then Im counting on you. Regardless of Mu-gungs fear, Mu-jin, having said his piece, simply turned and walked away. * * * Beob Gang led Mu-jin out of the Shaolin temple. After leaving the temple and traveling a distance, they finally arrived at a cliff lined with strange rocks and trees, a ce where ancient monks once practiced wall-facing meditation to enter the path of the Buddha. This ce is where past monks performed wall-facing meditation to immerse themselves in the Buddhas way. Mu-jin, for the next seven days and nights, you will be here, not allowed to speak with anyone. You must only face the wall and repeatedly engage in deep meditation. Beob Gang briefly exined the significance of the ce. In truth, Shaolin had a separate prison for real criminals, known as the Cave of Repentance. It was a ce in ordance with the spirit of Shaolin, where the martial arts of subdued enemies were sealed, and they were imprisoned. Those whomitted grave sins within Shaolin were also confined there. However, sending young disciples to such a ce often resulted in them bing corrupted by the cunning inmates, bing even more wicked. This ce was chosen as an alternative to avoid such oues. You must only face the wall, and you are never to look back, even when sleeping or eating. I will periodically bring you water and wall porridge, so from now on, begin your wall-facing meditation. Understood. After listening to all of Beob Gangs instructions, Mu-jin simply performed a respectful bow and entered the cave. And Beob Gang, having finished exining, for some reason, remained in ce, watching Mu-jin. He was on standby to monitor Mu-jin, to ensure he didnt do anything other than what was required. Most young disciples made such mistakes when they first received themand for wall-facing meditation. Mistakes like lying down on the ground instead of facing the wall, or doodling on the floor with their fingers. Thats why he was doing this. He watched in a way that didnt even hint at surveince. Naturally, if Mu-jin were to becent and get caught doing something other than meditation, an additional punishment would follow. Although its unlikely this child would do such a thing Even as Beob Gang thought this, he continued to watch Mu-jin with a steady gaze for a long time. Even though Beob Gang was fond of the child called Mu-jin, thew was still thew. Just in case, he watched Mu-jins back with vignt eyes. Mu-jin stood straight, his gaze fixed on the wall in a disciplined posture. He observed Mu-jins back for quite some time. As night fell,plete darkness enveloped the cave where they had arrived in the evening. Indeed Throughout the period known as this moment, Mu-jin was immovable. He simply continued to look silently at the wall. Since his back and neck were also straight, it was clear he wasnt asleep. Such focus and mindset at the mere age of twelve. Beob Gang slightly nodded in approval, impressed even by Mu-jins attitude toward receiving punishment. And as for Mu-jin, who was already in the midst of his wall-facing meditation at this moment. Ha. I wondered, but it seems [Chronicles of the Shaolin Saint Monk] shares the same universe after all. Rather than meditating, he was busy contemting the future based on the events of the day. The previous works by Ga-gyeong, [Record of the Demon Sovereigns Return] and [Legend of the Evil Emperor], shared the same universea Ga-gyeong Universe. Furthermore, not only did these works share the same universe, but the periods of activity for both protagonists also ovepped. They barely encountered each other simply because they operated in different regions. The first part dealt with the protagonists activities mainly outside the Central ins as he strived to be the leader of the Demon Sect, while the second part focused on the protagonists activities within the Central ins as it was about the evil sects. Especially towards the end of the second part, [Legend of the Evil Emperor], which Mu-jin liked the most, a character named Saint Monk appeared, so he couldnt help but wonder. One might think, since its the same universe as the two novels, why not just sweep up all the fortuitous encounters? But there was one significant problem. The protagonists of the first and second parts were not enemies of the Saint Monk. I cant interfere with the growth of the protagonists from the first and second parts The problem is, I cant remember any fortuitous encounters other than the ones they received. These were novels he had read during his school days, and it had been seventeen years. He could only remember the general plot; the finer details were hazy at best. And even if he could remember, taking away the protagonists destined encounters wasnt an option. If the protagonists didnt be strong enough for their respective times and died prematurely, it would be aplete disaster. In fact, the reason why Mu-jin was determined to stay at Shaoliny here. To not interfere with the paths of the protagonists from the first and second parts. And for his safe growth. Frankly, even if he was aware of the fortuitous encounters, it wasnt a world where a mere twelve-year-old could wander around at will. This world within the martial arts novels was unforgiving. In that sense, staying and enduring within Shaolin might have been the best choice. Because Ive taken care of a blood sessor. The protagonist of the first part was the most talented within the universe, and it was Mu-gyeong, the blood sessor, who had fought closely with such a protagonist. Wait a minute. Does this mean Ive stolen his destiny? The protagonist of the first part gains enlightenment and bes stronger at the climax of his fight with the blood sessor. And now that the blood sessor has disappeared, that enlightenment could be considered gone as well. Ha. This isplicated. With these thoughts, Mu-jin concentrated as hard as he could. And Beob Gang, unaware of such facts, simply looked on at Mu-jin with a proud expression. About an hour had passed when Oh! That could work? Mu-jin came up with a decent idea and tried to firmly imprint it in his mind by going over it several times. The method he thought of involved a time when the blood sessor and the protagonist of the first part would meetmeaning it could only be used at least ten years from now. After secretly watching Mu-jin for over an hour, Beob Gang carefully turned away as the time passed from mi-shi (9-11 PM) towards ja-shi. (11PM to 1AM) Having observed Mu-jin for almost an hour and a half and seeing that he had not moved at all, Beob Gang felt further surveince was unnecessary. Certainly, stepping back was only a temporary measure. He nned to return the next dawn, and thereafter, he intended to periodically check in under the pretext of secretly bringing water and wall-nut pills. Using the stepping technique to minimize noise, Beob Gang retreated. Phew. Hes finally gone. Once Beob Gangs presence hadpletely disappeared, Mu-jin let out a sigh and muttered to himself. Mu-jin had seven years of experience rolling with the special forces, and during those years, he had gone on several secret missions. He had honed his ability to sense the presence of others in the mountains. Of course, if Beob Gang had used an ear-listening technique or a method to blend in with nature, Mu-jin wouldnt have known, but Beob Gang, who had considered Mu-jin no more than an ordinary novice, hadnt gone to such lengths to conceal his presence. Ultimately, this could be considered a mistake on Beob Gangs part. Thud. Having confirmed Beob Gangs departure, Mu-jin flopped down on the ground and grumbled. How am I supposed to pass the time for seven days and nights? Id exercise, but theres no beans or mushrooms for protein. It was already unsatisfactory to substitute meat with beans and mushrooms, and now he couldnt even eat those. Sigh. I need meat. I need meat. After a moment of muttering to soothe his craving, Mu-jin suddenly sprang to his feet with a realization. Why dont I just hunt and eat? Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Rather Good (2) During special forces training, there was also survival training. It was training to survive in case one was to infiltrate enemy territory or got left behind. It naturally included procuring food on-site, so hunting animals in the wild and eating them was already a familiar task for him. Hehehe. This wall-facing meditation, isnt it just sweet? Mu-jin, wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth, headed out of the cave. Recalling the times of survival training and moving as stealthily as possible for a while. Mu-jin was able to spot a red dot shining through the bushes. A rabbit! It was an excellent source of protein.Mu-jin carefully approached the location of the rabbit, taking a wide detour. No traces must be left. The simplest way to catch that rabbit was to pierce its throat with a fallen branch on the ground, but that would leave bloodstains and scent. Moreover, if the blood sttered on his monks robe, there would be no way to deny it. Like carrying out top-secret missions during his special forces days, Mu-jin approached the rabbit very carefully. And when he got close enough. Whoosh! With very agile movements, he dashed towards the rabbit in an instant. Squeak! The startled rabbit leaped up to avoid Mu-jins charge. Sorry, little rabbit. For now, I need to survive too. Before he knew it, Mu-jins hands were grasping the rabbits ears that had sprung into the air. * * * Mu-jin, having made sure to leave as little trace as possible, dug up the ground in a nearby cave to make rabbit y roast, and let out a hearty belch after eating. There was no time to groom the fur, and in order to minimize any traces, he just thered the mud on and then plucked the fur out along with the baked y. Now that Ive replenished my protein, its time to get a good nights sleep. Though it wasnt to a satisfying level, he had replenished his protein. Moreover, having eaten meat for the first time since arriving in this world, his mind was very much at ease. As soon as Mu-jiny down on the cave floor, he fell into a deep sleep. And the next morning, before dawn. Mu-jin woke up earlier than usual, earlier than the bell tolls at Shaolin Temple, and sat cross-legged facing the wall in a proper posture. Was it to diligently practice wall-facing meditation? No. It was because he felt someone approaching the cave. And just as Mu-jin expected, not long after, Beob Gang appeared nearby the cave, carrying Fasting Pills and water. Instead of offering the water and Fasting Pills right away, Beob Gang looked into the cave with a slightly surprised expression. I was hoping for it, but to think he would be up and doing wall-facing meditation again. Or could it be, has he been repenting all through the night? Surprised by Mu-jins diligence, Beob Gang still thought it might be a fluke and watched Mu-jins back for a while. After a significant amount of time had passed without any change, Beob Gang stealthily entered the cave and ced the Fasting Pills and a basin of water beside Mu-jin. As he approached, Mu-jin did flinch slightly, but he did not make the mistake of speaking or turning his head. Hehehe. It seems he didnt realize I was here. If a supervisor appears suddenly every now and then, the practitioner cannot becent in their wall-facing meditation. Well, with this guy, it might not be necessary to go to such lengths. Satisfied by Mu-jins unwaveringmitment to wall-facing even when startled, Beob Gang left the cave after a short while. Phew. Mu-jin, who had sessfully feigned surprise and deceived Beob Gang, let out a deep sigh. To think they expect kids to survive a week on just this. Thats really too much. He muttered to himself as he carelessly popped the Fasting Pill that Beob Gang had left behind into his mouth. Having quickly snacked on the Fasting Pill, he spread his legs and began to loosen up his muscles, starting from those in his legs. Now that he had found a means to supplement his protein and the watcher was gone, it was time for him to freely exercise. ording to his rotation schedule, today was the day to work on his chest and back muscles. Mu-jin decided to start with some light push-ups. Seup. Hoo. He repeated a typical breathing method often seen in gyms several times. Huh? A thought suddenly struck Mu-jins mind. This seems simr to the Breath Control Technique? With a bit of curiosity, Mu-jin decided to try performing the Breath Control Technique along with his exercise. He breathed in through his nose as his body lowered while bending his arms, and exhaled through his mouth while pushing up with force. Originally, he should have focused on the chest muscles or the back muscles located near the shoulder des, but this time, he decided to concentrate not only on his muscles but also on his breath and Qi. !!! As he concentrated, he could feel the Qi fluctuating in the process. Could it be possible to apply the Buddha Mind Technique as well? With a bit more ambition, Mu-jin inhaled while bending his arms, but instead of exhaling and straightening his arms right away, he held the position with bent arms and focused on the Qi. He aimed to circte the Qi drawn in with his breath through various meridians ording to the essence of the Buddha Mind Technique. As expected, its not as easy as I thought. His breathing quickened as he held the pose, and it was difficult to fully concentrate on the Buddha Mind Technique since part of his attention was on maintaining muscle tension. Still, with a bit more practice, it seems like it could be alright? If he became able to naturally apply the Buddha Mind Technique without consciously forcing it, then it would be entirely possible to umte internal energy while exercising simultaneously. In fact, what Mu-jin was attempting was quite dangerous. Circting Qi through the meridians was a very delicate operation, and touching the wrong meridian could lead one onto the path of the six realms of reincarnation. However, Mu-jin was safe because the internal energy technique he was employing was the Buddha Mind Technique. Being the most stable and fundamental Qi Gong technique in Shaolin, the meridians that the Buddha Mind Technique passed through were all in stable locations. Good. During this wall-facing period, lets try tobine exercise with the Buddha Mind Technique! Thus, without anyone teaching him, Mu-jin began to practice active cultivation on his own. * * * One day earlier. At sunset, Shaolin Temple would normally be quiet as befits a monastery, but that was not the case now. The issue of bullying among the novice disciples was a disgraceful event for the prestigious Shaolin Temple. Naturally, the atmosphere in the Arhat Faction, which oversaw the novice and third-ss disciples, had to be solemn. You must confess the truth! If your testimony differs from the others, you will be severely punished! The second-ss disciples in charge of the investigation began to interrogate the resting novice disciples one by one. Of course, as disciples of Buddhism, the interrogation was not conducted with violence. However, the young novice disciples, aged only 11 to 14, did not dare to lie in the face of the second-ss disciples formidable presence. Before even a day had passed, the investigation concluded, and reports of consistent testimonies from all the children were delivered to the Ban-dangju, Hyun Seong. Ah. This is all due to myck of virtue. Could there be a more embarrassing event for the leader of Shaolin Temple? Having read all the reports, Hyun Seongs face could not help but turn red with shame. I apologize, Master. This is all because I failed to manage properly. Master Uncle Hye-jeong, who was in charge of the novice disciples education, bowed deeply at the sight of their masters distress. Just then, there was a sound outside the Arhat Faction leaders quarters. Second-ss Disciple Beob Gang. I have just returned. Come in. As Beob Gang entered the leaders quarters, Hyun Seong tried to hide his bitter expression and asked, How was Mu-jin? As expected, he is truly amendable child, Master Uncle. Beob Gang briefly recounted what he had observed for an hour and a half. He talked about how Mu-jin maintained his posture impably while facing the wall. Hehehe. It seems both fortune and misfortune have visited Shaolin. Its fortune that found and blocked the misfortune. It was lucky that the child discovered it early. Had it been found outter, who knows what might have happened. Upon hearing Beob Gangs words, Hyun Seong and Master Uncle Hye-jeong nodded as if theypletely agreed. We were just discussing that matter. The interrogation results proved that Mu-gyeong and Mu-jins words were true. All of this is due to myck of virtue. As Hyun Seong and Master Uncle Hye-jeong said this in turn, Beob Gang cautiously began to speak. I have something to say regarding this incident. Go ahead. Though it may be presumptuous of me to say, this incident is not due to anyonesck of virtue. Its everyones mistake. But whats important now is not to me or regret but to ensure that such an incident doesnt happen again. Thats indeed the right thing to say. Do you have any measures in mind? At Hyun Seongs question, Beob Gang replied with a tone full of confidence. In my opinion, the biggest reason for this incident was theck of training. Lack of training? Yes. Theymitted such malicious acts because they had the physical energy to spare for them. If Mu-jin had heard this, he would have been astonished by such a military-like approach to solving the problem. However, this was Shaolin Temple, and since Shaolin focuses on martial arts training, it was more akin to a military establishment than a school. That makes sense. As disciples of Buddhism, it is only right that they devote themselves to mental training through sutras and to asceticism through martial arts. Im thinking of making the children focus more on asceticism and mental training. Would it be alright to proceed like that, Ban-dangju? Upon Beob Gangs inquiry, Hyun Seong pondered for a moment before nodding. Then, Ill leave that matter to you and Master Uncle Hye-jeong. Ill be a bit busy for the next few days wrapping up this incident. The guilt of threemoner-born individuals had been proven, and corresponding punishments had to be administered. The issue at hand was that since all those children belonged to families outside Shaolin, coordination with the external division in charge of outside affairs and the Jurisdiction Department in charge of punishment was necessary. It was a given that to atone for their sins, the martial arts they had learned from Shaolin would be retracted. However, it was undecided whether the punishment should extend to their families, or if it should end with the children themselves. Moreover, the situation regarding Mu-gyeongs father, who had been treated no better than a hostage, also needed to be addressed. I will do my best to resolve this matterpletely. I will ensure that such an incident never urs again, Master. Hyun-seong, whose mind was at ease upon seeing the serious faces of Beob Gang and Master Uncle Hye-jeong, nodded with a look of trust. * * * In the region of Icheon-hyeon, situated some distance from Mount Song where Shaolin is located, monks garbed in Shaolins robes made their appearance. They were none other than the Second-ss Disciples and First-ss Disciples from Shaolins external division and the Jurisdiction Department, dispatched by the temple. As soon as Shaolins disciples entered Icheon-hyeon, they scattered in every direction. They went to the countlessmoners living in Icheon-hyeon, engaging in various conversations to gather information. Lets go. A short whileter, they arrived at the entrance of a courier service with the signboard Seobul Courier Service. I am Hye-geol, the deputy head of Shaolins external division. As the leading monk introduced himself, the guardian of the Seobul Courier Services entrance promptly stepped aside. Pleasee in! I am Seo Mun-pyeong, the head of Seobul Courier Service. It is an honor to meet the renowned Five Fists Unmatched. The head of Seobul Courier Service, who was ay disciple of Shaolin, tried to wee them warmly. If only it hadnt been for the unfortunate state of his son, who appearedst. May I ask why Ji-tae is in such a state? Seo Ji-tae. Seo Mun-pyeong looked at his son, formerly known as Mu-tae in Shaolin, and inquired. In response to his question, Hye-geol, the representative, exined the events that had urred at Shaolin a few days prior. However, they had note solely to exin that incident. Moreover, from what we have learned while traveling around Icheon-hyeon! We have discovered that Seobul Courier Service has been threatening the local popce and extorting valuables! What do you mean by that!? Seo Mun-pyeong cried out as if he had been wronged, but Hye-geol paid no heed to his protest. As the saying goes, a child reflects their parents, it appeared that Mu-taes parents were also engaging in viiny. And they were doing so under the name of Shaolinsy disciples. You must face the consequences for using Shaolins martial arts to intimidate themon people, Seo Mun-pyeong, head of Seobul Courier Service! Revoke the martial arts of everyone present here! Amitabha. No sooner had Hye-geol given the order, the apanying Shaolin disciples sprang into action. They began to subdue one by one those affiliated with Seobul Courier Service who had learned martial arts. Stop them! I said stop them!! Despite Seo Mun-pyeongs frantic shouting, the couriers of Seobul Courier Service, no different from an average secr martial arts school, were unable to withstand the true disciples of Shaolin. In an instant, all of Seobul Courier Services couriers were subdued, including the head Seo Mun-pyeong himself. All martial arts of these individuals must be revoked, and the wealth they have umted should be distributed to the surroundingmoners! From that day on in Icheon-hyeon, those who had been tyrannizing as Seobul Courier Service were stripped of their Danjeon, and their limbs meridians were severed. As Shaolins disciples were returning the valuables from Seobul Courier Services warehouse to themoners, Hye-geol turned towards a group of porters and asked. Is there a patron by the name of Bang-geon here? I-I am Bang-geon. At Hye-geols inquiry, a middle-aged man named Bang-geon replied with a trembling voice. To him, merely a porter, the couriers of Seobul Courier Service were fearsome beings. How much more terrifying must the young Shaolin disciples have been, who subdued the couriers as easily as twisting a childs wrist. But unexpectedly. Instead of intimidating Bang-geon, Hye-geol bowed his head deeply. I apologize, Patron Bang-geon. The child who was tormented by Ji-tae was none other than your son, Mu-gyeong. What do you mean!? Are you saying my child was bullied? I am truly sorry for not preventing it earlier. Although it cannotpensate for what urred, we will take responsibility for the aftermath. As promised, Hye-geol and the Shaolin disciples transferred Bang-geon to another Shaoliny courier service as a porter C to a ce that was reputable and honest, unlike Seobul Courier Service. Chapter 16: Chapter 16: The grueling schedule that was no different from hell for the novice disciples finally came to an end. After the incident involving Mu-gyeong, Beob Gang kept the promise he had made to Hyun-seong and Master Uncle Hye-jeong. The rumor was that the novice disciples had been worked incredibly hard. The training intensity had increased beyond the usual, and even one hour of the usual one and a half hours of free time was taken up by afternoon training as additional practice. In the end, they barely had half an hour to wash up and rest. Having quickly rinsed off the sweat with cold water, Mu-gyeong returned to the front of the lodging, practically in a state like a corpse. You cant just go to sleep like that, senior brother Mu-gyeong! Mu-yul, who had helped him since the dawn training, was now starting to prevent him from entering his room and resting. Why cant I sleep?Mu-gyeong asked with a face like he was about to cry, and Mu-yul, incongruously solemn, answered. Mu-jin said, Hey. If you sleep just like that, youll get sick. As it turned out, he wasnt trying to be solemn; he was imitating Mu-jin. Disciple Mu-jin said that? Yes! So now, Ill teach you what I learned from Mu-jin. Ah! Senior brother Mu-gung, you join in too! Mu-yul caught Mu-gung too, who happened to be heading back to the lodging after his bath. Join in? On what? Something I learned from Mu-jin! You feel reallyfortable after doing it. Hehe. Something learned from that guy Mu-jin? Intrigued by Mu-yuls exnation, Mu-gung approached with a skeptical expression, interested in the technique Mu-jin had taught. Lets start with the legs! Mu-yul, who had dragged Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong in, demonstrated the Close-Range Spear Technique he had learned from Mu-jin, one by one. Mu-yul, whose head was pure but had a particr skill in physical activity, was able to show most of the movements of the Close-Range Spear Technique he learned from Mu-jin perfectly. Hm. Was this the next one? Indeed, there was a bit of a problem with the order being all jumbled up. Nevertheless, with each demonstrationplete, Mu-yul corrected Mu-gyeongs posture. Senior brother Mu-gyeong! You need to spread your legs wider! And if you put weight on your upper body to press down on your legs, they will stretch out even more! Ugh. Mu, Mu-yul, my disciple! Did I, did I do something wrong? Im sorry!! Please, please spare me!! Of course, from Mu-gyeongs perspective, this felt like a new method of torment. Despite the pain that felt like death, Mu-gyeong couldnt bring himself to quit for a simple reason. Feeling somewhat bullied, he was too timid to refuse outright. But that was only for a moment. Huh? After being forced to repeat a few movements of the Close-Range Spear Technique in pain, the knotted muscles rxed, bringing an oddfort. Hehe. How is it? Its refreshing, right? Uh, yeah. It feels refreshing? Mu-gung, who had been watching for a while, also grew curious and tried to mimic a stance. Senior brother Mu-gung. What are you doing? Mu-yul, observing Mu-gungs far clumsier stance, asked with a puzzled face. What do you mean what am I doing? Im trying to follow along. You need to spread your legs wider! This is as far as they go? Hehe. I learned it from Mu-jin, and he said if you press down, theyll stretch more! To help Mu-gung, Mu-yul willingly put his full weight on him, pressing down. Aaaaah!!! Even though the legs had only spread a little more, an immense groan erupted from Mu-gung. Despite his impressive size and strength for his age, Mu-gung was seriously stiff. Feeling intense pain like when he had been subjected to Mu-jins strange technique, Mu-gung almost begged as he screamed. Get off!! Please, stop!!! Heh. But its really refreshing. Mu-yul stood up with a gloomy expression in response to Mu-gungs desperate cry. Damn it. Now that I think about it, did Mu-jin practice on Mu-yul? Having narrowly escaped the attack, Mu-gung had such a thought. Perhaps Mu-jin had tricked the foolish Mu-yul into believing it was something good to test the technique. Just then, a serious voice came from behind them. It seems you were practicing Close-Range Spear Technique, the voice belonged to none other than Beob Gang. Beob Gang hade to check on Mu-gyeong, the victim of this incident, and upon seeing them practice the Close-Range Spear Technique, he felt intrigued and struck up a conversation. Close Range Spear Technique, you say? Mu-gung asked with a puzzled voice from behind. Yes. I learned it from Mu-jin as well. Its a very useful skill. Saying so, Beob Gang also started demonstrating the stances of the Close-Range Spear Technique he had learned from Mu-jin. Mu-jin, that guy Did he even deceive Master Uncle Beob Gang? It was Mu-gung who alone deduced that Mu-jin had tricked Beob Gang. Although there was a slight problem with the content being entirely different. While practicing the Close-Range Spear Technique with the children, Beob Gang suddenly seemed to remember something and called for Mu-gyeong. Yes, Master Uncle Beob Gang. In fact, I came here to deliver a message to you. As Mu-gyeong looked puzzled, Beob Gang told him about the events that had taken ce in Ichonhyeon. He mentioned that the Seobul Courier Service run by the parents of Mu-tae, who had tormented him, hadpletely shut down and that he had introduced a new job opportunity to Mu-gyeongs father. So dont worry about worldly affairs, and do your best to be a True disciple. At Beob Gangs final words, Mu-gyeong replied with a tearful face. This novice monk will do his best! As Mu-jin said, Shaolin was a ce that did not abandon its disciples * * * On the morning of the seventh day since Mu-jin had started his wall-facing cultivation. As always, Beob Gang visited the cave before the sound of the morning bell of the Shaolin temple had even rung. However, unlike before, Beob Gang made his presence known rather overtly as he approached. The wall-facing cultivation ends today, so you may rise. At Beob Gangs words, Mu-jin, who was facing the wall, got up and turned around. May I speak now? Yes. The morning training for the novice disciples will start soon, lets head to the training ground. Yes. Mu-jin exited the cave with a light bow and then proceeded towards the Shaolin temple with Beob Gang. After walking for a short while. Mu-jin, who had been curious all this time, asked Beob Gang a question. How did that incident end up? Master Uncle. The matter involving Mu-gyeong? Yes. Upon Mu-jins inquiry, Beob Gang exined to him the events that had urred in Ichonhyeon. It seems like a clean handling of the situation, and yet, not quite They had stripped the wrongdoers of the power tomit more crimes and returned the wealth they had taken. However, there was a sense of dissatisfaction for not havingpletely crushed everything with a more forceful hand. Is this the spirit of Shaolin? To avoid taking life when possible and ensure that the punishment fits the crime. Mu-jin felt a sense of suffocation as if something was right, and yet, something was clogged up. Well, that must be why I am still alive and well. Mu-jin hade to ept the fact that this was not a dream. He was beginning to understand that if he had caused the same trouble in a typical martial arts sect, he would have been dead long ago. As Mu-jin was contemting this, Beob Gang nonchntly conveyed to him. Ah. And during the past seven days and nights, the intensity of the training has increased. Is that so. Although we have left your training alone ording to the promise, for the sake of fairness with the other children, you too must now follow Shaolins training. From Mu-jins perspective, it was an absurd proposition. And he was not one to ept unreasonable exercises just because someone told him to. Shouldnt it be enough to just increase the intensity of the training? I will try to undergo more difficult training on my own. Master Uncle Beob Gang can observe, and if it feels unfair, then I will follow ordingly. I will observe for now. After ending the conversation there, the two soon arrived at the training ground of the Arhat Faction. This morning, as always, dozens of novice disciples had already taken their ces at the training ground from the early dawn. Mu-jin~!! Spotting Mu-jin as he entered the training ground, Mu-yul waved his arms cheerfully with a bright smile, and on either side of Mu-yul were Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong. Did everyone fare well? Heheh. It was so~ tough. The training suddenly got harder. I, I almost gave up. Hmph. That level was nothing but a piece of cake for me. Hearing the responses of Mu-yul, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-gung, Mu-jin could tell that the training was not to be taken lightly. Lets go! As the four of them were lightly dispelling their frustrations, the majestic roar of a lion burst forth from the mouth of Master Uncle Hye-jeong, who was without fail seated in the ce of honor. Let the dawn training begin now! As soon as Master Uncle Hye-jeongs shout erupted, the novice disciples moved towards a certain ce with faces like the dead, shuffling their feet. Where they headed, sandbags were piled up in abundance. Its been incredibly tough since six days ago when we suddenly had to train with those on. Heheh. Having already heard from Beob Gang that the intensity of the training had increased, Mu-jin, with sparkling eyes, made his way towards the piled-up sandbags. Seeing the sandbags, all sorts of good exercise methods started popping into his head. Those who have picked up their sandbags, return to your spots! Any child who dawdles will have to carry an additional sandbag! Right after Mu-jin chose his sandbags, following the shouts of the Second-ss Disciples, the children returned to their own ces. Assume the horse stance! As always, the simplistic and brutish dawn training began. And Mu-jin was once again doing his own exercise instead of the horse stance. The only difference from a week ago was that he had a sandbag slung over each hand. Thats right. Mu-jin was enjoying his free weights, as if the sandbags had be dumbbells. He breathed steadily and alternated bending and straightening his arms, each gripping a sandbag, several times. The bnce and grip feel quite off, making it harder. Mu-jin realized that the process of lifting and lowering was much more ufortablepared to when using dumbbells. Well, Im not trying to be a bodybuilder, so this might actually be better. As much as the grip and center of gravity were messed up, the effort of lifting and lowering the sandbags inevitably dispersed the stress to different areas. In other words, it meant that he was using all the muscles in his arms and shoulders more evenly. For the current Mu-jin, this was perhaps more beneficial. He was a disciple of the Shaolin temple, not a gym trainer. To put it in modern terms, he was like a prospective mixed martial arts fighter. In essence, the overall bnce was more important than the size or shape of the muscles that were visible on the outside. The reason Mu-jin invested long hours in the Close-Range Spear Technique was not only to tone his muscles but also to maintain flexibility, which was even more crucial. If one were a mixed martial arts fighter, they would need to be able to strike or exert strength freely from various positions. Seup, hoo. After warming up lightly with a single sandbag, Mu-jin now increased the challenge by holding two sandbags in each hand and repeated the exercise. Then, having trained his biceps brachii, Mu-jin took a moment to steady his breath and changed his stance. He lifted his arms holding the sandbags overhead and then brought them behind his head, repeating the movement. He was doing overhead extensions to work his triceps. In addition, he lifted his arms holding sandbags to the side, the so-called sideteral raises to work theteral deltoids, among others. He utilized the sandbags to perform a variety of dumbbell exercises he knew. Kuh. I was already getting tired of barehanded exercises, and now theyve even provided me with dumbbells. While the other novice disciples were all sporting dying expressions, Mu-jin alone had a look of ecstasy as he proceeded with his exercises. Naturally, the eyes of the novice disciples, who were performing the horse stance with sandbags tied to their limbs, couldnt help but be drawn to Mu-jin. Khem. The Second-ss Disciples and Master Uncle Hye-jeongs gaze also turned towards Mu-jin. However, due to the promise made about fifteen days ago, the Second-ss Disciples found themselves unable to do anything but inadvertently turn their gaze towards Beob Gang. They feared that if they left Mu-jin be, Beob Gang might have another outburst, and they also harbored a hope that Beob Gang might know a solution. Hoo. Beob Gang, who sighed at their expectant gaze, approached Mu-jin. He intended to tell Mu-jin to undergo the same training as the other novice disciples. Judging by the way he was simply lifting and lowering his arms, it seemed much easier than the other disciples, and unlike the lifeless faces of the other children, Mu-jins expression seemed oddly joyful. However, as Beob Gang approached Mu-jin, he had to abandon that thought. From a distance, he hadnt noticed, but up close, he saw that Mu-jins face was already drenched in sweat. The sandbags, which were quite heavy for the young children, and unlike dumbbells, had poor grip and bnce, making the exercise twice as difficult. Contrary to Mu-jins ecstatic expression, his arms were screaming for mercy, their tendons bulging out. But what really shocked Beob Gang wasnt Mu-jins sweat or bulging forearms. Active cultivation? The child who had not even been training in the Buddha Mind Technique for a full fifteen days was already on the verge of achieving the state of active cultivation. Chapter 17: Chapter 17: From a distance, Master Uncle Hye-jeong captured Beob Gangs exmation and approached Mu-jin with a surprised expression. Ha. To think you were actually engaging in active cultivation. Getting closer, Master Uncle Hye-jeong realized that Mu-jin was indeed practicing active cultivation and let out a sigh. Suddenly, Mu-jin, feeling interrupted by the strange sounds made by Master Uncle Hye-jeong and Beob Gang, looked at them with a puzzled face. Is there a problem? Its not so much a problem Mu-jin, just when were you able to engage in active cultivation? At Beob Gangs inquiry, Mu-jin pondered for a brief moment. Of course, it was the result of the seven days and nights of wall-facing meditation training, but he couldnt tell the truth. It would be as good as confessing that he was secretly doing other things during the wall-facing meditation. Well I just tried it out now. In my familys exercise methods, breathing is considered important, and as I was exercising today after a long time, it seemed simr to the familys breathing methods and the Breath Control Technique, so I tried applying it.At Mu-jins words, Beob Gangs jaw dropped open. Master Uncle Hye-jeong, with his years of experience, barely managed to keep hisposure. It wouldnt have been surprising if his jaw had dropped as well. Originally, active cultivation was a state that could only be achieved when one had greatly advanced in their internal energy technique. Of course, since the Buddha Mind Technique is a basic internal energy technique, one would typically achieve great progress after a few years of practice. However, this did not mean that all second-ss disciples or even more senior monks of Shaolin could engage in active cultivation. With advanced internal energy techniques, the umtion of internal energy naturally doubles in speed. Instead of fully mastering the Buddha Mind Technique, it was an unwritten rule toy the foundation with it before learning higher-level techniques. The efficiency of concentrating and conducting Qi for one hour using a higher-level internal energy technique was far superior to conducting Qi for twelve hours a day through active cultivation with the Buddha Mind Technique. But if one were to reach the level of active cultivation within just a few days of learning the Buddha Mind Technique, the story changes. This individual would be able to umte internal energy at a significantly faster rate than other children, and it would be the same case even if they were to learn higher-level internal energy techniques. When conducting Qi, one could proceed with advanced techniques, and for regr training, they could continuously refine their Buddha Mind Technique through active cultivation. And above all else. Considering that he easily managed to engage in active cultivation by just trying it once, he might quickly seed in active cultivation even with even higher-level techniques. Both Beob Gang and Master Uncle Hye-jeong were harboring such thoughts. Ahem. So, does that mean you can continuously conduct Qi through active cultivation even normally? Master Uncle Hye-jeong asked with anticipation, to which Mu-jin shook his head. I can do it only when I practice my familys exercise methods. Both Master Uncle Hye-jeong and Beob Gang looked slightly disappointed at Mu-jins answer, but they quicklyposed themselves. Ive been too greedy. Amitabha. It was already a remarkable feat to be able to engage in active cultivation during exercise, how could they expect more? And through the conversation with the two, Mu-jin realized an important point. Hmm. It would certainly be useful if I could continuously conduct Qi not only during exercise but also normally, wouldnt it? It was the moment a new goal was born. But a goal was just a goal. Then, may I resume my exercise? Muscle loss was muscle loss. It was absurd to waste precious exercise time on idle chatter. Yes, you may proceed. Ahem. It seems weve been a hindrance. At Mu-jins request, Beob Gang and Master Uncle Hye-jeong had no choice but to step back with embarrassed faces. They hadpletely forgotten their original intention to instruct Mu-jin in Shaolins training methods. * * * After finishing an hour of dawn training, Mu-jin got up with a refreshed look on his face. That was very rewarding. During the hour, he had not only worked his muscles but also continued active cultivation, resulting in the umtion of an hours worth of internal energy. Mu-jin, a decade-long fitness enthusiast, knew very well that while each days progress might seem small, after a year or two, the change would be immense. As the novice disciples finished their dawn training and started cleaning up to head to Ban-dangju for their meal. Eutcha. To rx the muscles he had stressed for an hour, Mu-jin began practicing the Close-Range Spear Technique. Since he had focused on shoulder and arm exercises that day, he started loosening up his upper body. Beside him were Mu-yul, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-gung as well. Oh. When did Mu-gyeong learn that? Mu, Mu-yul senior brother taught me. It, it hurts, but after doing it, I feel stretched out andfortable. Mu-gyeong pointed to Mu-yul, speaking shyly as if embarrassed. Kuh. Well done, Yul. Mu-gyeong was a child who would be an excellent asset in the future. After all, wasnt he that prodigious blood sessor? Teaching the Close-Range Spear Technique Mu-jin looked particrly reliable today, having taught Mu-gyeong the Close-Range Spear Technique. After giving Mu-yul a thumbs-up, Mu-jin began to stretch alongside him for a while. Hmm? It didnt take long before he noticed a few odd things. Firstly, Mu-gyeong is stiffer than I thought? He noticed that the poses which Mu-yul performed with ease seemed to trouble Mu-gyeong. Now that I think about it, Master Uncle Beob Gang did seem to be in quite some pain. Of course, Beob Gang clenched his teeth and tried not to show it. Anyway, in Beob Gangs case, he already had a knee problem, and his body was fully grown. So I thought it was because of his age, but now I see, maybe Mu-yul is just more flexible? Indeed, Mu-yul was good at following not just the Close-Range Spear Technique but also other physical activities. Maybe Yul has more talent than I thought? But why then had Mu-yuls name not appeared even once in the first or second part of the story? Pondering this briefly, Mu-jin soon realized the reason. Could it be because of his pure white hair, he couldnt learn the ascending martial arts? It seemed usible for Mu-yul. In martial arts novels, the more advanced martial arts often had veryplex manuals. Still, he has talent in physical activities, so if he gets a little help, he might be quite strong? Until now, Mu-jin had just treated him like a cute nephew, but perhaps he could be a significant force in the future. Having organized his thoughts to that point, Mu-jin then turned to resolve another question, looking at Mu-gung. Somehow, unlike Mu-gyeong or Mu-yul, Mu-gung was merely watching from the side, not joining in the stretching. What are you doing not participating? Ahem. Ill do itter, so dont worry. At Mu-jins question, Mu-gung turned his head away with a blush on his face. It wasnt because he misunderstood the Close-Range Spear Technique as an offensive skill of Mu-jin. That misunderstanding had already been cleared up thanks to Beob Gang. He had even reluctantly tried it a few times and felt refreshed. Yet, there was a reason he was only watching. Damn it. That guy would definitely make fun of me. He didnt want to show his stiffness to Mu-jin, or to any of the other disciples, for that matter. Mu-gung found it most embarrassing in the world to show others something he couldnt do, even more than losing. Whats the use if your muscles cool down, you dummy. Unaware of this fact. Or rather, not particrly wanting to know, Mu-jin approached Mu-gung and began to force him to stretch. Arghhh!!! Let go!! Let me go!! Wow. This guy is like aplete wooden puppet. A wooden puppet. It did not take long before Mu-jin realized just how incredibly stiff Mu-gung was. Yeah! I am stiff! You got a problem with that!!! Thinking that Mu-jin was making fun of him, Mu-gung yelled back, but Mu-jin just clicked his tongue lightly and continued to press down on his body. Being stiff isnt a sin, and whats there toin about? You practice the Close-Range Spear Technique to be more flexible when youre stiff. Those who mock the efforts of others are the real trash. There were sometimes those kinds of people. Those despicable ones who wouldugh at overweight people who had gathered the courage to go to the gym to diet, and who couldnt run for long before copsing fromck of stamina. Mu-jin disliked the behavior of those who mocked the efforts of others, and more than anything else, Phew. Just thinking about the members who left because of such jerks makes me want to smash their heads with a dumbbell right now. Considering the economic hit his gym took because of such people, he couldnt help but grind his teeth in anger at them. Of course, Mu-gung, unaware of such circumstances, found the words quite moving. To only show his best to others, he had been living his life making tremendous efforts in secret, behind everyones back. Among the novice disciples, he was the most advanced not just because of hisrge build and martial family background but mostly because of his efforts. Ahem. For the first time today, youre actually saying something sensible. Yeah! We shouldntugh at those who make an effort. Right. So lets make an effort. Pleased with Mu-gungs spirited response, Mu-jin pressed down hard on his body. Arghhh!!! Once again, Mu-gungs screams echoed throughout the practice yard. * * * Upon the introduction of new sandbags, Mu-jin began to enjoy various free weights and started practicing active cultivation, aside from that, the daily routine of the initiate disciples remained unchanged. However, on the tenth afternoon, a change came during the morning training session. Now that most disciples have mastered the Buddha Mind Technique, it is time to move on to the next stage, proimed Master Uncle Hye-jeong, who was seated at the high seat. At this deration, two Second-ss Disciples suddenly took the starting stance of the Revolving Fist Technique. From now on, you will learn to infuse the internal energy, gathered through the Buddha Mind Technique into the form and stance of the Revolving Fist Technique, Master Uncle Hye-jeong continued. Finally, they would learn not just to gather internal energy but also how to utilize it. One Cycle Heart Punch, involves pulling up the gathered internal energy from the Danjeon through the Sea of Qi, Middle Cavity, and Great Abyss, after which seven parts of the qi go through the Qi House acupoint on the right side to the Shoulder Center acupoint. Three parts of the qi Following Master Uncle Hye-jeongs exnation, the two Second-ss Disciples each slowly began to unfold the initial form. Your posture must not be distorted. Those who have learned the Buddha Mind Technique should now firmly support themselves with both legs and proceed to practice the One Cycle Heart Punch ording to the lumborum. As soon as Master Uncle Hye-jeongsmand was issued, Mu-jin also assumed the position and concentrated. Sea of Qi, Middle Cavity, Great Abyss So its going up from the Danjeon to the chest. He calmly recalled Master Uncle Hye-jeongs exnation and used a small part of the internal energy coiled in the Danjeon. Divide it into seven and three? The first challenge was to divide the internal energy that reached the chests Great Abyss between the acupoints located on the shoulders of both arms. Mu-jin calmly settled his mind and slowly divided the internal energy between his arms, twisting his upper body, extending his right arm forward, and bncing with his left arm, dispersing the gathered qi along both arms. Boom!! Despite proceeding slowly, a small explosive sound burst forth when he thrust out his right fist. Oh ho. In that single practice session, Mu-jin briefly grasped the overall concept. So by stimting the acupoints with internal energy, the idea is to strengthen each part? Sending a small amount of qi to the left arm while thrusting with the right seemed to serve this purpose. If the qi were carelessly concentrated only in the right arm, the posture would bepletely distorted due to the right arms inability to withstand the power. Should the force exceed a certain level, the muscles in the back and waist could be injured, and in severe cases, it could lead to problems with the spine or lower body. Good thing I dont have much internal energy gathered yet. It had been just about twenty days since Mu-jin started learning the Buddha Mind Technique. The amount of internal energy he had umted was negligible. Had he carelessly exerted that power with years worth of internal energy built up, he might have twisted his waist on the spot. With that thought, Mu-jin cautiously repeated the initial form of the Revolving Fist Technique to prevent any potential injuries. But if the internal energy is low now, what aboutter when it might wreck my waist or lower body? No matter how much he bnced with his left arm, if the lower body was weak, there would be a limit eventually. While Mu-jin pondered such doubts To properly execute the initial form of the Revolving Fist Technique, you must also send qi to the lower body. Master Uncle Hye-jeongs next instruction followed as he observed the disciples practice. It seemed he was teaching them one step at a time. Right after learning the pathways to send internal energy to the lower body for the initial form This is moreplicated than I thought? Mu-jin realized that internal energy wasnt always a cure-all. As much as internal energy was used to strengthen the body, proper distribution ording to each movement was necessary. How much training would be required to manage that distribution of internal energy in a single breath during urgentbat? With that thought, Mu-jin naturally turned his gaze towards Mu-yul. The boy who had taken more than five days just to memorize the acupoints. Still, by the time Mu-jin finished wall-facing, he had indeed memorized all the acupoints Tsk. This isnt going to work. Seeing Mu-yul iling his arms and legs in a strange manner, wondering where he was sending his internal energy, Mu-jin sighed. Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Group PT (Group Physical Training) Supervision (1) Evening free time. Mu-jin and hispanions were at the training field, each upying their own space and swinging their fists. What they were practicing was the One Cycle Heart Punch that they had learned during the morning training session. Although it was the most basic introductory martial art, it wasplex content for the children, so on the first day, they were only taught the internal energy operation method of the One Cycle Heart Punch. Mu-jin was guessing that perhaps one more technique would be added each day from now on. Thanks to practicing only the One Cycle Heart Punch repeatedly for an hour during the morning training, Mu-jin was now able to use the One Cycle Heart Punch quite stably. When he assumed the posture and raised his internal energy to throw a punch, the sound of air being torn apart would inevitably burst forth. Next to Mu-jin, Mu-gung, who was also able to use the One Cycle Heart Punch without much difficulty, was standing.For Mu-gung, who came from a martial family and already had experience in handling internal energy, the One Cycle Heart Punch was not a difficult level. Mu-gyeong, who had been throwing punches into the air for a while, watched the two of them and then hung his head low. Noticing that Mu-gyeong had started to dig himself into self-pity again, Mu-jin casually approached him. Whats not going well? Mmm. It seems like I could do each part, but its a bit hard to distribute the internal energy to my arms and legs. Although the rest was left unsaid, it was clear that he was muttering to himself, I guess I just cant do it. Everyones like that. Look around. How many kids are doing it right now? Hardly any, except for those who are from martial families or secr households like Mu-gung. Mu-jin pointed out the other children around them as he spoke. In fact, the training field wasnt only upied by them. This time, which was originally for free activities, had be apulsory training time due to thest incident. They could either train their bodies like in the early morning or polish their martial arts skills like in the morning session, but either way, they had to train under the supervision of Second-ss Disciples. And among the novice disciples around them, only about ten could use the One Cycle Heart Punch properly like Mu-jin and Mu-gung. All those children were from martial families and had experience in handling internal energy. Evening among the seventy children, about thirty still hadnt even mastered the Buddha Mind Technique, let alone the use of Qi. For nearly twenty days, they still couldnt feel the Qi. In other words, Mu-gyeong, who thought poorly of himself, was still rtively in the upper ranks. Hes meant to be a blood sessor in the future, so its only natural. If only his timid nature improved, he could soar high. Swallowing such regrets internally, Mu-jin then pointed to Mu-yul, who was standing to the side. Still, youre doing better than Yul, arent you? You said you could do each part. Mu-gyeong also managed an awkward smile at the sight of Mu-yul, who looked like he was either practicing martial arts or dancing. It was funny, but he restrained hisughter, as if worried about upsetting him. Anyway, Gyeong, youre doing well, so just practice a little more. Ill go help that fool. After sufficientlyforting Mu-gyeong, Mu-jin approached Mu-yul. Yul, what have you been doing since earlier? Ah! I cant quite remember the sequence that Master Uncle Hye-jeong taught us. Hehe. Hmm. Can you tell me what you do remember? Um It starts from the Danjeon, then to the Great Abyss, Sea of Qi, Middle Cavity, right? Its Sea of Qi, Middle Cavity, Great Abyss in that order. Ah, right! Hehe. Then after that, divide the Qi, and seven parts go to the Qi points on the left shoulder, Gisa and Gyeonu Seven parts are on the right. Oh! Is that so? Hehe. Im confused. At that innocent look, Mu-jin unknowingly raised both hands and rubbed his face dry. This is too much, even for the Buddha. Mu-yul was indeed talented in sensing Qi, having felt it quite early, even though slower than Mu-jin, and he had excellent physical skills. But he was too foolish in the head. Hmm. Should I make it so he doesnt have to use his head as much? After a moments contemtion, Mu-jin decided to approach it in a simple way. He decided to use the method he applied when training members with poor coordination as a trainer. Okay. Dont worry about the names of the meridian points for now, can you bring your internal energy up to here? As Mu-jin pressed the starting point of the Revolving Fist Technique, the Sea of Qi point, and asked, Mu-yul brightly smiled and answered. Yes! Then can you pass it through here to here? I can do it! Mu-jin pointed from the Sea of Qi to the Middle Cavity, and then to the Great Abyss with his finger, and Mu-yul confidently responded. Just try going up to there. Okay! Is it done? Yes! I did it! Hehe. Then withdraw your internal energy for a moment, and this time, dont worry about the names of the meridians. After you bring up your internal energy to that point again, simply divide it and send it through here. It should travel through the meridians in both sides of your chest to your shoulders. Leaving out the names of the meridians, Mu-jin pressed each point in order and exined, and soon Mu-yul nodded as if he understood. Wow! I was confused about the names and locations of the meridians, but this way, it seems so much easier! Thats good to hear. Ah, and if you get confused or forget again, just ask. I have a feeling you might forget again. Yep yep! Huh? Did you say it goes from here to there? No. Not there, this way. Seeing Mu-yul forget in just a few seconds, Mu-jin was now sure. He understood why the name Mu-yul did not appear in the novel. * * * Forty days had passed since Mu-jin began learning the internal energy operation of the Revolving Fist Technique. As Mu-jin had predicted, Master Uncle Hye-jeong and the Second-ss Disciples taught one more technique each day, but since it was a basic martial art, there werent many techniques, and the entire transfer waspleted in just ten days. After that, each child continued training at their own pace, and now another month had passed. Not only Mu-jin and Mu-gung, but also Mu-gyeong and Mu-yul had managed to learn all ten techniques of the Revolving Fist Technique. Among the seventy novice disciples, only about thirty managed to learn all ten techniques of the Revolving Fist Technique. However, the most notable change in Mu-jin was not that he had learned all ten techniques of the Revolving Fist Technique. During the usual early morning training time While Mu-jin was doing squats with several sandbags tied together on his shoulders in ce of a barbell Beob Gang, who had been wandering around aimlessly watching the training of the novice disciples, tilted his head in wonder. Has Mu-jins body gotten a bit stronger? With a sense of curiosity, Beob Gang rubbed his eyes once and then looked again at Mu-jin, who was still exercising. Wait. How many sandbags is Mu-jin holding right now? Realizing he hadnt been mistaken, Beob Gang couldnt hide his surprise. Building muscle through exercise does not bring about change overnight. Its like building a towerdaily efforts umte, and eventually, the results gradually appear. Now, more than two months had passed since Choi Kang-hyuk had possessed Mu-jin. Finally, the results began to show. Of course, it was just the result of two months. It wasnt that he had returned to the body he had when he was originally Choi Kang-hyuk, or that he had be extremely muscr. However, Mu-jins body, which until two months ago had been just an ordinary neighbourhood kids body, now had muscles that, although notrge, clearly outlined his physique. Especially whenpared to other children, the change was even more pronounced. The body of Mu-jin, who had been thest to enter the temple among this group of novice disciples, had now started to surpass the other Novice Monks. Could it really be true what Mu-jin said? The thought that Mu-jins words about Shaolins training methods being foolish might actually be true, emerged as a sphemous thought that Beob Gang, as a disciple of Shaolin, should not even consider. * * * Are Shaolins training methods wrong? Captured by such a question, Beob Gang spent several hours pondering alone. Given his straightforward nature, he could not dare ask anyone about the topic, as it seemed like denying Shaolin, which was his root. And Hyun Seong, who oversees the Arhat Faction, could easily read the worries etched on Beob Gangs face. Beob Gang. It seems deep worries have taken root in your heart. Ah Greetings, Master Uncle Hyun Seong. Lost in thought, Beob Gang btedly greeted Hyun Seong, having not even noticed his approach. Peoples worries, once spoken out loud, often turn out to be nothing much. So, dont worry and speak up. What is it that troubles your heart so? Its just that Beob Gang hesitated uncharacteristically. Encouraged by Hyun Seongs benevolent smile, Beob Gang decided to share his concerns about realizing the changes in Mu-jin and his sphemous doubts regarding whether Shaolins training methods might indeed be wed. Huh So Mu-jin has developed that much in the meantime. Hyun Seong also let out a low exmation of wonder upon hearing Beob Gangs words. Although he had been paying attention to Mu-jin, it was merely regarding his disposition and talent in martial arts, not his training methods. In fact, he had considered the training a waste of Mu-jins disposition and talent. Therefore, Hyun Seong felt the need to see for himself if what Beob Gang said was true. Can you bring Mu-jin to the Ban-dangjus hall? Mu-jin, you mean? Yes. It seems this problem wont be solved by our worries alone. So, wouldnt it be proper to see and talk to the child in question directly? Understood, Master Uncle. Beob Gang saluted Hyun Seong with one hand and then moved towards the quarters of the novice disciples. Watching Beob Gangs departing figure for a while, Hyun Seong, too, headed towards the Ban-dangjus hall with a face that seemed to have taken on the worries. * * * Did I unwittingly cause some trouble? This thought involuntarily came to mind when Beob Gang suddenly came saying, The Abbot is looking for you. But Mu-jin, who prided himself on having behaved since returning from the wall-facing meditation, wondered if that was indeed the case. As expected, Mu-yul, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-gung, who were training beside him, shook their heads and said to Mu-jin. Mu-jin, did you hit someone again? Mu-jin, this time, when you go, you just have to say youre sorry, okay? Tsk. Did you cause trouble again? It seemed that these children had already forgotten the kindness of being raised and taught, speaking so prettily to each other. What are you doing? The Ban-dangju is waiting, lets go. Yes, Beob Gang. Mu-jin gave a warning fist bump to the trio and then followed Beob Gang toward the Ban-dangjus hall. Master Uncle Hyun Seong. Second-ss Disciple Beob Gang has arrived with Mu-jin. Come in. After Hyun Seong gave permission, Mu-jin entered the Ban-dangjus hall with Beob Gang. But why was it that Hyun Seong, who had summoned him, was now silently staring at him with a strange expression without saying anything? Moreover, he wasnt looking at Mu-jins face but inspecting various parts of his body. Cough. Im still embarrassed by theck of muscles. Considering his body was still far from the physique of Choi Kang-hyuk, Mu-jin felt embarrassed and subtly changed his posture, inting his muscles with strength. What are you doing? Side chest No, I was just trying out a pose for a moment. Trying to emphasize his modest muscles, Mu-jin had adopted a bodybuilding pose. Thanks to his odd behavior, the silence swirling around the Ban-dangjus hall was broken, and Hyun Seong continued the conversation. It has been quite some time since we talked face-to-face like this. Yes. It seems to be the first time since thest incident, Ban-dangju. Ha ha ha. Thatst incident wasnt exactly a pleasant one. Have you called me again because of that incident? To Mu-jins bold question, Hyun Seong shook his head. Its not because of that. I called you to confirm something with my own eyes. And now that I have, it seems I can tell. Mu-jin tilted his head, puzzled by Hyun Seongs cryptic talk. What do you mean? I heard from Beob Gang. Your body has been growing at a much faster ratepared to other novice disciples. And seeing it for myself now, it seems to be true. Mu-jin made an awkward expression at Hyun Seongs words, feeling embarrassed to receive such praise for his small amount of muscle growth. But I didnt call you just to see your growth. More than that, I was curious if your growth reallyes from the training methods of your n. Mu-jin easily caught on to where the situation was heading. Are you saying you wanted to check if the training method Im following is truly superior to Shaolins? Exactly. Hyun Seong nodded to Mu-jins question and added. However, we cant say that the training method is superior just because your body has grown quickly. It could be that you are particrly talented. He was about to suggest that Mu-jin try Shaolins training methods for a while. If Mu-jin still showed rapid progress while practicing Shaolins methods, then it would simply mean that it was his talent that was exceptional. And incidentally, Hyun Seong also had the ulterior motive of applying Shaolins training methods to Mu-jin during this opportunity. But before Hyun Seong could speak, Mu-jin took the initiative. Then there is a simple solution. A simple solution? Yes. Why not select a few other disciples, and I will lead their training? If wepare the disciples trained by me to those trained by Shaolin, group against group, wouldnt the results be clear? Hmm. Hyun Seong pondered over Mu-jins suggestion for a moment. Its a pity I cant impose Shaolins training on this child, but Indeed,paring groups rather than just Mu-jin individually would yield a more urateparison. Then you can choose the children you will teach. I already have some in mind. You have some in mind? Yes. I choose Mu-yul, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-gung. Finally, the opportunity hade to rescue the trio from the dreadful Shaolin-style training. Ill make sure to give them a proper workout, you little ones. It was definitely not because he had chosen them for treating him as a problem child. Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Hmm. Isnt it too few to make aparison with just three? Isnt it difficult for everyone to trust my familys training methods yet? If we proceed with too many children and it turns out ineffective, it would just be a waste of the other novice disciples time, so I thought to start with just three. Upon Mu-jins exnation, Hyun-seongs eyes sparkled. This young child has thought that far ahead. This meant that it was a choice made out of consideration for the Arhat Faction Leader himself and the Second-ss Disciples and Master Uncle Hye-jeong who are in charge of training this batch of new novice disciples. Pleased with that considerate choice, Hyun-seong nodded with satisfaction. Then proceed with the training with those three as you have said. Any additional matters will be decided after observing for a period of three months. I can only be thankful for Ban-dangjus consideration. Having received permission from Hyun-seong, Mu-jin gave a bow of gratitude.Good. Of course, it wasnt really a choice made out of consideration for Hyun-seong or the others. Why would I teach all those other kids when they look so pitiful? Mu-jin, who had no intention whatsoever of managing dozens of kids for free while he was still busy strengthening his own frail body. * * * The next day at dawn. As usual, Mu-gung awoke and headed to the training yard. Mu-gung, who disliked showing weakness in front of others and was a hard worker, reached the training yard and immediately went to grab his sandbags to take up the horse stance. Hey. What are you doing over there? If only Mu-jin hadnte out to the training yard and spoken to him. What do you mean what am I doing? Cant you see Im about to train? Today you dont have to do that, man. ??? From today on, youre going to train with me. You, Mu-yul, and Mu-gyeong. ?????? Unable toprehend Mu-jins words, Mu-gung looked around with a puzzled face. By then, Beob Gang, who hade out to the training yard, backed up what Mu-jin had said. Mu-jin is right. The three of you will train with Mu-jin for the next three months. For Mu-gung, this was nothing short of a bolt from the blue. Although Mu-gung had warmed up with Mu-jin using Close-Range Spear Technique and practiced the Revolving Fist Technique, they never trained in physical conditioning together. He knew that both the Second-ss Disciples and Master Uncle Hye-jeong disapproved of Mu-jins training methods. From the perspective of Mu-gung, who dreams of bing a distinguished disciple of Shaolin, why would he risk getting on the bad side of the masters? In that regard. It means Ive already been marked just for associating with that guy! Training with Mu-jin sounded, to Mu-gung, like a threat of being expelled from Shaolin. However, regardless of Mu-gungs frustration, Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong, who were set to train with him, seemed to have no particr concerns. Hehe. So were doing whatever Mu-jin does from today? Mu, Mu-jin junior brother. Pl, please go easy. Seeing the carefree attitude of the two junior brothers, Mu-gung felt frustrated all over again. The masters must see me as being on the same level as those two While Mu-gung was inwardly beating his drum and gong, a resounding roar of a lion burst forth from Master Uncle Hye-jeong, who had arrived at the training yard. Begin the morning training! Simultaneously, all the novice disciples began to grab their sandbags and took up the horse stance. Thwack! Snap out of it, man. Mu-jin crisply pped the back of Mu-gungs head, bringing him to his senses. Since youve all been torturing your lower bodies and knees every day with the horse stance, lets start today with the arms, which have been the most neglected. To demonstrate, Mu-jin grabbed two sandbags in each hand and alternated bending his arms to show the biceps exercise. Now, since its the first time for Mu-gyeong and Mu-yul, take one sandbag each, and Mu-gung, since youre strong, start with two. After demonstrating, Mu-jin put sandbags in the childrens hands and led the training. Hehe. This is reallyfortable. I, I think even I can do this. Compared to the grueling Shaolin training they had endured before, Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong were happy thinking this was much easier. Damn! Ill never be a true disciple with just this kind of exercise! On the other hand, Mu-gung was inwardly screaming about the training being too easy. If he voiced it out loud, hed get another p on the back of the head from Mu-jin. But their thought that the training was easy was a bit premature. Good, after doing fifteen reps and feeling a bit of heat in your muscles, lets add another sandbag, shall we? The intensity of the training was ted to increase steadily. With an additional sandbag in each hand, Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong now held two each, while Mu-jin and Mu-gung each held three. After reducing the number of reps to twelve with the added sandbags, another sandbag was added again. After they lifted for the third set of ten reps, the childrens responses began to change. Junior Brother Mu-jin, I dont think I can do this. Mu-gyeong began to show signs of defeat. Ahem. Mu-gung, with veins popping on his forehead, stubbornly began to lift four sandbags once again. Uuuuum. Mu-jin? My arms wont go up, what should I do? And then there was Mu-yul, somehow still maintaining a blissfully ignorant expression. Ey, dont give up just because its hard. Here, Ill help you, just put in as much effort as you can. Of course, Mu-jin was not one to lower the intensity of the training just because they were struggling. He willingly helped to lift the arms of Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong, who were floundering below. Only enough to make them exert to the point where they could barely lift with all their might. Looks like Gyeong and Yul can handle up to three each for now. Gung, you can handle four, right? Now we just need to start reducing one by one. Lets try two. What Mu-jin was implementing was one of the famous workout methods known as pyramid sets. Starting with a light weight, increasing to the maximum weight they could lift, and then gradually reducing the weight again. This method had the advantage of allowing for a warm-up with lighter weights and continued exercise with tired muscles even after lifting the maximum weight. In other words, it was one of the workout methods that could squeeze the muscles to their limits. And Mu-jin had a plethora of muscles to squeeze beyond just the biceps. Good. Let the biceps rest for a bit, now its time for the triceps. Biceps, triceps, deltoids, forearm muscles, and so on. For half an hour, every muscle from the arm to the shoulder was squeezed out one by one. The trios arms were trembling tremendously from the intense vibration. Is, is this workout supposed to be this hard? Especially for Mu-gung, who had somewhat underestimated Mu-jins training, his face was filled with astonishment. Most of Shaolins trainings involved using the entire body. Hence, afterpleting the training, they would feel a total body soreness and an overwhelming exhaustion as if they were about to copse. However, Mu-jins training method was entirely different in its approach. Since it didnt use the lower body or abdominals much, there was no problem standing. My, my arms have no, no strength at all. For the arms that had been intensely exercised, they couldnt muster the strength to even lift a chopstick. Mu-jin, its all over now, right~? Even the usually cheerful Mu-yul asked with a slightly tearful expression, hoping that there was no more to do since every muscle in their arms had been squeezed out. Now that weve gone around once, we have to go around onest time. Weve rested for half an hour, so lets start with the biceps again. Mu-jin was not one to let them off easily. At Mu-jins dreadful statement, the timid Mu-gyeong, uncharacteristically, shouted with a shocked expression. Rested? What do you mean weve rested, Junior Brother Mu-jin!? Naturally, the other novice disciples and Second-ss Disciples who were training separately nced over at Mu-gyeong, but he had no time to care about their stares. His own arms felt like they were about to fall off; what did their stares matter? But even to Mu-gyeongs protest, Mu-jin simply responded with a bright smile. We did biceps at the start and have been working on other parts for half an hour, right? The biceps have rested during that time. Isnt that so? With a smile as sunny as Mu-yuls, the trio had the same thought. Its madness. Madness was right here! Mommy, Mu-jin has gone weird again. Hing. * * * In the afternoon, havingpleted the scheduled tasks. As usual, the novice disciples gathered at the training yard to engage in their individual training. And today, as well, Mu-jin was up to some strange solo activity. Mu-jin, what are you doing~? Mu-yul, despite having been tormented in the early hours, asked with an ever-sunny disposition. Mu-jin confidently exined to Mu-yul the contraption he had created. This? Its a punching ball. No, its a Strike Sphere. In a corner of the training yard, there was a tree. To a thick branch of that tree, a rope had been tied, and then connected to a sandbag to make a punching ball. A Strike Sphere? Whats that? Hmm. Ill demonstrate first. Gyeong and Gung, you watch closely. Mu-jin said this to Mu-gyeong and Mu-gung, who had faces as if they were dragged here against their will, and then he showed them how its done. First, he lightly clenched his fist and then, like throwing a jab in boxing, he tapped the Strike Sphere for a while. Mu-jin, in position, used the Revolving Fist Technique he had been training for months to strike the Strike Sphere with vigor. Like this. You use it this way. You cant just practice the Revolving Fist Technique in the air all the time, right? So first, you lightly practice consecutive strikes with this. Or like this, you can do shadow boxing. Once again, Mu-jin used a series of beginner moves from the Revolving Fist Technique while asionally dodging as if the Strike Sphere was an imaginary enemy, showing defensive movements. Wow! I want to try it too! Upon hearing Mu-jins exnation, Mu-yul was as excited as a child with a new toy, and even Mu-gyeong, although silent, seemed quite intrigued. Then Mu-gung, who was watching from behind, pointed to something on the other side and asked. There, several sandbags were tightly bound with rope to the training yards wooden pirs. What about those? Ah, that. Thats a Striking Sandbag. Its also for practicing martial arts, but you can do some training with it that you cant with the Strike Sphere. Mu-jin took a stance in front of the Striking Sandbag to demonstrate. But the atmosphere was different from when he was hitting the Strike Sphere. He started in a proper stance, regted his breathing, and began to circte his internal energy. As the internal energy that started from his Danjeon expanded into the four limbs. Thump!! Mu-jins fist, cutting through the air, struck the Striking Sandbag, producing a heavy sound. This is for practicing the use of internal energy. If you do it in the air, you cant get the sense of what it feels like to hit an opponent, right? And if we hit each other with internal energy, wed be in serious trouble. After briefly exining the Strike Sphere and Striking Sandbag, Mu-jin addressed the trio. So, from now on in the afternoons, well warm up with the Strike Sphere while practicing the application of the Revolving Fist Technique, and then practice the Revolving Fist Technique charged with internal energy on the Striking Sandbag. Got it? Yep yep! Then, can I try the Strike Sphere first? As soon as Mu-jin finished exining, Mu-yul rushed towards the Strike Sphere and began to swing his fists. Watching Mu-yul, who looked as if he was under a spell, nkly swinging at the Strike Sphere, Mu-jin muttered to himself. Not even a cat. His actions resembled a cat that had just found catnip. Is he really a cat? Its his first time, but why is he so good at it? While boxers and mixed martial artists hitting a punching ball often look yful, the training is not actually that easy. Yet, Mu-yul, on his first ever try, was shadow boxing to a rhythm as if he had been doing it all his life. Clearly, when it came to physical talent among the novice disciples, he seemed to be in a league of his own. Its the head thats the problem. The head. Shaking his head, Mu-jin turned his attention to Mu-gung, who was approaching the Striking Sandbag. Mu-gung, having already trained extensively in the Revolving Fist Technique, was itching to try using internal energy. Therefore, Mu-gung chose the Striking Sandbag over the Strike Sphere. In front of the Striking Sandbag, Mu-gung focused his mind, aiming to create an even louder impact than Mu-jin. Thump!!! As Mu-gung threw his punch with all his might, a refreshing sound of impact erupted. Uhahaha, hows that! My skills. Yeah, yeah. Thats refreshing. Whether Mu-gung was boasting or not, Mu-jin, who had been casually cleaning his ear with his pinky finger, waved his hand dismissively as if to shoo a fly and pushed Mu-gung aside. Now that youve had your turn, step aside, and its Gyeongs turn! Can I, can I not do that one (Strike Sphere)? Mu-gyeong asked with a slightly nervous tone, but as Mu-jin simply stared at him silently, he soon took his ce in front of the Striking Sandbag with an almost tearful expression. Have confidence! You can do it! Now, concentrate! Think of the Striking Sandbag as that Mu-tae guy and hit it! You did wellst time! Mu-jin tried to boost Mu-gyeongs confidence with words of encouragement, but if anything, it seemed to add pressure, as Mu-gyeongs face grew increasingly red. * * * Since then, Mu-jin continued to work tirelessly to gain recognition from Hyun-seong and, more importantly, to elevate the physical prowess of the trio. They were essential talents that he needed to survive and see the ending of this novel. Mu-gyeong was a promising candidate for a future blood sessor, and Mu-yul along with Mu-gung had the potential to grow significantly if their shorings were addressed. One might think that it would be better to spend that time training oneself instead of looking after the three. Insurance must be acquired, yeah. The affairs of life are unpredictable, especially since he was now inhabiting the body of Mu-jin, the protagonist of the novel. Though he may have the protagonists talent, the problem was that the person inside that protagonists body was Choi Kang-hyuk himself. For now, the external-focused training was progressing, and his knowledge as a former fitness trainer was proving to be a great help. Will I ever attain enlightenment about Tai Chi, the Five Elements, the Eight Trigrams, the cycle of reincarnation, and eternity? Honestly, Mu-jin felt insecure about this part. While the protagonist in the novel would gain enlightenment daily, for Choi Kang-hyuk, who had taken over Mu-jin, those concepts were nothing short of nonsensical babble. Thats why Mu-jin wanted to nurture the trio. Just in case, in the worst-case scenariothat is, if he couldnt grow as much as the novels protagonist Mu-jinhe intended to ovee the difficulties bybining their strengths. Therefore, to Mu-jin, the trio were not only PT clients but also his beloved nephews. They were his futurerades and his insurance. This meant that at least in terms of external skills, he had to cultivate them to the fullest, and in that sense, gaining Hyun-seongs approval was a very important issue. After all, he would continue to teach them after three months. [7:42 PM] However, as the time agreed upon with Hyun-seong approached, the situation started to take a peculiar turn, contrary to Mu-jins ns. Chapter 20: Chapter 20: It had been about a fortnight since Mu-jin started the group with the Mu character trio. From today, we shall learn a new martial art! A slight change urred in the monotonous daily routine. The martial art we will learn today is the Xiao Hong Quan, one of the basic fist techniques of our Shaolin. As Master Uncle Hye-jeongs call rang out, two Second-ss Disciples took their ces at the front and side, assuming the starting stance. Following the resounding call of Master Uncle Hye-jeong, the disciples began to demonstrate the Xiao Hong Quan, slowly unfolding each of the fourteen initial moves in sequence. While the two demonstrated, the remaining Second-ss Disciples walked around the training yard, helping the novice disciples with their postures as the training proceeded. After practicing all fourteen initial moves, a natural question popped into Mu-jins head. Does it really make sense to defeat an opponent with these strikes? To Mu-jin, the initial moves of the Xiao Hong Quan felt somewhat bizarre.Most of the fourteen moves seemed inefficient, as if they belonged in aic book or a video game. They might look impressive, but they were postures that made it very ufortable to deliver power effectively. These were postures not used in modernbat sports. As Mu-jin pondered over these questionable postures, the training had already moved on to the next phase. Now, we will teach you about the internal energy operation of the Xiao Hong Quan. Once again, as Master Uncle Hye-jeongs call echoed, the Second-ss Disciples began to assume the first stance of Xiao Hong Quan, and Master Uncle Hye-jeong went around them, pointing out the meridians where the internal energy should flow. Well, if it were just about pointing out the locations of the meridians, it wouldnt be a big deal. However, At this moment, the internal energy reaching the Jianyu acupoint should either reside in the Ying cloud or not reside anywhere, giving rise to the mind and flowing The problem was that Mu-jins worries were realized as the talk turned to such nebulous concepts. What kind of nonsense is this? Mu-jin, thrown into confusion, could only stare nkly at Master Uncle Hye-jeong. Just then, Beob Gang, who had been going around the training yard checking the postures of the novice disciples, approached him. What are you doing, Mu-jin? To Beob Gangs question, Mu-jin answered truthfully. Mu-jin believed that it was not shameful to admit ignorance. Only by acknowledging what one does not know and seeking correction can one move forward. Uh I cant seem to grasp the meaning of Master Uncle Hye-jeongs words. Hmm? The essence of Xiao Hong Quan is based on the Diamond Sutra. And havent you all learned about the Diamond Sutra during the sutra study time? Well, that is true, but It was not a situation where Mu-jin could easily admit that he had only half-listened to those teachings. As Mu-jin stood there with an awkward expression, Beob Gang smiled lightly. It was endearing for Beob Gang to see that the child, who was thought to bepetent and sharp, still had weaknesses characteristic of a young one. This time, I will exin it to you. However, next time, you must also do your best in studying the sutras. I understand. Master Uncle. Firstly, Ying cloud refers to a question posed by Subhuti to Buddha about how a practitioner determined to follow the Buddhist path can maintain that resolve. It can be thought of as straightening ones mind, but it also implies persistence, endurance, and attachment. In other words, it means to allow the internal energy to reside at the Jianyu acupoint. Ah However, to attain enlightenment in Buddhism, one must let go of attachments and ept the world as it is. Therefore, No specific residence, giving rise to the mind. Without staying put, one must release the mind. In essence, it means to let go of attachments and smoothly release the internal energy that has been stopped at the Jianyu acupoint. Having finished his verbal exnation, Beob Gang then demonstrated the first move of Xiao Hong Quan along with the internal energy. The first move of Xiao Hong Quan was exactly the kind of move that would appear in a martial arts film featuring swordsmen. Pulling the arms to the chest and then extending them, striking not with the fist but with the back of the hand. Although it looked elegant, it was a posture that seemed unlikely to deliver powerful force in a conventional sense. The internal energy that has been held and then released from the Jianyu acupoint will flow more powerfully than usual. Instead of forcing it, let it flow naturally. Just like this. Bang!!! A powerful explosive force emanated from Beob Gangs backhand. Having observed the demonstration, Mu-jin took the same stance as Beob Gang, slowly drawing up his internal energy. Is it essentially just like the Revolving Fist Technique, where you draw up the internal energy, but then you stop it momentarily at the shoulders Jianyu acupoint, like blowing up a dam thats been holding it back? With his thoughts organized, Mu-jin manipted his internal energy as if conducting an experiment. First, he drew the internal energy up to the Jianyu acupoint. As I released the internal energy that I had been holding, I felt a sense of denser Qipared to when I simply released it. However, since it was my first attempt, I didnt quite achieve the explosive force that Beob Gang had demonstrated. Still, I had achieved some degree of sess. The questions I had about the remaining moves of Xiao Hong Quan had been somewhat resolved. Its possible to increase power even with an ufortable posture if you have internal energy! I thought that it wasnt just a matter of simply releasing internal energy like with the Revolving Fist Technique, but rather, it was a technique that involved stopping and then releasing the internal energy to increase its power. However, even after reaching that conclusion, I still had some doubts. Why do you use terms like Ying cloud and No specific residence, giving rise to the mind when you could simply say Stop the internal energy at the Jianyu acupoint and then release it like a dam breaking? It seemed to me that using those terms only served to confuse people. Thats because the founder of Xiao Hong Quan, Great Master Kong Hwan, created it based on the Diamond Sutra. Then, if it was created hundreds of years ago, why didnt they simply exin the principles in a straightforward manner? Xiao Hong Quan is rtively simplepared to the 72 Arts of Shaolin. The power of the 72 Arts is extremely strong, but the internal energy operation required for it is veryplex and abstract. The ancestors expressed theplex operation of internal energy through the contents of the sutras. Its almost impossible to exin it in simple terms like Xiao Hong Quan. As I wondered why the 72 Arts had suddenlye up, I quickly grasped Beob Gangs intention. Then, is the principle of Xiao Hong Quan being left intact a practice to help us understand the principles of higher-level martial arts? Thats correct. The Taoist schools also express their martial arts through the contents of the Tao Te Ching. After listening to Beob Gangs exnation, I finally understood why there were so many abstract and vague descriptions of martial arts in martial arts novels. It seemed that people tended to exin things based on what they knew well, using analogies and metaphors. Especially for higher-level martial arts, the content is soplex that it probably felt easier to liken it to abstract phrases from Taoist or Buddhist scriptures. But thats for those who have attained enlightenment. Those who are enlightened might think, Ah! This flow of internal energy fits perfectly with this phrase! But from the perspective of someone learning, it might as well be gibberish. * * * Two days had passed since Mu-jin began practicing Xiao Hong Quan. Thanks to two days of practice, he had somewhat grasped the principle of stopping and then releasing the internal energy, but he still couldnt produce the crisp sound that Beob Gang did in his demonstration. Moreover, Beob Gang, true to his word, only exined the principle behind the first move and left the rest for Mu-jin to figure out on his own. Since the internal energy operation for all fourteen moves of Xiao Hong Quan was derived from phrases in the Diamond Sutra, it meant Mu-jin had to decipher the meaning of those phrases himself. Ugh. Eventually, Mu-jin threw away the Diamond Sutra he had been focusing on. Such tasks were not to his liking. While not unintelligent, Mu-jin had no taste for these abstract narratives. If this was the state of affairs with Xiao Hong Quan, which novice disciples were learning, how would one decipher and understand the principles of even more advanced martial arts? Moreover, even if he managed to interpret the meaning of the principle, operating the internal energy ording to it was another issue altogether. He hadnt even perfected the first move Beob Gang had exined, let alone the rest. As Mu-jin threw away the Diamond Sutra, he wondered if there was another way. Hm? But does the technique have to be executed solely with internal energy? A peculiar thought crossed his mind. Preferring action to being stuck at a desk, Mu-jin stood up and assumed the stance for the first move of Xiao Hong Quan. Its a bit awkward if done only with internal energy. In addition to operating the internal energy ording to the principle, Mu-jin focused on the movement of his muscles. He concentrated as much force as possible into the muscles from his shoulder to his fingertips, aligning it with the stopping of the internal energy at the Jianyu acupoint. As he released the condensed muscles simultaneously with the internal energy. Peng!!! A powerful, explosive force, simr to Beob Gangs, burst forth. Ah, I see. So thats why internal energy is necessary. However, it wasnt perfect. The technique of handling internal energy wasnt fully mastered, and as a result, his muscles felt strained, and his arm trembled. But despite the pain, he had achieved significant sess. Even if the flow of internal energy ording to the principle isnt perfect, if one has sufficient strength and flexibility, they can still produce power. He had discovered this crucial fact. Hehehe. A peculiar smile naturally formed on Mu-jins lips. * The next morning, before training began. Mu-jin and the three others had arrived at the training grounds early. How much have you guys mastered the first move of Xiao Hong Quan? Im not as good as the masters, but I can manage. I understand the stance and principle, but it seems like Imcking a bit of power. Hehe, I can imitate the form, but I dont understand the principle. Mu-jin asked, and Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul replied in turn. As expected. Just as he thought, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong were at a simr level to him, while Mu-yul was struggling to understand the principle. Hm. Then lets observe Mu-yul for now, and have Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong slowly demonstrate the first move five times? At Mu-jins words, Mu-gung and Mu-yul demonstrated the first move of Xiao Hong Quan in their own ways. Their stances were somewhat correct, but it was clear that they were still struggling to operate their internal energy ording to the principle, and their power seemedcking. Mu-jin carefully examined their stances for a moment. Good. Ivee to a conclusion. Mu-gungcks flexibility, so well increase the time for Close-Range Spear Technique, and Mu-gyeongcks core strength and arm power. Well double the weight of the Fasting Pill. He reached this conclusion. Why are we suddenly increasing the time for Close-Range. Precisely, fromst nights experience, he realized that what he already knew about physical conditioning in modernbat sports could also be applied to martial arts. Its quite simple when you think about modern mixed martial arts. When an MMA fighter tackles someone to the ground, some may use sophisticated techniques, while others might rely on brute strength and flexibility to simply pick up and m their opponent. Both methods are different, but ultimately, they can generate enough force to take down the opponent. Even in the stance taken to execute a tackle, there are subtle differences based on ones physiquepeople with long arms or legs, strong arms, or a strong core. Each fighter adjusts their stance to fit their body type, and professional MMA fighters go through countless training sessions to find the right stance for themselves, building strength and flexibility through weight training and stretching. And this same concept applies to martial arts. The only difference is, What do you guys think is the reason for the existence of internal energy principles and techniques in martial arts? Thats because to achieve extraordinary strength or speed that cant be produced without internal energy, right? Exactly. What is ovee by physical training in modern sports is ovee with internal energy in the world of martial arts. But theres one problem. If you just send internal energy, in an ufortable posture that makes it hard to transfer power, it wont produce the right force. So you interpret the principles and create an internal energy flow that fits them, right? Mu-gung replied with a nk expression to Mu-jins exnation. Ironically, that was exactly the counterargument Mu-jin was looking for. Yes. Xiao Hong Quan teaches the operation of internal energy to ovee those ufortable stances and generate power. But think about it. Does everyone feel the same difort in the same stance? Chapter 21: Chapter 21: !? Mu-gungs face betrayed his surprise; he hadnt considered that far. Thats why the essence of Xiao Hong Quan is so vague. Actually, all the martial arts well learn in the future will probably be the same. Because there are bound to be minute differences between individuals. This was the conclusion Mu-jin had reachedst night while training in Xiao Hong Quan. He had wondered why the key points of martial arts were always couched in such nebulous terms. The scriptures were sometimes used to exin abstract concepts morefortably, but more fundamentally, the essence had to be abstract. There could be no exact figures for how much internal energy to gather at the Jianyu acupoint, or after how much time to let it flow out. The reason was simple: while the general framework was the same, the finer details varied from person to person. Mu-jin coulde to this conclusion because he was a highlypetent fitness trainer and physiotherapist. Beginner trainers often insist on the same posture for all their clients. But skilled trainers know to adjust the posture slightly ording to the clients body condition and shape.They knew that even to stimte the same muscle, slight adjustments based on body type were necessary to ensure proper stimtion. So what, does that mean theres no point in trying to understand the essence? Mu-gung asked, his voice tinged with confusion. Surprisingly, this time Mu-gyeong spoke up uncertainly, That, thats not it. Maybe it means that while the overall framework is the same, the finer details differ for everyone, right? You got it exactly right, Mu-jin smiled broadly and snapped his fingers in approval of Mu-gyeongs understanding. Thats probably why the higher the level of martial arts you learn, the more difficult it bes to handle internal energy. To analyze and understand the essence of internal energy, and to be able to move it ordingly requires the skill to apply it precisely to ones own body shape and condition. Mu-jins spection was only half right. Higher-level martial arts were inherentlyplex in their essence, and adapting them to ones own body type and constitution was nearly impossible for anyone less than a genius. Therefore, as martial artists progress towards more difficult techniques, they naturally begin to learn those that suit their own body type and constitution. In fact, those who are at least a Second-ss Disciple in Shaolin have been practicing Shaolin martial arts for at least thirty-five years, yet most only master two or three of the seventy-two consummate arts. Then heres the question. What if, on the contrary, you dont really feel any difort? Does that mean we dont need to worry too much about the essence? Not exactly. You should still follow the essence, but you dont need to be too concerned about the very fine details. Having finished his exnation, Mu-jin assumed the stance of the first sequence of Xiao Hong Quan in front of the trio. Then, as he had done the previous night, he condensed a great deal of strength in his shoulders and arms along with the flow of his Qi. When he detonated the condensed strength and Qi at the same time, a powerful explosive sound burst from the back of his hand. Just like this. .. Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong gaped as they witnessed an explosive sound of a different caliber burst forth, despite Mu-jin wielding his hand in almost the same way as they did. Just like the night before, his forearm throbbed without fail, but Mu-jin did not show any sign of it. Instead, Mu-jin added further exnation with a satisfied expression in response to Mu-gyeong and Mu-gungs reactions. When your body is fully developed, handling Qi bes much easier. You wont need to finely tune your Qi. It wasnt that no one in the martial world had reached a simr conclusion as Mu-jin. The problem was that in this era, there was no scientific research on physical training. There were only crude trainings based on experience. Even though body conditioning doesnt yield results overnight, trainings based on experience without proper knowledge often failed to produce the desired oues. On the other hand, if one handled internal energy well, it was easy to produce the desired results, though only for a few geniuses with exceptional skills in handling internal energy. After such histories umted, External Energy in the current martial world was considered nothing more than a means to assist internal energy. But Mu-jin was different. His mind was filled with information on countless exercises and stretching methods to build or improve the strength and flexibility of each muscle in the body. This meant he could create a body that could perform the forms of each martial arts technique without difort. I dont know how far this will take me, but at least this is the only way I can survive. This was the best path that Choi Kang-hyuk, who had possessed Mu-jins body, could think of. The original owner of the body, Mu-jin, might not have known, but Choi Kang-hyuk was not a genius in internal energy. Instead, Choi Kang-hyuk, a master of bodybuilding, concluded his lecture with a very confident expression. Well, to put it simply, it means that the head has to work hard because the body is bad. Isnt it the other way around? I thought it was that the body suffers because the mind is bad? Mu-gung countered his own words, and Mu-jin lightly clicked his tongue. Tsk, tsk. Thats just nonsense made up by those envious of a good body. You guys shouldnt fall for such nonsense. Got it? Heheh. So does that mean we dont have to use internal energy anymore? Mu-yul, who had struggled with the essence of internal energy, asked with hopeful eyes, but Mu-jin shook his head. Thats not it. It means that when the body is in good shape, its easier to use internal energy. I didnt say to rely solely on the body without internal energy. Hng With a deted slouch of his shoulders, Mu-yul reacted to Mu-jins sharp response. Seeing Mu-yul, who usually shrugged off physical hardships, looking so dejected, Mu-gyeong couldnt help but speak up with sympathy. Mu, Mu-yul, if youre struggling with the essence, shall I, I help you? I might not be much help, but Mu-gyeongs voice trailed off timidly, worried that he might end up being more of a hindrance than a help. However, Mu-yul responded with his usual cheerful ignorance, Yes, senior brother Mu-gyeong! Please teach me! Youre, really okay with me helping you? Hehe. Of course. Eh, I only managed to interpret up to the tenth sequence of Xiao Hong Quan so far While Mu-jin watched the two engaging in their mutually supportive conversation with a warm heart, something struck him. Wait a minute. Mu-jin interrupted their conversation with a bewildered tone. Mu-gyeong, what did you just say? You understood up to the tenth sequence? Th-thats just the essence. I, I cant perform it properly like you yet. Though Mu-gyeong spoke with a bashful dip of his head, Mu-jin barely heard him. And for good reason. I, Ive only managed to interpret up to the third sequence? Justst night, Mu-jin had been so frustrated while trying to interpret that he had thrown the Diamond Sutra across the room. And now this guy has understood up to the tenth sequence? Ah. Right, hes a blood sessor. Mu-jin often forgot, seeing him looking deted every day, but upon reflection, this guy was a genius too. Despite wondering why Mu-gyeong was considered less adept in External Energypared to himself, Mu-gung, and Mu-yul, it seemed that Mu-gyeongs status as a blood sessor was due to his exceptional understanding of martial arts essences. Realizing this, Mu-jin eagerly grabbed both of Mu-gyeongs hands. Teach me those interpretations. The trantor for the essence of martial arts was right before his eyes. * * * Mu-jin and the children began their intensive training to properly execute Xiao Hong Quan. Mu-jin focused on identifying and strengthening the weak parts of the childrens bodies to ensure they could fully realize the power of Xiao Hong Quan, and in the evenings, they all gathered to listen to Mu-gyeongs interpretations of the sequences and practiced handling their Qi. About two months passed. Mu-jin managed to enhance his physique to the point where he could perform Xiao Hong Quan without any trouble. The trio, who were being trained by Mu-jin, also began to perform all fourteen sequences of Xiao Hong Quan after the same period. The only difference was, while Mu-jin could perform the fourteen sequences in session with ease, the other three were still at a level where they used the sequences separately. Mu-gungcked the flexibility to connect each movement smoothly, Mu-gyeongcked the muscle strength for seamless connections, and Mu-yul had a poor memory. Concentrating as much as he could, Mu-yul could perform the movements one by one, but when trying to execute them in session, he would get confused, and the flow of his Qi would be tangled. Yet, even that was enough to astonish Master Uncle Hye-jeong, who was in charge of their training. It wasnt just because they could perform all fourteen sequences of Xiao Hong Quan. Besides these four, there were about a dozen other children who could also use Xiao Hong Quan to some extent. The biggest difference between these four and the rest was Yo-youve already mastered up to the full ten stars in Xiao Hong Quan!? Master Uncle Hye-jeong murmured in amazement. It was their power and speed that caused the surprise. Naturally, Master Uncle Hye-jeong couldnt help but be astonished. Xiao Hong Quan wasnt a martial art that children who had just started learning could master up to ten stars within two months. But the surprise was momentary. Hmm? Master Uncle Hye-jeong noticed something peculiar. If one could perform each movement of Xiao Hong Quan ording to the essence, it was considered five stars. And if all the movements could be performed in session ording to the essence, it was seven stars. When one had fully internalized the essence and could cause powerful explosive sounds, it was ten stars. If one could generate force winds, then it was said to be twelve stars of grand mastery. Currently, Mu-jin was performing all the movements in session, creating explosive sounds fitting of ten stars. Why are the other childrens movements disjointed? The power wasparable to that of ten stars, but for some reason, the other childrens sequences were disjointed. [12:17 AM With the achievements of five stars and ten stars mixed, it was natural for Master Uncle Hye-jeong to have questions in mind. And Master Uncle Hye-jeong willingly approached them to resolve these queries. Ahem. Your aplishments are indeed remarkable. Addressing Mu-gyeong, who was furthest to the left, Master Uncle Hye-jeong spoke up, and Mu-gyeong responded with a bashful bow of his head. Mu, Mu-jin helped us a lot. Master Uncle. Oh? Feeling intrigued by Mu-gyeongs answer, Master Uncle Hye-jeong let out an exmation and asked further. What kind of help did Mu-jin provide? Did he interpret the essence for you? Th-the essence, I interpreted it. Master Uncle. ? With a puzzled expression, Master Uncle Hye-jeong looked at Mu-gyeong, and finally, Mu-jin stepped forward. My role was simple. Master Uncle. I helped to strengthen the childrens bodies. Strengthen the bodies? As Master Uncle Hye-jeong wore a look of iprehension, Mu-jin shared the information he had taught the trio two months earlier. He exined the method of reducing the work internal energy had to do by strengthening the physical body. Is, is that really a possible method? Master Uncle Hye-jeong asked with a look of disbelief. Of course, as a Second-ss Disciple of Shaolin, Master Uncle Hye-jeong was a master who would be recognized as a high-level practitioner anywhere. Naturally, he understood the role internal energy ys in martial arts and how its flow subtly varies from person to person. He also knew that a more refined physique is always an advantage. Thats why, when looking for disciples, he would check for bone structure, Yin-Yang constitution, and heavenly martial constitution, among other things. What surprised him was how, in just two months, it was possible to identify and supplement each childs individual physical deficiencies. Is, is this also part of the training methods from that family lineage you mentioned? Yes, Master Uncle. Our familys training methods are organized to build strength or flexibility for each specific muscle group. Hearing Mu-jins answer, Master Uncle Hye-jeong thought to himself that this matter was not something he could decide on alone. * * * In the main hall of the Arhat Faction. Hehehe. Hyun-seong let out a chuckle upon hearing everything that had just happened from Master Uncle Hye-jeong. And Mu-jin, brought along by Master Uncle Hye-jeong, was currently observing the situation, not fully understanding what was going on. For a moment, only Hyun Seongs hollowughter echoed through the quiet main hall of the Arhat Faction. Disciple Mu-jin, listen. Yes, Ban-dangju. After gathering his thoughts, Hyun Seong spoke in a calm voice. Although there are still about ten days left until the promised date, it appears that the trial has been sufficient. Indeed, it seems that your familys training methods are superior to Shaolins in terms of physical conditioning. Therefore, how would you feel about taking charge of the novice disciples morning training from now on? Master!? The sudden grand offer from Hyun Seong caught Master Uncle Hye-jeong by surprise, but despite his disciples astonishment, Hyun Seongs face remainedposed. Having said to kill the Buddha and kill the ancestor, perhaps I too have been caught in stubbornness. Hyun Seong was contemting whether, before being a martial artist, he had forgotten the most important aspect of being a monk who aims to be a Buddha. Therefore, he was thinking of taking a great risk this time. At Shaolin, with the novice disciples and the Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Yes, thats a good point What, what did you say!? Hyun Seong eximed in disbelief at Mu-jins response, but Mu-jins face remainedposed. I mentioned its impossible for me to teach the other children. Why should he teach the others when he barely has enough time for his own training? However, Mu-jin, having spent a decade in the service industry, was well aware of the potential consequences of such a refusal, unless one was a fool. Therefore, Mu-jin added an excuse to persuade Hyun Seong. Realistically, it would be difficult to achieve proper results if I were suddenly responsible for as many as seventy-two novice disciples. And Hyun Seong took the bait Mu-jin hadid out. Hmm. You can produce results with three, but not with the others? What does that mean? The three who are currently with me, Mu-yul, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-gung, have seen results because they trusted and followed my training. But what about the other children? Im well aware that they regard me as a lunatic because of past incidents. Do you really think they would follow the training of someone they consider mad? I dont think so.Cough. Calling yourself a lunatic. Thats not right. Master Uncle Hye-jeong coughed at Mu-jins blunt expression, but he could not wholly deny Mu-jins words. He was aware of the atmosphere among the novice disciples responsible for their training. The intensified training and the hushed atmosphere due to the previous incident involving Mu-gyeong were well known. And regardless of Master Uncle Hye-jeongs coughing, Mu-jin continued speaking. I understand that introducing a different kind of training in Shaolin, not the traditional Shaolin training, is a significant risk. But if I were to undertake such a task with children who dont properly follow along and then fail to produce results, who would bear the responsibility? Ah Hyun Seong was left speechless, merely swallowing his words. After all, wasnt he acknowledging that changing the novice disciples training was a risk? To think that this young child shares my thoughts. Yet the sigh Hyun Seong released was merely to conceal his true feelings; in fact, his desire had only grown stronger. Such a young age, and he possesses such a profound level of insight. This only increased Hyun Seongs trust in the child and his training methods. There is no need to worry about that. As the Ban-dangju of the Arhat Faction, my endorsement of you leading the novice disciples training is official. The novices wouldnt dare to defy it. Hyun Seong intended to support Mu-jin, but Mu-jin was not satisfied with just that. That alone is insufficient. In addition to your endorsement, Ban-dangju, I request full authority over the morning training. Full authority? Yes. As the novice disciples are young, they are more likely to be swayed by emotions rather than rational judgement. Besides official recognition, I also require the authority to discipline those who do not participate properly in the training. Ah Both Hyun Seong and Master Uncle Hye-jeong let out a sound akin to a sigh. While Master Uncle Hye-jeongs was more of a chuckle, Hyun Seongs was a sigh of contemtion. He was genuinely pondering whether it was right to grant such authority to a young child. It was a heavy responsibility, but If introducing this childs training is already a gamble, what is there to ponder about authority now? Hehehe. Hyun Seong, Hyun Seong, you still have much to learn. Having stepped too far to turn back, Hyun Seong concluded that if he was going to gamble, he might as well bet everything. It was the kind of thinking that would make one an easy target in a gambling den. And Hyun Seong, a monk who had never gambled in his life, ultimately epted Mu-jins proposal. Let it be so. Ma, Master!? Master Uncle Hye-jeong, a middle-aged monk, cried out in surprise, a reaction unbing of his years of religious devotion. But it was toote to dissuade Hyun Seong, who had already made up his mind. If Mu-jin misuses his authority for unjust reasons during training, there will be time to intervene. Until then, you must support this child in leading the training, at least until hemits a wrongdoing. I will follow the Mastersmand. Unable to refuse his masters directive, Master Uncle Hye-jeong replied with a bow, and Hyun Seong looked back at Mu-jin. Is this sufficient for you? I will strive to live up to the Ban-dangjus decision and expectations. Mu-jin also replied with a bow to Hyun Seongs question. In fact, for Mu-jin, the opportunity to train the novice disciples wasnt necessarily a bad thing at all. Mu-jin wasnt so naive as to let the childrens chatter go unchecked. Starting today, I will be in charge of the dawn training. Saying this, Mu-jin slowly turned his head to survey the children gathered in the training ground. However, the look in Mu-jins eyes as he observed the children was entirely different from usual. If his usual demeanor when interacting with Mu-gyeong, Mu-yul, or Beob Gang was closer to that of Choi Kang-hyuk, the fitness trainer, his current demeanor was more akin to Choi Kang-hyuk during his time in the special forces. Ha. Such a young kid with barely any internal energy, yet his gaze is so alive. Even the Second-ss Disciples were taken aback by the intensity of Mu-jins gaze. Having instantly dominated the room, Mu-jin spoke again, this time in a heavy tone. He didnt shout as he had initially. After all, shouting only works if used sparingly. Continuously shouting just makes one noisy, not intimidating. Instead, it was more effective not to shout when trying to draw someones attention. Though I will be training alongside you as a fellow novice disciple, during the dawn training, I will be implementing physical conditioning methods passed down from my family. Therefore, during dawn training, you should regard me not as a fellow novice but as an instructor. Mu-jins grave tone filled the training ground, an unusual weight for someone his age. However, theres always that one kid whocks awareness, no matter where you go. Pfft. A smallugh leaked out in the training ground, momentarily quieted by Mu-jin. The thoughtless child, assuming others would join in theughter, looked around in panic when the surroundings remained silent. It would have been better if it was just silence; the eyes of everyone in the training ground were on the thoughtless child. Laughing? Once again, Mu-jins heavy voice permeated the training ground. The child who hadughed, along with everyone else, turned their gaze back to Mu-jin. Lets see if you can stillugh after todays training is over. They were then faced with a smile on Mu-jins face that resembled that of a fierce demon. There must be many among you dissatisfied with me taking on the role of instructor. So, Ill give you a chance. Those who are confident in their skills, step forward now. Upon saying this, Mu-jin pointed at the child who hadughed. That includes you. Step out now. The child who hadughed hesitated for a moment, but seeing that Master Uncle Hye-jeong and the Second-ss Disciples didnt intervene, stepped forward. As that child stepped out, others, confident in their abilities, began to step forward one by one. They were all children from martial families, like Mu-gung, who had been learning martial arts in their respective families before entering Shaolin. Naturally, they were discontent with being trained by a peer of their age in the dawn training. They had joined Shaolin to receive the renowned training of the temple, not to be trained by a kid their own age. Thats enough. Good. Including the one whoughed first, ten of you. I will spar with you now. And if I lose even once, I will relinquish my role as an instructor and train alongside you as a fellow disciple. After addressing the children in the training ground, Mu-jin looked at the ten who had stepped forward before him. In truth, there was no need for a sparring match. He had been delegated the authority over training and the power to punish. He could simply discipline those who did not listen. However, that approach would inevitably lead to rebellious behavior and reluctance to fully engage in training. Controlling as many as seventy children during training, even a single rebellious one could disrupt the atmosphere. In an army of adults, if physical control isnt exercised, there will always be those who act out. Now imagine trying to control seventy children just entering their teenage years. Mu-jin believed that he needed to assert dominance from the very beginning to control these rambunctious kids. Originally, Mu-jin had insisted to Master Uncle Hye-jeong on waking the children a quarter hour earlier than the usual training time to make space for Close-Range Spear Technique as a warm-up. But at least for today, he decided to use that time to assert his authority instead. The shouting at dawn and making the children rush to the training ground were all part of establishing control. It was a strategy to subconsciously imnt in their minds that they were already following Mu-jins orders without realizing it. This was also amon practice in special forces boot camps when training new recruits. Now, for the final step in asserting dominance, he only needed to physically subdue those who confidently stepped up as representatives. Of course, there was a possibility that he could lose and his efforts to assert control would be for naught. Lets start with you, the one whoughed earlier. Mu-jin was not uncertain. About losing. Chapter 23: Chapter 23: The child who was called by Mu-jin. Mu-yeon believed that the other children would burst intoughter just like him. In other words, he was looking down on Mu-jin internally. And Mu-yeon was confident in his own skills enough to look down on Mu-jin, who had been quite ahead in the training until now. This was because he, like Mu-gung, was an introductory disciple from a martial family. Therefore, in front of Mu-jin, Mu-yeon took a fighting stance while harboring such thoughts. All I need to be careful of is that strange technique he uses. About five months ago, all he had to do was to be careful of that bizarre technique that had defeated Mu-gung. Different from his light-heartedughter from a moment ago, Mu-yeon started to gauge the distance and watch Mu-jin carefully. After observing Mu-yeon for a while, a small smile appeared on Mu-jins lips.It was as if a child who had just learned martial arts was awkwardly imitating the sparring of adults. Thats exactly what these guys need. Mu-jin, who had a good idea, suddenly stepped forward powerfully during the standoff with Mu-yeon. Mu-yeon, who was tense in anticipation of Mu-jins tackle, flinched involuntarily at the sudden step-in and prepared to counterattack. However, Mu-jin, who seemed as though he would charge but had stepped in aggressively, simply stood still. At that moment, when Mu-yeons body rxed ever so slightly without him noticing, Pop! Mu-jin did not miss that instant and dove into Mu-yeons chest. Still, the training he had undergone did not go to waste as Mu-yeonshed out a fist packed with internal energy towards the face of Mu-jin, who had dived into his chest. But Mu-jin, who had been thinking of a counter from the moment he dived in, used the fourth form of the Revolving Fist Technique. The fourth form of the Revolving Fist Technique was an initial form of offense and defense, where one uses the side of the left arm to deflect the opponents attack and simultaneously strikes with the right fist using the rebound. Mu-jins left arm, charged with internal energy, precisely deflected Mu-yeons attack, and right after, Mu-jins fist dug into Mu-yeons abdomen. Kuhk. As Mu-yeon groaned, clutching his abdomen after the hit, Mu-jin simply stepped back. This isnt even a fight; its not right to beat an opponent in sparring as if thrashing a dog on a hot day. Even though Mu-yeonsughter was annoying, one couldnt just beat up a child for bursting intoughter, no matter what. Looking at Mu-jin, who had easily won against Mu-yeon, a few of Master Uncle Hye-jeong and the Second-ss Disciples shone their eyes in approval. Wow. To think his maniption of Qi is already so free. Not only has he mastered Xiao Hong Quan, but his achievement in the Revolving Fist Technique is also noticeable. They were amazed not only because Mu-jin had skillfully led the sparring but also because of the impact of the fourth form he had shown at the end. When deflecting Mu-yeons punch, Mu-jin had swung his left arm filled with internal energy, but the follow-up straight punch was delivered without internal energy. Everyone noticed that Mu-jin had intentionally not infused internal energy into the punch, worrying that a punch with internal energy might damage the young childs insides. Then, Mu-jin, who had effortlessly defeated Mu-yeon, shouted to the nine Novice Monks waiting behind him. Next! * * * Thest opponent to face Mu-jin boasted arge build that would not be inferior even to Mu-gung. Having seen all the children who sparred before him being dominated and defeated by Mu-jin, he charged at Mu-jin as soon as the sparring started. Not only did his size resemble Mu-gungs, but every time he swung his fist, a refreshing sound of breaking through the air could be heard. Mu-jin, who had lost the initiative, either blocked the opponents attacks with his arms infused with internal energy or dodged them by twisting his body. After receiving the opponents attacks a few times. The moment the opponents fist flew precisely towards Mu-jins face, Mu-jin leaned his upper body back as if doing a limbo. Like the technique often called Iron nk Bridge in the martial world, Mu-jin leaned back and then extended his right arm from that position. His fist precisely struck the chin of the opponent who had deeply lunged in to hit Mu-jins face. Thump! And the opponent who had taken a clean hit to the chin had his legs give out and copsed on the spot. Hoo. Mu-jin, who had knocked down thest, tenth opponent, regted his breath so subtly that it was hardly noticeable from the outside. Thest technique used was the sixth form of Xiao Hong Quan, which is an unconventional posture that, logically, should not be able to deliver any power in a punch. However, like other forms of Xiao Hong Quan, this one could also draw power from an awkward position by utilizing the flow of Qi ording to the requirements. The problem was that if Mu-jin had struck the opponents exposed chin with a punch filled with internal energy, it would have shattered the opponents jaw. So, once again, Mu-jin had to maintain his posture by circting Qi only through the meridians in his lower back, and when swinging the punch, he had to do so without Qi to knock down the opponent. Xiao Hong Quan is still a bit awkward. Thanks to several such techniques unfolded during the previous sparring, Mu-jin was actually feeling soreness in all his muscles. But this set of ten consecutive battles was to establish dominance. Mu-jin did not show weakness in front of the other children. If theres anyone still unsatisfied, step forward. Mu-jin called out in a gentle tone to the remaining children watching the sparring, but now no one stepped forward. Thanks to knocking down ten people in barely a moment, none could raise anyints. As all the children in the practice yard were silently looking at him, Mu-jin once again opened his mouth in a low tone. Alright. From now on, I will lead the training. From now on, at least during the morning training hours, youll call me Instructor. Understand?!! As Mu-jin was speaking softly and suddenly asked loudly at the end, the children instinctively shouted, Understood! Satisfied with the childrens response, a smile appeared on Mu-jins lips, but. Then lets keep the promise. Didnt I say it? Lets see if you can still smile after todays training is over. That was a smile not befitting of Shaolin, but rather one of a devilish enforcer. Everybody down!! As soon as Mu-jins shout erupted, the children flopped down onto the practice yard. Satisfied with their reaction, Mu-jin spoke to the Second-ss Disciples who had been observing from behind. Please ce the sandbags on the backs of the children. And as soon as the Second-ss Disciples ced the sandbags on the childrens backs, the real exercise, or rather the punishment, began. When I say one, you go down and hold the position! Anyone who touches the ground with their belly will have the sandbags on their back doubled! One! On two, you extend your arms and raise your body! Two! The push-ups with sandbags on their backs were just the beginning. They had to run across the practice yard in order, with sandbags tied to their arms and legs, and if they were even slightlyte in tying the sandbags, they had to do push-ups again immediately. In addition, they took on the legendary posture PT 8 with sandbags tied to their bodies among others. The hellish dawn training continued, and soon the childrens clothes were soaked with sweat, despite all of them having trained in Shaolin for at least five months. Naturally, the practice yard was filled only with the sound of the childrens heavy breathing. Attention, everyone. Attention! The children, now ustomed to Instructor Mu-jinsmands, straightened up reflexively at his softly muttered words. This should be enough. Watching them, Mu-jin wore a satisfied expression. Although the Ten Consecutive Battles somewhat established his dominance, starting immediately with Close-Range Spear Technique or simple exercises could disrupt the atmosphere. Especially since the opponents were boys just starting puberty, an age notorious for its rebelliousness. A warning had to be nted in their minds that if they didnt focus on training, they could be ground down like dogs at any moment. And now that the warning had been sufficiently instilled. From now on, the real training begins! It was time to start the main event. To the children who had been rolling around like mad until now, those words sounded like a death sentence from hell, but ignoring the childrens misconceptions, Mu-jin shouted. Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, Mu-yul,e forward! Following Mu-jins call, the trio stepped forward. These three have been training under me longer than you! From today during the dawn training hours, they will be called assistant instructors and will demonstrate for you! Introducing the three as assistant instructors to the children, Mu-jin pointed around the practice yard and positioned the three children. And they dove into the real exercise. Not punishment, but actual movements aimed at developing each muscle were taught one by one. As Mu-jin exined the key points and stimtion points to focus on for each posture and demonstrated, Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong also demonstrated at their respective positions. With seventy children gathered, it was also to ensure those who couldnt see Mu-jins movements well were amodated. Maybe teaching his peers will also boost Mu-gyeongs self-esteem a bit. This reason was also mixed in. Well, theres also the saying that teaching others is a way of learning, so perhaps those three would learn something more while teaching. * * * Five days had passed since Mu-jin took charge of the dawn training. Having observed the training for five days, Beob Gang thought. That Mu-jin kid. Does he have experience teaching someone in his family? Mu-jin led the training with remarkable skill, almost unbelievably so for a twelve-year-old. Especially considering that the training he was leading wasnt one-on-one education but involved controlling as many as seventy children, it was impressively remarkable. Beob Gang also went through the stages of being an introductory disciple and a third-ss disciple, and, in particr, he had tormented his contemporaries so much that he was nicknamed Law-Crazed and Law-Dog. He knew very well how difficult this was. In fact, Beob Gang felt that he had a lot to learn from Mu-jin, surpassing mere knowledge. Hmm. So when I need to let them off, I let them off, but when they cross the line, I should roll them even harder. After establishing dominance on the first day, Mu-jin moved on to proper muscle training. However, as the difficulty of the exercises decreasedpared to the punishment drills, the children inevitably started misbehaving. Whenever Mu-jin noticed even a hint of this, he would roll them as hard as on the first day. It was a typical military-style method of training, but. I should try this with my own disciples. For Beob Gang, whose nature was closer to that of a soldier than a monk, it was a very innovative method of teaching. And on the fifth day. Starting today, we will divide into groups for training. Mu-jin split the children into fourrge groups. This division was based on the results observed during the past five days of dawn training and the morning martial arts practice. It was an arrangement of the children who were simrlycking in their practice of Xiao Hong Quan. For example, children with ack of flexibility or core strength were grouped together. And each of the four groups was led by Mu-jin and the three assistant instructors. For instance, Mu-gung, who had done the most flexibility training, was in charge of the children whocked flexibility. Having the most experience, Mu-jin believed that Mu-gung could lead the training properly if he just suggested, Today well do this, this, and this. Of course, if any children failed to follow properly, or if the assistant instructors struggled to conduct the lessons, Mu-jin would have to step in. Regardless, by dividing the groups, the number of children directly under Mu-jins care was reduced to about twenty. As he taught these twenty and asionally checked on the other groups, the dawn training hour, which was one sijin, passed quickly. Then, as the children were moving to breakfast after the exercise. Master Uncle Hye-jeong approached Mu-jin and spoke. Mu-jin, the item you requested from the Masterst time has beenpleted. It was an additional request Mu-jin had made when he epted Hyun Seongs proposition. It concerned whether a certain item could be made. The news delivered by Hye-jeong was precisely the news that Mu-jin had been eagerly awaiting. Chapter 24: Chapter 24: After finishing dinner, it was time for the afternoons self-directed training. Wow!!! In a secluded corner of the Arhat Factions practice yard, the very thing Mu-jin had longed for was installed. The thing he had asked Hyun Seong for in exchange for taking on the childrens education. It was the Power Rack. There, of course, were the barbell rods to hang on the Power Rack and the weight tes to hang on the barbell rod. Lastly, there was a bench for lying down. The Power Rack is made of wood, so its a bit shaky, but its not heavy yet, so it shouldnt matter, right? It had been over four months enjoying free weights with sandbags as his barbells. Now, simply increasing the number of sandbags was no longer satisfying. Moreover, sandbags couldnt be used for the main movements of free weights, known as the big three.Therefore, Mu-jin had asked Hyun Seong in exchange for taking over the morning training of the introductory disciples. To make him a Power Rack, a barbell rod, and weight tes. Even if Shaolin Temple was a monastery, it was still a prestigious orthodox sect, so he thought they would certainly have enough money to afford such items. Of course, they wouldnt make it just because he demanded it, so Mu-jin hade up with a suitable excuse. Our familys training method is divided into several stages, and I have to move on to the third stage soon. And from the third stage, certain items are necessary. That was Mu-jins vague excuse. On top of that. Ick the time to train my body while teaching other children. Therefore, these items are absolutely necessary for me to exercise more efficiently. It was a bonus that he made it seem like he was sacrificing his time because of the other children. Thest addition was somewhat of a boast but also a fact. After all, it was difficult to focus on his own exercise while teaching others. Anyway, thanks to such efforts, the exercise equipment Mu-jin had longed for finally appeared before his eyes. Heh, the big three lifts in the martial world. Mu-jins pectoralis major and quadriceps were throbbing with excitement at the thought of lifting iron. * * * Four months had passed since Mu-jin received the exercise equipment from Hyun Seong. During that time, Mu-jins body had advanced by not just one, but several levels. Phew. After catching his breath, Mu-jin shouldered the barbell rod and squatted down. It was the epitome of a proper squat form. On Mu-jins shoulders, several weight tes were hanging from the barbell rod. The total weight of the rod and tes was approximately 150 geun (90 kg). Compared to the weight Choi Kang-hyuk used to lift, this might only be considered a warm-up, but currently, Mu-jin was just thirteen years old. In Korean age, thats about a first or second-year middle school student. A child roughly five feet and four inches tall, just starting puberty, was squatting with a barbell rod weighing about 90 kg. Afterpleting his twelfth rep of 150 geun squats, Mu-jin put the barbell rod back onto the Power Rack and let out a deep sigh. Phew. ** For the past four months, Mu-jin had been pushing himself to do 12 reps of the big three lifts, reaching around 230. If he calcted it based on one rep, it would be close to 300. When he first started using the Power Rack, his big three lift was around 170, so in the past four months, he had made significant progress. Considering his age, 170 was already a high number. He had been exercising consistently for about half a year before starting with sandbags, and for the past four months, he had been doing free weights with sandbags, which made it possible. However, despite achieving incredible progress for his age, Mu-jins expression wasnt bright. Today, as usual, Beob Gang was watching Mu-jins exercise and approached him with a puzzled face. Whats wrong, Mu-jin? Ah, I greet you, Master Beob Gang. Mu-jin, who had a gloomy expression, bowed to Beob Gang. Beob Gang, who received Mu-jins greeting, asked again. You seem to be worried about something. Beob Gang was thinking, What could be bothering him? Mu-jins achievement over the past four months was truly remarkable. Just looking at the barbell rod he was currently holding was proof of that. Honestly, even Second-ss Disciples wouldnt be able to lift that much weight without using internal energy. In terms of physical strength, Mu-jin was already on par with some Second-ss Disciples. Or rather, most Second-ss Disciples. Physical abilities peak in ones twenties and then decline. Without using internal energy, most Second-ss Disciples wouldnt be able to lift that much weight. On the other hand, the internal energy that made up for theirck of physical strength was overflowing in Second-ss Disciples. Of course, in Shaolin, they undergo extremely harsh physical training from the introductory disciple stage. However, that training is very simple and primitive, and most of it is just eating a lot of mushrooms and beans. In Mu-jins case, he overcame that issue by eating an enormous amount of mushrooms and beans, but others didnt even know the concept of protein. In other words, their training was closer to asceticism than exercise. Even after training for over ten years, they couldnt surpass a certain level of physical strength. Very rarely, there were some extraordinary individuals who had a talent for building muscle, like Mu-gung among the introductory disciples and a few among the Second-ss Disciples. From that perspective, it was possible that Mu-jin was also one of those extraordinary individuals. The other kids who started learning from me have also changed a lot in terms of physical strength and flexibility. It wasnt just Mu-jin who had grown over the past four months. Hyun Seong was considering ordering more Power Racks, barbell rods, and weight tes so that the other kids could also move on to the next stage, so there was no room for doubt. Thinking to himself, Beob Gang turned to Mu-jin, who opened his mouth. Ive been having some difficulties with my martial arts, so Ive been focusing on external energy training to clear my mind, Master. Difficulties with your martial arts? However, this answer was also hard for Beob Gang to understand. Didnt you already master the Autumn Wind Leg and the Nine Pce Steps, as well as the Ten Stars? Autumn Wind Leg and Nine Pce Steps Following Xiao Hong Quan, the Shaolin Temple introduces introductory disciples to the entry-level martial arts. In fact, Xiao Hong Quan, Autumn Wind Leg, and Nine Pce Steps were not only entry-level martial arts but also tests to check the qualities of the introductory disciples. Starting with Xiao Hong Quan to Autumn Wind Leg and Nine Pce Steps, the hidden test for the introductory disciples was to master each of these three martial arts to at least a level of Seven Stars within a year. Those who failed to master them within a year were forced to leave the mountain and could not even use the name of being part of Shaolin. And the children who seeded in mastering them would then start to learn one or two martial arts that could be called Shaolins martial arts. Whileckingpared to the Seventy-two Consummate Arts of Shaolin, if mastered, they could be recognized as masters in their own right with martial arts like Vajra Fist or Arhat Palm, and Prajna Pole Technique. Those who further mastered these to a level beyond the realm within the remaining period would be true disciples. Conversely, those who had to leave the mountain due to circumstances or did not reach the realm would leave asy disciples. And Mu-jin had already mastered these three martial arts to the level of Ten Stars within just half a year. Just in about half a year, which is considerably faster than just meeting the passing criterion of Seven Stars. It was astonishing that someone who had already mastered up to Ten Stars and was learning the next level of martial arts would say such a thing. Excess is as bad as deficiency, and to pluck up helps growth. Your achievements already forbidparison with the other children. It seems unwise to be too hasty. Is it the achievement of the newly learned Prajna Heart Technique that you find frustrating? It is that, but not only because of that. Mu-jin recalled the Prajna Heart Technique he started learning about fifteen days ago, trying hard to hide his bitterness. Prajna Heart Technique was a higher level technique of the Buddha Mind Technique. Simply put, it was a technique that, in addition to the basic meridians one would conduct Qi through during the Buddha Mind Technique, involved several more meridians. These new meridians were dangerous meridians that could cause problems to the body if mishandled, naturally requiring the Qi to be conducted in a special manner when passing through each dangerous meridian. And these special methods, like Xiao Hong Quan, Autumn Wind Leg, and Nine Pce Steps, were described in the sutras with obscure and mysterious phrases. Of course, one could ask Mu-gyeong to exin these phrases, but sadly, Mu-gyeong was still stuck on Autumn Wind Leg. Well, being a blood sessor wasnt for nothing as even that was quite a fast pace. Having mastered Xiao Hong Quan and Nine Pce Steps, only Autumn Wind Leg was left. Indeed, Mu-gyeong, who had started learning martial arts for the first time upon entering Shaolin, was now starting to surpass the children from martial families. Certainly, it was a ludicrous affair to snatch away Mu-gyeongs time by asking him to exin the intricacies of the Autumn Wind Leg when he himself had yet to master it. Thankfully, there was a silver lining: the Prajna Heart Technique was a method taught to introductory disciples, and Mu-gyeong had some experience interpreting the details of the introductory martial arts techniques alongside others. Thanks to that, Mu-jin managed to interpret and practice the Qi Conducting Technique of the Prajna Heart Technique during the past fortnight somewhat sessfully. The issue at hand, however, was something else. To think it took a whole fortnight just to interpret the basics of an introductory martial art technique. Sigh. If it took this long for the Prajna Heart Technique, then how much longer would it take for the Seventy-Two Consummate Arts, known as the symbol of Shaolin martial arts? Of course, Mu-gyeong, a genius in deciphering techniques, could be asked for help. Damn. But starting with the Seventy-Two Consummate Arts, one must learn directly from a master. It had been over nine months since Choi Kang-hyuks spirit had inhabited Mu-jins body. During that time, he had managed to obtain a variety of information through Mu-gung. True to the character who prioritized bing a senior disciple of Shaolin, Mu-gung was quite knowledgeable. Among the information passed down from Mu-gung was the story of Shaolins martial arts transmission system. Introductory disciples usually undergo one and a half to two years of training before taking an exam. Through this exam, the children are matched with a second-ss disciple as a master, suitable for their body type, constitution, and temperament. It is then they truly belong to Shaolin, and instead of an instructor, they get a real master. Well, even after bing a third-ss disciple, only their living quarters change; the basic training continues in the Arhat Faction. However, once they have gained some experience and learned some of Shaolins martial arts, they then directly receive the Seventy-Two Consummate Arts from their master. The selection of a third-ss disciple in the exam, based on body type, constitution, and temperament, is linked to this. The Seventy-Two Consummate Arts are soplex that each person only masters two or three arts. In other words, they take disciples with simr constitutions to pass down the arts. After bing a true disciple, there was a high chance that Mu-gyeong would learn different martial arts. That was okay, too. With some luck, he might meet a master with excellent teaching skills, and by that time, his body would have developed even more. Just like when he learned the three introductory martial arts, he could make up for hisck of Qi maniption with his physical prowess. But there was just one area where this was impossible. Weights cant build up your internal organs. Damn. That area was the internal energy techniques. If one mishandles the meridians and the Qi flows chaotically, causing the internal organs to burst out, what then? Having a lot of muscles doesnt mean one can prevent an organ rupture. If that were possible, doctors would be prescribing bench presses to train the pectoral muscles instead of performing surgery on heart disease patients. And herey the problem: if one couldnt master the superior internal energy techniques among the consummate arts, then simrly, one wouldck the internal energy to use the martial arts that belong to the consummate arts. Certainly, arent there often mentions in martial arts novels of those terrifying peerless martial arts that would consume a decades worth of Qi with just one use? To utilize such peerless martial arts, a peerless internal energy technique was essential. Fortunately, Mu-jin had one secret method that could inte his Qi without having to learn a peerless internal energy technique. That method was none other than active cultivation. Yes, the very active cultivation he had learned during his wall-facing meditation. Gleaning clues from the words of Beob Gang and Master Uncle Hye-jeong, Mu-jin had in fact been continuously practicing active cultivation. Thanks to this, when it came to the Buddha Mind Technique, he could now always conduct Qi while breathing, not just during exercise. However, that didnt mean it was perfect. Actually, Ive been contemting an issue regarding active cultivation, Master Uncle. Is it about active cultivation? Beob Gang, who had been tilting his head at Mu-jins words, suddenly caught on and eximed with a shocked expression. Mu-jin, dont tell me youve mastered the Buddha Mind Technique!? Even while conversing with him, Beob Gang could feel Qi faintly moving around Mu-jin. This meant that Mu-jin had reached the true realm of active cultivation, where he could continue conducting Qi even in his daily life. However, Mu-jin shook his head at Beob Gangs question. I can continuously conduct the Buddha Mind Technique usually, but there are precisely two moments when conducting is impossible. Thats what troubles me. Ho Im quite curious about those two things. One is when I hold my breath. And the other is during sleep. Isnt that to be expected? Beob Gang looked at him with an incredulous expression, but Mu-jin still had a face full of frustration. Setting aside sleep, there are more moments than youd think when I have to hold my breath. For example, I cant maintain Qi flow while eating or drinking. So, what youre saying is that youre pondering over how to umte Qi even when youre not breathing or when youre asleep? That is correct, Master Uncle. Mu-jin was utterly serious, but Beob Gang was at a loss for words. Conducting Qi even while sleeping was not so much an internal energy technique as it was close to some sort of realm. It was a realm where the internal energy technique hadpletely merged with the body and mind, allowing for natural Qi flow even during sleep. However, the problem was the former. An internal energy technique that allowed one to umte Qi without breathing? There could be no such thing even in the great Shaolin Hm? As Beob Gang thought this, a certain martial arts technique shed through his mind. It wasnt an internal energy technique, but it was a concept of some martial art that absorbed Qi through the skin. Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Beob Gang casually mentioned the name of the martial art that came to his mind to Mu-jin. Mu-jin, have you ever heard of iron skin? Upon hearing the name of the martial art, a look of bewilderment crossed Mu-jins face. And for good reason. Isnt that a third-rate external energy technique practiced by bandits? It was because that martial art was generally regarded in such a manner. Even if Choi Kang-hyuk, who resides within Mu-jins body, had stopped reading martial arts novels by the time he was in school, some memories of iron skin faintly lingered in his mind. Its a martial art that appears quite frequently in martial arts novels, usually practiced by third-rate viins. For example, itsmonly practiced by the Green Forest bandits. Was it a martial art of Shaolin? As Mu-jin asked with an incredulous expression, Beob Gang cleared his throat once before answering.Ahem. There is a bit of a hidden story to it. In fact, iron skin was one of the basic Shaolin martial arts that those who had passed the introductory martial arts, like the Prajna Heart Technique you are currently learning, used to practice. Iron Sand Palm is also among the famous martial arts of our Shaolin, practiced by those who have mastered iron skin to a higher level. Ah Mu-jin had seen Iron Sand Palm in old martial arts movies. A martial art where one trains by thrusting their palms into hot, glowing sand. The strong first impression it left had stayed in his memory. How did such a basic martial art of Shaolin degenerate into a third-rate technique practiced by bandits? This is rted to the decreasing number of practitioners of iron skin within Shaolin. iron skin is a martial art that strengthens the skin to withstand attacks from sharp weapons like swords and des, but ultimately, it offers little help against highly skilled masters. [11:38 PM] Ah, Ive heard of that. Its said to be ineffective against masters who use the Heavy Hand Technique of the internal family. The Heavy Hand Technique of the internal family (ȼַ) refers to a technique that, when striking an opponent, uses internal energy to destroy the insides rather than just causing external damage. Thats right. Moreover, while it can block attacks from ordinary metal, it cannot block the sword qi () or de qi () of highly skilled masters. There are stories that if one truly masters it, they could even block those, but the consensus is that it ultimately cannot block strong qi (). It was practically useless against a true master. And Shaolin practices martial arts to face off against powerful opponents like the leaders of the Demon Sect or viins from the evil factions. So, it was said that the number of those who practice it naturally decreased due to itsck of practicality. It was also a statement that it would be of no help to Mu-jin. After all, the enemy that Mu-jin must face is the final viin of the novel, an immensely powerful expert. But why are you suddenly bringing up the topic of iron skin? Cough. It is known in the world that iron skin, like Iron Sand Palm, is about consistently applying impact to the skin to train it to be as strong as steel. However, this is only half the truth. The real iron skin also involves a secret of absorbing Qi through the skin. Ah This iron skin became this way because it was a basic martial art. Ay disciple who descended the mountain without properly mastering iron skin established a family and spread the half-baked iron skin technique. The true iron skin was considered useless even in Shaolin and thus stopped being practiced, while the half-baked iron skin spread through they disciples. Is it because it was only half-baked and a basic martial art, Shaolin didnt bother much about it. Having thought that far, Mu-jin asked with shining eyes, Then, if you learn the real iron skin, can you absorb internal energy through the skin? Absorbing Qi through the skin means that one could umte internal energy even when unable to breathe. What if one could absorb Qi through the skin while actively cultivating? The effects would likely be doubled. In the eyes of Mu-jin filled with such expectations, Beob Gang shook his head. That is both correct and incorrect. What do you mean? The secret of iron skin is originally to absorb Qi through the skin to strengthen it. In other words, the Qi absorbed with the technique of iron skin does not add to the internal energy but just strengthens the skin. Ah So its useless then!? [11:47 PM] Mu-jin was thinking this to himself when, fortunately, Beob Gang added, However, it is true that the secret allows one to absorb Qi through the skin. So, why dont you try to research a way to convert the Qi absorbed through the skin into internal energy? Beob Gang looked at Mu-jin with very serious eyes. His gaze was filled with the expectation that you can do it. Of course, Mu-jin was not someone who felt pressure from such a gaze or would rashly take on a task that was too much for him. Hmm. It seems worth a try? At least theoretically, Mu-jin thought there was a possibility. It seemed quicker to find a way to convert the Qi absorbed through the skin into internal energy than it would be to understand the terriblyplex and difficult Seventy-two consummate arts techniques that he would learn in the future. Disciple. Although my realm is still modest, I shall attempt the challenge. As Mu-jin spoke with a resolutely confident tone, Beob Gang nodded with a satisfied expression. Youve made a good decision. Then, will you now teach me the secrets of Iron Skin? That is impossible. Why is that? As Mu-jin asked with a puzzled face, Beob Gang awkwardly responded, uncharacteristically embarrassed. I have not learned Iron Skin myself, so I do not know the secrets. As Mu-jin looked on with a bbergasted expression, Beob Gang sheepishly turned his head to the side. Cough, cough. It cant be helped. It has been over fifty years since Iron Skin began to be neglected. Only records of it being learned in the past remain, and now there are hardly any within Shaolin who have mastered Iron Skin. Beob Gang knew this information because of his strong pride in Shaolin, having memorized the historical records. Among the second-ss disciples of Shaolin, there were even those who did not know that Iron Skin was a martial art of Shaolin. However, that was of no concern to Mu-jin. Then how do you propose I learn Iron Skin? Dont worry. Even if there are none who have learned it now, the scripture library still has the records of Iron Skin. It is, after all, a basic martial art, so I will learn it first and then teach you. Beob Gang spoke with confidence, but Mu-jin could only look at him with an unimpressed expression. Despite his appearance, which was unmistakably that of a soldier, the more one looked at Beob Gang, the more he seemed to be a bumbling figure. * Several dayster. Apart from his bumbling demeanor, Beob Gang may not have been made a second-ss disciple of Shaolin for nothing, as he seeded in learning the secrets of Iron Skin. Thanks to this, Mu-jin was able to begin formally learning Iron Skin through Beob Gang. [11:51 PM] The secret of Iron Skin was entirely different in its approachpared to the martial arts that Mu-jin had learned before. Of course, it was all the same talk of grasping at clouds from the Buddhist scriptures, but while other martial arts described methods of handling internal energy, the secret of Iron Skin was more about sensation. The essence of Iron Skin was to feel, absorb, and strengthen the skin through Qi. For this purpose, the practice of Iron Skin often involved striking or impacting the skin. By applying a proper level of strikes or impacts, the goal was to use the stimtion to make the skin more sensitive and aware of its condition. And the secret of Iron Skin dealt with how to feel that sensation through the skin and how to absorb external Qi through that sensation. p. For this reason, Mu-jin, who had begun practicing Iron Skin, would repeatedly p his own skin with his palm whenever he had a spare moment. Why is he doing that again? To those unaware, the scene would look like the antics of a madman. As Mu-gung watched Mu-jin repeatedly harming himself and asked with a puzzled expression, Mu-yul cheerfully replied. He used to do that before, senior brother Mu-gung! When was this before? Umm Well Mu-gungs question led Mu-yul to count the days on his fingers for a moment. Eventually giving up on calcting the date, Mu-yul cheerfully answered. A long time ago, when Mu-jin first talked back to Master Uncle Hye-jeong! Ah. Back then, he even asked me to p his cheek! When I refused, he pped his own cheek. He really was crazy after all. Mu-gung muttered quietly to himself upon hearing Mu-yuls sunny response. He was cautious not to speak too loudly, fearing another strike from Mu-jin. A skilled fighter who is crazy can be that frightening. * Half a year had passed. During this time, autumn hade and gone on Mount Song where Shaolin Temple was located, leaving behind white snow that eventually melted, giving way to budding greenery. In time with the sprouting season, about twenty novice monks left the Shaolin Temple. They were novice monks who had failed to master the introductory martial arts within a year. Even though Mu-jin had taken charge of the morning training and raised the level of external energy practice, if one could not handle internal energy at all, they ultimately could not learn the martial arts of Shaolin. The twenty children who left now were either unable to feel Qi at all during the year or, even if they could feel it, theycked the talent to handle it properly. However, despite having sent away such arge number of children, Master Uncle Hye-jeong, who was in charge of their training, did not seem too downcast. Master. This year, as many as forty-nine children have remained. The fact that only the children who could not handle internal energy properly had left meant, conversely, that if one had even the minimum talent to handle internal energy, they could stay. Typically, more than half would be sent away at this time, but this time only less than a third were. [11:53 PM] Hyun Seong seemed to have the same thought, a small smile gracing the lips of the elderly monk. This too is thanks to Mu-jin. Normally, even if a child had the talent to handle internal energy, it was notmon for them to master the three introductory martial arts to the level of seven stars within a year. However, this year, thanks to Mu-jins external energy training methods, there were several children who overcame theirck of talent with external energy practice. At this point, it would be more foolish to deny Mu-jins training methods. In fact, far beyond mere acknowledgment, Hyun Seong and Hye-jeong had already be ardent supporters of Mu-jins methods. Sigh. We need to bring in additional strong wooden beams and iron bars, and weighted tes for the Arhat Faction as soon as possible. Having greatly benefited from Mu-jins training methods, Hyun Seong hoped to acquire more of the tools that Mu-jin used. However, even Shaolin, renowned as it was, could not overflow with wealth due to its upright and equitable methods. Simple tools like wooden sticks could be made easily enough, but iron bars and weighted tes required a fair amount of precision in their center of gravity and standards, making their production quite costly. In other words, it wouldnt be easy to get the budget approved by the Jurisdiction Department of Shaolin. However, there wasnt apleteck of options. Hahaha. Having practiced the Buddhist path for nearly fifty years, I should be ready to let go of desires, but I find myself eagerly awaiting the day of the entrance examination. Disciple shares the same sentiment, Master. Entrance Examination. The final test for introductory disciples and the selection process for direct disciples. Through this examination, if Mu-jins training methods can be proven, then it wouldnt be a dream to bring in arge quantity of equipment to the Arhat Faction. * Another half a year passed by. The seasons transitioned from spring and summer, and now as they entered autumn, the trees on Mount Song began to take on a crimson hue. During the past year, Mu-jin also achieved significant growth. Perhaps due to his growth spurt, he grew a little over 171 cm in the span of a year. Sigh. Mu-jin, after taking deep breaths, began lifting an iron bar. Combined with the weight tes attached, it now weighed a hefty 102 kg. Not with squats, but with bench presses, Mu-jin started to lift weights close to 100 kg. Based on a 12-rep standard, he had now reached the three-lift total of 400 kg. While a year and nine months of training resulting in only a 400 kg total might seem slow, there was a significant reason for this. Mu-jin was not a fitness trainer, but a martial artist. If the goal had been solely to increase muscle size, he could have aimed for a 500 kg total. His body was naturally strong, and Choi Kang-hyuk was a capable trainer. However, his reason for building his body was to use martial arts more easily and effectively. And recklessly increasing muscle size could actually hinder movement. Just like bodybuilders with bulging muscles who cant scratch their own backs. [11:57 PM] Therefore, Mu-jin only increased his muscle size to a level suitable for martial arts practice. He developed his physique only to a size simr to that of celebrities often referred to as fit on television. Once he reached that level, Mu-jin maintained his muscle mass with the three major exercises and focused on stimting smaller muscle groups. Thanks to this approach, Mu-jins body transformed from the bulky muscles of a trainer to a leaner, more wild and muscr physique with well-defined muscles. Furthermore, he seeded in learning several additional basic martial arts of Shaolin that are allowed for introductory disciples. As Mu-jin was vigorously advancing his training, Hyun Seong, the head of the Arhat Faction, was entering one of the majestic halls of the long-standing Shaolin Temple. Abbot. I am Hyun Seong, the head of the Arhat Faction. I havee to discuss the uing entrance examination that will take ce in five days. This ce was none other than the office of the abbot, the core of Shaolin Temple. Come in, head of the Arhat Faction. Hyun Seongs visit was permitted by thepassionate abbot of Shaolin, Hyun Cheon, who greeted him with his characteristic benevolent expression. I have heard a brief ount. The majority of the children have seeded in staying until the entrance examination this time? Hahaha. This is also due to the deep virtue of the Abbot, is it not? At the response of Hyun Seong, the abbot and his former disciple, a gleam appeared in the kind eyes of Hyun Cheon. If Hyun Seong has such confidence, it must be quite promising. Amitabha. Abbot Hyun Cheon was sincerely looking forward to the entrance examination that would take ce in five days. Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Originally, the mornings at Shaolin were quiet yet busy. In ces like the Arhat Faction, the External Faction, the Half Faction, the Jurisdiction Department, and so on, monks from each faction and department were quietly and busily moving about, attending to their assigned duties or practicing their martial arts. However, today, for some reason, most of those who should be dispersed among the various factions and departments were gathered together. The ce they gathered was none other than the Arhat Faction, for today was the day of the entrance examination for the introductory disciples who had joined two years ago. In fact, it wasnt typical for so many to assemble for every entrance examination. Usually, the number of children remaining to take the entrance examination was at most around twenty. Except, of course, for those rare asions when the number of disciples who stayed until the entrance exam exceeded a hundred, sometimes surpassing thirty. Consequently, the number of second-ss disciples avable to take on new disciples was also about twenty at most. It was customary for the Arhat Faction to give a heads-up, calling only the prospective masters who suited the childs constitution or body type.But today was entirely different. There were forty-nine children who had remained until the entrance examination. Subtracting the seven who had left early to carry on their family lineage asy disciples, there were forty-two examinations to be conducted. Therefore, instead of giving a heads-up, the Arhat Faction simply invited all those who were interested to attend. Thanks to this, aside from the introductory disciples who would be taking todays test, nearly two hundred individuals had gathered at the Arhat Faction. Nearly half of Shaolins monks, excluding the third-ss disciples, hade together. It might seem sufficient for only the second-ss disciples, who would be taking on the introductory disciples as direct disciples, to gather, but reality was different. Since the second-ss disciples were still learning martial arts from the first-ss disciples, they felt somewhat inadequate to decide on their sessors by themselves. Hence, it wasmon for the first-ss disciples to also observe and then rmend potential sessors to the second-ss disciples. With this in mind, Hyun Seong deliberately invited as many people as possible to be spectators at this entrance examination. His n was to use this entrance examination to validate Mu-jins training methods and confidently order additional exercise equipment from the Jurisdiction Department. As over two hundred people gathered together, even theposed monks of Shaolin couldnt help but generate noise. Each person spoke with a low voice, but whenbined, two hundred such voices inevitably created a din. I heard that forty-two children are taking the entrance examination this time. Perhaps Hyun Seong, the head of the Arhat Faction, left many children because of hispassion, Master. Thats unlikely. Hyun Seong came to me yesterday and said that the abilities of these disciples are truly exceptional. As the gathered crowd engaged in such conversations, At the appointed time, Hyun Seong appeared in the center of the training ground of the Arhat Faction. Thank you all for taking the time toe here despite your busy schedules. As everyone has pressing matters and there are many children who need to be examined today, I will not prolong my speech and will proceed directly with the examination. Amitabha. As Master Uncle Hye-jeong announced the beginning of the examination and stepped back, a Second-ss Disciple stepped forward to the center of the training ground. The entrance examination at Shaolin was, in fact, quite a straightforward affair. A Second-ss Disciple would spar with an introductory disciple to assess how well the child had mastered martial arts. The Second-ss Disciple who had stepped into the center of the training ground was one of those tasked with conducting the sparring. Introductory disciple Mu-gyeong, step forward! called out the Second-ss Disciple. Following that, a Novice Monk stepped forward to the center of the training ground in response to the call from Master Uncle Hye-jeong, who was in charge of overseeing the training. Mu-gyeong bowed to the Second-ss Disciple, and after thetter returned the greeting, the sparring began with Master Uncle Hye-jeongs shout. Haah! Mu-gyeongunched an attack on the Second-ss Disciple, disying the introductory martial arts and the basic martial arts of Shaolin he had learned thus far. As one might expect, the gap between a Second-ss Disciple and an introductory disciple was substantial. Consequently, the role of the Second-ss Disciple in the examination was not to defeat the introductory disciple but to engage just enough to allow thetter to adequately demonstrate their skills. The Second-ss Disciple deftly dodged Mu-gyeongs attacks or used internal energy at an appropriate level to block them. asionally, when an opening appeared in the opponents defense, the Second-ss Disciple would counterattack. After all, merely blocking or dodging attacks would not allow for a proper assessment. Thepleteness of the initial moves, the application of internal energy, the ability to eliminate vulnerabilities, or the capacity for quick thinking in covering those vulnerabilities were also part of the examination. From this perspective, the skills of the child named Mu-gyeong were more than sufficient to pass. Even though the Second-ss Disciple was being lenient, the sparring had already proceeded with more than twenty exchanges that were worthy of the term sparring. Enough! Thinking that everyone present had sufficiently witnessed Mu-gyeongs abilities, Master Uncle Hye-jeong concluded the sparring. Hehehe. Its no wonder the Arhat Faction Leader took pride in him. Truly excellent skills. Im not sure if its right to showcase such an exceptional disciple right from the start. Amitabha. Indeed, the other spectators were also disying satisfied expressions at the skills of the child named Mu-gyeong. And as they observed the sparring, several among them were already shining their eyes with the intent to take him on as their disciple, having gauged his physique and constitution. After Master Uncle Hye-jeong nced over the scene and saw that everyone had finished their discussions, he proceeded to the next examination. Four more rounds of sparring followed, and amazingly, all five children who had undergone the examination thus far had passed. Hehehe. It seems that all the children of this batch have strong and upright spirits. That is indeed true, senior brother. Rather than haphazardly using various martial arts, they seem to have mastered the introductory martial arts from the Revolving Fist Technique to the realm of Ten Stars. Having observed five rounds of sparring, the Shaolin disciples were gradually discerning the characteristics of the children. None of the five who had passed the examination thus far had mastered a wide array of basic martial arts. Instead, they focused on a few introductory martial arts such as Xiao Hong Quan and Autumn Wind Leg, and basic martial arts like Arhat Palm and Prajna Pole Technique. Nevertheless, all five were able to pass because they had brought the few martial arts they knew to a very high level ofpletion. Considering the amount of internal energy typical of children their age, they demonstrated considerable speed and power. In truth, this was due to Mu-jins training methods. Such training could not change ones inherent understanding or talent for manipting internal energy. Thus, those children whose talents varied slightly had barely managed to learn the introductory martial arts over a year and had seeded in mastering only one or two basic martial arts, excluding the Prajna Heart Technique. However, thanks to Mu-jins training method, those whose physical levels had improved by leaps and bounds were able to produce powers and speeds far surpassing their peers in the martial arts they had mastered. Unaware of these internal circumstances, the Shaolin disciples simply misunderstood that this batch had been educated in a manner that deepened one martial art rather than diversifying. And this misunderstanding was shared by Abbot Hyun Cheon, the head of Shaolin. Five days ago, intrigued by Master Uncle Hyun Seongs confident words and expressions, Abbot Hyun Cheon, who attended todays examination, casually spoke to Hyun Seong, who was seated next to him. Hehehe. Indeed, as the Faction Leader said, the level of this batchs children seems quite high. Usually, among the children who remained for the entrance examination, about half to a third would fail. But now, with not a single one of the five having failed thus far, one could tell that the level of this batch was quite high. But why could that be? At Abbot Hyun Cheons words, Hyun Seong replied with an enigmatic expression. Hehehe. We have not even seen half yet, Elder Brother Abbot. There is no need to make a judgment too soon. Amitabha. At Hyun Seongs response, Abbot Hyun Cheon looked puzzled. Hmm. Did he deliberately ce the outstanding children at the front? But if that were the case, Hyun Seong wouldnt have shown such confidence five days ago. Even now, he only suggested to keep watching, showing no signs of anxiety. One will understand by observing. Having cultivated the Buddhas path for fifty years, the elderly monk, Abbot Hyun Cheon, quicklyposed himself and decided to watch the examination with a rxed mindset. As for Hyun Seong, who had given a cryptic answer to Abbot Hyun Cheon, Hehehe. It is still too early to be surprised, Elder Brother Abbot. He was harboring such thoughts internally. Although the children who had gone first in the entrance examination already had sufficient levels to pass, the real talents were yet toe. Around the time ten or so matches had passed, A peculiar smile appeared on the lips of Hyun Seong, who knew which child would be called next. Introductory disciple Mu-yul, step forward! The child stepping forward this time, Mu-yul, was quite a uniquely talented individual. * * * Introductory disciple Mu-yul, step forward! Following Master Uncle Hye-jeongs call, Do you remember what I told you before? Mu-jin, who was sitting beside Mu-yul, whispered to him. Yeah! You told me to go out and have fun. Thats right. Just go out there and enjoy yourself without overthinking. Relieved that Mu-yul remembered his words, Mu-jin gently patted Mu-yuls back. Watching Mu-yul walk out with his usual cheerful expression, Mu-jin also smiled. In fact, in terms of martial arts alone, Mu-yul was not particrly ahead of the other introductory disciples. Because of his extraordinary level of pure naivety. However, having spent nearly two years together, Mu-jin knew very well. That Mu-yul possessed a very special talent, one that more than made up for his naivety. Therefore, instead of forcing him to learn various martial arts that did not suit him, Mu-jin had Mu-yul continuously practice only one introductory martial art and one basic martial art, the Qian Kun Bu. To prevent Mu-yul, whocked in intellectual capacity, from getting his limbs tangled while concentrating on the flow of internal energy, Mu-jin had him imprint the movements and the flow of internal energy into his body. Since everyone here is an expert, at least some will recognize the special talent unique to Mu-yul. With such thoughts, Mu-jin watched the sparring match that was just beginning. Hehehe. There was a reason behind Master Uncle Hyun Seongs confidence. This child also seems to have the skills to pass the examinationfortably. Amitabha. However, contrary to Mu-jins expectations, those watching Mu-yuls sparring match could only give a satisfactory assessment. And the one having the same thought was the Second-ss Disciple who was sparring with Mu-yul. The reason was that the number of martial arts Mu-yul was using was not many. It seems I have grasped the number of martial arts he has learned. What remained was to check his adaptability and the application of his martial arts. Having made his judgment, the Second-ss Disciple swung his leg towards an opening the moment Mu-yul threw a punch. To see how the child named Mu-yul would respond. And Mu-yul swiftly dodged the iing kick by twisting his body. No, it wasnt just a dodge. As if the punch he had been swinging was a feint, he used the momentum from his swift turn to aim his opposite elbow at the Second-ss Disciples face. Boom!! The Second-ss Disciple, who had not anticipated a counterattack from that position, quickly raised his palm, infused with internal energy, to barely block the attack. And while the startled Second-ss Disciple instinctivelyunched a counterattack with his other hand, also infused with internal energy, Hehe. Once again, Mu-yul evaded like a slippery eel, twisting his body out of harms way. And with the twist of his body, another counterattack from Mu-yul followed swiftly. What, what!? The close-rangebat, exchanging blows at a fast pace within a distance of just about a foot, left the Second-ss Disciple, who was merely an introductory disciple and not even a Third-ss Disciple, feeling bewildered. Logically, it seemed clear that the punches aimed at the apparent openings should connect. Yet, every time, the child named Mu-yul would dodge the attacks with movements that made one wonder if he was even human, all the while countering. By then, those who were watching the sparring match also began to notice something unusual. Among them, there was one middle-aged monk in particr whose eyes were fiercely shining. Ha. To move in such a manner in that situation. Watching Mu-yul move in bizarre ways, the middle-aged monk nodded his head in satisfaction. This child was a natural-born fighter. Not predicting or anticipating the opponents moves, but moving instinctively like an animal, something the monk, who had practiced animal-inspired martial arts for decades, could keenly feel. And to top it off, he has the exceptional physique to execute those instinctual decisions. Moving instinctively meant, conversely, not anticipating. In other words, it implied frequently making sudden movements without prior preparation. Such movements required exceptional flexibility and sticity, akin to that of animals. The instinct of a wild animal, along with the exceptional flexibility and sticity to bring those instincts to life. Having recognized both talents, the middle-aged man spoke with conviction. Beob Hyun (t), take a good look. This child will be your disciple and my fourth-generation sessor. Yes, Master. The middle-aged monks dharma name was Hye-geol (ۂ). Do you see that animal-like movement? With that child, we can surelyplete our Shaolin Five Forms. Shaolin Five Forms. One of Shaolins representative martial arts, developed by Bodhidharma himself, inspired by the movements of the dragon, tiger, leopard, snake, and crane. Hye-geol was the current sessor of the Shaolin Five Forms and a man known in the martial world as the Invincible in Five Forms. Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Hye-geols intense gaze was fixed on Mu-yuls movements, as if determined not to miss a single one. He exuded an overt determination, unwilling to concede even to his senior brothers when it came to this child. Thus, unknowingly targeted by Hye-geol, Mu-yul continued to spar with the Second-ss Disciple, the bout nearing forty exchanges. As the sparring reached its peak, Stop! Master Uncle Hye-jeong, who had been observing the situation, intervened to halt the sparring. The purpose of the entrance examination was to assess the childrens level, not to determine the winner of the sparring match. Indeed, the oue was predetermined. It was impossible for a Second-ss Disciple to lose to an introductory disciple. Master Uncle Hye-jeong stopped the match out of concern that the Second-ss Disciple, who had been going easy, might identally harm Mu-yul if the intensity escted.The sudden intervention from Hye-jeong brought a moment of silence to the practice yard, but soon, those who understood his intentions apuded Mu-yul for his impressive performance. p p p! Hehehe. Thank you! Surprised by the unexpected apuse, Mu-yul returned the gesture with a bright smile and bowed to the adults before returning to his ce. As the Second-ss Disciple regained hisposure, Master Uncle Hye-jeong resumed the entrance examination. * * * About a sijin had passed since the start of the entrance examination. In that time, more than twenty children hadpleted their assessments, and so far, all had passed. Although only about half of the examination had been conducted, the number of passers already rivaled the record high. Naturally, this brought a sense of astonishment to the face of Abbot Hyun Cheon, who was watching the proceedings. How on earth have you managed to raise the childrens level like this? Did you perhaps secretly distribute Fasting Pills to the introductory disciples without my knowledge? Hehehe. How could I possibly dare to do such a thing? Hyun Seong replied with a smile to Hyun Cheons jest. And its still too early to be surprised, Abbot. Too early to be surprised? Intrigued by Hyun Seongs cryptic response, Hyun Cheons eyes shone as he asked, but instead of answering the senior brothers question, Hyun Seong simply looked toward the center of the practice yard, as if to suggest that he see for himself. Following Hyun Seongs gaze, Abbot Hyun Cheons eyes fell upon a child whose size made one question whether he was really an introductory disciple. * * * During the peak of the entrance examinations intensity. Hey, wooden puppet. Mu-jin elbowed Mu-gung in the ribs as he spoke. Ah, what now? As Mu-gung, who was bing increasingly tense due to the approach of his turn, asked with a puzzled expression, Mu-jin casually responded. Dont just stand there, try doing what Im doing. Saying so, Mu-jin demonstrated a few Close-Range Spear Technique movements to loosen up his shoulders and neck muscles. Im about to go on, how is doing that now going to change anything? Stopining and just do it. Dude, have you ever gone wrong following my advice? Despite his puzzled look, Mu-gung eventually began to mimic Mu-jins movements. Somehow, as Mu-gung loosened his neck and shoulder muscles following Mu-jins movements, his tension began to ease as well. The tension that had condensed in his muscles loosened, and inversely, his overall tension eased somewhat. Considering how stiff he already is, if he tenses up due to nerves, he really wont be any different from a wooden puppet. Watching Mu-gung, who had begun to loosen up on his own, Mu-jin couldnt help but chuckle. As Mu-gung was actively loosening his tense muscles. Introductory disciple Mu-gung, step forward! Finally, Master Uncle Hye-jeong called out Mu-gungs name. Is that child really an introductory disciple? Did he lie about his age? Watching Mu-gung step into the center of the practice yard, the Shaolin disciples participating in the evaluation murmured in surprise. Mu-gung, who was one year older than Mu-jin and now fifteen, had always been notablyrger than his peers, and his size had increased even more after going through puberty. At just fifteen years old, his height was already six feet and two inches (186 cm), and his distinctive muscr build made him appear evenrger than the Second-ss Disciple he was facing. However,rge as he may be, fifteen is still fifteen. Under the gaze of nearly two hundred temple elders, Mu-gung felt his heart pounding heavily. Whew. I need to calm down. I need to calm down. He had endured harsh training for two years just for this day. At this crucial moment, he couldnt afford to stiffen up and make a mistake. Whew. Im ready, Master Uncle Hye-jeong. After loosening his neck and shoulder muscles once more with the Close-Range Spear Technique, Mu-gung spoke. Could it be because of his size? The way he loosened his neck muscles somewhat resembled that of a neighborhood thug. Begin! And as soon as Master Uncle Hye-jeongsmand rang out, Mu-gung boldly charged towards the Second-ss Disciple. Mu-gung was naturally a child boasting arge build and great physical strength. However, the downside was that his body was quite stiff. Throughout the past year and a half, Mu-jin had been training Mu-gungs body, working to maximize his strengths. He corrected the stiffness that hindered his movements, but after ensuring a minimum level of flexibility, he focused the schedule mainly on building muscle strength. Additionally, despite his appearance, Mu-gung was quite conscious of others gazes and was a hard worker who never stopped trying to make a good impression. And now, at this moment. The fruits of his efforts over the past year and a half were unfolding from his fist. Boom!!! !? An explosive sound of air being torn apart, which should not have been possible from the punch of an introductory disciple, burst forth. The Second-ss Disciple, who had slightly turned his head to dodge the punch, was taken aback by the explosive sound that erupted right next to his ear. Is, is this really an introductory disciple? The Second-ss Disciple pondered for a moment. He wondered if it was the right decision to hold back his energy against this opponent. Introductory disciples, even those from martial families, have at most only five years of training in martial arts as children. On the other hand, Second-ss Disciples have trained for at least fifteen to nearly twenty years. Naturally, there was a significant difference in the depth of their internal energy. Therefore, the Second-ss Disciples who had been conducting the examinations so far had participated without using more than five years worth of internal energy. Even with the same level of internal energy, there was a vast gap in the utilization of martial arts and internal energy due to the difference in the years of practice, so there had been no problems. But could they manage this ignorant mass and immense strength with the same amount of energy? To conduct a proper examination, Ill have to draw upon a bit more energy. Having made his decision, the Second-ss Disciple drew upon more internal energy than he had against the other children. And in mid-air, the fist that Mu-gung had thrown collided with the Second-ss Disciples fist. Bang!! Indeed. Even though the Second-ss Disciple had brought forth ten years worth of energy, the two fists were evenly matched. If the power and speed were at a simr level, what followed was the use of martial arts. Naturally, the Second-ss Disciple thought he would be far superior to his opponent, but Mu-gung was not such an easy adversary. Ha! Mu-gungs punch, which let out a refreshing sound of air being torn, flew forward, but the sound was weaker than before. Instead of using full power, Mu-gung mixed feints into the movements between each punch. Just as he had learned from Mu-jin, he began to incorporate fake movements with his shoulders, arms, or steps. The power behind each punch and kick was reduced as he mixed in the feints. Boom! But even so, it was only reduced by Mu-gungs standards. His immense strength was not diminished. Furthermore, since Mu-gung was a hardworking individual from a martial family, he had mastered four basic martial arts techniques. His attacks, skillfully interwoven with feints, were concise, powerful, and diverse. Ha, what talent! He fits our Shaolin perfectly. Amitabha. It was only natural for those watching Mu-gungs sparring to exim in admiration. Especially since Shaolins martial arts, despite being of the Buddhist school, were predominantly strong and heavy. In that sense, Mu-gung was an excellent candidate for discipleship that most Shaolin disciples would aspire to. Not bad at all. A middle-aged monk with a build as imposing as a Guardian King, spoke in a heavy tone. The quintessence of Shaolin martial arts could be said to be the principle of stopping within movement. As the saying Thousand-Year Shaolin suggests, martial arts have evolved over a millennium. Throughout this process, numerous principles emerged. While speed (), agility (), illusion (), change (׃), and softness () appeared, Shaolin has always valued heaviness () above all throughout the long span of a thousand years. Among these martial arts, there are those that pride themselves on being the heaviest. Hye-dam, the sessor of the Vajra Immovable Body Technique (??????) and the Tathagata Palm (????), observed Mu-gungs movements with a stoic expression. But due to his usual demeanor and the influence of the martial arts he practiced, his emotional expressions did not surface outwardly. Master. Do you take a liking to that child? Beob-hwi, Hye-dams immediate disciple and a Second-ss Disciple, could sense that his master favored the boy. With that level, he might have the potential to carry on our Shaolins authentic lineage. It was an expression filled with pride in the martial arts he had mastered. And Hye-dam was indeed someone who had every right to hold such pride. The symbol of Shaolins martial force, the One Hundred Eight Arhats, guarded the Jinganggak and Shaolin Temple. These One Hundred Eight Arhats wereposed of six groups, each with Eighteen Arhats, forming the One Hundred Eight Arhat Formation. And Hye-dam was the leader of the first group among those six, one of the representative figures symbolizing the current martial strength of Shaolin. Known in the martial world by two meanings as Vajra Divine General (????, ??), Hye-dam watched Mu-gungs sparring and thought. He has made an effort to minimize unnecessary movement. It meant that he understood how great the principle of stopping within movement was. And unfortunately for Mu-gung, the intense scrutiny from Hye-dam and the audience made him quite ted. Hehehe. They are all watching me. Then, at times like this, one must leave an even stronger impression. Having thought that far, Mu-gung assumed a stance to perform the most mboyant technique he knew, instead of the simple movements he had been repeating up until now. Seriously, that blockhead. Recognizing the stance, Mu-jin covered his face, as if he couldnt bear to watch the predictable oue. And as he had anticipated, a loud thwack! of flesh striking flesh soon echoed across the practice yard. Kugh. Having been properly struck in the abdomen by the Second-ss Disciple, Mu-gung was now clutching his belly and rolling around on the ground. Cough. It seems the child is still young and has some frivolousness left in him, Master. Watching Mu-gung rolling on the ground, Beob-hwi spoke with an awkward tone, and a character appeared on Hye-dams forehead. Hes a child in need of education. Despite the displeasing final scene, it meant that Hye-dam had decided to take Mu-gung as a personal disciple. * * * Meanwhile. As the fervor of the entrance examination heated up the tranquil Shaolin Temple, A Second-ss Disciple of Shaolin, who had been watching Mu-gungs sparring, furrowed his brow at a scent wafting over, one that seemed out of ce at Shaolin. Is that the smell of alcohol? Such a scent waspletely incongruous with the sacred Shaolin Temple. Yet, inexplicably, The discordant aroma made it all the easier for the Second-ss Disciple to guess the identity of its bearer. I greet Master Uncle Hye-gwan. As the Second-ss Disciple greeted the middle-aged monk emanating the smell of alcohol, the man called Hye-gwan merely waved his hand nonchntly. He seemed bothered by such trivial formalities. Hmm. Without so much as a nce at the Second-ss Disciple who had paid his respects, Hye-gwan briefly looked towards the center of the practice yard. Looks like the kind of fool that Hye-dam senior brother might enjoy. Hye-gwan chuckled as he looked at Mu-gung, who was sprawled out on the ground of the practice yard. I came expecting a raucous party thrown by the Abbot himself in the throes of madness, but it seems today is the day of the entrance examination. With those words, Hye-gwan began to watch the entrance examination with a yful expression, harboring a hope that something interesting might emerge. Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Shortly after. Mu-gung, having just regained his breath, stood up with a flushed face and stepped back from the center of the training ground. Youre not suited for shy stuff, you know? Mu-jin continued to chide Mu-gung, who was moving away. With hisrge frame and not-so-great flexibility, Mu-gungs movements inevitably became more susceptible to exposing weaknesses as they grewrger. Mu-jin had always advised Mu-gung to utilize concise attacks and feints to maximize his strength, which was his asset. Sorry about that. Tsk. Mu-gung, embarrassed in front of the Shaolin elders, ticked off with a face reddened in anger, and Mu-jin couldnt help but let out a hollowugh. Right. Hes still at an age to be afflicted with adolescent angst, cant help it.What could he expect from kids? As long as they passed, that was good enough. It seemed that Mu-gung had safely passed the entrance examination, so Mu-jins attention naturally shifted elsewhere. To a corner where the introductory disciples waiting for their turn were gathered, towards the one who seemed to be digging a hole in the ground all by himself. Mu-jin, noticing the palpable tension in Mu-gyeongs shoulders, nonchntly draped his arm over them and asked. Ready? No, no, no, not yet. In response to Mu-jins question, Mu-gyeong answered, shaking as if he had an electric motor in his mouth. Not just his mouth, but Mu-gyeongs shoulders, where Mu-jin had ced his arm, were also trembling violently. Wi-wi-will I be able to do well? To Mu-gyeongs trembling question, Mu-jin shook his head. You dont need to do well. Huh? You dont need to try to do well. Saying so, Mu-jin taught Mu-gyeong a few Close-Range Spear Techniques to help ease his tension, just as he had done for Mu-gung. Then he added the most important piece of advice for Mu-gyeong, who was following him and warming up. Mu-gyeong, just remember this one thing. The most critical point Mu-gyeong needed to take care of in this examination wasnt not to be nervous. Dont get too excited. Got it? From what he had observed over the past one year and nine months, Mu-gyeong was someone who caused more trouble when excited than when nervous. * * * As the entrance examination wasing to a close. Introductory disciple Mu-gyeong, step forward! Finally, Mu-gyeongs name was called. Dont get excited! Leaving behind Mu-jins wordswhether they were encouragement or warningMu-gyeong headed to the center of the training ground with trembling steps. Mu-jin watched Mu-gyeong with a look of concern. He wasnt worried that Mu-gyeong would fail the examination. Mu-gyeong wasnt destined to be a blood sessor for nothing. Mu-gyeong was, quite literally, a genius. Mu-gyeong had started learning martial arts only aftering to Shaolin. Moreover, when it came to physical talent, he was ratherckingpared to Mu-yul and Mu-gung. Yet, he possessed a talent that overshadowed all that. He had the intelligence to grasp the intricacies of martial arts in a single attempt and the talent to use internal energy easily once he understood it. In a world within martial arts novels that values martial arts and internal energy, Mu-gyeongs talent was truly befitting of the term genius. Still, the reason Mu-jin was worried about Mu-gyeong was precisely because he was the future blood sessor. * * * Meanwhile. The Second-ss Disciple, Beob-hwan, who had stepped out for Mu-gyeongs examination, looked at the introductory disciple standing before him with a curious expression. Most kids would take the initiative to attack during their examinations. After all, showing ones skills was generally easier through offense rather than defense. However, the child before him didnt go on the offensive even as the sparring began and appeared visibly tense. Maybe, for the first time in this examination, there might be a candidate who fails. While it was regrettable to think that he might have to fail someone with his own hands, fairness was essential in examinations. Since the opponent did not initiate the attack, Beob-hwan had no choice but to make the preemptive strike. Swish! And the child, who had appeared tense, effortlessly dodged Beob-hwans attack by following the flow of the basic martial arts technique, Qian Kun Bu. Hmm. Noticing the childs excellent mastery of Qian Kun Bu, Beob-hwan swung his right foot towards a hidden w within the technique. Boom! But as if expecting this, Mu-gyeong used the defensive posture of the Arhat, Samshik, to deflect Beob-hwans attack. Using the Arhats defense while stepping through Qian Kun Bu sofortably, he must have mastered both to their extremities. Realizing the child was more skilled than anticipated, Beob-hwans eyes gleamed as he continued his offensive more aggressively. As the sparring passed ten exchanges, his face gradually became painted with astonishment. He fended off a punch aimed at an opening with the Six Yang Hands, and when Beob-hwan used the fifth posture of the Guanyin Eighteen Legs, Mu-gyeong switched from Qian Kun Bu to the stepping technique, Immovable Step, to avoid it. Each time Beob-hwan aimed for an opening, Mu-gyeong used a different martial arts technique to show the most optimal defense or evasion. After evading Beob-hwans attacks about ten times, and perhaps because his tension had eased, Mu-gyeong finally went on the offensive. He started with Vajra Fist. As Mu-gyeong consecutively executed the first and second postures of the Vajra Fist, Beob-hwan intended to exploit the opening that would appear during the transition to the third posture. However, surprisingly, the subsequent posture was not the third of the Vajra Fist. In fact, it wasnt the Vajra Fist at all. While stepping through the Immovable Step, Mu-gyeongs leg flew out in ordance with the subtleties of the Guanyin Eighteen Legs. The moment Beob-hwan retreated to dodge the kick, Mu-gyeong closed the distance in one step and swung his arm in the third posture of the Six Yang Hands. Beob-hwan attempted to deflect that arm. !! It was a feint. Mu-gyeong had changed the form of his swinging hand to strike Beob-hwans palm with the technique of Guanyin Hands and then swiftly jabbed his fingers forward. With the technique of the Stone-crushing Finger, he aimed precisely at Beob-hwans meridians. Thump! Beob-hwan managed to swing his arm and deflect the fingers, but sweat was already streaming down his forehead. The others watching the sparring were equally astonished. How many martial arts has he mastered? Such an extraordinary child has emerged. The number of martial arts Mu-gyeong had used for evasion, defense, and attack seemed to be at least ten. But merely knowing arge number of martial arts did not necessarily make one strong. If the learned martial arts were all separate and did not integrate well, having many would be more of a hindrance. However, that was not the case with Mu-gyeong. All the martial arts and postures he had used so far, despite being clearly different from each other, were seamlessly connected. It was as if they were all one martial art. This introductory disciple is surely the most outstanding. Amitabha. This was indeed a remarkable feat. Martial arts traditionally required the flow of internal energy to be channeled through specific meridians ording to each posture. Naturally, when attempting to use multiple postures in session or simultaneously, the flow of internal energy could be entangled. This would not be an issue for postures belonging to the same martial art, or for martial arts specifically created toplement each other. Yet, the techniques Mu-gyeong used were more often mismatched than not. And still, they flowed naturally, indicating an exceptional level ofprehension. For just an introductory disciple to freely use over ten different martial arts was an act that shatteredmon sense. This was not only due to Mu-gyeongs exceptional understanding of martial arts but also owed a significant part to Mu-jins training methods. Originally, Mu-gyeongs physical capabilities were somewhatckingpared to his talent for martial arts. Normally, he would have had to ovee his physical shorings with far moreplex maniption of internal energy. However, after a year and a half of systematically developing his physique, Mu-gyeong could now link postures more easily. And the number of basic martial arts that Mu-gyeong was currently learning Its not about how many he has learned; its that theres nothing he hasnt learned. It was all of them. The basic martial arts of Shaolin, permitted to introductory disciples, were usually learned selectively, two or three at most, suited to each individuals physique and temperament. Mu-gyeong had mastered all of them. And he could link and use all these martial arts ording to his preference. But why then? Watching the impressive sparring of the great Mu-gyeong, Mu-jins face was tinged with concern. After all, the boy who had initially only dodged and defended out of nervousness had suddenly switched to a full offensive. Mu-gyeongs movements, which flowed like a painting, despite mixing different martial arts, had no discordance. As the sparring continued, a twisted smile began to appear on the previously timid Mu-gyeongs lips. As if finding this precarious sparring to be delightfully enjoyable, Mu-gyeong continued to unfold the martial arts he had learned. Faced against Mu-gyeong, who grew more unpredictable with every move, Beob-hwan fell into deep contemtion. Can it be that basic martial arts alone are not enough to contend with this child? Even with restricted internal energy, there was a gap of at least fifteen years of martial arts training between them. Yet, Beob-hwan found himself being outmatched in understanding the basics. A brief moment of contemtion caused a slight gap in Beob-hwans movements, and Mu-gyeong seized the opportunity. A fist infused with Mu-gyeongs killing intent flew towards Beob-hwans vital points. Killing intent!! And Beob-hwan, reacting to that killing intent, instinctively maneuvered his internal energy. A martial art that should never have been used during the entrance examination. He executed one of the most powerful martial arts he had learned, one of the Seventy-two Consummate Arts, the Dharma Eighteen Hands. No matter how talented Mu-gyeong was, it was impossible for a mere introductory disciple to block the Seventy-two Consummate Arts. No!! As the worst possible scenario unfolded, Mu-jin shouted and rushed towards the training ground. But before him, a shadow appeared on the training ground. Bang! The man who appeared in the training ground used his right leg to block Mu-gyeongs punch while simultaneously using his left palm to stop Beob-hwans strike. Even if it was an iplete Dharma Eighteen Hands executed by the Second-ss Disciple, the man who blocked the attack was as rxed as if he were out for a leisurely walk. Gulp gulp. To top it off, the man, while blocking attacks from both sides with his right leg and left palm, was nonchntly drinking from a liquor bottle he held in his right hand, a sight so bizarre it felt surreal. Then. Senior brother Hye-dam, frowning, called out to the drinking man in a stern tone. Hye-gwan, how dare you drink alcohol within the sacred grounds of Shaolin. It seems you truly wish to enter the Cave of Repentance. Ha ha ha ha. Senior brother Hye-dam, you jest too much. How could I possibly dare to drink within the sacred grounds of Shaolin. The man who smirked yfully threw the wooden liquor bottle he had been drinking from to Senior brother Hye-dam. And astonishingly, when Hye-dam caught the bottle, there was not even a hint of alcohol scenting from it. In that brief moment, he had used the extreme Yang energy unique to Shaolin martial arts to evaporate the alcohol content without affecting the water or the wooden bottle itself. Hye-dam was well aware that the man had casually performed such an extraordinary feat. Sigh I understand your hard work, but there are lines that should not be crossed, Hye-gwan. Nevertheless, Hye-dam did not pursue the matter further. In fact, no one there attempted to challenge Hye-gwan. This was partly due to Hye-gwans personality, but also because of the incredibly heavy karma he bore. Shaolin was a Buddhist sect, and its teachings emphasizedpassion, guidance, and the importance of not taking life. However, sometimes in this world, there were despicable viins beyond redemption. For such cases, Shaolin would asionally send out certain individuals to deal with them beyond the temples walls. The only ones in Shaolin exempt from the rule of non-killing, these individuals willingly walked the path of Asura for the sake of sentient beings. Hye-gwan was the leader of these individuals, known in the martial world as the Demon Extermination Squad. Understanding the weight of the karma that the Demon Extermination Squad bore, everyone chose to overlook Hye-gwans entricities. They knew how difficult it was to continue the cycle of killing as someone who had learned the Buddhas way. All of Hye-gwans frivolous actions and drinking were seen as efforts to cope with the immense guilt. Known in the martial world as the Drunken Buddha or the Demon-Conquering Buddha Who Does Not Retreat, Hye-gwan brushed off Senior brother Hye-dams warning with a yful smile. Heh heh heh. My apologies for interrupting the honorable masters, senior brothers, and disciples observing the entrance examination, but it seems I must take this child under my wing. And with that, he announced his intention to take Mu-gyeong as his personal disciple. Mu-gyeong, who had just disyed incredible talent in the sparring, naturally sparked the interest of others, but no one dared to object to Hye-gwans deration. Those of lesser cultivation didnt think they could handle Hye-gwans temperament, and those of higher cultivation understood why Hye-gwan had stepped forward. They, too, had recognized the madness and killing intent Mu-gyeong had revealed at the end of the sparring. Amitabha. Abbot Hyun Cheon, the head of Shaolin, watched the scene between Hye-gwan and Mu-gyeong with a somewhat sorrowful expression. Perhaps this is for the best. The Buddha greatly valuedpassion and forgiveness. Instead of casting out the child with madness from Shaolin, Abbot Hyun Cheon thought that cultivating under Hye-gwan, who opposed the demonic, might be more beneficial for the child. Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Hehehe. Kid, it seems you are inherently one of us. Hye-gwan, having received an unspoken approval from the audience, said to Mu-gyeong with a sly smile. However, Mu-gyeong wasnt really hearing his words right now. The sudden halt of the sparring had cooled down Mu-gyeongs excitement. Only now did he realize that hundreds of temple elders had been watching him, and amidst that, he had exhibited his killer techniques. It was truly a mad revelry. Hee, heek Havinge back to his senses, Mu-gyeong let out a strange noise, then bowed his head deeply and started to tremble. It was as if he didnt have the courage to raise his head and face others. Hahaha.Watching Mu-gyeongs state, Hye-gwan burst into heartyughter. Well, this is something. Seems like I might end up taking in someone crazier than myself as my disciple. When fighting, his eyes would turn and he would even unleash deadly techniques on his master, but once back to his senses, he was too scared to even make eye contact with others. Hye-gwan himself, including many madmen within the Demon Extermination Squad, had never seen someone so prized in their madness. It looks like it will be more enjoyable to train him than I thought. Hehehe. Im looking forward to it. After saying that to Mu-gyeong, Hye-gwan, as if he had lost interest in the entrance examination, soared over the wall of the Arhat Faction and disappeared. * * * The entrance examination was briefly thrown into chaos due to the incident with Hye-gwan and Mu-gyeong. However, as most of the monks were deeply cultivated, the confusion quickly dissipated, and the entrance examination promptly resumed. And as most of the introductory disciples were finishing their examination Hmm. If were talking purely talent, it seems that Mu-gyeong, who became Hye-gwans disciple, has the most outstanding talent. Arhat Faction Leader. Abbot Hyun Cheon, who had observed the examination of as many as forty-one children, spoke with a satisfied expression. All the children who had taken the examination so far had passed and were selected as Shaolins third-ss disciples. There had not been a single year with such a record since Hyun Cheon had entered Shaolin. It was truly the best group ever, and among them, Mu-gyeongs talent was peerless. If Hye-gwan could properly manage Mu-gyeongs madness, Abbot Hyun Cheon believed he would grow to be a great pir of Shaolin. However, why was it? Responding to Abbot Hyun Cheon, who had rated Mu-gyeongs talent the highest, Hyun-seong had a strange expression as he spoke. It is true that Mu-gyeongs talent is astoundingly remarkable. However, if you were to ask me who the best disciple of this generation is, I would choose that child without hesitation. Senior Brother Ban-dangju. As Master Uncle Hye-jeong spoke, all eyes turned toward the ce he was looking, where Mu-jin, whose name had finally been called, was walking toward the practice field. Following Hyun-seongs gaze to Mu-jin, Abbot Hyun Cheon questioned Hyun-seong once more. Is that child even more exceptional than Mu-gyeong? If you ask whether Mu-jin is more exceptional than Mu-gyeong, the answer is both yes and no, Senior Brother Ban-dangju. Yes and no Yes. If were talking about talent for martial arts alone, Mu-gyeong could be said to be superior to Mu-jin. Mu-gyeong indeed possesses the talent to synthesize all of our Shaolin martial arts. At Hyun-seongs words, Abbot Hyun Cheon also nodded. Aside from the madness and murderous intent he disyed at the end, if were looking solely at the understanding of martial arts, it was apletely reasonable assessment. But thats exactly why the question grewrger. How could there be someone even more exceptional than Mu-gyeong, who possessed such talent? What about this Mu-jin then? Mu-jin is After a brief pause, Hyun-seong, with a pleased smile, shared hisprehensive view of Mu-jin that he had observed all this while. He is a child who will advance our Shaolin to the next level. Hearing Hyun-seongs answer, Abbot Hyun Cheon turned his head again to look at Mu-jin, who was now at the center of the practice field. A child who will advance our Shaolin to the next level Abbot Hyun Cheon could sense the subtle difference in Hyun-seongs words. The difference in the subject. A child who would synthesize Shaolin martial arts. A child who would advance Shaolin. It was a simr yet very different expression. Its almost like discussing that person. That expression somehow brought to Abbot Hyun Cheons mind the name of a figure. Begin! With Master Uncle Hye-jeongs shout, thest entrance examinationmenced. * * * In the precincts of Shaolin, where majestic halls stood. A young monk was walking between the halls, carrying an elderly monk on his back. At a nce, this scene might seemmonce, yet there was also something quite extraordinary about it. A youth carrying an elder was a picture of filial piety, as denoted by the Chinese character for filial virtue. However, this was Shaolin Temple, where, except for a few schrly monks who did not practice martial arts, most were monks skilled in martial arts. Especially among the elderly of the esteemed Shaolin, who were usually experts that had reached a high level, there was no need for them to be carried by someone else. The elderly monk creating this peculiar scene spoke to the young monk carrying him. Its unusually quiet today. It seems everyone has gone to observe todays entrance examination, Master Uncle. Today is the entrance examination? Yes. This year, as many as forty-two are taking the examination, so many have gone to observe, Master Uncle. Hohoho. Its a sign of Shaolins revival. Carried on the back of his disciple, the elderly monk let out a shallow groan. After a moment to steady his breath, he spoke again. Bang-geon, as a Second-ss Disciple, you too should take in a disciple, shouldnt you? There will be an entrance examination next year as well, wont there? I enjoy these walks with you, Master Uncle. Hahaha. Bang-geons response brought a look of regret to the elderly monks face, but Bang-geon could not see the expression of the monk on his back. The elderly monk knew. He knew that Bang-geon had given up attending the entrance examination to take care of him. Thats why the elderly monk came up with an idea. Then, lets extend our walk to the Arhat Faction where the entrance examinations are held. But Master Uncle At the elderly monks words, this time it was Bang-geon who looked worried. Hohoho. I simply wish to take a longer walk for a change. It gets stuffy always going to the same ces. Dont worry about it. At the elderly monks words, Bang-geon showed a resigned expression. I will be careful as we go, Master Uncle. Hohoho. You always have a hard time because of me. Nonsense, Master Uncle. No one in Shaolin would me you, no matter what you ask of them. Responding in this way, Bang-geon carefully took each step to avoid jolting the monk on his back. Moving carefully meant they were slow, and it took them over an hour to finally arrive at the Arhat Faction. Bang-geons expression couldnt help but turn sorrowful at the shallow groans from the elderly monk on his back. Then, the monk being carried spoke up, after regting his breath. Hoo. Shouldnt we go a bit further in? This ce seems sufficient, Master Uncle. Wouldnt it be difficult to properly observe the sparring from here? Hahaha. I am stillcking, and even if I were close, Im not sure I could pick a proper disciple. Why not let Master Uncle decide after watching? Bang-geon, judging that it would be too much to go further in consideration of the elderly monk who seemed to have reached his limit, decided to stay there. And in reality, the monk he was carrying could see the practice field from a higher vantage point and was sufficiently able to observe the sparring. From that perspective, even the very back of the practice field was enough for them. His internal strength may have faded, and his body aged, but the monk that Bang-geon carried had reached a level in the past that Bang-geon could hardly hope to match. But for better or worse, by the time they had arrived at the practice field, the entrance examination was almost at its end. As they arrived, Mu-jin, thest candidate for the examination, was heading towards the practice field. Sigh. As Mu-jin stepped into the practice field, an exmation of admiration unknowingly escaped the lips of the elderly monk. At such a young age, to have such perfect bnce. Having once been called the greatest of Shaolin before losing his martial arts due to an incident, the elderly monk could tell, just by looking at Mu-jins gait, that his physique was exceptionally superior. Just then, a resounding cry from Master Uncle Hye-jeong signaled the start of the sparring. Begin! With Master Uncle Hye-jeongs shout, Mu-jin charged towards the Second-ss Disciple. The assault of Mu-jin, with the finesse of the Nine Pce Steps and the strength of his lower body that had been cultivated over time, was truly explosive. However, the Second-ss Disciple, without panic, calmly tried to read Mu-jins movements. To deceive the Second-ss Disciples gaze, Mu-jin mixed in small feints, like he had taught Mu-gung, and then unleashed the One Cycle Heart Punch of the Revolving Fist Technique. The One Cycle Heart Punch of the Revolving Fist Technique. It was the most basic technique learned when one first entered Shaolin. As such, the internal energy secrets of the Heart Punch were very simple. One only needed to flow internal energy through the channels in the correct order. However, the elderly monk, observing the sparring, let out a murmur as Mu-jin executed the Heart Punch. Preposterous The elderly monk, though his Danjeon was damaged and he could no longer gather internal energy, had not lost his sense of Qi. With his past experience of reaching a high level, the elderly monk could discern the intention behind Mu-jins fist. Mixing the finesse of the Nine Pce Steps and Autumn Wind Leg, he maximized the flow of power starting from his lower body, utilized the intricacies of the Xiao Hong Quans Six Postures to strengthen his core and withstand the force. No, he amplified it. Moreover, he amplified it again with the technique of Xiao Hong Quans First Posture from his shoulder. It seemed to be just a simple straight punch, but within it were blended the intricacies of several introductory martial arts. And as those various intricacies unfolded simultaneously Bang!!!! Something as forceful as breaking a rock waspleted. Kuh. An involuntary groan came from the Second-ss Disciple who had blocked Mu-jins punch. The opponent was an introductory disciple. Naturally, the Second-ss Disciple thought to use at most five years of his Qi cultivation to face Mu-jin. But the speed of Mu-jins charge and the ufortable feeling from his fist, which was more than expected for a Revolving Fist Technique, caused him to draw up more of his power. Yet, despite having brought forth ten years of cultivation against an introductory disciple, this was the oue. Though his bones werent broken, his forearm throbbed painfully, and after blocking Mu-jins strike, his body had been pushed back about a foot. And towards him, who had been pushed back, Mu-jins second punch flew in. Having already been pushed back by the force once, he desperately twisted his upper body to dodge, but the second punch was a feint. As the Second-ss Disciple twisted his body, the fist flying towards his face changed trajectory. Realizing that Mu-jins iing hand was employing the Guanyin Eighteen Hands technique, he simrly drew up his Qi to respond with the same technique. What, what kind of grip strength is this!? He felt a tingling in his fingers as they grasped Mu-jins, and he had no choice but to pull up even more Qi. The Second-ss Disciple, who had tried to match Mu-jins level, finally felt on equal footing only after drawing on fifteen years of his Qi cultivation. Could it be you consumed some sort of spiritual elixir before entering Shaolin? That question naturally arose in his mind, but to Mu-jin, it was a ridiculous misunderstanding. If there were such convenient things, how good would that have been. Mu-jin casually responded to the Second-ss Disciples question and, as he released their interlocked fingers, he immediatelyunched a kick. The Second-ss Disciple barely managed to dodge the kick with the technique of the Iron nk Bridge, and cold sweat ran down his forehead. It was because of the fierce sound of air being torn by Mu-jins kick that had just passed his face. This is not an opponent to take lightly! Having exchanged only a few hand moves, the Second-ss Disciple quickly came to a decision. In the entrance examination, its customary to use only about five years of Qi cultivation to gauge a childs level. However, if he held back his Qi against this child, the examination would be irrelevant; hed simply be overpowered. The Second-ss Disciple decided to use basic martial arts, simr to an introductory disciple, but to draw on a bit more Qi. ng!! As Mu-jins fist collided with the Second-ss Disciples forearm, a clear sound like hammers striking each other echoed. In truth, although Mu-jin hadnt consumed any spiritual elixir, thanks to his active cultivation, he had umted internal strength much faster than other introductory disciples. He had been able to reach the level of active cultivation in the Prajna Heart Technique thanks to a years worth of effort following his training in the Buddha Mind Technique. However, even with that, he had only managed to gather an amount of internal energyparable to that of children from martial families. Yet, the elderly monk could easily infer why Mu-jin was able to produce such extraordinary strength. Sigh To create such power with merely that level of internal energy. Fist (ȭ), palm (), leg (), finger (ָ), hand (), step (). Excluding the Revolving Fist Technique, this child has at most learned only one martial art in each category. Among these, the fist technique, leg technique, and stepping technique were the introductory martial arts of Xiao Hong Quan, Autumn Wind Leg, and Nine Pce Steps, respectively. This meant he had learned only three basic martial arts: Arhat Palm, Guanyin Eighteen Legs, and Stone-crushing Finger. At first nce, it was not an especially remarkable count. Instead of learning the next steps, hebined what he learned to create something new. Just like the initial use of the Revolving Fist Technique, though the forms seemed the same, these six martial arts were entirely different from one another. In fact, they were a new martial art formed bybining six techniques. This child was forging a new path based on what he knew, rather than following the given one. This was truly the path of a grandmaster. Is that young child already walking that path An involuntary murmur came from the elderly monk as he watched the sparring. It was as if he was seeing his past self. Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The old monk harbored a sense of astonishment but at the same time, a new question arose in his mind. Understanding pre-existing martial arts was one thing, but creating apletely new one was an entirely different concepteven if it was abination based on existing martial arts. Each martial art had its own critical internal energy techniques. Mixing these arts meant intertwining the flow of internal energies as well. Simply performing them at the same time was almost tantamount to suicide. The secrets of internal energy were profound; adding one to another didnt simply make two. It could amplify to be three or four, or it might even cause harm. And even if amplification urred, that increased power could be a problem in itself. When creating powerful forces, a reaction was a natural principle of the world. Thus, martial arts boasting great power always had methods to enhance strength and simultaneously counteract the side effects that came with it. Those that didnt were often called demonic arts in themon world, and on the contrary, it was very difficult to create a proper martial art thatpletely resolved all side effects. So how could that young child mix together six basic martial arts? ording to the old mans Qi Perception, that boy named Mu-jin was simply weaving together the critical techniques of six martial arts. There didnt seem to be anything special about resolving the bacsh. Pondering briefly on what that solution, which even he could not discern, might be. Could it be A hypothesis formed in the old monks mind. And if his theory was correct, then that child truly deserved to be called a Great Grandmaster.The old monk realized the need to verify if his spection was indeed true. Unfortunately, if he was right, there was no disciple within Shaolin capable of handling such a child. Beob Gang. Yes, Master Uncle. Would you be able to move to the center of the training field? But Master Uncle I am fine. There is something I must confirm, so please, proceed to the center of the training field. Master Uncle, who rarely insisted, made a request. Eventually, Beob Gang had no choice but to lift the old monk and start moving. To advance, Beob Gang, who was on the outer edge, inevitably had to jostle through other Shaolin disciples upying the space. The disciples, who were intensely focused on Mu-jins ongoing examination, turned their heads at the sudden disturbance from behind. Huh? !! Surprised by the unexpected arrival of the figures, they looked at Beob Gang and the old monk with startled faces. * * * Meanwhile Mu-jin waspletely engrossed in his sparring match with the Second-ss Disciple. So much so that he had even forgotten the fact that this was an entrance examination. He was simply enjoying the duel at this moment. This is what the martial world is about. He had been training in martial arts and developing his body for a year and ten months. However, during that time, there was never a proper asion for him to exhibit his full strength. Although he asionally sparred with other children, they were just thatchildren. Truthfully, he had never faced them with his true might. But now, the Second-ss Disciple he was up against was an adult in histe twenties and more importantly, a senior with over a decade more training than Mu-jin. A duel where he could pour all his efforts without worrying about injuring the opponent. The tension of facing a strong adversary and the pleasure of colliding everything he had learned and built up. Completely immersed in the fight, Mu-jin felt as if the world around him was moving slowly, continuously lunging at his opponent. Bang!! Once again, Mu-jins forearm shed with the opponents staff. Whoosh!! A kick that could cause fatal injuries with a mere brush flew towards Mu-jin. Yet, even in the face of such formidable power, Mu-jin willingly dived forward, his eyes filled only with the figure of his opponent. After dozens of exchanges, fullymitting his energy against the Second-ss Disciple overseeing the examination. Suddenly, during the spar, the Second-ss Disciple took arge step back. ?? Thanks to that, Mu-jin, whose concentration was broken, btedly noticed that the atmosphere around was very chaotic. The countless onlookers who had been watching his duel were looking somewhere else. No, it wasnt just lookingthey were parting to the left and right like the Red Sea, and the two hundred Shaolin disciples who surrounded the training field started to widely separate. Following the path that split like water, a young monk was walking, carrying an old monk on his back. Mu-jin immediately realized that the old monk was in very poor health. This was evident from the emaciated arms showing through the cassock and the legs that were too thin as the young monk carried him. However, the frail appearance of the old monk was not the pressing issue at the moment. And that was because: I pay my respects to Hyun-gwang, the Four Hundredth. I pay my respects to Master Uncle Hyun-gwang, the Four Hundredth. The two hundred Shaolin disciples, who had stepped aside to make way, were all paying their respects and bowing deeply to the old monk. I pay my respects to the Great Senior Brother. I pay my respects to the Great Senior Brother. Even the Arhat Faction leader, Hyun Seong, and the Abbot, Hyun Cheon, who were watching the duel from the highest seat, stood up to pay their respects to the old monk. It was indeed a strange sight. That the Abbot, who could be considered the highest elder of Shaolin, was showing respect to this individual? Naturally, Mu-jin also realized that something unusual was happening with the current situation. Amidst the weing crowd, the young monk carrying the old monk arrived before Mu-jin. Before speaking to Mu-jin, the old monk first addressed Abbot Hyun Cheon. Hoo. I apologize for interrupting the entrance examination. Abbot. There must be a reason for your movement. Amitabha. Abbot Hyun Cheon replied with a respectful tone and expression to Hyun-gwangs words. Having sought understanding from Hyun Cheon, Hyun-gwang once again began to speak. In truth, there is something I wish to ask this young man, which is why I havee forward. As soon as Hyun-gwang finished speaking, the attention of everyone in the training field shifted back to Mu-jin. Of course, Mu-jin wasnt the type to be flustered by such attention. Instead, he was curious about what the old monk wanted to ask him that warranted such a turn of events. Fortunately, the old monk got straight to the point instead of beating around the bush. Young man. If its alright with you, could you please remove your robe? That was the main pointto remove his clothes. ??? While Mu-jin was understandably puzzled, surprisingly, no one in the training field expressed any bewilderment at Hyun-gwangs request. There must be a reason for him to say such a thing. That conviction was apparent in the eyes of the Shaolin disciples. Well, its not like I have anything to be embarrassed about. Having nothing to hide and with nearly two years of rigorous training behind him, Mu-jin was confident in his body and briskly took off his robe. Thanks to that, Mu-jins body, as solid as steel, was revealed. Ohh. Truly, it can be called a Heavenly Martial Constitution! Seeing Mu-jins exposed body, exmations of admiration naturally erupted from those in the training field. His muscles, which did not stand out much when clothed due to a focus on functionality rather than size during training. But on the contrary, because each small muscle had been meticulously developed for functionality, his body boasted a form that was nearly perfect for a martial artist. Amitabha The old monk, having briefly examined Mu-jins body and uttered a prayer, posed another question. Young man. The martial arts you used during the recent duel, were they indeed abination of six different martial arts? Yes. Mu-jin replied with a slightly surprised expression to Hyun-gwangs question. That he could tell just from watching a brief moment of the duel. However, Mu-jins surprise was a bit premature. Then, was that physique something you were born with, or did you deliberately train your body to be that way? During my time as an introductory disciple, I worked hard to cultivate it to this extent. Was cultivating your body in such a way intended for the use of the martial arts you demonstrated in the recent duel? !!! Not just Mu-jin, but everyone who had been watching the duel wore expressions of surprise. The old monk posed another question to Mu-jin. In our Shaolin, we possess an extensive variety of martial arts, why did you choose such a method instead of learning different martial arts? I felt that learning many martial arts was not suitable for me. Not suitable? Why did you think that? My aptitude is not that outstanding. Therefore, instead of learning many martial arts, I wanted to create martial arts that were the most fitting for me. This was the solution that Mu-jin had pondered and arrived at after a year and a half of contemtion. He wasnt the original protagonist, Mu-jin, from the novel. He wasnt confident that he could easily learn advanced martial arts with outstanding aptitude like Mu-gyeong. Thus, after mastering three introductory martial arts in just four months, he spent the next year and a half learning only three more basic martial artsif one excludes the internal technique Prajna Heart Technique. What he learned additionally were the spear technique, hand technique, and groundwork, and he began to research how to use the critical techniques of the martial arts he had learned all at once. This was not an easy task. Of course, with some practice, it was entirely possible to simultaneously perform each critical technique, but the problem was the resulting side effects. Each martial art was designed with a critical technique that could only handle the increased power generated when using that specific martial art. For example, using the essence of Xiao Hong Quan, one could condense Qi in the shoulder and then explosively release it through the arm. The critical technique of this martial art also provided protection for the arm and shoulder proportional to its power. However, Mu-jin condensed energy from the toes using the essence of Nine Pce Steps and Autumn Wind Leg, then further amplified the energy that rose from the legs at the waist, following the essence of the Arhat Palm or Xiao Hong Quan. This amplified energy then followed the critical technique of another martial art, flowing through the shoulder and arm, and finally, it was even more amplified at the fingertips ording to the critical technique of Guanyin Hands and Stone-crushing Finger. In other words, the original critical techniques could not withstand the power that was amplified over and over again. Themon solution would be to create new critical techniques andplex solutions to this problem. However, Mu-jin found a solution that adhered to the principles he had set for himself. If the body is strong, the mind is at ease. Mu-jin believed in this principle and pushed forward with it. And through one and a half years of rigorous training, he indeed seeded in developing a body capable of withstanding that immense power. Regardless of Mu-jins surprise, the old monk added with a benevolent smile. Ho ho ho. It seems youve even mastered Iron Skin. To control the flow of excessive power with such a thoroughly trained body and the strength of your skin, you have truly created your own martial art. Following Hyun-gwangs words, Mu-jin could only look at the old monk with a face as if he had seen a ghost. Having fully grasped Mu-jins foundation in a single nce, Hyun-gwang finally nodded with satisfaction, as if he had made a decision. Abbot. This old monk dares to make a request of the Abbot. Please speak freely, Great Senior Brother. I wish to take this young man, Mu-jin, as Beob Gangs disciple. Are you saying you wish to take Mu-jin under your wing, Great Senior Brother? As Abbot Hyun Cheon asked back with a look of surprise, the old monk simply responded with a kind smile. What in the world is going on? Caught in the middle, Mu-jin could only look around with a bewildered expression. * * * That evening. Surprisingly, Mu-jin found himself sitting in the Shaolin Abbots room. He had been brought there by the Arhat Faction Leader Hyun Seong, saying that Abbot Hyun Cheon had summoned him. After being singled out by a mysterious old monk during the entrance examination and now abruptly brought to the Shaolin Abbots room, Mu-jin could certainly say it had been an eventful day. After watching Mu-jin in silence for a moment, Abbot Hyun Cheon, who had summoned him to the room, eventually spoke. Do you know who the Great Senior Brother Hyun-gwang, whom we met in the training field today, is? I have not heard, Abbot. Frankly, Mu-jin was dying of curiosity about the old monk. To his memory, after scouring through the first part, Record of the Demon Sovereigns Return, and the second part, Legend of the Evil Emperor, he could not recall such a character. The truth is that calling you here today was not only to ask you something but also to inform you about your future master, Beob Gang, and your Great Grandmaster, Hyun-gwang. With that, Abbot Hyun Cheon began to calmly tell Mu-jin about the individual known as Hyun-gwang. Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Hyun-gwang (2) Senior brother Hyun-gwang was once called the greatest genius under the heavens. The greatest genius under the heavens Are you serious? Mu-jins question wasced with doubt. He had felt that Hyun-gwang was an extraordinary figure during the Entrance Examination, but what puzzled him was why such a person had now be so frail and sickly. Thats correct. When our Hyun-mun was still a Second-ss Disciple, senior brother Hyun-gwang, at the mere age of thirty-two, had already surpassed the realm of the Master Uncles of the Beob Gong faction. Hyun Seong, who was also part of the conversation, added hisment. At that time, the Master Uncles of the Beob Gong faction predicted that given ten years, senior brother Hyun-gwang would undoubtedly be the number one figure in the world. How could someone of that stature Did he damage his body by practicing too strenuously?To Mu-jins question, the two elder monks shook their heads. He was not one to invite disaster through excessive greed. Not only was he versed in martial arts, but he was also deeply immersed in Buddhist practices. Senior brother Hyun-gwangs injuries were the result of an invasion by the demon cult. The demon cult!? Yes. About thirty years ago, when we were Second-ss Disciples, the demon cult invaded the Central ins. Even our Thousand-Year Shaolin, which holds the mission of saving all sentient beings, had to join the war to stop them. So, he was injured during that war? Once again, the elder monks shook their heads in response to Mu-jins question. War is a ce where unforeseeable idents can ur. The venerable monks, hoping to entrust the future of Shaolin to senior brother Hyun-gwang, prevented him from participating in the war. Instead, only the Master Uncles of the Beob Gong faction and the Second-ss Disciples of that time, who were the gold badges, joined the war. And, in some ways, that decision was the beginning of the misfortune The demon cult took advantage of the fact that our Shaolins main forces were engaged in the war and dispatched a separate contingent. Ah One, at that time, Senior Brother Hyun-gwang was already at a level to be called one of the ten great experts under the heavens. It was impossible for the demon cults special unit to harm him. Upon hearing thest words of Abbot Hyun Cheon, Mu-jin couldnt help but wear a puzzled expression. Then why had thingse to this state? And that question was soon to be answered thanks to the follow-up conversation between Abbot Hyun Cheon and Hyun Seong. However the problem was us. The second-ss and third-ss disciples who remained at Shaolin at the time. Our Hyun-mun faction and Hye-mun faction were not yet at the level to handle the demon cults special unit. And Senior Brother Hyun-gwang prioritized protecting his disciples and rtives over annihting the enemy. Each time Senior Brother threw himself to save the lives of his disciples and rtives, his body umted more wounds The faces of the two elderly monks, reminiscing about that time, were filled with deep regret. If only they had died instead, allowing Hyun-gwang to remain unharmed. Then perhaps, the name of Shaolin would now be held even higher. Although still ranked among the Nine Great Sects, Shaolin had be a sect that could no longer discuss being the best in the world. Especially for Abbot Hyun Cheon, who was now leading such Shaolin, not dying in ce of the others at that time remained a lifelong regret. Originally, it was Senior Brother Hyun-gwang who was supposed to take over as the sect leader from the Hyun-mun faction. And after hearing the entire story about Hyun-gwang, Mu-jin sank into thought. It wasnt solely because he was deeply moved by the great tale of Hyun-gwang. Rather So you are saying that Senior Grandmaster Hyun-gwang has be like this due to the injuries he received thirty years ago? That is so. Hmm Then I might be able to offer some help? !!! It was because he felt that somehow he might be able to treat him to a certain extent. After all, was it not strikingly simr to the situation Choi Kang-hyuk had experienced? The time when he was forced into early retirement due to the worsening of an injury he received during an operation. And upon hearing the unexpected words from Mu-jin, a faint trace of anger tinged Abbot Hyun Cheons face. The ones called divine healers used the pinnacle of acupuncture, but the effect was merely momentary. Even with our Shaolins Great Restoration Pills, we couldnt heal the Senior Brother. And now, you say you might be able to treat him? Even faced with the Shaolin leaders anger-tinged question, Mu-jin responded with a calm expression. Firstly, it goes without saying that I cannot restore Grandmaster Hyun-gwangs internal energy to its former state. Nor can Ipletely heal his body as it was in the past. However, I might be able to treat him to at least be mobile. Saying so, Mu-jin turned his head toward the Arhat Faction leader, Hyun Seong. Master Uncle, you must have heard, Master Uncle Beob Gang also had a bad knee, didnt he? Are you saying the method you used on Beob Gang could also work on the Senior Brother? What are you talking about, Arhat Faction leader? Prompted by Abbot Hyun Cheons question, Hyun Seong began to exin the events that had taken ce in the Arhat Faction. Having seen the results of the entrance examination, Hyun Seong had already nned to spread Mu-jins training methods throughout Shaolin. He exined to Abbot Hyun Cheon what had happened in the Arhat Faction. He described how Mu-jin had treated Beob Gangs knee and how the external energy levels of the new disciples had been raised with Mu-jins training methods. Is, is what you say truly factual? Hasnt it been sufficiently proven with todays entrance examination? Abbot. Huh A training method that could develop muscles and bones. If this story were true, it would be a training method that could significantly advance Shaolins level. Who in the martial world would not want to develop their physique? Countless ns and families had searched for ways to develop their physique in the direction they desired. Mysterious sorceries, techniques using acupuncture and herbal decoctions, or even the horrifying and ignorant method of forcibly twisting and aligning the bones of children whose physiques had not yet fully developed. However, all such attempts, without exception, either failed to produce the desired results or led to severe side effects. But Mu-jins method was different. Unlike methods that had appeared in the martial world, which attempted to change muscles and bones instantly, his required ones own consistent effort. In the end, with time and effort, one could safely change their physique. And judging by the results of todays entrance examination, the training method indeed seems credible. However, the immediate concern was not advancing Shaolin with that training method. So, can you really heal Senior Brother Hyun-gwangs body with that training method? Abbot Hyun Cheon, with a skeptical expression, posed the question, to which Mu-jin calmly replied. Since the condition is much worse than Master Uncle Beob Gangs knee, it is impossible to heal with just my training method. Therefore, certain conditions are necessary. What are the conditions! If it means curing the Senior Brother, Shaolin will do whatever it takes. This was Abbot Hyun Cheons sincere sentiment. Even if it meant not recovering the internal energy as Mu-jin indicated, or if it only made moving around possible. For the hero Hyun-gwang, who saved Shaolin, Abbot Hyun Cheon was willing to uproot the very foundations of Shaolin if necessary. If it required Great Restoration Pills, they would be provided, and if his own sacrifice was needed, he would willingly cut off an arm, just as the second-generation Shaolin leader, Hye-ga, did in the past. However, the conditions Mu-jin requested were quite different from what Abbot Hyun Cheon had anticipated. Do you perhaps have martial arts in Shaolin that use Extreme Yang Energy or martial arts that handle Thunder Energy? Naturally, both Abbot Hyun Cheon and Hyun Seong were filled with confusion at this request. * * * After a short time had passed. Two monks came looking for the Abbots office. One was a middle-aged monk with a physique as sturdy as that of the Guardian Kings, and the other was an elderly monk whose face was etched with obstinacy. Come in. Head of Jurisdiction Department, Senior Disciple Hye-dam. The man resembling the Guardian King was Hye-dam, who had taken Mu-gung as his junior disciple, and the stern-looking elder was none other than Beob Gong, who oversaw the Jurisdiction Department. After Abbot Hyun Cheon casually weed the two to the office, he turned to Mu-jin. The Head of Jurisdiction Department is practicing one of the Seventy-two consummate arts of our Shaolin, the Vajra Divine General. This is the martial art using Thunder Energy that you mentioned, Mu-jin. The Vajra Divine Palm, inspired by Sakra Devanam Indra, a deity from Hinduism known for controlling lightning and is one of the Tridevi, showcases its formidable power and lethal capabilities among Shaolin martial arts. And the Head of the Jurisdiction Department, Beob Gong, who has mastered the Vajra Divine Palm to its extreme, is charged with the role of punishing Shaolin disciples who havemitted sins alongside external evil practitioners. Uh? If hes the Head of the Jurisdiction Department, would he be Master Uncle Beob Gangs master? When Beob Gang was considered a strong candidate for the position of the Head of the Jurisdiction Department upon taking an elders role, it was natural that Beob Gangs master belonged to the Jurisdiction Department, and hence, Beob Gangs grandmaster. Mu-jin recalled overhearing that the grandmaster was the current Head of the Jurisdiction Department. As Mu-jin was recalling this, Abbot Hyun Cheon briefly introduced Hye-dam. And this is Hye-dam, the leader of one of the One Hundred Eight Arhats, who is practicing the Tathagata Palm using Extreme Yang Energy. Introduced by Abbot Hyun Cheon to Mu-jin, Beob Gong and Hye-dam looked at Mu-jin with curiosity. They had been called to the Abbots office at thiste hour for what they assumed must be an important matter, yet why were they being introduced to this young disciple? However, their confusion was soon addressed by Abbot Hyun Cheons following words. Head of the Jurisdiction Department and Hye-dam, listen well. This young one has a method to treat Senior Brother Hyun-gwang. Is that really true? Though their reaction was not overtly surprised, those familiar with the typically stoic Hye-dam and the obstinate Beob Gong could understand the significance of their expressions. Addressing them, Hyun Seong reiterated the information he had shared with Abbot Hyun Cheon. And to treat Senior Brother Hyun-gwang, the martial arts you two have mastered are needed, as Mu-jin has mentioned. If my martial arts can assist Senior Brother Hyun-gwang, I am more than willing to help. Hye-dams face remained expressionless as he responded, but internally, he felt a slight difort. Hmm. Youre the one who treated Beob Gangs knee. On the other hand, Beob Gong, who was Beob Gangs grandmaster, spoke with a hint of friendliness, uncharacteristic for him. Then, tell us what needs to be done. Prompted by Beob Gongs question, Mu-jin immediately extended his arm towards Beob Gong and opened his mouth. Master Uncle, Head of the Jurisdiction Department, would it be possible for you to apply the Vajra Divine Palm on my arm with its power greatly weakened? What on earth are you talking about? If he didnt want his arm burned by thunder energy, why would he make such a ludicrous request? Beob Gong had assumed that, by calling upon him, who handles thunder energy, and Hye-dam, who deals with Extreme Yang Energy, they were going to perform a procedure to unclog blocked meridians. A process involving burning away the waste clogging the meridians with thunder and yang energy. However, regardless of Beob Gongs surprise, Mu-jin continued calmly. Is it impossible? I dont mean for my arm to be burned or torn by the thunder energy, but to use the Vajra Divine Palm at a very minimal level. Just enough for a very fine flow of thunder energy. Provoked by Mu-jins challenging words, Beob Gong slightly furrowed his brow and stepped forward. How dare a third-ss disciple insult a grandmaster. Beob Gong then pushed his palms towards Mu-jins right arm and operated his internal energy ording to the essence of the Vajra Divine Palm, using only the minimal internal energy required by Mu-jins condition. Zzzzing. Instead of necrotizing or burning, Mu-jins arm started to spasm under the transmitted thunder energy. In fact, Beob Gong was somewhat ustomed to adjusting the power to subdue Shaolin disciples who had sinned or external evil practitioners without killing them. How is it? Naturally, he asked with a confident tone. Are you trying to kill Senior Grandmaster Hyun-gwang!? Mu-jin quickly withdrew his spasming arm and eximed in disbelief. Using such powerful force will not be bearable for Senior Grandmaster Hyun-gwang, who has grown frail. You need to reduce the power to less than half of what you just used. If thats impossible, please let me know now. I will look for another method. Although Mu-jin spoke as if he was considering his opponent, to Beob Gong, who had been practicing martial arts for nearly fifty years, it felt like a stronger provocation. Cough. I can do it! There is no need to push yourself. This is about Senior Grandmaster Hyun-gwangs safety and treatment. I can do it! Beob Gong, after shouting loudly, took a deep breath topose himself and then began to focus inward. He needed to use the Vajra Divine Palm with much weaker force than before. He started to extract a very small portion of his substantial internal energy residing in his danjeon. The internal energy pulled out by Beob Gong circted through his meridians like a thin thread, following the pathway dictated by the technique. Zzzzing. A very faint current of electricity flowed through Mu-jins arm, which was touching Beob Gongs palm. How is it? Beob Gong asked with a tone full of confidence, and Mu-jin nodded his head in response. Not bad at all! This level of power is just right for the treatment. This level? Yes, Master Uncle, Head of the Jurisdiction Department. From the first to the fifth level, if you can continuously emit a fine amount of electricity with the same strength at each level, it will be of great help in treating Senior Grandmaster Hyun-gwang! Feeling the electric current in his arm, Mu-jin spoke with a satisfied expression. In these terribly inadequate conditions, proper physical therapy or rehabilitation was nearly impossible. Master Uncle Beob Gang was still young and had some muscles around his knee, so it was enough to perform close-range spear technique and acupressure. But Hyun-gwangs case was different. Proper physical therapy equipment was needed to treat Hyun-gwang. However, in these inadequate conditions, there was no way to obtain such equipment. Therefore, Mu-jin had invited a master to perform the role of equipment instead. The role Mu-jin expected from Beob Gong was that of a device always found in modern physical therapy rooms. It was an electrical stimtion therapy machine. Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Hyun-gwang (3) An electrical stimtion therapy device. No, Hyun Gong furrowed his brow and asked. Are you truly saying that sending Thunder Energy to senior brother Hyun-gwang can cure him? Such a small amount of energy will not be able to burn off the waste umted in the meridians. It is not the meridians where the Thunder Energy will be sent. Monk, Head of Jurisdiction Department. Hyun Gong, as well as everyone else in the headmasters office, wore a look of confusion. However, Mu-jin, whether they understood or not, wrapped his extended right arm with his left hand and spoke. The muscle inside the skin. I will send Thunder Energy to stimte that muscle. Are you talking about stimting the muscle? Thats right. When a very slight electric current is passed through the muscle, it has the effect of promoting metabolism within the muscle and cirction of the blood, and it is also effective in increasing muscle contractility and the size of muscle fibers.Mu-jin exined the efficacy of the electrical stimtion therapy device as simply as possible so that the people of this world could understand. The reason Mu-jin knew such knowledge was simple. Mu-jin had obtained a national certification as a physical therapist and a private certification as a rehabilitation masseur while working as a fitness trainer. Back when he was forced to retire from the military and had to heal hispletely broken body. Shocked by the exorbitant cost of physical therapy and rehabilitation treatment, as well as Ptes, he started studying the three in order to save money. After that, he delved into various exercises such as yoga and fitness to fix his body, and eventually became a fitness trainer, even bing proficient in nutrition. In particr, learning physical and manual therapy along with rehabilitation massage was a great help in his fitness trainer career. [11:57 PM] At first, when he became a trainer, he would provide acupressure massages as a service concept after every one-hour PT session. He would rx the muscles worked out that day with acupressure methods learned from rehabilitation massage, which proved to be quite effective, so many of the members who had OT with Choi Kang-hyuk signed up for PT as new members. In addition, having a physical therapist license and a rehabilitation massage certification allowed him to work as a rehabilitation specialist trainer at arge fitness center. Even when he first opened his own gym and became a boss, he would take on the role of rehab specialist trainer to save onbor costs. Ha, ha, ha. I used to attend night school at a vocational college to get my license as a physical therapist. I was really young back then. In particr, to be a licensed physical therapist, which is a nationally recognized certification, one had to graduate from a department of physical therapy to take the examination. Although Choi Kang-hyuk had already learned the theories to some extent through the inte and books, he attended night college while working as a fitness trainer to obtain the license. Well, even though he wasnt someone who could make an electrical shock device from scratch or knew the ins and outs of its operating principles since he was a vocational college graduate from a department of physical therapy, at least he remembered how to use it and its efficacy. Of course, all that was Mu-jins own affair. Are you saying that by sending electricity through the muscles, you can achieve such effects? Hyun Gong, having been turned into an electrical stimtion therapy device, looked at Mu-jin with a skeptical expression. Too weak a stimtion has no effect, and on the contrary, too strong a stimtion can be a burden. Thats why I wanted to divide it into five stages to provide the appropriate stimtion for the patient. And if you truly cannot trust my treatment method, then I will give up on the treatment. Facing those who looked at him skeptically, Mu-jin answered confidently. From the stories he had heard and the glimpse he had seen in the training yard, he knew that senior brother Hyun-gwangs physical condition was quite serious. Trying to heal such a body without an electrical stimtion therapy device or any other equipment was like trying to smash a rock with an egg. He judged that it was better to step back here than to take the me for any potential failure. As Mu-jin took a firm stand, everyone in the headmasters office looked at him with various expressions. [12:08 AM] Hyun Seong, who already fully supported Mu-jin, was filled with belief, while Abbot Hyun Cheon looked desperate, senior brother Hye-dam was invariably stoic, and Hyun Gong was skeptical. Cough. Then, how much time is needed for your treatment to be effective? I would need to examine senior master uncle Hyun-gwangs body directly to determine the specifics, but if we proceed for about a month, the effects should start to be apparent. Upon Mu-jins reply, Hyun Gong nodded as if he had made up his mind and said, Then, for the next month, we will follow your instructions. However, if there is still no improvement in senior brother after a month, you will be held ountable for insulting the masters. Do you understand? Hyun Gong, with a solemn face befitting the title of Head of Jurisdiction Department, issued a warning to Mu-jin. In that case, we should first increase the uracy of the electrical stimtion therapy device. No, the precision of the Vajra Divine General, shouldnt we? Mu-jin casually took the warning in stride. Lets try once more. When I channel the Thunder Energy through my arm as the Vajra Divine General, you must direct it precisely to the muscle area I indicate with my finger. Hmph. That should not be difficult. As Mu-jin pointed to the central area of his forearm muscle with the index finger of his left hand, Hyun Gong wrapped his hands around the indicated spot. And, true to the skills of a master, he sent Thunder Energy to the exact muscle area Mu-jin had pointed to with the same level of power he had called this stage just a moment ago. But why was it? What are you doing now, Monk, Head of Jurisdiction Department? Mu-jin asked with a puzzled expression. You need to keep sending Thunder Energy to the same area with the same power, at least a dozen times for it to be effective. Not just once, but continuously? Yes. Hearing Mu-jins response, Hyun Gong once again unraveled the internal energy situated in his Danjeon like a thin thread and unfolded the Vajra Divine General with the minimum necessary power. He continued sending electric shocks to Mu-jins arm for a short while. Huh. Before long, a slight sweat began to form on Hyun Gongs forehead. It wasnt because the minute amount of internal energy was running out, but rather, the concentration required to continuously handle the same amount of energy was wearing on him. However, befitting a master who had trained in the Vajra Divine General for decades, Hyun Gong sessfully maintained the same level of power for the duration of a dozen times. You truly are the Monk, Head of Jurisdiction Department! Mu-jin enthusiastically gave a thumbs-up to Hyun Gong. This stage is sufficient, and now we should create first, third, fourth, and fifth stages. The first stage will be about seventy percent of the current power, and for the third stage, you will add thirty percent to the current power, gradually adjusting the power for each stage. [12:10 AM] Hyun Gong, with sweat dripping down his forehead, did not show it on the outside, but heughed to himself on the inside. Haha. Perhaps, this could greatly aid my training. The meticulous exertion of handling the same level of internal energy continuously was already consuming a significant amount of mental strength. And now he was to adjust the delicate amount of internal energy over several stages. Unintentionally, Hyun Gong found himself training while also treating senior brother Hyun-gwang. I must also teach this to Hyecheon and Beob Gang. Hyun Gong, having decided to teach the new training method to his disciples and junior generations, was deep in thought about the new training method. No, the healing technique, when Mu-jin turned his head to look at Hye-dam. Then, while the Monk, Head of Jurisdiction Department practices, I will now exin the role for senior brother Hye-dam. Hmm. At Mu-jins words, Hye-dam nodded slightly and stepped forward with hisrge frame. Then, suddenly directing the Extreme Yang Energy filled Tathagata Palm towards Mu-jins forearm, Mu-jin eximed in shock. What are you doing!? ?? Senior brother Hye-dam, theres no need to physically touch the arm. Mu-jin, who almost suffered a severe burn on his arm, urgently exined Hye-dams role. Firstly, senior brother Hye-dam, unlike the Monk, Head of Jurisdiction Department, you do not need to minimize your power. Just emit the Extreme Yang Energy, keeping it close to your palm, as if the sun is hanging in the sky. Following Mu-jins requirements, Hye-dam pulled up his internal energy further to disy a proper Tathagata Palm. Naturally, the Extreme Yang Energy gathered in his palm, emitting a zing aura. Do not shoot it out; just keep it formed near your palm! However, the difference from usual was in the final execution. Instead of emitting the Extreme Yang Energy towards an enemy, it had to be kept formed near the palm. Moving his forearm back and forth towards that palm that glowed like a small sun, Mu-jin found the perfect distance where he could just feel the warmth. Hmm. This seems just right. Pleased with finding the right distance where the heat was gently felt, Mu-jin nodded in satisfaction. Following the electrical stimtion therapy device Hyun Gong, the role given to Hye-dam was that of an infrared therapy device, or an infraredmp. Senior brother Hye-dam, like the Monk, Head of Jurisdiction Department, you just need to maintain the current state for a dozen times. [12:17 AM] After exining Hye-dams role, Mu-jin then exined the efficacy of the infraredmp, anticipating that someone would ask about it anyway. By radiating such hot energy onto the skin, it provides a thermal effect that rxes muscle tension and promotes blood cirction. Additionally, the light emanating from the sun can prate the epidermis, offering disinfection and sterilization effects on muscles and joints. In this era, the concept of infrared rays that are invisible to the eye did not exist, so Mu-jin had to simplify his exnation. Therefore, by creating a heat simr to the sun and focusing it on the treatment area, you can see significant effects. With a simple acknowledgment at Mu-jins exnation, Hye-dam concentrated on his internal energy. Concentrating the energy of the Tathagata Palm without unleashing it and keeping it condensed in his palm was not that difficult for Hye-dam. However, like Hyun Gong, maintaining the same level of energy for the period of a dozen times was not easy for him either. As the time span of a dozen times passed, sweat poured down Hye-dams forehead just as it had on Hyun Gongs. * After checking the states of the electrical stimtion therapy device and the infraredmp, Mu-jin soon returned to the Arhat Faction. In the headmasters office, where Mu-jin had been sent off, the four monks were still conversing. What do you all think? At the question from Abbot Hyun Cheon, Hyun Gong replied. We will have to observe for a month to see if this method truly has an effect on senior brothers treatment. However, aside from the treatment, it seems it will be greatly beneficial to both me and senior disciple Hye-dam. To Hyun Gongs response, the other three monks nodded in agreement. I never thought that we would use the Vajra Divine General and the Tathagata Palm in such a way. Yes. It is certainly a skill that must be taught to the young disciples who will learn the Vajra Divine General and the Tathagata Palm. Not only the Vajra Divine General and the Tathagata Palm, but this also applies to most of our Shaolin martial arts that handle the Extreme Yang Energy. Shaolin martial arts mostly involve the use of Yang energy that contains the power to vanquish evil. Among them, especially, the martial arts that wield the strong forces of Fire energy and Metal energy are predominant. [12:26 AM] It is a well-known saying in the martial world that those who practice martial arts dealing with Extreme Yang Energy or Fire energy tend to have explosive personalities due to the influence of their internal energy on their disposition. In fact, Shaolin was no different in this regard. Thats why they also practiced martial arts thatbined Metal energy with Fire energy. The aim was to wrap and control the fierce Fire energy with Metal energy. In essence, the Shaolin monks were forcibly suppressing their explosive tempers and rage with iron-like patience. Indeed, because of practicing such martial arts, many Shaolin disciples were very stubborn or inflexible, uncharacteristic of a monk. The internal heat of anger that surged within them day after day had made them too rigid over time. On the other hand, if the Fire energy was stronger than the Metal energy, they might end up like Hye-gwan, belonging to the Demon Extermination Squad, or even be fallen monks pursued by the Jurisdiction Department for breaking their precepts. The conclusion was that a perfect harmony between the two energies was essential, but this was no easy task, even for seasoned monks with decades of practice. We had always thought this to be just another form of asceticism left by our predecessors, but I never knew there would be such a solution. Amitabha. We may have been too rigid in our ways. Amitabha. The goal of Buddhists is enlightenment, and to be a Buddha means to cast off all worldly desires and troubles. The Shaolin monks, who were Buddhists before they were martial artists, viewed the characteristics of Shaolin martial arts as a form of asceticism. Yet, thanks to Mu-jins healing methods, they realized a new direction. There was no need to suppress Fire energy by incessantly chanting sutras day and night. Instead, they could simply train in martial arts. Instead of fully exerting martial arts, they could practice using a minimal amount of internal energy repeatedly with the same power as they had just done, or like holding concentrated energy in the palm without releasing it. In doing so, they could cultivate patience along with practicing the use of martial arts and internal energy. Before tomorrows treatment of senior brother, I should return to my quarters and practice a little. Since we will be using it directly on senior brothers body, we must be thoroughly prepared. [12:34 AM] I will do the same, Abbot. Hyun Gong and Hye-dam rose to their feet and said so. And once we have a good grasp of it, we will teach this method to our disciples and junior generations. Once the practice is firmly established, we should teach it to the other disciples as well. It seems that it will be very helpful, even if its not just for the Vajra Divine General and the Tathagata Palm. I will do so, senior brother Abbot. After saluting Abbot Hyun Cheon, Hyun Gong and Hye-dam left the headmasters office. Although it was not Mu-jins intention, Shaolin seemed to be on the verge of mass-producing electrical stimtion therapy devices and infraredmps. * The next day. What brings the Abbot here? Hyun-gwang, taking rest in his own quarters, looked bewildered at the visitors. It was only natural for Mu-jin, who would be his great-granddisciple, toe to him. But why had Abbot Hyun Cheone along with Mu-jin, and why was Hyun Seong, the Arhat Faction leader, with them as well? To Hyun-gwangs question, Abbot Hyun Cheon stepped forward to answer. Actually, this young man might be able to heal senior brothers body to some extent, so we came together. What do you mean? Mu-jin, the child he had chosen as a disciple for Beob Geon, was now suddenly going to heal him? What was this all about? Responding to Hyun-gwangs confusion, Hyun Seong and Hyun Cheon recounted the events that had taken ce at the Arhat Faction and the discussion with Mu-jin the night before. Then, may I start the examination? After the exnation, Mu-jin stepped forward to ask. He was ready, and it was time to start the treatment. Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Hyun-gwang (4) Today, we will first examine the lower leg and the ankle. Mu-jin said as he ced a towel, which he had prepared beforehand, over Hyun-gwangs calf. It was a towel that had been made warm by soaking it in hot water and then wringing out the water. As the warmth of the damp towel slightly eased the muscle tension in the calf, Mu-jin carefully ced his hand on top of the towel. If it hurts, please dont hesitate to tell me right away. Saying so, Mu-jin slowly moved his hand, checking the condition of Hyun-gwangs muscles through acupressure. Crazy Its even worse than I thought?How long had he been bearing weight to have almost no remaining muscles in his calf, and the condition of the few remaining muscles, ligaments, tendons, or cartge was the worst. Master Uncle. Its okay to make a sound if it hurts. Having faintly realized the condition with just a few acupressures, Mu-jin, like Beob Gang, noticed that Hyun-gwang was also enduring pain and groans, so he reduced the intensity as much as possible. Ah, this Shaolin Temple. Is self-harm a hobby? I cant understand why they all dont show their pain. Mu-jin inwardly clicked his tongue lightly, but contrary to his inner thoughts, he continued to do his best to apply acupressure to Hyun-gwangs lower body. Now that the body has been somewhat loosened up, we will proceed with the actual treatment. Mu-jin, having finished the acupressure, spoke to Hyun-gwang in a calm tone. Then, to correct the twisted joints and muscles found during the acupressure, Mu-jin lifted Hyun-gwangs right leg and began moving it around. He had begun manual therapy. Because direct manual therapy could strain the muscles and joints of a severe case, Mu-jin had started by warming the body with a warm towel and loosening tension with acupressure before beginning manual therapy. [12:54 AM] After treating both legs alternately for about a moment, Mu-jin continued to move and rotate Hyun-gwangs legs and ankles. This time, the treatment was not manual therapy but Close-Range Spear Technique. Now, I will move your right leg over to the left side. Keep your back t on the floor, and just slightly turn your head to the right. After addressing the skeletal issues with manual therapy, Mu-jin used the Close-Range Spear Technique to gradually rx the tightly knotted muscles. However, the condition of Hyun-gwangs body, which had deteriorated over decades, was worse than even that of Mu-gung. It was as if, even though he was not a loyal subject but a Buddhist practitioner, there was a determination not to bend but to rather break. Thus, Mu-jin continued with acupressure, manual therapy, and the Close-Range Spear Technique. For nearly half an hour, Mu-jins treatment went on. Naturally, beads of sweat formed on Mu-jins forehead. Mu-jin had been training his body for over a year and ten months. Naturally, a little help with acupressure or the Close-Range Spear Technique wouldnt be too much for him. But Hyun-gwangs body was currently in such a deteriorated state that handling it was akin to working with ss art. A little too much force could cause it to shatter. Just as Abbot Hyun Cheon had done, Mu-jin also had to meticulously manage not just strength but also endurance, which inevitably wore him down. Despite this, there was no sign of annoyance or fatigue on Mu-jins face. Instead, there was a kind of earnestness in his eyes. It wasnt that he expected to gain anything from treating Hyun-gwang. Hyun-gwang, receiving the treatment, asionally caught Mu-jins gaze and couldnt help but be deep in thought. Huh What kind of inner turmoil does this young disciple have to look so sorrowful? Apart from having lost his martial skills, he was also a highly devout monk. Moreover, having lived beyond seventy and eighty years, one could vaguely discern a persons character just by looking at their face and eyes. It was because of Mu-jins gaze and expression that Hyun-gwang epted his treatment. In fact, Hyun-gwangs current neglected state was a choice he had made himself. [12:57 AM] He was a hero of Shaolin and, at the same time, the most promising talent from Shaolin. Naturally, the Beob Gong faction and Beob Geon faction, who had survived the war with the demon cult and returned alive, did everything they could to save Hyun-gwang. They fed him the Great Restoration Pills, the best elixir of Shaolin, and invited the most renowned healers from the vast Central ins, known as divine healers. However, the Great Restoration Pills had no effect on his body, with its shattered Danjeon, and the divine healers acupuncture provided only temporary relief. In a few days, his condition would revert to one where he could hardly walk. To cure Hyun-gwang, the Beob Gong faction and Beob Geon faction invited all sorts of people to Shaolin, chasing rumors that floated around the Central ins. Among them, most were chatans, and there were also treatments that, though effective, were close to inhumane necromancy. Therefore, Hyun-gwang voluntarily refused treatment. It was because he did not want the little wealth that Shaolin had, not umted through righteousness and fairness, to be squandered because of him. Above all, he dreaded that Shaolin might ept hical methods in the name of goodwill to heal him. Indeed, humans tend to ept unjust means more easily when the ends are deemed good. Because they can justify it as being for the sake of justice. For this reason, Hyun-gwang had thought that perhaps Mu-jin had simr motives. If he, a hero of Shaolin, were to be healed, Mu-jins name and influence in Shaolin would skyrocket instantly. However, there was no trace of corrupt desire in Mu-jins eyes. Instead, what resided there was the gaze of a physician treating a patient. No, it went even further, blending some unknown sadness and a sense of duty. While Hyun-gwang pondered the true intentions behind Mu-jins gaze, Focused on the treatment, Mu-jin, unaware of the expression he was wearing, calmly got up. That concludes the treatment I will conduct today. Should I then call those two? Yes, Abbot. Creak. Not long after their conversation ended, the door to the chamber opened, and Hyun Gong and Hye-dam entered. Like the simted practice they had done the night before, infrared treatment and electrical stimtion therapy followed. * * * That night. Having be a disciple of Beob Geon, Mu-jin moved his belongings from the Arhat Faction to the pavilion where Hyun-gwang lived. Typically, even if one bes a disciple and lives in the masters or patriarchs pavilion, they use separate rooms. However, in Hyun-gwangs case, because he was immobile, Beob Geon shared a room with him to take care of him. Mu-jin, having be a disciple of Beob Geon, found himself in no different situation. Thus, Mu-jin, now sharing a room with Beob Geon and Hyun-gwang, was dreaming for the first time in a while. Grandfather, I will definitely heal you. [12:59 AM] Hehehe. This old man is done for. Go inside and rest. Even in his dreams, Mu-jin was diligently massaging an elderly mans calf. But why? Even in the dream, Mu-jin was Mu-jin, but the person whose calves he was massaging wasnt Hyun-gwang. The elderly man who appeared in the dream was none other than Choi Kang-hyuks paternal grandfather. Grandfather, just trust me! Ive studied so much to heal you! Mu-jin shouted confidently, but this wasnt true. Choi Kang-hyuk had only started studying physical therapy, rehabilitation, and exercise after being forcefully discharged from the military. And tragically, his paternal grandfather had passed away when he was in high school. For Mu-jin, or rather, Choi Kang-hyuk, the two most sorrowful experiences of his life werent his forced discharge from the military, the crisis at the gym due to COVID-19, or even the hair loss caused by stress. It was when the only family he had known since his earliest memories, his paternal grandparents, passed away. At the time of his grandfathers death, he was just a student and couldnt do anything. He had watched his grandfather struggle to walk in his final years, but all he could do was offer a shoulder to lean on or asionally massage him without any proper training. The sense of helplessness he felt then was why he gave up on college and considered getting a job. To at least protect his grandmother, he wanted a stable job in the civil service, and feeling that he was more suited to physical work, he chose to be a professional soldier. The problem was that, still influenced by his high school bravado, he chose to join the special forces, thinking it would be a morous career. Yet, when he joined the special forces at twenty and started receiving his sry, he was quite happy. He felt a sense of duty to protect his country and fulfillment from supporting his precious grandmother. However, due to the nature of special forces operations and training, he was often away from home, and around two years after he was promoted to staff sergeant, his grandmother suddenly passed away. The state, ording to its regtions, granted him a mere two nights and three days of leave because it was his grandparent, not a parent. Even with added annual leave for a total of four nights and five days, it was grossly insufficient for a twenty-five-year-old who had lost all his family to regain hisposure. Upon returning to the unit after four nights and five days, he was assigned a top-secret mission, during which Choi Kang-hyuk sustained serious injuries. He had nearly lost his life on that mission, having not fully recovered mentally. [1:04 AM] And today, perhaps because he treated an elderly body, memories long buried in his dreams resurfaced. Therefore, Mu-jin, or rather Choi Kang-hyuk, strove to repay, if only a speck, the debt of gratitude he owed for the treatment he couldnt provide then, the care he should have repaid over a lifetime but had not been able to do at all. Grandfather! Does it feel good? Hehehe. Our Kang-hyuk has healing hands indeed. Oh, how can our puppy not rest because of his grandfather? Eh~ Being with grandfather like this is my way of resting! As a child, he had been a reticent grandchild, but as he aged, he utilized his increased sociability to earnestly apply acupressure to his grandfathers calf. * * * While Mu-jin was deep in a dream, meeting his paternal grandfather after a long time, Hehe Awakened from sleep, Hyun-gwang and Beob Geon were looking at Mu-jin, who was asleep beside them. Grandfather. I will heal you How much I have studied They had woken up due to Mu-jins sleep-talking, which had been ongoing for a little while. What should we do, Master Uncle? Just leave him be. To wake the already ufortable Master Uncle from his sleep would be a terrible thing, but the victims, Hyun-gwang and Beob Geon, showed no sign ofint. No, far from showing difort, they looked at Mu-jin with apassionate expression. So that was it. Amitabha. Hyun-gwang recalled the treatment he received from Mu-jin today. The acupressure, manual therapy, and Close-Range Spear Technique. The unidentified sorrow, desperation, and sense of duty that had filled Mu-jins eyes as he performed various treatments that Hyun-gwang had never seen or heard of. Choi Kang-hyuk himself might not be aware, but those experiences of helplessness from his youth had deeply embedded a sense of indebtedness in his mind. Thats why he always did his best to teach and treat the elderly who came to the gym with physical difficulties. And now, at this moment, Hyun-gwang understood why Mu-jin, without any ill intentions, had so earnestly treated him. And how Mu-jin, at such a young age, hade to acquire such diverse knowledge. * * * The next day. The treatment for Hyun-gwang continued without fail. Yesterday, Mu-jin focused on the area below the knee, the calves, and ankles. Today, he was treating the front and back of the thighs and the pelvic area. After a while of acupressure and manual therapy on Hyun-gwangs body, perhaps because of the dream he hadst night, [1:07 AM] Grandfather, please let me know if you feel ufortable. Without realizing it, Mu-jin used the word grandfather instead of Master Uncle. Oh my, what kind ofnguage is that? How dare you call Master Uncle grandfather! Abbot Hyun Cheon and Hyun Seong, who were watching the treatment, scolded him with stern expressions. Ha ha ha. Its alright, Abbot. For some reason, Hyun-gwang, the one who had been addressed incorrectly, simply showed a benevolent smile. Then, Hyun-gwang, who stopped Abbot Hyun Cheon and Hyun Seong, turned to look at Mu-jin. Mu-jin, from now on, its alright if you call this old monk grandfather. Feel free to treat mefortably. Ha ha ha. Looking at Hyun-gwangs benevolent smile, Mu-jin thought to himself. Whats gotten into this grandfather? Mu-jin didnt understand why he was suddenly being so familiar. Still, it was polite to follow along with the wishes of an elder. Yes, gra grandfather. As Mu-jin used the term grandfather with a somewhat awkward tone, different from before, Oh my! Ha ha ha. Its fine, Abbot. The stern voice of Hyun Cheon and the kind voice of Hyun-gwang were heard simultaneously. Cant we just focus on the treatment? Mu-jin was left wondering what they expected of him. Chapter 34: Chapter 34: nk Page (1) Immediately after Hyun-gwangs treatment was finished, around evening time. Hyun-gwang, who was resting after the treatment, began speaking in a gentle tone. Mu-jin. Could you show me the martial arts you demonstrated at the Entrance Examination? Yes, Master. Hahaha. Its alright to call me grandfatherfortably. Understood, Grand father. Mu-jin replied awkwardly. As is often the case with human nature, they readily find solutions and offer advice for others issues but struggle to understand their own.Simrly, Mu-jin was not fully aware of the sense of indebtedness he felt towards his grandparents that resided deep within his psyche. Moreover, every time he used the term grandfather, it made him feel even more awkward as it oveid with the image of his own grandfather when he looked at Hyun-gwang. Understanding Mu-jins feelings, Hyun-gwang nodded his head with an affectionate smile. Since we need to move, lets step outside. No sooner had Hyun-gwang spoken than Beob Geon, always quick to assist as his habit, moved to help, but Mu-jin was quicker. You have been busy taking care of the elder since morning, master, so please feel free to rest. I will carry the elder. Beob Geon, who was about to get up, looked at Hyun-gwang with an embarrassed expression and when Hyun-gwang nodded happily, Beob Geon conceded his turn to Mu-jin. After carrying Hyun-gwang on his back and walking out the door with Beob Geon, Mu-jin ced Hyun-gwang on therge front porch and took his position in the courtyard. Hoo. After taking a light deep breath, he began to demonstrate the martial arts he had conceived one after another. The punches, palms, hands, kicks, and finger techniques released by Mu-jin C every move burst with a powerful explosive sound. Hahaha. Truly excellent. That is so, Master. [1:17 AM] Hyun-gwang and Beob Geon looked on contentedly for a moment. After Mu-jin finished his demonstration, Hyun-gwang spoke in a low voice. Mu-jin. Yes, Grandfather. While your current martial arts are sufficiently excellent, if you continue to enhance its power, you will reach a point where you can no longer sustain it with external energy alone. Therefore, how about you try learning the Vajra Fist from now? The Vajra Fist? Mu-jin asked back, and Hyun-gwang nodded and continued to exin. Yes. As you can see from the name, Vajra Fist, like the Xiao Hong Quan youve learned, is based on the Diamond Sutra. There are many key points that connect to Xiao Hong Quan, which will make it much easier to reinforce the martial arts youve created. Ah Additionally, among the key points of the Vajra Fist, there are those specifically for controlling the mighty power of the Vajra Fist. Therefore, while learning the forms and key points of Vajra Fist, it would be beneficial to focus particrly on understanding the key points of the initial three seconds, six seconds, and eight seconds. For the initial three seconds, as it is said, All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, illusion, bubble, shadow, like dew or lightning, and should thus be viewed. Starting from the key points of the initial three seconds of the Vajra Fist, Hyun-gwang exined each key point and added how they could be integrated with Mu-jins martial arts. However, this is just an exnation of the key points. To truly incorporate these key points into your martial arts, constant effort will be necessary. Thank you, Grandfather! Mu-jin bowed deeply, his face filled with emotion, paying his respects to Hyun-gwang. For Mu-jin, who had fallen into the world of martial arts novels, this was the first time someone had so clearly pointed him in the right direction. No, it was not just after he fell into the world of martial arts novels, but after he lost his grandparents and was forcibly discharged from the military, thrown into the world. For over a decade, Mu-jin had to grow strong on his own. Therefore, for a brief moment, the image of Hyun-gwang ovepped with that of his own grandfather in Mu-jins eyes. He remembered the time when his grandfather taught him how to ride a bicycle, and when he held his small hand and walked with him to elementary school despite his sore kneesto show him the way. The memories of his grandfather trying to fill the role of his parents. With a whoosh. Feeling like his vision was bing blurry, Mu-jin shook his head vigorously. It felt like he was unnecessarily falling into sentimentality just because he was inside a novel. [1:26 AM] Rather than indulging in sentimentality, Mu-jin, who preferred to work towards seeing the end of the novel, tried out the key points Hyun-gwang had just exined, swinging his fists a few times. Grandfather! Am I doing this right? However, why was it that the word Grandfather that came out of his mouth now felt a bit more natural? Hahaha. Youre doing well. Hyun-gwang and Beob Geon watched with contentment. * * * Mu-jins treatment continued. Hyun-gwangs body was severely deteriorated, and the entire body needed treatment. However, treating the entire deteriorated body at once could put too much strain on it. So, Mu-jin, as if setting a routine for exercise, divided the body into four major sections and proceeded with the treatment in four-day cycles. One day was dedicated to treating from the calves to the feet. Another day for the knees to the thighs. One day for the pelvis and back. Thest day was for the shoulders and arms. It was only natural to perform electrotherapy and heat therapy with the help of Hyun Gong and Hye-dam. However, Mu-jins original role was not that of a physician, but rather, he was the third greatest disciple of Shaolin. Master, Grandfather, Ill be going out today as well. Apart from his treatment duties, he still had to make daily visits to the Arhat Faction. Hahaha. Go and return at your ease. While Im around, theres no need to worry about the Grandmaster. Go and returnfortably. Leaving behind the farewells of Hyun-gwang and Beob Geon, Mu-jin headed towards the Arhat Faction with light steps. As Mu-jin arrived at the entrance of the Arhat Faction, Beob Gang, who was standing there, weed him. Mu-jin. Master Uncle Hyun Seong is looking for you. Lets go to the faction leaders hall together. Thinking it might be rted to Grandfather Hyun-gwang, Mu-jin followed Beob Gang to the faction leaders hall. However, the matter Hyun Seong mentioned had nothing to do with Hyun-gwang. Thanks to the help of senior brother Bang-geon, additional budget has been allocated to the Arhat Faction. In a few days, new training equipment will start arriving at the Arhat Faction. Does that mean the equipment I use will also be updated!? Mu-jin asked with an expression full of anticipation. It had been about a year and a half since the Arhat Faction had introduced steel bars, steel pirs, and weight tes. Mu-jin had been wanting to use heavier weight tes or new training equipment for a while now. Seeing Mu-jin, who unusually showed a child-like smile fitting his actual age, Hyun Seong added with a peculiar smile. Actually, the reason I called you to the faction leaders hall was because of those new exercise machines. The budget was approved by Abbot Bang-geon in recognition of your training methods. In other words, all physical training conducted in the Arhat Faction will be reced with your exercise methods going forward. [1:42 AM] Does that mean you want me to teach my exercise methods to all the third-ss disciples and novice disciples in the Arhat Faction? Mu-jins question was met with a shake of Hyun Seongs head. We cant be taking up your time like that every time. Plus, that would be too inefficient. Once the new equipment arrives, you just need to teach the use of the new equipment, along with the steel bars, steel pirs, and weight tes that were previously introduced, to the second-ss disciples of the Arhat Faction only. Mu-jin had been acting as an instructor during his novice disciple period, training his peers for almost a year and a half. Naturally, the second-ss disciples who had witnessed this scene had already mastered most of the bodyweight exercises and training movements using sandbags. Therefore, if they also learned how to use the new equipment, it would be entirely possible to pass on the training without Mu-jin. I think I can definitely help with that. As Mu-jin energetically responded, Hyun Seong handed him a stack of nk papers. Then, please write down the necessary equipment for your exercise methods and the details here. Having gone through this process before when introducing steel bars and steel pirs, Mu-jin dipped the brush in ink and swiftly began sketching out the exercise equipment. New training equipment wasing in. Even the ones he wanted. Briefly maneuvering the brush with his bulging biceps. Hmm? Something popped into Mu-jins head, causing him to pause and look at Hyun Seong. Arhat Faction Leader. If possible, may I also ce an order for exercise equipment to be used somewhere other than the Arhat Faction? Where do you mean by somewhere else? I was thinking of ordering equipment for Grandfather to use. By Grandfather, are you referring to Abbot Hyun-gwang? Hyun Seong furrowed his brow slightly at Mu-jins words. It wasnt just due to the informal speech. Given that it was a matter concerning Abbot Hyun-gwang, it wasnt something that could be easily dismissed. More importantly, Given that Abbot is still not fully recovered, wouldnt strenuous exercise potentially worsen his condition? He was apprehensive that premature exercise might exacerbate Hyun-gwangs condition before the treatment could take full effect. Its not for immediate use. Im thinking of equipment that can be used after at least a month has passed and he is able to move on his own. Also, the equipment for Grandfather is not for training but for therapeutic purposes. Theyre structurally different. The equipment Mu-jin intended to custom order was apparatusmonly used in Ptes. In modern times, Ptes was oddly often considered an exercise primarily for womens fitness, with many Ptes centers even restricting mens entry. However, Ptes was originally developed for rehabilitation of war prisoners and injured soldiers during World War I. For Hyun-gwang, it was said to be an ideal form of exercise. Hmm. If its for the treatment of Abbot Hyun-gwang, I doubt the treasury will refuse it. Proceed as you wish. As Hyun Seong gave his consent, Mu-jin began to sketch out Ptes equipment on paper. But, can these be made in this era? The toolsmonly used in Ptes, such as foam rollers, resistance bands, Ptes arcs, and reformers, were mostly made from materials like rubber, styrofoam, or stic. Realizing this, Mu-jin added amendments to his drawings. [1:49 AM] Well, springs should be feasible. They are made by twisting metal like dragon whiskers, after all. And instead of stic or styrofoam, if we use metal for the framework and cover it with thick leather The raw materials Mu-jin sketched for the Ptes equipment began to transform into materials avable in this era. The only issue seemed to be thatpared to health equipment, the cost might skyrocket. Well, thats not my concern. To Mu-jin, Hyun-gwangs health was more important than the Shaolins financial burden. * * * After concluding his meeting with Hyun Seong, the first to greet Mu-jin upon his arrival at the Arhat Faction training grounds was the trio he had been with since his novice disciple days. Mu-jin~!! Youre here? Bro, brother, today youre a bi-, bitte, arent you? Cheerfully greeted by Mu-yul with his ever bright demeanor, the somewhat sullen Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong, who still hadntpletely ovee his stutter, Mu-jin simply waved his hand in response. How have things beentely? Although they still spent mornings together, in the evenings, they were each busy spending time with their respective masters, so they hadnt been able to gather. Naturally, Mu-jins question was about how well they were getting along with their masters. Heheh. Its fun! Sigh The trio disyed a rather peculiar set of reactions. Bright and cheerful Mu-yul was one thing, and Mu-gyeong, who always seemed gloomy except when lost in his own world, was another, but even Mu-gung was letting out a deep sigh from his danjeon. With a puzzled look, Mu-jin asked Mu-gung. Why? Is there a problem? This was the same person who seemed like he was on cloud nine when he became a third-ss disciple and was chosen as a sessor by Hye-dam. Just feeling a bit suffocated. Mu-gungs reply,den withplicated emotions, brought the image of Hye-dam to Mu-jins mind. Tsk. Hang in there. Recalling the dreadfully serious demeanor of Hye-dam, Mu-jin clicked his tongue lightly, offering sincere constion. Even though Mu-jin had met Hye-dam several times while treating Grandfather Hyun-gwang, he barely remembered Hye-dam speaking at length. The thought of spending every day in the same quarters with such a person was suffocating just to imagine. * * * Meanwhile, somewhere within the vast Shaolin scripture halls, in a certain pavilion. Sigh There sat a middle-aged monk, heaving a sigh simr to Mu-gungs, but it was not Hye-dam, Mu-gungs master. It was Hye-geol, the current sessor of the Shaolin Five Fists. Heheheheheh. With deep furrows on his brow, he was thinking of Mu-yul, who had be his sessor. Sigh To think he could be that ignorant. Indeed. Hye-geol was just now realizing that he had beenpletely taken in by Mu-yul. Chapter 35: Chapter 35: nk Paper (2) That afternoon. After finishing all the duties at the Arhat Faction, Hye-geol sighed deeply as he looked at Sa-son, who had just returned. Sigh. Hehehehe. It was hard to scold someone with such a bright and innocent face; it was said you cant spit on a smiling face. Hye-geol, boiling with frustration, forced himself to adopt a gentle tone as he spoke. Mu-yul. Yes, Master!How exactly did you learn martial arts during your novice disciple days? My novice disciple days? Mu-jin helped me! Mu-jin? Yes! And senior brothers Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong helped a bit too! Mu-yul added, but Hye-geols repetition of Mu-jins name wasnt for that reason. Mu-jin That must be the name of the child taken in as a sworn son by Abbot Hyun-gwang. He had been a noticeable child since the entrance examination. It was just that his path seemed different from the Shaolin Five Fists, and because Hyun-gwang had wanted it, he had given up. However, that wasnt what was important now. This naive, no, pure-hearted novice, the secret to how he had been brought to his current level was what mattered most. Mu-yul. Yes, Master! Im thinking of visiting Mu-jin, would you like to join me? Sure! Hehe. After hearing Mu-yuls cheerful answer, Hye-geol headed with him to the residence where Hyun-gwang lived. As he is a sworn son of that person, Mu-jin would also be there. * * * Today, as usual, Mu-jin was treating Hyun-gwangs body and practicing martial arts in the courtyard. I pay my respects to Abbot Hyun-gwang! With a loud voice, a stern-looking middle-aged monk appeared in the residence. Haha, Hye-geol, my disciple. Come in. I apologize for not visiting often, as I am an ignorant disciple. Saying so, Hye-geol entered the residence, apanied by Mu-yul. I pay my respects to Great Uncle Hyun-gwang! Hi Mu-jin~!! Mu-jin chuckled at Mu-yuls greeting. Truly, he was a bright soul wherever he went. [5:09 PM] While Mu-yul and Mu-jin exchanged greetings, Hyun-gwang asked Hye-geol. Haha. While guests are always wee, it seems you must have a particr reason for visiting, given how busy you are. Ahem. My apologies, Abbot. Today, I specifically came to see Mu-jin. Hye-geol, looking somewhat awkward despite his fierce appearance, said this, prompting Hyun-gwang to ask with a curious expression. Are you talking about Mu-jin? Yes, Abbot. Hye-geol cautiously exined his circumstances. He had tried to teach Mu-yul the forms and key points of the Crane Fist, which is the most fundamental martial art of the Shaolin Five Fists. And that even now, after nearly five days, Mu-yul could hardly follow along. Lastly, he mentioned that Mu-yul had learned martial arts during his novice disciple days thanks to Mu-jin. Having heard Hye-geols exnation, Hyun-gwang looked at Mu-yul. Hehehe. Facing the Great Uncle who was looking at him, Mu-yul responded with his ever-innocent smile. Hmm. It seems I need to see for myself why you took this child as a disciple. Mu-jin. Yes, Granduncle. !? Hye-geol was involuntarily startled by Mu-jins response of Granduncle. However, neither Mu-jin nor Hyun-gwang seemed to pay it any mind. Would you be able to spar with this Mu-yul? Yes, we often sparred during our novice days, Granduncle. Mu-jin confidently answered and then spoke to Mu-yul. You know, right Mu-yul? Just have fun with it. Yep yep! Mu-yul brightly agreed, and Mu-jin took a step back and assumed a ready stance. In response, Mu-yul also took a ready stance, and seeing Mu-yuls stance, Hyun-gwangs eyes shone. Indeed. ying around, he said. It was certainly the most typical Shaolin ready stance, yet there was an indescribable sense of freedom to it. The body isnt stiff at all. As Hyun-gwang internally made this assessment, the sparring between Mu-yul and Mu-jin began. [5:35 PM] Mu-jin faced the sparring as if he was introducing his nephew Mu-yul, whom he had raised, to Hyun-gwang. In other words, he strived to highlight Mu-yuls talents as much as possible. Thanks to this, Mu-yul was able to perform extraordinary movements while dodging and counterattacking Mu-jins offensive during their sparring. Haha, thats enough. Hyun-gwang, who had been watching the exchange with satisfaction, stopped the sparring with a content smile. Truly, he is a talent worth coveting. Mu-yuls unrestrained nature was indeed a talent suited for the Shaolin Five Fists. In fact, despite being one of the representative martial arts of Shaolin, the Shaolin Five Fists did not belong to the Seventy-two consummate arts. To be precise, it was considered somewhat heretical. If it hadnt been a martial art created by the great Dharma Master, it might have been erased from the records at the Sutra Repository. That makes sense, as while other Shaolin martial arts are all associated with endurance and asceticism, bearing a certain heaviness, the Shaolin Five Fists inherently embrace a freedom that lets ones energy explode unrestrained. It was more akin to the form found in Taoism rather than Buddhism. However, it is said that once youplete the Buddhas Way, you are freed from all worldly worries and obsessions, so it wasntpletely off the mark. Perhaps for that reason, it is believed that the great Dharma Masterpleted the Shaolin Five Fists in hister years after achieving the Buddhas Way, and so theter generations of Shaolin did not cast it aside. But, because it is indeed separate from the other Shaolin martial arts, the lineage of the Shaolin Five Fists has been precariously maintained. Unless one haspleted the Buddhas Way like the founder Dharma Master, learning the weighty martial arts of Shaolin and then learning the Shaolin Five Fists could actually be harmful. If the Demon Extermination Squad is treated as heterodox within Shaolin due to their mission, then the Shaolin Five Fists itself was close to being heterodox. That is why disciples who learned the Shaolin Five Fists had an unusually strong bond, evenpared to other Shaolin disciples. This was also because they were more unrestrainedpared to other martial arts, and the practitioners were so rare that they naturally banded together. Haha, it seems my disciple Hye-geol was quite anxious. Thats what Hyun-gwang thought. Hye-geol was anxious that he had chosen the wrong disciple and that the lineage of the Shaolin Five Fists might be discontinued. That was understandable, as someone of Hye-geols stature could find a solution given some time. With that thought, Hyun-gwang looked at Hye-geol with a mysterious smile. Solving the problems of Shaolin disciples is a natural duty for a master. Take Mu-jin with you. Thank you, Abbot. [6:01 PM] But there is a condition. A condition you say? Hye-geol asked with a puzzled tone. It was unlike the usually magnanimous Abbot Hyun-gwang to set conditions. Still with a vague expression, Hyun-gwang spoke to the puzzled Hye-geol. In exchange for Mu-jin helping Mu-yul with his training, for the time being, you will take over Mu-jins training. Teach him exactly what Mu-yul is learning. Me, sir? However, the Shaolin Five Fists is different in direction from other Shaolin martial arts. Haha, do not worry. It will be of great help to Mu-jin. Turning his gaze from the still puzzled Hye-geol, Hyun-gwang looked at Mu-jin. Mu-jin. Yes, Granduncle. Follow Hye-geol in training and assist Mu-yul. It will be of great help for the martial arts you are learning. Understood. Although he agreed, Mu-jin was just as puzzled. But Hyun-gwang, as always, instead of providing a direct answer, added a riddle-like saying. Just remember this, Mu-jin. What is seen on the surface is not as important as the underlying intent. Your disciple will take this to heart. And so, Mu-jins entrusted education began. Or perhaps, it was more like the role of a nanny for Mu-yul. Hmm. Having returned to his own residence, Hye-geol crossed his arms and looked at the two novice monks seated in front of him. It felt to Hye-geol as if, in trying to solve Mu-yuls problem, he had somehow ended up with an additional burden. That decision was his. There must be a reason for it. Hye-geol shook his head to clear his mind of doubt and spoke in a rough voice. Then, lets start by teaching you the forms of the Crane Fist, which can be considered the foundation of the Shaolin Five Fists. As Hye-geol said this, Beob Hyun, his disciple and also Mu-yuls teacher, who stood by like an assistant, assumed the starting posture of the Crane Fist. Hmm. Its certainly different from the other Shaolin martial arts. The movements of the Crane Fist were indeed unique. As it was a boxing technique modeled after the movements of a crane, it featured smooth steps resembling the cranes walk with its wings spread, suddenly stopping, then abruptly thrusting forward with a punch, as if pecking with its beak. It was a strange mix of softness and decisiveness in the movements. One thing was for sure, though called fist, the Crane Fist was a martial art that blended footwork and body movement techniques. Now you two try to follow along. Right after Beob Hyun demonstrated the sequence twice, Hye-geol instructed them. Since it was just about learning the form, Mu-jin tried to mimic the movements Beob Hyun disyed, recalling them from memory. Mu-yul, seated next to him, also attempted to copy the movements, but Eh? Despite only trying to mimic the form, Mu-yul lost his bnce and couldnt even sustain the posture for three seconds. Seeing this, both Hye-geol and Beob Hyun let out involuntary sighs, as they had been witnessing the same scene for five days straight. Mu-jin, who was practicing alongside them, tilted his head in confusion. Why is he struggling like that? Mu-yul wasnt bright, quite the contrary, severely so. [6:05 PM] However, conversely, his physical aptitude was quite outstanding. Particrly, his flexibility and resilience were closer to that of an animal than a human. When Mu-yul learned martial arts, he might mix up the sequence, but copying each movement was something he did exceedingly well. So why was he having trouble now? Mu-yul, whats wrong? Hehe. It feels awkward. To Mu-jins question, Mu-yul scratched his closely shaven scalp and answered with the same sunny smile as always. Hye-geol, who had been watching Mu-yul just like Mu-jin, sighed at that bright smile and then spoke to Mu-jin. Thats why I sought you out. I heard that during your novice days, he learned martial arts from you. Tell me, Mu-jin, how did you teach him martial arts? The method Mu-jin used to teach Mu-yul? It was nothing special. He didnt bother with the names of muscles, joints, or meridians; he simply pointed out the movements with his fingers and had Mu-yul repeatedly practice them until mastered. Upon hearing Mu-jins brief exnation of his teaching method, a look of realization, as if the character for heaven had appeared on Hye-geols forehead, crossed his face. Hmm. Its certainly a method that would be helpful for beginners or basic martial arts. However Although Hye-geol did not say it outright, he felt quite deted. If that was the case, it wasnt much different from what they had already been doing. They had been stuck on the form of the Crane Fist for five days, without even touching upon the key points of internal energy. By this point, even a monkey would have memorized the form. So what was the problem? Mu-jin, Hye-geol, and Beob Hyun all looked at Mu-yul with expressions of contemtion. Hehe? Mu-yul, looking like a curious monkey, tilted his head in confusion. After observing that bright demeanor for a moment, Mu-jin decided to first check Mu-yuls condition. Mu-yul. Yeah? You said earlier that the posture of the Crane Fist felt awkward, right? Yep, yep. What specifically feels awkward? Is it awkward connecting the movements? Um? Im not sure. Is it awkward when moving? Or is it awkward when stopping? While answering, Mu-yul attempted the opening posture of the Crane Fist again, but once more, he lost his bnce a few seconds in. Hmm? It doesnt seem to be a problem with his memory; he remembers the form. However, watching him move this time, it was clear that he remembered the form even without Beob Hyuns demonstration. So Mu-jin turned to ask Hye-geol and Beob Hyun. Is the Crane Fist a martial art that inherently has awkward transitions between the initial postures? Thats nonsensical. The Shaolin Five Fists were created by Dharma Master after observing the movements of animals. Among Shaolin martial arts, they are known for having the most natural flow. Hye-geol answered Mu-jins question with pride. So its not the connection of the initial postures. [6:16 PM] As Mu-jin fell silent in thought, the residence was once again enveloped in silence. In the stifling atmosphere, as if something was clogged, Mu-jin recalled the words he had heard beforeing here. Granduncle Hyun-gwang had indeed said it. That what is seen on the surface is not as important as the underlying intent. Then, what is the underlying intent of the Crane Fist? It was Mu-jins first day learning the Crane Fist, so it was impossible for him to know its underlying intent. Oh? A thought struck Mu-jins mind. Chapter 36: Chapter 36: nk Paper (3) Mu-jin, considering he had nothing to lose, posed a question to Mu-yul. Yul, have you ever seen a crane? No~? Mu-yul tilted his head, elongating the end of his word. From the way he spoke, it seemed he hadnt even seen a crane, let alone know what one was. As expected Mu-jin was not particrly fond of philosophical or profound thoughts. So, he thought simply. The essence of the Crane Fist.That is, the movement of the crane. In that sense, Mu-yul had been trying to imitate the movement of a crane without even knowing what a crane looked like. Then, what have you been thinking while following Master Uncle Beob Hyuns movements? Huh? I wasnt thinking anything. I just tried to copy the movements that the master showed us. Hehe. At Mu-yuls answer, Mu-jin finally felt a certainty, This is it. But that was only true for Mu-jin. Hye-geol and Beob Hyun were still frowning. What seems to be the problem with that? The master is right. The Shaolin Five Fists are natural martial arts created by imitating the movements of animals living in nature. All movements are designed to flow naturally. Are you saying that my movements are awkward and Mu-yul cannot follow them? Beob Hyun asked incredulously. It wasnt just because he felt insulted. If his movements were awkward, how could he freely execute all the techniques of the Crane Fist? Its not about ming Master Uncle Beob Hyuns movements. But think about it. Everyone says the movements of animals are natural, but thats only natural for their own bodies. Is it really natural to imitate those movements with the human body? Mu-jin didnt wait for the others response and continued. Moving smoothly and then suddenly stopping with a leg lifted, or suddenly striking with the wings and pecking with the beakall of those are natural for a crane, but from a human perspective, they are a series of very unnatural movements. Thats why the Crane Fist was modified to suit human movements, transforming the action of a crane pecking at its prey into a punch. People who have seen a crane might naturally ept and mimic these modified forms, but for Mu-yul, who had never seen one, he was just mindlessly copying the movements shown by Beob Hyun. Master Uncle Beob Hyun may utilize the techniques and vital points learned through years of practice, but Mu-yul cant do that. Hes a simpleton, after all. This kid needs the basic structure set for him, and then he must be left to move as his body dictates. Left to move as his body dictates? Yes. Mu-yul may not be bright, but his body is quite capable. If he is consistently shown the movements of a crane, he will be able to mimic them on his own. While Mu-yul, who was listening to their conversation, indifferently asked whether he was being called a stonehead, the three of them were dead serious. Especially Hye-geol, who had an epiphany after hearing Mu-jins words. So there was a reason Hyun-gwang Sabek sent this child. The reason he had taken Mu-yul as his apprentice was due to his unrestrained nature and a physique simr to that of an animal. But when had he himself be so entangled with the forms and vital points of martial arts? Having inherited the Shaolin Five Fists, the most unrestrained martial arts of Shaolin, why was he bound by the Shaolin Five Fists not in their true essence, but as created by Dharma Master? Without realizing, I have been harboring a sense of inferiority. Perhaps, because it was a martial art that deviated from other Shaolin arts, he was determined to have its legitimacy recognized. Hyun-gwang Sabek must have also surmised this fact. And as for Mu-jin. Perhaps its because hes still young. Hes a child who isnt trapped by fixed ideas. Having this realization, Hye-geol decided to ept Mu-jins opinion. After all, what did he have to lose? Then, we must show Mu-yul a crane. [6:41 PM] Thats correct, Master Uncle Hye-geol. Hye-geol, upon hearing this, nodded his head but then briefly hesitated. Wait. The Shaolin Five Fists are crane, snake, leopard, tiger, and dragon, right? Thus, the Tiger Fist would require a tiger, and for the final Dragon Fist, a dragon would need to be shown? Tiger I can understand, but a dragon Since this is a world of martial arts fiction, could it exist? Mu-jin had such thoughts but quickly resumed his nonchnt demeanor. Whether it be a dragon or a tiger, it was the job of Mu-yuls master and grandmaster to capture them, not something for him to be concerned about. Rightly so. * * * The next day. After treating Hyun-gwang, Mu-jin, as usual, visited Hye-geols pavilion and was greeted by an extraordinary scene. Behold, Yul. This is the animal known as the crane. Wow~!! Hye-geol was like a father taking his youngest son to the zoo. And when the crane, which was roaming the courtyard of the pavilion, suddenly took flight, Haat! Inhale! Mu-jin watched as Hye-geol and Beob Hyun soared into the sky with motions imitating the crane and thought to himself, What is this? Performance art? Regardless of Mu-jins dumbfounded expression, Mu-yul happily pped for his master and grandmaster who had sessfully ascended to the skies. Wow~!! The scene was unmistakably that of a zoo. Or perhaps a circus? And sadly for Mu-jin, he too had to join in this uncertain act, whether it was performance art or a circus. From that day on, Mu-jin and Mu-yul spent every evening with the crane for two weeks straight. Specifically, as the crane demonstrated each movement, Hye-geol and Beob Hyun would replicate those movements alongside it. They were essentially demonstrating each technique of the Crane Fist, depicting how the cranes movements were imitated. What was truly remarkable was that not only Beob Hyun but even Hye-geol, who had already reached a high level of mastery, seemed to have their movements be smoother through these demonstrations with the crane. Going further, Ohhhh! Well done, Mu-yul. Isnt it just like the crane pping its wings? Right, Master? [6:42 PM] Indeed it is. Amitabha. By the fifth day, Mu-yul himself had begun to properly execute the Crane Fist. However, Mu-yuls Crane Fist differed from that of Hye-geol or Beob Hyun. Mu-yuls natural talent and animalistic senses seemed to transcend human norms, as he adjusted the Crane Fist techniques to suit his own physique, creating movements even more reminiscent of an actual crane. If this kid were born in modern times, hed have be a world-ss dancer. Even Mu-jin, with decades of martial arts experience, couldnt match Mu-yuls innate sense. But that didnt mean Mu-yuls improvised movements were perfect. As Mu-yul had adapted the Crane Fist techniques to fit his body, the vital points and techniques of the original Crane Fist could no longer be used as they were. And this issue was resolved by Hye-geol, an expert who had reached a high level of mastery and Mu-yuls grandmaster. Watch closely, Mu-yul. The greatest strength of our Shaolin Five Fists is that all the techniques are connected naturally. Thus, I will also make your Crane Fist flow naturally. Hye-geol modified the vital points and techniques appropriately to ensure that the movements of Mu-yuls self-adapted Crane Fist were naturally interconnected. Hehehe. Mu-yul began to dance in the courtyard of Hye-geols pavilion. The movements, resembling those of a crane, flowed in a mysteriously unrted order to the original sequences of the Crane Fist. Hahahaha. Indeed, he is a child with a once-in-a-lifetime talent, Master. Hye-geol and Beob Hyun watched with satisfied smiles as Mu-yul performed. Although Mu-yuls mind hadnt fully grasped the modified vital points taught by Hye-geol, he had at least perfected the form of the Crane Fist. And it was a new form of Crane Fist, different from that practiced by Beob Hyun and Hye-geol. As time passed, there mighte a day when Mu-yul, as Hye-geol once said upon epting him as a disciple, wouldplete his own version of the Shaolin Five Fists. It would be slightly different from the original created by the patriarch Bodhidharma. Observing Hye-geol and Beob Hyun admiring Mu-yuls performance, Mu-jin approached Hye-geol and spoke with a bow. It seems my role here is done. Hmm. Do you n not toe from tomorrow on? Yes. Hyun-gwang had clearly told Mu-jin that there was something to gain from training with Mu-yul under Hye-geol. Yet, even though Mu-jin had not mastered the Crane Fist perfectly, he felt there was no longer a need toe here, and Hye-geol did not question it. Hye-geol understood. Mu-jin had gained something other than the Crane Fist. Indeed, during the nearly two weeks with them, Mu-jin had discovered an important clue. [6:46 PM] A method to reverse the vital points and to connect them naturally. He had obtained clues about both. Mu-jin had already devised his martial arts as a novice disciple. Now, his task was to learn the new martial arts and vital points and integrate them into his own creation. Originally, Hyun-gwang had never told Mu-jin to master the Crane Fist. Hyun-gwang had told him to learn the Vajra Fist and meld those vital points. The gap between the vital points of the Xiao Hong Quan and transitioning to those of the Guanyin Hands or the Arhat Techniques. There,bining the vital points of the Vajra Fist could increase power while reducing the rebound. Observing Hye-geol modifying the vital points to teach Mu-yul the Crane Fist, Mu-jin had found his clue. And Hyun-gwang had said, What is seen on the surface is not as important as the original intent . Perhaps the original intent was not the Crane Fist, but the martial arts that Mu-jin was creating. Therefore, Mu-jin saw no further need to frequent this ce. His next task was to incorporate what he had learned into his own martial arts. It seems you have already gained something. You may go now. Yes. Please take good care of Mu-yul, Master Uncle Hye-geol, Master Uncle Beob Hyun. As Mu-jin bid hisst farewell and was walking away, he had this thought. Wait. Did Grandmaster Hyun-gwang foresee everything that has transpired? The more he knew, the more wondrous his grandfather seemed to Mu-jin. * * * Is it okay to let him go, Master? As Beob Hyun watched Mu-jin leaving the pavilion, he asked Hye-geol, who let out a heartyugh. Hahaha. Theres no need to worry. What that child needed to learn was never the Crane Fist in the first ce. He too was a seasoned master, not quite on par with Hyun-gwang, but having spent thest fortnight together, he was able to somewhat grasp Hyun-gwangs intentions. The surprising thing was, That young child realized Hyun-gwang Sabeks intentions around the same time as I did. And so, Hye-geol thought. What an extraordinary grandson-grandfather duo. * * * While Mu-jins learning of the Vajra Fist and integrating its vital points was happening on one side, the treatment of Hyun-gwang continued unabated. And when about a month had passed since the start of the treatment, a slight change urred. Grandfather, I will start the manual therapy. Hoho. Proceed. As usual, Mu-jin began pressing on Hyun-gwangs body, starting the treatment. Abbot Hyun Cheon was watching from behind for a moment. Hm!? As someone whod been absentmindedly watching the same scene repeat, he suddenly noticed something different. Abbot, is it okay for you to move like that? Hoho. Now that I think about it, it feels much morefortable than before, Head Monk. When the Head Monk asked in surprise, Hyun-gwang responded with a light-heartedugh. Previously, Hyun-gwang was like a corpse, moving only by Mu-jins maniption. But today, he was shifting his body on his own to assume positions for treatment whenever Mu-jin tried to do something. [6:53 PM] The movements were simple adjustmentsslightly moving his limbs and torso while lying down. Such trivial acts for a regr person were amazing for Hyun-gwang. Given that Hyun-gwang used to ache all over with even the slightest movement and would be in pain from the smallest vibrations when carried by someone. The Abbots body is showing improvement! Your treatment must be working! Abbot Hyun Cheon, with a childlike excitement on his face, eximed, and Hyun Gong and senior brother Hye-dam, who were waiting outside, entered the room with surprised faces. Are you saying that these treatments really have efficacy? They had been skeptical when entrusting the treatment to Mu-jin, especially since the theories involving Thunder Energy and Extreme Yang Energy were unheard of to them. Mu-jin! You are a benefactor to our Shaolin! Please, I implore you. Heal the Abbotpletely! As signs of improvement became evident, their trust in him surged rapidly. Regardless of their newfound confidence in him, Mu-jin was not content with just this level of progress. As another month or so passed, the twisted joints and ligaments began to settle into ce. In other words, Hyun-gwang was no longer at the point where any movement caused him pain. However, Mu-jins goal was not merely to eliminate pain. He wanted to ensure that at the very least, Hyun-gwang could walk on his own two legs again. Thus, Mu-jin began implementing physical therapy, but about five days into the new treatment, he realized there was a significant problem. And to solve this problem, he understood that extraordinary measures were necessary. Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Diet therapy (1) On the fifth day of starting physical therapy. Slowly raise your upper body, then slowly lower down. Ive got your back, so dont worry. Just go as far as you can. Grandfather. As Mu-jin supported Hyun-gwangs back, he repeated the motion of slightly lifting and lowering his upper body to strengthen his abdominal muscles. After helping Hyun-gwang to stand up on his own, Mu-jin held his hands and assisted him so that he could take steps on his own. It was just like a patient who had injured their legs practicing walking on their own at a rehabilitation center. Hoo. Theres still not enough muscle in the body. Its almost impossible to use the Ptes equipment. However, there was a problem. Hyun-gwang had relied on the strength of others to move due to his twisted joints and ligaments for decades.In other words, the muscles throughout his body were seriously atrophied. Continuing with the manual therapy, close-range spear technique, or electric stimtion therapy he had been undergoing would be like pouring water into a bottomless bucket. No, there was even a risk of worsening. Hyun-gwangs cartge was already degenerated due to age. If he moved without muscles, there was a risk that the condition of the joints would be more serious. Either way, it meant that muscles needed to be built quickly before problems arose in the joints. Is that really the only way? Mu-jin realized that drastic measures were necessary. And those drastic measures were not something Mu-jin could proceed with on his own. * * * In the headquarter office of Shaolin. There, Abbot Hyun Cheon, Hyun Seong, Hyun Gong, and senior brother Hye-dam, who were directly or indirectly involved in Hyun-gwangs treatment, weed Mu-jin. So, you said you have something to discuss regarding the treatment of senior brother Hyun-gwang? Abbot Hyun Cheon asked Mu-jin with a pleased expression. [7:10 PM] When Mu-jin first called Hyun Gong grandfather, the headmaster who had sternly scolded him was long gone. Senior brother Hyun-gwang was being treated! What was the big deal about the title of grandfather! The other three were also reminded of this. And Mu-jin, looking at the four of them with pleased expressions, spoke in a calm tone. Yes, I havee here because a slight problem has arisen during the process of treating grandfather. What do you mean by problem!? Hasnt his condition improved? Recently, we were moving on to the next phase, and senior brother Hyun-gwang was moving on his own! As soon as Mu-jins words fell, Hyun Seong and Hyun Gong eximed with startled faces. Looking back and forth between the two, Mu-jin calmly replied. Yes, during the next phase of the treatment process, I discovered a problem. Exin in detail what you mean by a problem. Even as the abbot of Shaolin, Hyun Cheon, known for hisposure, asked in a solemn tone. Mu-jin opened his mouth to reveal the problem he had realized. To properly treat Hyun-gwangs body, it was necessary to build muscle. And above all, what was needed to build muscle was precisely Grandfather must eat meat. It was about eating meat. A chilling silence fell in the headquarter office at Mu-jins statement. Indeed, the question of whether eating meat is essential for muscle growth is still a controversial issue even in modern times. Vegetarian physiologists argue that it is entirely possible to build a healthy muscr physique with only vegetables, and Mu-jin, who often consults exercise science literature as a specialist in his field, was aware of this debate. However, building muscle through a vegetarian dietes with veryplex conditions. Both nt-based and animal-based proteins are made up of amino acids, but there is a subtle difference in those amino acids. Ultimately, to build muscle in the human body, one must know the variety of amino acids in different vegetables and ponder how tobine them to create animal-based proteins for consumption. Moreover, unlike meat like chicken breast, which is mostlyposed of protein and water, even soybeans considered rich in protein actually contain fats and carbohydrates. To rece meat with soy or mushrooms, one had to engage in tremendous exercise to burn off those unnecessary carbohydrates and fats. That was apletely unsuitable method for the patient Hyun-gwang. However, that was only Mu-jins view. How impudent!! To even mention meat-eating in Shaolin! If you are not trying to insult senior brother Hyun-gwang, how dare you say such a thing! Right after a moment of silence, the expected reaction exploded just as Mu-jin had anticipated. [7:29 PM] Particrly because they had high hopes for Mu-jin, the bacsh from Hyun Gong and Hyun Seong was even more fierce. Senior brother Hye-dam, as usual, kept silent, but his eyes were burning no less fiercely than the other two. Only Abbot Hyun Cheon, who had managed to retain his calm, asked Mu-jin. Why do you say that one must eat meat to build muscle? Mu-jin, even you have built such a physique without consuming meat. At Hyun Cheons questioning, Mu-jin nearly flinched involuntarily, remembering a time during his wall-facing meditation when he hunted and ate animals as a punishment. Mu-jin managed topose his expression and spoke calmly. Soy and mushrooms can substitute for meat. However, that is just a substitute, and it cannotpare to eating meat. Then, couldnt senior brother also substitute with soy and mushrooms? The case for me and grandfather is different! I am still young and can endure, but grandfather is in a situation where time is of the essence! Although he had anticipated the pushback, Mu-jin was beginning to feel frustrated with the stubborn exchange of questions and answers with the elderly monks. Why does our Shaolin abstain from meat? It is a form of asceticism to ovee the worldly distractions and desires, the craving for food. Thats why I could willingly give up meat. However, asceticism has meaning only for those who can endure it! If one has to die because of that asceticism, is that truly thew of Buddhism? Would that not be a vition of the precept of not killing? You brash fool!! You are disrespecting senior brother Hyun-gwangs enlightenment with your audacity! How dare you discuss Shaolins precepts in front of me! At Mu-jins words, the Head of Jurisdiction Department Hyun Gong was about to leap up in anger when Compose yourself, Head of Jurisdiction Department. Before him, Hyun Cheon calmed Hyun Gong down. There is some merit to Mu-jins words. Abbot!! Listen until the end, Head of Jurisdiction Department. Mu-jins words do have merit, but there are also ws. The question is whether meat really can heal senior brothers body and build his muscles more effectively. With that, Abbot Hyun Cheon looked at Mu-jin with aplex expression. Of course, Mu-jin could answer that question. If this were the modern era. But in this era, he couldnt talk about protein and supepensation theories. [7:35 PM] In the end, Mu-jin continued his exnation, awkwardly fitting it into Buddhist terminology he knew. The cycle of rebirth in Buddhism does not only refer to dying and departing to another world. Everything in this world is in a cycle. The rain that falls from the skyes down to the earth, and that water boils and returns to the sky. In this way, the world is in a cycle. The same goes for the flesh of animals and humans. To nourish and grow a persons body, one must consume the flesh of the same animals. Life dying and being reborn is the natural order, and humans eating not only vegetables but also meat is also part of nature. If we harm life for the sake of enjoyment, that could be a sin, but how could it be a sin to eat something that is already dead for the sake of survival? Even after Mu-jin finished his exnation, the abbot remained silent with aplex expression. The other elders seemed to be waiting for the abbots decision, watching his mouth for words. After some contemtion, the abbot spoke in a calm tone. There is reason in what you say. However, your words cannot be taken as definitive proof. And without proof, we cannot go against the practices of Shaolin that have been upheld for a thousand years. But. But! We also cannot neglect the senior brother who has protected Thousand-Year Shaolin. !!! Abbot! Surprised by the abbots words, Head of Jurisdiction Department Hyun Gong shouted out, but the abbot did not back down and continued. There is a way to feed senior brother meat while upholding thews of Shaolin. After eating the meat, one simply has to ept the corresponding punishment. What do you think about that? As if posing a test question, the abbot asked, and Mu-jin answered with determination. I was the one who suggested eating meat, so I will take the punishment on his behalf. You still do not understand how grave Shaolinsws are. The punishment you receivedst time was very light. This time, you may have to face the wall for a month. Are you still willing to take that punishment? To Abbot Hyun Cheons question, Mu-jin did not flinch. A month of wall-facing? That might scare children, but it was nothing to Mu-jin. Your disciple will dly ept the punishment. As Mu-jin boldly answered, Abbot Hyun Cheonughed heartily, as if he had heard the answer he had been hoping for. Haha, Head of Jurisdiction Department. Speak, Abbot. [7:38 PM] In the name of the abbots relic, Nokok Buljang, I wish to amend aw. What do you mean? I will add an exception to the Shaolins rule against eating meat. For those who are seriously ill, an exception will be made to allow meat consumption for the sake of treatment. That should not be, Abbot! I am aware it should not be. Therefore, as the abbot, I too will ept the punishment that the Jurisdiction Department will impose, along with Mu-jin. With that, Abbot Hyun Cheon showed a hearty smile to Mu-jin. * The punishment decreed by the Jurisdiction Department was postponed for a few days. This was to prevent any dy in Hyun-gwangs treatment while Mu-jin took his punishment. However, it was not possible to indefinitely postpone the punishment until Hyun-gwang fully recovered. Ultimately, a period of seven weeks was granted, and during that time, Mu-jin was to pass on the treatment method to Beob Geon, thereby concluding the days meeting. And the next morning. Hyun-gwang looked at Mu-jin, who was spooning out porridge for him, withplicated eyes. Hyun-gwang knew that the porridge Mu-jin was serving contained meat. For over fifty years, Hyun-gwang had lived without consuming meat. This was an attempt to gradually limate him to meat, starting with porridge that contained meat, considering his long history. As a disciple of Buddhism who had abstained from meat for many years, Hyun-gwang couldnt help but feel deeply conflicted about the current situation. Yet, ultimately, Hyun-gwang had no choice but to ept the spoon that Mu-jin extended to him. The original Hyun-gwang would have refused the spoon offered by Mu-jin, adhering to his beliefs as a Buddhist and a Shaolin disciple. The reason Hyun-gwang epted the spoon was due to a conversation with Abbot Hyun Cheon that urred early this morning when Mu-jin was away. Senior brother, I intend to entrust the future of Shaolin to Mu-jin. Haha, what are you saying all of a sudden, Abbot? In response to Hyun-gwangs question, Abbot Hyun Cheon recounted the events of the previous night. Ive had this thought, senior brother. Perhaps, in our adherence to tradition, Shaolin has stagnated over the past thousand years. Deep remorse was evident in the eyes of Abbot Hyun Cheon as he spoke. Hyun Cheon had suddenly had to step into the role of senior brother due to Hyun-gwangs injury, and eventually, he became the abbot. From his days as a second-ss disciple to now as abbot, he felt he had been so focused on upholding tradition due to his ownck of ability. At least, that was how he judged himself. Because of his inadequacies, Shaolin had lost its past glory. While other sects progressed, Shaolin had merely maintained its status quo. Though universally recognized as a prestigious sect, it had lost the title of the best in the world. Abbot, not all change is necessarily for the better. Amitabha. [7:44 PM] I am aware, senior brother. That is why I have chosen Mu-jin. I expect that he may bring about a positive change, a breath of fresh air. Hyun-gwang could not ignore the remorse and determination in Abbot Hyun Cheons eyes as he answered. Furthermore, seeing how Mu-jin had defied the ancestors and led the situation to this point, all for the sake of his treatment,pelled him even more. With such tangled emotions, Hyun-gwang chewed and swallowed the porridge with meat that entered his mouth. It was the first time he had tasted meat since he had been registered at Shaolin. Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Diet Therapy (2) After the agreed seven weeks had passed, Mu-jin was able to pass on the treatment processes to Beob Geon somewhat satisfactorily. After all, electrotherapy and heat therapy were the domains of Hyun Gong and Hye-dam, and having observed for the past two months, Beob Geon could at least mimic acupressure and the Close-Range Spear Technique to some extent. In the end, excluding manual therapy, he was able to pass on just a few physical therapy exercises over the seven weeks. And Hyun-gwang, who started eating meat with porridge, was now able to eat almost unseasoned boiled meat. Thanks to Mu-jins meticulous care or perhaps because of eating meat, there was a slight change in Hyun-gwangs blocked pathways. After spending those seven weeks, Its been a long time since Ive been here. Mu-jin found himself entering the cave designated for wall-facing meditation, a ce he had been dragged to during his early disciple days.His period of wall-facing meditation was set for one month. Moreover, for Abbot Hyun Cheon, who had agreed to take the punishment with him, Lets go in. Unfortunately for Mu-jin, he had to apany him. This is a disaster. Mu-jin nned to enjoy a wall-facing meditation that was not quite wall-facing, much like thest time. Ideally, he would strengthen his body, practice martial arts, hunt animals at night, and eat them. That was the kind of wall-facing meditation he had in mind. However, now that he was with Hyun Cheon, it seemed he would have to truly spend a month just facing the wall. Eventually, with a face like a pig being led to ughter, Mu-jin entered the wall-facing cave with Hyun Cheon. And just as Mu-jin had anticipated, as soon as Hyun Cheon entered the cave, he immediately sat down in a full lotus position. Sitting with his eyes half-open, Hyun Cheon began reciting sutras. Mahpraj?pramith?daya Stra, Avalokite?vara Bodhisattva [7:50 PM] Despite being right next to him, the sutra recitation was barely audible, floating softly in the air. Listening to it, Mu-jin thought, Werent you not supposed to talk during wall-facing? Mu-jin was certain that was the rule. Hmm? Since wall-facing is also a form of Buddhist practice, maybe reciting sutras is allowed? Well, as the abbot, Hyun Cheon certainly knew the rules better than Mu-jin, a third-ss disciple. Mu-jin convincingly thought so and started to stare nkly at the wall. Along with the thought that he was going to waste an entire month for nothing. Just as he was aimlessly passing the time, Ying cloud, this lifes heart Form is emptiness, emptiness is form Mu-jin, catching something odd in Hyun Cheons murmuring sutras, found it peculiar. Whats going on? Why are the sutras all mixed up? Even if Mu-jin didnt have a great interest in Buddhism, he had been a novice disciple for a year and ten months, and spent three months as a third-ss disciple, during which he was forced to learn a considerable number of sutras. In addition to that, as all of Shaolins martial arts techniques were based on Buddhist scriptures, Mu-jin had to read through all the sutras to learn the martial arts. But as he listened closely, the sutras that Abbot Hyun Cheon was reciting were all jumbled up. He would switch from the Heart Sutra to the Diamond Sutra abruptly, then from the Diamond Sutra to the Lotus Sutra and Avatamsaka Sutra, and then back to the Diamond Sutra again. Even the verses werent starting from the beginning but were seemingly chosen at random by Abbot Hyun Cheon. Wait a minute? It didnt take long for Mu-jin to find a pattern in the chaotic mix of verses. Theyre all verses Im familiar with? To be precise, they were verses from the techniques he knew. The Xiao Hong Quan, Autumn Wind Leg, Nine Pce Steps, Arhat Palm, Stone-crushing Finger, Avalokiteshvara Hand, and Vajra Fist were all mentioned. Could it be? Mu-jin, with a thought, focused more on the recitation of Abbot Hyun Cheon. As he aligned his internal energy with the sequence of verses recited by Abbot Hyun Cheon, he visualized in his mind how they might connect. The front part is the first sequence of the Revolving Fist Technique, a straight punch, and the back part is the third sequence of the Autumn Wind Leg, a left kick. Ah, so to connect these two movements, you insert the essence of the Vajra Fist in the middle? To be exact, it was a straight punch and sidekick that Mu-jin had created himself. Although the forms were from the first sequence of the Revolving Fist Technique and the third sequence of the Autumn Wind Leg, he was using the essence of all the martial arts he had learned. He had even seeded in incorporating the essence of the Vajra Fist into each movement with the help of Hyun-gwang and Hye-geol. The only problem was that while he had seeded in incorporating the essence into each movement, the movements did not flow naturally from one to the next. [7:53 PM] But now, Abbot Hyun Cheon was providing a method to connect these joints through the sutra verses. Mu-jin concentrated on the sutra verses recited by Abbot Hyun Cheon and organized the essence in his mind. However, he was not content to sit and merely organize the essence. Naturally, Mu-jin felt an itch to move. Is it okay to stand up? If he was willingly teaching him the essence, maybe that meant he was allowed to practice? After pondering briefly with the mindset that he had nothing to lose, Mu-jin boldly stood up. Mahpraj?pramit Abbot Hyun Cheon, who must have sensed Mu-jins movement, continued reciting the sutra without any reaction. Hoo. Assured that Abbot Hyun Cheon had given his permission, Mu-jin matched his internal energy with the essence he had just organized in his mind and tried to connect the straight punch with a left kick. However, thinking it through in his head and actually moving his body and internal energy were entirely different things. The flow of the technique still felt awkward. As he practiced the punch and kickbination on his own for a while, ?? Focused on his training, Mu-jin btedly noticed a change in the rhythm of the sutras being recited by Abbot Hyun Cheon. It seems like a rhythm has developed? Hyun Cheon began to recite the sutra with varying strength and speedsome phrases strongly, some quickly but softly. Could he be illustrating the flow of internal energy? With a hunch, Mu-jin calmed his mind and matched his internal energy to the rhythm of the verses recited by Hyun Cheon, adjusting the flow ording to the rhythm in different parts of his body. Suddenly, with a swift movement ording to the rhythm, there was a significant improvement in the connection of his techniques. However, Abbot Hyun Cheon did not seem satisfied with just that and continued to recite. It seemed like he was pointing out incorrect parts in the section Mu-jin had just practiced, as slight changes urred in his recitations. In this manner, Mu-jin continued to refine his movements to the chanting of the sutras by Abbot Hyun Cheon. Conversely, Abbot Hyun Cheon, with heightened sensitivity, guided Mu-jin by reading the flow of his movements and internal energy and pointing out mistakes through the verses and their rhythm. Haha, indeed, he is a quick-witted boy. As Mu-jin expected, Abbot Hyun Cheon had chosen this method to assist with his trainingpartly as an apology for taking away a month of Mu-jins crucial training period for the sake of curing Hyun-gwang, who had saved Shaolin, and partly as a way to foster the growth of Mu-jin, whom he saw as the future of Shaolin. For this purpose, Abbot Hyun Cheon had previously asked Hyun-gwang about the martial arts Mu-jin was learning and how he was connecting the techniques. Even with this limited knowledge, it was no difficulty for Abbot Hyun Cheon to teach Mu-jin. No matter how talented Mu-jin was, he was just a child who had started learning martial arts two years ago, while Abbot Hyun Cheon was an expert with fifty years of training. After a considerable time spent in this unusual training, Ahem. While reciting sutras, Abbot Hyun Cheon coughed, and Mu-jin stopped his movements, puzzled. [8:00 PM] Quickly assuming a lotus position and facing the wall as if anticipating something, Swoosh. Soon after, a first-ss disciple approached, ced food and water in the cave, and left. It was Abbot Hyun Cheon who had alerted Mu-jin with a cough that someone whose presence Mu-jin couldnt detect was approaching. After that, whenever the watch was gone, Abbot Hyun Cheon would chant sutras, and Mu-jin would refine his martial arts to the rhythm of those sutras. The training continued untilte in the evening, and when night fell, Abbot Hyun Cheony down facing the wall, signaling it was time to rest. About half an hour after Abbot Hyun Cheony down, Mu-jin quietly got up and slipped out of the cave. Haha, it seems he still felt the need to move. Thinking that Mu-jin had gone out not to disturb his sleep and to continue training, Abbot Hyun Cheon closed his eyes again. Little did he know that Mu-jin had actually gone out to hunt for meat. * * * Twenty days had passed since Mu-jin entered wall-facing meditation. In the meantime, Hyun-gwangs body was recovering day by day. The twisted joints and misaligned ligaments had mostly settled back into ce after two months of treatment. The only issue was theck of muscles to support and stabilize the joints and ligaments. And after twenty days and seven weeks of daily meat consumption,bined with exercise therapy aided by Beob Geon and Mu-jin, muscles began to develop gradually on Hyun-gwangs body. Master Uncle! Youve truly transformed! Beob Geon, who was nominally Mu-jins teacher and Hyun-gwangs senior brother, eximed with a childlike joy. True to his words, small muscles began to appear here and there on Hyun-gwangs previously gaunt and skinny frame. Thanks to the strength of these new muscles, Hyun-gwang was now able to take small steps without holding onto Beob Geons hand. Hoo. Hyun-gwang took a deep breath as he rose from his seat using his own strength and walked out of his room to the main hall. What was a mundane activity for others was akin to a miracle for Hyun-gwang. Though it was the same small courtyard of the temple he had always seen, Hyun-gwang looked at it with profound eyes. All of that was my obstinance. His disciple, Abbot Hyun Cheon, always med himself. He was too focused on preserving tradition. If senior brother Hyun-gwang had be the abbot, things might have been different. And at this moment, Hyun-gwang realized that he was no different from his disciple Hyun Cheon. What is asceticism? It is for gaining enlightenment and to forget desires and worldly distractions. Yet, why had he be so fixated on the asceticism itself? Why did he merely follow it because it was Shaolins tradition? What is truly important is not the outward appearance, but the underlying intention. It was almostughable that he had tried to exin this to Mu-jin, his junior great-granddisciple, as if he knew better. Amitabha. Hyun-gwang, who had recited the sutra deeply, now sat in a lotus position and closed his eyes gently. Even with his eyes closed, the image of the courtyard he had just been observing remained vivid in his mind. [8:04 PM] Even if the courtyard and buildings were to disappear one day, they would remain within his mind. Even if unseen, they existed, and even if they ceased to exist, they could be seen. Form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. The world has always been such, what then had bound him? Gate gate pragate prasa?gate bodhi svh. With his eyes closed, Hyun-gwang continued to recite the sutra deeply. Ah I, too, was bound by that day thirty years ago. The day when the demon cults elite forces attacked. The day he lost his martial arts, became a cripple, and could no longer walk on his own. Although he constantly reassured the countless people worried about him that he was fine, deep down, he harbored a profound sadness. His mind, as high as the heavens, understood Shaolins martial arts and sutras, but his heart, heavy with resentment, could not ept their content. Even though all the words written there told him the answery within himself, he had only tried to find the answer in the words. In the moment he realized the truth, he was able to shed ayer of the chains that bound him. Already his five senses and mind had merged, and his heart and technique reached Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi, the unsurpassed, proper and equal, right enlightenment. His body, which had been unable to even walk on its own, had regained stability through Mu-jins treatment. The only thingcking was that, due to his shattered Danjeon, he could no longer contain Qi in his body. Ha ha ha. That too is a form of persistence. With so many streams of energy flowing through this world, how could one try to contain them within the tiny confines of a human body? Hyun-gwang, with a gentle smile on his face and his eyes closed, was engulfed by the wind, which then began to produce a golden radiance. Ma, Master Uncle!? Beob Geon, who was watching the spectacle from the side, eximed with a face full of shock. As he walked out to the grand hall on his own, what kind of harmony was this? Meanwhile, the radiance around him grew only denser. What, what, what is happening!? Naturally, the Shaolin temple was in chaos. Could it be Abbot Hyun-gwang has reached Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi? Hyun Gong, who had used all his strength to rush to Hyun-gwangs hall after seeing the golden radiance, muttered in astonishment. Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi, when tranted into Chinese characters, means unsurpassed, proper and equal, right enlightenment C signifying that one has awakened to the highest truth in the world. It meant that Hyun-gwang was in the process of attaining Buddhahood. Amitabha. Amitabha. Hyun Gong, along with a few other high-ranking Shaolin monks who had arrived at Hyun-gwangs hall, chanted briefly towards the golden-lit Abbot. !? The golden radiance surrounding Hyun-gwang began to fade, and as if it were a mirage,pletely disappeared. With a sh. [8:24 PM] Hyun-gwang, who had been smiling peacefully with his eyes closed, opened his eyes. Abbot, have you attained great enlightenment? Hyun Gong, who was the highest ranking after the abbot and senior brothers, asked, and Hyun-gwang answered with a mysterious look on his face. I have merely felt in my heart what I knew in my head. !!! It seemed like a trivial remark, but all the high monks gathered in Hyun-gwangs hall could tell that Abbot Hyun-gwang had reached an elevated realm. But why Ha ha ha. Is it not because there is still an unresolved matter? In response to Hyun Gongs question, Hyun-gwang again gave an answer resembling a Zen dialogue. Although Hyun-gwang, intoxicated by enlightenment, was letting go of all his worldly worries and obsessions, there remained just one thing he could not let go of, which is why he remained here. Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Fallen Monk (1) The day after Hyun-gwang nearly entered Nirvana. From Hyun-gwangs residence, a rich aroma wafted throughout the Shaolin temple grounds. Hehehe. To think that such immense joy existed in this world. Hyun-gwang, savoring the diverse vors in his mouth, muttered to himself like an immortal. Thump! At that very moment, Hyun-gong burst into the room with urgent steps. Great, great senior brother! What, what are you doing right now!? Hyun-gong, who had rushed out due to the savory aroma spreading through the Shaolin grounds, asked with rm. However, Hyun-gwang only responded with a heartyugh.Oh. Has disciple Hyun-gong arrived? Wouldnt you like some too? This is the famous Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Hehehe. Indeed, if something tastes this good, isnt it worth jumping over the fence? What, what, what do you mean!? As Hyun-gongs face turned beet red and he yelled loudly, Hyun-gwang simply smiled warmly. Hehehe. Im not deaf. Theres no need to shout; I can hear you just fine. Huff. Hyun-gong took several deep breaths to calm his anger before asking in a lowered voice. Why, great senior brother, are you eating that food? They say its quite beneficial for ones health, so I thought Id give it a try. Youre talking about that, arent you? Hyun-gong asked, almost as if he felt ashamed just for mentioning Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, but Hyun-gwang remained cheerfully nonchnt. Hehehe. Thanks to the head disciple, the rules have changed, so its permitted for those like me who are unwell, isnt it? Does one who has nearly entered Nirvana still need to nourish their body? Hyun-gong inquired with a cautious tone. The fact that Hyun-gwang had almost entered Nirvana was still a closely guarded secret within Shaolin. Only those who had visited his residence on that day and the true disciples knew. They were keeping silent upon Hyun-gwangs request. [12:19 PM] And Hyun-gwang, who had nearly entered Nirvana, looked at Hyun-gong with an odd expression and opened his mouth. Hmm? It seems the disciple does not approve of me eating nourishing food. Hehehe. That, thats not what I mean. Hehehe. Well, since you disapprove, is that why you locked up our Mu-jin, who was so desperate to save me, in a cave? Hehehe. As Hyun-gwang added, Why has the child who used to follow my words so obediently turned out like this, cold sweat ran down the forehead of the Head of the Jurisdiction Department. Hyun-gong was the first to realize that the great senior brother who had nearly entered Nirvana had be somewhat quirky. * * * A month had passed since Mu-jin was confined to face the wall. The time hase, head monk, for Mu-jin disciple. Responding to the second-ss disciple who hade to announce the end of the wall-facing, Mu-jin let out a deep sigh and stood up. I should never do this again. It was different from thest time I had endured for a week. Abbot Hyun-cheon simply recited Buddhist scriptures and did not engage in any conversation with Mu-jin. No matter how much one trains their body, practices martial arts, or goes hunting at night, spending a month without conversation is truly a dreadful thing. I shouldnt have underestimated wall-facing. Mu-jin had these thoughts even though he hadnt actually done wall-facing. Huff. Still, it wasnt without its gains. Thanks to a month of continuous practice, Mu-jin had managed to smoothen the transitions between the movements of his techniques. Then, Abbot Hyun-cheon, who hade out of the cave with him, showed a kind smile to Mu-jin and spoke. Mu-jin, it seems you might need to trim your hair a bit. Except for a very few who were experiencing hair loss, all Shaolin disciples regrly shaved their heads. This was also true for Mu-jin, but since he had been wall-facing for a month, his hair had grown quite a bit and it was about time for a haircut. Damn it It was a terrible thing for Mu-jin. He had been drawn into this world while reading a novel to avoid stress-induced hair loss, only to find that he would have to live as a bald man here as well. Although he had practically given up and epted it, now that his hair had grown a bit longer due to wall-facing, Mu-jin found himself reluctant to let it go. Therefore, Mu-jin asked Abbot Hyun-cheon something he wouldnt usually inquire about. Abbot, why do all monks shave their heads so short? To Mu-jins question, Abbot Hyun-cheon answered with a smile. The reason is simple. Shaving ones head symbolizes cutting ties with the secr world. By shaving each time the hair grows back, one is reminded that they have renounced worldly attachments and sought refuge in Buddhism. An act to reaffirm the severance of ties with the secr world? [12:33 PM] Exactly. Our Shaolins founder, Dharma Master, did the same, and so did the Buddha, Sakyamuni. As their disciples, we follow their will. Mu-jin pondered Hyun-cheons answer, scratching his chin. Then its not strictly necessary to be bald? While Mu-jin and Hyun-cheon were having this conversation, they arrived at the Shaolin temple. I have some backlogged matters to attend to, so you should return first, Mu-jin. Senior brother Hyun-gwang must be waiting for you. Understood, Abbot. After exchanging greetings with Abbot Hyun-cheon, Mu-jin headed towards senior brother Hyun-gwangs residence. As Mu-jin got closer to the residence, he asked a second-ss disciple about the thing he had been most curious about during his time in the cave. Grandfather. No, how is Master Uncle Hyun-gwang doing? Master Uncle. However, why was it that the second-ss disciple responded with a somewhat awkward smile? He, hes doing well. Hahaha. ? Youll know once you see him. Just go and see. Surely hes well, but somehow I felt like the answer was being dodged. Ill know once I get there. With that thought, Mu-jin headed to senior brother Hyun-gwangs residence with the second-ss disciple. !!! He was met with a sight he could not have imagined. There was senior brother Hyun-gwang, indulging in braised pork belly and pouring wine into his mouth on therge veranda. Amitabha. As if having seen nothing, the second-ss disciple who had brought Mu-jin recited a Buddhist chant and left. Hehehe. Come in, Mu-jin. With a heartyugh, senior brother Hyun-gwang, holding chopsticks in his right hand, motioned to the braised pork belly. Master Uncle!! What, what is all this? Dont you see? Hehehe. Im nourishing my body. At that confident response, Mu-jin dashed to the veranda, snatching away the chopsticks and wine bottle from Hyun-gwangs hands. The meat I was talking about meant literally unseasoned meat! Not this terrible thing floating with oil! Mu-jin pointed at the braised pork belly and shouted, causing Hyun-gwang tough heartily, while Beob Geon sitting beside him awkwardly turned his head away. Master! Er, erm. Its that, the master uncle wanted it. I, I didnt touch it at all. At that awkward excuse, Mu-jin asked incredulously. Lets say thats the case with the meat. But what about the wine? Alcohol for a patient! Hehehe. Dont worry. Senior brother Hyun-gwang smiled kindly in response to Mu-jins nagging. Suddenly, the Qi flowing through the courtyard began to gather towards Hyun-gwang. Whoosh. With the wind, the drunkenness and the oily and spicy aura from the pork belly that clung to Hyun-gwangs body were expelled. Hehehe. I was merely enjoying the atmosphere; simply expel it like this, and all is well. Staring open-mouthed at the spectacle, Mu-jin heard Hyun-gwang speak as if it were nothing. Ho, how, how did this happen? [12:48 PM] Mu-jin stuttered in his question, and Beob Geon briefly exined what had happened. The story of how he had almost attained enlightenment, nearly entering Nirvana. Although his Danjeon was still damaged, he had be able to freely control the natural Qi. Then, can you continue to expel the effects of alcohol and harmful energy like that? Master Uncle. Hehehe. Thats right. How skilled must I be to be able to do the same!? Mu-jin asked with sparkling eyes. Thinking about it, it was amon scene in martial arts novels. The stories of expelling drunkenness with internal energy. If I can do that, then I can drink alcohol too! It wasnt just about alcohol. It was about being able to eat again all those greasy foods full of spices that are tasty to the mouth but harmful to the body. Living as a fitness fanatic, Mu-jin had been forced to give up those foods. Am I finally going to be free from chicken breast shakes and chicken breast sds? To live as a fitness fanatic was almost synonymous with giving up on taste. Of course, as a monk, he shouldnt consume meat or alcohol. But what does it matter once Im outside Shaolin? After all, Mu-jin nned to leave Shaolin eventually, if only to see the ending of the novel, and to umte enough skill. At least, Ill have to reach a level where I can expel drunkenness and toxic energy before leaving. With a more concrete goal in mind, Mu-jin received a smile from senior brother Hyun-gwang, who seemed to understand everything and answered. Hehehe. Once youre able to harmonize the three pulses and achieve the level of Daechujeon, youll be able to do it. * * * That evening. Mu-jin was wrestling with several books in a corner of the room. These were books stored in the Sutra Repository, but since they werent of high importance, even he, as a third-ss disciple, could borrow them. They were simply books on Shaolins history or the history of Buddhism. Huff. Satisfied with the content, Mu-jin closed the book and took a small knife and scissors in his hands. * * * The next morning. Beob Geon looked at Mu-jin with a puzzled face. I clearly gave you a small knife and scissors yesterday. Why have you not cut your hair? Mu-jin replied to Beob Geons question. I did cut it, Master. That, that is what you call cutting it? Beob Geon asked incredulously. Certainly,pared to when he had just finished wall-facing the day before, his hair was tidier. His wild hair had been somewhat managed. But it wasnt a shaved head. Pointing to his head with his hand, Mu-jin answered Beob Geon. [12:52 PM] Didnt you say that cutting hair signifies severing ties with the secr world and seeking refuge in Buddhism? I thought this would be more definitive than simply shaving my head. That, that look is what you mean? Yes. Who would say that someone with this haircut has worldly ties? In addition, I carved a swastika to honor the Buddhas will. Indeed. To avoid being bald, Mu-jin had chosen an extremely short two-block mohawk and carved a swastika on the right side of his head with the small knife. Beob Geon was momentarily at a loss for words at Mu-jins exnation. Even in the modern world, someone with such a haircut might be considered a delinquent or suspected of having Hongdae disease (a term for someone trying too hard to be trendy). Naturally, in this world, there was no one with such a haircut, and there would be few who would want to be close to someone with it. It was definitely a haircut that symbolized aplete severance from the secr world, even more so than thepletely shaven monks. Hehehe. Thats an interesting notion. Just then, senior brother Hyun-gwang, who had been listening to the twos conversation, burst into heartyughter. Having realized that the intention behind an action is more important than the rule itself, the enlightened Hyun-gwang was epting Mu-jins unconventional choice. Indeed, it was ironic for him to fuss over Mu-jins hairstyle when he himself indulged in alcohol and meat. However, just because Hyun-gwang respected Mu-jins intentions didnt mean the rest of Shaolin would ept his hairstyle. In the afternoon. The Head of the Jurisdiction Department, Hyun-gong, who came to treat Hyun-gwang, was appalled upon seeing Mu-jins hair. You, you rascal! How can a disciple of Shaolin have such hair! Not just Hyun-gong, but also senior brother Hye-dam and Abbot Hyun-cheon were equally bbergasted. Especially since Hyun-cheon, who had just finished wall-facing the day before, had told Mu-jin to cut his hair, it was utterly exasperating for him. Yet, Mu-jin remained undaunted by Hyun-gongs angry voice and repeated what he had told Beob Geon. He reiterated his bizarre logic that the hairstyle was a decision to sever ties with the secr world and honor the Buddhas will. Do you really think that makes sense! Of course, for Hyun-gong, who oversaw Shaolins rules, such reasoning was not going to cut it. Hair is referred to as the grass of ignorance (o) or the grass of vexation (), symbols of worldly desires! Cutting it off is the very symbol of seeking refuge in Buddhism! Yes. Thats why I cut my hair, didnt I? That little bit of hair youve left! That represents your remaining attachment to the secr world! Hyun-gong yelled, unable to ept Mu-jins hairstyle. But Mu-jin couldnt yield on this matter either. More than two years had passed since he was drawn into this world of martial arts novels. [12:58 PM] Mu-jin was slowly realizing something. It was impossible to return to his original world overnight. If he considered the story of the novel he knew, at the very least, he would have to spend over ten years in this ce. To live strictly as a Shaolin monk for all that time would be nothing short of torture. Ill enjoy myself while Im here, not just rush towards the ending! To endure for over ten years, Mu-jin decided to find some middle ground for himself. And his hair was one middle ground he absolutely could notpromise on, especially considering he was drawn into the novel because of his hair loss. So, Mu-jin yed a strong hand. To reach enlightenment, wasnt it not only hair that Sakyamuni Buddha cut off? At Mu-jins words, both Hyun-gong and Hyun-cheon flinched. Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Fallen Monk (2) If the reason for shaving ones head is to cut off the worldly concern of grooming ones appearance for others, should not all hair on the face be shaved off as well? Mu-jin, saying so, looked in turn at Hyun Gong, Abbot Hyun Cheon, and Hyun-gwang. Specifically, at their well-maintained white beards and their long, unkempt eyebrows. Haha, what shall we do? Head of the Jurisdiction Department, I, for one, have no intention of shaving it off. And Hyun-gwang, as if it were the most natural thing, stroked his long white beard and looked at Hyun Gong. While Hyun Gong was conflicted between his role as the Head of the Jurisdiction Department and the beard he had grown over decades, Mu-jin subtly added more to the conversation. If you look at the screen painting of the Dharma Master, our founding master, he only shaved the top of his head. The hair on the sides and back of his head, as well as his eyebrows and beard, were all kept long. Ultimately, what matters is severing ties with the secr world, not the shape of our hair, isnt it?Upon hearing Mu-jins words, Hyun Gong nced at him. After all, the justification for all Hyun-mun members to grow beards stemmed from the fact that the Dharma Master, their founding patriarch, had a beard himself. From that perspective, Mu-jins hairstyle was not much different from that of the Dharma Master. The Dharma Master with only the top of his head shaved. Notpletely bald, Mu-jin had shaved the sides and back of his head clean, even etching a swastika symbol there. Both hairstyles showed a disregard for the views of the secr world. Cough. As long as you do not grow your hair any longer, I shall allow it. Eventually, unable to concede his own beard, Hyun Gong had no choice but to approve of Mu-jins hairstyle. [1:52 PM] Mu-jin, with his two-block Mohican scratch hair, was thus recognized by the Head of the Jurisdiction Department. * * * The next morning, at dawn, when the third-ss disciples gathered at the Arhat Faction to train their bodies. Mu Mu-jin? What what what is that hairstyle? Beob Gang asked, stuttering like a broken clockwork toy. In fact, he was asking on behalf of everyone; all the second-ss disciples, third-ss disciples, and Master Uncle Hye-jeong at the training ground were looking at Mu-jins hair. Ah. Didnt the Head of the Jurisdiction Department tell you? Its a hairstyle approved by the Head of the Jurisdiction Department. Did the Master Uncle say so? Beob Gang tried to recall the Master Uncle Hyun Gong he knew. Rather than approval, isnt it a miracle that youre still alive? Beob Gang thought that the moment he was spotted, the Vajra Divine General might have burned his head clean off. Discontented, Beob Gang listened once again to Mu-jins reasoning. Since the second-ss disciples, third-ss disciples, and Master Uncle Hye-jeong were all around, Mu-jin intended to finish exining it once and for all. Cough. So, you are saying that what matters is expressing our renunciation of the secr world and our refuge in the Buddhas Way? Yes. Youre saying Master Uncle Hyun Gong epted that argument? Yes. Beob Gang was still uneasy since he omitted the fact that he had used the beard and eyebrows as leverage. Well, if thats Master Uncles will, then so be it. But one could hardly argue against the judgment of Master Uncle, the Head of the Jurisdiction Department. Eventually, when Beob Gang epted Mu-jins hairstyle, all the second-ss disciples and third-ss disciples around had no choice but to nod in agreement. So there was such a way! Among them, there were third-ss disciples who were quite impressed by Mu-jins hairstyle. Considering that third-ss disciples were about the age of middle and high school students in modern terms, some of them were still suffering from their adolescent rebellious phase. For these kids, Mu-jins unique hairstyle was enough to provide strange inspiration. Among them was Mu-gung, who had thergest build among the third-ss disciples. Would Master Uncle really allow it? Mu-gung, recalling the silent and weighty Master Uncle Hye-dam, trembled in a way that didnt match hisrge stature. Perhaps because the adolescent rebelliousness was stronger than the fear of Master Uncle. Thats right! I just need to memorize the logic Mu-jin used to persuade the Head of the Jurisdiction Department! I will persuade Master Uncle too! Mu-gung, envisioning in his head how he would verbally convince Master Uncle, smiled foolishly. What kind of hairstyle should I try? Mu-gung was already spreading the wings of his imagination without even starting to persuade. And there were other third-ss disciples around the training ground, wearing simr smiles to Mu-gung. However, Mu-jin waspletely uninterested in the influence his hairstyle had on the talents of Shaolin. [2:00 PM] Something else in the training ground captivated Mu-jins attention, so he had no time to worry about such trivial matters. Ooooooh!! While Mu-jin had been locked away in the Cave of Repentance for a month, the exercise equipment he had requested from Arhat Faction Leader Hyun Seong had been prepared. As usual, Mu-jin first loosened his body with the Close-Range Spear Technique before starting his actual workout routine. Beside him, curious Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul had joined him. Mu-jin! What is this thing for? Its been brought into the training ground several days ago, but even Arhat Faction Leader said he didnt know how to use it. To the question from Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong, Mu-jin answered with a grin. What do you mean what? Its a tire. No, a rubber wheel. Of course, in a world without cars, it wasnt a tire in the usual sense. It was an object created by shaping steel into the form of a wheel and then melting natural rubber over it to attach it. After answering, Mu-jin bent his waist and lower body as if to demonstrate, grabbed the bottom of the rubber wheel with his hands, and lifted it with all his might. Heave-ho! Lifting the gigantic rubber wheel, Mu-jin held onto the edge and then cautiously let go. Thud! The heavy rubber wheel, boasting a significant weight, fell back to the training ground floor with a weighty sound. It must weigh around 250 geun (approximately 150 kg)? Two hundred fifty geun!? Mu-jin muttered with a satisfied smile at that weight, and Mu-gyeong, who was watching from the side, eximed in surprise. Hmph. I can lift a steel rod weighing 250 geun too. That would probably be harder. Mu-jin chuckled at Mu-gungs boastfulness and replied. If youre only going to lift it once or twice, then you shouldnt do this exercise. Mu-jin lifted the rubber wheel again and flipped it over. You have to keep rolling it like this and go around the training ground. What Mu-jin was doing was an exercisemonly known as a tire flip. Unlike a steel rod, you have to use all your bodys strength to lift this. Its a full-body workout. Plus, its wide and round, so the bnce of weight shifts every time you lift it, right? The distribution of strength changes every time too. Theres nothing better for training whole-body muscles and strength distribution. Tire flipping wasnt an exercise for meticulously building specific muscles. However, as a full-body workout, it was excellent. Phew. After giving a brief exnation to the trio, Mu-jin continued to flip the rubber wheel as he walked across the training ground. After going around the training ground, sweat poured down Mu-jin like rain. Now. Looked easy, didnt it? Its your turn to try lifting it. Hmph. You think I cant do it? Still with apetitive spirit toward Mu-jin, Mu-gung began to lift the rubber wheel following Mu-jin. If you cheat using internal energy, youll get ten smacks on the back of the head. You think Im that petty!? [2:08 PM] Indeed, Mu-gungs natural size and strength were reliable as he lifted the 250 geun rubber wheel at once, even managing to respond. Mu-jin watched the scene for a moment before turning and heading somewhere. It wasnt to take a break. On the contrary, it was to prevent the heat that had built up in his body from dissipating. Where he was headed, there was a chin-up bar soaring high. It was an odd size to be called a chin-up bar. It was about one zhang (approximately 3 meters) high and four chi tall. Mu-jin used a leather belt and rope to attach weight tes to his waist. Then he grabbed the rope hanging in the center of the tall chin-up bar with both hands. Heave-ho! Using the grip strength of his hands and the power of his arms, he began to climb the rope. Wow! That looks fun!! Mu-yul, watching from below, had his eyes sparkling with excitement. Perhaps due to his monkey-like agility, Mu-yul seemed interested in rope climbing. Regardless, Mu-jin alternated his hands as he climbed up the rope. Normally, gloves are worn for rope climbing exercises because friction and gravity can cause abrasions or burns on the hands. However, having practiced Iron Skin for over a year, Mu-jin had no trouble climbing with his bare hands, even while wearing weight tes around his waist. Reaching the end of the rope at the chin-up bar, Mu-jin didnt descend immediately but hung from the bar instead. From that position, he lifted his legs to form a ] shape and twisted his upper and lower body from side to side using his abdominal and core muscles. After sufficiently tormenting his abs and core, he finished off with several chin-ups before descending back to the ground along the rope. Phew. Thump. With a deep breath, he unfastened the weight tes tied to the leather belt, feeling much lighter. Mu-yul, do you want to try it? Yeah! Since youre a bitcking in strength, you should climb without the weights, just with your body. No sooner had Mu-jin spoken than Mu-yul promptly started climbing the rope. His movements were truly monkey-like. Are there no martial arts techniques like Crane, Snake, Leopard, Tiger, Dragon, and perhaps Monkey? If there were, it would suit Mu-yul perfectly. Or should I create it myselfter? The main issue was his stubbornness, but just letting him act freely seemed like it might naturally turn into Monkey Fist. Imagining Mu-yul using Monkey Fist, Mu-jin chuckled to himself and then moved on. Aside from the chin-up bars and rubber wheels, there were several other newly introduced tools remaining. These items generally shared simr characteristics. They resembled equipment moremonly seen in CrossFit than in a traditional gym. [2:15 PM] After all, increasing muscle size here would only interfere with martial arts practice. With flexibility and strength reasonably well-developed over the past two years, Mu-jin had thus started CrossFit, which focuses on functional movements rather than just increasing muscle size. * * * A few dayster. In a hall located in the Shaolin Temple, Hye-dam, who was asrge as a guardian king statue, silently handed a razor to his disciple Mu-gung. It wasnt a suggestion for him tomit suicide. It meant that it was time to gradually start shaving his head. Gulp. Without saying a word, Mu-gung looked at Master Uncle Hye-dam, who was pushing the razor towards him, swallowed dryly, and cautiously opened his mouth. Master Uncle. For what reason do we shave our heads? Hye-dams eyebrows slightly rose at this unexpected nonsense. Of course, his mouth remained firmly shut. Emboldened, Mu-gung began to excitedly prattle on, reciting the bizarre logic Mu-jin had shared with him a few days ago. The reason monks shave their heads is to reaffirm their severance from the secr world! Therefore, as long as we can reflect on our devotion to Buddhism, there is no need to shave our headspletely! For example Was it the thought of refuting his Master Uncle Hye-dam for the first time? His mouth moved non-stop. Mu-gung, engrossed in his own logic (which, of course, he had heard from Mu-jin), failed to see the veins throbbing on the steadfast Hye-dams forehead. Instead, it was Beob-hwi, Mu-gungs teacher standing to the side, who sighed, realizing his Master Uncles growing anger. Beob-hwi. Then, Hye-dam, who had remained silent, suddenly called out to Beob-hwi. Yes, Master Uncle! Seize him. Yes! With military crispness in his voice, Beob-hwi approached from behind Mu-gung, who was still babbling incoherently despite hisrge frame. Master Uncle!? And just like that, he restrained Mu-gungs limbs. It was only after his arms and legs were bound that Mu-gung came to his senses. Reflected in his eyes was the sight of Hye-dam, still with an indifferent expression, reaching out towards his head. Eek. As the red energy of the hand de surged towards his head, Mu-gung let out a strange scream. Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Fallen Monk (3) Mu-jin, who had no interest in the influence his head had amongst the three greatest disciples of Shaolin, was spending his day as usual. From dawn, he headed to Arhat Faction and trained his body with newly introduced exercise equipment, and in the morning, he trained in martial arts. In the afternoon, he proceeded with treatments for Hyun-gwang. Just as new CrossFit tools had arrived at the Arhat Faction, new exercise equipment, that is, Ptes equipment, hade into Hyun-gwangs quarters. From today, I will teach you proper rehabilitative exercises. Mu-jin, wondering how to trante the term Ptes, decided to simply call it rehabilitative exercises. First, Ill show you how to loosen up your muscles with this. The first tool Mu-jin chose was a foam roller.Foam roller. Here, it was covered with leather on the surface and named Hyuk-bong, it could be used in various ways. It could be rolled against the shoulder des to loosen the muscles around the shoulder des, the nks, thighs, or the back of the thighs known as the hamstrings, and more. Just roll it against various parts. However. Ugh Grandfather, you need to breathe. You need to breathe and move to properly loosen the muscles. For those with stiff muscles using it for the first time, the problem was the immense pain that came with it. Mu-jin, who had only been practicing close-range spear techniques with his bare body until now, felt a slightly stiff sensation as he had not used foam rollers or other tools. So, the pain Hyun-gwang felt was tremendous. Ha-ha-ha. This is definitely a tool Id like to try on my disciples. Our Shaolin disciples have been undergoing unnecessary hardships. Ha-ha-ha. [2:26 PM] Every time he screamed in muscle pain due to Hyuk-bong, Hyun-gwang recalled such wise monks. There was no need to face the wall or perform the One Hundred Eight Arhats as if it were an ascetic practice. Just rolling the body on Hyuk-bong once felt like all worldly thoughts flew away. Only a sensation of pain remained in the mind. Expressed this way, it might feel like torture, but this activity, though painful in the process, ended up relieving the cramped and throbbing muscles, ultimately bringing a refreshing sensation. Hyun-gwang thought there couldnt be a more suitable act for meditation or ascetic practices. Whenever the disciplese to nag about eating meat and drinking, I should have them use this Hyuk-bong. It was nothing but his affection for the disciples. After loosening his body with the Hyuk-bong, Mu-jin proceeded with a few more exercises. After standing on this, ce your right leg on this rounded barrel like an arch. Yes. Then twist your body, raise your arm and lean to the side. Yes! First, using the Ptes barrel, he rxed his lower body and core muscles once again. Now lets gradually increase our strength. Since its your first time, well start with just one spring today. After that, he entered into full rehabilitation exercise using the reformer, aimed at muscle recovery. Lying down on the tform with springs attached, he hooked leather straps around his legs and pushed his body using the strength of his legs, or sat on the tform and pushed the springs with the strength of his arms. Continuously paying attention to his posture, he bnced his core muscles and stimted each part little by little. After more than half an hour of rehabilitation exercises, Mu-jin demonstrated the martial arts techniques he perfected with the help of Abbot Hyun Cheon in a cave, in front of Hyun-gwang. It seems you have made some achievements. Yes, the sequence of the techniques has be much smoother, grandfather. The two descendants casually shared stories of training martial arts during their seclusion. Hahaha. Then, I shall visit this ce once. It will be of great help to you now. Saying this, Hyun-gwang handed Mu-jin a paper with the name of a pavilion written on it. * * * At a pavilion located on the outskirts of Shaolin. It was a ce seldom visited by anyone except disciples belonging to certain factions. And there, a vigorous sparring session was underway. A young novice monk was vigorously moving his limbs,unching attacks, but the middle-aged monk facing him effortlessly blocked or dodged all the attacks with a leisurely attitude. Sa-son, with that approach, you wouldnt even catch a fly. Remaining within the line he had drawn, the middle-aged monk took a sip from the bottle in his right hand and then extended his left hand towards the novice monk. Surprisingly, the novice monk blocked the hand of the middle-aged monk using the martial arts techniques he was learning. [2:42 PM] Hehehe. You only really perform when pushed. With a sly smile, the middle-aged monk stepped out of his line not just to dodge or defend, but to attack. Master!? As the opponent broke the promise and stepped out of the line, the novice monk eximed in surprise. Try blocking this too! He was not the kind of man to hold back. Still holding the liquor bottle in his right hand, he only swung his left hand, driving the novice monk back. Despite the severe disparity in their skills, which could have made the novices limbs il, the more dire the situation became, the calmer the novice monks eyes grew. Ugh! From a certain point on, a smile began to adorn the face of the novice monk who had previously shown signs of tension. Shaking off the tension, the novice monk shifted from defense and evasion to counterattack. He connected all the martial arts he knew organically, moving his body non-stop. On the other hand, the middle-aged man who had initially pressured the novice monk started to focus on defense as the novice monk switched to offense. Kekekeke! And when the novice monks eyes seemed to roll back inplete focus, aiming his fingers towards the vital points and acupuncture points. Whoosh. The middle-aged man, who had been holding a bottle of alcohol in his right hand, tossed it into the air and struck the novice monks nape with his right hand. Tick. Then, catching the falling bottle with his right hand following gravity, he took another swig from the bottle. Tsk tsk. You still have a long way to go. The middle-aged man, Hye-gwan, clicked his tongue lightly and turned his head to the side. There, his disciple Beob-hyei and a certain novice monk were seated together. Ho? Hye-gwans eyes shone as he looked at the novice monks peculiar hairstyle. Master. I let him in first because he came with a letter from Hyun-gwang, the fourth generation ancestor. I greet you, Master Uncle Hye-gwan. I am Mu-jin, a third-ss disciple. Kahaha! To think that our Shaolins third-ss disciple has such hair. Truly surprising. As Hye-gwan burst into a heartyugh, Mu-jin responded with a light chuckle. I also have the permission of the Head of the Jurisdiction Department. Thinking it tiresome to exin every time, Mu-jin simply mentioned his rationale, omitting the part where he used his eyebrows and beard as leverage. Ho. The Head of the Jurisdiction Department epted that? That is so. At Mu-jins answer, Hye-gwan looked at his prostrate descendant on the floor with an intriguing expression. Hiding such an amusing story. Hehehe. [2:52 PM] He pondered how to style the hair of Mu-gyeong, his descendant. Of course, Hye-gwan himself had no intention of ying with his own hair. Kehehe. Once the hair grows a bit, I should try it. Hye-gwan, who seemed to have thought of something amusing, smirked and then turned his head to look at his disciple Beob-hyei. You said it was a letter from Hyun-gwang? Let me see it. Here it is, Master. Beob-hyei handed over the letter he received from Mu-jin to Hye-gwan. After reading the letter, Hye-gwan looked at Mu-jin. Do you know the contents of the letter? I have not read it myself. Hyun-gwang asked me to teach you in my own way. Do you have any idea what my training methods might be? Could it be the same method I saw earlier? Mu-jin nced at Mu-gyeong sprawled on the ground and asked, to which Hye-gwan burst into an off-kilterugh. Kehehehe. You guessed right. The Demon Extermination Squad dispatched by Shaolin to deal with remorseless evildoers and demon cultists was led by Hye-gwan, whose training methods were straightforward. Realistic sparring. As they had to face demon cultists, the sparring was not the typical honorable matches characteristic of orthodox factions; instead, it was perilous, with even the dirtiest tricks permitted. No matter if Hyun-gwang sent you, there are no exceptions. Disciple. I am willing to undergo that training. Mu-jin confidently replied to Hye-gwans exnation, raising his chest. Mu-jin understood why Hyun Cheon had sent him here. Though his martial technique sequences had be smoother with Hyun Cheons help, that was merely practicing in the air alone. To trulyplete his martial arts, he needed realbat experience. Mu-jin saw this as the necessary training for gaining such experience. Theres no need to drag this out. Come in. With a sly smile at Mu-jin, Hye-gwan took a sip of his drink. And Mu-jin, willingly, charged toward Hye-gwan, who was still drinking. Kehehehe. Youre better than Mu-gyeong. Hye-gwanughed as Mu-jin boldly rushed at him while he was still drinking, showing more audacity than the disciple. Mu-jin surged forward with explosive speed, employing his energy to deliver a punch. The power behind Mu-jins punch had significantly increased since the entrance examination. Originally, the martial arts created by Mu-jin were like a patchwork quilt. Six different pieces of cloth, each a different color and material, were forcibly sewn together. The thread that bound these six martial arts was Mu-jins robust physique. However, as Mu-jins internal energy deepened, and the size of the cloth grew, relying on the strength of the thread alone became increasingly insufficient. [3:22 PM] Thats where the essence of the Vajra Fist shone. The martial arts, which were once as different as the colors and materials of the cloth, began to change and harmonize in color little by little. The connections between each of the essential points had be smoother, allowing for greater utilization of internal energy with less strain on the body. Boom! Hye-gwan caught Mu-jins punch with his left palm and lightly whistled. The force behind the punch far exceeded that of his junior, Mu-gyeong. Then, as Mu-jin spread his right hand that had just struck out, he grabbed Hye-gwans hand with the Golden Locking Hand technique to prevent him from escaping. Whoosh! With a powerful breaking sound, he swung his left leg. Bang! Mu-jins leg, which he had swung, collided with Hye-gwans raised right leg, creating a sound like iron shing. Kehehehe. Youve made me use my legs as well. Admirable. Then, I shall give you a reward. After blocking both attacks, Hye-gwan brushed off Mu-jins hand and reached for his face. Mu-jin tried to dodge by turning his head, but Hye-gwans arm twisted at a strange angle and followed Mu-jins movements. Just as Mu-jin raised his arm to block the hand Thump!! Kuk. Hye-gwans right foot, seemingly swung from nowhere, kicked Mu-jin in the abdomen. He had used his hands to obscure Mu-jins vision andunched a surprise kick. Ho? I only used enough force to make you fall, but I didnt expect you to withstand it. At the time of the entrance examination, Hye-gwan had taken Mu-gyeong as his junior and left the ce. Naturally, he hadnt witnessed Mu-jins sparring. He had only heardter that Hyun-gwang had taken him as a second-generation disciple. However, from just a few exchanges now, he could roughly grasp the martial arts Mu-jin had learned. Hes even mastered the Iron Skin Technique. To think he had learned even the techniques that were shunned in the pursuit of creating his own martial arts. Will youe at me again? Next time, it wont end like this. I ask for another round! Mu-jin answered Hye-gwans question and charged again. [4:59 PM] After several instances of blocking or evading Mu-jins attacks, Hye-gwan was able to get a rough idea of Mu-jins condition. Each attack is powerful, but the connections in a real fight are not perfect. Having made his judgment, Hye-gwan aimed for Mu-jins openings and swung his left fist and right leg. These counterattacks precisely targeted the gaps that appeared when Mu-jin moved from one attack to the next. Thump! Mu-jin, struck in the side by another powerful blow, grimaced. Indeed, a master is a master. Through continuous training, Mu-jin had managed to make his martial arts smoother, but in reality, during actualbat, it was the first time he was using this martial art. Only after thinking about how to move his internal energy, his body would follow, leading to the connection breaking off abruptly in sudden situations. Ill go once more! Alright. Hyegwan, who had responded with a smirk to Mu-jins tenacious charge, drank again. Mu-jin mixed various offensive techniques using elbows and fingers in his Striking Bone Technique,bining pressure points and hand techniques. However, Hyegwan did not miss the tiny openings within the offensive, boldly striking with his left or right hand, hitting Mu-jin. Thus, after exchanging a few blows, Mu-jin was hit by Hyegwan and pushed back several times. Tsk tsk. The young one is too persistent. Thedies wont like it. It seems Master Uncle is quite popr? As Mu-jin caressed his cheek from the hit he had just received, Hyegwan burst into a slyugh. Hahaha. If you ever manage to strike my face even once, I shall tell you an interesting story. It wasnt a joke befitting a Buddhist, but neither Mu-jin nor Hyegwan minded. Instead, Mu-jin focused on his martial arts. I must keep thinking. Hes aiming precisely for my openings. Mu-jin continued to pay attention to the gaps where he had been countered. In the rapid exchange of attacks and defenses, it was inevitably slow to observe the opponents movement, think, and then act. Therefore, whether in modernbat sports or among the martial artists here, numerous trainings were done to make decisions and act at an instinctual speed. But conversely, if one trained aimlessly without considering directionality, they couldnt imprint those instinct-like movements into their body. Even if it felt awkward at first, only by consciously thinking about it could one eventually move instinctively. [5:15 PM] Thus, after several exchanges with Hyegwan as Mu-jin was learning through his body. Bang!! For the first time, Mu-jin sessfully blocked a kick aimed at an opening by Hyegwan. Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Ho? It seems you really want to hear my story. Krrh, krrh. Hye-gwan made a sly remark, but inside, he felt a sense of wonder. Huh. Hes better than those in the Demon Extermination Squad. It wasnt about skill. No matter how outstanding Mu-jin was, he was still a newly promoted third-ss disciple. His skills couldnt bepared to those in the Demon Extermination Squad. What surprised Hye-gwan was Mu-jins patience. As humans, when they get beaten, they usually be filled with rage and malice, or they lose their spirit and back down. But Mu-jin persistently attacked, without sumbing to anger and making rash moves. Even when Hye-gwan resorted to dishonorable tactics like kicking sand, Mu-jin kept hisposure. Even in this situation, he keeps refining his martial arts.Every time Mu-jin got hit, he tried to correct his weaknesses. With each spar, his gaps were noticeably narrowing. Krrh, krrh. Hes a kid worth tormenting. The more he tormented him, the more his skills improved, making Hye-gwan want to torment him even more. After several rounds of what could be called sparring or tormenting, Hye-gwan once again struck Mu-jin and pushed him away, then brought the bottle in his right hand to his mouth, only to click his tongue lightly. Tsk. The mood is gone. He had been so absorbed in teaching Mu-jin that he had finished all his liquor. Hye-gwan spoke to the disciple who had been watching the sparring from the side. Beob-hye. Yes, Master. Ill leave the rest of the sparring to you. Sparring with this kid might be somewhat beneficial for you too. I understand, Master. And there, wake up that Sa-son, whos pretending to be unconscious. As soon as Hye-gwan finished speaking, Mu-gyeong, who had been sprawled on the ground, twitched. Krrh, krrh. Your cute little trick is improving, Mu-gyeong. I-I was just resting so I wouldnt interfere with the sparring Mu-gyeong stammered as he hurriedly stood up, and Hye-gwan chuckled before leaping onto the roof of the pavilion. Mu-jin has sparred with me for quite a while, so first, Beob-hye and Mu-gyeong. Then Beob-hye and Mu-jin. After that, Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong. The three of you take turns sparring. With those words, Hye-gwan already had a new bottle of liquor in his hand. He had hidden it in the crevice of the pavilion roof. Begin. Shouting as if he were a referee, Hye-gwan removed the cap from the new bottle and took a swig. And as soon as Hye-gwan gave the order, Beob-hye lunged at Mu-gyeong. Eeek. Mu-gyeong, who had been lying on the ground resting, blocked Beob-hyes attacks with a natural flow of martial arts, despite his bizarre scream. As Beob-hye pushed Mu-gyeong appropriately, the tension in Mu-gyeongs body gradually eased, and he began to counterattack intermittently. Eeek! Eventually, when Mu-gyeongs mania began to re up, with a thud! sound, Beob-hye struck Mu-gyeongs abdomen. Mu-gyeong, who had taken a solid hit, copsed back onto the ground, barely conscious. Tsk, tsk. Still a long way to go. Hye-gwan and Beob-hyes method for curing Mu-gyeongs mania was incredibly simple. They cultivated hisbat sense through sparring while knocking him unconscious every time his mania surfaced. Humans, being animals, tend to be cautious after umting the same experiences repeatedly without realizing it. However, it wasnt as though they relied solely on such brute methods. They also practiced internal energy techniques and martial arts imbued with the power of subduing demons. This was characteristic of the entire Demon Extermination Squad, not just tobat demonic entities but also to conquer their own inner demons. As a result, the Demon Extermination Squad, the most vicious group in Shaolin, reached the highest levels of demon-subduing energy among their peers. Thus, with continuous beatings and daily training in demon-subduing energy, Mu-gyeong would eventually learn to control his mania. If not? Until then, hell just have to keep getting beaten, wont he? Sa-son. Krrh, krrh. With a yful smile, Hye-gwan took a swig of liquor while Beob-hye and Mu-jins sparring began. Thanks to exchanging dozens of moves with Hye-gwan earlier, Mu-jins martial arts had be slightly more refinedpared to when he first sparred with him. What an absurd kid. Hye-gwan murmured in a voice so low that those in the yard couldnt hear. A voice responded from behind him. Hohoho. I agree. !? Hye-gwan, not having sensed anyone approaching, instinctively turned around with a killing intent. Greet, Master Hyun-gwang. Realizing that the person behind him was Hyun-gwang, Hye-gwan hastily performed a respectful bow. The killing intent he had inadvertently released was instantly withdrawn. Whether he sensed that killing intent or not, Hyun-gwang, with a gentle smile, took a step forward and sat down next to Hye-gwan. Hye-gwan. Yes, Master. Hye-gwan responded with an exceedingly respectful tone. This was a surprising sight. Since bing the leader of the Demon Extermination Squad, Hye-gwan had never shown such reverence to anyone in Shaolin. Not even to the Head of the Jurisdiction Department, who had the power to confine him to the Cave of Repentance, nor to the Abbot who oversaw all the affairs of Shaolin. However, there was one person Hye-gwan could not afford to be disrespectful to: Hyun-gwang. Hye-gwan owed Hyun-gwang a life-saving grace. Thirty years ago, when a special force from the Demon Cult attacked Shaolin, Hye-gwan had just been selected as a third-ss disciple and was still a novice monk. The skill level of the special force was far too advanced for someone like Hye-gwan, and the killing intent they exuded was terrifying for the young monk. Thus, when Hyun-gwang single-handedly stood against the formidable special force, his back appeared heroic to Hye-gwan. On that day, the hero suffered severe injuries because of Hye-gwan. Hyun-gwang had thrown himself to take the attack aimed at Hye-gwan. Even now, Hye-gwan vividly recalled that scene. Hyun-gwang, covered in blood, fighting desperately to protect Hye-gwan and the other Shaolin disciples, who were of low rank. Therefore, Hye-gwan had voluntarily joined the Demon Extermination Squad. To repay the grace he had received, to repent for his past self, who had been consumed by fear, and to punish the damned demons who had harmed his hero. And now, his savior and eternal hero, Hyun-gwang, spoke to him. Hohoho. Could you spare a drink for this monk as well? If its for you, Master Pardon? A drink, you mean? Hye-gwan, answering reflexively without thought, asked in a puzzled tone. Hmm? Was that alcohol? I thought everyone called it water. As Hyun-gwang extended his hand, the liquor bottle, wrapped in natural energy, slipped from Hye-gwans grip and flew into Hyun-gwangs hand. Gulp, gulp. Hohoho. This water is quite delicious. As Hyun-gwang cheerfully drank the liquor andughed, Hye-gwan looked at him with a conflicted expression, unsure whether tough or cry. Hyun-gwang, noticing Hye-gwans expression,ughed softly and said, Are you alright? What do you mean? Whatever it may be. I am enduring. At Hye-gwans response, Hyun-gwang nodded gently with apassionate expression. Good. Then that is enough. Walk the path you wish to walk. After that, they exchanged no further words and alternated sips of the liquor. During this time, the sparring between Beob-hye and Mu-jin ended, and Mu-jins sparring with Mu-gyeong began. Hye-gwan. Yes, Master. Can you continue to look after that child from time to time? Do you mean Mu-jin? Hye-gwan asked in a curious tone, to which Hyun-gwang replied while watching Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong spar. That child has learned Shaolin martial arts, but he is forging his own path. It is an untraveled and unsafe path. He may encounter inner demons. So, can you and the child Mu-gyeong look after him from time to time? Wouldnt it be better for you to teach him, Master? Hye-gwan had been unable to resist even when Hyun-gwang touched his back or snatched the liquor bottle from his hand. He didnt know how Hyun-gwang, who had been frail, regained such high-level skills, but he could easily guess that Hyun-gwangs level was much higher than his own. To Hye-gwans question, Hyun-gwang replied with aplex expression. It seems too early for me to directly teach that child. Ah Hye-gwan understood Hyun-gwangs words easily. Even he couldnt fathom Hyun-gwangs current level. Could Mu-jin truly absorb Hyun-gwangs teachings if he were to be taught directly? Of course, Mu-jin might be able to understand and remember in his mind. But true enlightenment wasnt about mental remembrance; it was about the heart and body following. Enlightenment that remained only in the mind was merely words, not true realization. There were other reasons why Hyun-gwang asked Hye-gwan to take on this task. For instance, to resolve the issue of Mu-jin not mingling with others in Shaolin due to the long time spent in treatment. So, previously, he entrusted him to Hye-geol and Mu-yul, and this time he nned to entrust him to Hye-gwan and Mu-gyeong. However, Hyun-gwang didnt bother to exin this out loud. Instead, he watched Mu-gyeong and Mu-jin sparring with a satisfied expression. Arent they truly admirable? Indeed, Master. Hye-gwan, who usually had a yful and somewhat sinister look, watched the children today with a simr expression to Hyun-gwangs. In ten or twenty years, these children would carry on the spirit of Hye-gwan and Hyun-gwang. They would be pirs of Shaolin. In the courtyard, Beob-hye, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-jin were sparring. On the pavilion roof, Hyun-gwang and Hye-gwan passed the liquor bottle between them, watching the scene. It was like a painting. Except for the fact that they were drinking alcohol at Shaolin Temple. Kkwaeeek!! And that Mu-gyeong, who had gone berserk, was knocked out by Mu-jins punch. * * * Meanwhile, at that time. In a hall located on one side of Shaolin Temple. Written as Chubodang, an elderly monk and a middle-aged monk were having a conversation with bitter expressions. Master, at this rate, the disciples mightck food this winter. Hah Then we really must not ept new disciples next year. Chubodang was the hall that managed Shaolins budget. The two conversing were Hyun-myeong, the head of Chubodang, and his disciple Hye-min. A prestigious sect. The beacon of the martial world, known as the Nine Mountains and One Sea, Shaolin. The idea that Shaolin couldnt afford to feed its disciples might sound absurd, butpared to other sects, Shaolin wasnt particrly wealthy. Due to their principled stance of fairness and justice, they didnt have a separate funding source unlike other sects or ns. The only ie they had was the modest offerings from visitors to Shaolin and the money sent by the secr sects. Especially, Shaolin did not forcibly take money from the secr sects, adhering to their principles. Shaolins frugality and long-standing tradition meant that even such modest ie was sufficient. That is, if not for a few entangled issues. Its because of that Mu-jin kid. Weve spent too much money on him, Master. Ah, it was for the development of Shaolin. How could we refuse such a thing? The issue was the mass purchase of Mu-jins exercise equipment. Additionally, they had also bought tools for Hyun-gwangs treatment, causing a significant outflow of money. However, the real problemy elsewhere. More than that, isnt the real problem the significantly reduced funds from the secr sects this year? . It was indeed the donations from the secr sects. Last year, the amount had decreased by 20%, and this year it had dropped by another 30%, nearly halving the funds received over two years. Chapter 43: Chapter 43: In the past two years, the funds sent from the secr sects had decreased, surprisingly, this was rted to Mu-jin. More precisely, it was rted to Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong. About two years ago. An incident where Mu-gyeong, who was being bullied by disciples from the secr sects, was rescued. Shaolin had handled that matter very justly. They destroyed the danjeon of the children who bullied Mu-gyeong, making it impossible for them to learn martial arts. After realizing that the sect had been collecting money by harassing the surrounding residents, Shaolin abolished the martial arts of the sects warriors and returned all the wealth to the residents. However, ironically, this became the starting point of the problem. While Shaolins intention was noble, most of those living in the secr world were not interested in such lofty ideals. This was even true for Shaolins secr disciples. Those influenced by the secr world distrusted Shaolins way of expelling the secr disciples rather than the sect that harassed the residents.They feared that they too could be expelled at any time. Thus, some of the secr sects, despite being under Shaolins umbre, did not hesitate to join other sects. Naturally, once they were under the umbre of another sect, they stopped sending donations, and when Shaolin did not sanction them, the departures increased even more. After about two years, nearly half of the secr sects had left. We should have stopped those who left back then, Master. Ah, it was the Abbots choice. And how could a Shaolin disciple seek to punish the innocent? Why do you think they joined other sects? They left because they had guilty consciences. That is only circumstantial evidence. Amitabha. Chubodangju, who also voiced his objections, was inwardly thinking the same as his disciple. It was just that this was the Shaolin way. Intimidating someone and extorting money based on suspicion is no different from the ways of the demonic cult. But Moreover, if we do that, those sects they joined would raise their voices. If those voices gather, false rumors that Shaolin is tainted by the secr world will spread in the Central ins. They received grace from our Shaolin and learned martial arts from us. Heimin, how could I not understand your feelings? But our Shaolin does not demandpensation when epting disciples. If we demand repayment for our grace, it bes a transaction, not grace. How could a Buddhist hope for repayment and call it grace? . When those who received our gracemit sins against the people, only then do we ask for the price of their sins. We cannot punish them for not repaying our grace. Amitabha. So upright and noble. So solitary and lofty. With such a rigid and inflexible method as Shaolins, they couldnt be punished. Even when winter came, and there wasnt enough money to feed the disciples. The daily routine of Shaolins third-ss disciples was quite simple. They woke up at dawn, greeted their masters and seniors who shared the hall with them, and headed to the Arhat Faction. Just as they did during their initiation period, the third-ss disciples trained their bodies in the training hall. After the morning training and breakfast, they studied the sutras and practiced martial arts. After finishing their training at the Arhat Faction, the third-ss disciples afternoon tasks involved cleaning the premises or receiving guests. However, Mu-jin was exempt from these duties. His task was to treat Hyun-gwang. Despite having reached an extraordinary realm where he could freely manipte natural energy, Hyun-gwangs body had not yet fully healed. Mu-jin couldnt understand why, but Hyun-gwang, despite his high level of mastery, did not exhibit the miraculous transformations often seen in martial arts stories, such as bone restructuring or rejuvenation. Thus, Mu-jin devoted his afternoons to treating Hyun-gwang and spent the evenings visiting Hye-gwans hall to hone his martial arts through sparring. About a monthter. Mu-jin, from today, I will resume treating the Master Uncle. How about joining the other third-ss disciples? Beob Geon, Mu-jins nominal master and Hyun-gwangs disciple, made this suggestion to Mu-jin. Is this the Masters decision? Mu-jin asked, his face reflecting his curiosity. Both I and the Master Uncle know your intentions. However, understanding the duties of a third-ss disciple and how our Shaolin operates is also a very important task. Beob Geon exined, considering Mu-jins future. Beob Geon also understood that Mu-jin was a talent who would be a pir of Shaolin. Therefore, it was even more necessary for him to spend time with his peers among the third-ss disciples. How could a child who would lead Shaolin in the future be awkward with those he would work with? ording to the rumors within Shaolin, Mu-jin still only mingled with a few friends from his initiation days. There were stories that he remained distant from the previous batch of third-ss disciples who had be third-ss disciples before him. Of course, from Mu-jins perspective, it was enough to take care of Hyun-gwang and the three from the Mu-ja faction, and just watch the novels ending. Mu-jin, I also agree with Geons idea on this matter. With even Hyun-gwang agreeing, Mu-jin found it hard to argue further. Haha, having understood the use of these tools over the past month, Geon and I can manage just fine without you. Hyun-gwang pointed at the various tools ced on the wooden floor. A foam roller made byyering thick leather over metal, stic bands made of natural rubber, a barrel covered with leather, and even a reformer that used abination of springs, wood, and stic bands. Having recently started to build muscle, Hyun-gwang had been learning rehabilitation exercises (Ptes) from Mu-jin. If theres anything you dont know, feel free to ask me in the evening, Hyun-gwang added. With Hyun-gwangs final words, Mu-jin had no choice but to ept their proposal. Then, starting tomorrow, Ill inform the Master of the Arhat Faction and return to my original duties. The next afternoon. Following Hyun-gwang and Beob Geons instructions, Mu-jin was attending to the duties of a third-ss disciple at the Arhat Faction. This meant weing the visitors who came to Shaolin. Shaolin was a thousand-year-old temple before it was a martial arts sect. Naturally, there was a constant stream of visitors, but as a martial arts sect, it couldnt keep its doors open at all times. Therefore, Shaolin only partially received visitors from 1 PM to 5 PM. The limited visiting hours made it easier to manage the guests, and this schedule was set because receiving guests in the morning or evening led to injuries on the dark mountain paths as people tried toe. Anyway, while greeting the visitors with a business smile for quite some time, something caught Mu-jins attention. Egugugu. It was an elderly woman with a slightly bent back, walking with the aid of a cane. Mu-jin wasnt the only one who noticed her. Several novice monks and third-ss disciples approached the old woman, showing their Buddhist disciple nature. However, Mu-jin was the fastest. Just as he did with Hyun-gwang, Choi Kang-hyuk had a deep-seated respect for the elderly, ingrained as a fundamental instinct rather than a moral concept. In an instant, Mu-jin approached the old woman with the speed akin to using a swift movement technique and spoke gently. Grandmother, how did you manage toe all the way here when you are not feeling well? Of course, I came to pay my respects to Shakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha Buddha. Hohoho, the old woman replied with a soft smile, feeling weed like a cherished grandchild by Mu-jins concerned tone. Are you referring to the Daeungbojeon (Main Hall)? Ill carry you there! Mu-jin moved in front of the old woman and bent down, but she shook her head slightly. Hohoho. I appreciate the young monks kindness, but theres no need to strain yourself because of this old woman. Hahaha. Dont worry, Grandmother! Im a Shaolin disciple too. Ive trained hard, Mu-jin said, lifting his robe slightly to reveal his well-developed arm muscles. See? I can lift you with one hand! I only wanted to carry you to make sure you arent scared! With a mix of showing off his muscles and humor, Mu-jin made the old womanugh, and she eventually climbed onto his back. Are you sure youre on my back? Youre so light! Haha, Mu-jin joked again, making the old woman burst intoughter. Hohoho, you speak so sweetly, young monk. I would love to introduce you to my granddaughter. Oh dear, this old woman is saying things she shouldnt to a monk. Why not? It would be great if you introduced us. If you visit Shaolin with her, we could all pay our respects to Amitabha Buddha and recite sutras together. This old woman cant keep up with you. Hohoho. The two continued to chat warmly, as if they were close rtives, while heading to the Main Hall. After helping the old woman to the Main Hall, Mu-jin watched as she went inside to bow to the statues of Amitabha Buddha and Shakyamuni Buddha. Watching her struggle to bow, with her walking stick and bent back, made Mu-jins heart ache. He couldnt help but think about how much her knees and back must hurt. Mu-jin waited for her to finish her prayers, and when she stepped out of the hall, he greeted her again. Grandmother! It must have been hard for you to bow. I know a great massage technique, you know? With that, Mu-jin began to massage the old womans knees and back, which had endured the strain of bowing. How does that feel? Better, right? Having guided many clients into the world of personal training in the modern world, and having won over Beob Gang and Hyun-gwang with his massage techniques here, Mu-jins skills drew an admiring response from the old woman as well. Ohhohoho. It feels wonderful. Even the acupuncturists who visit my home arent as good as you. After chatting for a while and easing the old womans body, Mu-jin spoke with a worried face. If youe to bow again, I will give you another massage. But if possible, I hope you donte too often. Its too hard for you to climb this rugged mountain with your health. The old woman, wise from a lifetime of experience, noticed the genuine concern on Mu-jins face. With a pleasant smile, she replied, Hohoho, you dont need to worry about that. Climbing So Sil Peak isnt that difficult. Her words implied that she would return, causing Mu-jin to sigh inwardly as he spoke. Then please doe visit. I will treat your body. Hohoho, I look forward to it. The old womanughed brightly at Mu-jins words. With that, Mu-jin carried her back towards the mountain gate. Upon reaching the gate, Mu-jin finally understood what the old woman meant by saying that climbing So Sil Peak wasnt difficult. In front of Shaolins mountain gate, eight sturdy men were holding the legs of a pnquin. Avish, eight-person pnquin was there, waiting. After dismounting from Mu-jins back, the old woman naturally reclined in the pnquin. Hohoho. Young monk Mu-jin, Ill be counting on you tomorrow as well. However, Mu-jin couldnt properly respond to her warm smile. It wasnt simply because she turned out to be an unexpected wealthy person. Rather, it was because of the four characters written on the pnquin. Cheonryu Sangdan. It was the top merchant guild in Hanan, where Shaolin was located, and one of the major antagonistic groups in Legend of the Evil Emperor, the sequel to the novel Mu-jin had read. Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Dengfeng County, Henan Province. Among the countless estates and pavilions in that vast ce overseen by Shaolin and Cheonryu Sangdan, there was one estate that stood out for its grandiosity. At the entrance of this estate, the words Cheonryu Sangdan (̈F) were written in a dragon-serpent flying calligraphy. Deep within this estate was a pavilion. In that ce called the Hall of the Head, the head of Cheonryu Sangdan, Ryu Ji-gwang, was reading through letters with a stoic expression. [Hubei Province Wuhan General Report] [Hubei Province Yichang Purchase Report] [Gansu Province Lanzhou Disbursement Report][Gansu Province Tianshui County General Report] [Shanxi Province Hejin County General Report] The numerous letters on the table were from branches of Cheonryu Sangdan located all over the Central ins. Hmm. As Ryu Ji-gwang read through the documents, he slightly furrowed his brow when he came across a letter from the Mianyang branch in Sichuan Province. After rechecking several reports from other branches, he quickly scribbled a few characters on a nk piece of paper. Yang Chief Officer. As soon as he sealed the letter, he called for the chief officer, and a man with graying hair entered the Hall of the Head. Yes, Head of the Sangdan. Send the Cheonggeumdae (i) to the Mianyang branch in Sichuan Province and the Hanzhong branch in Shaanxi Province. The details of the investigation are written in this letter, and it must only be opened upon arrival at the location. Understood, Head of the Sangdan. After handing the letter to Yang Chief Officer, Ryu Ji-gwang let out a light sigh. Foolish tricks. The main business of Cheonryu Sangdan, one of the top five merchant groups in the world, was transportation. As evidenced by the stacks of reports on his table, Cheonryu Sangdan had branches all over the continent, buying various specialties in bulk from different regions and selling them nationwide. Of course, the letter from the Mianyang branch in Sichuan contained numerous items regarding purchases and disbursements. In fact, the report from the Mianyang branch about the goods they bought and the contents received by the Hanzhong branch in Shaanxi matched. However, when cross-referenced with information from other regions, the price of one item was higher than the market rate. Tsk. The sangdan being toorge is also a problem. Ryu Ji-gwang clicked his tongue lightly and muttered to himself. Should I reinforce the Cheonggeumdae personnel? Cheonggeumdae was a kind of inspection team. An inspection team of Cheonryu Sangdanposed solely of those whom Ryu Ji-gwang could trust. But Ryu Ji-gwang quickly dismissed the idea. He knew well that arbitrarily increasing the number of Cheonggeumdae members could backfire. If the local branch leader lied and the inspection team sent to monitor the situation took the branch leaders side? To avoid such a terrible situation, Cheonggeumdae had no choice but to beposed only of the most trustworthy individuals with the highest loyalty to Ryu Ji-gwang. If only the recent activities of several local branches werent suspicious, there would be no need to worry so much. In fact, just a few years ago, he had never felt that Cheonggeumdaecked personnel. But recently, a strange sense of incongruity had been constantly bothering Ryu Ji-gwang. The only problem was that there were no clear signs or evidence to indicate anything. Ryu Ji-gwangs sense of unease was merely due to his keen instincts honed over decades of running the organization. If we deal with the exposed tails first, we will eventually be able to catch the body. Shaking his head, Ryu Ji-gwang turned his gaze back to the stack of letters piled on the table. He couldnt just stop working because of a bad feeling. There were still piles of letters on the table that he had to deal with. Continuing to write letters regarding the peculiarities he noticed, he gave instructions to the branches across the continent through the chief officers. Sigh. Ryu Ji-gwang let out a deep sigh, rubbing his aching back and hips from the long hours of paperwork. He had managed to finish the tasks for the day. Although it was already past 9 p.m. after starting early in the morning, it was still rtively earlypared to usual. Having finished his work, Ryu Ji-gwang stood up and headed somewhere. Despite thete hour, he was not heading to his quarters. Mother, its Ji-gwang. The ce he headed to was his mother, Yeon Ga-hees quarters. You maye in. With her permission, Ji-gwang entered the room and looked at his mother with a bitter expression. It wasnt that Ryu Ji-gwang had always visited his mother after finishing his work. Hah. I was so blinded by work that I couldnt see my family. For decades, he had lived obsessed with work since his days as an heir. A while ago, seeing his mother walking in the yard, Ryu Ji-gwang felt as if he had been hit hard in the head. In his memory, his mother, who used to smile like a girl even in her middle age, now had hair that had turnedpletely white, and she walked across the yard with a pained expression, her back bent. Since that day, Ryu Ji-gwang tried to find time to spend with his mother and family whenever he had even a small break from his work in the organization. However, it felt like that effort was already toote. His wife had passed away while giving birth to their youngest daughter, and his mother was already elderly. Moreover, Even if I want to see my children, its not easy to meet them now. His two already grown sons each managed a regional branch, making it difficult to meet them directly. Moreover, like himself, they werepeting with each other to be the leader of the trading group, often making Ryu Ji-gwang wonder if they were really a family. However, he couldnt just sit idly by. Ryu Ji-gwang hade to see his mother today to bring up a topic he had been holding back for the past few days. Mother, have you been to Shaolin Temple again today? He hade to stop his mother from going to Shaolin Temple. Ryu Ji-gwang couldnt bear to watch his ailing mother go to Shaolin Temple to pray out of concern for her children. Mother, please take care of your health. I earnestly beg you as your son. When Ryu Ji-gwang spoke with a face full of sorrow, the old woman replied with a girlish smile from her younger days. Hohoho. You dont need to worry, Leader. Besides, I went to Shaolin Temple today and received some treatment. What do you mean by that, Mother? When Ryu Ji-gwang asked with a puzzled expression, Yeon Ga-hee began to recount her meeting with a novice monk named Mu-jin at Shaolin Temple today. It was truly a miraculous touch. It was much more effective than those acupuncture needles Ive grown tired of, or the decoctions that make me retch just from the smell. So, you mean you will go to Shaolin Temple again tomorrow for the treatment? Yes, Leader. Upon hearing his mothers response, Ryu Ji-gwang replied with a determined look. Then, I will apany you to Shaolin Temple tomorrow. Ryu Ji-gwang intended to verify the treatment from the novice monk named Mu-jin and prove its uselessness to stop his mother from going to Shaolin Temple. Mu-jin found it difficult to properly respond to the old womans farewell, saying she would return the next day. This was due to the sudden mention of the Cheonryu Sangdan. And the next day, Just as he had feared, the old woman returned to Shaolin Temple, this time with a middle-aged man. Mu-jin, who had a fair amount of social experience, greeted the old woman and the middle-aged man without showing his bewilderment. Hello, Grandma! Nice to see you again. I am Mu-jin, a third-generation disciple of Shaolin. Ryu Ji-gwang had a strange expression at the sight of the novice monk, who was very polite to him while being somewhat informal with his mother. Oh ho ho ho. Isnt our little Mu-jin so adorable? Leader, oh my, I have been impolite to Mu-jin again. What are you saying, Grandma! Please speakfortably! Their conversation, which sounded like that of a real grandmother and grandson, left Ryu Ji-gwang bbergasted. Even Ryu Ji-gwangs own sons, Yeon Ga-hees grandsons, were not this affectionate towards her. As long as Mother is happy, thats all that matters. Ryu Ji-gwang decided to think that the novice monk was doing something that neither he nor his grandsons could do. With his thoughts organized, Ryu Ji-gwang responded with a seemingly gentle smile, befitting a seasoned merchant. Ive heard a lot about you from my mother, Mu-jin. You said you would treat her? Treat? Ha ha ha. Its more like spending time together. Mu-jin, having perfected his expression, replied nonchntly. So this is the former leader of the trading group. He thought to himself. At this point, Ryu Ji-gwang was the current leader, but in the novel Mu-jin had read, a different character appeared as the leader. Hmm. If I get close to the former leader, I might be able to uncover the rtionship between the Cheonryu Sangdan and the hidden antagonist. If his memory served him right, Cheonryu Sangdan was not entirely allied with the hidden antagonist in the novel. Their rtionship was more contractual. Moreover, there were mentions that during the tenure of the former leader, the trading group was not as notorious. Thus, Mu-jin decided to hope that the Cheonryu Sangdan had not yet allied with the antagonist. Conversely, if they were already allies, he nned to keep them close to find an opening. Yes. As the old saying goes, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Having made up his mind, Mu-jin put on a business smile and spoke. Leader, you seem to spend a lot of time working while seated. I often read documents while sitting. Ryu Ji-gwang, true to his nature as a seasoned merchant, hid his curiosity and responded kindly. From sitting for long periods, your pelvis is misaligned and your back is slightly hunched. Why not take this opportunity to receive treatment along with Grandma? Mu-jin started pitching his services to Ryu Ji-gwang. Hoho? Ryu Ji-gwangs eyebrows raised ever so slightly at Mu-jins business smile and his sharp observation of his physical condition. Can I see what kind of treatment it is? However, Ryu Ji-gwang was not easily swayed. He asked in a tone that seemed both intrigued and indifferent. Since Mu-jin had already decided to approach Ryu Ji-gwang, he chose to properly treat both the grandmother and Ryu Ji-gwang. Then please follow me. Ah! Grandma, Ill carry you again! Just like yesterday, get on my back! Mu-jin carried the old woman on his back and confidently led the way through the Shaolin Temple buildings. The ce Mu-jin took them to was where Hyun-gwang and Beob Geon resided. Mu-jin? What brings you here at this hour? Hyun-gwang asked, noticing Mu-jins arrival. Beob Geon, who had asked with a puzzled look, soon saw the old woman on Mu-jins back and the middle-aged man standing beside them and figured out what was going on. Since Grandma is unwell, I thought it would be good to receive treatment together. Master. At Mu-jins words, Beob Geon turned his head to look at Hyun-gwang. Hyun-gwang, who had been enjoying the breeze on the veranda, nodded with a benevolent smile. Heh heh heh. If thats what you wish, go ahead. Thank you, Grandmaster! Then how about we also proceed with your treatment right now? With Mu-jins suggestion, the treatments for Hyun-gwang, the old woman, and the leader were conducted simultaneously. Beob Geon first performed acupressure on Hyun-gwang, while Mu-jin alternated between giving acupressure to the old woman and the leader. Once their bodies were slightly loosened, they began Ptes. Although the equipment was somewhat varied, there was only one of each type suitable for Hyun-gwang, so Mu-jin conducted different exercises for each of the three based on their specific needs. For example, for the leader, who had a hunched back, they used the Ptes arc to focus on the abdominal and core muscles. For the old woman, whose body was severely stiff, they used the barrel to focus on close-range spear technique movements. And for Hyun-gwang, whocked muscle, they used the reformer to focus on strength and rehabilitation exercises. This might be a blessing in disguise. Mu-jin had been uneasy about Beob Geon and Hyun-gwang conducting Ptes sses after just a month of instruction. Now that he was approaching both the grandmother and the leader, he could also pay more attention to Hyun-gwangs treatment, which felt like a fortunate turn of events. As the exercise continued for some time, Heh heh heh. Ho ho ho. The two elderly people exchanged simrughs as they worked out together. Are you feeling alright? This is quite strenuous despite appearances. But our little Mu-jin wouldnt do anything harmful to our bodies. Ho ho ho. When treating Hyun-gwang alone, Mu-jin hadnt noticed it, but treating two elderly people at the same time made him wonder if this was Shaolin Temple or a specialized elderly rehabilitation center. After nearly half an hour of acupressure, massage, simple close-range spear techniques, and Ptes sessions, Mu-jin found himself deep in thought. It would be ideal to include electrotherapy or heat therapy as well. Both the old woman and the leader were in better shape than Hyun-gwang initially had been. At least they could move around on their own. However, since their bodies had not been maintained for decades, Mu-jin felt their stiff muscles all over as he applied acupressure. Hyun-gwang, keenly observant, immediately noticed what Mu-jin was contemting. Heh heh heh. Mu-jin, you want to try thunder and heat therapy, dont you? Yes, Grandmaster. Theres no need to worry about that. Hyun-gwang replied with a benevolent smile and raised his hands. Zap. Fwoosh. Natural energy gathered around Hyun-gwang, lightning sparked from his left hand, and mes zed from his right. Mu-jin watched the scene in stunned silence, lost for words. Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Thats right. He almost attained Nirvana. His grandfather was such an extraordinary master that he often forgot it because of his poor health. Wait a minute. Then why is he still receiving treatment from the Head of the Jurisdiction Department and Master Uncle Hye-dam? Naturally, such a question arose, but Mu-jin decided not to ask. He figured his grandfather had his reasons. Instead, Mu-jin looked at the old woman and the Sangdanju. Hohoho. Now I see that you are a very distinguished person. The old woman, seemingly unaware of martial arts, spoke to Hyun-gwang with a childlike astonishment on her face. Hahaha. Its just a trivial skill. The ability to perform such a trivial skill was something only Hyun-gwang could do on the entire continent.Creating both thunder and fire energy in his hands simultaneously using natural energy was indeed a trivial skill. The Sangdanju, who seemed to have somemon knowledge about martial arts, stared at Hyun-gwang with an uncharacteristically unguarded expression for the first time today. I dont know if shes the mastermind or not, but for now, I dont think she would dare to touch the Shaolin Temple. Watching the old womans pure reaction, it was hard to think of her as a mastermind, but one could never be too sure. However, seeing the Sangdanjus reaction, Mu-jin was certain that they would never touch the Shaolin Temple. Could it be that grandfather subtly showed his skills for that reason? While Mu-jin was lost in thought, the Sangdanju asked Hyun-gwang with a slightly trembling voice. Did you say your Dharma name was Hyun-gwang just now? Hahaha. Indeed, I did. Hyun-gwang Hyun-gwang As if trying to recall a memory, the Sangdanju repeated the name several times. Suddenly, with a look of astonishment, he eximed. The Greatest Talent Under Heaven! Shaolin Saint Monk Hyun-gwang! Are you saying that you are that revered monk!? As Ryu Ji-gwang was forty-nine years old, he remembered hearing that name when he was young. However, it was said that he became a cripple thirty years ago due to the demon cult, and since then, no further stories were passed down, so he was forgotten. Perhaps reading the look in Ryu Ji-gwangs eyes, Hyun-gwang answered the unasked question with a gentle smile. Shaolin Saint Monk is just an empty title. Amitabha. And as you recall, I became a cripple at that time. Hahaha. Then have you finally regained your martial arts? To Ryu Ji-gwangs question, Hyun-gwang shook his head. And he gave an answer that sounded like a Zen koan. Its not that I regained them, I just let go of my stubbornness. Amitabha. And this Mu-jin here healed my body. Hahaha. Through the treatment you two are now receiving. Hyun-gwangs answer made Ryu Ji-gwang look at Mu-jin with a surprised expression. Is this really true? Of course, being a seasoned merchant, Ryu Ji-gwang did not blindly believe Hyun-gwangs words. It could simply be a way to elevate the young talent of Shaolin. While Ryu Ji-gwang was lost in such thoughts, Hyun-gwang subtly spoke to Yeon Ga-hee. And since our Mu-jin has one more treatment to teach you, why dont you go through with that one as well? Hohoho. Hohoho. I came to Shaolin to pay my respects and ended up getting medical treatment instead. As the old woman willinglyy down, Hyun-gwang generated Extreme Yang Energy in his hands and directed it at her ankle and calf. After some infrared therapy, he held her ankle and calf with both hands and sent a slight amount of Thunder Energy through them. If it bes too painful, please let me know. A slight tingling sensation is said to be the most appropriate intensity. Hohoho. It feels very refreshing. Listening to the conversation between the two elderly people, Mu-jin thought. What is this? A romance in theirter years? Somehow, it felt like he had arranged a match for them. Well, considering Hyun-gwang had achieved great enlightenment as a monk, such a thing would never happen. Shortly after the treatment of the old woman Yeon Ga-hee and the Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang waspleted. Novice Monk Mu-jin. Could you possibly guide me to Chubodang? Surprised by Ryu Ji-gwangs sudden question, Mu-jin tilted his head and answered. I can guide you, but may I ask the reason? I will tell you when we get there. Its something that concerns you as well, so please guide me. With that ambiguous answer, Mu-jin nced at Hyun-gwang, who simply chuckled and nodded. Well, since it concerns me too, Ill find out when we get there. Having made up his mind, Mu-jin looked back at Ryu Ji-gwang and answered. Then, I will guide you. Thank you, Novice Monk Mu-jin. Ryu Ji-gwang, lightly bowing to Mu-jin, looked at his mother, Yeon Ga-hee. Mother, I will go take care of this matter with Novice Monk Mu-jin. Hohoho. I will rest here for a while, so go ahead. Sangdanju. Yeon Ga-hee, noticing that Ryu Ji-gwang was acting as the Sangdanju rather than her son, responded ordingly. After the mother and son finished their conversation, Mu-jin led Ryu Ji-gwang towards Chubodang. I am Mu-jin, the third-ss disciple. I am here to guide a visitor to Chubodang. When he exined briefly to the two second-ss disciples guarding the entrance, one of them asked Ryu Ji-gwang, who was standing behind Mu-jin. Amitabha. Forgive me, but may I know the name of the benefactor? I am Ryu Ji-gwang, the Sangdanju of Cheonryu Sangdan. I havee to see the Head of Chubodang. Could you possibly send word inside? When Ryu Ji-gwang revealed his name, the two second-ss disciples were visibly surprised. Although Shaolin generally distanced themselves from worldly matters, they could not help but be aware of the Five Great Trading Companies. Furthermore, as Chubodang managed Shaolins finances, it was even more impossible for them not to know. If you could also mention that I wish to enter with Novice Monk Mu-jin, I would appreciate it. Please, wait a moment. I will inform the head immediately. One of the startled second-ss disciples quickly entered Chubodang, and shortly after, returned to announce. The head monk has allowed you to enter. Following the disciples guidance, Mu-jin and Ryu Ji-gwang headed towards the Chubodang Heads Hall. Inside the hall, they found the Chubodang Head Hyun-myeong and his senior disciple Hye-min. Third-ss disciple Mu-jin, greeting the Head Monk of Chubodang and Senior Brother Hye-min. Nice to meet you. I am Ryu Ji-gwang, Sangdanju of Cheonryu Sangdan. Amitabha. I am Hyun-myeong, the head of Chubodang. This is my disciple and assistant head, Hye-min. I am Hye-min. Amitabha. After exchanging greetings, Hyun-myeong and Hye-min looked at Ryu Ji-gwang and Mu-jin with puzzled expressions. It was already surprising that the Sangdanju of Cheonryu Sangdan hade, but to see Mu-jin, the money-draining demon, with him was even more bewildering. Though thanks to the exercise equipment Mu-jin had introduced, Senior Brother Hyun-gwangs health had improved, and the external energy of the novice and third-ss disciples had also greatly progressed. Moreover, they took pride in the fact that they had rightfully punished the secr martial sects. However, Chubodang saw Mu-jin as a money-draining demon, since the already scarce Shaolin storage kept getting emptied because of him. At that moment, instead of giving an exnation, Ryu Ji-gwang reached into his sleeve and pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to Hyun-myeong. This is a hundred nyang promissory note issued under the name of our Cheonryu Sangdan. !!! As long as our tradingpany remains solvent, you can use it as actual currency. May I ask the reason for giving such arge sum to our Shaolin all of a sudden? To Hyun-myeongs question, Ryu Ji-gwang looked at Mu-jin for some reason. Actually, my mother and I just received treatment from Novice Monk Mu-jin and Master Hyun-gwang. This money is to pay for todays treatment and to request further treatment in the future. Only then did Hyun-myeong and Hye-min begin to understand the situation. Everyone in Shaolin already knew that Mu-jin was treating Hyun-gwang. He simply hadnt expected that the head of Cheonryu Sangdan and his mother would join in on the treatment. Huh That money-devouring monster brought in such a huge sum. Amitabha. Hyun-myeong inwardly cursed while thinking. One yang of gold was worth twenty yang of silver. And one yang of silver was worth four or five sacks of rice, enough to feed a family of four for a month. The monks and schr-monks affiliated with Shaolin, along with the temporary disciples living there each year, barely numbered seven or eight hundred. On top of that, Shaolin was frugal, spending money sparingly on everything from food to clothing. In other words, one hundred yang of gold was equivalent to Shaolins annual food expenses. Recently, Shaolin had been short on funds to feed its disciples during the winter, to the point of debating whether to ept new disciples. Naturally, epting that money to sustain Shaolin was the right thing to do. I apologize, Sangdanju. Our Shaolin cannot ept this money. Without any hesitation, Hyun-myeong conveyed his refusal. In response to Hyun-myeongs rejection, Ryu Ji-gwang asked in a calm tone, devoid of any emotional turmoil. Why cant you ept it? Could you enlighten me? It is our Shaolin way. Grace is just grace. Expecting repayment for a favor is something a Buddhist should never do. I am certain that senior brother Hyun-gwang and Mu-jin, who performed the treatment, feel the same way. With a look that seemed to ask for agreement, Hyun-myeong nced at Mu-jin, who thought with a business-like smile. What kind of nonsense is this? The treatment was done by his grandfather and himself, so why were they pretending to be so benevolent on their own? Respect for the elderly only emerged when the other party acted like one. It might apply to someone like Hyun-gwang or Yeon Ga-hee, but not to those who clearly projected, Im a master, such as Jurisdiction Department Head Hyun-gong or Chubodangju Hyun-myeong. However, he couldnt just spit out the curses brewing inside him. As Mu-jin pondered how to tactfully convince this crazy Chubodangju, Ryu Ji-gwang spoke first. Hmm. Then how about considering it as an offering, not a repayment? That is a transparent workaround. Hahaha. Then lets say Im simply repaying the favor of the treatment. You said that expecting repayment for a favor is not the Buddhist way, but isnt it also a human obligation to think about repaying a received favor? Are you intending to turn me into a shameless person who cant even fulfill basic human obligations, Chubodangju Monk? Indeed, the eloquence of an experienced merchant was not something a half-baked administrator who had been secluded in the mountains, chanting prayers, could match. Hmm. However, the amount is toorge to be consideredpensation for the treatment. Chubodangju, realizing aplete refusal was difficult, tried to lower the amount as much as possible. Chubodangju hadnt intended to reject the money outright without any thought. It was just that the sum presented by the Sangdanju was toorge, prompting him to choose refusal. Hyun-myeong, who had learned the ropes at Chubodang since his days as a second-ss disciple, knew very well that arge sum of money always came with significant strings attached. Particrly, given Ryu Ji-gwangs reputation as a prominent merchant on the continent, he believed that such a man wouldnt offer such arge amount as treatment fees without any expectations. However, as expected, Ryu Ji-gwang had already made his calctions and responded immediately. It is not arge amount at all. I heard that Mu-jins treatment method even healed senior brother Hyun-gwang, who had once been incapacitated. Furthermore, after receiving treatment today with my mother, the effects were indescribable. Especially for my mother, who, being elderly, had not seen much benefit from the acupuncture and herbal medicines of renowned doctors. Surely Chubodangju Monk knows how much it costs to bring in famous doctors for treatment? As Hyun-myeong hesitated to respond, Ryu Ji-gwang delivered the follow-up blow. The amount on this bill reflects the value of the skill that healed a body even famous doctors could not. Honestly, I regret not bringing arger bill today. After making his case, Ryu Ji-gwang added another intriguing proposal. So, I ask you to ept this money as payment for the treatment of my mother and me. Additionally, there is something else I wish to discuss with Chubodangju. Please, speak freely. In response to Hyun-myeongs reply, Ryu Ji-gwang smiled naturally, befitting his status as a great merchant. I was thinking of opening a clinic in Deungbong County down there, with the novice monk Mu-jin. !? !? This unexpected proposal shocked not only Hyun-myeong but also Mu-jin, who looked at Ryu Ji-gwang with a surprised expression. Chapter 46: Chapter 46: An infirmary, you say? What do you mean by that? The treatment method used by Novice Mu-jin is unlike anything found on the continent. Surely, there are patients across the continent, like Abbot Hyun-gwang, my mother, and myself, who cannot be cured by traditional methods used by the existing medical practitioners. I want to open an infirmary to treat such patients using Novice Mu-jins methods. This was an instinct as a merchant. Right after receiving Mu-jins treatment and Hyun-gwangs heat and electrotherapy, Ryu Ji-gwang was convinced. He was certain, This is a profitable venture. Moreover, Ryu Ji-gwang had connections as the Sangdanju of the worlds fivergest trading groups. Connections with high-ranking officials and local wealthy individuals. Many of these high-ranking officials and wealthy individuals were elderly, and there were not a few whoined of symptoms simr to his mothers. If he introduced such individuals to Mu-jin and proceeded with treatments, he could generate tremendous profits. Of course, it could be risky tounch such a business after just one treatment. If the treatment effects were minimal, it would be easy to be used of fraud by high-ranking officials or wealthy individuals.Nheless, the reason Ryu Ji-gwang was determined to push this business forward was because of more than just his merchants intuition. Recently, the movements of local branches have been unsettling. It was for the safety of his family. When he or his mother, or any of his family members, were in danger, Ryu Ji-gwang chose Shaolin as a refuge. More precisely, he chose Hyun-gwang. The extraordinary skills Hyun-gwang disyed during the recent treatment had a significant impact on Ryu Ji-gwangs decision. Cheonryu Sangdan had be a huge trading group by transporting countless items across the continent. As such, Cheonryu Sangdan was both a trading group and a courier service. Naturally, to handle numerous business trips, they employed numerous escorts and had a considerable number of martial artists. Even as the Sangdanju of such a significant trading group, Ryu Ji-gwang had never seen anyone perform the kind of miracles Hyun-gwang demonstrated. Initially, he thought about approaching Hyun-gwang directly. But he was the epitome of a monk who had cut ties with worldly affairs. Never having seen Hyun-gwang indulge in alcohol or meat, Ryu Ji-gwang concluded that approaching Hyun-gwang with wealth would be the worst method. Thus, Ryu Ji-gwang decided to connect with Shaolin through Mu-jin, whom Hyun-gwang cherished, and to maintain a steady rtionship with Shaolin through him. By conducting business together. However, whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, Chubodangju Hyun-myeong only understood half of Ryu Ji-gwangs intentions. The Sangdanju has suggested a considerable treatment fee for Mu-jins method. So, it seems like the infirmary you want to open in Deungbong-hyeon would only be for the wealthy. Amitabha. He only had the intention of doing business with the wealthy. I intend to donate half of the profits from the clinic to Shaolin. I have repeatedly told you, our Shaolin does not engage inmerce through the abilities of our disciples. I dont understand why you consider it asmerce. Wouldnt it be enough if half of the clinics profits were used by Shaolin to aid the poor? If we treat only the rich to earn money, the world will criticize Shaolin. Ryu Ji-gwang did not show it outwardly, but he sighed inwardly with frustration. If such a proposal had been made to any other sect or the Five Great Families, which were not limited like the Beggars Sect, they would have dly epted it. No, it would have been fortunate if they only epted it. Some sects and families, which only pretended to be righteous on the outside, would have instead fiercely extorted more money from him. While I dont have to worry about being extorted, its frustrating that we cantmunicate. As Ryu Ji-gwang was thinking this, Mu-jin cautiously spoke up. If I may be so bold, may I say a word? Speak. With Hyun-myeongs permission, Mu-jin asked another question. As Master Chubo-dangju said, isnt the main issue with opening a clinic the fact that our Shaolin would only treat the rich to make money? Hmm. That is correct. In that case, wouldnt it be enough to treat everyone, regardless of whether they are rich or poor? How could providing medical treatment to all beings as a Buddhist be something to be criticized? Mu-jins words, as if wondering why such an obvious thing was being pondered, made Ryu Ji-gwang even more frustrated. In order not to distinguish between the rich and the poor, the treatment fees would have to be drastically reduced. Even if high-ranking officials and wealthy people were brought in, there would be almost no profit. But then, surprisingly, Mu-jin continued with an unexpected idea. Of course, in that case, if the treatment fees are set high, the poor will not be able to receive treatment, and if set low, there will be no profit, resulting in a loss for Cheonryu Sangdan. And no matter how low the fees are, the poor, who struggle to live day by day, will eventually be unable to receive treatment. So how about this? We divide the treatment facilities into two. Divide into two? Instinctively feeling that a brilliant solution was about to emerge, Ryu Ji-gwang asked again, and Mu-jin met his expectations. Yes. One facility would bepletely free. And the other would be used for the treatment of the wealthy, as Cheonryu Sangdan originally intended. The wealthy are not fools, Mu-jin Novice Monk. Why would the rich use an expensive treatment facility when there is a free one avable? You can create a difference between the two facilities. Equip both with the same equipment, but in the free facility, conduct treatments in groups, while in the expensive facility, offer personalized, one-on-one treatments by appointment, Mu-jin suggested. Mu-jins idea was inspired by the operational methods ofrge fitness centers. They allowed free use of the gym for a low price, but required a high fee for personal training sessions with a professional trainer. Mu-jin had two main reasons for involving himself in this discussion with such a method in mind. First, he was frustrated with Chubo-dangju for refusing an offer to give money to Shaolin. Second, he suspected that Cheonryu Sangdan was either currently involved with the dark forces or would be in the future. Determined to delve deeper into the inner workings of Cheonryu Sangdan through this business endeavor, Mu-jin decided to add a rather blunt remark that might cause Hyun-myeong to frown. As you may know, Sangdanju-nim, the wealthy love luxury goods. They drink expensive tea like Longjing tea, which costs silver or gold coins, instead of buying cheaper tea. Of course, the aroma is superior to that of cheaper tea, but there is also a clear element of vanity involved. Hahaha. I understand what you mean, Mu-jin Novice Monk. The difference between the free facility for group treatments and the reserved facility for individual use will make the wealthy even more inclined to use the facility! Ryu Ji-gwangughed, pleased with Mu-jins logic, as he had already encountered this reasoning many times. Of course, Hyun-myeong found this conversation quite distasteful. Mu-jin, you insolent fool! How dare a Shaolin disciple speak of worldly vanity and try to exploit it to make money! However, Mu-jin looked at Hyun-myeong as if wondering what was wrong with his proposal. Master Chubo-dangju, what exactly are you so afraid of? What did you say!? When I suggested earning money by treating the wealthy and distributing it to the poor, you feared Shaolin would be criticized for being obsessed with money. Now, when I propose treating the poor alongside the wealthy, you say we are trying to exploit the wealthy. Are you so afraid of Shaolin being criticized? Are you trying to insult Shaolin!? Hyun-myeong yelled, unable to contain his anger even in front of their guest, Ryu Ji-gwang, but he could not silence Mu-jin. Do you truly believe that is the will of the founder, Dharma Master, and Shakyamuni Buddha? The sutras clearly speak ofpassion for all beings, yet why does our Shaolin hide in the mountains, afraid of criticism? Pardon my boldness, but I am more afraid of turning away from beings in need than of being criticized. Mu-jins words left Hyun-myeong looking as though he had been struck hard. Mu-jin didnt particrly have a great ambition for Buddhism orpassion for all beings. It was just his frustration with Hyun-myeongs constant rejection of every proposal. He continued speaking in that vein. Far to the west, beyond Tianzhu, there is a country of Sogdians. A certain magistrate there umted wealth by exploiting the people with harsh taxes. His concubine tried to persuade him to stop. The listeners in Chubo-dangju Hall, who had never heard this Western anecdote before, focused intently on Mu-jins story. The magistrate mocked her and said, If you ride around the city naked on horseback, then I will reduce the taxes. What do you think the woman did? Surely, you dont mean to say she rode around naked on horseback? Yes. She rode around the city naked on horseback as he demanded, and the magistrate kept his promise and reduced the taxes. Would you condemn her for her actions? Humph. How can you suggest that I would do such a thing? However, even if I did not, surely some would curse her. Mu-jin shook his head at Hyun-myeongs response. Living in the mundane world does not make people fools, Master Chubo-dangju. The people of that city understood her profound intention andpassion. During her ride, everyone stayed inside their homes, not daring to look at her. There had been one person who spied on her, someone who wouldter be infamous in modern times for voyeurism. But Mu-jin felt no need to mention that part of the story. Just as that womans act might be criticized by some, the people will understand Shaolinspassion. And even if they do not, what matters is that we are making an effort to save beings. Hyun-myeong and Hye-min closed their eyes and chanted Buddhas name for a moment. When they reopened their eyes, the torment seemed to have lifted, leaving them with a clearer gaze. Sigh. Sangdanju benefactor. We will agree to open the clinic under the condition that half of the profits are used by Shaolin to aid the needy and that there will be a free treatment facility in the clinic. However, this matter requires the abbots approval. We will inform the abbot and decide on the specifics based on his decision. Thank you for your decision, Chubodangju. My mother and I will continue to visit Shaolin for treatment, so please contact us when any decisions are made. Ryu Ji-gwang expressed his gratitude with a respectful bow, to which Hyun-myeong responded with a half-bow. That evening. While Mu-jin was sparring in Hye-gwans pavilion, Abbot Hyun Cheon visited Hyun-gwang. Hyun Cheon had already heard everything that had happened at Chubodangju from Hyun-myeong, and his visit to Hyun-gwang was to ry those events. As expected, Mu-jin is the one who will guide our Shaolin in the right direction, senior brother. Hyun Cheon had felt as if hed been struck when he heard the story from Hyun-myeong. The only curious point was how Mu-jin knew such an ancient Sogdian tale. Hahaha, so Mu-jin has earned a hundred gold coins for Shaolin and is set to earn even more in the future. Abbot. Yes, senior brother. Shaolin will lead the way in helping others through the money Mu-jin brings in. Hahahaha. Hyun-gwang let out a heartyugh, staring directly at Hyun Cheon. Then, shouldnt we reward Mu-jin? He has brought in a significant amount of money for the benefit of all. A reward? What kind of When Hyun Cheon asked, Hyun-gwang raised the bottle he was holding, took a sip, and then spoke. How about giving him a Great Restoration Pill, Abbot? W-what are you saying, senior brother? Mu-jin has brought in arge sum of money for Shaolin. Isnt it fitting to reward him with at least one Great Restoration Pill? Hyun-gwangs words, spoken as if it was the most natural thing in the world, made Hyun Cheon feel dizzy. The rumors about senior brother losing his mind after failing to reach Nirvana, they must be true! He then noticed a peculiar fragrance wafting around him. Senior brother!? That bottle could it be? Hyun Cheon asked in shock, to which Hyun-gwang replied with a mysterious smile. What does it matter whats in this bottle? Hahaha. If a Great Restoration Pill is too much, then at least a Lesser Restoration Pill should be given. . Hyun Cheon pondered. He wondered if the person before him was not Hyun-gwang but an impostor from the Green Forest Thieves. Chapter 47: Chapter 47: The next day. Ryu Ji-gwang and Yeon Ga-hee visited Shaolin Temple as usual, and Mu-jin led them to Hyun-gwangs pavilion. As the treatment for the three patients was nearingpletion, Hye-min, the former disciple of the Chubodangju, visited Hyun-gwangs pavilion. I greet Master Hyun-gwang. Haha, its been a while, Hye-min. After briefly acknowledging Hye-mins greeting, Hyun-gwang nced at Mu-jin and Ryu Ji-gwang. It seems youvee to see Mu-jin and the Sangdanju patron. Yes, Master. Hyun-gwang nodded at Hye-mins words and then addressed Mu-jin and Ryu Ji-gwang.I will be here resting with Madam Yeon, so please feel free to go. Hohoho. Sangdanju, Mu-jin, please gofortably. Mu-jin and Ryu Ji-gwang gave a light bow to Yeon Ga-hee and Hyun-gwang, then followed Hye-min. At first, they seemed to be heading to Chubodang, but Hye-min led them to the head monks room. Inside the head monks room, Head Monk Hyun-cheon and Chubodangju Hyun-myeong were waiting for them. Nice to meet you. I am Hyun-cheon, the head monk. Amitabha. I am Ryu Ji-gwang, the Sangdanju of Cheonryu Sangdan. It is an honor to meet the esteemed head monk. When the head monk greeted them with a bow, Ryu Ji-gwang responded with a fist salute. I have heard from the Chubodangju about the proposal made by the Sangdanju patron. Our Shaolin Temple also views it positively. Today, we have gathered to discuss the project in more detail. After exining this to Ryu Ji-gwang, Hyun-cheon nced at Mu-jin before speaking again. This project heavily relies on Mu-jins treatment methods, and it seems that his suggestions have formed the foundation of the business, so we have called him here as well. We were nning to invite Mu-jin to the meeting anyway, Head Monk. Ryu Ji-gwang responded with a look of agreement to Hyun-cheons words. After the greetings, they all took their seats. Naturally, they all turned their attention to Mu-jin. I heard it was you, Mu-jin, who suggested separating the facilities for free treatment and specialized treatment for the wealthy. Yes, Head Monk. Then, do you perhaps have a more detailed n in mind? For the free facilities, since we need to amodate multiple patrons at the same time, it can be easy for treatments and education to be chaotic. Therefore, I suggest having different exercise programs depending on the time of day or day of the week. Different exercise programs for each day? Yes. One day could focus on exercises that rx the feet or legs. Another day could be exercises focused on the pelvis. Another day could be for the back or shoulders. By cing a room or guide in front of the clinic to inform the patrons, the education can be conducted more smoothly. Patrons cane ording to their individual diforts. In response to Hyun-cheons question, Mu-jin exined methods slightly modified from the GX operationsmonly used inrge fitness centers. Additionally, this approach makes it convenient to use equipment inrge quantities. You can take out the equipment needed for a specific time or date from storage and put the rest back into the storage. In the free facility, where multiple people had to exercise simultaneously, they would need several sets of the same equipment. Some of the Ptes equipment were quiterge, and if they stocked them all inrge quantities at the facility, it would easily be a mess. And for the specialized treatment facilities, it would be best to use various tools to provideprehensive treatment tailored to each patients condition after assessing their state through acupressure or palpation. Furthermore, finishing with heat therapy and electrotherapy would be ideal. After listening to Mu-jins exnation, Abbot Hyun-cheon had a somewhat regretful expression. Mu-jin, I understand that heat therapy and electrotherapy are particrly effective when a patients condition is severe. Shouldnt we also provide heat therapy and electrotherapy in the free facility? There are two issues, Abbot. One is that there arent many people capable of administering heat therapy or electrotherapy. The other is the differentiation from specialized treatment facilities. Hmm. Regarding electrotherapy and heat therapy, given time, we can sufficiently secure the necessary personnel. Since we started treating Master Hyun-gwang, the Head of the Jurisdiction Department and Master Hye-dam have instructed their disciples to train. Currently, this was known only to Hyun-gong and Hye-dams former disciples. However, given time, it was a matter that could be instructed to anyone who had learned techniques rted to extreme Yang energy or Thunder Energy. Nevertheless, the problem of differentiation between specialized and free facilities remained. As a Buddhist, having to worry about differentiation While Hyun-cheon pondered this issue, Ryu Ji-gwang spoke up. I have an idea regarding the differentiation, Abbot. Oh, please feel free to share, Sangdanju. Since we n to open a clinic anyway, we could also station physicians there. For those using the specialized treatment facilities, adding herbal medicine or acupuncture suitable for the treatment process would sufficiently differentiate it. What if we take it a step further, since well have physicians on site? Mu-jin added to Ryu Ji-gwangs suggestion. If word spreads, many people will likelye to the free facility. If we provide heat therapy or electrotherapy to everyone, it will be too overwhelming. Instead, we could ce physicians in the free facility to screen those with severely deteriorated musculoskeletal conditions and provide them with additional electrotherapy and heat therapy. This should provide a good framework. As expected, it was a great idea to include Mu-jin in the meeting, Abbot. Haha, we are simply grateful that you think so highly of our Shaolins pir, Sangdanju. After a few more words, the structure for therge fitness centeror rather, the musculoskeletal treatment clinicco-managed by Shaolin Temple and Cheonryu Sangdan began to take shape. For the free facilities for the poor, they adopted methods from modern GX. The specialized treatment facilities would offer aprehensive luxury treatment process, including acupressure, massage, Ptes, yoga, manual therapy, electrotherapy, and infrared therapy, as well as premium dragon well tea, refreshments, herbal medicine, and acupuncture. Purchasing and renovating a manor, and mass-producing the exercise equipment for treatment will take some time. During that period, our Shaolin Temple will also select and train disciples for the treatments. Mu-jin. Yes, Abbot. Besides electrotherapy and heat therapy, it seems necessary to educate those managing the free facilities on using the exercise equipment and close-range spear techniques. I will inform the External Affairs Head, so teach the second-ss disciples in the External Affairs Department and Chubodang what you know. Having assigned a new task to Mu-jin, Abbot Hyun-cheon turned to Ryu Ji-gwang once more. How long do you think it will take to prepare all the treatment facilities and exercise equipment, Sangdanju? I believe it will take about a month. That timeframe should be sufficient for our preparations as well. Thus, the rough n concluded with the clinic set to open after a month of preparation. From then on, the details were to be discussed whenever Ryu Ji-gwang visited Shaolin Temple for treatment, as agreed by Hyun-cheon and Ryu Ji-gwang. Chubodangju, please escort the Sangdanju patron. Mu-jin, stay behind for a moment; I have something to discuss with you. After the meeting adjourned, Abbot Hyun-cheon stopped Mu-jin. Naturally curious, Mu-jin remained in the head monks room while Ryu Ji-gwang left with Chubodangju Hyun-myeong. For a while after they left, Hyun-cheon simply looked at Mu-jin in silence. Then, he reached into his robe and handed Mu-jin a small box. What is this? Its a Lesser Restoration Pill. ????? Seeing Mu-jins confused expression, Hyun-cheon exined in a calm tone. This is a reward for your significant achievement this time. You must be very cautious while taking it to avoid any issues during its consumption. Hyun-cheons exnation caused Mu-jins expression to change dramatically. He had never expected to receive the Lesser Restoration Pill in such a manner, but Mu-jin was not one to refuse such an offer. Thank you, Abbot! Mu-jin quickly performed a ceremonial bow and epted the box from Hyun-cheon, who then made a curious expression. Whether Mu-jin is bing more like the senior brother or the senior brother is bing more like Mu-jin, I cannot tell. Amita Buddha. Unknowingly, a Buddhist exmation slipped from Hyun-cheons mouth. When Mu-jin returned to Hyun-gwangs pavilion with the Lesser Restoration Pill, Ryu Ji-gwang and Yeon Ga-hee had already left. Haha, you must have received a good gift. Hyun-gwang subtly asked Mu-jin, who returned with a happy smile. Yes! The Abbot gave me a Lesser Restoration Pill as a reward for my efforts, Grandfather. Hahahaha. Truly a delightful gift. Mu-jin thought he heard something strange, but he decided it must have been a mishearing. Since I can assist you, how about taking it right now? I will! Mu-jin was very curious about the effects of the elixir. He sat down next to Hyun-gwang and assumed the lotus position. Listen carefully, Mu-jin. Absorbing the energy of an elixir differs from absorbing energy through your regr technique. What is the difference, Grandfather? When you absorb energy through your technique, you take in the qi through your nose and mouth. However, the energy from the elixir travels through your esophagus to your stomach. Do you understand? Are you saying I should focus on the internal energy of the elixir within my body rather than the breathing itself? Precisely. Additionally, the energy you absorb from the elixir will be expelled through your breath as you exhale. However, if you be greedy or hold your breath to retain the escaping energy, you will fall into inner demons. You must abandon greed. I understand what you mean. Never hastily operate your technique to retain the elixirs energy that escapes through your breath. Unlike usual, Hyun-gwang gave an additional stern warning. Mu-jin repeated Hyun-gwangs words in his mind and took a deep breath. Then, he took out the Lesser Restoration Pill from the box and swallowed it. Indeed, as the pill crumbled against his teeth and mixed with his saliva, energy began to emanate from it. There is no need to rush, but there is no need to waste it either. Believing there was no need to chew the pill thoroughly, Mu-jin quickly swallowed it to prevent the energy from escaping his mouth. The crushed and chewed pill traveled down Mu-jins esophagus toward his stomach, and thanks to the energy emanating from the pill, he could clearly sense its location within his body. Phew. Mu-jin focused on the energy emanating from the Lesser Restoration Pill and operated his mind technique. Great Vehicle Mind Technique (????, Daeseung Simbeop) This was the third mind technique Mu-jin had started learning after the Buddha Mind Technique (???, Bulshim Gong) and the Prajna Heart Technique (????, Banyasimbeop), which he began practicing after bing a third-ss disciple. It had already been three months since he started learning it, so Mu-jin had no issues operating the Great Vehicle Mind Technique. While he wasnt yet at the level where he could perform active cultivation with it, like the Prajna Heart Technique or the Buddha Mind Technique, he could still utilize it effectively. As Mu-jin concentrated on the energy of the Lesser Restoration Pill and operated the Great Vehicle Mind Technique, the energy released from the pill began to flow through his meridians, guided by his will. ording to the principles of the Great Vehicle Mind Technique, the energy traveled around his meridians, eventually settling in his danjeon (energy center) with the same hue as Mu-jins internal energy. However, there was a problem. Damn. I underestimated this Lesser Restoration Pill. Theres more energy than I thought. Even though it was smallerpared to the Great Restoration Pill, Mu-jin had only been practicing martial arts for a little over two years. Despite using the highly efficient Prajna Heart Technique for breath control and having learned the Great Vehicle Mind Technique, Mu-jins internal energy amounted to only about seven years worth of cultivation. Yet, even after absorbing the energy of the Lesser Restoration Pill twice using the Great Vehicle Mind Technique, the energy released from the pill was still greater in quantity than his internal energy stored in the danjeon. So this is why he told me not to be greedy. To absorb all this energy without waste, he would need to hold his breath for at least half a shichen. Alternatively, he would need to operate his internal energy technique at ten times the current speed. Both options were effectively suicidal. Phew. With a deep exhale, Mu-jin allowed the energy of the Lesser Restoration Pill to escape, but he cleared his mind. Ill only absorb what I can. With a clear mind, Mu-jin focused solely on the energy of the Lesser Restoration Pill in his stomach and continued operating the Great Vehicle Mind Technique. After some time had passed, the energy from the Lesser Restoration Pill in his stomach finally dissipated. Did I absorb about thirty to forty percent of it? Even with that amount, the internal energy coiled in his danjeon felt like it had doubled. Naturally, despite clearing his mind, he couldnt help but feel a sense of regret for the lost energy. Just as Mu-jin was about to consolidate the energy he had gathered with the Great Vehicle Mind Technique amidst this regret, Hyun-gwangs sudden words reached his ears. Mu-jin, now you will absorb the energy of the Lesser Restoration Pill dispersed in the air. Focus. Do not lose concentration. Although Mu-jin didnt fully understand what Hyun-gwang meant, he knew there must be a reason behind his words. Shifting his focus from absorbing the internal energy of the Lesser Restoration Pill, Mu-jin began absorbing the ambient qi as he usually did. !? I almost let out a gasp of astonishment. If Hyun-gwang hadnt warned me in advance, an ident would have urred. Surprisingly, when Mu-jin began to absorb the external energy, the energy of the Lesser Restoration Pill that had clearly flowed out with Mu-jins breath was being drawn back into his nose and mouth. This was a miracle performed by Hyun-gwang. Hyun-gwang had enveloped the energy of the Lesser Restoration Pill that had escaped through Mu-jins breath with natural energy, preventing it from dispersing. In fact, when masters consume elixirs, they often perform simr techniques. To absorb even the energy of the elixir that escapes with their breath, they use a technique to bind the escaping energy with their own internal energy while absorbing the elixirs energy. However, it was impossible for Mu-jin, who had not yet reached that level, to perform such a technique while simultaneously absorbing the energy of the Lesser Restoration Pill. Therefore, Hyun-gwang had taken on that role, continuously binding all the energy Mu-jin exhaled with his breath. And Hyun-gwang, distributing the energy in amounts that Mu-jin could absorb with each cirction of the Small Heavenly Cycle, gradually blew the energy of the Lesser Restoration Pill towards Mu-jins nose and mouth. This was an extremely arduous task. Mu-jins danjeon was not yetrge enough to absorb arge amount of energy at once. So, little by little, how long had it been since Mu-jin started absorbing the energy of the Lesser Restoration Pill that Hyun-gwang was infusing? sh. Mu-jin, having absorbed all the energy, opened his eyes with an intense glint. Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Upon absorbing all the internal energy from the Lesser Restoration Pill with Hyun-gwangs help, Mu-jins danjeon was densely filled with nearly twenty years worth of internal energy. Mu-jins internal energy increased to nearly three times what he originally had. With this level of internal energy, he could immediately set out into the martial world and proim, I am a martial artist! and it would be credible. Though it wasnt enough to be considered a master, for his age, it was an incredible amount. However, as with everything in life, the situation wasnt entirely positive. Due to the sudden increase in internal energy, Mu-jins danjeon was currently at full capacity, and he couldnt control his energy at all. The proof of this was the brightly shining light in Mu-jins eyes. Hahaha. If you were to use martial arts in your current state, your body would break first. It seems I was too greedy.Mu-jin also vaguely understood his situation. Seeing this, Hyun-gwang smiled warmly and spoke. Follow me, my boy. Ill take you to someone who can greatly help you. The ce they arrived at with Hyun-gwang was one of Shaolins pavilions. In the courtyard of that pavilion, Mu-gung was standing still in the initial stance of the Vajra Fist technique. No, upon closer inspection, Mu-gungs body was moving very slowly. Mu-gung, practicing this mysterious, slow punching, saw Mu-jin entering the pavilion and eximed, Oh? Gal! At the moment Mu-gungs concentration broke, a powerful lions roar erupted from inside the pavilion. Eek! Mu-gung, making a sound unbefitting his size, took the initial stance of the Vajra Fist again, seemingly startled by the roar. Shortly after, the owner of the powerful lions roar opened the door and greeted Mu-jin and Hyun-gwang. I greet Senior Brother Hyun-gwang. The man, reminiscent of one of the Four Heavenly Kings with his robust physique and impression, was Hye-dam. Hye-dam nced at Mu-jins peculiar head with a slightly displeased expression and then spoke. Have youe because of Mu-jins condition? Hahaha. As expected of Hye-dam, you recognized it immediately. Indeed, the expert Hye-dam had instantly discerned Mu-jins condition. May I proceed in my own way? Hahaha. Thats why we came to you. Understood. Without adding unnecessary words, Hye-dam focused on the core issue and concluded the conversation. Hahaha. Then I leave him in your hands. Hyun-gwang also turned to Mu-jin, signaling he had nothing more to say. Train with Senior Uncle Hye-dam here, and learn to control your energy. Yes, Grandfather! Mu-jin responded energetically, and Hyun-gwang smiled kindly before leaving the pavilion. What should I start with, Master Uncle Hye-dam? Instead of answering with words, Hye-dam tilted his head slightly, indicating Mu-gung beside him. Mu-jin, catching on, walked to the spot Hye-dams gaze pointed to and took his ce. Instead of giving instructions, Hye-dam called his disciple. Beob-hwi. Yes, Master! Train him from the basics, just like Mu-gung. Understood, Master! Following Hye-dams orders, Beob-hwi approached Mu-jin and began to speak. Assume the initial stance of the Revolving Fist Technique. Following Beob-hwis instructions, Mu-jin first took the initial stance of the Revolving Fist Technique, the very first martial art he had learned. Now, perform the Revolving Fist Technique sequentially, using the minimum amount of internal energy you can manage. The minimum amount of internal energy, huh. Mu-jin focused his mind, facing the massive energy coiled in his danjeon. For Mu-jin, who had just over two years of martial arts training, the amount of internal energy he had was overwhelming. He began drawing a portion of this heavy internal energy and directed it into his meridians. Mu-jin initially intended to draw out a thread-like amount of internal energy, but what actually came out was something akin to a thick rope. Is this really the minimum I can manage right now? epting this, Mu-jin channeled the energy into his meridians and began performing the basic moves of the Revolving Fist Technique. The Revolving Fist Technique was the most basic martial art that didnt require any special secrets or tips. As Mu-jin sequentially performed the moves of the Revolving Fist Technique, his danjeon, which had been steadily channeling internal energy into his meridians, suddenly started pouring out even more internal energy, as if a dam had burst. Gal! At that moment, a serene and majestic roar imbued with the spirit of the Buddha erupted. A sudden shout can usually startle a person, but Hye-dams pure lions roar actually calmed Mu-jins mind. Stop your movements and gather your energy. Following Beob-hwis instructions from the side, Mu-jin, regaining his concentration, calmed the rampaging energy. Whew. Only after he had finally managed to calm his energy did Mu-jin open his eyes. We will start again from the beginning. Use the minimum amount of internal energy. You must maintain a consistent amount of energy without any fluctuation. Each time you fail to control it perfectly, you will gather your energy and start over. Understood. Responding, Mu-jin began the basic moves of the Revolving Fist Technique once more. Hye-dams training method. It was training to cultivate an immovable mind. The martial arts Hye-dam had mastered dealt with Extreme Yang Energy. This energy, due to its nature, often excited the practitioner. To freely handle such Extreme Yang Energy, and to avoid making mistakes due to excitement or falling into qi deviation, the most crucial aspect was cultivating an immovable mind. There were various training methods to cultivate such an immovable mind, but the current method Mu-jin was undergoingmaintaining a consistent amount of internal energyhad been devised specifically for Mu-jin. It was a training method that Hye-dam hade up with while practicing to perform the role of an infraredmp. The training method hade full circle, with Mu-jin now using it. Life indeed worked in mysterious ways. The next day. Through a days worth of training, Mu-jin had managed to perform the Revolving Fist Technique with a fairly consistent amount of internal energy. Is the next step to move on to the Xiao Hong Quan? Mu-jin, barely maintaining his focus, asked afterpleting the Revolving Fist Technique. Beob-hwi shook his head. This time, you will train not only your internal energy but also your form. In addition to what youve been doing, perform the moves of the Revolving Fist Technique as slowly as possible, at a consistent speed. At Beob-hwis words, Mu-jin nced over at Mu-gung. Next to him, Mu-gung was performing the Vajra Fist Technique at a snails pace. Since yesterday, I wondered what he was doing It now became clear that Mu-gung had started from the Revolving Fist Technique and worked his way up to the Vajra Fist Technique. Poor guy. Mu-jin and Mu-gung had be third-ss disciples at the same time. This meant that Mu-gung had been repeating this training for over four months. Mu-jin knew that although Mu-gung looked like a bear, he was actually quite vain. Even if he didnt show it, Mu-gung was probably finding this training unbearable. Perhaps sensing Mu-jins sympathetic gaze What are you looking at, huh? Mu-gung, who was in the middle of the painfully slow Vajra Fist, frowned and red at Mu-jin. Gal!! Once again, Hye-dams lions roar echoed through the courtyard. Eek. And once more, Mu-gung made a strange sound that didnt match his size. The bear startled by gunshots. Shaking his head, Mu-jin focused his mind and assumed the initial stance of the Revolving Fist Technique. Move as slowly as possible, but make sure your movements are uninterrupted. Following Beob-hwis instructions, Mu-jin began performing the Revolving Fist Technique at a very slow pace, maintaining the same amount of internal energy. Twice, no, at least three times harder. As the speed of performing the Revolving Fist Technique significantly decreased, the time to maintain the consistent amount of internal energy increased. Just moving slowly is not enough. Continuously think about the optimal path for your fist to extend. The same goes for the flow of your internal energy. Observe yourself constantly, but do not let yourself slip into a state of no-mind and merely follow the flow. Beob-hwi continued to give warnings to Mu-jin, who was performing the Revolving Fist Technique at a slow pace. Although a state of no-mind is considered a great fortune for martial artists, for Mu-jin at this moment, it was poison. If he let his internal energy run wild when he couldnt even control it properly, he could end up falling into qi deviation. Mu-jin concentrated on each muscle fiber, each flow of internal energy through his meridians, as he moved his body. The training was incredibly arduous. Wow. If Mu-yul had been training under Master Uncle Hye-dam, he would have gotten stress-induced alopecia within five days. Oh, but hes already bald, so maybe it wouldnt matter? Whenever his concentration waned due to the monotony Gal!! Hye-dams lions roar would invariably ring out. It was an extremely static form of training. * * * It took Mu-jin seven days and nights toplete his training with the Revolving Fist Technique. By the fourth day, Mu-jin could perform the Revolving Fist Technique continuously at the minimum speed, and for the next three days, he trained to control the amount of internal energy. He used the same amount of energy but gradually increased that amount little by little. The day after finishing the Revolving Fist Technique, Mu-jin started training with the Xiao Hong Quan, just as he had done as a novice. Xiao Hong Quan training proceeded in the same way as the Revolving Fist Technique, but the difficulty was iparable. Unlike the Revolving Fist Technique, which only required the flow of internal energy, Xiao Hong Quan had unique flows ording to its secrets. While he made mistakes due to apse in concentration with the Revolving Fist Technique, Xiao Hong Quan proved challenging right from the first move. However, with grit and determination, Mu-jin, a personification of effort, pushed through the terribly static training. In just ten days, he managed toplete his training with the Xiao Hong Quan. Of course, there were still six more martial arts to master: from the Autumn Wind Leg to the Nine Pce Steps, Arhat Palm, Guanyin Hands, Stone-crushing Finger, and the Vajra Fist. Yet, Mu-jin was not worried. During his Xiao Hong Quan training, he had adapted to maintaining the amount of internal energy ording to its unique flow. Although each martial art had different secrets and flows, understanding the concept was key. Another ten days passed. Mu-jin finally seeded in performing all six remaining martial arts with the same internal energy and at the same slow pace. This didnt mean his training was over. Mu-jins martial arts involvedbining the secrets of various techniques and performing them simultaneously. But Mu-jin wasnt concerned. At least now, I can control the exact amount of internal energy I want. He could now handle the internal energy he gained from the Lesser Restoration Pill freely. Combining various secrets simultaneously was something Mu-jin was already familiar with. He had honed this skill sufficiently with the help of Hye-geol, Hyun-cheon, Hye-gwan, and Hyun-gwang. I shall take my leave now. Mu-jin, havingpletely mastered the energy from the Lesser Restoration Pill and with his once brightly shining eyes now calm, spoke to Hye-dam in a serene tone. Hmm. Hye-dam simply nodded without saying much. As Mu-jin turned to leave the pavilion, Beob-hwi, who had guided him through each training session, spoke to his master. Master, I now understand why Senior Uncle Hyun-gwang epted Mu-jin as his grand-disciple. Mu-jin had caught up with Mu-gung, who had started four months earlier, in less than a month. Of course, Mu-jins training focused more on cultivating an immovable mind rather than martial arts orbat skills. He had cultivated his mind, not increased his martial arts level. What surprised Beob-hwi was Mu-jins concentration. The young Mu-gung still had impatience in his heart, often letting his mind get ahead of his body. In contrast, despite being a year younger than Mu-gung, Mu-jin rarely lost his focus. Sometimes, he seemed older than me, Master. Even though Beob-hwi had only observed Mu-jin for about a month, he had already discerned Mu-jins true nature. And then, in an uncharacteristic manner, Hye-dam spoke. Whats with that hair? Recalling Mu-jins hairstyle, Beob-hwi erased the hypothesis he had formed in his mind. A few days after Mu-jin hadpletely mastered the internal energy from the Lesser Restoration Pill, the promised month finally passed. All preparations areplete, Abbot Bang-geon. Hahaha. Then, I will send the disciples responsible for the treatment. Head of the Merchant Guild, please take care. The preparations for the business between Shaolin and the Cheonryu Sangdan werepleted. Mu-jin, along with the disciples assigned to handle the treatments, left the Shaolin Temples mountain gate with Ryu Ji-gwang. It was the first time since entering the world of martial arts that Mu-jin descended from Mount Song. Chapter 49: Chapter 49: They had been descending Mount Song for quite some time, leaving the mountain gate behind. Oh~! Through the foliage, the small town of Deungbong-hyeon began to appear. It was a city filled with houses reminiscent of those seen in martial arts films. Am I finally stepping into the real martial world? Crossing mountains and encountering the Green Forest Path. Enjoying the arts at a guesthouse, then getting caught in a quarrel and rescuing a veiled beauty. Dealing with the local thugs, whom he thought were just street punks, and then uncovering and handling their backers, gradually approaching the real mastermind. Into such a martial arts story!Hahaha. Do you like it that much, Mu-jin? But such an event wasnt about to happen. Surrounding him were ten Shaolin disciples, making such an encounter improbable. Upon arriving at Deungbong-hyeon, Ryu Ji-gwang led the Shaolin disciples to the manor prepared to open a clinic. To divide the facilities into two, we have purchased two nearby manors. Upon reaching the spacious manor, Ryu Ji-gwang provided a brief exnation. As he said, the clinic bearing the sign [Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic] wasposed of two manors. One was simplyrge and clean, while the other was extravagantly decorated with gold ornaments hanging from the entrance. Therge, clean ce was evidently a free facility, and thevish ce seemed to be a premium specialized treatment facility. We n to conduct free treatments in the hall on the left. There is also a warehouse for storing medical tools next to it, and a resting area for you all has been prepared beside it. Additionally, during times without treatments, you can practice or offer prayers. In response to Ryu Ji-gwangs exnation, Hye-min, the deputy head of Chubodang, who could be considered the field supervisor for this project, nodded in agreement. Mu-jin was fundamentally the one responsible for the treatments, but they couldnt leave all the work to him, who was still a novice monk and a third-ss disciple. In fact, it was very rare for third-ss disciples to leave the mountain gate at all. Most of the Shaolin disciples present here were second-ss disciples, with Hye-min, the deputy head of Chubodang, being the first-ss disciple responsible. Mu-jin, a third-ss disciple and treatment expert, was also with them. Since the proper treatments are scheduled to start tomorrow, for today, please check the facilities and equipment. I have business with the trading group, so Chief Officer Yang will assist with the guidance. Nice to meet you. I am Yang Jin-pyeong, the external chief officer of Cheonryu Sangdan. After that, Ryu Ji-gwang returned to Cheonryu Sangdan, and Mu-jin, along with the Shaolin disciples, toured the two facilities under Yang Jin-pyeongs guidance. Hahaha. There are so many tools! Starting today, we can properly use these tools. Five second-ss disciples selected from the External Affairs and Chubodang chuckled cheerfully as they spoke. They were the ones who had learned about Ptes and Close-Range Spear Technique from Mu-jin over the past month in preparation for being dispatched here. However, the only Ptes equipment currently avable at Shaolin was made for Hyun-gwangs treatment. Therefore, the second-ss disciples observed Mu-jin and Beob-geon as they treated Hyun-gwang, Yeon Ga-hee, and Ryu Ji-gwang. They learned the exercises through these observation sessions. Later, while Mu-jin was training with Hye-dam, they practiced the exercises they learned with Beob-geon, mastering Ptes and Close-Range Spear Technique. As a result, the second-ss disciples showed interest in the equipment avable inrge quantities at the free facility. Mu-jin, could you check my posture? While the second-ss disciples were reviewing the use of the equipment with Mu-jins help, a soft scraping sound was heard. A plump girl and a woman who looked like her attendant entered the room. When Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples looked at them curiously, Chief Officer Yang approached the girl first and asked, Youngdy, what brings you here? From that greeting alone, Mu-jin could deduce who the girl was. For Chief Officer Yang to address her as youngdy meant she was the daughter of Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang. To Mu-jins knowledge, Ryu Ji-gwang had only one youngest daughter. While the current Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang did not appear directly in the novel, his daughter did. The notorious and ruthless second-inmand of the Cheonryu Sangdan, willing to do anything for profit, known as Golden Rakshasa, Ryu Seol-hwa. And just before this ruthless viiness, with an uncharacteristically timid expression, could respond, her attendant stepped forward and answered for her. Chief Officer Yang, the youngdy is the blood rtive and only daughter of Sangdanju. As long as there is no order from Sangdanju prohibiting her, there is no ce the youngdy cannot go. The attendant, who had responded haughtily to Chief Officer Yang, turned back and spoke kindly to Ryu Seol-hwa. Youngdy, you are the daughter of the Cheonryu Sangdan, one of the top five trading groups in the world. There is no one in the world who can disregard you. Please be confident. Th-thank you, Sister Hong. I appreciate that you call me sister, but others might not view it favorably. Please be mindful, youngdy. Listening to their conversation, Mu-jins eyes gleamed. Sister Hong? There was only one person that Golden Rakshasa Ryu Seol-hwa would call Sister Hong. Hong So-hee, who was the most loyal and ruthless enforcer of Ryu Seol-hwasmands. Naturally, a smile appeared on Mu-jins face. Mu-jin had a specific reason for actively involving himself in the medical business. It was to approach Cheonryu Sangdan and investigate its connection with the hidden mastermind. And now, Ryu Seol-hwa and Hong So-hee, unlike Ryu Ji-gwang, were characters who had appeared directly in the novel. If I can just get close to those two, it might make it easier to find a link to the hidden mastermind. The only problem was figuring out how to approach those two. While Mu-jin was contemting this issue for a moment, Ho, Ho Hong Please feel free to call me So-hee, Young Lady. So, So-hee. Could we, could we leave now? Ryu Seol-hwa, feeling ufortable, spoke quietly to Hong So-hee. It seemed she felt uneasy with Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples all looking at her. If the Young Lady feels ufortable, lets go back. Chief Officer Yang, we will be leaving now. In the end, So-hee spoke on her behalf and left the hall with Ryu Seol-hwa. It was a rather anticlimactic first encounter, considering they had met a viin from the novel. Meanwhile, as Mu-jin pondered how to approach Ryu Seol-hwa and Hong So-hee, Did you hear about it? If you say about it, how would I know what you mean? My friend. No, I mean that story! The monks of Shaolin are supposedly opening a clinic! What nonsense is that? Are the Shaolin monks here to make money? Responding as if it were absurd, the friend made a show of pounding his chest in frustration. My friend! They are Shaolin monks! Naturally, they said they would provide free treatment. Free of charge!? I must go there immediately! Wait, my friend! Listen to the whole story! As the friend hastily tried to stand, the middle-aged man who was telling the story quickly grabbed his arm. The clinic opens tomorrow. And its not an ordinary clinic. Not an ordinary clinic, you say? What was itmusculoskeletal? Ah! Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic! Its not a ce that treats things like internal diseases or colds; it treats muscles and bones. Muscles and bones you mean like a bone-setting clinic? As the friend made a disappointed face, the middle-aged man added an exnation. They say its not a bone-setting clinic. Its for things like backaches, sore legs, you know? It treats body aches. Hmm. They must be doing acupuncture or moxibustion. Hearing the exnation, the friend nodded. Typically, when one had body aches or soreness, they would receive acupuncture or moxibustion. The effect was usually short-lived,sting only a few days, so it was often considered a waste of money. However, if it was free, the story was different. Naturally, the middle-aged man began to take an interest in the clinic that Shaolin was opening, and such conversations were sporadically urring in marketces and inns throughout Deungbong-hyeon. * * * The next morning. Is it true that we can receive treatment from the Shaolin monks here? Some residents of Deungbong-hyeon, who had heard the rumors, visited the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. Yes, but the treatment area varies by date and time. Could you please tell us where you are experiencing pain? ?? The people who came to the clinic looked puzzled at the mention of different treatment areas at different times. They had never heard of such a treatment system before. First, this morning from 9 AM to 11 AM and 11 AM to 1 PM, leg treatments are scheduled. In the afternoon from 3 PM to 5 PM and 5 PM to 7 PM, treatments for the pelvis and lower back will take ce. Tomorrow, in the morning, treatments for the upper back will be conducted, and in the afternoon, it will be for the arms and shoulders. Pleasee ording to the area of your pain. There is a schedule posted here! If anyone has trouble reading the notice, I can assist you! The confusion among the vigers was managed by those dispatched from Cheonryu Sangdan. They had guides and physicians at the entrance to diagnose and confirm the areas of pain for the visitors. Eventually, only those with issues in their leg muscles, knees, or ankles were allowed to enter the clinic. Alright! For today, please take a seatfortably. Weing those who entered the clinic were the monks dressed in Shaolins characteristic red robes. Among them, the novice monk Mu-jin, who had just turned fourteen, greeted them at the forefront. Mu-jin, who was temporarily helping out since it wasnt yet time for the specialized treatment facilitys appointments, led the way. Under Mu-jins guidance, the Shaolin disciples began treating the patients who visited the clinic. Since it was the first day and the patients were mostly elderly, the treatments mainly involved using foam rollers to relieve muscle tension and exercises to stretch the muscles using Close-Range Spear Technique. As Mu-jin had anticipated, the bodies of the vigers, who had never properly stretched in their lives, were as stiff as wooden nks. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Ughhhhh. Your muscles are tense. If you keep rolling your leg on the foam roller, your muscles and fascia will loosen. Mu-jin continued to exin as he moved around the treatment room, checking postures. For patients with more severe conditions who struggled with even basic movements, Mu-jin approached them directly to perform acupressure or manual therapy. Grandfather, hold on a moment. Ill massage this area a bit. Please dont overdo it. Grandmother, please stay for a while after the exercise. It seems your condition is quite serious, and you may need additional treatment. Master Uncle! This person needs heat therapy and thunder energy treatment on their thighs. Thus, Mu-jin, along with the second-ss disciples assisting with the exercises and the physicians observing, proceeded with heat therapy and thunder energy treatment for a few severe patients. Thank you, little monk. It feels really refreshing. Haha. The elderly patients, who had initially been skeptical of the strange exercises, bowed their heads with warm smiles. Despite their initial doubts and the unexpected pain during the so-called treatment, their bodies felt significantly lighter after the half-hour-long session. Its nothing! Its our duty to help! Hahaha. I hope you recover soon. Amitabha. Mu-jin and all the Shaolin disciples beamed with satisfaction at the grateful smiles of the patients. Mu-jin, due to his past experiences, enjoyed helping the elderly with their ailments, and the Shaolin disciples found joy in the act of aiding others. That evening, rumors about the Shaolin monks providing free treatments at the clinic spread even more thoroughly throughout Deungbong-hyeon. Did you visit there today? Are you talking about the clinic run by the Shaolin monks? What else would I be talking about? I was busy with work today, so I couldnt go. Did you go? Oh, you must go! Its an amazing ce. The old man, who exaggerated the treatment methods and effects by about three times, concluded with a p. By the way! Theres a young novice monk there. A novice monk? Hes about thirteen or fourteen? He has a good build from training, but his face is youthful, so he looks about that age. And guess what? Whenever he touches you, the pain just vanishes. Is that some sort of martial art from Shaolin? If that were the case, wouldnt the older monks be even better? When that novice monk touches you, it hurts a lot at first, but once hes done, the pain vanishes, leaving only a refreshing sensation! Oh. So he has miraculous hands? Absolutely! He must have been born with the hands of the Buddha! Among themoners of Deungbong-hyeon, the young novice monk started being referred to as Buddha-Handed Novice Chapter 50: Chapter 50: As Mu-jin continued his volunteer work at the free clinic, he realized it was almost time and stood up. Having enjoyed a pleasant time of treatment and service, it was now time to earn some money. The appointment time is approaching, so I should head to the professional facility. Alright. Ill go with you. Ill join you as well. Following Mu-jin, Beob Gang and Beob Hwi moved together. Beob Gang was a disciple of Hyun Gong, the Head of the Jurisdiction Department who seeded the Thunder General. Because of this, he had been selected as a disciple responsible for electrotherapy at the clinic. Beob Hwi, who was the previous disciple of Hye-dam and the master of Mu-gung, was in charge of heat therapy. Since there was one more second-ss disciple assisting with electrotherapy and heat therapy for the free clinic, there was no major issue with the two leaving.Thus, the three of them left the free clinic and moved to a high-end estate. After taking a short rest, the estates door gently opened, and their first scheduled client arrived. Mu-jin, this is Lord An Hee-seung, the magistrate of Deungbong-hyeon. The magistrate, a seventh-rank official, equivalent to a county magistrate or chief in Joseon, was the head of the county. To have the magistrate of Deungbong-hyeon as their first client, the connections of the Cheonryu Sangdans leader were indeed impressive. Well, considering their scale, having a magistrate as a client is actually rather modest. There was a possibility that higher-ranking officials like the provincial militarymanders or provincial governors might visitter. Nice to meet you. I am Mu-jin, a third-ss disciple of Shaolin, and I will be in charge of your treatment. Mu-jin gave a respectful Shaolin bow, and An Hee-seung nodded with a stern expression as he epted the greeting. Tsk. To think I have to receive treatment from a mere third-ss disciple. In truth, An Hee-seung had note with high expectations for Mu-jins treatment. He had only reluctantlye due to the rmendation of Ryu Ji-gwang, the owner of the Cheonryu Sangdan. If it werent for Ryu Ji-gwangs direct management of the clinic, he might have thrown a fit about being treated by a third-ss disciple. Although Mu-jin sensed An Hee-seungs reluctance, his expression remained calm. He had already dealt with enough difficult clients in the modern world to be unfazed. For the treatment, I will start with an examination and acupressure. Could you please lie down here? The ce Mu-jin pointed to had a bed made of very luxurious fabric. Mu-jin gently applied acupressure to various parts of An Hee-seungs body as hey on the bed and spoke. It seems that the magistrates pelvis and back are the most misaligned. As expected, having spent his youth studying for the civil service exams, he had issues simr to modern office workers. First, I will start with acupressure to relieve the tension in your muscles and alleviate the pain. It might hurt a little at first. If it hurts too much, please let me know. Hmm. Go ahead. Hearing An Hee-seungs curt reply, Mu-jin gently pressed the iliopsoas muscle to release his twisted pelvis. Ugh! You rascal!! An Hee-seungs eyes widened in response to the intense pain, and he sat up abruptly. However, Mu-jin knew that showing fear or embarrassment when confronted with anger could make him appear guilty, even if he had done nothing wrong. So, he remained calm and spoke in aposed tone. This is part of the process to release the muscle. If pressing lightly causes you such pain, it means the muscle is significantly tensed. I assure you on the names of Shaolin and Cheonryu Sangdan. Please trust me. As Mu-jin invoked the names of Shaolin and Cheonryu Sangdan, An Hee-seung frowned but eventuallyy back down. If this treatment causes any issues, I will hold Ryu Ji-gwang, the head of the Sangdan, and Shaolin ountable. His words carried a tone of threat. Of course, Mu-jin was not the type to be intimidated by such threats. He continued the acupressure to appropriately rx the muscles. Initially, An Hee-seung had reacted with exaggerated pain, but as the acupressure session ended, he felt relief in the previously painful area and cleared his throat awkwardly. Ahem. The relief embarrassed him, as he remembered his earlier exaggerated reaction. Afterward, just as he had done with Hyun-gwang, Mu-jin conducted simple manual therapy and close-range spear technique. If we only proceed with this treatment, the muscles will tense up again in the future. So, we will now start light exercises to maintain the corrected musculoskeletal alignment. He then began the Ptes session in earnest. Wow. As I saw yesterday, its quite impressive. Mu-jin couldnt help butugh to himself as he looked at the Ptes equipment. The splendor of the high-end treatment facility was not limited to its exterior. The interior was adorned with luxurious decorations, and even the Ptes equipment was vastly different from those in free facilities. Parts that should have been made of metal were entirely reced with gold, and the screws and simr parts used to adjust angles or lengths were all adorned with jewels. Even the leather covering the equipment was entirely different in appearance and texture from the leather in free facilities. Although he couldnt identify the type of leather, it looked expensive to anyone who saw it. If it were me, I wouldnt be able to exercise without worrying about damaging the leather. As a former fitness center owner, the thought of how much it would cost to repair any damage to the leather came to mind first. Naturally, An Hee-seung, being used to such luxurious equipment, took it for granted. About half a si-jinter, they finished the exercises using the splendid equipment. Beob Gang and Beob-hwi continued with heat therapy and thunder energy therapy, and finally, Mu-jin and the physician provided consultations while enjoying luxurious Longjing tea and refreshments. Acupuncture and herbal decoctions were administered as thest steps. It was an extravagant treatment process thatsted an entire si-jin. Hehehe. As the treatments nearedpletion, even the usually stern-faced An Hee-seung broke into a satisfied smile. The next day. The Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic, where Shaolin disciples were performing free services, began to see a bustling crowd. Those who had initially visited out of curiosity started to spread the word about how refreshed they felt after their treatments, drawing more and more people to the clinic. Grateful for the free treatments, the vigers who had received help the previous day brought gifts in appreciation. Venerable Monk, please have some of this while you work. This is medicinal herbs I picked myself early this morning! Youre treating my mother, and Im sorry this is all I can offer. One elderly woman brought rice balls she had made early in the morning, while a middle-aged man offered herbs he had personally gathered, thanking the monks for treating his mother. Hahaha. We are fine, benefactor. It is our joy to be able to offer help with our humble skills. Amitabha. Amitabha. Despite the continuous refusals from Hye-min to ept the gifts from Deungbong-hyeon vigers, he did so without showing any signs of annoyance. In fact, he felt a sense of fulfillment. Mu-jin was right. Living in the secr world did not make the vigers uneducated or shameless. Although they did not help with the martial arts they had dedicated their lives to, they were helping sentient beings as Buddhists. And the sentient beings were grateful. Hye-min and the second-ss disciples could clearly feel this. However, the happiness was limited to the Shaolin disciples. The guides from Cheonryu Sangdan were having a hard time. Despite therge number of tools brought into the vast estate, only about thirty treatments could be conducted simultaneously. This was only when using rtively small tools like foam rollers or barrels; when using equipment like reformers, amodating even twenty people was difficult. Yet, the number of visitors had exceeded three digits, meaning they had to limit the number of people on a firste, first-served basis. My mother is in more difort than theirs! What kind of rule is this? Weve been waiting here since early morning too! While the vigers were endlessly kind to the Shaolin disciples treating them, those who were turned away due tock of capacity were irate with the guides,ining about the unfairness. It was then that Mu-jin stepped in. Everyone! Treatments are conducted four times a day. Also, our treatments are effective even if you receive them once every three days! Since our treatments arebined with exercises, getting treated too often can strain your body! Mu-jin, who had just turned fourteen, was now about five cheok and eight chi tall (approximately 174 cm). His physique had be sturdy from exercise, but his face still retained a lot of baby fat. In other words, he was unmistakably a novice monk. Seeing a young boy suddenly appear and give them instructions, the vigers attention naturally shifted to Mu-jin. Oh? Isnt that the young monk everyones talking about? Indeed! That young monk must be the Buddha-Handed Novice! Realizing Mu-jins identity from the rumors theyd heard, the crowd started to follow his instructions diligently, eager to receive treatment from him. Starting today, we will record the date and name of everyone who enters! So pleasee back only once every three days! In the meantime, do the Close-Range Spear Technique exercises weve taught you in the morning and evening to help your recovery! Mu-jin took a position next to the guide, personally helping to admit people in the order they arrived and assisting with the record-keeping. Other Shaolin disciples who had been watching from the back joined Mu-jin, helping the patients to enter in an orderly manner and record their names. Keep a record of those entering. Cross-check with the records from the previous days, and if anyonees consecutively, let us know so we can turn them away. Mu-jins words were a godsend to the guides. There was one more person watching Mu-jin with a peculiar expression. He looks about my age She was Ryu Seol-hwa, the youngest daughter of Ryu Ji-gwang, the head of Cheonryu Sangdan. Having visited the clinic briefly on the day Mu-jin descended the mountain, she had taken a break yesterday and returned today. She observed the scene from within the curtains of her pnquin, hiding her appearance. The next day, at the prefectural office of Deungbong-hyeon. An Hee-seung, the county magistrate, was handling his duties while gently pressing his pelvis, which had started aching again. He thought back to the treatment he received two days ago. Huh. As expected, it doesnt healpletely in one or two sessions. In truth, treatments from other clinics were the same; the pain returned after a few days, even with acupuncture and moxibustion. However, the Shaolin third-ss disciple who treated him had mentioned that the exercises were meant to maintain the corrected musculoskeletal alignment by building strength. Aside from that, thevish reception and the unheard-of thunder energy and heat therapies sparked a desire to experience them again. Of all days, I have an appointment with Brother Kang today. What to do Brother Kang, whom An Hee-seung was thinking about, was Kang Jae-wan, a local influential figure in Deungbong-hyeon. Despite being the magistrate, An Hee-seung was merely an official appointed by the emperor, holding the rtively low rank of seventh grade. Maintaining connections with local leaders was crucial. Torn between visiting the clinic and keeping his appointment, he soon had an idea. Ahaha! Ill just bring Brother Kang along! Finding a clear solution, An Hee-seungughed heartily. The treatments were not the only draw; the luxurious facilities and excellent service surpassed those of any guesthouse. Given that the social gatherings with local elites usually left him with a stiff back and twisted pelvis, he decided it would be better tobine the treatment with the meeting. Having made his decision, An Hee-seung headed to the clinic with Kang Jae-wan right after finishing his work. Hmm? He noticed the clinic was far busier than it had been on his first visit. Entering the splendid facility with Kang Jae-wan, they were greeted by Mu-jin. An Hee-seung asked Mu-jin, Young monk, I understand that treatments here are quite expensive. How do all these people afford toe here? Mu-jin briefly exined the free facility, contrasting it with the professional one. He mentioned that the free facility conducted treatments in groups and did not include individual acupressure or manual therapy, but focused on teaching exercises like the Close-Range Spear Technique and rehabilitation exercises (Ptes). This is all thanks to benefactors like yourself, Magistrate. Because of patrons like you visiting our clinic, Shaolin is able to help those in need. Mu-jin concluded with a ttering remark, which made An Hee-seung smile with satisfaction. Ahem. As the magistrate, I should set an example by caring for the people of my county. Starting tomorrow, I will issue an order to send herbs and food to this ce. Distribute them to the people using the free facility. An Hee-seungs decision wasnt out of pure benevolence. While Mu-jins ttery did improve his mood, he was a moderately corrupt and ambitious local official. Since his position required him to demonstrate good governance, it was advantageous for him to show such generosity in a visible manner, especially in front of influential people like Kang Jae-wan. Sensing An Hee-seungs intentions, Mu-jin responded with an appropriately gratifying reply. We will make sure to inform the patients that Magistrate An has provided the herbs and food. An Hee-seung and Kang Jae-wanughed heartily at Mu-jins response. Watching theirughter, Mu-jin thought to himself, Ive just gained a regr. And not just any regr, but a powerful one in the region. Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Originally, the specialized treatment facility aimed to operate on a one-on-one reservation basis, but it could handle up to two patients at a time. As expected of the head of arge trade group, Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang was meticulous in his arrangements. He had prepared spare equipment in advance in case the high-end exercise machines broke down. Thanks to the people dispatched from Cheonryu Sangdan, Mu-jin was able to bring out the spare equipment from the warehouse and simultaneously proceed with the treatment and exercise of An Hee-seung and Kang Jae-wan. Kang Jae-wan, who had been brought by An Hee-seung, also left the clinic with a very satisfied expression after the treatment. More and more people wille to the specialized facility. Mu-jin had a feeling that his business had sessfully flourished today as well. He had not anticipated that An Hee-seung would use the treatment facility for reception purposes. It might be better to prepare two sets of equipment and inform Sangdanju to prepare spare tools so that the facility can be used for reception as well.If the facility could be used for both treatment and reception, the ie would increase, which Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang would certainly be pleased about. A few dayster. As Mu-jin had anticipated, Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang dly produced additional splendid equipment for the specialized facility. In the meantime, the peculiar nickname Buddha-Handed Novice became more widely known in Deungbong-hyeon, and the number of patients visiting Mu-jin increased. Buddha-Handed Novice! Grandmother! You can just call me Mu-jin! Buddha-Handed Novice is too much. Oh my, if you heal our bodies, you are a doctor. How can we address you so informally? Even a brief appearance outside the facility by Mu-jin caused quite amotion, making him feel like a modern-day idol. No perhaps more like a trot singer? Upon reflection, the fan demographic was considerably older. As if reading Mu-jins thoughts, an elderly man next to him spoke up. Oh my, our young monk is kind-hearted, tall, and handsome. I wish he could meet my granddaughter. You old fool! What are you saying to the monk? Dont pay attention to him, young monk. Another elderly man who scolded the first man then added with a benevolent smile, In exchange, I will introduce my granddaughter. The old mans words made all the middle-aged and elderly people in line burst intoughter. I wish they really would. Mu-jin only thought such things to himself. If it werent for the senior brothers watching him from behind, he would have immediately asked for the introduction. Once I finish my work with Cheonryu Sangdan and gain enough skills, I will escape right away. The closer Mu-jin got to secr life, the stronger his desire to escape from Shaolin became. Perhaps this was why Shaolin didnt send out its top three disciples into the world. In the end, Mu-jin, sensing the gazes of the senior brothers, pretended to be innocent and yed along with the jokes. Hahaha. It would be wonderful if they coulde. Learning rehabilitation exercises or Close-Range Spear Technique from a young age helps maintain a healthy body even in old age! However, even as he said this, Mu-jin knew that he was having less and less time to take care of those elderly people. Since An Hee-seung had brought Kang Jae-wan and received excellent hospitality, the number of people seeking the high-end treatment facility had increased. As a result, Mu-jin had less time to care for the elderly at the free facility. Mu-jin, can you also teach us acupressure techniques and manual therapy? Naturally, Hye-min and the second-ss disciples had no choice but to request this from Mu-jin. While Mu-jin was caring for patients at the high-end facility, he could clearly feel that the elderly at the free facility were all looking for him, even if they didnt say it outright. The Shaolin disciples hade to relieve the suffering of the masses, and having tasted the gratitude of those they treated, they wanted to learn proper treatment methods. In truth, the period the second-ss disciples had spent learning Ptes or Close-Range Spear Technique from Mu-jin was only about a month, so they had only mastered the most basic movements. They had no time to learn acupressure or manual therapy. Moreover, since the clinic had just opened, they could manage with basic movements for now, but eventually, they would need to learn moreplex and varied techniques. Yes. Additionally, I will also teach you some more ways to use the rehabilitation equipment. Ultimately, Mu-jin agreed to teach the second-ss disciples during lunch breaks, early mornings, or evenings when both the free and high-end facilities were closed. In addition to this, there was one more thing that was bothering Mu-jin. They came back after a long time? Ryu Seol-hwa and Hong So-hee, whom he had been too busy to notice while setting up the clinic, hade to the clinic once again. For some unknown reason, Ryu Seol-hwa was ncing around the treatment facility and asionally looking at Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples. Watching Ryu Seol-hwas behavior, a certain question naturally arose in Mu-jins mind. Shes so different from the character in the novel? In the second part of the novel Legend of the Evil Emperor, the future Cheonryu Sangdan was depicted as a corrupt organization. The two main secret businesses of the corrupt Cheonryu Sangdan were drug trafficking and human trafficking. Among them, Gold Demonic Flower Ryu Seol-hwa was heavily involved in the human trafficking operations. But that shy-looking adolescent girl was supposed to be that vicious woman in the future? Well, even Mu-gyeong became a Blood Sessor, so its not impossible. Having already encountered a simr case, his preconceptions seemed to diminish a bit. Hmm. If shes like Mu-gyeong, does she have hidden madness beneath her shy exterior? Or is her personality twisted due to her appearance? In the novel, Ryu Seol-hwa was described as enormously obese. Her body was so massive that she couldnt move by herself, with folds of fat on her arms and legs, not just her abdomen. The ornate rings on all eight fingers, excluding her thumbs, were buried so deep in fat that they couldnt be removed. Perhaps because of her inferiorityplex about her appearance, she was involved in the human trafficking business, directing her subordinates to kidnap, imprison, and sell slender and beautiful women to the red-light district. She was also a sadistic murderer who enjoyed torturing and killing one of the women from time to time. Hong So-hee, who stood over there, used to torture and kill the women in front of Ryu Seol-hwa because she couldnt move due to her extreme obesity. But shes not that bad right now. Though still obese, she wasnt so fat that she couldnt walk or hadyers of fat on her limbs. Hmm. On closer inspection, she seems worth scratching off the ticket? Mu-jin, who had observed her twice, on the first day and today, had his professional instincts as a former trainer kick in. In his ten years as a trainer, he had helped over a hundred members, both men and women, lose weight. People often referred to obese individuals as unscratched lottery tickets, and thanks to his experience, Mu-jin had the ability to estimate their potential even before scratching. She has pretty big eyes. Her buried nose, sagging cheeks, and skin clogged with fat from not taking care of herself are the problems. Her nose looks buried because of the fat, but it might be quite prominent if she loses weight. The overall facial contour, including the jawline, could only be assessed after losing weight, but Mu-jin had a hunch that her features could make her quite beautiful if she slimmed down. Tsk. Her appearance isnt important right now. She was certainly a future viin, but for now, he couldnt tell if she was involved with the dark schemes. Its suspicious based on the circumstances, but While Mu-jin was pondering, a small voice escaped from Ryu Seol-hwas mouth. So, So-hee, I think we should leave now. Yes, miss. Answering Ryu Seol-hwa, Hong So-hee stepped forward and bid farewell to Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples. We will take our leave now. On behalf of the Cheonryu Sangdan, I would like to thank you for providing the treatment. Ryu Seol-hwa didnt seem to mention anything like that. As Mu-jin made a bewildered face, having fully absorbed the Lesser Restoration Pill and with his senses heightened, Hong So-hee and Ryu Seol-hwa left the clinic. * * * That evening, Mu-jin sat alone, deep in thought. Why were Ryu Seol-hwa and Hong So-hee asionally visiting the clinic? As the daughter of the trade groups head, she could be visiting out of curiosity. However, Mu-jin knew what they would be in the future. Moreover, this clinic was a joint venture between Shaolin and Cheonryu Sangdan. Although Shaolins primary goal was to help the masses, from an outsiders perspective, it could appear that Shaolin and Cheonryu Sangdan had teamed up. If Mu-jin were part of the shadowy conspiracy, he would certainly want to investigate such a clinic. In this situation, a future viin had suddenly appeared at the clinic that hadnt even officially opened yet. It was only natural to feel that they were there to gather information. Hmm. Should I poke around a bit? How could he probe without causing trouble, even if they werent part of the conspiracy? He pondered for a moment. Ah! An idea came to Mu-jin, and he immediately grabbed a brush, paper, and ink. After grinding the ink, Mu-jin dipped the brush and began writing on the letter. Hiss. This doesnt seem right. Reading the words he had written with the brush, Mu-jin felt something was off and crumpled the paper, throwing it away. He took out a new sheet of paper and started writing again. Recalling the contents he had read back in high school when he was deeply engrossed in the second part of the novel Legend of the Evil Emperor. Even though it had been twenty years, Mu-jin kept drawing out those memories and continued scribbling on the paper. How much paper did he crumple and throw away as he wrote? Finally, lifting thest letter he had written, Mu-jin began examining each character meticulously, as if reviewing an exam paper. Good. Nodding, Mu-jin felt satisfied with the final result. A few dayster. Hong So-hee and Ryu Seol-hwa visited the clinic once again. Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples greeted them briefly and stepped outside the clinic. Although it was break time for treatments, patients were still lining up at the clinic entrance even during these hours. After observing for a moment, Hong So-hee and Ryu Seol-hwa whispered something to each other and followed the Shaolin disciples. Grandmother, did youe today as well? Today isnt even a treatment day, is it? Oh, Buddha-Handed Novice! Dont worry. I didnt register! I just hoped I might see our Buddha-Handed Novice today. Mu-jin skillfully conversed with the elderly men and women and provided acupressure to some who seemed to be in difort. Due to Mu-jins asional help during the clinics break times, the nickname Buddha-Handed Novice became more and more well-known. Of course, Mu-jin didnt do this to enhance his reputation. He simply couldnt leave the elderly, lined up in pain at the entrance, unattended. Ryu Seol-hwa, watching the scene from a distance out of shyness, had a somewhat dazed look in her eyes. At that moment, Mu-jin, while treating the elderly, suddenly called out to Hong So-hee. Hong So-hee, benefactor! We are short on hands. Could you please lend a hand? With a conflicted expression, Hong So-hee bowed her head towards Ryu Seol-hwa, saying, Ill be right back, miss, and moved towards Mu-jin. While Hong So-hee assisted Mu-jin by supporting the elderly, a boy approached Ryu Seol-hwa. Sister! The boy was the grandson of one of the grandmothers who was currently praising Mu-jin as the Buddha-Handed Novice. Both of his parents worked from morning tillte afternoon, so he often spent time here with his grandmother. As Ryu Seol-hwa looked at him with a puzzled expression, the boy took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to her. Naturally, Ryu Seol-hwa couldnt understand the situation. Feeling curious, she took the letter from him. After reading a few lines of the letter, her face turned bright red like a ripe persimmon. (Walking along the road, I saw a small flower.) (Seeing the blooming flower, I realize spring has arrived.) (The spring breeze warmly stirs my hearts forest.) The letter in her hand contained words that, to anyone, would seem like a love letter. Chapter 52: Chapter 52: D-d-do you know who gave you this letter? When Ryu Seol-hwa asked with a flushed face, the child shook his head with a bright smile. I couldnt see because they had their face covered! You-you-you dont know who it was? Hehe. Yes! Ryu Seol-hwa sighed in disappointment at the childs answer and added one more question. Did you happen to read what was written in the letter? I dont know how to read. At the childs innocent response, Ryu Seol-hwa showed a regretful expression, and the child added one more thing.Oh! The person who gave me the letter said that sister should read it alone. Yes, that would be proper. Replying thus, Ryu Seol-hwa hurriedly folded the letter and tucked it into her sleeve. It was too embarrassing to show such a love letter to anyone else. A momentter, Hong So-hee, who had gone out to help Mu-jin, returned to her side. So-So-So-hee, do you think its okay to head back now? Struggling to speak with a reddened face, Ryu Seol-hwa was met with a brief stern look from Hong So-hee. Yes, lets do that. Only after a few seconds had passed did Hong So-hees words of permissione out. That evening. Back at her pavilion in the Cheonryu Sangdan, Ryu Seol-hwa looked at Hong So-hee with slightly nervous eyes. Despite being in a mistress and maid rtionship. S-sorry, Hong So. Im fine. When Ryu Seol-hwa apologized in a mncholic tone, Hong So-hee responded in a monotone voice. After epting Ryu Seol-hwas apology with indifference, Hong So-hee added more. But continually putting off your tasks is not good for you. But this was something you suggested, Hong So Mydy. The maid Hong So-hee cut her off abruptly. I merely suggested an idea. I said that if you actively helped with the new business that the Sangdanju Lord started, he would surely be pleased. But the decision is entirely yours, mydy. Uh, okay. As Ryu Seol-hwa nodded with a disheartened face, Hong So-hee added with a gentle smile. This practice must begin between you and me. If the Sangdanju Lord asks whose idea it was, and you mistakenly say it was mine, the Lord will be disappointed. Those in high positions should take credit even for the suggestions of their subordinates. Hong So-hees words seemed reasonable, and Ryu Seol-hwa nodded slightly. Although things had changed a bit recently, her father, Ryu Ji-gwang, was a Sangdanju obsessed with work and a cold man who believed in the supremacy of ability. As Hong So-hee said, if she acted ording to her maids words and seeded, her father would indeed be disappointed. While she was organizing her thoughts, Hong So-hee spoke again. Next time, you must endure a little longer. You are the youngdy of the Cheonryu Sangdan, one of the five great merchant groups in the world. You dont need to be mindful of anyone. Not even the Shaolin. But Ryu Seol-hwa tried to say something, but upon seeing Hong So-hees stern expression, she lowered her head. After watching her for a moment, Hong So-hee approached and gently stroked her head. This is necessary for you to gain the recognition of the Sangdanju Lord. Please hold on a little longer. Okay. Ryu Seol-hwa responded resolutely to Hong So-hees advice in her own way. Ryu Seol-hwa was terrified of Hong So-hee leaving her, just like those who had been with her before. Y-yeah. I need to do well! I cant lose Hong So like the previous maids and nannies. Her mother had died giving birth to her, and her father was a Sangdanju obsessed with work. It was her nanny, who had raised her since childhood, who took care of Ryu Seol-hwa, who had been neglected without the touch of her mother or father. But on the day Ryu Seol-hwa turned five, Ryu Ji-gwang reced her nanny. He had heard rumors among the household staff that Ryu Seol-hwa was too dependent on her nanny. Since then, her nannies and maids were regrly reced every three or four years. After witnessing several people she depended on being driven away by her father, Ryu Seol-hwa locked her heart away. However, Hong So-hee had sessfully broken down her barriers with active effort. The problem was, Hong So-hee had already been in charge of her for about a year and a half. Within the next year and a half, or at most three years, she was destined to be reced. Thats why Ryu Seol-hwa followed Hong So-hees words and tried to gain her fathers approval. If she gained his approval, then Hong So-hee wouldnt be driven away. While briefly enjoying the touch of Hong So-hee, her father, mother, and teacher, a thought suddenly struck Ryu Seol-hwa. She asked in a hesitant voice. H-Hong So, what do you think if a man who likes me appears? Thinking of the letter she had received earlier, she asked with a flushed face. But Hong So-hees face remained cold. Surely, he would be approaching you for your wealth and status. R-right? As Ryu Seol-hwa lowered her head in disappointment at her stern words, Hong So-hee added. But thats not necessarily a bad thing. R-really? Men are simple creatures who fall in love with a womans face and body. So, if he approaches you, it means he isnt concerned with those things. It was a tant remark. It implied no man would approach her based on her looks. In other words, he would be a calcting man rather than a foolish wolf who only looks at appearances. And, for someone who must lead the Sangdan, such a man might be more suitable. As Ryu Seol-hwa lowered her head at the blunt statement, Hong So-hee added another remark. But not all men are like that. Mydy, there will be men who will approach you for your inner self. For my inner self? Yes. However, unlike appearances or wealth, to see your inner self requires spending a long time together. Like me. Ah So, mydy, you must develop the ability to discern whether a man approaches you for your abilities or for your inner self, like I do. With that, Hong So-hee hugged Ryu Seol-hwa affectionately. * * * Hong So-hee, who hadforted Ryu Seol-hwa, stepped out of the pavilion shortly after. Inwardly, she mocked the foolish Ryu Seol-hwa. Hmph. Does she really think a man would truly love her? Of course, it was also her doing that had led to Ryu Seol-hwa gaining so much weight. Growing up as the daughter of the Cheonryu Sangdan, receiving both expectations and criticism from all around, she had been fed sweet treats consistently over the past year and a half. Raised as a rich girl, shes really easy to manipte. Hong So-hee was originally nothing more than a low-ranking spy. From what she could remember, since about the age of four or five, she had been trained as a spy in an unknown location. It might seem like aplex and difficult education for children, but the reality was far more brutal. Children who couldnt keep up with the training were severely punished, and those who still couldnt catch up after being punished lost their lives. Those who had to witness their peers being killed or abused regrly were stripped of their childhood. Hong So-hee also grew up as a spy in such an environment, and around the age of ten, she was given her first mission. She was to infiltrate the Cheonryu Sangdan disguised as a maid and gather minor information. It was a trivial mission suited for a low-ranking spy. Conversely, this meant that the security of the Cheonryu Sangdan was extremely tight. Unless one had served the Sangdan for over a decade, it was impossible to obtain crucial information. Thus, for about ten years, Hong So-hee performed menial tasks while serving as a maid. Whether it was luck or the heavens favoring her, she was surprisingly assigned to assist Ryu Seol-hwa. Hong So-hee saw this as an opportunity. She decided to use Ryu Seol-hwa. Therefore, she did her best to win Ryu Seol-hwas heart. After over a year of effort, she established herself as Ryu Seol-hwas close aide. In fact, she had reached a point where she could manipte Ryu Seol-hwa with just a word. And recently, another opportunity had presented itself to her. The business between Shaolin and Cheonryu Sangdan. If I can extract as much information as possible about that clinic, my position will surely rise. Shaolin, which had always maintained a high and mighty stance on the mountain, had suddenly partnered with the Cheonryu Sangdan. Although no information was provided to a low-ranking spy like her, she could instinctively tell. This matter would certainly interfere with the grand scheme of the organization she belonged to. As she pondered these thoughts, she found herself arriving at her destination. When she entered the pavilion, an old man addressed her in a stern tone. Yourete today. There was some work. Hong So-hee handed over a letter written in their code. Is this about that ce? Yes. After briefly answering, Hong So-hee bowed her head and tried to leave the pavilion. Staying too long at such ate hour could arouse unnecessary suspicion. However, as she was about to leave, the old man spoke to her. Arent you being too greedytely? Im only doing it for the sake of the grand scheme. They exchanged a brief, intense gaze. Go on, then. At the old mans words, Hong So-hee bowed her head and left the room. But as she bowed her head, she suppressed her anger inwardly. Hmph. The old man must be afraid of losing his position. Hong So-hee thought the old man was jealous of her. He was issuing a warning over the simple task of deceiving a foolish monk from the mountain and the naive Ryu Seol-hwa. Meanwhile, at that time. In an abandoned house on the outskirts of Deungbong-hyeon. Hm. There, Mu-jin hid,pletely covered in ck attire, concealing his body and face. So, its not Ryu Seol-hwa. She hadnt reacted to the bait he had thrown. That meant she likely hadnt yet made contact with the mastermind. Then, is it Hong So-hees turn? Muttering to himself, Mu-jin began to write another letter. A few dayster. Ryu Seol-hwa and Hong So-hee visited the clinic again. For some reason, despite sweating profusely, Ryu Seol-hwa stayed at the clinic for quite a long time, longer than the previous visit. Shall we go out together this time? Due to ovepping treatment times, Mu-jin, who had not been able to have a proper conversation with them, headed to the clinic entrance after finishing his treatment. At the clinic entrance, as usual, the elderly folks warmly weed Mu-jin, calling him the Buddha-Handed Novice. Mu-jin approached them, gave some massages, and taught them a few simple exercises. He subtly called Ryu Seol-hwa over as well. Would you like to join us today, Seol-hwa benefactor? Ryu Seol-hwa hesitated for a moment and looked to the side. When Hong So-hee nodded, she approached Mu-jin. As Hong So-hee watched the two with a sharp gaze. Pretty sister~! A different child thanst time, one who frequented the clinic daily with his grandfather, approached her. The child tactfully used his body to block the view of others as he handed Hong So-hee a letter. Hong So-hee coolly epted the letter. She read the contents of the letter for a moment. !! She quickly hid the letter in her sleeve, struggling to conceal her surprised expression. Chapter 53: Chapter 53: That evening. Hong So-hee soothed andforted Ryu Seol-hwa before cautiously sneaking out of the Cheonryu Sangdan. Fortunately, it was still a time when many people wereing and going at the Cheonryu Sangdan. As long as she didnt do anything conspicuous, there wouldnt be any problems with leaving anding back to the sangdan. I cant believe the opportunity came sooner than expected. She had to work hard to suppress the ecstatic expression threatening to break out on her face. Whenever she recalled the contents of the letter she received from the beggar boy during the day, the corners of her mouth involuntarily twitched upwards. The letters contents were unmistakably a love letter. But for some reason, she was heading to a ce not mentioned in the love letter. Its my chance to put that old man under my feet!The letter, disguised as a love letter, was actually written in the code system used by the organization she belonged to. And after deciphering the code, it revealed that the sender wanted to contact her directly about matters concerning the Shaolin and the Cheonryu Sangdan. By using that code to summon her separately, it implied that the sender held a higher rank than the old man who was her current superior. Suppressing the excitement swelling in her chest, she arrived at an abandoned house on the outskirts of Deungbong-hyeon. And as if waiting for her, a man dressed in ck, with his face covered, stood up calmly as she approached the house. The man with the covered face was none other than Mu-jin. As expected. This confirmed that Hong So-hee was indeed a pawn connected to the mastermind. Mu-jin had experience reading the code system used by the masterminds spies from his past, through the novel Legend of the Evil Emperor. Although it was a memory from twenty years ago, the code system had stayed in his mind from his school days when he had deciphered it and yed various pranks. To recall that old memory after a long time, and topose the letter disguised as a love letter, he had written and discarded dozens of letters. It was a gamble, but I didnt expect her to take the bait so easily. Even if the target didnt fall for it, the love letter disguise would prevent any repercussions. Sending a love letter to a woman was nothing unusual. To avoid trouble in Shaolin for writing a love letter as a novice monk and to avoid Hong So-hees suspicion, he had discreetly bribed the grandsons of his clinics regr elderly patients with sweets to deliver the letter. As he approached the bait who had fallen for his trap, Mu-jin spoke in a forced, deep voice. What have you done with Ryu Seol-hwa? In response to the man in cks question, Hong So-hee answered in a calm tone. She is resting at the sangdans quarters. To avoid suspicion from the sangdan, I should return early. Please instruct me on what I need to do next. Continue as you have been. Stay by Ryu Seol-hwas side and uncover information about the Cheonryu Sangdan and Shaolin. With that, Mu-jin extended his hand towards Hong So-hee. Mu-jin was only fourteen years old, but his palms, hardened from the past two and a half years of weight training, resembled those of a seasoned martial artist. Hong So-hee took a letter out of her sleeve. It was a sort of report she had written, summarizing what she had seen and heard while following Ryu Seol-hwa and Mu-jin that day. However, instead of handing over the letter immediately, she spoke, testing her opponent. Its not easy for me toe out like this every time, being tied up with Ryu Seol-hwa. Tell me how we will meet in the future. I will enter the Cheonryu Sangdan soon. At that time, we will contact each other inside the sangdan. I will send you a message. In response to Mu-jins reply, Hong So-hee handed him the letter she was holding. As soon as Mu-jin grabbed the letter she offered, he suddenly extended his left hand to attack her. What the!? It was only then that Hong So-hee realized something was wrong and urgently swung both her hands. Thinking that they were trying to dispose of her because she had outlived her usefulness, she used the martial arts she had learned during her spy training to survive. ng! A noise like shing iron resounded as Mu-jins left palm collided with Hong So-hees hands. At that moment, a question shed through Hong So-hees mind. For someone who came to eliminate her, their martial arts werent that strong. However, survival took precedence over resolving that doubt. She lifted his left palm with both hands, then plunged forward, aiming her right-hand nails at his chest. Thud! But to her surprise. Her right hand tore through the mans ck clothes, and her nails touched his bare skin, but they failed to pierce his chest. !? Before she could fully grasp the situation. The man in cks knee rose and struck Hong So-hees abdomen precisely as she lunged forward. Urgh In the intense pain that felt like her internal organs were being battered, she couldnt even let out a proper groan. While she was bent over, the man in ck swung his left hand at the back of her neck. As her consciousness faded from the blow to her nape, thest thing she saw was. Orange? Peeking through the torn ck clothes by her nails, she glimpsed an orange robe. Thud. Right after Hong So-hee copsed to the ground. Mu-jin confirmed she was truly unconscious, then took off his ck clothes. Tsk. That really hurt. His chest, struck by her left hand, had not only torn the ck clothes but also the robe beneath. Not to mention, his skin was slightly torn as well. If he hadnt mastered Iron Skin, he would have been seriously injured. It was because she wasnt a master skilled enough to emit Qi through her hands that he survived. Of course, his bold decision was made knowing she wasnt at that level. In Legend of the Evil Emperor, Hong So-hee only used Ryu Seol-hwas influence to her advantage. She had learned martial arts, but she hadnt reached the level of being called a master. Therefore, Mu-jin had anticipated that she might have learned martial arts after aligning herself with the mastermind. And once he was certain she was connected to the mastermind, he calcted that she would have learned martial arts and acted ordingly. Thanks to that bold decision, he could finish things quickly before she could cause any unnecessarymotion, escape, ormit suicide. In addition, there was one more reason he had deliberately taken a hit. I need to wrap this up before she wakes up. Mu-jin began cleaning up the scene. He opened her mouth to check inside. This was to prevent her from biting a poison pill tomit suicide, amon urrence in martial arts stories. After thoroughly binding the unconscious Hong So-hee, he burned the ck clothes he had been wearing at a location a little distance away from the abandoned house. Havingpleted the cleanup to some extent, Mu-jin shouldered the still-unconscious and bound Hong So-hee and confidently headed somewhere. * * * Early evening. The streets of Deungbong-hyeon. As always, the people busily went about their lives, but now they found themselves face-to-face with Mu-jin, who had be a well-known figure in Deungbong-hyeon. Lord Buddha-Hand Novice, where are you going at this hour? And who is that woman on your shoulder? Naturally, they also noticed the woman slung over his shoulder. Its nothing to worry about. Ha ha ha. I have some business with the Cheonryu Sangdan. Mu-jin responded casually to the vigers of Deungbong-hyeon and then approached the gates of the Cheonryu Sangdan. The gatekeepers of the Cheonryu Sangdan, seeing him approach, wore simrly bewildered expressions. Novice Mu-jin, that woman looks suspiciously like Lady Ryu Seol-hwas maidservant. Yes, she is indeed Lady Seol-hwas maidservant. Please inform the Sangdanju that I have brought back a spy who was leaking information about the Cheonryu Sangdan and the Shaolin. !? With those words, the Cheonryu Sangdan was thrown into chaos. One of the gatekeepers hurriedly ran inside to ry Mu-jins message, and it wasnt long before Chief Officer Yang came rushing out to escort Mu-jin inside. When Mu-jin arrived, he was greeted by a gathering of the Cheonryu Sangdans key figures, led by Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang. Novice Mu-jin. Yes, Sangdanju. This woman has served our Sangdan for over ten years as Lady Seol-hwas maidservant. Can you prove your im that she is a spy? Unlike his usual amiable demeanor towards Mu-jin, Ryu Ji-gwangs tone was stern. Setting aside that she was his daughters maidservant, she had worked at the Cheonryu Sangdan for over ten years. The im that she was a spy was not something to be taken lightly. The expressions of the key figures standing behind Ryu Ji-gwang varied. They watched silently, unable to intervene. Some seemed to believe that a third-ss disciple of Shaolin was causing trouble within their Sangdan. Before Mu-jin could respond to Ryu Ji-gwangs question, amotion was heard from behind, and someone approached Ryu Ji-gwang, whispering something in his ear. Let them in. At Ryu Ji-gwangsmand, a group of Shaolin disciples appeared behind Mu-jin. Mu-jin, what is going on here?! Why are you here with Lady Seol-hwas maidservant on your shoulder?! The news of Mu-jin boldly carrying the woman through Deungbong-hyeon to the Cheonryu Sangdan had also reached the Shaolin disciples at the clinic. Realizing that the stage was fully set, Mu-jin began to speak calmly. Just a while ago, after finishing my duties at the clinic, I was walking through the streets of Deungbong-hyeon. It was then that I happened to see this woman, Lady Seol-hwas maidservant, walking alone. It struck me as odd. Why was Lady Seol-hwas maidservant moving about on her own, without Lady Seol-hwa? Are you iming she is a spy based solely on that? Ryu Ji-gwang asked incredulously, and Mu-jin shook his head as he continued his exnation. So, I followed her in secret. She entered an abandoned house on the outskirts of the vige and met with a man who was dressed in ck, hiding his face and body. They were discussing matters rted to the business conducted jointly by the Shaolin and Cheonryu Sangdan. !!! As soon as Mu-jin finished his exnation, various reactions erupted from both the Cheonryu Sangdan and the Shaolin disciples. How are we supposed to believe that?! Sangdanju! That Mu-jin must be up to some trickery! Naturally, most of the reactions from the Sangdan were highly negative. Are you doubting a disciple of the Shaolin right now? On the other hand, the Shaolin disciples, though uncertain, sided with Mu-jin. At that moment, Ryu Ji-gwang, the head of the Cheonryu Sangdan, spoke up. Everyone, be quiet! Indeed, the owner of one of the Five Great Merchant Groups was different. Despite theck of any internal energy in his voice, he instantly silenced the crowd. Novice Mu-jin, your testimony alone is not enough to prove that this maidservant is a spy. Calming everyone down, he spoke as if exercising hisst bit of patience. Are you saying you need evidence? Yes. At Ryu Ji-gwangs words, Mu-jin smiled inwardly. In this world of martial arts fiction, there were no cameras, no CCTV, no recording devices. There was not even fingerprintparison technology, nor could DNA be analyzed from bloodstains. In a world where scientific investigation was impossible, how could one gather direct evidence? Therefore, the only evidence avable in this world were circumstantial evidence and testimonies from those around. After some contemtion, Mu-jin realized that there was indeed one piece of evidence unique to this world. Mu-jin pointed to the wound on his chest and began to speak. This wound is the evidence. How could this maidservant possess such vicious martial arts skills? The most representative piece of evidence in the world of martial arts fiction was, of course, traces of martial arts. If I hadnt mastered Iron Skin, I would have been pierced through the chest and killed. Saying this, Mu-jin ced the unconscious Hong So-hee on the ground and revealed her nails. Indeed, there were slight traces of flesh and blood on her nails. By examining the wounds and traces, those who practiced martial arts could determine the type of martial arts she had used. It was an assassination technique typically practiced by professional killers. Naturally, it was not a martial art that a merchant groups maidservant would learn. And there are also marks on my arm from shing with her hand technique. If you wish, you canpare it with her hands. Mu-jin extended his left hand, which had shed with her double palms. If this isnt enough, my final piece of evidence is this letter. It is the letter that this maidservant was about to hand over to the man in ck at the scene. Compare her handwriting with it. Finally, one of the mostmonly used pieces of evidence in martial arts fiction was handwriting. Naturally, Mu-jins words began to gain credibility. Chief Officer Geum. Yes, Sangdanju. Compare the handwriting with the documents written by this maidservant. I will carry out your order. As soon as Ryu Ji-gwang gave themand, an old man called Chief Officer Geum hurriedly moved. Before long, servants and maidservants brought several letters, and Chief Officer Geum beganparing the letters with the one Mu-jin had handed over, written by Hong So-hee. Due to the repeatedmotion, Hong So-hee, who had been unconscious, finally woke up with a groan of pain. Naturally, upon waking up and seeing the crowd surrounding her, she was bewildered. Struggling to regain herposure, Ryu Ji-gwang immediately questioned her. Why were you out alone at this hour, despite being Lady Seol-hwas maidservant? !? Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Tail-Chasing (4) Upon hearing Ryu Ji-gwangs question, she realized something was wrong and began looking around. She saw the wound on the chest of the novice monk Mu-jin standing next to her and grasped the general situation. This, this is a trap, Sangdanju-nim! That novice monk Mu-jin summoned me and suddenly attacked me! At her cry, the eyes of everyone turned back to Mu-jin. Why would I summon Yeosiju-nim there? How would I know that!! From Hong So-hees perspective, it was truly iprehensible. Above all, how on earth did that novice monk Mu-jin know the code system they used?And more than that, Sangdanju-nim, how did Yeosiju-nim learn such a vicious martial art? Did you know that Yeosiju-nim was practicing martial arts? Ignoring her, Mu-jin asked Ryu Ji-gwang, who raised his eyebrows. Ryu Ji-gwang couldnt recall receiving a report on such a fact. At that moment, Chief Officer Geum, who wasparing the letters, opened his mouth. Sangdanju-nim. Afterparing the handwriting, it is certain that this letter was written by that servant. How dare she try to leak Sangdans information! We must lock her up immediately and make her confess everyone involved! As soon as Chief Officer Geum finished speaking, cries supporting Mu-jins opinion erupted from all sides. However, Chief Officer Geum ignored them and added one more thing. But the contents of the letter are strange, Sangdanju-nim. The letter she wrote doesnt contain any information about our Sangdan or Shaolin. It only contains mundane, everyday greetings. !? At Chief Officer Geums question, some people once again cast suspicious nces at Mu-jin. But in response to such reactions, Mu-jin snorted. What spy would write down information as it is? Of course, it would be written in code, wouldnt it? Mu-jin didnt bother to mention the code-breaking methods. Doing so would be a suspicious act and could provoke the hidden forces. And more than that, why on earth would Seol-hwa Sijus servant leave the Sangdan alone at that time to deliver such a mundane letter? Instead, Mu-jin presented the circumstantial evidence once again. Indeed, with that reasonable logic, everyone stopped suspecting Mu-jin. And finally, Ryu Ji-gwang, who had been silent, seemed to have made a decision and spoke calmly. Novice monk Mu-jin. Yes, Sangdanju-nim. I understand that this might be an impertinent request, but could you hand over the woman you have captured to our Sangdan? Since this matter concerns our Sangdan, we would like to handle it ourselves. Although it was expressed indirectly, it was clear they intended to torture her to expose the spies. And this was exactly what Mu-jin desired. Mu-jins purpose in capturing Hong So-hee and bringing her to Cheonryu Sangdan to create thismotion was precisely that. For Mu-jin to personally torture her for information would have been a terrible move. Mu-jin couldnt afford the time to invest in torture, as he couldnt be away from the clinic for long periods. Moreover, the Master Uncles or their disciples would never allow her to be tortured. On top of that, if it were discovered that he had kidnapped, imprisoned, and threatened her without notifying Cheonryu Sangdan, it would cause multiple problems. I wonder how they will handle this. Additionally, Mu-jin wanted to confirm Cheonryu Sangdans reaction onest time. Depending on how they handled her, he could gauge the extent of the rtionship between Cheonryu Sangdan and the hidden forces. It could also reveal if Ryu Ji-gwang was connected to the hidden forces. Therefore, Mu-jin readily handed her over to Cheonryu Sangdan. I apologize for presumptuously interfering in Cheonryu Sangdans affairs. When Mu-jin raised his palm in a gesture of respect and spoke, Ryu Ji-gwang reciprocated with a bow. Confine that servant immediately! Immediately following Ryu Ji-gwangs order, the martial artists of Cheonryu Sangdan began dragging away the bound Hong So-hee. This is unjust!! That novice monk set me up!! Hong So-hees desperate screams echoed through the courtyard as she was dragged away. Right after Hong So-hee was taken away, Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples also paid their respects to Ryu Ji-gwang and left Cheonryu Sangdan. Interfering further in Cheonryu Sangdans affairs would be impolite. Hoo. Finally, one task is done. Of course, there was still the issue of how many more hidden forces they could capture through the captured Hong So-hee. That will be decided after seeing how the Sangdanju handles it. Mu-jin had already devised several ns in advance. He would proceed with the most suitable n based on the actions of Cheonryu Sangdan and Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang. For now, Mu-jin decided to observe Cheonryu Sangdans actions. Feeling relieved that one task was finally done, Mu-jin swung his arms to rx his tense body. Mu-jin, you scoundrel! A harsh roar erupted from behind. When Mu-jin flinched and turned around, he saw Hye-min, the chief supervisor, and all the second-ss disciples of Shaolin ring at him with furious eyes. Oops. Though he set out to deal with the hidden forces, it was clearly crossing a line for a third-ss disciple to have a confrontation with the Sangdanju of Cheonryu Sangdan. I apologize. I felt the matter was urgent, so I took the initiative to handle it myself. When Mu-jin bowed and apologized, Hye-min let out a deep sigh. Unable to hold back, Beob Gang stepped forward and rebuked Mu-jin. We are not reprimanding you for that! ? Why did you act alone when Yeosiju showed suspicious behavior without informing us? The truth was, it was because he was the one who had contact with the person in ck. But he couldnt say that. Moreover, he couldnt exin about the coded letter or why he suspected Hong So-hee, as these were details he knew from reading the novel. So, he had no choice but to act alone. This time, you were lucky and survived, but the martial world is full of entric and dangerous people. What if that woman or the person in ck were superior to you, Mu-jin? What were you thinking? Mu-jin hadnt expected to be scolded so harshly for this. Having lost his grandparents and been forcibly discharged from the army, making decisions on his own seemed only natural to him. But why was this happening now? I apologize. I will make sure to seek help next time. Despite being reprimanded, a faint smile appeared on Mu-jins face. Perhaps it was because Beob Gangs expression was so amusing. The man, with his soldier-like demeanor, was trying to hide his worry behind a stern face. Meanwhile, at that time. In the inner quarters of Cheonryu Sangdan, Hong So-hee was being tortured. Mmmph!!! Her mouth was gagged to prevent suicide. Ironically, because of the gag, she couldnt say anything at all. But the torturer seemed uninterested in that fact, pulling out her fingernails and toenails one by one, and then driving nails into the raw flesh. In the midst of the relentless torture, as if they werent expecting any confession. Strangely enough, she began to recall memories from her childhood. The earliest memories she had. From around the age of four or five, when she started her training to be a spy. In the continuous agony, the lessons she thought she had perfectly mastered began to resurface one by one. C If your identity is about to be exposed,mit suicide without dy. This was the first principle learned as a spy. Why had she forgotten this principle and foolishly allowed herself to be captured by the enemy? C Be loyal only to the given information and orders. This was the second principle learned as a spy. Why had she, a mere fabricated spy, tried to aim higher? If only I had been content with taming that foolish Ryu Seol-hwa! If only I hadnt approached the Shaolins operations! Had her overreach led to this oue? No! The monks of Shaolin were idiots! No one suspected me!! If it werent for that damned novice monk!! If it werent for him!!! Indeed, the problem was that damned novice monk, Mu-jin. How had he realized she was a spy? More importantly, how did that novice monk know their code system? Even in the midst of the agony of torture, as her mind became hazy, her thoughts were filled with Mu-jin. And as her consciousness began to fade, a sinister voice addressed her. I have removed the gag. Now, speak. It was the voice of the torturer, who had treated her body like a child ying with a toy. To prevent her frommitting suicide, a metal device was ced in her mouth so she couldnt close it fully. If such a tool existed, why had they not asked any questions and simply gagged her while torturing her repeatedly? This question didnt even remain in Hong So-hees mind. Her brain was numb from the pain. Its Mu-jin. That demon Mu-jin deceived us. Hmm. The novice monk deceived us? Yes The one who summoned me in ck was that demon She thought, in her pain-numbed brain. The only solution for her survival now was to name that demon, Mu-jin. The only issue wasing up with an excuse for the martial arts she had learned. She could make up a story about being summoned by Mu-jin and setting out on her own. Thats it! I sent a love letter! A Shaolin disciple sending a love letter! She only needed toe up with an excuse for the martial arts. Her mind began to work quickly toe up with that excuse, to survive. And then, the torturer asked an absurd question. If so, why did you hand that letter to the novice monk Mu-jin? !? Naturally, her pupils dted. At that moment, the final third principle came to mind. C We are everywhere. Despite spending more time with Cheonryu Sangdan than in spy training, she couldnt abandon the spy life. The excuse for betrayal is too flimsy. The figure embodying that reason began to gag her again. Mmmph!! Mmmph!!! Bound hand and foot, she tried to struggle, but the nails fixed where her fingernails and toenails should be only intensified her pain. The torturer silently took out a tool that looked like a saw. Late at night. In a certain pavilion in the mansion of Cheonryu Sangdan. A middle-aged man opened the door and entered. The old man who owned the pavilion spoke to him. Are youing back from the shift? Yes. You didnt kill her, did you? No. I applied medicine to her wounds during the torture. Good. If she died from the middle-aged mans torture, he would also be suspected as a spy. Therefore, he applied a weak poison that would leave no trace of poison but would slowly kill her. Originally, it was a poison that took a long time to cause death, but since she was already weakened from the torture, it wouldnt take long. She would probably die by dawn today, or at thetest, by the morning under the hands of another torturer. Avoid entering and exiting from today until I give the order. The others should do the same. Yes. Code 1027. Since that fool exposed our code system, avoid using those letters from today. Yes. The man, who was determined to follow orders, left the pavilion, leaving behind a letter written in the now-useless code system. The old man, now alone, nced through the letter and burned it with his internal energy. Tsk. What a foolish excuse. The old man clicked his tongue, recalling the nonsensical statements in the letter. Why would she hand over a letter written in their code to the novice monk Mu-jin? And to make matters worse, iming that Mu-jin knew their code and summoned her? It seemed she had lost her mindpletely from the torture. Or perhaps, theres a traitor within our ranks. Naturally, the old man could only conclude that she was trying to protect the person in ck even while being tortured. It seems we need to tighten internal security. Of course, the priority was to avoid the bloodshed that would sweep through Cheonryu Sangdan for a while. Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Weight Reduction (1) The next evening, just as the clinic was wrapping up its daily work, Ryu Ji-gwang arrived. Wee, Head of the Trading Company. Good to see you, Monk Hye-min. After a brief exchange of greetings with Hye-min, the clinics head, Ryu Ji-gwang gestured to the servants behind him. Thud! The servants following Ryu Ji-gwang set down a box with a heavy thud. Mu-jin caught the spy infiltrating our tradingpany, so I brought a reward for him. Our Shaolin does not wish for such rewards.Haha. As I said before, repaying kindness is a human duty. If you find this money ufortable, use it to help those in need. Faced with Ryu Ji-gwangs words, Hye-min found it difficult to refuse and ultimately epted the gift. Ah, and I apologize, but I would like to speak with Novice Monk Mu-jin alone. At Ryu Ji-gwangs request, Hye-min looked at Mu-jin. So be it. When Mu-jin responded, Hye-min nodded and turned back to Ryu Ji-gwang. We will make sure to use the Cheonryu Trading Companys gift for a good cause. Ryu Ji-gwang reciprocated Hye-mins gesture and headed to a private room with Mu-jin. Since there were no patients at this hour, therge private room was empty except for Mu-jin and Ryu Ji-gwang. What brings you here, Head of the Trading Company? Mu-jin asked while brewing high-quality Dragon Well tea, typically reserved for high-profile patients. Instead of answering immediately, Ryu Ji-gwang reached into his sleeve and handed Mu-jin an item he had hidden there. It was you who caught the spy, Mu-jin. I couldnt just reward Shaolin alone. Haha. Here is a voucher from our Cheonryu Trading Company. Its a secret, so you can use it without worrying. The voucher, presented as if it were no big deal, bore the amount of one hundred gold nyang. It was a considerable sum, equivalent to Shaolins annual food expenses, making it a significant amount for Mu-jin to use personally. Concealing his thoughts on how Mu-jin would react to the money, Ryu Ji-gwang handed over the voucher. Thank you, Head of the Trading Company. I will use this to help those in need. Amitabha. Mu-jin epted the money with a very calm demeanor. Of course, the person Mu-jin referred to as in need was himself. Having spent decades sequestered in the mountains, without experiencing romance and living a vegetarian life, what could be more in need than that? Great. This is money for escaping Shaolin! Mu-jin was secretly delighted at the thought of having funds for the future. Watching Mu-jin ept the voucher without a single refusal, Ryu Ji-gwang pondered. No matter how I think about it, he doesnt seem like someone who belongs in the Buddhist sect. He hadnt shown an overt desire for money. However, seeing how he nned business strategies and felt no aversion to money, he didnt seem like a Buddhist monk. And there was also that peculiar hairstyle of his. While Ryu Ji-gwang was contemting these thoughts, Mu-jin, who had slipped the voucher into his sleeve, spoke up. By the way, what brings you here directly? If it was merely to deliver a gift, you could have sent a servant or Chief Officer. Early this morning, the woman we caught as a spy lost her life. !!! Ryu Ji-gwang delivered the shocking news in a very calm tone. She suddenly died during the interrogation due to physical and mental exhaustion. Thats strange. Naturally, Mu-jin suspected that Ryu Ji-gwang might have deliberately eliminated her, but his suspicion was dispelled by Ryu Ji-gwangs next words. The truth is, this isnt the only strange thing happening at our Cheonryu Trading Company. When Mu-jin looked at him with a puzzled expression, Ryu Ji-gwang took a sip of the cooling Dragon Well tea and continued. Recently, there have been signs of disturbing activities at our local branches. By disturbing activities, what exactly do you mean? To be honest, we havent identified specific details. Its just that everything seems to be progressing too smoothly, which feels unnatural. Its a sense thates from long experience. In the midst of that, it was you, Mu-jin, who caught that spy. . I thought at least our headquarters was free of problems, but you prevented a significant disaster. But now we have no evidence of the spies we captured, do we? Although she died, we can still piece together a fair amount from what she disclosed and her past actions. Ryu Ji-gwang replied in a calm but confident tone, befitting the head of one of the worlds top five tradingpanies. As Mu-jin looked at Ryu Ji-gwangs face, he organized his thoughts. No need to doubt the head of the tradingpany, right? It could have been to deceive himself, but the probability that it wasnt was exceedingly high. Whether its true or not, the issue is how much to clean up inside first. Although the Sangdanju spoke confidently, if he had been unaware until now, it would be difficult to clean up everything no matter how much he probed. Just as you cant burn down an entire straw-roofed house to catch a flea, if they handled everyone even slightly connected to Hong So-hee, who had worked for ten years, the Sangdan wouldnt be able to function immediately. In the selection process, one or two rats might survive. Moreover, he couldnt interfere with Cheonryu Sangdan in every detail. While Mu-jin was pondering how to handle this matter, a person suddenly came to his mind. Ah. What happened to Seol-hwa Siju? At Mu-jins question, a momentary bitterness appeared on Ryu Ji-gwangs face. Though he quickly managed his expression like a seasoned merchant. That spy operated under Seol-hwas guidance, stealing information from both Shaolin and our Sangdan, so we also started investigating Seol-hwa. Were they connected? Ryu Ji-gwang shook his head at Mu-jins question. There was no connection. ording to the investigation, it seems the spy used Seol-hwa. Mu-jin thought to himself, As expected. However, Seol-hwa couldnt avoid punishment. It is uneptable for those in high positions to use ignorance as an excuse. Mu-jin could sense the bitterness Ryu Ji-gwang tried to hide. Is it to set an example for others? With that thought in mind, Mu-jin quietly asked. If its not too intrusive, may I ask what punishment was given to Seol-hwa Siju? She was ordered to be on probation. Mu-jin almost burst outughing, thinking they had imposed some serious punishment. And after the initial astonishment, what he felt was a sense of unease. Isnt she going to be used again? That unease. Recalling her recent appearances and her character in the novel, she had extremely low self-esteem. If a spy still remained in Cheonryu Sangdan, she would be in a perfect state to be targeted. Wait? Then wouldnt it be better if I approached her instead? The word approach had quite a negative connotation, but Mu-jin didnt have any particr intention to manipte Cheonryu Sangdan through her. He simply nned to get close to her, help her, and perhaps receive a small favor in returnter on. Just like how he received a hundred nyang of gold from Ryu Ji-gwang. Theres nothing to lose by befriending a chaebols daughter. Mu-jin had such thoughts in front of the father of that chaebols daughter. The next day. Mu-jin was deep in thought. How could he approach her, be friends, and bestow a favor upon her? He had already thought of a basic n. He would teach her to exercise and help her lose weight. If he could help her lose weight, there would be multiple positive effects. Firstly, spending a lot of time together during the weight loss process would help them be closer, and it would be easier to block the hidden forces from approaching her. Moreover, losing weight could boost her self-esteem. The primary reason why body management through exercise positively impacts self-esteem is not just the improvement in appearance, but the fact that the improvement was achieved through ones own effort. Exercise is hard. Within that obvious premise, sweating and working hard, and experiencing the gradual results of long efforts naturally instill the confidence of I can do it too. In addition, there are physical benefits such as increased stamina and vitality. In many ways, teaching her to exercise had numerous positive effects. The only problem was that her self-esteem was currently very low. If someone she wasnt close to suddenly said, Ill help you lose weight, she might take it as You pig, lose some weight. How could he encourage her to exercise without hurting her self-esteem? That question upied Mu-jins mind. However, separate from such thoughts, he couldnt neglect the hospitality for those who visited the high-end facility. Thank you for visiting our clinic again today, Siju Ji-hyun. An Hee-seung, who had now be a regr customer, hade to the clinic alone today for a change. It had only been about twenty days since the clinic opened, but An Hee-seung had already visited for the eighth time. That meant he had beening every two or three days. However, Mu-jin treated the regr customer without showing any particr reaction. Afterpleting basic acupressure, manual therapy, and close-range spear techniques, they moved on to the full-scale rehabilitation exercises. While taking a short break afterpleting a few exercise movements, An Hee-seung suddenly asked a question. Mu-jin, I have something I want to ask you. Please, feel free to ask, Ji-hyun Siju-nim. Do you not ept female patients here? Are you referring to female Siju-nims? Yes. I have visited here a few times with others, and naturally, it made me think of my wife, so Im asking. For Mu-jin, this question was quite perplexing. I handle all the treatments here by myself. Due to the nature of my treatment methods, which involve frequent physical contact, treating women would be challenging. As you know, Ji-hyun Siju-nim, my treatments often involve close physical contact, which could lead to potential issues. Amitabha. Even in modern times, excessive physical contact by a male trainer during PT or Ptes sessions with female clients could lead to problems. In this martial arts world, the phrase men and women should not sit together after the age of seven was not just a joke or an old mans nonsense but a reality. Those who visited the free facility were all patients and mostly elderly civilians. Since Mu-jin and the second-ss disciples were monks, these matters were overlooked. Yeon Ga-hee was also an elderly woman who regarded Mu-jin as her grandson, hence, she turned a blind eye. But if Mu-jin were to physically contact a woman from a high-status family who visited the premium facility, the consequences would be unimaginable. An Hee-seung, having reached the same conclusion as Mu-jin, eventually epted his exnation. Hmm That seems to be the case. However, just as Mu-jin expressed the impossibility, a thought shed through his mind. A way to treat women in the premium facility, a way to approach Ryu Seol-hwa, and a way to help her lose weight simultaneously. It might be possible to ept female Siju-nims as patients in a few months. Mu-jin had thought of a solution to solve all three problems at once. The saying Strike while the iron is hot came to mind. In the evening, as the clinics work was wrapping up, Mu-jin headed to Cheonryu Sangdan and, with Chief Officer Yangs guidance, arrived at the head office. It seems like we just met yesterday. What brings you here, Mu-jin? Without beating around the bush, Mu-jin got straight to the point in response to the heads question. Head of the Sangdan, did you know theres an issue when epting patients at the premium facility? Hmm. First, I need to know if its the same issue Im thinking of. From the heads response, Mu-jin intuitively realized that he was already aware of the issue. The problem of not being able to ept women as patients at the premium treatment facility. Hahaha. If youve realized that problem, have you also thought of a solution? Indeed, the head of the Sangdan had already noticed the problem. And Mu-jin was ready to share the solution he hade up with. A solution that allowed women to be treated at the premium facility while also approaching Ryu Seol-hwa. Your daughter, Ryu Seol-hwa Siju-nim, could learn my treatment methods. The solution was for Ryu Seol-hwa to learn Mu-jins treatment methods. Under the pretext of learning the treatment methods, they could also incorporate exercise. Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Weight Reduction (2) Seol-hwa is currently under probation, Mu-jin Dongja. I heard that she is still attending lessons during her probation, Sangdanju Sijunim. Hahaha. Learning treatment methods is also education, so it doesnt matter. The Sangdanju, who had burst into a pleasantugh, wore a serious expression and asked again. Are you really thinking of teaching Mu-jin Dongjas treatment methods and exercises to my daughter? I am on the path of saving sentient beings. There is no reason to withhold knowledge about treatment methods, which is not even martial arts. Hahahahaha. At Mu-jins answer, the Sangdanjuughed with a peculiar expression and asked one more question, as if testing Mu-jin.But why did you specifically choose my daughter, Mu-jin Dongja? It was not a question of whether he dared to target his daughter. Mu-jin also knew this and exined his reasoning. Why the Sangdanju had kept silent about this matter until now. Since Seol-hwa Sijunim is your daughter, there is no risk of the technique being leaked even if she learns it. Hahahaha!! As if very pleased with Mu-jins answer, Ryu Ji-gwang burst into heartyughter and pped his hands. There were two main reasons why Ryu Ji-gwang had kept silent about this issue despite being aware of it. First, the medical technique belonged to Shaolin, and specifically, it was Mu-jins unique method. Therefore, he couldnt easily ask Mu-jin to pass it on and waited for Mu-jin to bring it up first. The other reason was the potential leakage of the technique. If Mu-jin taught his treatment methods to a woman, and the clinic became highly sessful, If that woman ran away in the middle of the night, they would lose the greatest advantage of monopoly. One might think that no woman would dare to run away from the world-renowned Cheonryu Sangdan, but conversely, it meant that there were four other tradingpanies as powerful as Cheonryu Sangdan. Under the premise that they would protect her, it was something that could happen. However, since Mu-jin himself stated that he would teach his technique to Seol-hwa, his rtive and a woman, Ryu Ji-gwang felt as if two of his itchy spots had been scratched at the same time. We should call my daughter and discuss this matter together. I would be grateful if you could do so. When Mu-jin bowed to show his respect, Ryu Ji-gwang called for Chief Officer Yang, who was waiting at the entrance. Bring Seol-hwa here. I will follow yourmand. Chief Officer Yang, who responded to Ryu Ji-gwangs order with a fist salute, left the Danjujeon. And a momentter, Father. It is I, Seol-hwa. Come in. With a small sliding sound, Ryu Seol-hwa entered the Danjujeon. Compared to thest time, she seemed even more intimidated. She hadnt expected Mu-jin to be in the Danjujeon, so when she sneaked a nce and met his eyes, she quickly looked down again. For a moment, there was a hint of pity in Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwangs eyes as he watched his daughter. Of course, being a seasoned merchant, Ryu Ji-gwang quickly concealed his expression. It was not the face to show in front of a guest. Raise your head, Seol-hwa. Yes, Father. With a timid voice, Ryu Seol-hwa raised her head and looked ufortably at the table between Mu-jin and Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang. After watching his daughter for a moment, Ryu Ji-gwang spoke in a calm tone. Do you not resent this father who has ordered you to stay in your room? N-No, Father. With a voice as quiet as an ant, she answered, and Ryu Ji-gwang added. You have visited the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic a few times, so you should know what Mu-jin Dongja here is doing, correct? Y-Yes, I do. She answered, feeling ashamed because she had realized that her visits to the clinic had been manipted by Hong So-hee. But surprisingly, her father did not bring up the subject to scold her. Then you should know what kind of treatment is being done there. Therefore, I am entrusting you with a task. A-Are you speaking to me? Yes. After learning the treatment methods and exercises from Mu-jin Dongja here, you will be responsible for treating women. B-But I am currently under probation, so how can I? As she timidly lowered her head again like a frightened turtle, Ryu Ji-gwang forced himself to maintain hisposure and spoke. Even during probation, you are receiving education. You will not start working immediately. During the probation period, you will receive education from Mu-jin Dongja. And this task was proposed by Mu-jin Dongja himself. When Ryu Ji-gwang pointed to Mu-jin, Ryu Seol-hwa looked at Mu-jin with a bewildered expression. Why would you entrust me with such a task? I believed that Ryu Seol-hwa Sijunim would be capable of doing it. It was a ttering remark meant to encourage her. However, Mu-jins words naturally reminded Ryu Seol-hwa of the letter she had received a few days ago. Thats right. Come to think of it, it was the boy from the clinic who delivered that letter! The tangled thoughts in her mind suddenly unraveled. Why Mu-jin was helping her all of a sudden. Why Mu-jin had chased Hong So-hee through the streets and then caught her as a spy. Ah! The person who sent that letter was Mu-jin Dongja! With that realization, Ryu Seol-hwas plump cheeks quickly turned red. It was the first time a man had pursued her so actively. Naturally, Mu-jins image came to her mind. His caring demeanor at the clinic, looking after the elderly. Being praised as the Buddha-Handed Novice by the patients. And even the glimpses of his firm muscles asionally seen through his monk robes during treatment. Of course, the fact that he was a novice monk was a significant problem. What should I do~!! The term forbidden love had a peculiar magic that made an adolescent girls heart beat wildly. Her face flushed, she tried to calm herself by asking a question. Can I really do it? I will help you seed. Dont worry. Wont you join me in saving sentient beings? Amitabha. However, when Mu-jin confidently said she could trust him, Ryu Seol-hwas already blushing face turned so red it seemed about to burst. He means well be together, right!? Hes asking to be together forever!? As her imagination reached its peak, she yelled out to stop her thoughts from spiraling. Then Ill give it a try! Seeing his once-timid daughter now brimming with confidence, Ryu Ji-gwang nodded with satisfaction. I never expected Seol-hwa to be so proactive! This is all thanks to Mu-jin Dongja! Though it was indeed thanks to Mu-jin, the feeling was somehow different. * * * The next day. As promised the previous night, Ryu Seol-hwa visited the clinic early in the morning. Wee, Sijunim Seol-hwa. Its been a while. Grandmother! She hade with her grandmother, Yeon Ga-hee, who was also Ryu Ji-gwangs mother. Ryu Seol-hwa found it hard to hide her surprise at howfortably Mu-jin interacted with Yeon Ga-hee. Our Mu-jin Dongja has been so busy that he kept visiting the Shaolin Temple. Haha, werent you actually there to see Grandfather Hyun-gwang? Oh ho ho ho. I cant deny that. Even Yeon Ga-hee treated Mu-jin as if he were her grandson, doubling Seol-hwas astonishment. Of course, Yeon Ga-hee hadnte here just to surprise her granddaughter. Ho ho ho. Ive heard from Sangdanju. While treating this olddys body, you n to teach my granddaughter the treatment methods? Yeon Ga-hees purpose ining was to assist in Ryu Seol-hwas education. Advanced facilities offered various treatments, including close-range spear techniques, rehabilitation exercises (like Ptes), manual therapy, and acupressure. Teaching these methods required direct contact. The problem was that Mu-jin couldnt touch Ryu Seol-hwas body directly. Therefore, Yeon Ga-hee had been chosen as the person on whom Mu-jin would demonstrate while Seol-hwa practiced. Yes, grandmother! Mu-jin replied in such a familiar tone that anyone could have mistaken him for Ryu Seol-hwas real grandson. He continued his conversation with Yeon Ga-hee while guiding her to the bed. As always, he massaged Yeon Ga-hees body and performed manual therapy. While doing so, he exined the procedures to Ryu Seol-hwa, and after Mu-jin finished his demonstration, Ryu Seol-hwa would follow his lead and practice. Hehe, Seol-hwa. Theres no need to be so tense. Im fine. Yes grandmother. Perhaps it was because they had assumed the roles of patient and doctor, or maybe because they had be the practitioner and the subject of practice. Or perhaps it was simply because a bond was slowly forming between a grandmother and her granddaughter who hadnt had much chance to talk before. As the practice session continued, their conversation flowed naturally. Hehe, our Seol-hwa is so admirable. She even helps with such difficult tasks to support the Sangdanju. At her grandmothers words, Ryu Seol-hwa barely stopped herself from turning back toward Mu-jin and responded. Oh, its because father instructed me to Even if it was the Sangdanjus instruction, you were the one who decided to take on the task. That alone ismendable. Whenever silence threatened to fall over their conversation, Mu-jin would fill the gap. Its okay to press a bit harder on the quadratus lumborum with your left hand, Seol-hwa. But be gentler on grandmothers leg with your right hand. Then slowly push it to the left. He often filled the silence with exnations meant to educate Ryu Seol-hwa. And just when the atmosphere started to feel harmonious I wondered who Seol-hwa resembled to be so beautiful, and it turns out she takes after her grandmother! Haha. Oh hohoho. Our Mu-jin novice has a keen eye for people. Isnt that right, Seol-hwa? Mu-jin made thement to boost her self-esteem,plimenting both Yeon Ga-hee and her together. But maybe the effect was too strong. Her face turned beet red as if she had high blood pressure, and she was too flustered to say anything. Hmm I should probably avoidplimenting her appearance for a while. She seems extremely embarrassed. Mu-jin hadnt anticipated that she would be so mortified that she couldnt speak, even though he had included her grandmother in thepliment to make her feel good. Watching Mu-jin and Ryu Seol-hwas reactions, Yeon Ga-hee suddenlyughed with a peculiar expression. It seems our Seol-hwa is a bit startled, Mu-jin novice. I apologize. I didnt mean it that way, Seol-hwa. N-no, its not that! Suddenly, she shouted loudly, leading to an awkward silence. Hohohoho. I shouldpliment her appearance after she loses some weight. Oh no! What if he thinks Im a weird woman and gets disappointed? With Yeon Ga-heesughter in the background, the two of them hadpletely different thoughts. * * * Right after treating Yeon Ga-hee with Ryu Seol-hwa, Mu-jin headed to the entrance of the clinic with them. Ryu Seol-hwa decided to apany them to observe the treatment process and also to check on the elderly patients at the entrance. Oh my, Buddha-Handed Novice! As Mu-jin stepped out to the entrance, the elderly people, who were always gathered there, greeted him warmly. However, since more than twenty days had passed since Mu-jin had been called Buddha-Handed Novice, there had been a slight change in the scenery in front of the clinic. Isnt he really cute? His face is cute, but what about his body? Look at those arms! My brother does woodwork, butpared to this novice, hes just a twig! Not only the patients, but also those who had heard rumors about the Buddha-Handed Novice began toe out to see him. Thanks to the grandmothers and grandfathers who constantly praised Mu-jin, a considerable number of curious young women also gathered. Mu-jin nced at these women from the corner of his eye but tried hard not to show any interest. Damn it. If it werent for my master uncles. This was because other Shaolin disciples were with him. Meanwhile, Ryu Seol-hwa, who had alsoe to the entrance with Mu-jin, heard the women talking about Mu-jin. Although she didnt like the conversations targeting Mu-jin, she felt a strange emotion seeing Mu-jin focusing solely on the treatment without giving those women a single nce. Hohoho. It seems our Mu-jin Novice is quite popr in Deungbong-hyeon. Th-thats right, grandmother. Startled by the suddenment from the grandmother, she answered, while ring fiercely at the women from Deungbong-hyeon. There are so many women who like Mu-jin Novice. Youll have to work hard to catch his interest. Y-you mean those women, right? Hohoho. Yeon Ga-hee justughed at Ryu Seol-hwas startled question. As a fellow woman and a grandmother, Yeon Ga-hee had already noticed Ryu Seol-hwas feelings. Despite it being a forbidden love, Yeon Ga-hee had no intention of stopping her granddaughter. Just like many noble families, she was also married into the Cheonryu Sangdan through an arranged marriage. The former head of the Sangdan, her husband and Ryu Ji-gwangs father, was an even more severe workaholic than Ryu Ji-gwang. Having lived as the wife of such a man for decades, Yeon Ga-hee thought it wouldnt be bad for Ryu Seol-hwa to experience such love in her youth. Though it was a forbidden love, it would be a memory over time. Perhaps influenced by Yeon Ga-hees encouragement, Ryu Seol-hwa looked at the women of Deungbong-hyeon with a different perspective. She lowered her head and looked at her own arms, legs, and stomach. There are so many women slimmer and prettier than me. The spy who had tried to use her, Hong So-hee, had said that men are simple and get attracted to a womans appearance. Although Hong So-hee had tried to use her, Ryu Seol-hwa thought at least that statement was true. It takes a long time to know someones inner self, and its only natural to be interested in either abilities or appearance. But her abilities were actually her fathers abilities, and as a woman, she wished people would be interested in her appearance rather than her background. I need to lose weight! To do so, it seemed she needed to put in a lot of effort, just as her grandmother had said. Chapter 57: Chapter 57: The Next Day. At the crack of dawn, Mu-jin woke up. The operating hours of the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic were from 9 AM to 11 AM and from 5 PM to 7 PM. However, having grown ustomed to waking up before sunrise in Shaolin, or rather, having always been an early riser since his days as Choi Kang-hyuk, Mu-jin habitually woke up at the beginning of the early hours (5 AM to 7 AM). Upon waking up, Mu-jin lightly loosened his body with the Close-Range Spear Technique, then gradually warmed his muscles by lifting light weights using a sandbag. Once his body was sufficiently warmed up, he began his full-fledged external energy training. He would flip over tires or perform the three main exercises using the steel bar and weight tes hung on athe. Utilizing the external energy training tools provided by Cheonryu Sangdan, Mu-jin diligently trained his body every early morning. The human body naturally tends to revert to its original state. A body built through exercise requires continued exercise to maintain. To further develop his physique, even more intense training was necessary.Thus, even aftering to Deungbong-hyeon, Mu-jin would always train his body every morning. And on days without special events, he would train his martial arts in the evening. Phew. After working his body for an hour, he was drenched in sweat. Mu-jin washed himself with the pre-prepared water and then had breakfast with the second-ss disciples. Around that time, Yeon Ga-hee and Ryu Seol-hwa came to the clinic together. As he did the day before, Mu-jin treated Yeon Ga-hees body while educating Ryu Seol-hwa. But today, it did not end there. To quickly master the treatment methods, review is essential, Seol-hwa Shiju-nim. Saying this, Mu-jin urged Ryu Seol-hwa to do personal exercises aside from the treatments. Of course, the main purpose was to help her lose weight quickly. The exercises involved in treating Yeon Ga-hee alone wouldnt be enough for Ryu Seol-hwa to lose weight effectively. He was concerned that saying outright to lose weight might hurt Ryu Seol-hwas self-esteem, so he expressed it indirectly. I-Ill give it a try! Strangely enough, Ryu Seol-hwa was much more enthusiastic than the day before. They said that a lot of exercise helps lose weight! In fact, Mu-jin didnt need to coax or soothe her. The previous evening, on her way back to the sangdan, she had heard from the bodyguard that the more she moved, the more weight she would lose. To cater to her enthusiasm, Mu-jin selected a workout routine focused on cardio and core strength enhancement, suitable for weight loss. While stepping onto the box, lift your right knee as if youre hitting the person in front of you with your knee. This will be more effective. And when youe down, stretch your left leg back as far as possible. Also, move your arms vigorously! Yes! Youve done twenty reps, so now lets proceed with the left leg. For example, ce the Reformer box on the floor and step on and off it as if climbing stairs. Your arms are just for support! Hold on with your core and abdomen, and stretch your legs. Grab the footbar of the reformer with both hands, ce one foot on the wooden board beneath the footbar, and the other foot on the carriage of the reformer to perform spring-resistance exercises. As they went through various exercises over time. Lets take a short break and then start again, Seol-hwa Shiju-nim. I-I can do more! Despite her limbs trembling from excessive exercise, she insisted on continuing. If I lose weight, Mu-jin wont be distracted by other women, right? It was the most primal motivation that many young men and women had when they resolved to lose weight. However, as often happens with beginners, her enthusiasm outpaced her stamina and muscle strength, which had already reached their limits. If you overexert yourself like this, youll end up in pain and needing a few days rest. Its important to exercise moderately and consistently, Seol-hwa Shiju-nim. As an adept trainer, Mu-jin started to dissuade Ryu Seol-hwa. Hearing Mu-jins words, she reluctantly stopped exercising and tried to get up from the reformer, but her overworked legs gave out. Mu-jin quickly moved to support her as she was about to fall. As Mu-jins hand touched her arm, Ryu Seol-hwas face turned bright red. Could it be hypertension? Seeing her face flush so often, Mu-jin thought it was possibly at a dangerous level. For her health, Mu-jin realized she definitely needed to lose weight. * * * Ten days had passed since they had captured the spy named Hong So-hee. Now that Cheonryu Sangdan had stabilized to some extent, Mu-jin decided to head to the sangdan after finishing his tasks for the day. Recognizing Mu-jin, the gatekeepers stepped aside to let him through, and with Chief Officer Yangs guidance, he went straight to the Sangdanjus Hall. Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang warmly weed Mu-jin, who hadnt visited in a long time. Ive heard the news, Mu-jin. It seems Seol-hwa has be very proactivetely. Haha. Ryu Ji-gwang burst into a satisfiedugh at the change in his previously downcast daughter. It seems Im always indebted to you, Mu-jin. Its all thanks to Seol-hwa Shiju-nims efforts. I havent done much. Amitabha. Mu-jins words were half modesty and half truth. Seol-hwa was working so hard that Mu-jin had to intervene for her health. After exchanging a few trivial conversations, Ryu Ji-gwang decided it was time to get to the point. So, what brings you to the sangdan today, Mu-jin? Actually, I was wondering if it might be time to consider opening a regional branch. Sangdanju Shiju-nim. A regional branch? Yes. You didnt start this business just to open a clinic in Deungbong-hyeon, did you? Ryu Ji-gwang chuckled lightly at Mu-jins words, for they were true. No matter how many high-ranking officials and wealthy individuals Ryu Ji-gwang knew, he couldnt expect them toe to Deungbong-hyeon every time. For the sake of profit, it was essential to open clinic branches in various counties and provinces. Of course, Mu-jin didnt bring up the topic of regional branches just to make money for Cheonryu Sangdan. The primary reason he thought of regional branches was due to his previous conversation with Ryu Ji-gwang. Ryu Ji-gwang had mentioned that the movements of Cheonryu Sangdans regional subunits were suspicious. To Mu-jin, this implied that there were hidden forces infiltrating the regional subunits. Therefore, Mu-jin nned to use the guise of opening clinic branches to approach these suspicious subunits. However, he had no intention of seeking out all the countless regional subunits of Cheonryu Sangdan. He had already thought of a specific location, and fortunately, Ryu Ji-gwang asked about it first. So, where do you n to open this regional branch, Mu-jin? With a light smile, Mu-jin replied to Ryu Ji-gwangs question. I think Nanchang in Jiangxi Province would be the best choice, Sangdanju Shiju-nim. Nanchang in Jiangxi Province. Unlike other subunits, this one was almost certainly connected to the hidden forces. The subunit leader there was destined to be the future sangdanju that Mu-jin had read about in the novel. Still, Ryu Ji-gwang looked puzzled and asked, Why choose Nanchang in Jiangxi Province over closer ces like Luoyang or Zhengzhou? The reason was simple. Having cut off the tail named Hong So-hee, Mu-jin now intended to catch the body, who was likely to be the future sangdanju. But he couldnt exactly say, Your son is destined to be a very evil man in the future. So Mu-jin offered another reason. Given that the area around Deungbong-hyeon is practically the front yard of both Cheonryu Sangdan and our Shaolin, we can expand there anytime. However, once we step outside Henan Province, or even its outskirts, other martial sects and families will inevitably start to voice their objections. So youre suggesting that while we can easily expand into ces like Luoyang or Zhengzhou, its better to avoid the interference and head directly to Jiangxi Province? Precisely, Sangdanju-nim. Ryu Ji-gwang nodded in agreement with Mu-jins exnation. The region around Dongting Lake was divided into Hubei to the north and Hunan to the south. Many of the major orthodox martial factions and influential families, including the Nine Great Sects and the Five Major ns, were located north of Dongting Lake. From Shaolins base in Henan, to the westy Shaanxi with Huashan and Zhongnan, to the east was Shandong with the Huangbo family and Anhui with the Namgung family, and to the north was Hebei with the Peng family. In the south, there were the Zhegal family of Hubei and Wudang. Thus, while the orthodox factions dominated north of Dongting Lake, they were so busy keeping each other in check that expanding their territories was difficult. Since all these factions imed to be orthodox, their conflicts were prolonged and based on maintaining pretexts rather than engaging in direct battles. In this context, if Shaolin, which had always remained aloof, started extending its reach into other regions, it was certain that they wouldnt just stand by and watch. On the other hand, Jiangxi Province, located east of Hunan, did not have any major orthodox factions based there. While Anhui Province was directly to the north, preventing the rise of unorthodox factions, Jiangxi remained a so-called neutral zone or a disputed area. Hmm Although it might avoid interference from other major sects, it doesnt seem like it will be an easy ce either. At least it will be easier than opening a clinic in a territory dominated by a single powerful faction. Its also the closest among the neutral regions. Another reason Mu-jin targeted that area was because it was still a disputed zone. In the future, this region would be controlled by Paedobang, a ck path faction. Paedobang would be responsible for handling dirty work for the corrupt Cheonryu Sangdan, such as kidnapping and imprisoning people for human trafficking or producing drugs. However, Mu-jins intervention wasnt solely to stop human trafficking and drug smuggling. Paedobang often separated and hid children with unique constitutions like the Yin-Yang Constitution or the Extreme Yang Constitution during their trafficking operations. In fact, human trafficking and drug smuggling were merely fronts. The hidden forces true purpose in coborating with Cheonryu Sangdan was to acquire these children with special constitutions. Thus, Mu-jin nned to use this opportunity to not only deal with the future sangdanju but also to preemptively handle Paedobang, which had yet to fully grow. A few dayster. Mu-jin and Ryu Ji-gwang climbed Songshan for the first time in a long while. Although Ryu Ji-gwang had expressed his approval regarding the creation of regional branches, fundamentally, Mu-jin couldnt leave for Jiangxi Province without Shaolins permission. He was still bound to Shaolin. Thanks to Ryu Ji-gwang sending a letter in advance about their visit, the two were able to head straight to the abbots office upon arriving at Shaolin. Waiting for them in the abbots office were Abbot Hyun-cheon and Chubodangju Hyun-myeong. Its been a while, Sangdanju Shiju. Its good to see you again, Abbot. After exchanging greetings, Abbot Hyun-cheon immediately got to the point. So, what brings a busy man like Sangdanju Shiju and Mu-jin here? In response, Ryu Ji-gwang exined that they wanted to open a new clinic branch in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. However, Abbot Hyun-cheon and Hyun-myeongs reactions were not entirely positive. Sangdanju Shiju, Im sorry, but our Shaolin disciples are not numerous. If we continue to increase the number of clinics, eventually there will be more disciples scattered across the provinces than those remaining in Shaolin. Another issue is Mu-jin himself. If Mu-jin goes to Jiangxi Province to open the branch, who will manage the advanced facilities at the clinic here in Deungbong-hyeon? Their objections were quite different from the past. It wasnt simply fear of public criticism. To address their concerns, Mu-jin spoke up. First of all, given some time, our Shaolin disciples will no longer need to manage the provincial clinics. Having considered this matter since before capturing Hong So-hee, Mu-jin exined his n fluently. We can have the secr sects manage the branches. Secr sects managing them? Yes. Its not like were teaching them the Seventy-two Consummate Arts or martial arts. What harm is there in teaching them medical treatments? Abbot Hyun-cheon and Hyun-myeong listened carefully as Mu-jin borated on his n. We can train secr practitioners in our medical techniques. This way, our disciples wont be scattered, and the clinics can still operate efficiently. By decentralizing the management to trusted secr sects, we can ensure that the medical knowledge is properly disseminated withoutpromising our martial arts heritage. Hyun-cheon, after considering Mu-jins proposal, turned to Ryu Ji-gwang. Ryu Sangdanju, what do you think? Ryu Ji-gwang nodded thoughtfully. I believe Mu-jins n is sound. By involving the secr sects, we not only ensure the spread of our medical practices but also maintain the integrity of Shaolins martial arts training. Hyun-myeong, who had been silent, finally spoke up. If it means preserving our disciples here while still expanding our influence, it might be worth a try. With their concerns addressed, Abbot Hyun-cheon gave his approval. Very well. You may proceed with the n. Mu-jin, make sure to carefully select the secr sects that will be involved. Thank you, Abbot, Mu-jin replied, bowing deeply. As they left the abbots office, Ryu Ji-gwang looked at Mu-jin with a smile. You always find a way, dont you? Mu-jin smiled back. Its all for the greater good, Sangdanju Shiju-nim. And so, with Shaolins blessing, Mu-jin and Ryu Ji-gwang prepared to open the new clinic branch in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, with the aim of not only spreading medical knowledge but also preemptively dealing with the rising threat of Paedobang. Heo. As Hyun-cheon and Hyun-myeong seemed to fall into contemtion at Mu-jins words, Mu-jin added further exnation. There are two significant advantages to this. First, we will be able to assist the secr sects. Especially considering the recent events, this is all the more necessary. For those who maintained their loyalty to Shaolin until the end, shouldnt we at least offer them some form of rpense? At Mu-jins words, Hyun-cheon and Hyun-myeong cleared their throats softly. After all, Mu-jin was referring to the nearly half of the secr sects that had severed ties with Shaolin over the past two years. The absurd incident where half of the secr sects had left because Shaolin had done the right thing. And the second advantage is that we can control any potential misconduct by the secr sects. Control misconduct? Yes. The basic management of the clinics will be done by the secr sects, but periodically, we can dispatch true disciples from Shaolins external affairs or Chubodang. Officially, it would be to ensure that treatments are being properly conducted and to retrain in the healing techniques. Doesnt that sound like a valid reason? Hmm. And in the process, we can treat the local popce and check if any secr sects are harassing themon people or extorting them? Precisely. Hyun-cheon and Hyun-myeong were both intrigued by Mu-jins words. The reason nearly half of the secr sects had left was because Shaolin had punished those sects that had gone astray. However, as Mu-jin pointed out, this n would allow them to support the secr sects that remained loyal, while also providing a way to monitor and control any potential misconduct using Shaolins martial arts or healing techniques. It seemed like the perfect solution, but there was still one practical issue left to address. However, isnt it too early for this? If you leave for Jiangxi Province, who will take responsibility for the clinic in Deungbong-hyeon? Hyun-cheon asked. Mu-jin smiled as he responded. It will take at least a month for the Cheonryu Sangdan to prepare for the new clinic. During that time, there is someone who can sufficiently develop the skills needed to take over the advanced facilities. Hyun-cheon, Hyun-myeong, and even Ryu Ji-gwang all fell into thought. Who could possibly develop the skills to rece Mu-jin in just a month? Before long, they all arrived at the same answer. Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Local Branch (2) Are you perhaps referring to Beob Geon? Yes. If its my master, he can sufficiently take my ce. Beob Geon was Mu-jins nominal master, who was actually being taught by Hyun-gwang. Above all, Beob Geon had been the one to watch Mu-jin treat Hyun-gwang for the longest time. In fact, it was Beob Geon who was currently treating Hyun-gwang in Mu-jins stead, as Mu-jin had left for Deungbong-hyeon. Hmm. We should first discuss this matter with Beob Geon and senior brother Hyun-gwang. However, Beob Geon was also tied to Shaolin due to Hyun-gwangs treatment. To entrust Deungbong-hyeon to Beob Geon as Mu-jin suggested, both Beob Geon and Hyun-gwang would have to go to Deungbong-hyeon.With that reasoning, Hyeoncheon, Hyeonmyeong, Mu-jin, and Ryu Ji-gwang left the head monks office and headed to Hyun-gwangs pavilion. Master! Grandfather! I apologize for not visiting often as your disciple. Hahaha. What brings you here today, having gone down to Deungbong-hyeon? As Mu-jin greeted Hyun-gwang and Beob Geon with a bright smile after a long time, Hyun-gwang weed him with a clearugh. After Hyeoncheon, Hyeonmyeong, and Ryu Ji-gwang finished their greetings, Hyeoncheon exined to Hyun-gwang and Beob Geon the reason for their visit. Are you referring to me? Beob Geon, having heard the full exnation, asked in a bewildered tone, ncing at Mu-jin and Hyun-gwang. He was uncertain if he couldpletely take over Mu-jins treatment method, let alone drag his master Hyun-gwang to Deungbong-hyeon. Hyun-gwang responded to Beob Geon with apassionate smile. Hahaha. Im fine with it, so why not give it a try, Beob Geon? Youve given up so much for me. So, I think this is a good opportunity for you to undertake a task as a Shaolin disciple, not just my disciple. Beob Geon had been taking care of Hyun-gwang since bing a third-ss disciple. Tied to Hyun-gwang daily, hecked time to train in martial arts or handle other Shaolin duties. Although all Shaolin disciples understood this under the pretext of taking care of Hyun-gwang, Hyun-gwang himself felt sorry for his disciple who took care of him. Hence, this task was seen as an opportunity for his disciple to finally fulfill his role as a Shaolin disciple. Encouraged by his master Hyun-gwang, Beob Geon straightened his mind and saluted Hyeoncheon. Though I am an unworthy disciple, I will do my best. Amitabha. * * * After Beob Geon and Hyun-gwang expressed their willingness to ept, they began a meeting to discuss the specifics. And this meeting, too, was being led by Mu-jin. Mu-jin targeted Gangseo Provinces branch leader and the Paedo n because he had been nning this operation in his mind for a long time. Well, its not particrly different from what I did in modern times. It was also due to his experience as the owner of five fitness centers in Seoul. Mu-jin was already familiar with creating branches, recruiting and training employees, and dispatching them to branches. Ultimately, based on the various opinions Mu-jin proposed, the major framework was mostly set, and now only the detailed matters remained to be decided. Head Monk. Since Nanchang has many dark and unorthodox sects, it seems we will need more forces than in Deungbong-hyeon to prevent any unfortunate incidents. In particr, Mu-jin nned to drive out the dark sects involved in human trafficking, including the Paedo n, from that ce, makingbat inevitable. As Master Uncle Beob Gang said, I will borrow Shaolins power this time. Hahaha. The enemies were viins involved in human trafficking and drug smuggling. Unlike when capturing spies, it meant he could bring in Shaolin disciples as much as he wanted. Dont worry about that part. Besides the disciples who will be undergoing treatment, I will also send those skilled in external techniques. Abbot Hyun Cheon responded to Mu-jins request as if he could be trustedpletely. Watching the two for a moment, Ryu Ji-gwang spoke with a light smile. Then it seems the major framework is mostly set. Head Monk. Indeed, Sangdanju. Hahaha. Continuing these heavy meetings seems exhausting. Head Monk, there has been something Ive been curious about for a while. If its not too much trouble, may I ask? Hahaha. Speak freely, Sangdanju. If someone who has be a true disciple of Shaolin has to return to the secr world due to unavoidable circumstances, what kind of punishment does Shaolin impose? At Ryu Ji-gwangs absurd question, Abbot Hyun Cheon looked at him with a peculiar expression. Then Ryu Ji-gwang added with augh as if it was nothing special. Its just the foolish curiosity of a merchant tainted by the secr world. For example, if someone entered Shaolin as a true disciple because he was the second son of a family and the eldest son died without an heir, wouldnt he have to return to the secr world to continue the family line? Such cases have asionally urred. Amitabha. In those cases, we first allow the return to secr life after the disciple promises not to pass on any martial arts other than the basic skills permitted to secr disciples. If that promise is broken, their martial arts are abolished. Then what if they want to teach martial arts to their children or disciples? As a Shaolin disciple, wouldnt they want to pass on Shaolin martial arts to their children? Hahaha. In that case, wouldnt it suffice to send those children or disciples to Shaolin, Sangdanju? Concealing his curiosity about why these questions were being asked, Abbot Hyun Cheon responded. The first question was understandable, but the second one was something a head of a major merchant group like Sangdanju should easily infer. As Abbot Hyun Cheon pondered this, Ryu Ji-gwang posed yet another question. Then, what if its not to continue the family line but for an alliance between families? In other words, if a family seeks them out for an arranged marriage, what happens then? Whether it is due to a familys request or because one finds a beloved woman, if one desires to return to secr life for such worldly reasons, all martial arts are abolished before allowing the return. Hahaha. I apologize for asking foolish questions that may upset you, Head Monk. Replying as if he had no more questions, Ryu Ji-gwang then directed a peculiar question towards Mu-jin. Mu-jin, Ive heard before that your treatment methodes from your family. Yes, Amitabha. Mu-jin answered, trying hard to conceal his anxiety. He wondered if Ryu Ji-gwang was asking to find Mu-jins nonexistent original family. However, Ryu Ji-gwangs next words were unexpected. Then, do you not intend to continue your family line, Mu-jin? !!! Not only Mu-jin but also Abbot Hyun Cheon and Hyun-myeong looked at Ryu Ji-gwang with shocked expressions. That statement implied whether Mu-jin intended to return to secr life. There was no reason for Ryu Ji-gwang to be concerned about the family of Mu-jin, whom he had never heard of. Ultimately, Ryu Ji-gwangs purpose was singr. Hes targeting Mu-jin! Abbot Hyun Cheon realized that Ryu Ji-gwang intended to draw Mu-jin into Cheonryu Sangdan by making him leave the monkhood. And as Abbot Hyun Cheon guessed, Ryu Ji-gwang indeed coveted Mu-jin. It wasnt merely because Mu-jin had helped him multiple times. If that were the case, he could simply repay him with money. The reason he coveted Mu-jin was: A child truly born withmercial talent. Why must he be in Shaolin of all ces? It was due to Mu-jinsmercial talent. He had been paying attention ever since Mu-jin persuaded Chubodangju when he first started the clinic and proposed the framework for its operation. Watching Mu-jin grow the clinic further astonished him, and this recent nning of provincial branches confirmed his admiration. Such brilliance, intelligence, and decisiveness unimaginable for someone of that age. A child truly born withmercial talent. Mu-jinsmercial talent exceeded, if not equaled, that of key figures within Cheonryu Sangdan. And this was a boy who had yet to reach the age of twenty, not even the age of fifteen. Why is such a talented child in Shaolin? Just meeting Mu-jin was already a stroke of luck, but Ryu Ji-gwang couldnt help but keep thinking along those lines. He wondered what it would have been like if Mu-jin had been born into Cheonryu Sangdan. Yes, even the Tang family in faraway Sichuan takes in adopted sons-inw, so why cant Cheonryu Sangdan do the same? The only issue was that Mu-jin was already an advanced disciple of Shaolin. Abolishing his martial arts should not be a problem. The crucial aspect is not the martial arts, but hismercial talent. This was a manageable problem. Ahem. Mu-jin is a child we highly regard in Shaolin. Sangdanju, you are going too far, Abbot Hyun Cheon said, a forced smile on his face, but the veins on his forehead were bulging. Hahaha. Isnt his own will the most important thing, Head Monk? Ryu Ji-gwang countered. While Mu-jins treatment methods are outstanding, they do notpare to his talent in martial arts. If Mu-jin dedicates himself to training for just ten more years, he could master the Seventy-two Consummate Arts and be hailed as the worlds greatest talent. We believe this so firmly that we even bestowed upon him the Great Restoration Pill, one of Shaolins treasures, Abbot Hyun Cheon asserted, his smiling face unable to hide his desperation to keep Mu-jin. Abbot Hyun Cheon considered Mu-jin a prodigy who could elevate Shaolin to new heights. He would rather lose an arm than let this boy slip away. Hahaha. While the Great Restoration Pill is indeed a treasure of Shaolin, there are countless treasures in the secr world, Head Monk. With Mu-jins abilities, he could certainly acquire many of these treasures. Ryu Ji-gwangs words implied that Cheonryu Sangdan would provide these treasures. So, whether to return to secr life or stay in Shaolin ultimately rests on Mu-jins choice, doesnt it? Ryu Ji-gwang concluded, smiling as he looked at Mu-jin. Abbot Hyun Cheon and Hyun-myeong also looked at Mu-jin, their forced smiles barely masking their concern. What is this nonsense all of a sudden? From Mu-jins perspective, this situation was utterly ridiculous. He understood that Ryu Ji-gwang wanted to recruit him, and the offer was indeed very tempting. Cheonryu Sangdan was one of the five great merchant groups, akin to a conglomerate in the modern world. If he epted, he might live a life of luxury, spending money as he pleased. But what about Shaolin inparison? If he excluded the fact that he could learn martial arts Its just being a monk. Living in the mountains, chanting sutras, and eating a vegetarian diet. Mu-jin had nned to leave Shaolin once he had learned enough martial arts because he disliked that life. Ryu Ji-gwangs proposal was tempting in many ways. But if I lose my martial arts, dealing with the hidden forces would be difficult. Mu-jin couldnt give up martial arts. Not only because of the fight against the hidden forces, but also because he had found great enjoyment in utilizing martial arts through internal energy. Thats right. After mastering martial arts to a certain extent, I just need to leave Shaolin and join Cheonryu Sangdan. Wasnt it enough to properlyunder his identity? Like the faceless masks often seen in martial arts stories. If necessary, he could even go around wearing a mask. Having calcted everything up to that point, Mu-jin alternated his gaze between Ryu Ji-gwang, who was looking at him with a mixture of expectation and concern, and Abbot Hyun Cheon before bowing. Amitabha. I apologize, Sangdanju-siju-nim. Ahem. It seems you have set your heart on martial arts. Ryu Ji-gwang managed to barely control his expression from twisting at Mu-jins words, while Abbot Hyun Cheon and Hyun-myeongs faces broke into wide smiles. However, they had topose their expressions again at Mu-jins subsequent words. Martial arts aside, I have no home to return to. Amitabha. No home to return to? What on earth do you mean surely not? Yes. My family home was long destroyed in a catastrophic event. Amitabha. As soon as Mu-jin finished speaking, a cold silence settled over the room. Mu-jin, who had calmly told this lie, had to make an effort to manage his expression. There were two reasons why Mu-jin hade up with such an excuse. One was to avoid clearly choosing Shaolin. Rejecting it now only to leaveter to join Cheonryu Sangdan would be dishonorable. Such bat-like behavior would inevitably lower his own value. The second reason was to eliminate his nonexistent family home once and for all. Instead of continually lying and risking getting caught, it was simpler to im it never existed. Thanks to this, both Ryu Ji-gwang and Abbot Hyun Cheon, who had been eyeing Mu-jin with interest, closed their mouths. Since the general direction seems set, may I go and greet my grandfather now? Yes, go ahead. We will take care of the detailed matters. Mu-jin novice monk. There was no better choice than this. * * * The next day. Hyun-gwang, along with Beob Geon, descended Mount Song to arrive at the clinic in Deungbong-hyeon. Hahaha. Its been a while, Mrs. Yeon. Amitabha. Hohoho. Ive felt quite lonely not being able to visit Shaolin, but I never imagined you woulde to see me. Abbot. Amitabha. Meeting again at the clinic after a long time, Yeon Ga-hee and Hyun-gwang exchanged greetings, radiating an atmosphere like that of a senior citizens welfare center. While leading the treatments for Yeon Ga-hee and Hyun-gwang, Mu-jin also conducted education for Beob Geon and Ryu Seol-hwa. He also treated patients who came to the advanced facility, handing over each patients details to Beob Geon. Dont overdo it, Siju-nim Seol-hwa. I I can do it! He also helped Ryu Seol-hwa with her exercises. In addition, he looked after the elderly patients who came to the clinic as always, trained in external energy in the early morning, and practiced martial arts in the evenings. About a month passed like this. Finally, Ryu Ji-gwang visited the clinic in person. He had prepared to open a branch of the clinic in Jiangxi Province. Novice Mu-jin. I will be counting on you. Alongside Ryu Ji-gwang, there were twenty Shaolin disciples. These were the people who would travel with Mu-jin to Jiangxi Province. I suspected it might be true when they said he was proficient in demonic arts The person selected as the overall leader of this expedition was none other than the first-ss disciple, Hye-gwan, known as the Unyielding to Demons. Half of those heading to Jiangxi Province this time were second-ss disciples from the Demon Extermination Squad, who had fought alongside Hye-gwan against the demonic beings. Hehehe. Since Ive already greeted Sangdanju-siju-nim, lets hurry up and depart. Hye-gwan, standing nonchntly, spoke as if everything was a bother and then promptly climbed onto a carriage. Following him, Mu-jin and the rest of the Shaolin disciples also boarded their respective carriages. It was finally time to depart for Jiangxi Province. Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Not That Shaolin (1) While Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples were on their way to Nanchang. In one of the halls of a manor located in Nanchang, two shadows were facing each other. Have you checked the letter sent by the branch leader? Yes, Sir Bangju. Hmm. The Shaolin disciples areing here, you say Originally, news from Shaolin should have been sent by those operating from the headquarters of the Cheonryu Sangdan in Deungbong-hyeon. However, due to an incident there, themunication system was almost paralyzed. I cant figure out what the Sangdanjus intentions are. Was there perhaps an issue with the cleanup?There wasnt a trace left, so even the Sangdanju wouldnt have sensed anything. In fact, even Cheonggeumdae is fumbling in the dark. So, do you have any guesses about why the Sangdanju sent the Shaolin disciples? The man who had been standing at attention in front of the middle-aged man referred to as Bangju couldnt give an answer. Of course, he knew the superficial reason written in the letter, which was to open a branch of the clinic. However, simply considering such a surface-level reason when handling matters would inevitably lead to problems. The Bangju, looking at the man who had kept his mouth shut, spoke with a displeased expression. Even if the Sangdanju hasnt sensed anything, Shaolin establishing themselves here could hinder our grand n. Do not worry. Shaolin is a conservative sect that fears being tainted by the secr world more than anything. Remember what happened two years ago? You mean the incident where many secr sects left? Yes. Shaolin are foolish people who couldnt step forward, afraid of the worlds criticism, even when their secr disciples left after learning their martial arts. So, you mean to leave them be? They will leave on their own once a few rumors spread. However, since they could obstruct our grand n, I will hasten that process a bit. Alright. Lets see how it unfolds. As soon as the superior finished speaking, the subordinate saluted with a fist and palm salute and left the manor. To spread the rumor in Nanchang that Shaolin was about to step into the secr world. * * * Should we stop by the Nanchang branch first, or head to the manor that will be used as a clinic? It would be better to go to the manor first and unload these items. When Mu-jin responded to the coachman of Cheonryu Sangdan, who was acting as their guide, the coachman directed the carriage towards arge manor. Upon arrival at the manor, a middle-aged man and several young men were waiting for them. Greetings. I am Mak Ji-hyuk, the head of Bulkwonmun. When I was learning martial arts in Shaolin, I used the Dharma name Hyeyoung. He was the head of a secr Shaolin sect based in Nanchang. When he greeted them with the characteristic Shaolin half bow, Hye-gwan stepped forward and returned the half bow briefly. Nice to meet you, Munju Mak. I am Hye-gwan, first-ss disciple of Shaolin. Is the name of Great Master Hye-gwan, who does not retreat before demons, not well known? I have heard it many times! It is an honor to meet you like this. Although Mak Ji-hyuk acted as if he had met a revered figure, Hye-gwan, as always, responded appropriately and then stepped back. It is merely a reputation. I havee here solely to prepare for the battle against evil forces. All matters rted to the clinic will be handled entirely by this child, so you should converse with him. And, as if he had nothing to do with it, he passed by Mak Ji-hyuk, entered the estate, and disappeared from view. Mak Ji-hyuk, who looked slightly bewildered, quicklyposed himself as the leader of a sect and looked at Mu-jin. So this child is the one mentioned in the letter as Mu-jin. Thanks to the letter from Shaolin, Mak Ji-hyuk had a general understanding of the situation. Nice to meet you. Mu-jin Novice. Amitabha. Nice to meet you too, Master Mak. Amitabha. After exchanging brief greetings with Mak Ji-hyuk, Mu-jin pointed to the carriage and spoke. First, may we move the items in the carriage to the estate? Please do. The items loaded in the carriage were tools used for rehabilitation exercises (Ptes). However, they had not brought all the equipment inrge quantities for the free facility, only a few pieces of each tool. The rest were to be manufactured at a workshop here in Nanchang, and the items brought now were for practice purposes. They were meant for the second-ss disciples and secr martial arts sect disciples to practice with. Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples, along with Mak Ji-hyuk and the disciples of the Buddhist Fist Sect, spent a long time carrying the tools into the estate. Hmm? From the entrance of the estate, a noisy sound began to be heard. Make way! We havee to speak with the people from Shaolin! As the word Shaolin was heard amid themotion at the entrance of the estate, the gazes of Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples turned toward the entrance. It seems we have guests looking for us. Shouldnt we go out and see? We should. As Mu-jin, who lightly conversed with Mak Ji-hyuk, headed to the main gate, the others also moved with him. Meanwhile, those causing a ruckus at the entrance of the estate fell silent for a moment when they saw the monks dressed in crimson robes. They were the main figures of small to medium sects and martial artists in Nanchang, who considered themselves to be part of the righteous sects. Since Shaolin Temple was located in Songshan near Deungbong-hyeon, all the sects and martial artists in Deungbong-hyeon were Shaolin secr disciples. Therefore, there had been no issues when they opened a clinic in Deungbong-hyeon. But the situation here was entirely different from Deungbong-hyeon. The small to medium sects here, which were not Shaolin secr disciples, did not wee Shaolins expansion. Of course, this ce was constantly gued by conflicts between small sects of the righteous and demonic factions, so Shaolins intervention might seem beneficial to them, but in reality, it was not seen that way. Shaolins expansion was akin to a tiger joining a fight among wolves. Naturally, they were also wary of Shaolin taking their share. Meanwhile, shortly after the Shaolin disciples and the Buddhist Fist Sect disciples stepped out to the main gate, Mak Ji-hyuk surveyed the surroundings and stepped forward reluctantly. With Hye-gwan, who should have represented Shaolin, nowhere to be found, he had to step up as the representative. I am Mak Ji-hyuk, the head of the Buddhist Fist Sect. Why are you seeking the guests from Shaolin? When Mak Ji-hyuk asked along with the headman, a middle-aged man stepped forward from the gathered crowd and replied. It has been a long time, Master Mak. I am Kang Tae-goo. What brings the head of Taegeom Sect here, and with so many people? As Mu-jin listened to their exchange of greetings, he nodded. A sect Ive never heard of, and a person Ive never seen. He wasnt even mentioned in the novel. I, Kang Tae-goo, have lived as part of the righteous sects for a long time and have admired the high spirit of Shaolin. However, I havee here because I heard some disturbing rumors. What do you mean by disturbing rumors? I have heard disturbing rumors that the venerable monks of Shaolin, who have severed their ties with the secr world to cultivate high virtues, are nning to start business here. As Kang Tae-goo spoke, Mu-jin thought. This old man sure has a silver tongue. Is this the way of the righteous sects? Though his words were roundabout, he was essentially saying that Shaolin should stay secluded in the mountains. And Mak Ji-hyuk, perhaps thinking something simr to Mu-jin, furrowed his brows and replied. That is a misunderstanding. As you can see from the signboard, this is just a clinic. The Shaolin disciples havee here to treatypeople suffering in the secr world. They will leave in a few months. Mak Ji-hyuk spoke the truth, but none of the people present believed him. As the saying goes, people only see what they want to see. They thought Shaolin was trying to take their share. Hahaha. We understand Shaolins noble intentions, but the world will point fingers at Shaolin. We will take responsibility for protecting the people living here, so why dont you return to the mountains? It was a thinly veiled threat that they would spread rumors about Shaolin being corrupted by the secr world if they did not leave. Before Mak Ji-hyuk could open his mouth to rebut. I am Mu-jin, the third-generation disciple of Shaolin. I apologize for interrupting, but may I say a word? Unable to bear it any longer, Mu-jin interjected into the conversation. Hah! No matter how renowned Shaolin is, how can a third-generation disciple interrupt a conversation between sect leaders? As if he had found something to pick on, Kang Tae-goo shouted loudly, and the crowd behind him echoed, Thats right! But regardless of their reactions, Mu-jin burst into a smallugh and asked. Headmaster Kang, why are you trying to prevent Shaolin from opening a clinic? What do you mean by preventing! We are merely concerned that Shaolin might be criticized Flustered by Mu-jins sudden attack, Kang Tae-goo tried to counter, but Mu-jin cut him off and asked again. If that is the case, then since we have assured you that we will take responsibility, you can leave now! With a radiant and innocent smile like a childs. It was a smile modeled after Mu-yuls. Khmm. For the sake of Shaolins prestige, that cannot be allowed. As expected. So, you came here to prevent us from opening a clinic. !? Dear Master Uncles. Seeing that you are trying to hinder the salvation of the masses, it seems that you have stepped into the realm of the demonic. At Mu-jins words, Kang Tae-goo and the others who hade with him shouted in outrage. No matter how high-ranking a disciple of Shaolin you may be, how dare a third-ss disciple speak such nonsense to the head of the sect! This is an excessive leap! But for some reason, Mu-jin, as if he had been waiting for that response, answered with shining eyes. Indeed! What you are doing right now is exactly that leap. We only said we would open a clinic to save the masses, yet why are you worried that we will be used of being tainted by the secr world? And above all. After speaking to that point, Mu-jin paused and then added in a tone that didnt match his age. Why do we need your permission for Shaolin to open a clinic? Mu-jins heavy voice, mismatched to his age, pressed down on the whole area. The reason why the members of the various small sects, who couldnt even dominate a single region and werepeting with each other, dared to defy the disciples of Shaolin, known as the North Star of Mount Tai, was simple. It was because they were convinced that Shaolin disciples, as members of the righteous faction, would never harm them. Even now, as Shaolin showed signs of stepping into the secr world, they held onto that belief. Due to the banner that Shaolin had upheld for hundreds of years, they all thought Shaolin was safe, or rather, easy to handle. But at this moment, with Mu-jins words, that conviction began to crack. At the mere words of Mu-jin, who was only a third-ss disciple, cold sweat began to trickle down their backs. At that moment, a cheerfulugh rang out from somewhere. Ha ha ha ha. You rascal, you say some interesting things. The owner of the voice was Hye-gwan, who had been watching the whole situation while drinking on the roof of the hall. Attracting everyones attention with his somewhat crookedughter, Hye-gwan leapt from the roof to the ground. His body technique was so superior that despite jumping from the roof, there was no sound of hisnding. Descending like a ghost between the members of the small sects and the Shaolin disciples, Hye-gwan looked at Kang Tae-goo, the representative of the small sects, and opened his mouth. As that child said, if you obstruct Shaolins path to save the masses, you will be regarded as demonic. Who, who are you to say such things!? I am Hye-gwan, first-ss disciple of Shaolin. !!! Ha, Hangma Bulteo! Chwibul! When Hye-gwan stated his Dharma name, cries of astonishment erupted from the crowd that had gathered. Especially, those who recklessly called out the alias Chwibul had to endure the sharp stares of those around them. However, whether because they had already taken a step forward or because they couldnt afford to lose their pride here, Kang Tae-goo shouted with a trembling voice. Ar, are you saying that Shaolin is trying to oppress us, who are also of the righteous faction, with force!? At that question, Hye-gwanughed. It was augh that anyone could see as a sneer. Hahaha. Surely that cant be the case? Hmm. What should we do? Killing everyone here would be a shame since you all im to be from the righteous faction. At Hye-gwans yful words, cold sweat once again ran down the backs of the crowd that had gathered to protest against Shaolin. Hye-gwan was the most notorious monk among the Shaolin disciples. The number of demonic heads and evil figures that had died by his hand was countless. Each of those demonic heads and evil figures surpassed the level of the sect leaders present here, so there was no one here who could dare to handle Hye-gwan. And havingpletely subdued the atmosphere, Hye-gwan, as if a good idea had urred to him, pped his hands with a mischievous smile. Ah. How about this then? Since you all im to be from the righteous faction, lets resolve this in a manner befitting the righteous faction. Through a martial arts duel. At those words, Kang Tae-goo shouted with a look of injustice. Master Hye-gwan! How is that any different from using force to oppress us? Hahaha. Dont worry. This fellow here will be the one to step up in the duel. Hye-gwan, as if it was the most natural thing, raised his hand and pointed at Mu-jin. Chapter 60: Chapter 60: That Shaolin Is Not It (2) As the crowd followed Hye-gwans hand and turned their heads, they confirmed Mu-jins face. A peculiar silence lingered in the vicinity. No matter how illustrious the name of Shaolin might be, their opponent was a child who might have just turned fifteen. It was an opponent they could easily defeat. The only problem was that they imed to be part of the orthodox faction. Are you not underestimating us too much? Indeed, thats correct! Even though they were from a small sect, it wasnt proper for the leaders to duel against a child.Hahaha. Theres no need for the sect leaders to step forward personally, is there? Lets handle this in a way befitting the orthodox faction. A duel among the post-novice disciples. Isnt that clean and fair? Hye-gwan, who said this, nced over the crowd with his half-closed eyes and pointed at someone. That young man over there seems just about right. The young man Hye-gwan pointed at looked to be around twenty years old. By coincidence or fate, the young man he pointed at was none other than Kang Geo-wan, the eldest son of Kang Tae-goo, the head of the Taegeom Sect. Unconsciously, Kang Geo-wan frowned upon being selected by Hye-gwan. Even if that novice were Namgung Jin-cheon of the Namgung family or a disciple from the Qing Shui (ˮ) Taoist Temple of Wudang, at that age, he couldnt defeat me! Having turned twenty-one a few months ago, he might notpare to those famous figures throughout the continent, but he was a well-known post-novice disciple in Nanchang. However, regardless of his sons pride, Kang Tae-goo barely managed to suppress his rising lips and asked, Are you sure you want to settle this duel between that child and Geo-wan? Unless you prefer to duel personally with this disciple? Khum. That was not my intention. With a light cough, Kang Tae-goo stepped back and whispered to his son. Even if the opponent is careless, do not let your guard down. There is no need for that, Father. No matter how much of a Shaolin disciple he is, he is still just a novice monk. If he hasnt even mastered the Seventy-Two Consummate Arts, there is nothing to fear. Kang Tae-goo nodded at his sons words, his face full of pride. As his son had said, the true terror of renowned sects like the Nine Schools of Shaolin and the Five Great Familiesy in their possession of advanced martial arts and techniques known as consummate arts and divine skills. However, unless it was demonic arts, mastering these orthodox consummate arts and divine skills required one to progress from basic martial arts step by step. And these basic martial arts were something that all small sects possessed. They remained small sects only because theycked high-level martial arts, and thus had few experts who could reach the level of being called masters. Ultimately, the significant gap between the disciples of small sects and those of renowned sects started to appear no sooner than theirte teens and typically around their twenties. Hence, the level of that young child, who had barely reached the age of fifteen, would not be much different from the young disciples of other minor sects. The justification is sufficient. Now, go and teach him a lesson. Yes, Father. At Kang Tae-goos instruction, Kang Geo-wan stepped forward with a confident stride. Living up to his name, Kang Geo-wan, boasting a robust build, greeted Mu-jin with a slightly displeased face, sping his fists in respect. I am Kang Geo-wan, the junior head of the Taegeom Sect. Novice monk. I am Mu-jin, the third-generation disciple of Shaolin. Amitabha. Receiving Mu-jins greeting, Kang Geo-wan clicked his tongue inwardly. No matter if youre from Shaolin, I still seem to be your senior, Mu-jin. So I will let you have the first move. Even without touching the sword at his waist, Kang Geo-wan spoke those words, causing Mu-jin to burst into a smallugh. As you wish. Just as he nodded in response, Mu-jin darted into Kang Geo-wans embrace. Shocked by Mu-jins speed, which was much faster than expected, Kang Geo-wan tried to throw a punch in a hurry but flinched. He recalled that he had agreed to give the first move. Reluctantly, Kang Geo-wan stepped back to avoid Mu-jins first punch. Or so he thought. The right fist, which he believed had just grazed past his face, had suddenly extended its fingers and grabbed the back of his neck with the Golden Locking Hand technique. !? While Kang Geo-wan was astonished by the immense force felt from his neck. Thud!! Mu-jins lifted knee struck precisely at Kang Geo-wans abdomen. Ugh. Kang Geo-wan felt a shock that made him want to vomit as he bent over, clutching his stomach. Amitabha. As if nothing had happened, Mu-jin leisurely offered a half-bow in respect. The peculiar silence once again enveloped the audience as the match ended in a single move. Especially, Kang Tae-goo, Kang Geo-wans father, wished he could hide in a mouse hole. His son, who had shown needless bravado, ended up utterly humiliated in a duel meant to uphold the righteous cause of blocking Shaolins advance, highly valued by the orthodox sects. At that moment, Kang Geo-wan, who was clutching his stomach and bending over, suddenly lifted his head and shouted. Ah, its not over yet! Even though everyone knew of Kang Geo-wans defeat, he stubbornly insisted. Since his defeat had already humiliated him, he had nothing more to lose, so he thought of at least avenging his disgrace. Hu I apologize for underestimating you, Mu-jin. So, I humbly request another duel. Kang Geo-wan, his face flushed red with humiliation, spoke with his head bowed. Looking at such a pitiful sight, Hye-gwan opened his mouth with an expression of extreme pity. He is so desperate. How about granting his request, Mu-jin? It was clear he was teasing. As you wish, Master Uncle Hye-gwan. Mu-jin shrugged his shoulders lightly and epted the rematch. Endure humiliation to gain opportunity, they say. I will repay this disgrace today! Having endured humiliation to secure another chance, Kang Geo-wan drew the sword from his side from the start, determined not to repeat the same mistake. I did not bring a wooden sword as I didnt anticipate a duel, so I will participate with the sheathed sword instead. Mu-jin. You may as well remove the sheath and use a real sword. The sheath will suffice. Mu-jins considerate words made Kang Geo-wan grit his teeth and respond, I wont let you get away with this! As soon as the sparring began, Kang Geo-wan measured the distance with Mu-jin and swung his sword diagonally. True to the name of the Taegeom Sect, they used arger swordpared to the ones typically used by martial artists. The length, thickness, and width of the de were allrger than average, and naturally, the weight of the sword was heavier than those of other sects. Moreover, the martial arts of the Taegeom Sect also emphasized the principles of the heavy sword. His swordsmanship was closer to destroying rather than cutting his opponent. However, as the long sword flew towards his upper body, Mu-jin met it with his fist. Since you humiliated me, Ill at least take your right hand! To avenge the humiliation he suffered in their previous encounter, Kang Geo-wan drew more of his internal energy, determined to shatter Mu-jins right hand bones. And at the moment his sword shed with Mu-jins right fist, *ng!* A metallic sound erupted, hard to believe it was flesh against steel. Moreover, even though it was a sh between a fist and a sword, Kang Geo-wans arm was pushed upwards due to the overwhelming force, causing his grip on the sword to loosen. Thanks to his ten years of sword training, Kang Geo-wan utilized the upward momentum of his sword and brought it down again. It ended up exactly as Mu-jin predicted, using a real sword in the sparring match. Despite the sword flying towards him, Mu-jin did not panic and stepped closer to Kang Geo-wan, one step at a time. Because Kang Geo-wans sword strikes embodied the principles of the heavy sword, their speed was not very fast. Perhaps to address this issue, instead of aiming for sharp stabs at specific points, he executed shing attacks targeting broad areas. It was an offensive strategy, leveraging the essence of the heavy sword, with the idea that even a graze would be lethal. Since these attacks upied a wide area, it wasnt easy to dodge all while closing in. Thus, Mu-jin used both fists and palm techniques to strike the sides of the sword for the attacks that were difficult to evade. Since his Iron Skin technique was not yet perfected, he couldnt ce his hand directly on the de infused with internal energy. How many times had Kang Geo-wans sword and Mu-jins hand collided, creating a metallic sound? Each time they shed, Mu-jin closed the distance bit by bit, until he was close enough to be within Kang Geo-wans reach. When Kang Geo-wan swung his sword once more, Instead of striking the sword again, Mu-jin used his left hand to perform the Golden Locking Hand technique, grabbing Kang Geo-wans hand that held the sword. Though Kang Geo-wan, whose both hands were seized, urgently shouted, Wait a moment!? Mu-jin swung his right fist straight at Kang Geo-wans face. *Thud!* Kang Geo-wan, who had been directly hit by the fist that previously made a metallic sound when shing with the sword, spat out blood, and his teeth scattered everywhere. Amitabha. As Mu-jin, having finished the sparring, bowed respectfully as a ss leader, everyones gaze fixed on him. More specifically, on the bloodstains on his fist. Hmm. I think thats enough for the sparring. The strange silence was broken by Hye-gwans sly voice, sounding like he was holding backughter. It was just a sparring match, but wasnt that a bit too much? Kang Tae-goo shouted in sorrow,menting that his son might not be able to chew food properly in the future. Hye-gwan turned his head sideways and retorted, It was an ident during the sparring, wasnt it? From what I saw, that friend Geo-wan swung his sword as if he intended to cut Mu-jin to pieces. But Mu-jin is not hurt at all! When Kang Tae-goo insisted, Hye-gwan smiled and replied, Well then, would Sect Leader Kang like to spar with me? Who knows, I might identally punch a hole in your stomach during the match, but it hasnt happened yet, has it? Hahaha. With that menacingugh, no one dared to argue further about this sparring match. In fact, the duel between the two, who had a seven-year age difference, was already unfair. The moment Kang Geo-wan lost, they lost the right to argue any further. Rather than argue, they needed to hide this incident to avoid disgrace. Mu-jin, knowing this, willingly participated in the sparring that Hye-gwan suggested without anyints. There was just one thing that puzzled him. Did Master Uncle Hye-gwan n for me to fight that guy, Geo-wan, with this in mind? But when he saw Hye-gwan smiling with a look filled with the scent of blood, Mu-jin couldnt help but think that maybe it was just for fun. * * * After driving out those self-proimed righteous sects and finishing the cleanup to use the mansion as a clinic, Mu-jin moved to handle the primary reason he hade to Namchang. He headed to the branch of the Cheonryu Sangdan in Jiangxi Province, Namchang. Specifically, to the branch leaders office deep within the branch. Branch Leader, a novice monk from Shaolin named Mu-jin hase to see you. Let him in. Passing through the door opened by the branchs chief officer, Mu-jin entered the branch leaders office. There sat a young man who looked to be in histe twenties. Wow. Hes a spitting image. Indeed, the bloodline could not be denied, as he looked exactly like Ryu Ji-gwang would have in his younger days. Not only did their appearances match, but the atmosphere of the branch leaders office was simr too, with a table piled high with papers. However, there were subtle differences. Ryu Ji-gwang always wore a kind smile. In Mu-jins opinion, this was likely due to his realization as a seasoned merchant. Understanding that smiles cost nothing, Ryu Ji-gwang, a shrewd merchant, constantly wore a smile that seemed to have be one with his face. Even in his dealings with Mu-jin, who was just a novice monk, he used a mix of respectful and casual speech, showcasing his impressive interpersonal skills as a merchant. It signified that even a young Mu-jin could potentially be a customer of the Cheonryu Sangdan one day. In contrast, his second son, Ryu Seol-ho, wore a stern expression. It seemed like a mask to hide any weaknesses from his opponent. Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Paedobang (1) Nice to meet you. I am Mu-jin, the third disciple of Shaolin. Amitabha. Nice to meet you too. I am Ryu Seol-ho, the branch leader of Nanchang for the Cheonryu Merchant Guild. After exchanging greetings with a half bow and a fist salute, Ryu Seol-ho spoke in a blunt tone. I have roughly heard about the matter through the letter sent by the guild master. Our Nanchang branch ns tomission the workshop to make the tools needed for the clinic. Before Mu-jin could respond to the mans words, Ryu Seol-ho continued. For anything else needed for the clinic, please speak through the chief officer. I made time for you today because its the first day, but the position of branch leader in the Cheonryu Merchant Guild is not exactly leisurely. Ryu Seol-ho had clearly issued a dismissal order. Through todays meeting, Mu-jin realized a very important fact.The second son of the Cheonryu Merchant Guild and the future corrupt guild master was an incredibly rude person. * * * Shortly after Mu-jin left, Ryu Seol-ho clicked his tongue lightly. Tsk. You seem quite displeased. To his guards question, Ryu Seol-ho replied with a cynical smile. It seems the guild master is getting ready to step down. To praise such a young kid so much. The letter sent by his father, no, the guild master, was filled with nothing but praises for Mu-jin. He even asked me to make a good impression on that young boy. Im beginning to wonder if he expected me to perform some tricks. What do you intend to do? The question implied that he was willing to handle things quietly if desired. Leave it. The guild master is focusing on him. Interfering might raise unnecessary suspicion. Besides, we have already left dealing with them to Paedobang. I understand. In response to Ryu Seol-hosmand, the guard bowed his head. * * * Meanwhile, at that time. In the abbots room of Shaolin Temple situated on Mount Song. There, Abbot Hyun Cheon and Chubodangju Hyun-myeong were facing each other. Senior brother abbot. I am still not convinced that sending Hye-gwan as the person in charge of this matter was the right decision. Hyun-myeong couldnt sleep properly, worried whether the establishment of a branch clinic in Jiangxi province would proceed smoothly. The funny thing was that his concern wasnt about Mu-jin, who was about to turn fifteen, but Hye-gwan, the first disciple of Shaolin who was already over forty. There was no doubt about Hye-gwans martial prowess. His strength ranked among the top five in current Shaolin. The problem was his temper. His unpredictable and entric nature. Hyun-myeong worried that Hye-gwan might beat to death the heads of the minor sects in Nanchang simply because they displeased him. To Hyun-myeongs worried question, Hyun Cheon replied with a benevolent smile. Hahaha. Dont worry about that. Unless its a battle against demonic cultivators, Hye-gwan wont bother to take action due to hisziness. In fact, Hyun Cheon understood the underlying reason beyond the superficial one. Hye-gwan, who fought against his own madness every day, wouldnt step in under the excuse ofziness. Just as Hyun Cheon feared, Hye-gwan was cautious because he might kill his opponents if he intervened. Therefore, Hye-gwan is just a trump card in case of unexpected battles with demonic cultivators. The actual negotiations with other sects will be handled by Mu-jin. I believe Mu-jin is fully capable of managing that task. So, Hye-gwan is just the nominal leader, and Mu-jin is the actual person in charge? Thats correct. At Hyun Cheons words, Hyun-myeong nodded in agreement. Based on his observations so far, he felt confident in Mu-jin. The strategist Mu-jin and the warrior Hye-gwan. It seems like an excellent selection. Amitabha, senior brother abbot. Hahaha. Mu-jin will manage to keep Hye-gwan in check. * * * Currently, Mu-jin, who had the high expectations of the Shaolin abbot and Chubodangju, was walking down a street filled with rednterns. Oh my~ Brother, you have a great body~ Brother! Come and y with us for the day! It might seem absurd for someone to flirt with a novice monk, but Mu-jin looked nothing like a novice monk at the moment. Instead of Shaolins distinctive kasaya, he wore luxurious silk clothes that a rich young master might wear. His face was adorned with fake moles and freckles created through makeup. On top of that, his distinctive monks hairstyle was reced with a shaggy wig tied up with a heroic headband. It was obviously a wig. Thanks to this borate disguise, Mu-jin didnt look like a novice monk at all. All these items were purchased using the vouchers from the Cheonryu Merchant Guild, given by Ryu Ji-gwang. Of course, the disguise wasnt for the purpose of visiting the women soliciting customers on the street. The reason he came to Nanchang was to deal with the dark forces, including Paedobang, that were involved in human trafficking. The problem was that Paedobang hadnt fully taken control of the area at this point. Mu-jin hade here to understand Paedobang and other dark forces in Nanchang. Where were the main bases of these dark forces and demonic sects? Just as modern organized crime groups managed nightclubs, bars, and entertainment establishments, the major bases here were inns and brothels employing courtesans. Surveying the area in disguise, Mu-jin headed toward the most luxurious inn he could find. It was purely for gathering information. Wee! The innkeeper greeted Mu-jin warmly and guided him to a seat. Mu-jin pulled out a silver liang from his sleeve and handed it to the innkeeper, saying, Bring me your five best dishes. Aigo, no doubt about it! The innkeepers mouth split into a wide grin as he epted the silver liang and left. A little whileter,vish dishes began to pile up one by one on Mu-jins table. Naturally, these dishes were made with ingredients that were absolutely forbidden to monks. Oho, these are the foods Ive only heard about. No, the foods Ive only read about! The famous Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Dongpo Pork, Longjing Shrimp, West Lake Vinegar Fish, and Beggars Chicken were served in session. Our chef here used to work at a famous inn in Zhejiang Province, so the dishes from Zhejiang are the most delicious! At the innkeepers exnation, Mu-jin nodded once and picked up his chopsticks. Great! Today is protein supplementation day! Two and a half years since entering the world of martial arts novels. Except for the special meals he sometimes received when dragged to the meditation cave, his diet had been nothing but vegetables day and night. asionally, a day like this was needed to bring vitality to his training. Ahh. Whether it was because he was in a martial arts novel world, or because the original vors were like this, or the chefs skills were exceptional, all five dishes boasted an incredible taste. Mu-jin, captivated by the vors, moved his chopsticks nonstop. Clearly, he hade here to gather information on the dark forces. As Mu-jin was engrossed in the food for quite some time, he suddenly spotted an unexpected sight and choked on his food. Cough. What Mu-jin saw was Hye-gwan. Hye-gwan had entered the grand inn, Geumhwa Inn, where Mu-jin was seated. Unlike Mu-jin, Hye-gwan entered boldly with his head shaved clean and wearing the crimson kasaya. And of all things, the eyes of Hye-gwan, who had entered the inn boldly, and Mu-jin, who was choking on his food, met. Hehehe. For some reason, Hye-gwan approached Mu-jins table. Hehehe. Well, well. I never imagined Id run into a fellow disciple here. What do you mean? Mu-jin tried to feign ignorance at Hye-gwans words, but it didnt work. Kuhaha. Youre always amusing. I was curious about who taught Sa-baek Hyun-gwang about meat and alcohol, and it turns out it was you. Mu-jin felt wronged. He had taught Hyun-gwang about meat, but not alcohol. However, shouting Im innocent! here would only be admitting guilt. Ahem. I dont know what youre talking about. Kuhaha. Alright, alright. If you insist, well leave it at that. But in exchange for turning a blind eye, youll cover the bill for this ce. Before Mu-jin could reply, Hye-gwan immediately called the innkeeper. First, bring a bottle each of Yeohong and Geomnamchun. How did you know our inn has the best Yeohong and Geomnamchun? Hahaha, my nose is keen for the scent of alcohol. It was a statement that made one question if such a rogue monk truly existed. Shortly after, the innkeeper returned with the Yeohong and Geomnamchun, and Hye-gwan poured the two drinks into separate cups. Mu-jin, wondering if one of those drinks was for him, asked Hye-gwan, Why are you pouring two drinks at the same time? Tsk. You really dont understand the taste of alcohol. Yeohong is a sweet wine, while Geomnamchun is strong. You drink Geomnamchun first, then follow it with Yeohong to smooth out the strong aftertaste. Mu-jin nearly blurted out that he was crazy. Knowing Hye-gwans reputation, he barely restrained himself. True to his words, Hye-gwan didnt touch the food at all and only drank. He drank Geomnamchun as his liquor and used Yeohong as his chaser. Watching this absurd scene for a while, Mu-jin couldnt help but swallow his saliva. The way Hye-gwan enjoyed his drink was enticing. It was especially hard to resist since Mu-jin had always been curious about the taste of these famous liquors he read about in martial arts novels. Perhaps Mu-jins gulp was too loud, for Hye-gwan, noticing, asked with a yful smile, Do you want a drink? Mu-jin almost answered Yes. However, exerting extreme self-control, he replied with a sorrowful expression, No, thank you. Who would believe a starving beggar dog looking at a fallen dumpling saying no? Ahem. I wont drink right now. His intent wasnt to avoid alcohol because he was still young but because he needed to build his muscles. He intended to avoid alcohol to enhance his muscle development. Of course, even after building sufficient muscles, hed need to avoid alcohol to maintain his muscle mass. Once I reach a higher level!! In the world of martial arts novels, there was a solution. Like how Grandfather Hyun-gwang demonstrated, one could expel the alcohol using internal energy. Grandfather said it was possible once one achieved a major breakthrough andpleted the Grand Cirction. For now, Mu-jin avoided alcohol because he hadnt reached that level. If he did, he nned to enjoy drinking as much as he wanted. Of course, Hye-gwan couldnt fathom Mu-jins muscle-focused mindset and interpreted it differently. Not right now, huh Hye-gwan thought Mu-jin meant hed drink when he became an adult. Hes an amusing fellow. Naturally, Shaolin forbade alcohol consumption regardless of age. Yet, Mu-jin confidently dered hed drink as an adult. Judging by your expression, it seems you wontst long. Hahaha. The more Hye-gwan watched Mu-jin, the more he liked him. Laughing heartily, Hye-gwan poured himself several more rounds, ignoring Mu-jin, whose eyes were glued to the drinks. Then, with a peculiar expression, Hye-gwan asked a question. Well, now that weve had some drinks and moistened our throats, can you answer my question, young benefactor? Mu-jin, having finished his cup of tea, replied, What do you want to know? Though they pretended not to know each other, their identities were already revealed. There was no point in hiding, especially after being caught eating meat. Despite being Shaolins most notorious fallen monk, Hye-gwan seemed ready to let it slide. With a mischievous smile, the fallen monk asked an unexpected question. Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Paedobang (2) What were you doing here? Mu-jin pointed to the dining table with an incredulous expression. He was referring to the dazzling array of meat dishes he was eating. However, Mu-jins act didnt fool Hye-gwan. Hehehe. Are you telling me you came to this tavern in the middle of the red-light district just to eat meat? Realizing that his clumsy lie wouldnt work, Mu-jin decided to reveal the truth, only concealing what was necessary. After all, he needed Hye-gwans help for his n. Actually, I was trying to gather some information about the dark sects and the unorthodox groups that have settled in Nanchang. Although that went out the window the moment you appeared, he thought, but saw no need to say it out loud. Hye-gwan would understand. Mu-jin had dressed in expensive silk clothes, bought costly food, and even given a silver coin to the waiter as a tip, all to act like a rich fool.This was to lure out the dark sect or unorthodox forces managing this grand inn. In martial arts novels, wasnt itmon for dark sects or unorthodox forces to try and swindle rich young masters? He nned to turn this on its head. That is, until Hye-gwan showed up. Responding to hispanions question, Mu-jin now posed one to Hye-gwan. Ive answered your question and bought you a drink. May I ask you for a favor? Ive gotten a free drink, so as long as its within my ability, Ill do it. Hehehe. After saying this, Hye-gwan alternated between drinking Geomnamchun and Yeoa Hong, prompting Mu-jin to smile slyly. Could you help me with what Im nning to do? Do you mean catching the dark sect and unorthodox forces? Yes. I refuse. !? A man who broke the vow of non-killing to deal with the evil deeds of the dark sects and unorthodox forces was refusing this? Mu-jins astonishment was evident on his face as he asked again. May I know the reason? Its impossible topletely eradicate the dark sects and unorthodox forces anyway. Human nature is inherently evil; even if I clear them out, others will simply take their ce. Therefore, I only target the most vicious ones. Killing every single moderately active individual is a waste of energy. Hye-gwan clicked his tongue and downed more Geomnamchun and Yeoa Hong. So you purposely didnt hide your presence and came here? Hahaha. An interesting deduction. Well, I wont deny it. If anyone dares to act out knowing Im here, it means they are either extremely confident in their skills orpletely insane. Hye-gwans response made Mu-jin look at him with a peculiar expression. Is he still a Shaolin disciple? Despite being a drunken monk who vited the vow of non-killing, Hye-gwan at least intended to avoid unnecessary killing. However, Hye-gwans values were his values, and this matter needed to be resolved. Moreover, the target this time was indeed worthy of being on Hye-gwans kill list. In that regard, you need not worry. The dark sect I am after are human traffickers who kidnap and sell women and children. Hehehe. And how do I know I can trust your words? The informationes from Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang of the Cheonryu Sangdan. At Mu-jins calm lie, a momentary sharpness shed in Hye-gwans eyes, which had seemed drunken. Youre saying youre tracking this dark sect on the request of the Sangdanju? Hye-gwan deduced the situation from just one sentence that Mu-jin uttered. He quickly realized that opening a branch here wasnt just to take care of patients but also to investigate that dark sect. He only misunderstood that the mastermind behind the n was Ryu Ji-gwang, not Mu-jin. So, how much information do you have about this dark sect? Other than the name Paedobang, I know nothing. Hahaha. So thats why you were moping around here without a drink. But why were you looking for information here instead of asking the deputy leader of Cheonryu Sangdan? Its partly because theres no guarantee that the deputy leader can be fully trusted, and more importantly, bad people tend to know the most about other bad people, dont they? Hehehe. Youre well aware. Then, we must wrap this up as quickly as possible. Mu-jin couldnt even be sure if the deputy leader was an ally. Moreover, the deputy leader had been gathering information on Shaolin due to his position at the clinic. If it was discovered that they were probing into Paedobang, the enemy might hide. Hey, you there!! Having reached his conclusion, Hye-gwan suddenly called over the waiter. Bring us another bottle of Geomnamchun and Yeoa Hong! In an absurd move, he ordered more alcohol. But his purpose wasnt the alcohol. When the waiter approached with the bottles, Hye-gwan subtly grabbed him and whispered quietly. Have you ever heard of a gang called Paedobang? As he said this, Hye-gwan gave a slight nod to Mu-jin. Mu-jin, catching on, discreetly pulled out another silver coin from his sleeve and handed it to the waiter. If you provide any information, Ill give you an additional silver coin. Hehehe. Hye-gwan, with ascivious grin that made one question his status as a monk, then took the bottle of Geomnamchun from the waiter and downed it. It seemed the main purpose was indeed the alcohol, not Paedobang. * * * A mansion located in a secluded corner of therge city of Nanchang. In one of its pavilions, a man referred to as the Bangju (chief) and his subordinate were conversing. How are the preparations going? When the man called Bangju asked, the subordinate lowered his head deeply. Im sorry, Bangju-nim. Hmm. If something had gone wrong, rumors would have spread within the county. I already know about the failure. I asked to understand the specifics. Initially, as per my n, those hypocrites who called themselves the righteous sect went to find the Shaolin disciples. At least they went to find them Yet, if no rumors had spread, it meant Shaolin had left. If there had been a violent conflict, rumors of Shaolin using force would have spread naturally. However, the subordinates response overturned the Bangjus expectations. During a heated argument, Shaolins Hye-gwan appeared. You mean that fallen monk? Yes. The name Hye-gwan was a famous Dharma name known to virtually everyone in the martial arts world. This was not only because of his frequent entric behavior but also due to the sheer number of demon cult members who had met their end at his hands. The unorthodox and dark sects in Nanchang must be trembling in fear. Despite saying this, there was not a trace of fear on the Bangjus face. He didnt consider himself inferior to Hye-gwan in martial prowess. As someone who had trained in martial arts, he even harbored a desire to test his skills against the monk who never retreated from demons. His only regret was that he had to conceal his identity due to his mission. But if that drunken monk got involved, theres no way there wouldnt be rumors. Yes. While Hye-gwan did intervene, he did not participate in the duel. As the subordinate continued, he exined the events that unfolded. Hye-gwan arranged a duel between Mu-jin and Kang Geo-wan. And the young Mu-jin, who seemed just about school age, won decisively. The righteous sect group, embarrassed by the oue, decided to keep todays events under wraps. Thats why I dislike the ways of the righteous sects. Inwardly, they were just as greedy as the dark or unorthodox sects, wasting time and energy on their self-righteous pretense. The Bangjus words made the subordinate bow his head again. I made a wrong judgment. Please punish me. Enough. I entrusted you with this task. If you give me another chance, I will personally make those Shaolin disciples withdraw. The Bangju pondered for a moment before responding to the subordinates plea. Enough. Just leave it be. The subordinate looked at the Bangju with a puzzled expression, prompting the Bangju to respond nonchntly. Fighting against a passing shower is foolish. Shaolin wont be able to stay here for long anyway. ??? Seeing the subordinates confused expression, the Bangju clicked his tongue and offered further exnation. Tsk. Do you think those righteous sect scoundrels will leave Shaolin alone? In a few days, anothermotion will likely arise from the righteous sect. The Bangju understood the ways of the righteous sect very well. It was because he understood them that he despised them. However, even the Bangju couldnt predict everything. He was unaware that Shaolin had already begun searching for them. What do you n to do? Mu-jin asked, looking at the mansion with the signboard Heuksa-bang hanging at the entrance. Heuksa-bang was not the hidden identity of Paedobang. Damn it, the inns waiter had never even heard of Paedobang, despite being a local of Nanchang. However, the waiter didnt seem to be lying. He appeared genuinely greedy for the silver coin and disappointed he didnt get more. Instead, the ce the waiter had informed them about was this one. It was said to be a well-known dark sect in Nanchang, likely knowledgeable about the underworld. Thus, they had to use Heuksa-bang to find Paedobang. Hehehe. What is there to ponder? Hye-gwan, taking a swig from the Geomnamchun he brought from the inn, walked confidently toward the front gate of Heuksa-bang. Mu-jin followed, thinking Hye-gwan must have a n. When they reached the front gate of Heuksa-bang, Hye-gwan kicked it open, breaking it down. Intruders! Who are these bastards! Startled by the sudden attack, several men appeared, armed with knives and swords. Stand aside,ckeys, and bring me your Bangju. Hye-gwan shouted at the men, but they didnt heed his words. Are you seriously just two? Crazy bastards! The minions of Heuksa-bang didnt recognize the infamous Hye-gwan of Shaolin. It was only natural. Hye-gwan was in disguise at Mu-jins suggestion. To extract information about Paedobang, Mu-jin had persuaded him that it would be best to conceal their identities as Shaolin disciples. Do you know where you are! Kill those bastards! The five men who had appeared first charged at Mu-jin and Hye-gwan simultaneously. Thud! Urgh! The man leading the charge was knocked out by a kick to the sr plexus from Hye-gwan before he could even swing his knife. The rest were swiftly taken down by Mu-jin and Hye-gwans Striking Bone Technique. Tsk. These guys are weaker than that Kang Geo-wan fellow I faced earlier. As Mu-jin clicked his tongue at the thought, dozens of dark sect members began to appear, flooding the area. They reminded Mu-jin of cockroaches. You bastards! Do you know where you are and dare to cause trouble! These dogs must have a death wish! The men repeated the same lines over and over. At that moment, a path opened in the center of the thirty or so men, and a middle-aged man with a beard like a bandit appeared. Who are you! I dont know about that. We came to ask a question, and if you answer truthfully, well let you live. Hye-gwan responded in a mocking tone to the man who seemed to be the Heuksa-bangju. Naturally, a vein popped out on the Heuksa-bangjus forehead. Show these arrogant fools the fear of Heuksa-bang! As soon as the Heuksa-bangju gave the order, the dozen or so men in front simultaneously charged at Mu-jin and Hye-gwan. Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Paedobang (3) Just before a dozen or so enemies surrounded Mu-jin and Hye-gwan. Ill handle that guy. Hye-gwan blurted out such nonsense and then soared into the air, using his movement technique. Instead of dealing with the small fry, he moved to strike directly at the head, the leader. It was quite a good decision. Crazy!? Thanks to that, Mu-jin ended up fighting surrounded by a dozen or so enemies. However, he couldnt just resent Hye-gwan. While the enemies attention was focused on Hye-gwan flying overhead, Mu-jin charged towards the guy on the far left.Mu-jins straight punch buried itself into the mans abdomen with a heavy thud, and the man copsed to the ground, vomiting. Attack! A sneak attack, you dirty bastard! It wasughable that they called Mu-jin dirty while they themselves were ganging up on him. But there was no time to leisurelyugh. Mu-jin stepped back immediately after knocking one down. The enemies charged at Mu-jin to chase him down. When one of them lunged forward, Mu-jin changed direction and rushed into the mans space. The man swung his oddly-shaped sword at the suddenly charging Mu-jin, but Mu-jin easily dodged by twisting his upper body and then punched the man squarely on the jaw. As soon as he knocked the man down with a single blow, Mu-jin leaped sideways again. Mu-jin knew what was most important in a battle against a group. It was that he must not get surrounded. But even though he had taken down two, the number of enemies was stillrge. The enemies seemed to catch on, and this time two of them attacked Mu-jin simultaneously from the left and right. Mu-jin dodged their spear and sword attacks for a moment. If he dragged this out, he would get surrounded, so he decided to close the distance with the man wielding the sword. As Mu-jin approached, the man on his right thrust his spear, but Mu-jin barely twisted his upper body to avoid a vital spot. He trusted in his Iron Skin technique. Sure enough, when the spear hit Mu-jins back, there was a dull thud, and while it left a mark, it didnt prate or cause a serious injury. In contrast, Mu-jins palm strike aimed at the man with the sword hit his chest, and with that blow, the man copsed. In a chaotic fight, its more important to reduce the number of enemies with one hit than to worry about minor injuries. From that perspective, Mu-jins Iron Skin was a very useful weapon in chaotic battles. After dealing with the man with the sword, Mu-jin leapt sideways again to avoid being surrounded. Two more men chased after Mu-jin. When Mu-jin saw an opening in the man swinging the sword, he ignored the sword flying at him from the side and went to finish off the swordsman. However, sensing the ominous energy from the sword flying at his side, Mu-jin twisted his body urgently. Because of his hurried movement, he couldntpletely avoid the sword, causing a shallow line to be drawn on his side. Just because they are from the ck Path doesnt mean theyre all small fry. Even a mere graze from the de of this skilled opponent was enough to strip Mu-jins skin, proving that he was at least more formidable than Kang Geo-wan, whom he had faced earlier in the day. I need to take him out first. This opponent was a serious threat, capable of inflicting fatal injuries. Mu-jin charged towards the man wielding the sword instead of the one swinging the saber at him. However, the swordsman was skilled enough to prate Mu-jins Iron Skin, making it difficult for Mu-jin to close the distance easily. And, annoyingly, while the swordsman stalled for time, other ck Path members began to surround Mu-jin. Weapons flew at Mu-jin from all directions, distracting him, and amidst this, the swordsmans sharp de struck repeatedly. As the situation worsened, with more wounds umting on his skin, Mu-jins eyes grew calmer. Ill use their encirclement to my advantage. These opponents hadnt mastered proper formation techniques. While withstanding the minor attacks with his Iron Skin and focusing on dodging the swordsmans strikes, Mu-jin bided his time. Now! Observing the gaps between the men surrounding him, Mu-jin suddenly leaped to his left. To maintain their formation, the men scrambled to reposition themselves. Move! Ugh! Due to theirck of practice, they started to tangle up in their hurried movements. Even the most threatening swordsman got entangled with hisrade when he tried to move to the left. Paht! Mu-jin, who had been waiting for this moment, twisted his body from the left to charge directly at the swordsman. Weapons flew at him from all sides, but Mu-jin trusted his Iron Skin and ignored the attacks. Thud! The dull thud of weapons hitting Mu-jins back and sides resounded, leaving bruises and scrapes all over his body, but thankfully no fatal wounds. Damn it, that hurts, you bastards!! Mu-jin yelled in frustration as he plunged into the off-bnce swordsman. By the time the swordsman regained his bnce, he thrust his left palm and then brought down the sword hilt he was holding in his right hand like an axe towards Mu-jin. However, closebat was more familiar territory for Mu-jin. Mu-jin tilted his head to dodge the left palm strike, and then caught the descending sword hilt with his Golden Locking Hand technique. This is the end. With the opponents abdomenpletely exposed, Mu-jin thrust his fist into it. The swordsman copsed without even a groan from the excruciating pain as his insides felt like they were twisting. Having dealt with the most dangerous opponent, Mu-jin grinned as he looked at the remaining men surrounding him. Was it fun beating people up? Huh? Mu-jin, smiling like a malicious demon, didnt need much time to deal with the remaining underlings. Whew. When Mu-jin, having finished the battle, exhaled deeply, the dozen or so people surrounding him were all groaning on the ground. Tsk tsk. That took a while. Hye-gwans voice pierced Mu-jins ears as he caught his breath. When he looked up, he saw about twenty members of the ck Path lying on the ground, and Hye-gwan was sitting on top of a man who appeared to be the leader, sipping Geomnamchun. Gazing nonchntly at Hye-gwan, Mu-jin responded in a blunt tone. Could you please consider my age? Hahaha. We just met today. How could I know the age of a young monk? Saying that, Hye-gwan took out a small box from his pocket and tossed it to Mu-jin. Its golden ointment. Catching the golden ointment Hye-gwan had thrown, Mu-jin removed his already tattered silk robe. The sturdy muscles he had trained over the past two and a half years were revealed. However, there were bruises and various scratches all over those muscles. There were no fatal injuries, but Mu-jin had quite a few minor wounds, so he smeared the golden ointment generously on the affected areas. Hye-gwan, silently watching Mu-jin, took thest sip of his Geomnamchun. Consider his age, he says. Indeed, his skills were not what one would expect from someone not yet fifteen. Even more, he had said he started learning martial arts after joining Shaolin, so he had only been practicing for about two and a half years. Even Hye-gwan, one of the top talents in Shaolin, wasnt that skilled at that age. Not that Hye-gwan would openly praise him for it. Seems like were done here. Lets start extracting some information. Throwing away the empty Geomnamchun bottle, Hye-gwan got up, patting the cheeks of the leader he had been sitting on. Ugh Ugh! Awakened by the vibration on his cheeks, the ck Snake Sect leader saw Hye-gwans face and let out a peculiar scream. W-Who are you, sir, to oppress us like this? Oppress? Thats an odd choice of words. Didnt I kindly tell you that if you answered truthfully, I wouldnt harm you? Barging in suddenly and knocking out the five guards at the entrancehow was that kind? Of course, the ck Snake Sect leader wasnt foolish enough to voice such thoughts. He simply bowed his head submissively and opened his mouth. W-What do you want to know? I will confess everything I know. Have you ever heard of a sect called Paedobang? I-I have never heard of such a sect in my life. At the ck Snake Sect leaders answer, Hye-gwan stared at him suspiciously, prompting the leader to frantically insist that he really didnt know. His desperate and sincere appearance led Hye-gwan to turn his gaze to Mu-jin this time. Responding to Hye-gwans look, Mu-jin stepped forward and asked the ck Snake Sect leader, If not Paedobang, then any ck Path sect or external force that has been rapidly growing recently? Mu-jin, who was only fourteen, spoke bluntly to the middle-aged ck Snake Sect leader. The ck Path was akin to gangsters or hoodlums in the modern era. Mu-jin felt there was no need to show respect to a gangster boss. Although the ck Snake Sect leaders face twisted at being spoken to disrespectfully by such a young brat, he quicklyposed himself under Hye-gwans gaze. As the ck Snake Sect leader wracked his brain, a certain sect came to mind. Ah! Theres a ce where some unfamiliar people have recently entered in Nanchang! Tell me about it. Its a ce called Honginmun. Theyre street thugs who used to extort money from the poor in the slums. Arent you guys also just street thugs? Barely managing to control his expression at Mu-jins question, the ck Snake Sect leader responded. Ahem. We at least protect inns and merchants in the busy areas and collect protection fees or lend money to merchants and collect interest! We dont harass the poor! Theres no one who went bankrupt paying your protection fees or borrowing money and ended up in the slums? Ahem. N-no, there isnt. As the ck Snake Sect leader awkwardly turned his head, Mu-jin contemted how to half-kill him. But that was forter; for now, they needed more information about this Honginmun. So, you say that new faces have been frequenting Honginmuntely? Yes! Despite their increased power, they strangely continue to operate only in the slums. Mu-jin and Hye-gwans eyes gleamed simultaneously at the ck Snake Sect leaders words. Paedobang was said to be involved in human trafficking. The slums were the best ce to erase traces, kidnap, confine, and sell people. Then we should head to this Honginmun. Going alone would be dangerous. Mu-jin stopped Hye-gwan, who was about to move. Hmm? Are you saying you dont trust me? If what the ck Snake Sect leader said is true, outsiders have likely taken over Honginmun. Theyre operating covertly and engaging in human trafficking. There could be several skilled individuals hiding there. If Honginmun was indeed the predecessor of Paedobang, going alone would be very dangerous. Although Paedobang hadnt grown to the size it was in the novel, the recent influx of outsiders suggested that its leaders were actually agents sent by hidden forces. It would be a mistake to regard them as just an ordinary ck Path group. Moreover, the leader of Paedobang, as described in the novel, was a considerable martial artist. While it was uncertain how many skilled individuals the hidden forces had dispatched to the current Paedobang, there was no need to take unnecessary risks. Therefore, lets go with those who remain at the clinic. This was why they had asked the head for reinforcements in the first ce. Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Paedobang (4) The dead of night had broughtplete darkness. Twenty Shaolin disciples, each hiding their bodies, gazed at the pavilion situated in an ambiguous spot between the urban area and the slum of Nanchang. [Honginmun (T)] The characters meant wide and benevolent. It was a highly ironic signboard for a gang that extorted money from the slums. C When I give the signal, you will enter as nned. At Hye-gwans order, delivered through telepathy, the Shaolin disciples recalled their assigned roles and readied themselves for the operation. C First team, advance! As soon as Hye-gwansmand fell, the three closest to Honginmuns main gate rushed forward.Those in the first team included Beob-hwi, a disciple of Hye-dam, Beob-gang, the true disciple of the Head of the Jurisdiction Department, and one of the second-ss disciples from the Demon Extermination Squad. Among them, Beob-hwi, who was at the forefront, began to channel his energy, causing his hand to turn red. Haaap! As Beob-hwi thrust his palm forward, the red energy gathered in his hand shot towards the main gate. Bang!! Among the Shaolin Seventy-Two Consummate Arts, the mighty Tathagata Palm Technique sted Honginmuns main gate off its hinges. What, whats going on?! An attack!! At this violent deration of war, chaos erupted within Honginmun, but by then, the three had already passed through the shattered gate and infiltrated the interior. The thugs of Honginmun, who rushed out in the sudden confusion, could not hope to match the second-ss disciples of Shaolin. There was no need for techniques like the Tathagata Palm or the Vajra Divine General. Beob-hwi, Beob-gang, and the Demon Extermination Squads second-ss disciple overwhelmed the thugs effortlessly. While the thugs attention was entirely on the three who had entered through the gate Swoosh! Shaolins second-ss disciples leaped over Honginmuns walls from all directions, infiltrating the interior. The Honginmun forces, trying to deal with the three at the gate, found themselves surrounded by the Shaolin disciples. Perfect! It worked wlessly. Mu-jin, who had enteredst due to his lower proficiency in movement techniquespared to the second-ss disciples, rejoiced inwardly. This encirclement strategy was Mu-jins n. It was a tactic often used in urban warfare training during his time in the special forces. The only difference was that in modern times, they used guns and bombs, whereas now they used martial arts. The greatest advantage of this strategy wasnt just the ability to surround the enemy or minimize damage. By surprising the enemy and encircling them, they could annihte the opposition very quickly. Kraah! The thugs of Honginmun fell like leaves in autumn. We need to search the interior quickly! Mu-jin shouted urgently right after they dealt with the thirty or so thugs of Honginmun in an instant. The reason for nning such a surround-and-destroy operation was to prevent the enemies from destroying evidence. It wasnt just about the evidence of human trafficking, but most importantly If we can find any indication of their dealings with Ryu Seol-ho, we can wipe them outpletely! With that thought in mind, Mu-jin dashed towards the pavilion situated in the courtyard. The moment he flung open the door of the nearest pavilion !!! Sensing an inexplicable foreboding, Mu-jin quickly bent his waist using the Iron nk Bridge technique, and a sword shed past just above his head. I almost died. If it were an ordinary sword attack, he could have endured it with his Iron Skin technique. However, the swordsmanship just now could have shredded his Iron Skin like paper. This was because the opponents sword was imbued with sword energy (). Step back! Beob-gang, who had been running behind Mu-jin, shouted and thrust his palm at the ck-d assant who had swung the sword at Mu-jin. Crackle. Thunder energy surged from Beob-gangs palm, and ording to the Vajra Divine General technique, the thunder energy shot towards the ck-d man. Although the ck-d man split the thunder energy with his sword imbued with sword energy, his hand trembled slightly, indicating that the electric shock had prated. Mu-jin didnt miss the opportunity and retreated, while Beob-gang charged at the ck-d man. Is this what a battle between masters looks like? Mu-jin watched in awe as Beob-gang and the ck-d man dueled. Most ordinary people in this world assumed that martial artists were masters simply because they could use internal energy to produce incredible strength and speed that ordinary people couldnt achieve. However, for those living within the martial world, using internal energy was a given. Thus, among martial artists, the minimum standard for considering someone a master was precisely this The emission of energy. Not just reinforcing the body, but reaching a level where one could emit energy to create sword energy (), fist energy (ȭ), or hand energy (֚). And Beob-gang and the ck-d man were continuing their duel, scattering sword energy and thunder energy. Heh heh heh. Mu-jin, you were right. I never expected so many of these skilled individuals among the thugs rummaging through the slums. At that moment, Hye-gwan burst into a strangeugh and said something odd. Looking around in curiosity, Mu-jin saw that indeed, the ck-d men who had newly appeared all around the courtyard were emitting sword energy or knife energy. In most mid-sized martial arts sects, there were usually only one or two individuals, or at most four, who had reached such a level. In some rural martial arts schools or sects, it wasnt umon for there to be none at all. Yet, all seven of the newly appearing ck-d men were emitting energy. The seven ck-d men were being handled by Beob-gang, Beob-hwi, and eight second-ss disciples from the Demon Extermination Squad. The remaining nine second-ss disciples from Chubodang and the External Affairs Department hadnt yet reached the level of emitting energy. Among the second-ss disciples in Shaolin, only about forty had reached that level. Of course, even forty was a considerable number, and when including the first-ss disciples and the heads of the factions, the number of masters neared two hundred. And that was the power of a prestigious sect possessing multiple consummate arts and divine techniques. Move quickly to rescue the captives and find any evidence! Hye-gwanmanded the second-ss disciples who couldnt join the battle and then looked at Mu-jin. You stay put. ??? Mu-jin looked at Hye-gwan in confusion, who took a sip of liquor and pointed to the spot next to him. Stay here and observe. Its more important for you. He was offering Mu-jin the opportunity to watch the masters duels up close, and those were simultaneous battles. Yes. Having already fought several battles today, Mu-jin followed Hye-gwans orders withoutint. In fact, watching the masters fights was quite fascinating. Beob-gang is a better master than I thought. Beob-gang was pushing back the ck-d man who had almost beheaded Mu-jin. He avoided or countered the sword energy the ck-d man scattered with thunder energy, never directly blocking the sword. Instead, he struck the side of the sword with palm techniques imbued with thunder energy whenever he got the chance. Each time, the ck-d man would momentarily hesitate as the thunder energy flowed along the swords de. Mu-jin watched not only Beob-gangs battle but also the other masters fights and realized something. Its not just about emitting energy. Although the ck-d men and the second-ss disciples fighting them were all emitting energy externally, the course of the battles varied widely. Beob-hwi, who seemed to be on a simr level to Beob-gang, was pressing a ck-d man with the Tathagata Palm Technique, which wielded the powerful Extreme Yang Energy. In contrast, there were ces where the second-ss disciples were evenly matched with the ck-d men, and some were slightly being pushed back. Just like using ones body, the ability to emit energy depends on how freely one can control it. Thanks to watching multiple battles simultaneously, Mu-jin roughly understood the differences. Beob-gang and Beob-hwi continuously used palm techniques imbued with thunder and zing energy to push their opponents. On the other hand, some could only create sword energy or fist energy when performing specific techniques. That guy is quite formidable. Do you need assistance? Mu-jin asked. The man who seemed to be the leader of the ck-d men appeared to be even more skilled than Beob-gang or Beob-hwi. Though Mu-jins level was still too low to fullyprehend, he could sense that the energy emission and movements were much smoother. For that reason, no less than three Second-ss Disciples of the Demon Extermination Squad were fighting that leader. Theyre veterans of such battles. Dont worry, Hye-gwan reassured. No sooner had Hye-gwan finished speaking than a new figure emerged from the shadows at one side of the courtyard. So, the reason its taking so long to wrap this up is because we have guests from Shaolin, the figure remarked. Unlike the other ck-d figures, this middle-aged man walked with a certain ease. The unsettling feeling from his seemingly random steps struck Mu-jin btedly. Theres no sound. Even though he wasnt using any known stepping or phantom technique, there was no sound or presence at all. Paedobangju! Mu-jin finally realized that this man was the Paedobangju from the novel. Heh heh heh. As the benefactor said, we indeede from Shaolin. But who are you, sir, to reach such a level and be here tormenting the poor? Hye-gwan, who had realized this before Mu-jin, asked with a sly smile. Although only his eyes and lips smiled, his eyes had already taken on a sharp glint like a knife. Standing beside Hye-gwan, Mu-jin noticed another peculiarity. He sensed a very faint smell from Hye-gwan. This scent Its the same as when Grandfather sobered upst time. Realizing the nature of the scent, Mu-jin understood that Hye-gwan was quickly sobering up while stalling for time with his words. Ha ha ha. To receive recognition from the famous Drunken Buddha is an honor I dont know how to handle, Paedobangju said. Its not a good thing. Every heretic Ive acknowledged is now waiting in the depths of hell for my arrival. Ha ha ha. Both Hye-gwan and Paedobangju burst into heartyughter, enjoying the moment. As Paedobangjus right hand moved toward the scabbard at his waist, Hye-gwan, who was beside Mu-jin, suddenly lunged at Paedobangju. However, Paedobangju, who had already drawn his de, casually swung it, releasing a blood-red sword aura. Boom! The energy from Hye-gwans palm technique shed with Paedobangjus aura, creating a loud explosion. Ha ha ha! Laughing as if he found it amusing, Paedobangju swung his sword at an incredible speed, releasing multiple thin threads of sword energy. The scene of red threads weaving through the air looked beautiful at first nce, but their true nature was sinister, capable of severing flesh and bone with a mere touch. Hye-gwan evaded the numerous sword energies using a light stepping technique, moving diagonally. However, there were too many sword energies to avoid, so he had to deflect some with his arm techniques. Slice! Slice! The unblocked sword energies cut through and demolished the walls and structures of the courtyard. Emerging from the spiderweb-like attack, Hye-gwan threw a punch, releasing a fierce energy from his fist. Thats the legendary Vajra Demon Subduing Fist! The golden fist aura emitted a heavy and oppressive energy. Paedobangju, recognizing its formidable power, chose to dodge rather than block it directly with his sword. Hye-gwan, anticipating this, followed Paedobangjus evasive move immediately after unleashing the Vajra Demon Subduing Fist, aiming precisely at Paedobangjus retreating path. However, Paedobangju, a master in his own right, didnt allow Hye-gwan to close the distancepletely. The distance where the sword could reach but the fist couldnt. Paedobangju seeded in maintaining this gap. Mu-jin, watching the renewed exchange from that distance, had his eyes shining brightly. These are real masters! The movements were so fast that it was hard to follow, and he could only asionally catch their trails, but one thing was certain. The duel between Paedobangju and Hye-gwan was on a different level from anything Mu-jin had seen so far. Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Paedobang (5) They had far surpassed the level of simple forms. At close range, the battle between Paedobangju and Hye-gwan was not limited to their specialties, the de or the staff, but also included fists, legs, and fingers, through which they unleashed their qi. The form of the qi they emitted was not fixed either. When Paedobangju swung his de, it sometimes whipped like ash, making the sword energy dance, and other times, a blood-red wave surged forth. Hye-gwan was no less formidable. When he flicked his fingers, sharp and swift qi shot towards Paedobangjus vital points like hidden weapons. When he punched, golden fist energy, resembling Sun Wukongs Ruyi Jingu Bang, burst forth, and when he swung his leg, sharp qi waves like des flew at his opponents head. Swish! Bang!! The ground and buildings near their battle did not survive the exchange of attacks, defenses, and evasions. The impact was so powerful that the fights between the Shaolin disciples and the men in ck had alsoe to a standstill. As if showcasing their skills, a duel far beyond human limits continued for a moment.A change urred in their battle. It started with a single stroke from Paedobangju. Just as before, the sword energy that erupted from Paedobangjus heavy swing spread out like a blood-red wave, surrounding Hye-gwan from all sides. Hye-gwan chose to defend instead of avoiding the widely spread attack. He blocked the sword energy with his qi barrier and was about to counterattack. !!! Paedobangju, who had unleashed the blood-red wave, was already swinging his de again. The stance was the same as before, but the result was different. The sword energy, which had spread out to cover all sides, condensed and shot out, precisely covering the width of Hye-gwans body with blood-red sword energy. Bang!!! The condensed sword energy, now more powerful, shattered Hye-gwans qi barrier, and Hye-gwans stance faltered under the force. Before Hye-gwan could regain his bnce, Paedobangju was already swinging his de in the same stance again. The blood-red wave of sword energy, which had spread widely from Paedobangjus drawn de, was condensed infinitely. At the moment of extreme condensation, Weeeeeng. Hundreds of strands of faintly glowing sword energy merged into one, forming a dazzling cluster of stars. Do Gi Seong Gang. That tyrannical blood-red cluster of stars, which was said to be able to cut through anything, poured down on Hye-gwan. The red stars, brightly illuminating the dark sky, were enough to capture Mu-jins attention. And as the beautiful cluster of stars fell toward Hye-gwans figure, No!!! Mu-jin screamed involuntarily. However, Paedobangjus Dao Gang (), utterly indifferent to Mu-jins desperation, finally split Hye-gwans figure in two. !? Hye-gwans figure, split left and right, dissipated like a mirage. What Paedobangjus qi had cut through was Hye-gwans illusion. Yeontae Gupum. At the peak of this Shaolin consummate art, it allowed the creation of nine illusions simultaneously. Hye-gwan, who had created and moved through the illusion, appeared behind Paedobangju, who was full of openings after creating the Dao Gang for his attack. Hye-gwan, aiming for a decisive victory, pointed his fingers like des and thrust them towards Paedobangjus heart. Paedobangju, in a fluster, barely twisted his body, narrowly avoiding a fatal strike to his heart. Ugh. However, although he narrowly avoided his heart, a deep wound was inflicted on Paedobangjus right side. Hye-gwan relentlessly continued his attack on the critically injured Paedobangju. Hye-gwan was truly relentless. Focusing on Paedobangjus now-awkward right side, he persistently attacked, and as the exchange continued, the wounds on Paedobangjus body increased. In the moment when Paedobangjus stance copsed due to the umting injuries, Wham! Hye-gwans palm struck urately at Paedobangjus heart. Gah. Immediately after, blood spurted from Paedobangjus mouth. Why? Paedobangju, his heart ruptured, mumbled to himself as his vision blurred. Hye-gwan, with a mocking tone, answered his question. Its a basic principle of martial artists to conceal thirty percent of their skills. Perhaps the benefactorcks realbat experience? Paedobangju seemed to want to retort to Hye-gwans words, but only blood came out of his mouth as he opened it. And thus, Paedobangju died with his mouth open and eyes wide. * * * After the highest master, Paedobangju, lost his life to Hye-gwan, the remaining battle concluded swiftly. With their leader dead, the men in ck, seeing no chance of victory, immediatelymitted mass suicide. Once all the battles had ended, Hye-gwan, who had dealt with Paedobangju, approached Mu-jin and spoke. I heard your desperate No!! well. Thank you for worrying. Although the words sounded touching, Hye-gwans expression showed he was merely teasing. Isnt it natural to be surprised? It was a Qi Gang after all, Mu-jin grumbled, to which Hye-gwan responded with a chuckle. Whats so special about a Qi Gang? Saying that, Hye-gwan assumed the starting stance of the Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist and drew his internal energy. From his fist, an overwhelming surge of internal energy emanated. !!! The umtingyers of Qi finally formed a cluster of stars, and when Hye-gwan punched, the golden cluster of stars soared into the sky. Gathering and condensing hundreds of strands of energy creates strong energy. And in a battle where your head could be cut off in the blink of an eye, if you leisurely gather hundreds of strands of energy, youll end up like that. Although Hye-gwan didnt point anywhere specifically, it was clear to anyone listening that he was referring to Paedobangju. Still, the power is certain, isnt it? If you get hit, youre definitely a goner. Then how about using it in a situation where the opponent cant avoid it? If it were me, to make the most of that sure opportunity, I would just use my hand to aim for the opponents neck or heart. What would you do if that opportunity disappears while youre making strong energy? Then is strong energy useless? It depends on the situation and how you use it. For example, if you encounter an opponent who has achieved the state of Diamond Immortality and cant be hurt by ordinary techniques, or if they are wearing armor made of something like Eternal Cold Iron, or if they have achieved a high level of body-protection Qi techniques, in those cases, youd have no choice but to attack with strong energy. In that case, you need to think about how to hit the opponent with strong energy. If it were you, Master Uncle, how would you hit them? To put it in the most fundamental terms, if you elevate your understanding of energy to the level where you can quickly form strong energy like a fist technique, thats ideal. But practically, if you have to fight immediately, it depends on the opponent. If my Bone Striking Technique surpasses the opponents martial arts, I would suppress their movements with my martial arts first, then use strong energy. If our martial arts are simr or if I am outmatched, then I would rely on movement techniques. Id have to keep dodging and wear the opponent down. Hye-gwan spoke very confidently about running away. Even if you use powerful strong energy, if your speed is slow, you cant catch someone with superior movement techniques. And no matter how superior your movement techniques are, if you cant prate defense-specialized martial arts, its useless. Even the most advanced body-protection Qi techniques can be prated by strong energy. As you see, the realm of martial arts is diverse, and there are always natural counters. Are you saying we should master a variety of martial arts? At Mu-jins question, Hye-gwan shook his head. Bnce is important, but you shouldnt be obsessed with it. Everyone has different areas of talent, but the time given to everyone is the same. Investing time in martial arts where you have no talent can be a waste of time. Its better to invest time in the martial arts where you have talent. If you reach the peak in whatever you choose, youll find a way to ovee natural counters. Seeing Mu-jins confused expression, Hye-gwan added an exnation. Additionally, they discovered a ledger that recorded the sales of goods, and it was not difficult to discern that some of the items sold were kidnapped vagrants, despite the slightly altered names. However, there was one regret. Damn it. Theres not a single letter left rted to Ryu Seol-ho. There was no evidence linking Ryu Seol-ho, the branch leader, to the incident. Whether it was simply because there was no evidence or because Ryu Seol-ho was not yet connected to the hidden forces, even Mu-jin could not determine. Should I fabricate the letters likest time? Mu-jin, briefly considering this n in his mind, soon shook his head. Using the same trick twice was risky. Moreover, framing Hong So-hee, a mere maid, and framing the branch leader and the head merchants second son were entirely different in terms of risk level. Since I have to stay here for a few months anyway, I can take my time and approach this slowly. For now, he had already eradicated the human traffickers. Preventing the hidden forces from kidnapping children with unique constitutions was a significant achievement. Perhaps this was an even more crucial issue than the Cheonryu Sangdan. The next morning. Mu-jin, Beob Gang, and Beob-hwi headed towards the government office in Nanchang. The size of the government office they reached via the main road was on a different scalepared to the one in Deungbong-hyeon. Although Deungbong-hyeon had been significantly developed due to the Shaolin and the Cheonryu Sangdan, it was still just a single county. However, Nanchang was the capital of Jiangxi Province. This was not a mere county office but the government office that administered the entire Jiangxi Province, the Seungseonpojeongsa Office. Chapter 66: Chapter 66: I am Beob Gang, the Second-ss Disciple of Shaolin. We have captured some criminalsst night and havee here to deliver them. Amitabha. As the man, who appeared unmistakably to be a Shaolin monk, raised his hands and spoke, one of the constables stepped forward and opened his mouth. If you have captured criminals, I will first guide you to the Interrogation Office. Thank you. Amitabha. Along with the constable, Mu-jin, Beob Gang, and Beob-hwi entered the Seungseonpojeongsa Office. Following the guidance of a middle-aged man, they wandered through the various parts of the government office for a while. This is the Interrogation Office. I will announce your presence inside. Thank you for your guidance. Amitabha. After exchanging greetings with the constable and waiting for a moment, a middle-aged man came out.The Elder of the Interrogation Office is waiting for you. I will guide you. Following the middle-aged man, they soon arrived in front of a certain room. Elder of the Interrogation Office, the monks from Shaolin have arrived. Let them in. As a response came from inside, the middle-aged man who had been guiding them stepped aside. Mu-jin, Beob Gang, and Beob-hwi passed by him and entered the room. Inside, a man who appeared to be in his forties with a strict impression was waiting for them. I am Ryang Ga-won, in charge of the Interrogation Office here in Nanchang. I am Beob Gang, the Second-ss Disciple of Shaolin. Amitabha. I am Beob-hwi, the Second-ss Disciple of Shaolin. Amitabha. I am Mu-jin, the Third-ss Disciple of Shaolin. Amitabha. After exchanging greetings with Ryang Ga-won, Mu-jins eyes sparkled. The Interrogation Office. It was an office in charge of the judiciary of a province, holding the rank of a Sixth-ss official. So, you captured criminals here in Nanchang? Ryang Ga-won, the Sixth-ss official, asked in a very blunt tone. If you captured them, it would suffice for Shaolin to handle them. Why bring martial arts affairs here? Separation of martial arts and government affairs. It was an unwritten rule that martial arts matters should be resolved within the martial arts world. In fact, this separation was more of a customary practice. It arose from mutual necessity. For the martial artists, fighting was a daily routine, and wielding swords and knives was amon urrence. From the governments perspective, it was a waste of effort to intervene and mediate in the constant fights among these martial artists. Moreover, since these martial artists were skilled in martial arts and posed a significant danger, not only was it a waste of effort, but it could also lead to the loss of soldiers. Conversely, the martial artists themselves also disliked government interference. Why else would they be called martial artists? They resolved disputes through martial prowess. In such circumstances, it was quite disgraceful to go to the government toin just because one lost a fight. Its like kids who fight at school to establish a hierarchy, and the loser runs to the teacher to tattle. Martial artists, who lived and died by their honor, would be considered fools by all in the martial world if they resorted to such behavior. At Ryang Ga-wons stern questioning, Beob Gang and Beob Hwi looked at Mu-jin. It was Mu-jin who had insisted theye here. Mu-jin stepped forward confidently and began to speak. No matter how customary the separation of martial and governmental affairs was, there was one exception. We havee here because the criminals we captured in Nanchang were abducting, imprisoning, and selling the Emperors subjects as if they were their own property. That exception was when martial artists harmed ordinary civilians. Of course, this wasnt always the case. If the government had always handled such matters effectively, there wouldnt still be ck market and viinous sects in the Central ins. Some corrupt officials turned a blind eye in exchange for bribes from the ck market. Others ignored such groups, believing that even if they were eradicated, they would simply reappear. Ryang Ga-won seemed to be one of those who fundamentally thought this way, as he answered with a bored expression. So, are you asking us to imprison these criminals in our Seungseonpojeongsa prison? Mu-jin responded with a smile. Were not asking you to imprison the criminals we captured. It is the Elder of the Interrogation Office who captured them. Oh? Ryang Ga-wons indifferent expression changed. These are criminals that I captured? Indeed. We merely assisted the Elder of the Interrogation Office in subduing them. It is the Elder who tracked down their crimes and apprehended them. This meant they were giving all the credit for the capture to Ryang Ga-won. There was a significant difference between simply imprisoning criminals brought in by Shaolin and personally capturing those who bought and sold the Emperors subjects. So, all I need to do is go and capture these criminals? Yes. The criminals to be apprehended, the evidence, and the abducted subjects are all waiting there. With everything prepared, all Ryang Ga-won had to do was take action. Heughed heartily at this. Mu-jin, was it? Since Shaolin helped me capture these criminals, I suppose I should reward you. Is there anything in particr you desire? There is nothing I wish for specifically. However, Mu-jin paused and then smiled slyly. I am curious if the Elder of the Interrogation Office has any difort in his shoulders, back, or hips. Mu-jin had begun approaching Ryang Ga-won for business. However, it wasnt merely to make Ryang Ga-won a customer of the high-ss clinic. There were two purposes behind this. The first was: Just because they lost once doesnt mean these orthodox sect bastards will back down easily. The medium-sized sects that had left after losing the battle of justification yesterday could return soon with stronger backing. And the second purpose was to make it genuinely seem like this whole situation was orchestrated by Ryang Ga-won. That way, I can avoid the eyes of the hidden forces even a little. The hidden forces were a group operating against the entire Central ins. If he caught their eye at his current level, there was no telling when he might be taken out. If he were inside the Shaolin Temple, it might be different. But as things were, roaming outside, the danger was even greater. However, unaware of these circumstances, Ryang Ga-won merely looked at Mu-jin with a puzzled expression and asked, Are you worried about my health? Yes, sir. You must have been too busy with state affairs to properly take care of yourself. Why not visit our soon-to-be-opened clinic at Shaolin sometime? Shaolin is opening a clinic, you say? Were nning to open it soon. Oh, and it will offer treatments quite different from those of a regr clinic. With that, Mu-jin briefly exined the types of treatments provided by the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. Hmm. Once this matter is settled, Ill visit it myself. Thank you. Amitabha. Mu-jin and Ryang Ga-won exchanged smiles of mutual satisfaction. * * * Ryang Ga-won led the police officers with great dignity down the main road towards the Honginmun Manor. There, they gathered the already detained Honginmun ck Path members, the evidence, and even the kidnapped individuals, and returned proudly to the Seungseonpojeongsa Office. Having witnessed all this, Mu-jin returned to the clinic with the Shaolin disciples. In a few days, Elder Lee Mun will visit for treatment. We should prepare promptly. Mu-jin Novice, what, what do you mean? Mak Ji-hyuk and the disciples of the Bulkwonmun, who had been waiting at the clinic, looked at Mu-jin with bewildered expressions. The Shaolin disciples had only arrived in Nanchang yesterday. What on earth had they done overnight for a sixth-rank official to suddenly visit the clinic? Thats just how it is. Anyway, some of you need to go to the Cheonryu Sangdan branch and quickly procure the necessary ingredients and materials for the clinic and the medicinal decoctions. The rest should start setting up the high-end facilities. Instead of exining what had happened the night before, Mu-jin outlined the tasks ahead. Luckily, we brought the equipment for the high-end facilities. They couldnt haul all the equipment for dozens of people by cart, so they had only brought the most expensive high-end facility tools and a few practice tools. The rest of the free facility tools would take some time to be made at the workshop, but as long as the clinic and medicinal decoctions were prepared, the high-end facility could start operating immediately. And two dayster. As promised, Ryanga-won visited the clinic after taking care of the Honginmun matter. Lets begin the treatment now. Amitabha. The treatment process was as usual. Mu-jin personally observed, palpated, and found misaligned joints or muscles through manual pressure, then proceeded with manual therapy and Close-Range Spear Technique focusing on those areas. Following this, rehabilitation exercises using various tools were conducted, along with electrotherapy and heat therapy provided by Beob Gang and Beob-hwi. Finally, they engaged in acupuncture and herbal medicine prepared by the clinic, enjoyed some Yongjeong tea and refreshments to counteract the bitterness, and had a light conversation. Hahaha. I never imagined the treatment would be like this. Ill have to visit again soon. When the treatment was over, Ryanga-won left the clinic with a very satisfied expression. Once again, Mu-jin had sessfully secured another client. * * * A few dayster. A group arrived at a mansion with the inscription [Taegeom Sect] at its entrance. Despite being the head of the Taegeom Sect, Kang Tae-goo greeted them with utmost respect. I didnt expect you toe in person, Elder Jegal-hyeon. How could I ignore someone who has worked for our family being persecuted? Especially when the ones doing the persecuting are those from Shaolin, once considered the pir of the orthodox sects. I cant fathom what theyre thinking. An elderly man with a splendid white beard clicked his tongue as he spoke. The elder of the Jegal Family had stepped forward to help a sect founded by an ex-Outer Disciple warrior. But this wasnt simply because the Jegal Family cherished warriors from their lineage. I never thought the opportunity to take over Nanchang woulde so easily. There were no major sects in Nanchang and its vicinity. Consequently, a territorial struggle among small to medium-sized sects was underway, while the major sects were cautiously watching each other. The moment any one sect made a move, it would be condemned by all for sumbing to greed. However, since Shaolin, who always pretended to be aloof, had created a pretext, there couldnt be a better opportunity. Jegal-hyeon intended to use this chance to drive out the Shaolin disciples, reorganize the Nanchang area, and establish dominance through the Taegeom Sect. While Jegal-hyeon was internally formting future ns, Kang Tae-goo lowered his head again and spoke. I am sorry that I couldnt stop them with the martial arts passed down from your family. The martial arts of the Taegeom Sect were ones Kang Tae-goo had acquired when he was a warrior affiliated with the Jegal Familys external branch. The Jegal Family was renowned for their intelligence, befitting their surname. Because of this, they were known to be proficient in formations, strategies, and tactics, but in reality, what they were most actively researching was martial arts. If the sect with the most consummate arts and divine techniques was Shaolin, the sect with the most martial arts and active research was the Jegal Family. However, the Jegal Family neither felt ashamed nor regretted this. A gentlemans revenge, ten years is not toote. They were confident that one day, through continuous research, they would surpass Shaolin, which merely inherited pre-existing consummate arts. Hahaha. How could that be your fault when your opponent was Shaolin? Jegal-hyeon, who outwardly appeared kind and benevolent, clicked his tongue inwardly. With such meager skills, theres no way he could contend with Shaolin. The Jegal Family imparted suitable martial arts to all the warriors within their family. However, this was essentially experimental. Experiments to create consummate arts and divine techniques. Furthermore, the level of martial arts taught also varied ording to the internal hierarchy of the family. At best, to the son of a warrior from the external branch, even as a third-generation disciple, he would never have the talent to handle a Shaolin disciple. To face the Shaolin disciples, the Hyun Sword Squad from our inner branch hase along, so there is no need to worry. Indeed! If its the Hyun Sword Squad, not even Shaolin would pose a threat. For a moment, Kang Tae-goo looked in admiration at the men standing behind Jegal-hyeon. ??? Kang Tae-goos face showed confusion when he noticed a woman standing gracefully among the men from the inner branch. The woman, appearing to be in her prime, was so elegant and neat that it was surprising he had not noticed her until now. A woman as lovely as a blooming orchid. She wasnt mboyant, so she didnt immediately catch the eye, but once noticed, it was hard to look away from her charming presence. Ah, Imte in introducing her. This is Jegal Jin-hee, the granddaughter of our family head. Jin-hee has joined us in case a spar with that novice monk bes necessary. I am Jegal Jin-hee. It is an honor to meet you. If it is Miss Jegal Jin-hee, that novice monk would not stand a chance. This wasnt mere ttery. As someone from the Jegal Family, Kang Tae-goo had heard countless rumors about her. A rare martial arts prodigy born in the Jegal Family, known more for their brains than martial prowess. If she had been born a man, there were even talks that she would undoubtedly be the future family head. Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Kang Tae-goo extended a respectful greeting to her, treating her with the formality one would show a daughter, and then turned his gaze to his son. Mesmerized by her beauty, which was as lovely as a blooming flower, Kang Geo-wan stood therepletely dazed, not even offering a greeting. Naturally, everyones attention shifted to the still-dazed Kang Geo-wan. Ahem. It took a forced cough from his father to snap Kang Geo-wan back to reality. He hastily offered a formal salute but somehow failed to open his mouth. He injured his jaw in a recent sparring match and is unable to speak. In truth, all his teeth had been knocked out, and he was too embarrassed to open his mouth, but Kang Tae-goo offered a tactful excuse. Is that so. Jegal Jin-hee replied in an indifferent tone and then took a step back, as if she had nothing more to say.Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Kang Tae-goo quickly spoke up. You must be tired from your long journey. Would you like to rest first? No need. Theres no point in wasting time over such matters. Jegal Hyeon wanted to conclude the matter quickly before any other prominent factions or major sects could intervene. Then I shall guide you. With Jegal Hyeon and the Hyun Sword Squad, along with Jegal Jin-hee, behind him, Kang Tae-goo confidently headed toward the Shaolin clinic. But soon, Kang Tae-goo remembered something and spoke cautiously. However, there has been a slight change since we sent the letter. What kind of change? Exin. Actually, theres an official named Ryang Geo-wan who has been frequenting that ce for a few days now. He holds a position here in Nanchang. Hmm That shouldnt be a concern. Stroking his white beard a few times, Jegal Hyeon replied as if it was nothing. Ryang Geo-wan held the rank of a 6th-grade official, a somewhat powerful position, but not one that would intimidate the Jegal family. The Jegal family, known for their strategic minds, had strong connections with schrs, some of whom held current governmental positions. A 6th-grade official was easily manageable within Jegal Hyeonswork. Buoyed by these words, Kang Tae-goo once again walked confidently toward the clinic. We have business with the Shaolin disciples!! Upon reaching the entrance, he boldly shouted and began making a scene. If Shaolin is truly honorable,e out now and exin this matter!! Leaving the unsightly task to Kang Tae-goo, the members from the Jegal family stepped back to observe the situation. And soon enough, as Kang Tae-goosmotion seemed to have an effect, Shaolin disciples began to emerge one by one from the entrance. But what a sight it was. Following the Shaolin disciples, a middle-aged man with a stern appearance appeared alongside a novice monk. After him, another middle-aged man, who was beginning to show white hair, stepped forward with a displeased expression, causing Kang Tae-goos face to turn pale. Cha, Cham-ui Sir? !!! Hearing Kang Tae-goos murmur, the expression on Jegal Hyeons face, who had been observing the situation from behind, noticeably hardened. Cham-ui. A position referring to the second-inmand of the six departments consisting of Yi, Ho, Ye, Byeong, Hyeong, and Gong, directly overseeing the Hyeong department, which was Jegal Hyeons superior office. More importantly, it was an official rank of the fourth degree. Unless the head of the Jegal family came personally, it was impossible for Jegal Hyeon, a mere elder, to handle someone of this stature. Why is a Cham-ui suddenly appearing here? While Jegal Hyeon was thinking this, the Cham-ui, who wore a deeply displeased expression, opened his mouth. I was on my way out after receiving a pleasant treatment. What is thismotion? Cham-ui Yuk Jong-seon. It was his first visit to this ce today. His subordinate, Ryang Ga-won, had found an excellent clinic and had persistently persuaded him to visit it. So, he hade with a half-doubtful heart. And though he had been very satisfied with Mu-jins treatment, his mood had been spoiled by themotion caused by these ruffians. Unable to bear Cham-uis sharp gaze, Kang Tae-goo turned his head slightly to look at Jegal Hyeon behind him. Wh-what should we do? Why are you looking at me! There was no information that the Cham-ui would be here! Jegal Hyeon almost let his true thoughts slip. If he had known that the Cham-ui frequented this ce, he wouldnt have handled the situation this way. But it was toote to retreat now. Backing down would only further anger the Cham-ui. Jegal Hyeon eventually stepped forward to handle the situation. Greetings to Cham-ui Sir. I am Jegal Hyeon from the Jegal family in Hubei Province. Jegal family Jegal Hyeon made a courteous bow, but Yuk Jong-seon still mumbled with a displeased expression. There was amon saying among officials. Most martial artists are ruffians, but among them, there are some who enjoy poetry, painting, and are capable of engaging in meaningful conversation. Those were the Jegal family. It was just a baseless rumor. But due to todays events, Yuk Jong-seons perception of the Jegal family was rapidly changingfor the worse. So, what brings someone from the Jegal family in Hubei here? The fact is, we came here in response to a request for help from the Taegeom Sect in Nanchang. We were informed that the Shaolin in Henan were oppressing the local sects in Nanchang and taking over their positions. We are concerned that the Shaolin might be straying from the righteous path. As this is an issue among the martial sects, we would appreciate it if you could allow us to discuss it with the Shaolin and resolve it. By saying they hade in response to information from the Taegeom Sect, Jegal Hyeon subtly shifted the me for todays chaos onto the Taegeom Sect. Moreover, Jegal-hyeon subtly hinted at the principle of non-interference to persuade Cham-ui to step back from the matter. Thats a bit strange, isnt it? Were a clinic, not a martial sect. Suddenly, a novice monk from behind intervened in the conversation, swiftly demolishing the non-interference Jegal-hyeon mentioned. Ah! I apologize, Sir Cham-ui. I spoke out of turn due to my frustration. Hahaha. Its fine, Mu-jin Novice. The hardest thing to endure in the world is injustice, isnt it? Just as Jegal-hyeon was about to retort, the novice monk apologized to Cham-ui, snatching away Jegal-hyeons chance to speak. Jegal-hyeon could not help but feel furious. Meanwhile, the Shaolin disciples observing from behind, especially Beob Gang, wore satisfied expressions. Mu-jin had always been the one to argue persistently with the elders in the temple whenever he felt something was wrong. Even the thought of debating with Mu-jin was exhausting, but now that Mu-jin was an ally, he couldnt have felt more reassured. A leaking pot leaks everywhere, inside and out. Hahaha. Though the expression was odd, it was nheless apt. Meanwhile, Yuk Jong-seon, who had been smiling pleasantly at Mu-jin, turned to Jegal-hyeon with a displeased look. It seems Mu-jin Novice is right. How can you im this is a matter between martial sects when dealing with a clinic? Thanks to Mu-jins treatment, Cham-uis mind was firmly settled on the fact that this ce was indeed a clinic. Seeing Yuk Jong-seons displeased expression made Jegal-hyeons head spin. What on earth should he say in response? Hehehe. Everythings going ording to n. As Mu-jin watched Jegal-hyeon flounder, he internally chuckled in satisfaction. Just then, a voice transmission reached Mu-jins ears. C How can you just let this pass? This is a rare opportunity to experience the martial arts of the Jegal family, one of the Five Great Families. Mu-jin quickly recognized the voice as Hye-gwans. It seems hes drinking on a pavilion roof again. Mu-jin intended to ignore Hye-gwans voice transmission, but then came the follow-up message. C Or are you afraid youll lose? Hehehe. If you run from a fight out of fear, youll have to face the consequences of your actions. The consequences of my actions? As Mu-jin pondered in confusion, Hye-gwan added anotherment through voice transmission. C Geumhwa Inn. !!! Mu-jin immediately understood what Hye-gwan meant. He was referring to the sin of eating meat, nowing back to haunt him. For Mu-jin, who still considered it too early to leave Shaolin, this was quite a troublesome matter. Thus, Mu-jin had no choice but to speak up. Upon reflection, though we are a clinic, we are still Shaolin disciples, so it seems we must handle this matter in the martial way, Sir Cham-ui. !? At Mu-jins words, Jegal-hyeons expression twisted bizarrely. He couldnt understand why Mu-jin, who had the upper hand, was spouting such nonsense. By martial way, do you mean resolving this through a fight? Yuk Jong-seon asked, and Mu-jin replied. Its not a fight but a sparring match, Sir Cham-ui. Moreover, if we avoid the sparring now, bad rumors about Shaolin might spreadter. So, if possible, I would like you, Sir Cham-ui, to be the witness for this sparring match. !!! Jegal-hyeons eyes widened at Mu-jins follow-up statement. So thats why he proposed a sparring match despite the favorable situation. Jegal-hyeon was taken aback by Mu-jins strategy, even though it was due to Hye-gwans threat that he stepped forward. Jegal-hyeon had considered spreading rumors that Shaolin was colluding with the government as ast resort. However, regardless of Jegal-hyeons astonishment, Yuk Jong-seon asked with an intrigued expression. Hmm. So, will Mu-jin Novice be participating in this sparring match? Thats the n. And who do you have in mind as the opponent? Mu-jin found it difficult to answer that question right away. Hye-gwan had forced him to spar with the Jegal family, but he hadnt specified an opponent. Then, unexpectedly, someone from the Jegal family stepped forward and spoke before Mu-jin could respond. I will ept that sparring match. Everyones eyes turned to the woman who stepped forward. Wow. Such a beauty? Even Yuk Jong-seon, who had met many beauties in his high-ranking position, was surprised by her elegance. Isnt it too dangerous for a woman to participate in a sparring match? Yuk Jong-seon asked, and Jegal Jin-hee calmly responded. Thank you for your concern, Sir Cham-ui, but I am also a martial artist with aspirations in the martial world. However, despite her outward calmness, her mood was far from pleasant. She hated being told she couldnt do something just because she was a woman. Even though she was the most talented in martial arts among her peers in the family, she couldnt be the head because she was a woman. Moreover, she hade with the intention of sparring with Mu-jin from the beginning, so there was no reason to avoid it. Hmm. If both sides agree, I will observe the sparring match, said Yuk Jong-seon, stroking his beard as he watched the situation unfold. A sparring match between martial artists. Though they were junior disciples, it was a rare and entertaining sight for someone in his position to witness. * * * Instead of having the sparring match in the middle of the street at the clinics entrance, they moved to a spacious area inside the clinic. Jegal-hyeon asked Jegal Jin-hee, who was preparing for the sparring match. Are you sure about this? For our Jegal family, this is an opportunity, isnt it? Or do you not trust me, Elder? No, it seems I spoke nonsense, swayed by that novice. He seems to have instigated this because he looks down on our Jegal family, so make sure to put Shaolin in their ce. I understand. She responded confidently, without a hint of hesitation, and stepped forward boldly. Meanwhile, Mu-jin, who was also preparing for the sparring match, approached Hye-gwan, who had just appeared. Is that woman the one? Mu-jins tone was curt, as he was forced into an unnecessary sparring match due to Hye-gwans threat. Hehehehe. I thought that woman would step forward. Hye-gwan replied with a sly expression and added. Why? Are you underestimating a sparring match with a woman? Hehehe. If you do, youll get beaten up like a dog meeting a beggar gang leader. Is she that skilled? She may not match up to me, but shes just one step ahead of you. Hehehe. Hye-gwans response finally allowed Mu-jin to understand Hye-gwans intentions. So thats why he forcibly orchestrated the sparring match. It wasnt just for fun. Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Even if Hye-gwan had a reason for arranging the duel, Mu-jin had something to say. No matter what, this fight concerns Shaolins interests. Since Ill be fighting a master superior to me, please give me some advice. At Mu-jins words, Hye-gwan chuckled. As Hye-gwan was known as the most renowned fallen monk of Shaolin, he didnt n on spouting nonsense like, Does a Shaolin disciple care about interests? Look at that female patron. Isnt she obviously a beauty? Yes. Then cling to her persistently like a rascal. Didnt you say before that clingy men are not popr? When Mu-jin responded to Hye-gwans nonsense with more nonsense, Hye-gwan replied while gulping down his drink.Men who remember every little thing they said in the past are not popr. Looking at Hye-gwan as if he were crazy, Mu-jin eventually sighed and headed to the training ground. Once on the training ground, Mu-jin calmed his mind and looked at Jegal Jin-hee, who stood a long distance away. A fan, huh Jegal Jin-hee, who hade out for the duel, was holding a steel fan in her right hand. Fan technique. It was a type of martial art that Mu-jin had never encountered before. Im Mu-jin, the third-ranked disciple of Shaolin. Amitabha. Im Jegal Jin-hee of the Jegal family. After they showed their respect with a half-bow and a fist salute, Pop! Mu-jin moved first. Although Hye-gwan had spouted nonsense, it was true that she was superior to him. He judged that there was no need to yield the first attack to a master. Closing the long distance in an instant, Mu-jin leveraged his speed tounch a fist. Jegal Jin-hee also reacted to the speed by stepping back and swinging her fan at Mu-jins fist. Pop! As if the first punch was a feint, Mu-jin spread his fingers and changed his trajectory, targeting her numbing acupoint with the Golden Locking Hand technique. ng! However, the unfolded surface of the fan blocked all of Mu-jins widely spread fingers. Then, as if dancing, she performed a light stepping technique, spinning her body and moving Mu-jins hand away with the fan that shed with his hand. Just as Mu-jin, who had used the Golden Locking Hand, was drawn further in and his upper body leaned forward, her left palm extended towards his abdomen as shepleted her rotation. However, Mu-jin also moved his left palm to block hers. After exchanging one move each, Mu-jin and Jegal Jin-hees eyes sparkled simultaneously. To be at this level at such a young age! If hes this good at his age, he could have been in a novel! Both of them, harboring subtly different impressions, once again swung their fists and fans towards each other. Bang! When the fan and fist collided, a peculiar result emerged. In terms of strength, Mu-jin had the advantage. Jegal Jin-hee used her stepping technique to dissipate the impact, but she was clearly being pushed back. On the other hand, for Mu-jin, Damn. My finger bones almost broke. He barely managed to refrain from grimacing at the sharp pain emanating from his fist. Even though I have the advantage in strength, if it hurts this much, she must be infusing her fan with internal energy. If the weapon was infused with internal energy, it was difficult for his yet-to-be-perfected Iron Skin to withstand it. Shes better than the swordsman I faced in the ck Snake Sect. Recalling the swordsman who had wounded his side, Mu-jin advanced towards Jegal Jin-hee, who had retreated. For Mu-jin, whose main weapon was the Striking Bone Technique, closebat was the inevitable solution. Its dangerous to confront her directly while shes holding the steel fan. Mu-jin, having learned a lesson from their previous sh, swung his Striking Bone Technique, forcing her to open the fan. Just as he had done initially, Mu-jin mixed in feints and began to drive her back. Paht! Perhaps because she was pushed into a defensive position, she executed a swift movement technique, leaping back and throwing the steel fan she held at Mu-jin. The wide-open fan spun fiercely as it flew towards him, spinning so fast it looked more like a disc than a fan. Mu-jin twisted his upper body, narrowly avoiding the fan. !! Following the fan, Jegal Jin-hee, who had already taken out a new one, lunged forward. She thrust the folded steel fan as if it were a sword. Instead of meeting her de with his fist, Mu-jin struck the side of the steel fan with his palm, barely deflecting the attack. Seeing a crisis as an opportunity, Mu-jin threw a left punch at her as she moved in. Jegal Jin-hee twisted her upper body, barely dodging the left punch by using her footwork, but Mu-jins kick flew towards her as her stance faltered. She blocked Mu-jins kick with her open fan, but couldntpletely absorb the force, causing her to be thrown backward. No, it seemed she had deliberately let herself be carried by the force. Where shended, the fan she had thrown earlier was embedded in the ground. Naturally picking up the fan with her left hand, she now held a steel fan in each hand, carefully observing Mu-jins movements. A sword, a shield, and even a throwing weapon. She uses a single fan for everything. After a brief standoff, Mu-jin feigned a lunge with his upper body, throwing in a feint, and when she flinched, he charged at her. As Master Uncle Hye-gwan said, she surpasses me in understanding martial arts. For Mu-jin, who had only been training for just over two and a half years, it was to be expected. But he wasnt recklessly charging without a n. Except for that, I have the advantage. While he couldnt gauge her internal energy level, he knew he had the upper hand in external techniques and practicalbat experience. So he had to lead the fight into a gritty, close-quarters battle where she couldnt fully disy her skills. Just as Hye-gwan had advised. * * * The sparring had been going on for almost a quarter of an hour. Jegal Jin-hees once neat hair was now disheveled, and Mu-jins previously tidy martial arts uniform was soaked with sweat. But considering herself a martial artist, she wasnt foolish enough to be distracted by the state of her hair or clothes. She focused solely on her sparring opponent, Mu-jin. To think there was such talent in Shaolin. Jegal Jin-hee could not help but feel astonished. She took great pride in her abilities. It was not merely because she had been called a genius since childhood. What use was it to be called a genius in ones youth? Because she was a woman, she could not be the head of the family, and as a woman destined to marry out, she could not even learn the martial arts passed down only to direct descendants. Being the most outstanding from a young age, when she first heard the words, You cannot learn the martial arts of the direct line because you are a woman, it felt as if those martial arts had been stolen from her. That was why she strived to be perfect. She hid her emotions, showing no weakness to anyone. She trained her martial arts relentlessly, ensuring that everyone continued to regard her as a genius. She believed that if she lived this way, someday she would be recognized by the elders of the n. But to find a child more talented than her after all her efforts She felt like a frog in a well, and she shook her head internally. No, my martial arts are superior! She could not be defeated by a novice monk several years younger. Above all, failing the first mission assigned by her family was unthinkable. The thought that everything she had built up so far could crumble entirely drove her. Based on what Ive seen in the sparring so far, he hasnt reached the stage of emitting Qi yet. I must decide the oue! This was her own cold judgment, based on her belief that her level was higher. As she calmly observed Mu-jin charging at her once again, she unfolded the iron fans held in both hands. Immediately afterward, the flow of internal energy from her danjeon began to surge through her palms into the iron fans. Whiiiiing. Some of the internal energy drawn into the iron fans began to emit a whitish aura into the air. Fan Qi Technique (Ț). Among martial artists, this was the minimum standard to gauge a master. At just eighteen, she had reached this level. Although she could only achieve it with the aid of martial arts, considering her age, it was truly astonishing. And the iron fans imbued with Fan Qi moved towards Mu-jin, who was charging at her. If it had been Mu-jin from a few days ago, he would have been flustered. Attacks like Sword Qi, de Qi, and Fan Qi were not something his Iron Skin technique could withstand. But for some reason. To the present Mu-jin, her attack seemed like an opportunity. Creating Fan Qi has slowed down her movements. Images of the duel between the Paedobangju and Hye-gwan from a few days ago shed through his mind. Mu-jin boldly took another step toward the Fan Qi that would tear his body apart. He grabbed her yet iplete technique hands with the Golden Locking Hand technique. Swish! The Fan Qi emanating from her iron fans inflicted wounds on the backs of Mu-jins hands and forearms, but not deep enough to damage his bones or muscles. !!! She had never anticipated being stopped in such a manner, and for the first time, a ripple of surprise appeared in her eyes. Mu-jin swung his right leg at the startled Jegal Jin-hee. Was it the power of years of repeated training? Even in her flustered state, Jegal Jin-hee raised her left leg to block Mu-jins kick. However, the difference in their strength was clear. As soon as their legs collided, Jegal Jin-hees expression twisted in pain. Now, with each bncing on one leg, they found themselves in a position where their hands and legs were locked against each other. Since their attacking options were blocked, she expected Mu-jin to overpower her with brute force. But Mu-jins next move exceeded all her expectations. As she pondered how to deflect Mu-jins strength, what she saw was his head closing in on her rapidly. Bang!!! Mu-jins headbutt struck her forehead with force. * * * With a cracking noise, Jegal Jin-hee, who now had arge bump on her forehead, crumpled to the ground as soon as Mu-jin released his grip. Already exhausted, she couldnt withstand the shock of the headbutt and fainted. Amitabha. Mu-jin, victorious in the spar, chanted a Buddhist prayer, slightly wincing at the intense pain emanating from his forehead. As expected. She lives up to the name of Jegal. She had a harder head than he had thought, perhaps because she used it so often. If he had been slightly off, it might have been him who fainted instead of her. Meanwhile The sparring match, which had been thrilling and dazzling, ended in a headbutt more fitting for a ruffian brawl, casting a brief silence over the training ground. The one who broke the silence was Yuk Jong-seon, who quickly regained hisposure. Ahem. The winner of the match is the novice monk Mu-jin. As Yuk Jong-seon, the official adjudicator, dered the winner, the atmosphere between the Shaolin and Jegal factions became sharply divided. Support Jin-hee. Were leaving. Jegal-hyeon, true to his status as a Jegal family elder, knew how foolish it would be to dispute the adjudicators decision in this situation. * * * After the sparring match ended and the members of the Jegal family, Yuk Jong-seon, and Ryang Ga-won had all left The interior of the clinic was nearly festive. Ha ha ha! Novice Monk Mu-jin! That was a truly excellent sparring match! Mak Ji-hyuk, the leader of the Buddhas Fist Sect,ughed heartily and praised Mu-jin. By defeating the prodigy of the Jegal family, they will be reluctant to make any moves for a while to keep this quiet. Ha ha ha! And with the adjudicator satisfied with our efforts, we have nothing to worry about anymore. Its not all over yet. Mu-jin replied to the jubnt Mak Ji-hyuk in a mature tone that didnt match his age. The adjudicator was pleased with todays treatment. While I n to maintain that level of care while Im here, I cant stay here forever. Still, Mak Ji-hyuk, having the benefit of age and experience, quickly understood Mu-jins intention. Starting today, I will double the time spent on training in the treatment methods. This is to ensure the clinic can continue to function even after you leave, Novice Monk Mu-jin. Then, I leave it in your capable hands, Master Mak Ji-hyuk. It is we who are grateful, Novice Monk Mu-jin. Mu-jin and Mak Ji-hyuk exchanged bows, each acknowledging the others respect, before Mu-jin moved to another spot. Once he arrived in a secluded ce, Mu-jin slightly unclenched the fist he had been holding tightly. Ugh. During the sparring match, his adrenaline had masked the pain, but now that he had rxed, he could feel the intense ache. Especially around his middle finger, which was swollen and bruised from a blood clot. This was the result of colliding with her iron fan, imbued with internal energy, at the beginning of the match. Although the bone didnt seem to be broken as he flexed his middle finger, the swelling indicated it had been a close call. Thus, Mu-jin pondered. Why did such a significant woman never appear in the novel? It would be one thing if the Jegal family had a minor role in the story. However, the Jegal family was given considerable attention in the second part of the novel, Legend of the Evil Emperor, on a level simr to that of the Cheonryu Sangdan. The reason for this was also simr. Like the Cheonryu Sangdan, the Jegal family would ally with the dark forces in the future. Thats why, when the Taegeom Sect reappeared today with the Jegal family backing them, Mu-jin was inwardly delighted. If the Jegal family were a future ally in the fight against the dark forces, it would have been quite troublesome. However, since they were destined to be enemies, he had no qualms about dealing with them. Recalling his memories of the Jegal family naturally brought to mind the contents of the second part of the novel. Ah, the Jegal family episode was absolutely thrilling. The thrill of the second protagonist destroying the trapsid by the Jegal family and the dark forces purely through strength was indescribable. However, during the protagonists destruction of the Jegal family, the character Jegal Jin-hee never appeared. No matter how hard he searched his memory. Hmm. If its simr to the case with the Cheonryu Sangdan, does that mean she dies around that time? It seemed likely, considering characters like Ryu Ji-gwang and Yeon Ga-hee also didnt appear in the novel. Naturally, he thought about approaching the Jegal family through her, much like he did with Ryu Ji-gwang. After what happened today, theres no way shell want to get close to me. Realizing it was already a lost cause, Mu-jin shook his head. With the current issues involving the Cheonryu Sangdan already keeping him busy, it would be too much to also worry about the Jegal family. Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Ugh. Amidst the intense pain felt on her forehead, Jegal Jin-hee opened her eyes. Youre awake. Upon hearing Jegal Hyuns voice from beside her, she realized she had been lying down all this time and quickly grasped the situation. Im sorry, Elder. As she spoke while bowing her head swollen with shame, Jegal Hyun clicked his tongue once and replied. Its fine. Everything was thrown off the moment Cham-ui appeared. Jegal Hyun didnt bother mentioning the sparring match. However, it seemed that she was the one who felt regret. Upon opening her eyes, she became determined.May I spar with that novice monk Mu-jin again? Even though Jegal Hyun hadnt shown any disappointment when she lost the match, he disyed a hint of disappointment at her question for the first time. Tsk. That match was fair. What would change if you sparred again now? Jegal Hyun had a vague understanding that she was striving desperately to ovee the discrimination she faced as a woman. Tsk. Sometimes, one needs to know when to step back. This is why women cannot achieve great things, Jegal Hyun thought to himself, clicking his tongue. But Jegal Jin-hee didnt want to spar with Mu-jin again out of obsession for victory. Its not for revenge. I just thought I could learn something new if I faced that novice again. Right after regaining consciousness, she realized she had been trapped in her own limitations. The next emotion that followed was a peculiar curiosity. Even after reviewing the match, her level of martial arts was indeed higher. However, she still lost the match. Especially, Mu-jins judgments towards the end far exceeded her expectations. The child who hadnt even reached the state of Qi Activation, sustained injuries to seal her arm, and even headbutted her in the final moments. In retrospect, I was merely a pawn in the game Mu-jin set up from the start. She was also intrigued by the wit that yed with the elder of the Jegal family, known as Shin Gi Jegal. Though she was called a genius within the family, she never dared to think she could match the family head or the elders. To her, they were always adults, and she was in a position to earn their recognition. But that child, with just a few words, had toyed with Jegal Hyun, whom she considered an adult, and led the match as he wished. Jegal Jin-hee was curious about that secret. If she could uncover that secret, perhaps she too could be recognized within the family. Realizing the determination hidden beneath her serene andposed demeanor, Jegal Hyun sighed and responded. With that bump on your forehead, you want to go out now? Jegal Hyun pointed with his finger to the enormous lump growing on her forehead. After a few days, the special ointment of the Jegal family had reduced her swelling, and Jegal Jin-hee secretly set out without Jegal Hyuns knowledge. She knew Jegal Hyun was displeased with her sparring with Mu-jin. She had dismissed the Hyun Sword Squad, who served as her guards, and secretly arrived at the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic, where she encountered an unexpected person at the entrance. What brings thedy of the Jegal family here? A middle-aged monk holding a wine bottle asked, blowing into it like a trumpet, causing Jegal Jin-hees eyes to tense with anxiety. Greetings to the esteemed Anti-Demon Monk. This was a man whom even the elders of the Jegal family, proud of their intelligence, had given up analyzing. She hade face to face with the mad monk known as Chwi Bul. Esteemed? You make me sound old. Just call me by my Dharma name or nickname. Anyway, what brings you here? Jegal Jin-hee, contemting briefly while looking at Hye-gwan, who seemed drunk, chose to be direct. I came to see if I could spar with the novice monk Mu-jin again. Ah, I came on my own, unrted to the family. Hm. It seems you have no tail. Whether he spread his energy to search for the Hyun Sword Squads presence, Hye-gwan responded while turning his body and taking another drink. Follow me. I will guide you to that Mu-jin. Surprised by Hye-gwans unexpectedpliance, she followed him. After walking briefly inside the clinic, following Hye-gwan. Mu-jin should be in here. With those words, Hye-gwan, having finished his task, used his stepping technique and disappeared onto the pavilion roof. Whew. After taking a deep breath, Jegal Jin-hee pushed open the door of the pavilion. In her eyes, filled with a slight excitement at the thought of meeting the person who had made her realize her own limitations and possibly broaden her horizons, was Haah. Mu-jin, who had taken off his shirt, lifting a massive chunk of iron, revealing his wild, muscr physique. As she watched Mu-jins muscles move dynamically with each lift of the giant iron piece. A faint blush appeared on her usually stoic face. I thought he was just a child. She acknowledged Mu-jins skill as much as she had lost to him. But that was recognition of his martial arts skill; she hadnt expected him to have such a manly physique. Especially since she, ady raised in the prominent Jegal family, had never seen a mans naked body. Hes like a stone. While she was thinking that to herself. Thud. Mu-jin, who had been lifting the iron piece, gently set it down on the wooden floor. When did you arrive? Focused on his iron training, Mu-jin noticed her standing at the entrance only after finishing a set. Feeling like she had been caught doing something bad, she replied in a startled manner. J-just got here! Ah, I didnt see anything, so dont mind me! Mu-jin thought to himself, seeing her yelling unlike her calm demeanor from a few days ago. She must be really pissed off. It seemed she still harbored feelings about being knocked out by his headbutt. Since I look like this now, I think its better to talk after I put on some clothes. As Mu-jin said that and turned his body to grab his robe he had taken off, his chiseled muscles moved with him. Jegal Jin-hees eyes unconsciously followed those muscles. However, she wasntpletely lost in looking at his muscles. What caught her eye were the scars engraved all over those angr muscles. Those scars were the marks left by the wounds he received during the raid on the ck Snake Sect a few days ago with Hye-gwan. So thats the source of his experience. Of course, she had no such scars on her body. It was something she could be proud of as a woman, but instead, she felt ashamed. She had thought that she had mastered martial arts with great determination to be called a genius in her family, but now she realized that she had merely trainedfortably in a safe environment. I was really just a frog in a well While she was reflecting on herself, Mu-jin picked up his robe and put it on. Haah. When Mu-jins muscles and scars were covered by his clothes, Jegal Jin-hee involuntarily let out a sigh of disappointment. Is there something troubling you? Mu-jin asked about that sigh, and she, flustered, shouted back. N-no, nothings wrong!? Contrary to his first impression, she was quite a sharp-tongued woman. Then why have youe to see me, Jegal Siju? At his question, she finally gathered herself and answered in a calm tone. I came to see if I could spar with you again, Mu-jin. Ah, its not because of anything rted to the family. Its just my personal decision. I see. At her words, Mu-jin nodded and thought. Shes tougher than she looks. Wasnt she basically saying she came for revenge? But it wasnt a bad thing. No, it was actually good. Thest spar was helpful in many ways. He had learned many things from that spar, such as how to fight someone of a higher level with external energy or how to face a sage technique. If its not a fight over profit, sparring is always wee. Amitabha. Thank you for understanding. When Mu-jin bowed first, she also showed her respect by sping her hands and immediately drew two fans. This time, it was to give her all from the beginning. Confirming that she was ready, Mu-jin rushed at Jegal Jin-hee. And the spar that began flowed simrly yet slightly differently from thest time. Every time Mu-jin moved his body vigorously to attack her, the glimpses of his corbone or biceps through his robe constantly caught her eyes. Is this what they call the beauty trap? While Jegal Jin-hee was entertaining strange thoughts, Mu-jin suddenly pulled back. When Mu-jin, who had been persistently attacking like a yboy in theirst spar, suddenly widened the distance, Jegal Jin-hees face showed a trace of puzzlement. Facing her, Mu-jin, who had widened the distance, opened his mouth with a half-smile. It seems the benefactors mind is filled with distractions. Continuing the sparring in this state might lead to an ident, so I withdrew. Amitabha. !!! It was an embarrassing and humiliating remark. She wanted to scream in protest, but, true to her prestigious family background, she barely managed to suppress her anger. As Mu-jin had said, she realized that continuing the sparring in her current state would likely lead to an ident. If I keep sparring like this, I might actually fall for his good looks. Falling for the charms of a novice monk? Thats uneptable! Indeed, the seasoned novice monk had a wealth of practical experience! However, having recognized the tactic as a charm offensive, she wasnt someone who would easily fall for it. Yes, this isnt a flutter of the heart for a man. Its the thrill of facing a worthy opponent! Didnt the elders always say? A worthy opponent is a catalyst that greatly improves ones skills, an enemy who is also an ally. Having sorted out her thoughts to that extent, she took the opportunity of the paused sparring to pose a question to her worthy opponent. What did Mu-jin think of me? Are you referring to Benefactor Jegal Jin-hee? No, no! Not me, my, my martial arts! Ah Mu-jin scratched his chin, which had no beard, as he organized his thoughts while looking at her, who seemed on the verge of screaming again. She had generalized it as martial arts, but to speak from Mu-jins perspective, epassing what he had seen, experienced, and felt, it broadly covered external martial arts, internal martial arts, understanding of martial arts, and practical experience. Even the understanding of martial arts included variousplex concepts like unarmed techniques, swordsmanship, techniques involving weapons, energy maniption to create sword energy or fist energy, and movement techniques. Based on their past sparring sessions andparing himself to her as objectively as possible, their internal energy levels were simr, her understanding of martial arts was superior, but he overwhelmingly dominated in external martial arts and practical experience. If they fought ten times, he would struggle, but he thought he would win about seven out of ten times. However, exining all these details to someone who had a high probability of dying within a few years, and even if she survived, would likely be an enemy, seemed bothersome. Honestly, I thought Benefactors level of martial arts was superior to mine. Amitabha. So, that means Ick practical experience, after all. Returning to her calm tone, she lowered her head with a somewhat bitter expression. Tsk. Ignoring the fact that she might die within a few years, knowing this makes avoiding her even more difficult. Unlike her usual sharp demeanor, her downcast appearance looked particrly delicate. Yes, if she survives with my help, she might even end up on my side. Hadnt there been simr situations with Mu-gyeong and Ryu Seol-hwa? If he helped her, she might support him instead of her family. And above all, Mu-jin thought it would be wrong to leave someone who might die unattended, so he spoke up. Though I grouped it under practical experience, thats not entirely the case. In my opinion, Benefactor Jegals adaptability is quite impressive. Didnt you counter or block all the moves I altered and used? Really? Yes. At Mu-jins praise, the flower that had been bowed bloomed brightly. Shes more expressive than she looks. Mu-jin thought to himself, noticing her immediate and honest emotional expressions. Then, what did you mean by cking practical experience? I meant the pressure thates from realbat, and the impatience that arises from not being ustomed to that pressure. He was referring to the moment she tried to use an imperfect Fan Qi Technique and ended up counterattacked. Having already lost to Mu-jin and seen the marks of realbat on his body, she couldnt deny his words. So, youre saying my martial arts arent bad. Yes. I am in no position to critique the strengths and weaknesses of martial arts superior to my own. As she nodded happily to his words, Mu-jin, feeling uneasy, added, Oh. But dont think about gaining practical experience by going out and causing trouble. Realbat can result in death at any moment. You must not use such reckless methods to gain experience. Mu-jin thought it would be troubling if she died a violent death due to his advice, regardless of what the original history might have been. When he directly addressed his concerns, she responded with a flustered voice, Ive never had such reckless thoughts! Is that so. It was clear to anyone that she had. But, are you worried about me right now? Yes, I am. Answering with a reluctant tone, Mu-jin thought, She wont suddenly scream, Who are you to worry about me? will she? And then, her face flushed, she shouted, I am not so weak that Mu-jin needs to worry about me! Ah, yes By now, Mu-jin was starting to hope she would just leave. Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The woman, who had shouted, added in a meek voice, embarrassed by her own outburst. Um, if I gain confidence in my skillster, may Ie back and request a sparring match? Yes. If its Jegal Siju-nim, you are always wee. As long as she was alive, she coulde back to request a sparring match. In other words, he hoped that she, who had a high chance of dying if the novels flow continued, would survive. To think I would be weed anytime! For some reason, she blushed furiously and ran out of the hall without even saying goodbye. Why do all the women I get involved with have severe facial redness? Mu-jin wondered if Jegal Jin-hee, like Ryu Seol-hwa, also had high blood pressure.Hmmm. I wonder if shes losing weight well. He briefly thought of Ryu Seol-hwa naturally. Ugh. Mu-jin took off his top again and picked up the iron lump he had left behind. Indeed, lifting weights was the best way to clear his mind of distractions. * * * A few dayster, Jegal Jin-hee and the Jegal familys group left Nanchang. It was due to Jegal-hyeons judgment that there was no benefit in staying. Well, whether the Jegal family left or not, Mu-jin focused on what he had to do. Early in the morning and in the evening, he repeated physical training and martial arts practice. asionally, he gifted Hye-gwan with drinks in exchange for guidance or sparring. During the daytime, he treated those who came to specialized facilities, including Yuk Jong-seon and Ryang Ga-won, or taught rehabilitation exercises and close-range spear techniques to the novice monks and the disciples of the Bulgwonmun, including Mak Ji-hyeok. For patients with muscle injuries in the lower thigh, stretching the leg in this manner is very helpful. Forcing tense and contracted muscles to stretch can be dangerous. Especially for Mak Ji-hyeok, who had to manage the advanced facilities when Mu-jin was away, he also taught acupressure techniques and manual therapy methods besides rehabilitation exercises. Additionally, Mak Ji-hyeok and the second-inmand of the Bulgwonmun, Hwang Tae-pyeong, received extra training. To think that as a secr disciple, I would be given such an opportunity to learn. I am overwhelmed with gratitude to Shaolin. Mak Ji-hyeok, who was learning the mind technique from Beob Gang, took a respectful stance, deeply moved. Despite being nearly twenty years his junior, there was no trace of shame or hesitation on his face. Understandably, Beob Gang and Beob-hwi were teaching Mak Ji-hyeok and Hwang Tae-pyeong the mind techniques for handling thunder energy and extreme yang energy. This was to ensure that they could perform heat therapy and thunder energy therapy even after Beob Gang and Beob-hwi left. Of course, they were not teaching the consummate arts like the Tathagata Palm or the Vajra Divine General. These were merely preliminary mind techniques to convert the internal energy gathered in the danjeon into thunder energy or extreme yang energy. Even so, it was a level of mind technique that was not previously taught to secr disciples. Hahaha. We are just following the orders of the Abbot. It would be appropriate to express your gratitude to the Abbot and Mu-jin over there. Its only natural to be grateful to the Abbot, but to Mu-jin as well? Yes. It was Mu-jin who first proposed teaching this mind technique to secr disciples. !!! Mak Ji-hyeok looked at Mu-jin with a surprised face, but Mu-jin remained indifferent. Well, when he had persuaded the Abbot Hyun Cheon, he had argued, saying, We should at least give minimal repayment to the secr sects that have kept their loyalty. In reality, it was just an excuse because I didnt want to be stuck here. It was a mechanism he set up so he could leave as soon as he finished his work here. Giving away two intermediate mind techniques that werent even consummate arts didnt harm him. Anyway, as he continued teaching the disciples of the Bulgwonmun, a month passed swiftly. Finally, the free facility tools that the Cheonryu Sangdan Nanchang Branch had prepared werepleted, and the free facilities were opened to the public. That meant Oh my, Buddha-Handed Novice! Here, my leg hurts! Please take a look, Buddha-Handed Novice! In just a few days, Mu-jins bizarre nickname, Buddha-Handed Novice, began to spread in Nanchang. As it became evident that they were truly running a clinic, the clinic naturally took root in Nanchang. However, the situation was not entirely satisfactory. Hmm. I cant seem to catch any leads. He still hadnt found any evidence to prove the connection between Ryu Seol-ho and the hidden forces. His n to capture everything in one sweep while dismantling Paedobang had failed, causing the situation to drag on. Thus, three months passed as he trained in martial arts, managed the clinic, and intermittently investigated Ryu Seol-ho. One day, a letter arrived for Mu-jin, who had turned fifteen after his birthday. A letter from Cheonryu Sangdan, you say? Yes. It was sent from the Nanchang branch of the Cheonryu Sangdan, and it has the seal of the Sangdanju Siju-nim, so even the branch did not open it. At Beob Gangs answer, who had received the letter from the Cheonryu Sangdans errand boy at the entrance, Mu-jin tore open the envelope and took out the letter. He read the words written on the letter for a while. Could it be? As he read the letter, a thought crossed Mu-jins mind. * * * Cheonryu Sangdan Nanchang Branch. In the branch masters office. Ryu Seol-ho was feeling anxious. Damn it. When the hell are those damned Shaolin monks going to leave! Its already been four months! Four months ago, Paedobang, which had been handling Ryu Seol-hos dirty work, copsed. He had thought that Shaolin would drive them out, but instead, Shaolin came to Nanchang and destroyed them in just one day. At this rate, I wont be able to catch up to Ryu Seol-ryongs achievements! Ryu Seol-ho and Ryu Seol-ryong, the second and first sons who grew up under the teachings of Ryu Ji-gwang, who was obsessed with work. Theypeted daily with achievements to secure the position of sessor. The only problem was that, even with the same achievements, the first son, Ryu Seol-ryong, had the advantage. Additionally, having entered the business world three years earlier, Ryu Seol-ryong was ahead in both experience and skill. The person who subtly approached Ryu Seol-ho was the bodyguard currently by his side. He introduced Ryu Seol-ho to an organization that offered a way to surpass Ryu Seol-ryong. The organization sent Paedobang, which absorbed Honginmun and operated in the background, to assist. Paedobang eliminated obstacles to the Nanchang branchs trade by assassinating, kidnapping, imprisoning, or threatening those who interfered. In return, Ryu Seol-ho only had to secretly mix the people they capturedkidnapped vagrantsinto the trades. This arrangement resolvedplex trade issues at the lowest cost, rapidly boosting the Nanchang branchs performance. But that trusted Paedobang had copsed. How did you handle things so poorly that even the authorities caught wind of this? Because of a petty sixth-rank official who seemed uninterested in the plight of the vagrants. Im sorry. The bodyguard, unable to confront Ryu Seol-ho for the sake of their grand n, bowed his head, swallowing his pride. Hearing the same rebuke for four months now, he was seething inside, but there was no room for excuses. It was a relief that they had discussed all matters rted to the Cheonryu Sangdan orally, just in case. Im not asking for apologies! I want a solution! New operatives have already been dispatched to Nanchang. Theyre just waiting to avoid drawing the attention of Shaolin and Ryang Ga-won. Im telling you toe up with a way to drive Shaolin out of here! The bodyguard clenched his fists tightly, but could only keep his head bowed. Drive Shaolin out of here? Even Jegal Se-ga hade and left humiliated. Now, high-ranking officials of Nanchang frequented that clinic, and other prestigious factions andrge families were just waiting for a legitimate reason to get involved. Just as Ryu Seol-ho was about tosh out at the bodyguard again, a voice came from beyond the entrance to the branch masters office. Branch Master. A letter from the Sangdanju has arrived. Bring it here. Ryu Seol-ho answered irritably, took the envelope from the Chief Officer, and, after confirming the seal of the Sangdanju, tore it open and pulled out the letter. And then augh of incredulity spread across his face, which had been full of irritation. The Sangdanju must truly be mad. A seventieth birthday party? The content of the letter. It was about holding a seventieth birthday celebration for Yeon Ga-hee. From Ryu Seol-hos perspective, it was utterly absurd. Since when had the Sangdanju cared about the birthdays of family members? Ryu Seol-ho had never even expected his own birthday to be celebrated, and even during Yeon Ga-hees sixtieth birthday, Ryu Ji-gwang had been working. They say the heart softens with age. It seems the Sangdanju is no longer fit to y his role. Therefore, he must oust Ryu Ji-gwang and Ryu Seol-ryong and be the Sangdanju himself. Perhaps it was because he was thinking that way. As Ryu Seol-ho finished reading the letter, a n formed in his mind. There are a few other branches connected to that ce, arent there? Yes, Branch Master. Hmmm. In that case, those who were waiting in Nanchang will go with me to Deungbong-hyeon. Inform the other branches as well. Tell them to bring those who were responsible for the cleanup. !!! The bodyguard, who had briefly shown a surprised expression, understood Ryu Seol-hos intentions and smirked. I will contact the organization and send reliable men to Deungbong-hyeon in advance. * * * Could it be? Mu-jin stared at the letter with a troubled expression. Yeon Ga-hees seventieth birthday party. Up to this point, it wasnt particrly surprising. What concerned Mu-jin was the guest list for the seventieth birthday party. The party was to be held modestly, with only the Ryu family and a few branch masters who had worked with the Sangdan for a long time invited. Additionally, the letter stated that Ryu Ji-gwang invited Mu-jin. What worried Mu-jin was that the entire Ryu family would be gathered. Is Ryu Seol-ho nning to kill everyone at this seventieth birthday party and be the Sangdanju? In the novel, only Ryu Seol-ho and Ryu Seol-hwa were mentioned. Mu-jin thought that perhaps Ryu Seol-ho had left Ryu Seol-hwa, who acted as Hong So-hees puppet, alive and eliminated the rest. In the novel, the Cheonryu Sangdan is not prominently mentioned until at least 10 years from now. I assumed Yeon Ga-hee and Ryu Ji-gwang died from illness or old age. He had thought Ryu Seol-ho inherited the Sangdan after that, but now he realized there was a catch. The existence of the first son, Ryu Seol-ryong. As long as he was alive, it made no sense for Ryu Seol-ho to fully inherit the Sangdans power. Ultimately, this meant that Ryu Seol-ryong had also died suddenly, and there was no better opportunity than this seventieth birthday party. Theres no time to be tracking Ryu Seol-hos traces. Folding the letter, Mu-jin made his decision. It was time to return to Deungbong-hyeon. * * * You say youre returning in three days? Mak Ji-hyuk asked with a perplexed expression at Mu-jins words. Yes. Now that Munju-nim and Hwang Tae-pyeong Siju-nim can sufficiently emit Thunder and Heat Energy, theres no need for us to stay here any longer. Located in a county seat, Bulgwonmuns leader Mak Ji-hyuk and his second-inmand Hwang Tae-pyeong were masters who had reached the state of sexual energy discharge. Despite being close to fifty years old and having lower levels than Beob Gang or Beob Hwi, they were still capable of emitting considerable energy. Over the past four months, they had learned the mind technique and converted their internal energy into Thunder and Heat Energy, reaching a level where they could sufficiently perform Thunder Energy and Heat Energy treatments. That may be true, but they havent fully mastered all the techniques for massage and pressure point treatments yet, Dongja. Theyre at a sufficient level to perform treatments for now. If you require additional techniques, you can send one of your outstanding disciples or descendants to Shaolinter. Please understand that this is not the only sect we have to support. Amitabha. Understanding that Shaolin had to support other sects as well, Mak Ji-hyuk could no longer hold them back. We will strive to maintain the reputation of the clinic even after Shaolin leaves. Amitabha. Thus, it was agreed that the Shaolin disciples would return in three days. Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples spent thest three days diligently teaching the disciples of Bulgwonmun the treatment techniques and preparing the clinic. And three dayster. The Shaolin disciples, having boarded the carriages they had secured in advance, set off on the road back to Deungbong-hyeon. Feels like Im forgetting something? Mu-jin nced back at the receding view of Nanchang, puzzled for a moment. Oh. Today was leg day. Even on a journey, he couldnt skip his workout. Mu-jin abruptly stood up and started doing squats in the carriage. About ten days after Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples had left Nanchang. A graceful and beautiful woman appeared at the still popr musculoskeletal treatment clinic, even in the absence of the Shaolin disciples. Theyve left? Yes, about ten days ago, they returned to Deungbong-hyeon. She had returned to her family and undergone intense training for the past four months, finally prepared to duel with Mu-jin. Jegal Jin-hee turned her head in the direction of Deungbong-hyeon, eyes aze. Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Three days before Yeon Ga-hees seventieth birthday celebration. In the afternoon, the carriage carrying Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples sped down the main road of Deungbong-hyeon and arrived at the entrance of the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples disembarked from the carriage. Mu-jin then found himself face-to-face with a woman whose features seemed strangely familiar. Where have I seen her before? While Mu-jin tilted his head, trying to ce her among the youngdies who frequently visited the clinic, the woman recognized him first. She smiled brightly and spoke. Mu-jin Novice! Have you just returned? Hearing her voice, Mu-jin was finally able to identify her. Seol-hwa Benefactor? Yes! Youve changed so much since Ist saw you. I dont think I can call you a novice anymore.It had been almost five months since Mu-jin had left Deungbong-hyeon. During that time, Mu-jin, who was still in his growth phase, had grown about an inch taller and had lost some of his baby fat. However, these changes paled inparison to those of Ryu Seol-hwa. I almost didnt recognize you either, Seol-hwa Benefactor. Although her attire, typical of this era, was loose-fitting and did not reveal her figure, she no longer gave the impression of being overweight. Her clothes were now the size of those typically worn by other women, unlike the oversized garments she used to wear. However, it was her face that was most striking. This is more extreme than I expected. Mu-jin had always thought her features were beautiful, but her now-revealed jawline and nose exceeded his expectations. Have I changed that much? Ryu Seol-hwa asked, a blush spreading across her cheeks as she turned her head slightly, as if embarrassed. Hmm. It seems shes stillcking in self-confidence. Mu-jin concluded that she was still not confident about her appearance. Well, after living like that for years, its hard to change your personalitypletely in just a few months of exercise. Having made up his mind, Mu-jin decided to boost her confidence. Youve changed so much that I didnt recognize you, Seol-hwa Benefactor. Im worried the men of Deungbong-hyeon might suffer heartache over you. Hahaha. At Mu-jinspliment, Ryu Seol-hwas face turned not just pink, but a deep shade of red. Hehehe. During the nearly five months that Mu-jin was away, she had worked extremely hard. She avoided sweet and oily foods, which she heard made one gain weight, and continued to visit the clinic for exercise even on days when there were no female patients. As a result, as Mu-jin mentioned, she had recently started receiving countless love letters. She was already a precious daughter of the Cheonryu Sangdan. Now that her beauty, previously hidden by her weight, was revealed, men were practically lining up for her. However, her decision to lose weight was not made to attract men. Before the men started flocking to her, there was one man who had looked at her differently and had sent her the first love letter she ever received. Therefore, she wanted to be acknowledged by the man who had sent her the first love letter. So, what do you think, Mu-jin Novice? Do you think I see things differently? Youve really be beautiful. Amitabha. As Mu-jin and Ban-dangjuplimented her, Ryu Seol-hwas face turned so red that she began to twist her body like a snake. However, Mu-jin was preupied with other important matters and didnt pay much attention to her unusual behavior. Seeing that Ryu Seol-hwa is still alive, it seems nothing has happened within the Sangdan yet. Nevertheless, just in case, Mu-jin asked cautiously. So, has anything special happened at the main house recently? Lately, weve been busy preparing for Grandmothers seventieth birthday celebration. Oh! Will you be attending the birthday celebration, Mu-jin monk? She deliberately avoided using the term novice. Mu-jin smiled slightly as he responded to her question. Yes, I n to attend. But Im not sure if I should participate in a family gathering. Haha. Isnt this also a rare chance for you to see your brothers again, Seol-hwa Benefactor? My brothers are so busy with work, just like Father, that we hardly see their faces. There are only three days left until the celebration, and neither of them has arrived yet. Although she had left before Ryu Seol-ho, there was still a lingering worry. However, after hearing her answer, it seemed that nothing had happened yet. Still, there were many issues. Although not a martial sect, the Cheonryu Sangdan was one of the five great merchant groups in the world, and it had gathered a significant number of masters with gold. So, if Mu-jins fears were correct and they intended to cause trouble at the birthday celebration, the enemies would certainly bring many masters with them. Mu-jin did not have the strength to stop them all by himself. Bringing arge number of Shaolin disciplescked justification. He couldnt just storm into the Cheonryu Sangdans main house without evidence. If that were possible, he would have already dealt with Ryu Seol-ho with the Shaolin disciples withouting here. Additionally, forcibly bringing in many Shaolin disciples might cause the enemies to cancel their attack. If that happened, it would only strain the rtionship between the Cheonryu Sangdan and Shaolin for disrupting the birthday celebration. Despite theseplicated issues. Mu-jin wasnt worried. He knew someone who could attend Yeon Ga-hees birthday celebration without causing problems and who possessed more reliable strength than several Shaolin disciples. Seol-hwa, Siju-nim. Is Grandfather Hyeon-gwang inside? * * * The hall located deep within the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. Mu-jin! What brings you here? Beob-geon, who was in the yard, looked at Mu-jin with a surprised expression. Hahaha. Come on in. Hyeon-gwang, who was receiving rehabilitation treatment from Beob-geon, weed Mu-jin with a heartyugh. Master. I just returned here after finishing the matters in Nanchang. Mu-jin, bowing to Beob-geon and Hyeon-gwang, then asked Hyeon-gwang, Grandfather, have you heard that Grandmother Yeons seventieth birthday celebration is being held in three days? Hahaha. If its Lady Yeon, she visits here often even now. Of course, Ive heard. Then, are you nning to attend the celebration? At Mu-jins question, Hyeon-gwang shook his head. I heard its being held modestly to spend time with family. Since I meet and talk with her often, wouldnt it be better for her to enjoy time with her grandchildren on that day? Mu-jins question about why Hyeon-gwangs name was left off the guest list was answered. However, Mu-jin needed Hyeon-gwangs help to resolve this matter. As much as he wished to avoid involving Hyeon-gwang in difficult affairs due to his still inconvenient body despite his exceptionally high status, this time it couldnt be helped. Grandfather, if its not too much trouble, would you apany me to the seventieth birthday celebration? At a nce, it might seem like a child was embarrassed to attend a party alone and was dragging an adult along. But Hyeon-gwang knew that Mu-jin was not an ordinary child. If he was ufortable attending, he was the type to outright refuse. Hahaha. It seems theres a reason behind this. Theres one concern that I have. What is it? Since its a gathering of flowers, I thought that perhaps insects might be attracted. The owner of the giant group known as Cheonryu Sangdan was ultimately Ryu Ji-gwang, and if Ryu Ji-gwang were to die, Cheonryu Sangdan would end up in the hands of one of his family members. But what if the entire family were wiped out at once? A power struggle to take over the masterless Cheonryu Sangdan would ensue, leading to it either being divided or falling into someone elses hands. Hyeon-gwang, who boasted outstanding intelligence, easily understood Mu-jins metaphor. But the fence protecting those flowers is made of a vast amount of gold and is very sturdy. It wouldnt be easy for the insects to get in. Im afraid the inside of that fence may have already rotted, and insects might have emerged from within. Huh At Mu-jins words, Hyeon-gwang took a deep breath and then chanted a prayer. Mu-jin simply looked at Hyeon-gwang in silence. Ryu Seol-ho had not yet done anything. Naturally, there was no evidence to be had. Thus, Mu-jin had no choice but to use the expression worry and resort to metaphor instead of direct statements. Knowing that Ryu Seol-ho would be the leader of the merchant group in the future, he couldnt exactly persuade Hyeon-gwang by iming that Ryu Seol-ho seemed about to cause trouble this time. After a moment, Hyeon-gwang, who had been chanting with his eyes closed, opened his eyes and replied with a profound gaze. I will join you. If my grandson is worried about something, shouldnt I roll up my sleeves and help? Thank you, Grandfather. Mu-jin expressed his gratitude to Hyeon-gwang with a bow, feeling a sigh of relief inside. * * * The next day. Mu-jin, together with Hyeon-gwang, visited the main base of Cheonryu Sangdan. When the gatekeeper sent a message inside, the chief officer came out to guide them to the leaders hall. Ryu Ji-gwang warmly weed the two who had suddenly visited. Thank you foring. Monk Hyeon-gwang. Novice Mu-jin. Hahaha. I am sorry to take your time when you must be very busy. Amitabha. We are the ones who should apologize. Sangdanju-nim. In response to Hyeon-gwang and Mu-jins words, Ryu Ji-gwang waved his hand. Hahaha. Not at all. Have youe because of my mothers seventieth birthday celebration in two days? Thats correct. I apologize for the sudden change and for causing any inconvenience. No need to apologize. My mother will be very pleased if Monk Hyeon-gwang attends. Hahaha. Actually, apart from attending, there is another favor we would like to ask, which is why we came. What kind of favor? The truth is, our Mu-jin here asked if he could stay at the Cheonryu Sangdan main house starting today. At our merchant group? May I know the reason, Novice Mu-jin? At Ryu Ji-gwangs question, Mu-jin pretended to be embarrassed and replied. Since there will be many guests and grandchildrening to the seventieth birthday celebration, I thought it would be difficult for me to spend a long time with Grandmother. Hahaha. So, you want to stay here for two days in advance and celebrate my mothers seventieth birthday? Ahem. Yes. As Mu-jin scratched his head and acted embarrassed, Ryu Ji-gwang burst into heartyughter, which was unlike him. Did it work? While he expected that trouble would ur during the seventieth birthday celebration, it could also happen before the actual day. Ultimately, the most dangerous moment was when the Ryu family gathered together. Thus, Mu-jin made up this odd excuse to infiltrate Cheonryu Sangdan in advance with Hyeon-gwang. He couldnt exactly tell Ryu Ji-gwang that his own son might be preparing to kill him. Perhaps Ryu Ji-gwang found Mu-jins concern for his mother endearing. He readily epted Mu-jins request. If that is the reason, you are more than wee. Its not just anyone, but Novice Mu-jin. Hahaha. I have already heard about the matter in Nanchang. You sent the Jegal family back and made officials your regrs. Ryu Ji-gwang, who was smiling and talking, was actually thinking something entirely different. What an excellent prospective son-inw! Hes a capable young man with a caring heart for his grandmother! This is a great chance to show him howfortable it is under the roof of our Cheonryu Sangdan! Ryu Ji-gwang was still full of schemes to return Mu-jin to the secr world. He just kept his thoughts to himself because he couldnt reveal them in front of Hyeon-gwang. After a brief amiable conversation between Hyeon-gwang, Mu-jin, and Ryu Ji-gwang, the voice of the chief officer was heard from the entrance of the leaders hall. Sangdanju-nim. Young master Ryu Seol-ho, the head of the Nanchang branch, has arrived. At the chief officers words, Hyeon-gwangughed and spoke to Ryu Ji-gwang. Oh dear, it seems we have taken too much of the busy Sangdanju-nims time. Not at all. Monk Hyeon-gwang and Novice Mu-jin are always wee. Since time with your son is also important, we should take our leave now. Yes. I will instruct the chief officer to guide you to your lodging. After saying this, Ryu Ji-gwang called towards the entrance of the leaders hall. Let him in! As soon as Ryu Ji-gwangs call ended, the door of the leaders hall opened, and Ryu Seol-ho entered. !!! Upon discovering Mu-jin in the leaders hall, Ryu Seol-hos face momentarily disyed a hint of bewilderment. Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Ryu Seol-ho managed his expression well, being the seasoned branch leader he was, but Mu-jin did not miss the change in his demeanor. We shall take our leave now. Please be careful on your way. Outer Chief! Guide Hyun-gwang Monk and Novice Mu-jin to the hall where they will stay for the next two days. If possible, provide a ce close to my mothers estate. Understood, Sangdanju. Mu-jin and Hyun-gwang followed the Outer Chief. Meanwhile, Ryu Seol-hos eyes flickered as he watched Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang treat Hyun-gwang with great respect. Ryu Seol-ho now wore the familiar mask on his face, greeting Ryu Ji-gwang with a nonchnt demeanor. Ryu Ji-gwangs attitude seemed somewhat softenedpared to the past, but Ryu Seol-ho only sneered inwardly, revealing nothing of his true feelings.After exchanging brief pleasantries, Ryu Ji-gwang asked a question. What do you think of Novice Mu-jin, Seol-ho? He seems exceptionally talented for his age. Knowing that Ryu Ji-gwang held Mu-jin in high regard, Ryu Seol-ho hid his true feelings and responded appropriately. Especially, I was amazed by his ability to attract officials to the clinic in just a few days after arriving in Nanchang. Hahaha. It wasnt solely Novice Mu-jins effort. I know that you helped him. ? Recently, the dy in Nanchangs operations is because the manpower was diverted to assist the Shaolin clinic, isnt it? However, the clinic is generating considerable profit, so it was a sound decision. Despite the setbacks caused by those wretched Shaolin disciples and Ryang Ga-won of Imun, which disrupted the operations of Paedobang, what nonsense was this? No, this is definitely an indirect rebuke. Even if he had recently be gentler, the Sangdanju, who was obsessed with work, would never overlook matters rted to business. While assisting the clinic, I tried to handle the original tasks cleanly, but I am stillcking. No, no. Hahaha. Given that no additional manpower was supplied, its natural to find it difficult to handle extra work. Ryu Ji-gwangs gentleughter was hard for Ryu Seol-ho to endure. Thus, he hastily changed the subject. By the way, who was the esteemed monk apanying Novice Mu-jin that Sangdanju treated with such respect? That was Monk Hyun-gwang, Mu-jins great master. He is a highly devout monk whom my mother befriended in herter years. A high monk of Shaolin Could he be a martial arts master? Concerned that his ns might be disrupted, Ryu Seol-ho tried to maintain a calm facade as he asked. Then he must be quite skilled. He was exceptional in the past, but now he is someone with physical difficulties. However, Ryu Ji-gwang shook his head at Ryu Seol-hos question. This was despite knowing full well the capabilities of Hyeon-gwang. This was for security reasons. To Ryu Ji-gwang, Hyeon-gwang was thest insurance policy. He was the final protector who would safeguard the family in times of crisis. Moreover, as a seasoned merchant, Ryu Ji-gwang understood the importance of information better than anyone. No matter how close someone was, words uttered with the thought, This person should be fine, would eventually spread. The person receiving the information would also think, This person should be fine, and pass it on to someone else. Especially considering the recent situation with Hong So-hee, who was captured by Mu-jin, this information had to be kept hidden from the family until the very end. However, Ryu Seol-ho did not fully trust Ryu Ji-gwangs words. Just in case, I need to check it out. With that thought in mind, Ryu Seol-ho bid farewell to Ryu Ji-gwang and stood up. Sorry to take up your time, Sangdanju-nim. Ill go and greet Grandmother now. After finishing his greetings with Ryu Ji-gwang, he headed to Yeon Ga-hees quarters with his bodyguard. Upon arriving at Yeon Ga-hees quarters, Ryu Seol-ho almost frowned again. Branch Leader Ryu Seol-ho, it seems we meet often today. Hahaha. Once again, he encountered Mu-jin Novice and Hyeon-gwang there. And they were engaging in a very intimate conversation with Yeon Ga-hee. It was a scene that might make one think the novice monk was her grandson instead of himself. * * * That evening. Under the pretext of shaking off travel fatigue, Ryu Seol-ho was resting in his former quarters. An unexpected person came to visit him along with his bodyguard. What brings Chief Officer Geum here? Chief Officer of Geum Pyo-gu. Starting as a low-ranking clerk, he had served at the main house of Cheonryu Sangdan for over forty years, eventually rising to the position of Chief Officer. The person whom Ryu Seol-ho remembered working at Cheonryu Sangdans main house since his earliest memories had suddenlye to see him. And the old man, who had dedicated his youth to Cheonryu Sangdan, spoke unimaginable words. I came to report on the preparations for the current n. Second Young Master. Or should I call you the future Sangdanju? !!! This statement implied that Chief Officer Geum Pyo-gu, who had worked for Cheonryu Sangdan for decades, was associated with that organization. However, the surprise was only momentary. Since wevee this far. Ryu Seol-ho steadied his mind. Even knowing that Geum Pyo-gu was a spy, nothing would change. Informing the Sangdanju of this fact would only lead to mutual destruction now that the n was in motion. First, seize control of the merchant guild. After that, expel the members of the organization. Ryu Seol-ho, recalling the idiom To kill the dog once the rabbit is dead, was unaware. He did not realize that those ustomed to corrupt power would ultimately be unable to escape from it, much like an addiction. Ryu Seol-ho, having gathered his thoughts, asked Chief Officer Geum in a calm manner. How far along is the preparation? We n to rece some of the guards on the day of the seventieth birthday celebration. The new guards will be brought in by the branch leaders who have decided to join us. Hmmm. So the n is tounch an attack during the celebration? Thats correct. Since the targets are scattered and the security is tight, any mistake could cause the n to fail. Ryu Seol-ho nodded at Chief Officer Geums words. Then, how do you n to carry out the surprise attack in the banquet hall? When the celebration is in full swing and everyone has let their guard down, the reced guards will simultaneously attack the banquet hall and eliminate the targets. Some of them will also attack the future Sangdanju. Though unexpected words came out, Ryu Seol-ho maintained hisposure and thought quickly. As a branch leader of arge merchant guild, he could soon deduce the reason. To clear me of suspicion? Thats right. After ambushing the Sangdanju family and dealing with them, the surviving future Sangdanju will order the elimination of the attackers. The attackers would all be from the same organization as Chief Officer Geum. They intended to discard these warriors for this n. Tsk. If only No. 1027 had handled things well, Ryu Seol-hwa could have been kept alive as a puppet. Chief Officer Geum clicked his tongue inwardly and continued. And through the revised list I provided, you can also take care of those who brought the guards before they start talking. You can im that these branch leaders conspired to overthrow the Ryu family and take over the guild. At the exnation, a rare genuine smile appeared on Ryu Seol-hos lips. It was a brilliant n to eliminate potential threats while gaining a pretext to be the Sangdanju. However, there was one w in this perfect n. Its a very thorough preparation. But there is one thing Im curious about. Please, ask freely. I understand that an old monk named Hyeon-gwang is also attending the seventieth birthday celebration. Have you assessed the level of his martial arts? At Ryu Seol-hos question, Chief Officer Geum replied in a calm tone. Hyeon-gwang was known as the Supreme Talent of the World in his youth. !!! Both Ryu Seol-ho and his bodyguard were startled by Chief Officer Geums answer. Then wouldnt that pose a problem for the n? Do not worry. Theres a reason I mentioned his youth. Thirty-five years ago, that monk lost all his martial arts while protecting Shaolin from a detachment of the Demon Cult. He became so disabled that he can barely move on his own. Are you certain he lost his martial arts? He could have regained them. His qi and blood flow werepletely disrupted, and his danjeon was destroyed. Thirty-five years ago, the whole Central ins was abuzz with news that the Supreme Talent of the World had be a cripple. Shaolin spent years trying to restore his body, but at some point, the name Hyeon-gwang disappeared from the Central ins. Still, thinking that there might be a chance, I continued gathering information through those who remained in the main house. Thanks to the rehabilitation treatment from Mu-jin Novice, he has barely managed to move again. There wasnt even a trace of internal energy left. Ryu Seol-ho nodded slightly and spoke. So, the old monk also recovered through Mu-jin Novices treatment? Yes. The old madam also went to Shaolin and received treatment from Mu-jin Novice, and as a result, Mu-jins grand master, Hyeon-gwang, and the old madam became friends. Hmmm. Having heard all the exnations, Ryu Seol-ho stroked his chin. Seeing how officials keep seeking him out, it seems that treatment method is indeed useful. Ryu Seol-ho thought it might be quite a lucrative business, simr to the clinic in Nanchang. But Mu-jins treatment method was not his immediate concern. So Hyeon-gwang wont be a significant obstacle in this matter. Proceed with the n as it is. Understood. Even if you sustain minor injuries during the ambush, please dont be too surprised; its to clear you of suspicion. Do you think I would undertake such a task without that level of courage? I apologize. I misspoke. Saying this, Chief Officer Geum bowed and left the room with the bodyguard. After Ryu Seol-ho was no longer present, the bodyguard discreetly asked Chief Officer Geum a question. It seems the name Mu-jin Novice keepsing up, possibly because the Sangdanju cherishes him. Have you obtained any separate information about him here? Asking in Ryu Seol-hos absence indicated that the question pertained to information that should not reach Ryu Seol-ho, information meant to stay within their organization. Normally, there would have been no need to ask such questions separately since they regrly exchanged information. However, due to the chaos after Hong So-hees capture and the bloodshed at the Cheonryu Sangdan main house, spies like Chief Officer Geum had to halt their activitiespletely for several months. Despite their caution, two-thirds of the spies were eliminated, and Chief Officer Geum survived only due to his decades of loyalty. Even though Chief Officer Geum survived, many of his trusted aides were removed. Thus, the main house spies only recently resumed their activities. As a result, the information gathered at the Cheonryu Sangdan main house had not been properly ryed to other ces. Mu-jin Novice is a child we are also watching closely. Particrly, we obtained some peculiar information during the interrogation of No. 1027. What peculiar information? She imed that the ck-d man who summoned her was Mu-jin Novice. Moreover, she said that Mu-jin Novice knew our code system. !!! I naturally thought there was a rebellious faction within the organization. I believed she was trying to protect the ck-d man by betraying Mu-jin Novice. However, no matter how much I investigated the ck-d man and the rebellious faction, nothing came up. Listening to Chief Officer Geum, the bodyguard felt the fog in his mind clearing. It never made sense before. That Ryang Ga-won was investigating Honginmun. Ryang Ga-won was an official who had no interest in the lives of the poor. It made no sense that he was secretly tracking Honginmun and Paedobang. But now, hearing Chief Officer Geums words, a strong suspicion arose that Mu-jin might be involved. Because of that damn novice, Ive suffered such humiliation! The bodyguards eyes zed as he recalled the insults he had endured from Ryu Seol-ho over the past four months. I understand that Mu-jin Novice is also invited to the seventieth birthday celebration. Can I deal with him personally during this opportunity? Hmmm. Although it might cause friction with Shaolin, I too have felt uneasy about him, so Ill try to create an opportunity. Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Late Evening. Mu-jin and Hyun-gwang were spending time in the ce provided by Ryu Ji-gwang. Sitting cross-legged on the daecheongmaru with a calm expression, Hyun-gwang asked, Mu-jin. During your stay in Nanchang, did you achieve any progress in your martial arts? I believe I have gained some achievements through various experiences there, Grandfather, Mu-jin replied confidently to Hyun-gwangs question as he stepped out into the manors yard and assumed a stance. Mu-jin had spent five months in Nanchang, gaining a considerable amount of practical experience. He had engaged in one-against-many battles with the ck Snake Sect, sparred with Jegal Jin-hee, facing a superior master, and even witnessed the life-and-death duel between the Paedobangju and Hye-gwan. asionally, he would coax Hye-gwan with drinks to receive guidance or request a sparring session. These varied experiences had significantly enhanced Mu-jins martial arts, making them quite different from before. Swish! In front of Hyun-gwang, Mu-jin demonstrated the martial arts he had refined through his realizations. The Striking Bone Technique, more powerful than five months ago, swiftly cut through the air.Complicated and shy techniques do not suit me. Having gone through numerous realbats, Mu-jin reached this conclusion. He found that fast and strong techniques were far more practical thanplicated and shy ones. However, this did not mean he put everything into a single punch, palm, or kick. Mu-jins Striking Bone Technique, though simple and clear, seamlessly connected each move. The transitions between movements were smooth, and each move was fast and powerful. Hahaha. Watching Mu-jins demonstration, a pleasedugh escaped Hyun-gwang. He has already reached the level of creating wind. The wind generated by Mu-jins Striking Bone Technique was different from merely causing a vacuum effect. It signified that his martial arts had surpassed the level of merely strengthening and enhancing the body, beginning to project that power outward. It was a precursor to reaching the stage of balgiji. Hyun-gwang, wearing a benevolent smile, spoke to Mu-jin, who had made rapid progress at the young age of fifteen. Mu-jin, after this 70th birthday celebration, lets spend some time together at Shaolin. Although creating wind was a sign of reaching the balgiji stage, there were countless people in the martial arts world who failed to ovee that barrier and could not be called masters. To ovee this significant barrier, one needed to focus solely on training. Understanding Hyun-gwangs intention, Mu-jin bowed his head and replied, I will do so. Then, with a guilty expression, Mu-jin added, I apologize for causing you unnecessary worry, Grandfather. Hahaha. Its nothing. This much isnt even a hardship. Hyun-gwang appeared to be just sitting in the yard, but he was actually using natural energy to constantly sense the surrounding qi. This was to prevent any potential attacks from enemies during the night. However, no matter how skilled Hyun-gwang was, it was not easy to monitor the entire headquarters of the enormous Cheonryu Sangdan. Thus, Mu-jin opted for selection and concentration. This old man is worried. Can we really only keep an eye on Lady Yeon and Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang? If the enemies do act, their first target will undoubtedly be Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang. Thats where the most enemies will converge, so Ive made it the top priority. No matter how exceptional Hyun-gwang was, he couldnt protect multiple ces at once. After all, he had only one body. Therefore, rather than wasting his energy trying to monitor the entire headquarters, he decided to focus on watching over Ryu Ji-gwang. Mu-jin ced Hyun-gwangs closepanion, Yeon Ga-hee, as the second priority. They spent two days in the quarters within Cheonryu Sangdan, but no incidents urred before the 70th birthday celebration. Thus, two days passed without any issues, and finally, the day of the 70th birthday celebration dawned. Mu-jin and Hyun-gwang chatted as they headed to the banquet hall where the celebration was to be held. Upon arriving at the banquet hall, Mu-jin realized the meaning of modest as written in Ryu Ji-gwangs letter. Wow. The number of people is the only modest thing. Mu-jin had misunderstood the standards of the wealthy Cheonryu Sangdan. The grand manor within the headquarters of Cheonryu Sangdan was surrounded by high walls, and at regr intervals along the walls, martial artists with a menacing presence stood guard. Passing through them and entering the interior, he saw pavilions seemingly made of expensive wood and ponds with expensive-looking goldfish swimming in them. Additionally, there were various and luxurious foods and drinks ced all around, making one wonder if it was possible to consume all of it. In this vast and splendid manor, there were fewer than twenty people. Judging by their attire, about five of them were servants and maidservants moving around to serve food and drinks. As Mu-jin looked around, wondering, What exactly is modest about this? Ryu Ji-gwang weed them and guided Mu-jin and Hyun-gwang to Yeon Ga-hee at the main seat. Mother. Monk Hyun-gwang and Novice Mu-jin are here. Oh-ho-ho. We saw each other yesterday, but its so delightful to see you again today, Monk Hyun-gwang and Novice Mu-jin. As Hyun-gwang and Mu-jin responded to Yeon Ga-hees greeting, the eyes of everyone in the manor naturally turned to them. The eldest son, Ryu Seol-ryong, along with most of those present here, hade from local branches and were unaware of Mu-jin and Hyun-gwangs existence. Except for Ryu Seol-ho, that is. Meanwhile, as Mu-jin finished his greetings with Yeon Ga-hee, Ryu Seol-hwa, who was beside her, greeted him as well. Thank you foring, Monk Mu-jin. Yeon Ga-hee interjected as if to ease Ryu Seol-hwas apparent shyness. Hehehe. Now that I think about it, as Seol-hwa said, we should call you monk instead of novice. Monk Mu-jin, what do you think of Seol-hwas attire today? Please speakfortably, Grandmother. As for Seol-hwa Shiju-nims attire Only then did Mu-jin take a closer look at Ryu Seol-hwas outfit, and he couldnt help but express his admiration. Mu-jin had seen Ryu Seol-hwa on the first day he returned to Deungbong-hyeon and had even spoken with her yesterday. However, until now, she had always worn simple attire for training purposes. Today, perhaps because of the banquet, she was dressed in a significantly more colorful outfit. It is as if I am seeing a celestial being. Amitabha. Hehehe. Hearing you say that, this old womans spirits are lifted. The truth is, I passed down my most cherished outfit from my younger days to her. Ryu Seol-hwas attire was a traditional Chinese dress, light and airy, reminiscent of what female protagonists in martial arts dramas would wear, with a vibrant, pale blue fabric. As Ryu Seol-hwa, who had slimmed down and revealed her true beauty, wore it, she indeed looked like a celestial being. And the celestial being, as always, blushed and turned her head slightly as she responded. Th-then, should I wear simr clothes more often? Hahaha. It suits you so well; you should wear them frequently. Just as she was about to add something, pleased by Mu-jins words, people curious about Mu-jin and Hyun-gwang began approaching to greet them. Nice to meet you. I am Ryu Seol-ryong, in charge of the Xian branch. Ryu Seol-ryong, the eldest son, was the first to step forward. I am Mu-jin, the third disciple of Shaolin. Amitabha. He had a simr appearance to Ryu Ji-gwang and even had a stern expression. It seemed that Ryu Seol-ho might look like him in a few more years. Afterward, they exchanged greetings with several other branch leaders who hade from various regions. Ryu Seol-hwa, who lost the opportunity to speak, looked somewhat sulky. The seventieth birthday celebration proceeded in a manner befitting such an event. Guests exchanged greetings, and at times, acrobats performed acts reminiscent of modern circuses, including face-changing performances, providing various spectacles. In between, people chatted with familiar faces or shared drinks and conversations with new acquaintances. Mu-jin looked at the various meats and alcohol spread across the tables, swallowing his saliva. There were too many eyes watching here, and as a Shaolin disciple, he couldnt touch any of it. Staring at the full-course vegetarian meal prepared for the Shaolin disciples, Mu-jin had to suppress his frustration. When he abandoned his attachment to alcohol and meat and recalled his purpose. Mu-jin Dongja-nim. A servant approached Mu-jin quietly and whispered in his ear. Theres a message from Shaolin. Those who couldnt be invited are waiting outside. Would you please move with me for a moment? Did something happen at the main temple? Thinking about it, it had been a while since he returned to Deungbong-hyeon without contacting Shaolin and went straight to Cheonryu Sangdan. Mu-jin turned his head to look at Hyun-gwang, who was seated with Yeon Ga-hee and Ryu Ji-gwang. Well, since Grandfather is here, nothing should happen if I leave for a moment. The enemies were targeting the Ryu family. As long as Hyun-gwang stayed with Ryu Ji-gwang, Yeon Ga-hee, and Ryu Seol-hwa, there should be no danger. With his thoughts sorted, Mu-jin stood up. Lets go. He left the manor where the 70th birthday celebration was taking ce and walked through Cheonryu Sangdan with the servant. They are waiting here. Mu-jin entered the building the servant pointed to and was met with an unexpected figure. Im curious about whats going on here, Gyeong Musan-nim. The man, a bodyguard of Ryu Seol-ho, who Mu-jin had encountered a few times at Nanchang branch, was waiting for him. Theres nothing much to it, Mu-jin Dongja. Im just here to help you attain enlightenment. With that, the bodyguard drew his sword with a natural motion. Watching the swords aura, Mu-jin had a thought. It wouldnt be easy. * * * Was I careless? At the 70th birthday celebration, the targets would naturally be Ryu Ji-gwang, Yeon Ga-hee, or Ryu Seol-ryong. He hadnt expected them to target him. But now that the situation had already unfolded, there was no time to regret. Mu-jin, who had been staring down the bodyguard, suddenly lifted the table that stood between them. Swish! However, the table was cut in two by the bodyguards swift strike before Mu-jin could make his next move. Damn. The bodyguards sword was fast. It couldnt evenpare to Jegal Jin-hees fan, and if it had to bepared, it was simr to the sword technique that Beob Gang had faced at Honginmun. But the biggest problem was something else. Damn! I cant even counter it! It was the sword energy emanating from the opponents sword. The bodyguards sword energy wasnt confined to specific techniques. Just brushing against it could easily tear through Mu-jins Iron Skin. Even though Mu-jin was just a step away from releasing his fist energy, shouting Release the fist energy! wouldnt make it appear. Swish! Naturally, Mu-jins body umted wounds. Avoiding the fast sword strikes perfectly was nearly impossible, and every time he barely dodged, the sword energy would graze him, drawing blood. He doesnt fall for feints easily. Hes experienced in realbat. Even as Mu-jin mixed in feints to close the distance with the bodyguard, the opponent skillfully maintained the gap with his precise footwork and sword path. Should I aim for a prolonged fight since he keeps emitting that sword energy? The thought crossed Mu-jins mind, but he soon discarded the idea. His opponent was not only experienced in realbat but also skilled in martial arts. A prolonged fight would be disadvantageous. I have to end this in one move. Giving a master an opportunity was fatal. Swish! Even as his right forearm was slightly cut by the bodyguards sword aiming for his vital points, Mu-jins eyes remained calm. What advantage do I have over him? How can I achieve a quick victory? In the midst of the relentless attacks targeting his vital points, Mu-jins mind worked more sharply than usual. Before long, he realized he had one advantage over his opponent. It was the physique he had systematically and steadily developed over the past three years, his external energy. Theres only one chance! Mu-jin also thought of the only way to exploit this sole advantage. Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Mu-jin, having finished his calctions, dodged the bodyguards sword but got another scratch on his right thigh. *sh!* He quickly retreated. Running away like a rat! As Mu-jin attempted to flee, the bodyguard rushed forward, swinging his sword. Allowing Mu-jin to escape the pavilion was dangerous. It might have been different if Ryu Seol-ho had already been established as the sure leader, but with witnesses, the situation could get unnecessarilyplicated. The moment the bodyguard lunged forward, Mu-jin, who seemed to be retreating, suddenly charged. Tricks! The experienced bodyguard anticipated this and swung his sword at the charging Mu-jin.!!! Mu-jin did not dodge the sword strike. Instead, he elerated. *sh!* Blood spattered from Mu-jins left forearm as the sword cut deeper than before, slicing through his skin and into his muscle. But Mu-jin didnt care. To seize a single opportunity against a superior opponent, this was a small price to pay. In exchange for the deep wound on his arm, Mu-jin seeded in closing the distance for a punch. Mu-jins left fist aimed for the bodyguards face. Hmph. Despite the sudden situation, the bodyguard didnt panic and turned his head to dodge the punch. Or so he thought. *Thud!* Surprisingly, Mu-jins true aim wasnt his fist. Using his left fist as a feint, he used his forward momentum to shoulder-charge the bodyguards chest. Simultaneously, he grabbed the bodyguards leg with his right hand,pletely breaking the bodyguards bnce. As the bodyguard fell backward, he hastily swung his sword to finish Mu-jin off. When!? Mu-jins left hand, which had thrown the feint, was now gripping the bodyguards right forearm, the one holding the sword. That strike should have incapacitated his muscle! Despite the deep wound on Mu-jins left forearm, the bodyguard couldnt move his right arm due to Mu-jins extraordinary strength. *Thud!* In the midst of their tackle, Mu-jin, now on top of the bodyguard, fell to the ground together. *sh!* The bodyguard managed to create another deep wound on Mu-jins back with just a flick of his wrist. However, the bloodied Mu-jin seemed indifferent to the wound on his back. In fact, despite being covered in blood, Mu-jins eyes burned fiercely. Heh heh heh. First time experiencing this? The only advantage Mu-jin had over the bodyguard was his external martial arts, which he utilized perfectly inbat. That advantage was none other than a submission hold. Mu-jin, mounted on the bodyguards upper body, pressed his entire body tightly against him. In modern times, he would have used the mount position to punch the bodyguard in the face, but doing so here might have resulted in his side being pierced by the bodyguards sword. Instead, Mu-jin,pletely pressing his body against the bodyguards, grabbed the bodyguards sword-wielding right hand with his left hand. With one hand each locked in ce, the ensuing struggle for dominance clearly favored Mu-jin. Mu-jin had the advantage in strength, and a ground-level, mud-slinging fight was unfamiliar territory for the skilled bodyguard. As they rolled on the ground several times, their hands locked together, Krgh!! Mu-jins right hand, which had somehow entangled all the bodyguards limbs with his body, gripped the bodyguards neck. Did you enjoy ying around? Covered in blood, Mu-jin smiled like a malevolent spirit and tightened his grip with his right hand. The muscles in his blood-soaked right arm bulged, and veins started to pop out. Feeling as though his neck would snap instantly, the bodyguard desperately circted his internal energy to his neck and twisted his body. He had no leeway to divert his internal energy elsewhere. The moment he rxed his neck, his neck bone would break, resulting in instant death. But for some reason, despite his superior internal energy, the pressure on his neck only intensified. This was to be expected. Internal and external energy create a greater synergistic effect when harmonized. No matter how advanced the bodyguards skills and internal energy were, there was an insurmountable difference between the untrained muscles of his neck and the grip strength Mu-jin had honed over three years. Why? Trying to use your sword qi through your neck? With Mu-jins sneer, *Crunch!* The bodyguards neck bone shattered instantly. Whew. The intense pain from countless scratches and the deep wounds on his forearm and back surged, but there was no time to rest. Completely drenched in blood, Mu-jin dashed towards the banquet hall. * * * Shortly after Mu-jin and a servant left the banquet hall, Some of the warriors surrounding the banquet hall began to exchange secret signals. C Begin. Upon receiving themand from one of the warriors, about half of the guards surrounding the banquet hall suddenly employed their body techniques, vaulting over the high walls and leaping into the banquet hall. Chase them! What are you doing! The startled remaining guards hastily pursued them, but the warriors who had moved first were already closing in on the Ryu family. Each of them was an expert, their swords and des emanating powerful auras, moving with unparalleled speed. As they charged forward, radiating energy from their weapons at an incredible pace, some faces showed confusion, others despair, and a few even dared to hope. Amitabha. A soft chant echoed. In that moment, the warriors who had been about to strike the Ryu family suddenly copsed to the ground. !? Ryu Seol-ho couldnt hide his bewilderment as he watched the warriors fall while swinging their weapons in front of him. Well, it made sense that attacks aimed at him were just part of an act to clear suspicions. But why did those attacking Ryu Ji-gwang and Ryu Seol-ryong also copse? The ones most bewildered were the warriors themselves, who had charged at the Ryu family with their weapons. What is this? A powerful force had suddenly appeared, pressing down on them. The energy was so overwhelming that the auras emanating from their swords faded, and even their high-level martial arts were rendered useless. Such a powerful force would have caused ordinary people to copse and cough up blood. Yet, how was it that Yeon Ga-hee, who had not even practiced martial arts and was quite elderly, remained so calm? Ryu Ji-gwang resolved the mystery for everyone. Thank you, Master Hyun-gwang. All eyes turned to the old monk sitting in meditation. However, Hyun-gwang gave an unexpected reply to Ryu Ji-gwangs gratitude. There are also those in the back who were exchanging secret messages. As soon as Hyun-gwang spoke, some of the warriors who had been moving towards the banquet hall suddenly copsed. These were the ones tasked with rescuing Ryu Seol-ho and cleaning up afterwards. Thanks to these sessive strange phenomena, everyone realized that these events were caused by Hyun-gwang. But while they understood the source, no one in the room could fathom how Hyun-gwang could urately bring down only the suspicious individuals in such arge space. Moreover, overhearing secretmunicationswhat kind of sorcery was that? Ryu Ji-gwang, deciding to give up on understanding and instead focus on practicality, expressed his gratitude to Hyun-gwang once more before issuing an order. Those who can still move, subdue the ones who have copsed! Following Ryu Ji-gwangsmand, the warriors who had regained theirposure began to move to subdue the fallen. At that moment, the door to the banquet hall opened, and Mu-jin, covered in blood, appeared. Mu-jin, monk! Ryu Seol-hwas face turned pale with shock. But rather than fear of the blood, it was worry that came to the fore. With a pale face, she ran frantically towards Mu-jin, her delicate clothes fluttering in the air. However, Mu-jin, overwhelmed with urgency, didnt even hear Ryu Seol-hwa calling out to him. Instead, despite his dizziness from anemia, he quickly grasped the situation in the banquet hall and realized that Hyun-gwang had already subdued the enemies. Perhaps relieved that the ordeal was over, he managed to speak. Please capture Ryu Seol-ho, Grandfather. As the tension left his body, he nearly copsed, but Ryu Seol-hwa, who had hurried over, caught him just in time. Gal!!! Hyun-gwang, who had remainedposed until now, suddenly let out a thunderous shout, causing all the warriors who had been sitting to start bleeding from their seven orifices. But Hyun-gwangs fierce energy wasnt only directed at them. The heavy aura bypassed Mu-jin, Ryu Seol-hwa, and Yeon Ga-hee, leaving them unaffected. The oppressive energy paralyzed everyone in the banquet hall. No one here shall dare to oppress a disciple of Shaolin in my presence. Hyun-gwangs fierce gaze, which seemed capable of inciting fearsome destruction, was fixed on Ryu Seol-ho. The terrifying pressure of Hyun-gwangs presence brought a moment of silence to the mansion. Remarkably, it was Ryu Seol-hwa who broke the eerie silence. We need a doctor! Fetch a doctor! While she had only supported Mu-jin for a moment, his blood had soaked through her once delicate clothes, now stained red. In response to her urgent cry, Hyun-gwang turned his gaze from Ryu Seol-ho to look at Ryu Ji-gwang. Phew. The moment Hyun-gwangs gaze fell upon him, the pressure lifted, and Ryu Ji-gwang couldnt help but breathe a sigh of relief. I will call for a doctor immediately, Master Hyun-gwang. Even though he had been threatened in the very heart of the Cheonryu Trading Company, Ryu Ji-gwang neither mentioned it nor showed any anger. The seasoned Ryu Ji-gwang knew better. He understood the truth of not provoking an enraged tiger. No, thats not a tiger. It was more like a dragon, and not just any dragon, but one whose reverse scale had been touched. And, damn it, it might have been his second son who provoked that dragon. Otherwise, Mu-jin wouldnt have ended up in this state, mentioning his second sons name. I can only hope theres been a misunderstanding. With that thought, Ryu Ji-gwang, the head of the tradingpany, moved to call for a doctor himself. However, there was no need to go far. Surround the banquet hall immediately! What is happening!? People from all over the Cheonryu Trading Companys headquarters, who had been attending to their duties, swarmed into the banquet hall due to themotion. Seeing themotion in the banquet hall where the entire Ryu family was gathered, everyone quickly gathered. But instead of exining the situation to each person, Ryu Ji-gwang focused on the most urgent matter. Fetch the doctors immediately! Bring all the medicinal herbs we have in stock! First and foremost, he needed to calm the dragons anger. Even in the midst of confusion, the quicker-witted individuals promptly followed his orders. Before long, the doctors employed by the Cheonryu Trading Company rushed into the banquet hall. Attend to Mu-jins condition. At Ryu Ji-gwangs direction, the doctors approached Mu-jin, who was supported by Ryu Seol-hwa. The doctors examined Mu-jin, then began applying various medicinal herbs and bandaging his wounds. There are no injuries to vital organs or internal damage. Though he has deep wounds on his left arm and back, proper treatment should suffice. However, he has lost a significant amount of blood and will need nourishing food and herbs to recover his energy. Hearing the doctors report, both Ryu Ji-gwang and Ryu Seol-hwa sighed in relief. Prepare a decoction with the herbs to replenish his energy immediately. After giving additional instructions to the doctors, Ryu Ji-gwang turned to the guards surrounding the banquet hall. Bring the Chief Officer of the Golden Security Bureau here immediately. As the highest authority in the tradingpany responsible for personnel and assignments, it was Ryu Ji-gwang himself. But he had never issued such orders. The only one who could have done so in his stead was the Chief Officer. Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Chief Officer Geum, the Sangdanju is looking for you. Lets go together. As Geum Pyo-gu looked at the group of warriors who hade to find him, his pupils momentarily shook. It was already past the time when the situation should have been resolved, yet the Sangdanju was looking for him. Surely, it wasnt that Ryu Seol-ho had already been recognized as the Sangdanju and that they were calling him by that title. Does this mean failure? The moment of failure would inevitably lead to the n being discovered. It was a scheme that could only be carried out by using his position. However, he had believed it would surely seed, so he had willingly taken the risk. First, assess the situation and then decide the next actionAs Geum Pyo-gus thoughts reached that point, he shook his head. The first principle as a spy: C If there is a risk of your identity being exposed to the enemy, you mustmit suicide without hesitation. He couldnt disregard this principle, which Agent 1027 had foolishly ignored. With a swift decision, Geum Pyo-gu bit down on the poison he always kept in his mouth. !!! Save him! We need to take him to a physician immediately!! As dark red blood suddenly flowed from Geum Pyo-gus mouth, the warriors who hade to take him urgently moved. Its toote. However, by the time they grabbed Geum Pyo-gu, he had already breathed hisst. * * * After Ryu Ji-gwang ordered that the Chief Officer be brought to him, about a quarter of an hour had passed. The warriors who had gone to capture Geum Pyo-gu returned, carrying a bundle of papers along with his body. What happened here? When we arrived, hemitted suicide without hesitation. Hmm At their reply, Ryu Ji-gwang felt a chilling sensation at the back of his head. Although he had suspected, he never imagined that Geum Pyo-gu, who had served for over forty years, would choose betrayal. No, if it were mere betrayal, he wouldnt have taken such measures. If it had been simple betrayal, he would have begged for his life, spouting nonsense about being temporarily insane or asking for forgiveness. He wouldnt have chosen tomit suicide so hastily. At that moment, other warriors appeared in the banquet hall, carrying another corpse. Upon inspection, its confirmed that he was indeed one of Ryu Seol-hos bodyguards. As they lifted the corpse with the broken neck for disy, Ryu Ji-gwangs gaze naturally turned to his second son. !!! Unable to move or speak due to the pressure exerted by Hyun-gwang, Ryu Seol-ho could onlymunicate with his eyes. Yes Thats the look of a traitor caught in the act. The increasing likelihood that his second son had indeed orchestrated this, caused Ryu Ji-gwang to feel a throbbing headache. At that moment, one of the warriors who had brought the papers along with Geum Pyo-gus body handed the bundle to Ryu Ji-gwang. These are the personnel details of the guards assigned around the banquet hall and the deployment orders issued by the Chief Officer this morning. Ryu Ji-gwang quickly skimmed through the documents handed over by the warrior, then turned his gaze towards the banquet hall. That one. That one. And that one over there. He pointed at several of the men subdued by Hyun-gwang. They were the sub-chiefs involved in this incident. After pointing out the four sub-chiefs, Ryu Ji-gwang closed his eyes briefly, then reopened them. And capture the Nanchang sub-chief. He gave the order, pointing to his second son. * * * That evening. While Ryu Ji-gwang was busy cleaning up the mess at the banquet hall and dealing with the rebels and spies, Mu-jin and Hyun-gwang had returned to their assigned quarters. Are you feeling any better? Hyun-gwang asked with a sorrowful look in his eyes. Mu-jin, trying to appear cheerful, replied with a brave face. As the physicians said, I just need to rest for a few days. There were no fatal injuries, Grandfather. Mu-jin! You shouldnt move! As Mu-jin tried to get up to talk with Hyun-gwang, Ryu Seol-hwa, who had followed him here to take care of him, hurriedly held him down. Seol-hwa is right. Just lie down and rest. Understood. Hyun-gwang looked at Mu-jin, who was trying to appear unhurt, for a moment before speaking. I should have acted a bit faster. I was the one who asked you to protect the banquet hall. Im just grateful that what I feared didnt happen. It was a valuable experience in many ways. Haha. That escort warrior must have been quite skilled. At Hyun-gwangs words, Mu-jin recounted his duel with the escort warrior. A life-and-death struggle with a formidable opponent who wielded sword energy freely, someone far superior to him. Ryu Seol-hwa, who was taking care of Mu-jin and listening alongside him, turned pale at the vivid ount, realizing once again how close Mu-jin hade to death. On the other hand, Hyun-gwangs expression was quiteplex. While he was naturally worried about Mu-jin, he also felt a sense of pride. If Mu-jins ount is urate, he faced someone as skilled as any second-ss disciple. No matter how exceptional Mu-jins talent was, it hadnt even been three years since he started learning martial arts. He shouldnt have been able to face such a skilled opponent. Winning against such a formidable foe was already surprising enough, but what impressed him the most was Mu-jins strategic judgment. To ovee hiscking proficiency, he led the fight into a hand-to-hand battle, his strongest suit, and willingly took a severe injury to his arm to close the distance. I just intended to watch over this child until he established his foundation Choi Kang-hyuks desire, which he thought he had abandoned, kept resurfacing. No, the single regret he had not let go of was growing unnecessarilyrge. Having attained an immense enlightenment, Hyun-gwang realized he did not have much time left to remain in the world. If its Mu-jin perhaps I could quicken the pace a bit more. Perhaps it was his own desire. However, this was also a decision for Mu-jins sake. Considering the incidents Mu-jin kept getting involved in and the dangers entangling him, Hyun-gwang had a strong intuition that more perilous situations would continue to arise for Mu-jin. Given his intuition had reached a level of proficiency, it was almost prophetic. For Mu-jin to withstand those ordeals even after he left, it was necessary to elerate his skill development. It seems necessary. Watching Mu-jin, who was trying to smile brightly, Hyun-gwang made a resolution. * * * Late at night. Ryu Ji-gwang, who had taken care of themotion at the banquet hall, was alone with Hyun-gwang in the lodging provided to Hyun-gwang and Mu-jin. I have nothing to say to Monk Hyun-gwang and Novice Mu-jin. Do not worry about it. I am the one who couldnt control my anger and ruined Lady Yeons precious banquet. I am the one who should apologize. My mother is fine. She seemed a bit startled during the day, but she has calmed down a lot now. Although Ryu Ji-gwang replied calmly, inside he was torn apart. Is this also my karma? Recently, he had started to care for his family, but was it impossible to undo the neglect of the past few decades? While Ryu Ji-gwang was lost in such thoughts, Hyun-gwang spoke with a profound expression. I may have severed ties with the secr world and may not be well-versed in worldlyws, but there is one thing I do know. In the secr world, those who indulge in opium are punished, but the greatest punishment is reserved for those who distribute and supply opium. Though it might seem out of ce to suddenly bring up opium, Ryu Ji-gwang could easily grasp Hyun-gwangs point. I may not be able to bring back a child who is already addicted, but I will not forgive those who dared to offer opium to my son. Ryu Ji-gwang, who had always maintained a calm demeanor, answered while grinding his teeth. It had been the same with Hong So-hee, who had approached Ryu Seol-hwa, but this incident had made it clear. He didnt know which organization it was, but there were some damned bastards who had infiltrated deeply into Cheonryu Sangdan. And he would uncover which group it was by interrogating those they had captured. I will not let this matter slide, especially for the sake of Novice Mu-jin, who was injured by being involved in our family matters. Though my grandson is hurt, how can itpare to the pain of losing a son? Hyun-gwang replied in a deliberately calm tone. Ryu Ji-gwang had said that a child addicted to drugs could not be brought back, which meant he had decided to give up on his second son, Ryu Seol-ho. If only they had targeted me alone When it became certain that Ryu Seol-ho was the main instigator, Ryu Ji-gwang had even thought that. A child kills their parent. How misguided must the parents education have been, or how much resentment must the child have harbored to do such a thing? As a father, he might have grieved for raising such a child, but he would not have med the child. However, Ryu Seol-ho had crossed the line. He had not only targeted his father, Ryu Ji-gwang, but also his siblings and his grandmother, Yeon Ga-hee. Hoo. With a deep breath, Ryu Ji-gwang steadied his mind once more and spoke to Hyun-gwang. Since Mu-jin was injured in this incident and Hyun-gwang Monk has been of great help, I wish to repay your kindness in any way I can. Please, if there is anything you desire, let me know. I will mobilize all the resources of the Sangdan to fulfill your request. As he said this, Ryu Ji-gwang wondered what kind of request Hyun-gwang might make. If he refuses the reward, how should I persuade him? The worst-case scenario would be if Hyun-gwang refused any reward at all. The abilities Hyun-gwang disyed at the banquet far exceeded Ryu Ji-gwangs expectations. Supreme Swordsman of the World. No, I even doubt if that could be called martial arts at all. It was an ability that made one think, if Buddha truly existed, it would be like this. Thus, Ryu Ji-gwang wanted to continue his association with Hyun-gwang. In that sense Seol-hwa is doing very well. His daughter was performing her duties brilliantly. In the adjacent room where Ryu Ji-gwang and Hyun-gwang were having a private conversation, Ryu Seol-hwa was tending to the recuperating Mu-jin. Hyun-gwang Monk is a detached person, yet he was so angry about Mu-jins injury. And considering that he even called Mu-jin his grandchild, the bond will not break even if Mu-jin were to leave the monastic life. So, if Seol-hwa and Mu-jin were to be together! Ryu Ji-gwang envisioned a perfect scenario in his mind. But that was a matter for the distant future, and the current situation was more pressing. He needed to settle the ounts of what had happened today first. He believed that maintaining rtionships required reciprocating favors. He was a merchant, after all. On the other hand, he was worried that Hyun-gwang, being a near-enlightened monk, might refuse anypensation. Hahaha. Compensation should be simple. What kind ofpensation do you desire? Money. Pardon? Hyun-gwang needed money to obtain what Mu-jin required. A substantial amount of money. Hahaha. Having saved the lives of the entire Cheonryu Sangdan family, how much should I ask for? Im afraid Im not very good with numbers, being a monk unfamiliar with worldly matters. Hahaha. Watching Hyun-gwangugh heartily, Ryu Ji-gwang felt a cold sweat run down his back. * * * A few dayster. After receiving emergency treatment, Mu-jin returned with Hyun-gwang to the musculoskeletal treatment clinic where the Shaolin disciples were. Cheonryu Sangdan was in the midst of organizing and purging spies, making the ce chaotic, so they left the Sangdan. Even Yeon Ga-hee and Ryu Ji-gwang couldnt stop them. When Mu-jin returned, wrapped in bandages from head to toe, the Shaolin disciples at the clinic were all shocked and astonished. Leaving a simple remark to those disciples, Take good care of Mu-jin, Hyun-gwang took a thick bundle and headed towards Mount Song. Thanks to his injuries, Mu-jin, who was now receiving the utmost care from the masters, was currently Burp. thoroughly enjoying a nourishing meal. Mu-jin No matter how much blood youve lost, eating meat might be a bit dangerous, dont you think? I am a patient. A patient. Didnt the Abbot change the Shaolin regtions? He allowed meat consumption for severely injured patients! The regtion had changed during Hyun-gwangs treatment. Specifically, for severely injured patients, it allowed the consumption of meat obtained from dead animals. No matter what, killing living animals for meat was not in line with Shaolins principles. Regardless of the circumstances, Mu-jin was enjoying avish array of nourishing foods, including various meats, fish, and some vegetables, piled high enough to break the table legs. Thats right! Mu-jin Monk is a patient right now! Beside Mu-jin was Ryu Seol-hwa, the person who brought thesevish dishes, ring at the Shaolin disciples. Instead of bothering Mu-jin Monk, why dont you go check on other patients? Ugh. Ah, yes, understood. Overwhelmed by Ryu Seol-hwas fierce aura, the Shaolin disciples eventually rose to attend to their clinic duties. Mu-jin Monk, please eat and restfortably. Hahaha. Thank you, Benefactor Seol-hwa. Smiling brightly at Mu-jins words, she stood up. She also had a female guest she was expecting today. A few hourster. After finishing her duties for the day, she walked towards the pavilion where Mu-jin was resting with a spring in her step. I wonder what food I should bring him for dinner. Hehe. Thinking about the nourishing food, her face flushed again. It was because of what her father had told her that morning. Stay by Mu-jins side and take care of him as best as you can. Try to make him interested in the secr world. Although he didnt say more, she could easily imagine it. Mu-jin taking an interest in the secr world, leaving the monastic life, and living happily with her. Just imagining it made her face flush with blood, and with slightly trembling hands, she cautiously opened the door. Mu-jin Monk, what are you doing right now? In response to her question, asked with a suddenly sullen face, Mu-jin answered with a bright smile. Ah. I was doing leg exercises. I feel like Ive lost muscle since Ive been resting for a few days. Sweating profusely from his forehead, Mu-jin responded cheerfully as he bent and straightened his legs. Building muscle is easy, but losing it is just as easy. After resting for a few days, Mu-jin felt as if the muscles he had painstakingly built over three years had vanished. Moreover, since he had replenished plenty of protein with the nourishing food that Ryu Seol-hwa brought in the morning, he thought it was time to replenish his muscles. At least, that was what Mu-jin thought. Youre exercising while youre still injured? Hahaha. Except for the wounds on my arms and back, Im fine. So, leg exercises should be okay, right? With that cheerful answer, the blood rushed to Ryu Seol-hwas head again, but for a different reason this time. Are you crazy!? Lie down and rest immediately!! Her rare shout echoed through the musculoskeletal treatment clinic. Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Over the Wall (1) Interior of a Grand Hall A man was bowing down, reporting to an elderly man seated on a dais. The n being carried out by the Cheonryu Sangdan has encountered a setback. If it were a minor issue, you wouldnt have reported it in such a manner. It must be quite significant. It might take decades to recover from the damage incurred this time. Those we nted in the main faction have been wiped out. Those who made contact with the sub-faction are also being tracked. So, the Cheonryu No. 1 n has failed. Cheonryu No. 1 referred to the first spy infiltrated into the Cheonryu Sangdan, meaning Geum Pyo-gu. Hmm. ording to the previous report, the n seemed quite promising.The man hesitated before replying to the elders remark. It seems there was an unexpected obstacle. An obstacle? After investigating the failed operation, it was found that a rumor had been circting within the Cheonryu Sangdan main faction. The rumor imed that the Shaolin Saint Monk hade back to life. The Shaolin Saint Monk You mean that Hyun-gwang? For the first time, the alwaysposed elder showed signs of surprise. Yes. It is said that he was present at the seventieth birthday banquet. What was Cheonryu No. 1 doing, carrying out the n with Hyun-gwang at the banquet? Apparently, until this incident, no one knew that Hyun-gwang had regained his martial prowess. He hid his recovery. Though its just a rumor, if true, it suggests that he not only recovered but reached an even higher level. Hah The elderly man couldnt help but let out augh. At merely thirty-two, he was among the top ten masters of his time. If he has advanced another step, he might now be on par with the current top three swordsmen in the world. Since its only a rumor, well need to delve deeper to obtain urate information. The elder fell into contemtion at his subordinates words. Once hailed as the greatest prodigy in the world. A monster who was expected to be the unrivaled best in the world within ten years. Thus, they had to deal with that monster somehow. They hadnt worried about Shaolin, which was on the brink of self-destruction due to its own lofty airs. But given time, Hyun-gwang could grow into a monster capable of damaging their century-long n all on his own. When the demon cult stirred, they had mobilized their collected elite forces to attack Hyun-gwang, disguising them as a special force of the demon cult. They lost nearly a hundred masters and only managed to cripple Hyun-gwang. And now, he was resurrected. No, its already been thirty-five years. Even if Hyun-gwang has revived, our forces are far stronger than back then. The man brushed off his negative thoughts. While Hyun-gwang lived as a recluse, they had grown stronger. They had trained far more masters than the ones they had lost back then. Not only that, there were even a few mastersparable to the Seven Kings or the Three Swords of the World. Furthermore, there was something else needed to train more and superior masters. There is no need to be overly concerned about that. For now, focus on verifying the truth of the rumors. Also, due to changes in our original n, concentrate our manpower on Daegum and Eunha Merchant Groups instead of Cheonryu Merchant Group. Are we abandoning Cheonryu Merchant Grouppletely? Since Ryu Ji-gwangs suspicions have reached their peak, trying to act again now would be a self-defeating move. I will follow your orders. Watching the subordinate leave after paying his respects, the old man organized his thoughts. To train numerous masters, various children were needed. The more unique the childs constitution, the better. To secretly obtain such children, they nned to devourrge merchant groups or establish secret connections. Cheonryu Merchant Group was one of the top five merchant groups in the world, heavily focused on transportation. If they could have swallowed Cheonryu Merchant Group alone, there would have been no need to approach the other top five merchant groups. However, they were persistent, dreaming of a hundred-year n, so they did not rely solely on Cheonryu Merchant Group. In case something went wrong, they had already established connections with Daegum and Eunha Merchant Groups. Using those two groups, they could manage the current problem somehow. Compared topletely taking over Cheonryu Merchant Group, the loss would be immense, but Thinking about it naturally brought the name of the culprit who ruined this n, Hyun-gwang, to his mind. * * * Shaolin Temple of Mount Song. Abbots Room. In that ce, Abbot Hyun Cheon and Hyun-gwang were having a private meeting. Mu-jin is seriously injured, you say!? Abbot Hyun Cheon, who heard about the events at Cheonryu Merchant Group from Hyun-gwang, asked back with a shocked face. Yes, Abbot. Hyun-gwang, wearing a solemn expression instead of his usual amiable one, nodded and handed a bundle to Abbot Hyun Cheon. It was a bundle Hyun-gwang had carried since he descended from Deungbong-hyeon to Mount Song. What is this? This is what Ryu Ji-gwang offered to our temple as a token of appreciation for this incident, Abbot. What? The Abbot, who always maintained high moral conduct, receiving a personal reward? Feeling bewildered, Abbot Hyun Cheon untied the bundle handed over by Hyun-gwang. . He stared at the items inside the bundle for a long while. The bundle was filled with gold and silver treasures that looked extremely valuable at first nce. Though Abbot Hyun Cheon was not well-versed in worldly matters due to living secluded in the mountains, he could instinctively tell that each small piece of gold and silver treasure in the bundle was worth as much as Shaolins annual budget. Hyun-gwang, who had extracted such immensepensation from Ryu Ji-gwang, still wore a somber expression as he began to speak. Now that I have personally gone to such lengths to secure thispensation, it is time to give Mu-jin that remedy, Abbot. Wh-what do you mean by that remedy? Hyun Cheon asked in a hesitant tone, as if Hyun-gwang was demanding something he had left in his care. Hyun-gwang replied as if it was only natural. The Great Restoration Pill. Th-the Great Restoration Pill? What are you talking about, Abbot? Our Mu-jin almost died! He was wandering around trying to earn money to support our Shaolin with his frail body, and thats how he ended up like this! Hyun-gwang, usually calm, shouted loudly with a pained expression, causing Abbot Hyun Cheons already pale face to grow even paler. But, senior brother, no matter what, the Great Restoration Pill is Knowing that you would say that, I went ahead and secured funds for this reason! Do you know how embarrassed I was, asking Ryu Ji-gwang forpensation! In reality, Hyun-gwang had confidently extracted money from Ryu Ji-gwang without changing his expression. Of course, from Hyun Cheons perspective, unaware of this, there was no valid argument to refute. Nevertheless, it was not easy for Hyun Cheon to give the Great Restoration Pill to Mu-jin. Senior brother, you know as well as I do. The Lesser Restoration Pill can be made if we have money, but the Great Restoration Pill cannot. The Great Restoration Pill and the Lesser Restoration Pill, symbolic items of Shaolin, were made from various medicinal herbs gathered from Mount Song, where Shaolin was located. Given Shaolins frugal and, to put it another way, impoverished lifestyle, this was an entirely natural method. However, like most medicinal herbs, those from Mount Song could also be found in other regions or mountains. This meant they could be obtained on the market, with one exception. And that one exception was the biggest difference between the Lesser Restoration Pill and the Great Restoration Pill. There was a special spiritual herb that grew only in the most sacred ces of Mount Song. Without this herb, the ingredients for the Lesser and Great Restoration Pills were not significantly different. In other words, while the Lesser Restoration Pill could be made if one had money, the Great Restoration Pill could not. This spiritual herb took decades to grow properly and could only thrive in those sacred ces. Thus, Shaolin could only produce two or three Great Restoration Pills per generation. Creating the Lesser Restoration Pill from the leftover ingredients after making the Great Restoration Pill was amon practice. Of course, that didnt mean they couldnt make new ones. There were still some Great Restoration Pills left in Shaolin. The reason Abbot Hyun Cheon opposed it. And above all, there is no history of Shaolin bestowing the Great Restoration Pill upon third-ss disciples. It was because of Shaolins tradition. The Great Restoration Pill could only be made in twos or threes per generation. It was a tradition to bestow it upon second-ss disciples. Those who wouldter be the abbot of Shaolin or those whose martial arts were exceptionally strong and would be responsible for Shaolins defense. The Great Restoration Pill was given to the most important talents who would protect Shaolins future. No matter how admirable Mu-jins efforts are and how limitless his potential may be, it is still too early to give him the Great Restoration Pill. Senior brother. If Mu-jin bes a second-ss disciple, he will receive the Great Restoration Pill even if you do not mention it. If thats the will of the Abbot, theres no helping it. As Hyun-gwang nodded his head, Hyun Cheon inwardly sighed in relief. He thought he had sessfully persuaded his senior brother. But that was a mere illusion. By the time Mu-jin became a second-ss disciple, Hyun-gwang would have already departed from this world. Therefore, Hyun-gwang made up his mind. If the Abbot cannot give it to him, then I will take it myself. With that, Hyun-gwang stood up, and a chill ran down Hyun Cheons spine at the smile he wore. The location of the medicine hall should be around here. Muttering something that could be a threat or just talking to himself, Hyun-gwang turned urately in the direction of the medicine hall. A massive amount of natural energy began to converge around him. I will give it to you!! The panicked Abbot Hyun Cheon urgently threw himself at Hyun-gwang, clutching his pants and shouting. Whether Hyun-gwang was pleased by his desperate cry, the massive natural energy converging around him dispersed like a gentle breeze. Hohoho. This old monk doesnt know what to do with the Abbots wise decision. As he watched Hyun-gwangughing cheerfully, Hyun Cheon thought. I thought I would uproot the foundation of Shaolin to save my senior brother Perhaps, it wasnt about saving Hyun-gwang, but Hyun-gwang might uproot the foundation himself. * * * A few dayster. A letter from Shaolin arrived for Mu-jin, who was enjoying his recuperation at the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic in Deungbong-hyeon. The letter, sent by Hyun-gwang, stated that he would soon start intensive training to ovee the wall and that Mu-jin should return to Shaolin immediately. On the road to Mount Song. Ryu Seol-hwa, who had apanied Mu-jin, asked with a worried expression. Are you really okay? You havent fully recovered yet. Haha. Im fine. Lady Seol-hwa. My grandfather knows about my injury, so he wouldnt subject me to training that would make it worse. Mu-jin replied with an awkward smile. Every time he moved his body, worried about muscle loss, she would yell at him and cause amotion, making her somewhat scary now. Not that he disliked it, but it felt like being scolded by a mother in a drama. Although he didnt have a mother, he imagined this was roughly how it would feel. Then Ill go up for training. If you need anything, please send a message. Take care, Mu-jin. After exchanging farewells, Mu-jin climbed Mount Song with a lively step. Thanks to consuming enough nourishing food and the dedicated treatment from the clinic, his body had almost fully healed. Only a few deep scars on his left forearm and back remained. After walking lightly up Mount Song for a while, Mu-jin passed through the Shaolin gate and soon arrived at Hyun-gwangs residence. Wee, Mu-jin. Greetings, grandfather. As Mu-jin greeted him with a bow, Hyun-gwang smiled gently and handed him a box. What is this? Mu-jin wondered if it was medicine for the scars on his left forearm and back, but the answer was beyond his imagination. Its the Great Restoration Pill. !? Haha. You were seriously injured this time, and it seems the Abbot felt sorry for the hardships youve endured at such a young age for Shaolin. So he generously bestowed it upon you. Haha. Moved by Hyun-gwangs words, Mu-jin replied with a grateful expression. I will definitely thank the Abbot when I see him. Haha. Its best if you dont encounter the Abbot for a while. Is there something wrong with the Abbot? Its not something you need to worry about, Mu-jin. Focus on breaking through your limitations. Mu-jin felt that the matter was being vaguely glossed over. Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Hyun-gwang, having glossed over the topic of the head monk, continued speaking. To cross the wall, Mu-jin, you will take the Great Restoration Pill. However, there is something you must know beforehand. This time, when you take the Great Restoration Pill, you must keep in mind that it is not simply about increasing your internal energy. What should I be mindful of then? This time, you must utilize the energy of the Great Restoration Pill to stimte all the meridians in your body. !!! Stimting the meridians. It was a concept frequently seen in martial arts novels. Typically, it involved falling from a cliff, coincidentally acquiring a miraculous medicine, and reaching a new level during the absorption process. Come to think of it, Ive also obtained a miraculous medicine. Reflecting on this, Mu-jin nodded thoughtfully.When martial artists circted their energy throughout their bodies, the energy typically flowed through thergest meridian points. The reason was simple. Martial arts were ultimately techniques for fighting, utilizing the major meridians that allowed for the fastest and most substantial movement of energy. Inbat, speed was crucial. Stimting the meridians involved clearing the blocked or narrow pathways that were rarely used. It could be considered a form of road expansion. In other words, if the energy had previously moved along one or twone roads, stimting the meridians would expand those roads to four or even eightnes. Even with the same amount of internal energy, the volume of energy that could be used at one time would increase. Naturally, the power and speed would also increase to an iparable degree. Just thinking about it made Mu-jins heart race. So, should I take the Great Restoration Pill and stimte the meridians right now? When Mu-jin asked with a slightly excited face, Hyun-gwang shook his head. You need to prepare to stimte the meridians first. Saying this, Hyun-gwang handed Mu-jin a small booklet he had prepared in advance. Mu-jin epted the booklet and opened it. Inside, the booklet contained drawings of the human body with various points and lines, along with additional exnations. This booklet was written by this old man over several days. It details the order and routes for stimting the meridians. You must memorize the contents of this booklet before absorbing the Great Restoration Pill. As Mu-jin nodded thoughtfully, Hyun-gwang added a final exnation. This old man will assist you with the absorption, but ultimately, you are the main actor. Mu-jin, so do not be impatient. From now on, take your time to memorize the contents of the booklet thoroughly. Disciple, calm your mind and steadily memorize the contents. Haha, I trust you. * * * After that, Mu-jin read and reread the booklet Hyun-gwang had given him in his room. Through the drawings and phrases written in the booklet, he repeatedly trained his imagination. Imagining guiding the energy of the Great Restoration Pill to stimte the meridians in the order written in the booklet. And after three days had passed, Are you fully prepared? Yes, Grandfather. Finally, it was time to absorb the Great Restoration Pill. When Hyun-gwang handed over the box containing the pill, Mu-jin took a deep breath to calm his nerves before epting it. This is the Great Restoration Pill. He only briefly gazed at the pill revealed upon opening the box. Mu-jin then boldly put the Great Restoration Pill into his mouth. The moment his teeth crushed the pill, a massive surge of energy began to seep out as the perfect bnce of the pill was disrupted. Despite the vastness of the energy, Mu-jin, who had previously experienced consuming the lesser version, the Lesser Restoration Pill, was not fazed. He confidently swallowed the partially chewed Great Restoration Pill. The energy is vast, yet there is no hint of malevolence. Indeed, it was fitting to be a symbol of Shaolin. Despite the immense energy, it didnt feel harmful to the body. Even someone untrained in martial arts would find their energy replenished by consuming it. Of course, the energy not absorbed would be wasted into the air. But Mu-jin had no intention of wasting any of that energy. Lets begin immediately. As he had done with the Lesser Restoration Pill, Mu-jin began to guide the energy of the Great Restoration Pill within his body. However, this time was different. The goal was not simply to increase his internal energy. He did not guide the energy ording to the Great Vehicle Mind Technique. Instead, as written in Hyun-gwangs booklet, he mixed the energy of the Great Restoration Pill with his own and directed it towards the meridians. Ugh. The massive energy of the Great Restoration Pill forcefully broke through the narrow pathways. The pain from this was considerable, but surprisingly, the forcibly opened and expanded meridians did not sustain any significant injuries. This was because, despite its vast and heavy nature, the energy of the Great Restoration Pill fundamentally contained a protective quality. Whew. Lets start with the fingertips on the left hand. The order written in the booklet Hyun-gwang had given was quite peculiar. The energy of the Great Restoration Pill traveled through the esophagus to the stomach. Mu-jins internal energy resided in his danjeon. Naturally, he expected to stimte the meridians in the central part of his body first. However, the booklet instructed him to guide the energy of the Great Restoration Pill to the extremitieshis hands and feetusing his own internal energy. Instead of touching the smaller meridians, the instruction was to use the main meridians through which energy flowed best at the moment. The booklet instructed to utilize the massive energy moving through the main meridians to first clear the smaller meridians at the extremities, and then gradually work towards the inner meridians of the body. Even though this method required repeatedly circting internal energy from the danjeon and stomach to the fingertips, taking a considerable amount of time, Mu-jin didnt question the reasoning behind it. And soon enough, he understood the reason. So this is why After stimting the meridians, the stagnant energy that had been blocking the meridians started to be expelled. Therefore, immediately after stimting the meridians, this stagnant energy had to be expelled from the body. If left unchecked, it would block the meridians again. The problem arose when the stimtion started from the inside of the body, as the stagnant energy would umte continuously. For example, if he were to clear the path from the danjeon to the left arm in one go, he would have to carry all the stagnant energy blocking the meridians along the way to the fingertips. Without a massive amount of energy to push all the way to the fingertips, and without the ability to control that energy freely, it would be a very dangerous endeavor. Of course, this method had its drawbacks. In seeking safety, it took a long time. And as time passed, the energy of the Great Restoration Pill would be lost through his mouth and nose. However, Mu-jin didnt worry. By the time Mu-jin had stimted all the meridians in his arms and legs, the energy of the Great Restoration Pill in his stomach hadpletely run out. Now, start absorbing the energy of the Great Restoration Pill through your nose. Mu-jin began to absorb the energy of the Great Restoration Pill that Hyun-gwang had held in ce with his natural energy, just as he had done previously with the Lesser Restoration Pill. Using the energy absorbed through his nose, Mu-jin started stimting the meridians in the central part of his body. Indeed, if I had started from the center, I might have fallen into Qi deviation. Each time he stimted the meridians, he experienced intense pain. If he had cleared a single path from the center at once, the pain would have been continuous. Meanwhile, the stagnant energy would have kept umting. At his current level, attempting such a feat would have likely resulted in nine out of ten cases of Qi deviation. But thanks to Hyun-gwangs various arrangements, such misfortune was avoided. After using thest of the energy from the Great Restoration Pill to clear the final meridian, Whew. With a deep breath, Mu-jin opened his eyes. His pupils shed with intense light for a moment. Whew. As Mu-jin took another deep breath, the light in his eyes quickly subsided. It seems youve achieved a significant breakthrough. Haha. Yes, Grandfather. As Mu-jin bowed his head and responded, Hyun-gwang asked in a worried tone. You didnt get greedy, did you? No, I emptied everything out. Well done. The emptied state referred to the energy of the Great Restoration Pill. As the small meridians were unblocked, the energy of the Great Restoration Pill, mixed with rotten energies, became a type that could not be reabsorbed. If one became greedy, the small meridians could get blocked again, and in the worst case, one could fall into a state of qi deviation. After unblocking the small meridians and filtering out all the mixed rotten energies, the actual amount of the Great Restoration Pills energy that Mu-jin absorbed was barely this much. It was just a little over half of the Lesser Restoration Pill he had previously absorbed. Considering that the energy contained in the Great Restoration Pill was easily three times that of the Lesser Restoration Pill, it was a significant loss. Anyway, my internal energy is more than sufficient for my age. The rest can be gathered through mental cultivation. For now, unblocking the small meridians is much more beneficial. Mu-jin consoled himself in this way, letting go of his attachment to the Great Restoration Pill. Watching Mu-jin, Hyun-gwang spoke with a gentle tone. Before beginning your serious training, how about washing yourself first? Ahem, Im sorry. The rotten energies that escaped while unblocking the small meridians had stuck to Mu-jins kasaya, creating a foul stench. As Mu-jin stood up with an embarrassed expression and left the room, Hyun-gwangughed softly. Hehehe. I wonder if this is how all mothers feel. It was like the feeling of changing a dirty diaper for a young grandchild. Since joining Shaolin, Hyun-gwang had never imagined he would experience such feelings, but they were not entirely unpleasant. * * * When Mu-jin returned after washing up, Hyun-gwang spoke. Since you have activated the small meridians, now you will begin the training to ovee the wall. Oveing the wall. Although it was an abstract expression, Mu-jin understood what it meant. It referred to reaching a level where one could emit qi to attack, beyond just performing martial arts physically. This typically involved techniques like sword qi, fist qi, or palm force. So, what kind of training should I do from now on? Mu-jin asked with a look of anticipation, to which Hyun-gwang responded with a light smile. You should train in the unique martial arts you demonstrated to this old man a few days ago at Cheonryu Sangdan. However, utilize all the small meridians youve just unblocked. Can that really help me ovee the wall? In most martial arts novels, dont people usually have some great enlightenment before they can emit qi? Seeing Mu-jins puzzled expression, Hyun-gwang chuckled and exined. Hehehe. The martial arts you are practicing have already reached the limit of what can be contained within your body. By infusing more internal energy through the small meridians, the qi that cannot stay confined within your body will be emitted. Is that how everyone ovees the wall? Mu-jin asked, tilting his head in curiosity, and Hyun-gwang shook his head. .Hehehe. No, thats not the case. If others trained in this way, their qi and blood would be twisted, or their muscles and bones would be severely damaged. Forcing too much internal energy can harm the qi and blood, and likewise, using martial arts with excessively strong internal energy can damage the muscles and bones. But why is that? Its because you, Mu-jin, can do it. Your body is so well-developed that it can overpower masters who freely wield sword qi with sheer physical strength. And you have also unblocked your small meridians so that a muchrger amount of internal energy can flow without any problems. Ah! Mu-jin eximed as if he had realized something, and Hyun-gwang, with a profound expression, continued. In fact, this method is more of a shortcut. Originally, you must gain enlightenment about qi to emit internal energy outside the body and manifest it ording to your will. However, enlightenment about qi is so elusive that not even this old man can predict when and how someone will achieve it. In other words, instead of wasting time trying to gain that elusive enlightenment, they were just going to take a shortcut. For Mu-jin, who dislikedplicated and difficult things, it was the perfect solution. But since this method only applied to himself, Mu-jin had a question. So, does that mean everyone else gains enlightenment about qi to ovee the wall? Yes and no. Mu-jin tilted his head at Hyun-gwangs seemingly Zen-like answer, prompting Hyun-gwang to borate. Some do gain enlightenment about qi to ovee the wall, as you said. However, as I mentioned earlier, that is a very arduous process. Therefore, the shortcut method is to master ascending martial arts. Ascending martial arts? Indeed. Do you know how martial arts are generally categorized? Uh well, not exactly, Grandfather. Although Mu-jin had read the first and second parts of martial arts novels several times, they mainly dealt with divine arts and unique techniques. He vaguely remembered something about the levels of martial arts but couldnt recall the details. Hehehe. Normally, martial arts have their advantages and disadvantages, but the world tends to categorize them simply. First, the most basic martial arts, where one just gathers and moves internal energy, are called third-rate martial arts, introductory martial arts, or basic martial arts. The Revolving Fist Technique I learned is one of those basic martial arts. Exactly. Furthermore, martial arts that use special techniques to amplify speed or power are collectively called intermediate martial arts, or sometimes divided into second-rate and first-rate martial arts depending on their power andplexity. Mu-jin nodded inwardly at Hyun-gwangs exnation. That meant that the Xiao Hong Quan and Autumn Wind Leg techniques he had learned as an introductory disciple in the Arhat Faction were second-rate martial arts, and the techniques he learned after bing a third-rank disciple were first-rate martial arts. And the secr disciples could only learn up to first-rate martial arts. Finally, going beyond that, there are martial arts that discuss emitting and utilizing qi externally, and these are known as ascending martial arts. Among these ascending martial arts, those that are particrly powerful andplex are called divine arts, like the Seventy-two consummate arts of our Shaolin. Then how can people who havent reached the level of emitting qi learn ascending martial arts? Hehehe. Think about it the other way around. All ascending martial arts fundamentally involve emitting qi. By understanding the essence of these martial arts and practicing how to use internal energy ordingly, one will naturally be able to emit qi eventually. Ah! So thats also a kind of shortcut. Mu-jin eximed in admiration, and Hyun-gwang nodded his head. Chapter 78: Chapter 78: **Scaling the Wall (3)** You got it right. Therefore, in our Shaolin, we also pass down first-ss martial arts through the Arhat Faction. And the children who reach the level of emitting techniques like fist winds or palm winds through first-ss martial arts, are taught the Seventy-two consummate arts by their masters or teachers. By studying the Seventy-two consummate arts, they are allowed to scale the wall through unconventional methods. And this was a method not only used in Shaolin but also employed by other prestigious sects and the Five Great Families. Because of the existence of such methods, these prestigious sects, which possessed multiple advanced martial arts, could always cultivate arge number of masters. The more advanced martial arts they had, the more disciples could be masters by learning advanced martial arts suited to their constitutions. Thinking this far, Mu-jin naturally wondered why he was taught strange methods by being fed the Great Restoration Pill and having his meridians stimted instead of being taught the Seventy-two consummate arts. And he soon found the answer to that question. They tailored it to suit my disposition. He had always said that he dislikedplicated and intricate things. He believed that if the body was strong, the mind would be at ease.Grandfather Hyun-gwang also mentioned that others scale the wall by studying advanced martial arts. Even techniques that operate qi solely within the body were soplex that they made one want to throw away the martial arts manual, so just howplicated would the key forms of advanced martial arts be? Scaling the wall through advanced martial arts meant that one needed at least the intellectual capacity to interpret and understand all the key forms of those advanced martial arts. Thinking this far, Mu-jin could not help but feel deeply moved. I will do my best to train and show that I can scale the wall. Grandfather Hyun-gwang had thought up a special method that only he could use, tailored to his dislike forplexity. Beyond being his grandfather, he was truly the best teacher he could have. * * * After hearing the direction of his training, Mu-jin began his full-fledged training. First, you must get ustomed to sending qi through your small meridians. Slowly perform your martial arts and focus on the flow of your qi. Yes, Grandfather. Responding to Hyun-gwangs words, Mu-jin assumed the basic stance of the Revolving Fist Technique and began to move his body slowly. Just as he had absorbed the Lesser Restoration Pill and received training from Hye-dam in the past. Of course, this time was different. I need to form a new habit. The moment I think of using martial arts, qi must flow not only through the main meridians but also through the small meridians. As Mu-jin moved his body slowly, he visualized it in his mind. Qi starting from the danjeon, flowing through every tiny small meridian. Unlike before, when it only flowed through the main meridians, a muchrger amount of qi flowed through at once. Naturally, a vast amount of true qi surged from the danjeon and spread to all four of Mu-jins limbs. Whiz! Mu-jins body moved very slowly, but every time he threw a punch, a fierce cracking sound exploded. Whew. This time, lets increase the speed a bit more. Having gotten somewhat ustomed to sending qi through his small meridians, Mu-jin increased the speed of his Revolving Fist Technique. After bing familiar with the Revolving Fist Technique, he then checked each of the martial arts he had learned, such as the Xiao Hong Quan and the Autumn Wind Leg, sending qi through the small meridians. As a result of repeating this training for ten days, Mu-jin became ustomed to performing martial arts while sending qi through the small meridians. It seems youve adapted to some extent. Ha ha ha. Now, show me the martial arts you disyed at Cheonryu Sangdanst time. I will do so. Mu-jin took the basic stance and demonstrated his own martial arts, which he had refined bybining various martial arts techniques. It was a martial art where he simultaneously applied the key forms of various techniques. Whew. Start slowly. Previously, he had fully embodied these techniques and executed them freely, but now he had to utilize the small meridians as well. Mu-jins body moved slowly but continuously. And every time his Striking Bone Technique struck the air, a gust of wind arose around it. The power of his martial arts went beyond merely fortifying his body and began to emit externally. Whew. A bit faster. However, Mu-jin, already immersed in a state of Muah Ji-kyung, paid no attention to the fist winds or palm winds that were urring. He simply continued to perform martial arts repeatedly, increasing their speed and power. How long had he been swinging his Striking Bone Technique? One more time! Completely ustomed to sending qi through the small meridians, Mu-jin demonstrated his martial arts with full force. Whiz! Whiz! Each time his limbs extended, increasingly powerful winds were created. Thest one! At the peak of his concentration, The qi, endlessly condensed by his martial arts, failed to remain in his fist and burst out. From Mu-jins final punch, a faint golden energy shimmered like a mirage. It was fist qi. Ha ha ha. Youve finally reached the stage of emitting qi. Watching the mirage emanating from Mu-jins fist, Hyun-gwang nodded with a satisfied expression. But, this is merely the beginning. Yes, Grandfather. Without needing Hyun-gwangs warning, Mu-jin knew this fact very well. Through his real-life battles and the fights he had witnessed, Mu-jin realized that not all masters who handled sword qi or fist qi were at the same level. For now, keep practicing martial arts and get used to the sensation of emitting qi. After you be familiar with that sensation, practice generating fist qi by adjusting the qi yourself instead of relying on the power of martial arts as you are now. Ill keep that in mind. Right after responding to Hyun-gwang, Mu-jin resumed his movements, practicing his martial arts once more. As if not wanting to forget the sensation of the energy he had just created. * * * A few dayster. You havent left for another ce in the meantime, have you? A woman with her face covered by a veil arrived at the entrance of Deungbong-hyeon. She looked at Sung Mountain behind Deungbong-hyeon. It seems toote to climb up now The time for receiving visitors at the Shaolin Temple was from 1 PM to 5 PM. As it was already past 5 PM, it was impossible to reach the Shaolin Temple today even if she started climbing Sung Mountain now. Deciding to spend the day here and climb Sung Mountain tomorrow morning, Jegal Jin-hee moved on. She rented an entire private room in a fairly clean-looking inn and took a short rest before getting up. Come to think of it, he might be there instead of Shaolin, right? With this thought, she left the inn and headed somewhere. Where she arrived was arge mansion with a signboard that read [Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic]. She came hoping Mu-jin might be at the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. Calming her slightly pounding heart, she entered the clinic. Wee. She was greeted by a radiant, beautiful woman. Are you here for some difort? Jegal Jin-hee replied in a calm tone to the question of the brightly smiling woman. Im not here for treatment. Then, for what reason? Is Novice Monk Mu-jin here right now? At Jegal Jin-hees calm question, the bright womans expression momentarily hardened. She quickly tried to regain herposure and forced a smile. Look at that? Having observed many political battles within the Jegal family, Jegal Jin-hee couldnt be fooled. For what reason are you looking for Monk Mu-jin? In response to her question, Jegal Jin-hee removed the veil covering her face and answered. I am someone who has promised a future with Novice Monk Mu-jin. Upon hearing Jegal Jin-hees reply, the beautiful woman, Ryu Seol-hwa, turned stone-faced. Well, it was a promise for a future sparring match, but. Jegal Jin-hee had no intention of revealing that she had omitted a word. * * * Shaolin Temple at Sung Mountain. Hyun-gwangs residence. Since the day he first manifested energy, Mu-jin practiced martial arts with the Striking Bone Technique whenever he had time. Perhaps thanks to that training, he had bepletely ustomed to using his martial arts, utilizing all his strength, and each time he executed a full-force move, energy would burst forth. When he thrust his fist, fist energy would emerge; when he extended his palm, palm energy would follow. In addition, he could create energy with the Golden Locking Hand technique or emit energy from his foot when he swung his leg. However, it was not yet perfect. Its still at the level where it onlyes out when I focus all my concentration and use my full strength. He needed to reach the level where he could manifest it whenever he wanted. After that, he had to reach the level where it woulde out at any time, and then, as Hyun-gwang had said, he had to reach the level where he could emit energy like fist energy or palm energy through the very sensation of his martial arts, regardless of the technique he was using. However, as the saying goes, Even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so he aimed first to be able to utilize it whenever he wanted. It would be good to practice using it at the desired moment in actualbat. In that sense, sparring with an opponent of a simr level would be of great help. Should I request a sparring match with the senior brothers? As Mu-jin was thinking about this, Hyun-gwangs voice brought him back to reality. Mu-jin, it seems a guest has arrived. Mu-jin turned his head to look towards the entrance of the pavilion, but no one was immediately visible. After a few seconds, however, a woman with her face covered by a veil appeared at the entrance of the pavilion. Mu-jin could not fathom why this veiled woman hade here. Amitabha. This is not a ce for worship. If you are lost, I can guide you. Mu-jin said, bowing respectfully with his hands in a prayer position. The veiled woman responded. I am not here for worship. The woman raised her hand and removed the veil covering her face. Jegal Jin-hee Siju? Recognizing her, Mu-jin wore a puzzled expression. What brings you here? At his question, a vein subtly popped on Jegal Jin-hees forehead. Didnt you say you would always wee a sparring match, Mu-jin? Ah oh! A sparring match! If its a sparring match, you are always wee, Jegal Jin-hee Siju! At the mention of sparring, Mu-jins face lit up brightly. He had been thinking about sparring since earlier. Especially since Jegal Jin-hee, who had already used sage techniques in their match five months ago, was the perfect opponent for his training. But for some reason, when Mu-jin cheerfully eximed, Jegal Jin-hees expression turned cold. How can someone who so eagerly wees sparring return here without even informing me? Sensing something unusual in her words, Mu-jin asked. Do you mean to say did you stop by Nanchang on your way here? To find me? No, I did not. Her cold expression wavered momentarily, revealing that she had indeed visited. Realizing that his best sparring partner might leave, Mu-jin quickly thought of the best reply. I apologize for not informing you in advance. After ourst sparring match, I gained some insights and returned here to Songshan for serious training. You say you gained insights after ourst sparring match? Yes. I was so eager to improve my skills for our next sparring match that I returned here. So, you returned here to prepare for another sparring match with me? Yes. Mu-jin, who had quickly fabricated his words, confidently spoke as if they were true, and he was sure of it after seeing her expression. It worked. Despite her cold demeanor, Jegal Jin-hees lips were twitching as if holding back a smile. However, she then said something strange. So, you didnt return to see that woman? What? What woman are you talking about? When Mu-jin asked, looking confused, Jegal Jin-hee hurriedly shouted. No! Its nothing. Dont worry about it. As expected, it was an unrequited love for that woman. Just confirming that was a gain, Jegal Jin-hee thought. But only for a brief moment. What am I thinking right now! That woman has nothing to do with this. I just came here to spar! When Jegal Jin-hee suddenly shook her head violently, Mu-jin became slightly worried that they might not be able to spar. Are you feeling unwell? No! Im fine! So, lets spar! Spar! She seemed like a woman obsessed with sparring. But since Mu-jin also wanted to spar, it didnt really matter. To proceed with the sparring match, Mu-jin thought he should first introduce her to Hyun-gwang. Grandfather, this is Jegal Jin-hee Siju from the Jegal family. As Mu-jin turned his head and spoke to Hyun-gwang, Jegal Jin-hee also followed Mu-jins gaze. Only then did she realize that there was not only Mu-jin but also an old monk in the pavilion. Realizing she had made a fool of herself in front of a monk she had never met, her face turned bright red. Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Transaction (1) Its Master Uncle Hyun-gwang. Hmm hmm. I am Jegal Jin-hee. Hyun-gwang Sunim. Pretending to be calm, Jegal Jin-hee sped her fists together and greeted, prompting Hyun-gwang to burst into a heartyugh. Hahaha. Truly, the Lady Yeosiju is full of energy. Grandfather, may I spar with Lady Jegal Jin-hee instead of training? Since the Lady Yeosijus level seems simr to yours, Mu-jin, it will be very beneficial. She, who had been slightly lowering her head in embarrassment, quickly regained herposure at Hyun-gwangs words. Simr level? Mu-jin novice and me?Although she had lost in the previous spar, her martial arts level was clearly superior. Is it an old monks misunderstanding? No, Mu-jin novice certainly said he gained enlightenment after that spar. In that case, it meant that Mu-jin novices skills had improved rapidly over the past five months. This is not the time to entertain random thoughts. Realizing this, she took a deep breath and looked at Mu-jin with a moreposed mindset. Please teach me a lesson, Mu-jin novice. Seeing her already holding two steel fans, Mu-jin also took his stance and responded. Likewise, I ask for your guidance, Lady Jegal Jin-hee. Right after Mu-jins response. Haa! Unlike before, Jegal Jin-hee moved first. Her stepping technique towards Mu-jin was so light that it seemed she could leap to either side at any moment. When she closed the distance to about one jang (approx. 3 meters), she simultaneously leaped to the left and threw a fan in her right hand in a surprise attack. Whoosh! Seeing the movement of the fan, Mu-jin twisted his upper body to avoid it. Swoosh! In that brief moment, she closed the distance of one jang and was already swinging the other fan at Mu-jin. !!! Amazingly, the fan she was swinging contained sage energy (??). Unlike their previous spar, she released sage energy in an instant without any prior preparation. I see, she hasnt been idle these past five months. Despite such thoughts crossing his mind, Mu-jin easily avoided the attack by stepping back. The reason was simple. Her skills have improved, but she is still slower than Ryu Seol-hos bodyguard. Compared to the sword of the bodyguard he recently faced, her fan was still slow. Though the same could be said for me. Honestly, even if he fought the bodyguard again now, it would be difficult to win. The bodyguard was at a level where he could create sword energy without being confined to forms, while Mu-jin was just beginning to step into the level of manifesting energy. However, the experience from that time remained vividly in Mu-jins mind. Whoosh! Mu-jin easily avoided the steel fans Jegal Jin-hee alternately swung and threw, and he also effortlessly deflected attacks thatcked sage energy. While defensively engaging in the spar and observing for a moment, he concluded: Although it doesnt take her long to create sage energy, shes still confined to basic forms. He realized that she was still at the level where she relied on martial arts to produce sage energy. Having already sparred with her three times, he remembered most of the forms she used. Haat! As she once again swung her steel fan imbued with sage energy, he thought: Now! Anticipating her move, Mu-jin spread the internal energy originating from his danjeon throughout his limbs. The energy, amplified by various martial arts techniques, traveled from his toes, through his waist, and into his fists. Bang!! When Mu-jins fist collided with the sage energy, a booming sound, rather than a cutting noise, echoed. !!! Naturally, a ripple appeared in Jegal Jin-hees eyes, which had been swinging the steel fan. A fist technique She noticed a faint golden shimmer emanating from Mu-jins fist, blocking her sage energy. At just fifteen years old! This was an unprecedented achievement, even within the vast Central ins. Briefly astonished by Mu-jins aplishment, Jegal Jin-hee quickly realized she didnt have time for admiration. Right after Mu-jins fist and her steel fan collided, the rebound force flung her right hand backward. In previous spars, she had only gained the upper hand by infusing her steel fans with internal energy or sage energy. Now, with sage energy neutralized by the fist technique, the difference in strength was evident. Jegal Jin-hee quickly stepped back, dispersing the impact. Here Ie! Mu-jin shouted, chasing after Jegal Jin-hee, who had retreated. It was the first time Mu-jin, who had been defensive until now, switched to offense. Mu-jins rapid and powerful strikes flew at her, sometimes feinting with a fist or palm to pressure her with trapping techniques or the Golden Locking Hand technique. She evaded some attacks with quick footwork and deflected others with her steel fans. This is dangerous. As she found herself on the defensive, she hurriedly gathered her internal energy and swung her fan with sage energy. However, Mu-jin anticipated this and twisted his body to avoid the attack. As the spar continued, the tide of battle turned against her. Hes reading my moves. Mu-jin skillfully drove her back. Whenever she used sage energy, he either dodged it easily or Haa! seemingly anticipated it, countering with his fist energy or palm force to push her steel fan away. Each time, her bnce was significantly disturbed by the force pushing her. Nevertheless, the reason the sparring session hadnt ended was that Mu-jin wasnt relentlessly attacking as he had in previous bouts. Since there was no wager on this sparring match, Mu-jin considered it another form of training. Jegal Jin-hee, being perceptive, also vaguely sensed Mu-jins intention. In that case, me too! She resolved to use this sparring session to gain experience rather than force a victory over Mu-jin. Just as Mu-jin read her movements and techniques, she also tried to anticipate Mu-jins next move. However, it wasnt as easy as she thought. His moves are straightforward, so why is this happening? After exchanging moves with Mu-jin dozens of times, she finally realized the reason. His moves are simple but fast! And although the moves themselves are simple, they are continuously connected! Mu-jin didnt useplex martial arts. Instead, he employed intuitive and fast attacks, mixing in punching and kicking techniques, trapping techniques, and the Golden Locking Hand technique. Though simple, the variety of swift and powerful moves executed in ever-changing sequences made them nearly impossible to read. As her mind became entangled with her movements, she hastily created sage energy and swung her steel fan. Bang!! Mu-jin deflected her steel fan with his fist energy, then took a step back and adopted a half-stance. I believe this is enough for our sparring session, Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nim. Phew Your skills have truly improved remarkably during this time, Mu-jin Dongja-nim. Jegal Jin-hee, having expended a considerable amount of her internal energy and stamina, caught her breath with deep breaths as she spoke. Mu-jin replied with a gentle smile. Sparring with Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nim has been a great help to me. Amitabha. It feels like Ive been at a disadvantage since only Mu-jin Dongja-nims skills have advanced so much. She spoke in a slightly pouty tone, and Mu-jin smiled awkwardly. Jegal Jin-hee then asked Mu-jin a question out of curiosity. In that case, could you answer a few questions for me, since I feel like Ive been at a loss? A thought shed through Mu-jins mind. Hmm? I might be able to gather information about the Jegal family this way? The Jegal family, like the Cheonryu Sangdan, could be an enemy in the future. He had an instinctive feeling that he could gather information through Jegal Jin-hee, who could be considered a direct descendant of the Jegal family. After organizing his thoughts, Mu-jin decided to agree to her request. If its something I can answer, I will. Why didnt Mu-jin Dongja-nim use any special techniques during the sparring? Did you think it wasnt necessary to use them? With a slightly wounded pride, she asked. Of course, from Mu-jins perspective, it was an unfair situation. I didnt not use it. I couldnt use it. Pardon? What do you mean by that? I havent learned Shaolins Seventy-two Consummate Arts. !? As Jegal Jin-hee made a confused expression at Mu-jins words, Hyeon-gwang, who had been watching the sparring, spoke up. What Mu-jin says is true, Jegal Benefactor. Then how could he already reach such a level? A mere fifteen-year-old child being able to emit qi and energy without relying on the power of ascendant martial arts was something she couldnt understand. Haha, Mu-jin found his own path instead of learning the consummate arts, Benefactor Ye. His own path? When Jegal Jin-hee asked again, Hyeon-gwang smiled gently and looked at Mu-jin. As Jegal Jin-hees gaze turned back to Mu-jin, Mu-jin answered with a slightly embarrassed tone. Ahem. I have a strong aversion toplex and difficult things, so I justbined a few of Shaolins introductory and intermediate martial arts to create my own. Thats impossible That was the first thought that came to her mind after hearing Mu-jins words. She knew how arduous it was to create martial arts. If it were some third-rate martial arts picked up from the streets, it might be believable. But creating martial arts capable of emitting qi and energy? The word that naturally came to Jegal Jin-hees mind for someone who could create such martial arts was Grandmaster To think that such a young child had that level of talent. Coming from the Jegal family, she was even more shocked. After all, the Jegal family was one that constantly researched to create ascendant martial arts and divine techniques. But what truly surprised her wasnt Mu-jins talent for creating ascendant martial arts, but his way of thinking. Because he feltplex and mysterious things didnt suit him, he didnt learn the famous Seventy-two Consummate Arts of Shaolin and instead pioneered his own path. Hes different from me. She suddenly felt insignificant. She, too, had reached her current level by deeply training in the ck and White Fan Technique, the only ascendant martial art allowed to women. But she had never thought of honing it to the end. To me, the ck and White Fan Technique was just a tool to gain recognition from the elders of the family. Her goal was to be acknowledged by the elders and to learn the divine techniques passed down to the direct line. She had never thought of developing the ck and White Fan Technique into a divine technique herself. Yes. If I cant be taught divine techniques just because Im a woman, Ill just create my own divine technique! She might never have had such thoughts in the past. She had been a woman of the Jegal family, solely pursuing rationality. But now, having witnessed someone who shattered the shell of what she consideredmon sense, her perspective had changed. She realized that it wasnt an impossible goal. Therefore, she willingly put aside her embarrassment and sought guidance from the one who had shattered her shell. Mu-jin, how were you able to integrate basic martial arts and intermediate martial arts together? No, how did you resolve the side effects when youbined martial arts? In response to her question, Mu-jin answered as if it were nothing special. You just need to train your body. Your body? When she asked again in confusion, Mu-jin dly took off his robe and started demonstrating the Striking Bone Technique in the air. At Mu-jins sudden exposure, she screamed and covered her face with her palms, but she peeked through the gaps between her fingers to watch Mu-jins movements. The first thing that caught her eye was Mu-jins muscles, which seemed ready to burst with each move he made. Being a person with a sharp mind, it didnt take long for her to understand Mu-jins point. Are you saying that you overcame it with external energy? Mu-jin stopped his movements and answered together with a bow. Thats correct, Lady Jegal Jin-hee. Isnt there a clear limit to external energy? The same goes for internal energy. As Jegal Jin-hee still seemed unable to ept it, Mu-jin gave her a light smile and provided an example. Simply put, think of picking up something that has fallen on the ground, Lady Jegal Jin-hee. If that item weighs about 600 grams, you can just bend over and pick it up with strength. But, if that item weighs around 300 kilograms, what would you do? I would use my internal energy to lift it. Yes. But for me, without necessarily using internal energy, I can lift that weight with just my physical strength. Now, what if the item weighs 600 kilograms? Lady Jegal Jin-hee might still be able to lift it, but the amount of internal energy required and theplexity of using that energy would be much higher. I suppose so. On the other hand, I can lift that item with about the same amount of internal energy, or even less, than you would use to lift a 300-kilogram item. Because I have the basic physical strength. In other words, the more developed your body is, the less your mind has to work. Mu-jin was once again advocating for the superiority of physical strength. Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Chapter80 Transaction (2) Jegal Jin-hee, still wearing a puzzled expression, asked again. But, in the end, to build such strength, you need to invest time in external training, right? After all,pared to training in martial arts and internal energy, external training is less efficient. You are both right and wrong. Mu-jin, speaking in a cryptic manner, paused for a moment before continuing with a smile. Firstly, for you, Jegal Jin-hee, it is far more efficient tobine external training with martial arts rather than focusing solely on martial arts. To put it simply, do you think its faster for a novice to reach the stage of creating Fan Qi, or for someone who can already create Fan Qi to reach the stage of creating Fan Gang? Ah She understood Mu-jins point easily.Its the same in any field; the higher you go, the harder it bes to reach the next level. On the other hand, those who are at a basic level can easily make progress with just a bit of training. I understand the first reason. Whats the other reason? The second reason is that external training cannot be rushed and should not take too much time. Not take too much time? To be precise, you must not overdo it. To make it easy to understand, do you know how to build immunity to poison? Yes. By ingesting very small amounts of a weak poison and enduring it, you build up your immune system and gradually increase the poisons level. This is a method favored by the Sichuan Tang n, right? Yes. And its the same not just with poison, but also when your body is injured. The injured area heals and bes stronger than it was before. This is also true for muscles. Building strength is actually about injuring the muscles slightly and then allowing them to heal and grow stronger. Ah Since she was from the Jegal family and had little interest in external training, Jegal Jin-hee found this new information fascinating. Then, think about poison again. If you wanted to quickly achieve immunity to all poisons and hurriedly ingestedrge amounts, what would happen? You would die, of course. Its the same with muscles. You should only injure them to the extent that they can recover, and while they are recovering, you should avoid any further strain. Ah! So thats why you shouldnt overtrain or spend too much time on external training. Jeagal Jin-hee pped her hands in response to Mu-jins spot-on analogy. You are absolutely right. Andstly, there is a third reason. It is theck of an efficient training method. As I mentioned with the first two reasons, external training should neither be overdone nor should it consume too much time. Therefore, without an efficient training method, it is better to focus on cultivating internal energy and martial arts. In other words, Mu-jin Dongja, you are saying that you know such an efficient training method. Instead of answering her question directly, Mu-jin responded with a peculiar smile. That smile alone was enough of an answer. The moment she showed strong curiosity about Mu-jins efficient training method. Well, I believe this is enough topensate for the losses Jeagal Jin-hee Siju-nim has suffered. Mu-jin diverted the flow of the conversation. After all, he hadnt agreed to this exchange to spill all the information he had. Jeagal Jin-hee, seemingly understanding Mu-jins intention, disyed an intelligent smile and spoke. Then I suppose I must suffer another loss to hear about that training method. Is there anything youd like to ask me, Mu-jin Dongja? Mu-jin took a moment to organize his thoughts in response to her question. It wouldnt do to ask for major internal information about the Jeagal family right now. There is an order to things. Asking about such matters in the first exchange could cause the other party to break off the deal. After a brief contemtion, a reasonably good first trade item came to Mu-jins mind. I heard that the Jeagal family conducts research on a very diverse range of martial arts. Thats true, but as a woman, I do not have ess to all the martial arts. Mu-jin lightly smiled at her slightly cautious words. What he wanted this time was neither divine techniques nor ascending martial arts. Then, do you perhaps have any martial arts or skills among the external arts or misceneous techniques that enhance skin sticity? Skin sticity? There, there is such a technique? Jeagal Jin-hee asked with a puzzled expression. There was indeed such a martial art, usually practiced by slightly older women within the family. What puzzled her was why Mu-jin was looking for such a technique. I have been researching something recently and thought that such a martial art might be helpful. Mu-jin made up an excuse for her perplexed expression. In fact, he asked just out of curiosity, thinking it would be nice to have, but not necessary if unavable. He had deliberately brought up a light item to continue transactions with her in the future, and if he received it, he had someone in mind to gift it to. I see. If its that, I can certainly provide it with my authority. Its not a highly significant martial art. Thank you, Jeagal Jin-hee Siju-nim. Since itste today, Ill teach you a few external training methods starting tomorrow. Amitabha. Thank you. Ill visit again tomorrow. I should get going now, Hyun-gwang Sunim. Hohoho. Have a safe descent. With that, Jeagal Jin-hee, who had made the first trade agreement, descended from Shaolin Temple. * * * From that day on, Jeagal Jin-hee visited Hyun-gwangs quarters daily during the hours Shaolin Temple received visitors. Each time, Mu-jin sparred with her first. Although their levels were somewhat simr, the sparring allowed Mu-jin to be more adept at handling fist and palm force, but more importantly, it helped him identify the deficiencies in her martial arts. As far as I have observed, Jeagal Jin-hee Siju-nim, you seem to be using these two moves separately. While it could be corrected through the flow of Qi, increasing the strength and flexibility of your side muscles can sufficiently ovee this. Based on the ws he found through sparring, Mu-jin taught her external training methods, specifically fitness-style exercises. And during the instruction, they engaged in small talk. Sometimes it was about martial arts, other times about the internal matters of the Jeagal family. However, he did not ask about the major confidential matters of the Jeagal family. Do you have many brothers or sisters, Jeagal Jin-hee Siju-nim? He asked personal questions like this and inferred internal matters from her answers. Wh-why do you ask such things!? Of course, at first, she reacted with a flushed face and resistance. During such moments, Mu-jin would guide her back to the exercises. Focusing on exercise would drain the energy needed for psychological warfare, and working out together made it easier to open up. This was something Mu-jin was very familiar with. A fitness trainers job wasnt just about having a lot of exercise knowledge. They needed to be well-versed in teaching methods to convey that knowledge and possess the conversational skills and service mindset to keep engaging with clients. Sometimes, there were those who were reluctant to talk about their personal lives during personal training sessions. Mu-jin had encountered many people like Jeagal Jin-hee multiple times. The simplest way to deal with this type was one thing. Work them out hard. They often ended up sharing their personal stories just for a break. They would talk at length about a conversation they had with a friend the day before. Alright, lets go for fifteen reps this time. Make sure your posture is precise. If your posture is off, the effectiveness of the exercise decreases. It can also put unnecessary strain on your joints or ligaments. Thats why Mu-jin made her work hard. Whenever her posture was even slightly off, instead of just telling her, he would gently touch her body to correct her stance. Weve already shed hundreds of times in sparring, so this should be fine, right? If it had been another woman, he would have been more cautious, but he thought this level of light contact was eptable among martial artists. !!! Of course, this was only Mu-jins perspective. Alright. Dont be tense. Whenever Mu-jins hand touched her, she flinched, so he cautioned her. Lets do fifteen reps! Good. Maintain that posture! How does it feel? Do you feel a stimulus in your side? Huh? A stimulus!? Talking while exercising disrupts your breathing. Dont speak and just focus on the stimulus! !!! Focus on the stimulus!? Every time he pushed her side and then lifted her, Mu-jins arm would brush against her, causing Jegal Jin-hees head to fill with blood. Could this be another of his handsome tactics!? Perhaps it was because of the excessive stimtion. Even though they had onlypleted one set of fifteen reps, her face was excessively red. It seems you applied too much force. Lets catch our breath and move on to the next exercise. As Mu-jin spoke, sheposed her breathing and thought to herself. Get a grip! I cant fall for the novice monks handsome tactics but, now that I think about it, hes too dependable to call a novice monk which means hes a monk now! Realizing that her breathing was quite rough, Mu-jin seized the moment and slyly asked another question. Oh. So, does Jegal Jin-hee have any close siblings? Like someone caught thinking bad thoughts, she quickly raised her head and shouted urgently. Cl-close siblings!? Im pretty close with my younger sisters! As she answered the personal question she had been trying to hide, Mu-jin thought to himself. Indeed, pushing her to exercise until it was tough was the right answer. * * * Even after that day, Jegal Jin-hee continued to climb Songshan regrly. Each time, Mu-jin would either spar with her or teach her exercises, and in between, they would have private conversations, during which her face would often turn red. Hmm. Being with her like this really feels like Im doing personal training with a female client. Mu-jins memories from modern times randomly surfaced. Personal training with a female client It was a cautious matter in many ways. Even without any ulterior motives, a single wrong touch could lead to trouble, and he had seen many young trainers get into idents because they couldnt control their sexual desires. Come to think of it, that phrase hasnte up yet. When conducting PT sessions with female clients, there was a magical sentence that he would hear every single time, especially when he instructed weight-focused exercises rather than cardio or stretching. While Mu-jin was momentarily lost in his memories, Jegal Jin-hees voice brought him back to reality. Mu-jin Dongja. I have a question. Please, go ahead, Jegal Jin-hee Siju-nim. If I continue exercising like this, will I end up with a body like yours? He had wondered why it hadnte up yet. Still, considering she thought of my body, its not too bad. There had been female clients who were terrified of bing like Jang Mi-ran or Ma Dong-seok just by lifting a 5kg kettlebell a few times, so Mu-jin felt he should give himself credit for being considered a bnced muscr figure. Haha. Dont worry, Jegal Jin-hee Siju-nim. To build a body like mine, youd have to lift weights dozens of times heavier than what youre lifting now and engage in a much wider variety of exercises. Oh its more difficult than I thought. Unexpectedly, instead of feeling relieved, she seemed slightly disappointed. Do you want to build a body like mine? If it can help improve my martial arts skills. Mu-jins eyes briefly sparkled with admiration at her words. Come to think of it, shes like an athlete in modern terms. I was treating her too much like an ignorant woman. She hade all the way to Shaolin Temple from Nanchang just to spar with him. This indicated her strong desire to improve. Seeing her sincerity, he felt the need to offer some genuine advice. Hmm. Realistically, even with the same effort, women tend to build less muscle than men. For you, Jegal Jin-hee Siju-nim, to build a body like mine, youd need to train consistently and rigorously for a much longer period than I did. So, its the difference between men and women. Mu-jin added, noticing her somewhat bitter expression. Additionally, unlike me, external energy is secondary for you. Your martial arts emphasize lightness and softness, dont they? Forcing your body to bulk up too much might actually hinder your martial arts. It would be best to train your body only to the extent that it enhances your lightness and softness. Jegal Jin-hees expression became subtle at Mu-jins words. After contemting for a moment, she sighed and responded. Thank you for yourforting words, Mu-jin Dongja. Its notfort, just the truth. Ah, how about I teach you some movements to increase flexibility instead? Mu-jin decided to show her some yoga poses. Perhaps it was because she sensed Mu-jins sincerity. Her eyes showed a small ripple of emotion. Thank you, Mu-jin Dongja. Whenever you need help, just let me know, and Ill step forward. Unlike her usual brash demeanor, she responded in her originally graceful and modest manner. But she didnt know at this time. That correcting yoga postures involved more physical contact than correcting weightlifting postures. Alright, you need to lower your body more. As Mu-jin touched her body to correct her still awkward posture, Hiiiii!! Her face turned bright red as she let out sounds that were either screams or moans. Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Jade Vajra Technique (1) About fifteen days had passed since Jegal Jin-hee started climbing up and down Mount Song. During this time, Mu-jin had taught her various exercises and had managed to gather some information about the Jegal family. Although he hadnt heard any detailed internal secrets, he could roughly grasp the internal factions of the Jegal family through her. The method was simple. He first listened to Jegal Jin-hee talk about the people she was close to within the family, and then he used this information to understand the rtionships through private conversations. Who was close to whom, who was distant, or even hostile. After organizing these rtionships, the general factions became clear. Comparing the faction information he heard from Jegal Jin-hee with what he remembered about the future of the Jegal family from the novel, Mu-jin came to a realization. Maybe, its a situation simr to the Cheonryu Sangdan. Most of the people in the faction Jegal Jin-hee belonged to did not appear in the novel. Conversely, a few names from the opposing faction were familiar from the novel.In other words, Jegal Jin-hee and most of the people close to her would eventually lose the faction fight and disappear. The problem was how to use this information. I think its time for me to return home. Winter will be here soon. She suddenly bid farewell, handing Mu-jin a book. This is the martial art you mentionedst time. Its not a high-security technique, so I had my family send a copy. Thank you, Jegal Jin-hee Shiju. Jegal Jin-hee shook her head at Mu-jins gratitude. I should be the one thanking you. In the martial world, just watching someone train can cost your life, but I even learned training methods from you. I feel bad for just handing over this minor technique. This alone will be a great help. There was no need to mention that he had taught her the training methods to gain information about the Jegal family. Then I will return to my family and polish the training methods I learned from you. I thought abouting back when I gained confidence in my skills, but I dont think I can catch up that quickly. So, Ill see you in two and a half years. In two and a half years? Yes, thats when the martial arts tournament will be held. Oh Mu-jin responded with a slightly surprised expression. Didnt you know the martial arts tournament would be held then? I expected it to be in a few years, but I didnt know it was exactly two and a half yearster. He had roughly guessed the timing through the ages of characters like Ryu Seol-hwa and Mu-gyeong from the novel. After all, the martial arts tournament was a very important turning point. The martial arts tournament. A festival where renowned sects and minor ns of the orthodox faction gathered without discrimination. Although it didnt show the seasons, it was an event where invited masters demonstrated their martial arts, andte bloomerspeted in matches. And above all. Finally, its starting. It was the point where the story of the second part of the novel, *Legend of the Evil Emperor*, began. Two and a half years from now. From that time on, he would inevitably be busy. Conversely, it meant that he had to raise his level as much as possible during the remaining period. Then, I shall see you at the martial arts tournament, Jegal Jin-hee Shiju. When Mu-jin bowed and showed his respect, Jegal Jin-hee also took a dignified posture, as was her nature, and returned the bow. As she was about to leave after their farewell, Mu-jin added a few words. If anything happens, please dont hesitate to contact me. Regardless of the Jegal family, you are my friend, and I will definitelye to help. It was Mu-jins consideration for her, who might disappear in the faction fight. A friend indeed. For some reason, Jegal Jin-hees expression seemed to carry a hint of regret. Shortly after Jegal Jin-hee left. Mu-jin looked at the book she had handed over at thest moment. [*Jade Maiden Technique*] It was the book about a minor technique for enhancing skin sticity that Mu-jin had requested on the first day. Mu-jin opened the book and began reading the training methods and key points of the *Jade Maiden Technique*. Although he had obtained the martial art to gift it to someone, since the recipient was a novice, Mu-jin decided to read it first. Hmm. This is also a type of external energy technique. More precisely, it was closer to the Iron Skin Technique than the muscle training that Mu-jin practiced. It wasnt so much about training the skin as it was about managing it, using Qi (energy) rather than modern methods. It seems to have some connection to the Iron Skin Technique as well. While reading through the training methods and key points of the *Jade Maiden Technique*, a hypothesis formed in Mu-jins mind. After spending a few days memorizing the key points and skin care methods of the *Jade Maiden Technique*, Mu-jin left Shaolin Temple and headed to Deungbong-hyeon. The person Mu-jin intended to gift the *Jade Maiden Technique* to was in Deungbong-hyeon. Timing his journey deliberately, Mu-jin arrived in Deungbong-hyeon around noon and headed straight to the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. As he walked, many residents of Deungbong-hyeon recognized Mu-jin and greeted him enthusiastically, calling out his nickname, the Buddha-Handed Novice. Mu-jin responded with a polite bow to those who greeted him, and soon he arrived at the clinic. Mu-jin Monk? Ryu Seol-hwa, who was taking a short break for lunch, greeted Mu-jin with surprise. Nice to see you, Seol-hwa Shiju. I came down specifically to see you, so Im d I found you without much trouble. You came down to see me? Ryu Seol-hwas face reddened momentarily at Mu-jins direct expression. Suddenly, as if something urred to her, she turned her head slightly and asked Mu-jin, ncing at him out of the corner of her eye. Mu, Mu-jin Sunim. Ha, have you, by any chance, had a woman visiting Shaolin Temple looking for you these past few days? Ah. Are you referring to Lady Jegal Jin-hee? If its Jegal Jin-hee she must be from the Jegal family. Yes. At Mu-jins concise answer, Ryu Seol-hwa asked in a slightly trembling voice. Th-then. What is your rtionship with Jegal Jin-hee? Rtionship? Yes Ryu Seol-hwas heart was pounding violently as she asked the question. Of course, its not true, right? It cant be true, but When Jegal Jin-hee had imed that she and Mu-jin had promised each other their future. Ryu Seol-hwa had momentarily frozen, but she soon realized it made no sense. After all, Mu-jin was a monk. A monk of Shaolin, where marriage was not permitted. But just as she and Ryu Ji-gwang were trying to make Mu-jin return to secr life, Jegal Jin-hee might be doing the same. Or perhaps they had already agreed on it. This anxiety lingered in Ryu Seol-hwa. Mu-jin, on the other hand, fell into a brief contemtion instead of giving an immediate answer. How should I exin our rtionship? A good sparring partner? A pitiful person with a high probability of dying within a few years? An excellent informant who provides information about the Jegal family? As Mu-jin showed signs of hesitation, Ryu Seol-hwas eyes began to waver with anxiety. Were just friends. After organizing his thoughts, Mu-jin answered simply. He didnt see the need to exin itplicatedly. Fr, friends? Yes. Since our martial arts levels are simr, we agreed to have friendly matches in the future. Hahaha. Ah! Ryu Seol-hwa blushed as she realized what Jegal Jin-hee meant by their future promise. Half of her embarrassment came from asking unnecessary questions, and the other half from anger at Jegal Jin-hee for deceiving her. With blood rushing to her head, she spoke to Mu-jin in a flustered manner. Th-thats right! S-so, what brings you here, Mu-jin Sunim? Oh! You said you came to see me, didnt you? Wh-what is it about? Please calm down, Lady Seol-hwa. I just came to give you this. When Mu-jin handed over the booklet he was holding, Ryu Seol-hwas heart pounded even more fiercely. C-could it be? Did he write me a love letter in a booklet this time? She recalled the love letter Mu-jin had given her before. But contrary to her expectations, the booklet was titled [Ok-nyeo Gong]. It looked like a martial arts manual to anyone who saw it. Why are you giving me a martial arts manual? Mu-jin smiled warmly and replied to her question. This martial art called Ok-nyeo Gong is simple to learn and is more of a misceneous technique than a martial art. Its effect is said to enhance skin sticity, which can be very beneficial for women. Hahaha. Ryu Seol-hwa had lost nearly fifty geun (30 kg) in just five months. Anyone who had experienced such rapid weight loss would know that it came with certain unavoidable side effects. Namely, stretch marks and sagging skin. Even men were embarrassed by these side effects, so it would be difficult for a woman like Ryu Seol-hwa, in this conservative era, to speak of it to anyone. Hence, Mu-jin had expressed it indirectly. Ah! Ryu Seol-hwa suddenly realized this and marveled internally. C-could Mu-jin Dongja know about that? She feared he might know, but she concluded it couldnt be since she had never shown her bare skin to him. Yes, that must be it. Hes just concerned about my skin! But wait, why would Mu-jin Sunim care about my skin? Could it be he wants me to be even more beautiful!? Lost in her own imagination for a moment, Ryu Seol-hwa asked in a slightly trembling voice. D-did you find this martial art for me? Yes. Since I caused you some troublest time, I wanted to repay you. When she had been seriously injured at the Cheonryu Sangdan, Ryu Seol-hwa had taken great care of him. Remembering this, Mu-jin had requested Ok-nyeo Gong from Jegal Jin-hee. Had Jegal Jin-hee known about this, she would never have given it up. At Mu-jins mention of repayment, Ryu Seol-hwa waved her hand. Theres no need for this. Mu-jin Sunim and Grandfather Hyun-gwang saved my family. How could this be considered repayment for such a small thing? Actually, it was your grandfather who saved you, and I was merely injured elsewhere. Besides, Grandfather has already settled ounts with Sangdanju, so I must repay my own debt, dont you think? B-but. Seeing her still slightly ufortable, Mu-jin smiled and spoke. If receiving this solely for that event makes you ufortable, how about considering it a trade instead? Ill sell you this manual, and in return, Id like to receive some help from you in the future. Help in the future? Mu-jin subtly raised his right index finger to his lips in a shushing gesture. Yes. Ill need Lady Seol-hwas help. It must remain a secret from everyone else. Especially from the other Shaolin disciples. As for Ryu Seol-hwa, who received this proposal: What do I do, what do I do, what do I do! Her mind was in turmoil at Mu-jins suggestion of a secret meeting. * * * After a satisfying deal with Ryu Seol-hwa, Mu-jin returned to Shaolin Temple. Before handing over Ok-nyeo Gong to Ryu Seol-hwa, he had copied it and brought along the Iron Skin manual borrowed from the Sutra Repository. He then went to see Hyun-gwang. Grandfather. I have something to ask you. Hohoho. Speak freely. In response to Hyun-gwangs question, Mu-jin presented the two manuals he had brought. Grandfather. Is it possible tobine these two martial arts? It was a thought that had urred to him while reading Ok-nyeo Gong. What if hebined these two external techniques into one? Hm. Combining them is possible, but it would depend on what you hope to achieve by merging them. As you may already know, my body has reached its limit in withstanding the force of martial arts. To create greater power, Ill need to master moreplex techniques to control recoil and incorporate them into my martial arts. To be precise, his body had reached its limit in maintaining its form while building muscle. He could still grow stronger if he forced it, but overly developed muscles would hinder his movements. Hyun-gwang was also aware of this, and he nned to teach Mu-jin someplex techniques to control recoil once he became ustomed to the flow of qi. Then, by chance, while reading Ok-nyeo Gong, a thought had crossed Mu-jins mind. This technique, Ok-nyeo Gong, is an external martial art that enhances skin sticity and has a training method somewhat simr to Iron Skin. Bybining these two external martial arts, I hope to enhance both the strength and sticity of the skin. This isnt to protect against external attacks, but to prevent internal expansion. To prevent internal expansion Are you saying its topress your muscles? Yes, Grandfather. The idea was that bybining the two, he couldpress his muscles through his skin. If he couldpress his muscles, it would prevent them from bing so bulky that they hinder his martial arts. This way, Mu-jin could focus on muscle growth without any worries. Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Jade Vajra Technique (2) In truth, Mu-jin, who had been wary of his muscles bing hypertrophied, had been focusing on maintaining his current condition rather than building up his body for several months. Specifically, he increased the number of repetitions without increasing the weight, thereby enhancing muscle endurance instead of muscle strength. However, even this practice, though less than increasing muscle strength, still resulted in his muscles growing slightly. Eventually, Mu-jin reached a point where he could no longer arbitrarily increase the number of repetitions. Therefore, if he could onlypress his muscles bybining the Jade Maiden Technique with the Iron Skin technique There would be no need to learn unnecessarilyplex key points! Mu-jin still preferred to rely on his body rather than his head. Hyun-gwang, who read Mu-jins thoughts, quietly admired him inwardly. Hohoho. I didnt expect Mu-jin toe up with such a method. Amitabha.He had thought it was about time to teach Mu-jin theplex key points, but he didnt expect him to find such a method. This method seems to suit Mu-jin better at the moment. Having organized his thoughts to that point, Hyun-gwang took the two books Mu-jin handed him and began to examine them. How long had Hyun-gwang been reading the key points and training methods of the two books? As he looked into Mu-jins eyes, which sparkled with anticipation, Hyun-gwang opened his mouth. With just these two martial arts, it seems it wont be possible to achieve the capability you desire, Mu-jin. Is that so. Just as Mu-jins anticipation was about to turn into disappointment, Hyun-gwang added more words. But dont worry. It seems entirely possible if we add a few more things. I shall visit the Sutra Repository today. Thank you, Grandfather! As Hyun-gwang stood up, Mu-jin expressed his gratitude with a bow. If Hyun-gwang said he could make it, he could make it. Mu-jin had no doubt about Hyun-gwangs words. * * * A few dayster. Having spent time going back and forth to the Sutra Repository, or flipping through the books he had brought from there, Hyun-gwang handed a book to Mu-jin. [Jade Vajra Technique] With the key points of the Iron Skin technique, which strengthens the skin, and the Jade Maiden Technique, which increases skin sticity, it is possible topress the muscles. However, this only torments the muscles instead ofpressing them. Moreover, forciblypressed muscles could damage the bones. Therefore, by adding techniques that support the bones and external techniques that nourish the muscles, I have created a martial art thatpresses the muscles while preserving the bones and maintaining the muscles original strength. Thank you! As expected of you, Grandfather! As Mu-jin eximed with an expression of deep emotion, Hyun-gwang smiled contentedly and added an exnation. Originally, techniques like the Bone-Supporting Technique and external techniques that nourish muscles and bones require constant infusion of inner energy. However, since the Iron Skin technique and the Jade Maiden Technique have key points for absorbing energy through the skin, I havebined them. Therefore, if you train diligently in this, you wont need to expend inner energy to maintainpressed muscles. However, it is not perfect. Was there a side effect? Mu-jin looked at Hyun-gwang with such a concern, and Hyun-gwang spoke with a stern expression. The efficacy of this Jade Vajra Technique is merely to strengthen andpress the bones and muscles. No matter how much you train in this, it wont make you stronger. Only if you continue to grow muscles to the point where you canpress them with this Jade Vajra Technique will it be useful. At Hyun-gwangs warning, Mu-jin let out a sigh of relief instead. Mu-jin had been managing and building muscles for ten years. That was his specialty. You dont need to worry about that. I will enhance my skills with the Jade Vajra Technique that my grandfather created. As if to confirm Mu-jins confidence, Hyun-gwang smiled warmly and exined the essential points of the Jade Vajra Technique to Mu-jin. Its simr to Iron Skin in terms of training methods, but the essential points are much moreplex. Iron Skin. In fact, it was like a double-edged sword to Mu-jin. The original reason Mu-jin decided to learn Iron Skin was due to the expectation that he might reach a state where he could breathe through his skin. It was a second-best option chosen because he wasnt confident in mastering theplicated ascension mind techniques. However, with the Small and Great Restoration Pills, Mu-jin already had an internal energy far surpassing his peers. Though it wasnt an ascension martial art, he had reached a level where active cultivation with the Great Vehicle Mind Technique was possible. In other words, the need to breathe through the skin had significantly diminished. Of course, he had benefited greatly from Iron Skin until now. To be honest, it was more like a tool for fighting weak opponents. The weapons wielded by ordinary people could not injure Mu-jins body. However, when faced with a weapon wielded by someone using internal energy, he would still get scratches. If a weapon was imbued with internal power, it could pierce through Mu-jins Iron Skin, and something like sword energy or saber energy would cut through it like paper. After the martial arts tournament, Mu-jins opponents were all masters who had reached the state of emitting internal energy. Just as he was considering quitting Iron Skin training, he began to learn the Jade Vajra Technique. Of course, the core principles of various martial arts had been extracted to create it, making it the mostplex martial art Mu-jin had learned so far. At least its not a martial art that needs to be used during fights. The training method was simple, so it wasnt a big problem. Though the essential points wereplex, it was just a matter of stimting the skin while following the essential points to infuse the skin with the natural energy. It felt like an advanced version of Iron Skin. I should thank Master Uncle Beob Gang. Even though he had considered Iron Skin as a double-edged sword, he was now grateful to Beob Gang, who had rmended it. * * * By the time Mu-jin hadpletely mastered the essential points of the Jade Vajra Technique, winter arrived at Mount Song. However, the cold could not hinder Mu-jins training. Every dawn. Waking up around 5 a.m., Mu-jin started with Close-Range Spear Technique to warm up lightly before diving into serious muscle training. Hehehe. Having spent several months merely maintaining his physique, Mu-jin was delighted at the prospect of building muscle again. He wondered if this was how Sun Wukong felt when he was freed from the Five Elements Mountain. Keuh. This texture. This weight! Moreover, new iron weights had been brought into Hyeon-gwangs pavilion. While Hyeon-gwang was practicing the Jade Vajra Technique, Mu-jin, who had returned from Deungbong-hyeon, had requested Ryu Seol-hwa to specially make them. Indeed, it seemed it wasnt too difficult to order such tools from thedy of the Cheonryu Sangdan. In fact, it was possible thanks to Ryu Ji-gwangs wholehearted support, who was willing to help with anything to entice Mu-jin. Im d I taught her the Jade Maiden Technique! Mu-jin believed it was solely because of the Jade Maiden Technique. On a cold winter day, Mu-jin began squatting with around 150 geun (90kg) to warm up his body lightly. He repeatedly added much heavier tes to the newly acquired, much sturdier steel bar, continuing his exercise. Starting with the Close-Range Spear Technique, he tormented his muscles with much heavier weights for a full sijin. After finishing his morning meal, he practiced the Jade Vajra Technique. Sitting down, he stimted various parts of his skin with his palms or a wooden stick, absorbing natural energy ording to the essential points. Of course, a miraculouspression of muscles in just one day didnt ur, but Mu-jin found the process immensely enjoyable. After practicing the Jade Vajra Technique for about a sijin, hemenced serious martial arts training. He refined techniques and movements, recalling sparring sessions with Jegal Jin-hee and duels with the bodyguards, intensifying his Qi expulsion training. Afterward, he ate his lunch and then meditated in a cross-legged position, utilizing his internal energy technique. It was a time to reflect on awkward parts of his martial arts execution throughout the day or recall the sensations felt when expelling Qi. After digesting his lunch through meditation, he resumed his martial arts training, recalling what he had realized during meditation. Following dinner, he spent time on rehabilitation therapy to take care of Hyeon-gwangs body. Although Hyeon-gwang had recovered to the point of being able to move on his own, consistent care was essential due to his age. Grandfather, are you feeling better today? Hahaha. Thanks to you, theres no pain anymore. Well, it might also be because he simply enjoyed taking care of his grandfather and conversing with him. During rehabilitation therapy, he also had casual conversations with Hyeon-gwang and received advice on the frustrations he felt during his training earlier that day. After about a sijin of therapy, he ended the day with another sijin of physical training. A rigorous training schedule packed into sijin intervals: lifting hundreds of geun worth of iron weights continuously for two sijins, and martial arts training for another two sijins. Except for Hyeon-gwangs rehabilitation therapy and meditation, Mu-jin engaged in eight hours of exercise each daya truly murderous training regimen. Naturally, repeating such intense training every day would inevitably cause the human body to break down. Thus, Mu-jin took a day off after four days of this brutal training to recover his overly strained muscles and bones. For a more perfect rest, on his rest days, Mu-jin would leave Songshan and head to Deungbong-hyeon. The person who weed Mu-jin was none other than Ryu Seol-hwa. No Shaolin disciples are allowed in this room without my permission, so you can rx, she said. Ryu Seol-hwa blushed at the thought of being alone in a secret space with Mu-jin. Chomp. Chomp. Gulp. Thank you, Lady Seol-hwa. Chomp. Chomp. Gulp. Mu-jin, responding courteously, was too busy savoring the feast of delicacies before him. This was the significant favor that no one else should know about: a nutritious meal filled with meat. With an apologetic heart to his muscles and bones that he had tormented for four days, Mu-jin devoured the food at an astonishing pace. Ive already ordered lunch and dinner, so feel free to enjoy them as well, Ryu Seol-hwa said. To an observer, it might have seemed a bit vulgar how Mu-jin ate, but for some reason, Ryu Seol-hwa thought he ate endearingly and wholesomely. Hoo. That was delicious. Having finally finished the mountain of delicacies, Mu-jin took a deep breath, prompting Ryu Seol-hwa to subtly ask, Um What are your ns for tomorrow? Her newfound courage stemmed from the time they spent alone, hoping Mu-jin might spare some time for her. Ah. Tomorrow, I n to focus on my lower body. Pardon? It was too indirect an expression for someone obsessed with training to understand. * * * A month passed since Mu-jin had begun his rigorous training in earnest. Hoo. In the afternoon, as winter settled in and cold winds blew, Mu-jin was calming his breath and reflecting on himself. The sparring sessions with Jegal Jin-hee that hadsted for fifteen days, and the subsequent solo training Mu-jin had repeatedly engaged in, had finally allowed him to reach a level where he could release his qi or inner force at will. Thus, Mu-jin pondered how he should proceed. At first nce, releasing qi might seem the same for everyone, but in reality, it was far from it. Mu-jin knew this very well because he had witnessed the life-and-death duel between Hye-gwan and the Paedobangju. I need to think about the most suitable way to utilize my qi, he thought. For example, the Plum Blossom Twenty-Four Techniques of the Hwasan Sect, which used sword qi to deceive the opponents eyes, or Shaolins Flicking Finger Technique, which expelled qi at a tremendous speed. Qi-emitting martial arts were much moreplex and varied than the physical martial arts. Illusions and flexibility are not for me, Mu-jin realized. These styles werepletely different from the path he had walked so far. Moreover, the techniques of illusion and flexibility required handling qi in a much moreplicated manner, which was definitely not to Mu-jins taste. In that case, lets stick to the method Ive been using so far, he concluded. A straightforwardbat style that maximized the overwhelming strength of his physical body. He needed to figure out how to utilize his qi to enhance this approach. As Mu-jin pondered deeply, an idea struck him. Do I really need to use qi as an offensive means? He recalled the most challenging opponent he had faced: the bodyguard. Why had that opponent, whom he had easily overpowered in closebat, been so difficult? It was due to the speed of the bodyguards sword and the sword qi imbued within it. Instead of emitting qi from a distance or using it mboyantly, lets use it to protect my body. I will prate the enemys defenses with a qi barrier and the Jade Vajra Techniques defensive power. After training his body to the extreme with the Jade Vajra Technique, if he could just get close to the opponent Then, victory will be mine, he resolved. With that thought, Mu-jin raised his internal energy and began to move his body. Whoosh! Each time Mu-jin struck the air with the Striking Bone Technique, Geomnamchun Technique, or Golden Locking Hand Technique, a golden glow shimmered at the impact points. Just like Jegal Jin-hee had demonstrated before, his strikes had be instantaneous without any dy in releasing qi. However, as if he was not satisfied with that, Mu-jin continued to execute his techniques. Swish. At some point, the qi emanating from Mu-jins body began to change shape. The fist qi that had merely emanated like a heat haze near his fists started to move, slowly encircling his fists. Like a glove. Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Mountain-Shattering Divine Steps (1) Over a hundred days had passed since Mu-jin began his training. Flowers had begun to bloom on Songshan. Although the spring was often interrupted by cold snaps, it was clear that spring had arrived. Hoo. In the hall of Hyun-gwang, where the snow had disappeared and flowers had begun to bloom, Mu-jin opened his eyes with a deep breath. Is this a teau? As with any field, there were periods of rapid improvement and periods of stagnation and stability. Mu-jin felt he had recently hit a teau. Despite significant achievements from intense training throughout the winter, Mu-jin felt as though he had hit a wall a few days ago.Furthermore, it wasnt just his martial arts that had stagnated. The weight of the iron he lifted had also stopped increasing recently. The steep growth curve he had maintained throughout the winter had leveled off, but Mu-jin wasnt impatient. Ive experienced this many times. As a fitness trainer, he had gone through this several times. If he rushed to increase the weight during such times, he would end up getting injured. For a while, he would just endure this period by exercising with the same weight until, one day, he would experience another steep growth curve. Hoo. Mu-jin, who had reminded himself of this, calmed himself with another deep breath. Maybe I should go check on those guys for the first time in a while? Perhaps because he had regained hisposure, thoughts of the children he once trained with began to surface. They were the nephews he had trained with during his novice days and whom he had considered his future insurance and thus paid attention to. Over the past year, he had been so focused on handling matters rted to the Cheonryu Sangdan and honing his own martial arts that he had hardly paid attention to them. I wonder how much theyve improved. Mu-jin was quite curious about how much his nephews had grown over the past year. * * * After a year of being preupied with the Cheonryu Sangdan, Mu-jin finally returned to the Arhat Faction. Mm. The scenery of the Arhat Faction, which he had not seen for a year, felt quite peculiar to Mu-jin. Quite a lot has changed. There were chairs, steel bars, iron rods, and weight tes everywhere, along with various other exercise equipment Mu-jin had requested, now filling the training grounds several times over. In the corners were punching bags and sandbags, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a neighborhood gym run by a boxing enthusiast. Looks good. Of course, one needs this much to exercise properly. As he thought this, Mu-jin observed the Third-ss Disciples who were working up a sweat. Huh? Mu-jin! Mu-yul, who noticed him first, greeted Mu-jin and moved. The boy, who had been ying on an iron bar over 4 meters high, descended the rope as if he were falling. Hes like a monkey. While Mu-jin had this thought, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong, who had noticed Mu-jin btedly due to Mu-yuls voice, also approached him. How have you been? Mu-gung, who now boasted an enormous build, seemed to havepletely passed through his growth period. Have you been well? And Mu-gyeong, who finally seemed to have ovee his stuttering, greeted Mu-jin quite naturally, though his voice was still soft. Hello, Mu-jin! Finally, Mu-yul, who hade down from the iron bar, greeted Mu-jin with an ever-bright smile. Its been a while, everyone. Mu-jin, who greeted them cheerfully, immediately approached Mu-yul and hugged him tightly. Hehe. Did you miss me a lot? Mu-yulughed brightly at Mu-jins enthusiastic greeting. Oh-ho. His core muscles are like rocks. In truth, Mu-jin was assessing Mu-yuls physical condition. Pretending to pat his back while hugging him, Mu-jin was feeling the density and strength of Mu-yuls muscles. Since he mainly uses agile and peculiar movements, core muscles are crucial. Hes developed them well. How about the other parts? Thinking this to himself, Mu-jin visually inspected and lightly tapped Mu-yuls limbs. Youve been working out hard, huh? Mu-yul hadnt just been exercising a lot. While his major muscles like the pectorals and thighs were well developed, his so-called minor muscles and core muscles were particrly well developed. It was the perfect physique for Mu-yul, who was known for his animalistic movements. After checking Mu-yuls body, Mu-jin then approached Mu-gung. Dont hug me. Its gross. Youre so picky. Instead of hugging, Mu-jin circled around therge-framed Mu-gung, tapping his limbs and torso. Youve really grown enormous. Whether his growth period had ended or not, Mu-gung appeared to be about 189 cm tall, with broad shoulders, thick pectorals, and abs. And though less noticeable due to hisrge frame, his thigh muscles and core muscles around the waist were also well developed. Despite his size and muscles making him appear less agile, his body exuded a force that felt like it could send someone flying with just a brush. As Mu-jin approached Mu-gung, who had finished his inspection, Mu-gung subtly took a step back. Hehe. This is how people who work out greet each other. You have to touch them directly to check not just the shape but the condition of their muscles. Mu-jin said this and then forcibly hugged Mu-gung, patting his back and limbs. As expected. Mu-gung has developed his body evenly. Unlike Mu-yul or Mu-gung, whose martial arts were biased in one direction, Mu-gung didnt need to develop his body for any specific martial art. This guy was a genius in martial arts. How many more martial arts have you learned in the past year? Hmm about twenty-three? All at the level of the Seven Stars or higher? Yeah. Mu-jin clicked his tongue at that number. Of course, considering he was still in the Arhat Faction, those twenty-three wouldnt be part of the Seventy-Two Consummate Arts. But still. Twenty-three in a year means he learned almost one every fifteen days. If he keeps this up, he might exhaust all the Shaolin martial arts. Given his age, it was an absurd number. After briefly assessing the condition of the trios muscles, Mu-jin asked the question that had been on his mind since earlier. By the way, whats up with your and Mu-yuls hair? Heheh. Master shaved it for us. Master said it would be fun like this The two showed quite contrasting reactions, and while their hairstyles were simr, they were also quite different. Is that a crane on your head? Yeah! Master drew it for me because Ivepletely mastered the Crane Fist! He said hed change it to a snake once Ive mastered all the Serpent Techniques! When Mu-jin pointed to Mu-yuls head and asked, Mu-yul proudly answered. Instead of shaving his headpletely, Mu-yul had a bizarre hairstyle with his hair cut very short like a chestnut burr, with a crane design shaved into it. Its not like hes an elementary school student getting a well done stamp. Thinking about it, stamping well done on a childs head would be child abuse. But seeing how proud Mu-yul was, it seemed ridiculous to me Hye-geol, Mu-yuls master. Mu-jin even thought that Hye-geol might be amodating Mu-yuls mental age. Hang in there, Master Hye-geol. Mu-jin silently cheered for Hye-geol and then turned to Mu-gung. So whats with your hair? Its supposed to be a lotus flower. Did Master Uncle Hye-gwan say that? Yeah Mu-jin felt a bit sorry for Mu-gung, who had slumped shoulders. Why a lotus flower? Master said he likes lotuses Ah, no. He said it symbolizes the flower that Buddha rides on. It represents supporting Shaolin disciples in following the path of Buddha Did Master Uncle Hye-gwan tell you to say that? Yeah. So, in reality, Master Uncle just likes lotuses and drew it on your head? Yeah. As expected. Getting involved with a crazy person makes life this tiresome. Feeling grateful that he wasnt one of Hye-gwans disciples, Mu-jin asked. But did the other elders allow such hairstyles? At that question, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong looked at Mu-jin with expressions of disbelief. Understanding the meaning behind their expressions, Mu-jin asked again in a hesitant tone. Is it because of me? Isnt it obvious? Mu-gung, sounding somehow more blunt than before, replied. Since you negotiated with the Head of the Jurisdiction Department a year ago, the rules changed. It was decided that as long as it signified cutting ties with the secr world and was kept short, it didnt matter. Mu-gung pointed at Mu-jins head as he spoke. A short Mohican haircut with the sides cut short like a chestnut burr, leaving only a little hair on top. And a swastika (d) symbol shaved into it, symbolizing Buddhas teachings. This hairstyle had be synonymous with Mu-jin. Pointing at Mu-jins head, Mu-gung then pointed at Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong. After that, kids started expressing the consummate arts they were practicing or drawing pictures rted to Shaolin or Buddha. Mu-gung pointed out several children in the training ground who had simrly short hair. Among them, some had rtively normal-looking hairstyles. Whats that one supposed to be? They say its to honor Dharma Master. There was even a child who had left the hair on the sides and back but shaved the front and top to a shine. Wow. Thats a bit extreme. It looked so severe that anyone who saw it might think it was extreme alopecia, not a monk. Hmm. But not everyone is growing their hair, it seems. It depends on the masters inclination. Mu-gung answered bluntly, but there was a hint of regret in his eyes. Did you want a hairstyle like that too? Ahem. I never thought about it. Mu-gung answered, pretending to be solemn, but it was clear he was envious. Crazy guys. Whats there to be envious about? To be honest, the swastika (d) symbol was just an excuse. It was a reason he came up with because he didnt like being bald. Mu-jin was full of thoughts of growing his hair to cover the symbol once he left Shaolin. This isnt the time to be thinking about this. Shaking off the distraction caused by the kids bizarre hairstyles, Mu-jin got to the main point. Anyway, enough about the hair. How about a sparring session to see how much youve improved over the past year? * * * Mu-jin took turns sparring with Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong for a while. Why do their techniques feel so weak? Mu-jins expression turned serious. Their skills had indeed improvedpared to a year ago. Mu-yul had somewhat mastered the Snake Techniques within the year, utilizing techniques inspired by the forms of the crane and snake, disying his characteristic free-spirited movements. Mu-gung relied on his size and strength, delivering honest and heavy blows. Mu-gyeong demonstrated a continuous array of techniques,bining the martial arts he had learned over the past year. However, in conclusion, their progress was insufficientpared to his own growth. In simple terms, although their repertoire of techniques had increased, the speed and power behind those techniques had not improved significantly. Their strikes were so weak that Mu-jin found himself just defending, and yet they would bounce off him. Even Mu-gung, who wasrger than Mu-jin. Have they been neglecting their training? They seemed quite sturdy when I checked earlier. Pondering the issue for a moment, Mu-jin soon realized the major difference between himself and the three. Theyck internal energy! Mu-jin had consumed a Lesser Restoration Pill a year ago and a Great Restoration Pill four months ago. Though most of the energy from the Great Restoration Pill was used for activating his meridians, even the remaining energy was beyond what the three, who had not even taken a Lesser Restoration Pill, couldpare to. At this rate, its hopeless. Mu-jin realized things were slightly off-track. Of course, the three were quite talented. And with Shaolins excellent internal techniques, they might be able to umte internal energy equivalent to a Lesser Restoration Pill after six to seven years of training. With two to three more years of training, they might reach the state of enhanced energy cirction. From that point, if they cultivated Shaolins seventy-two consummate arts for about ten years, they might reach a levelparable to Hye-gwan. So, roughly twenty yearster. Who can wait that long! Serious incidents were looming two and a half years from now. Keeping them idle for twenty years would be pointless. Damn it. Come to think of it, even the blood sessor in the novel umted internal energy using the Qi Absorption Technique. If things go on like this, Mu-gyeong will be weaker than the blood sessor in the novel, even with external training. This meant various aspects of Mu-jins n could bepromised. There was only one solution. I need to give them elixirs. Having reached this conclusion, Mu-jin recalled how he had obtained his elixirs. He received the Lesser Restoration Pill as a treatment fee from Ryu Ji-gwang after treating both Ryu Ji-gwang and Yeon Ga-hee. The Great Restoration Pill, as heter learned, was acquired by convincing the head monk after Ryu Ji-gwang extracted money from his grandfather during his seventieth birthday celebration. Thus, there was only one conclusion. Money! I need to earn money! To feed his nephews, it was time for the uncle to step up. Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Mountain-Crushing Divine Steps (2) Its not possible. What!? But Grandfather. Mu-jin, who had hinted at his current situation and the solution he thought of to Hyeon-gwang, was immediately rejected. I understand your feelings, but now is the most important time for training. Mu-jin was momentarily at a loss for words at Hyeon-gwangs fundamental stance. Seeing this, Hyeon-gwang continued. No matter how close Luoyang is, even if we open a clinic branch there, it is over a hundred li (about 50 km) from here to Luoyang. Its impossible tomute back and forth, so can you really train properly there? It would probably be difficult.Mu-jin nodded with a disappointed expression, and Hyeon-gwang smiled mysteriously. So, if you want to open a clinic branch in Luoyang, shouldnt you be able to make a round trip from here to Luoyang in at least one shichen? When Mu-jin made a face that said he didnt understand, Hyeon-gwang added more. From here to Luoyang. You need to train your body so you can make the round trip of over a hundred li within one shichen. That is my condition. Ah! Hahaha. This old man also knows what kind of martial arts youre practicing. But no matter how excellent your defensive techniques are, if youre slower than your opponent, what use is it? Finally understanding Hyeon-gwangs intention, Mu-jin asked with an admiring expression. Then, Grandfather, will you teach me the body technique? Hahaha. I will do so. Mu-jin was overjoyed for a moment at Hyeon-gwangs words. But then, something suddenly came to mind, and he slyly asked Hyeon-gwang. By any chance, does this body technique training require a lot of internal energy? Hmm. Not necessarily. Then, would it be okay for the other kids to train in the body technique with me? Since things hade to this, Mu-jin decided to involve his three nephews, the cause of the trouble. After all, why should only the uncle suffer alone? The next day. In the courtyard in front of Hyeon-gwangs quarters, Hyeon-gwang and the Four Masters of the Mujae Sect were gathered. Mu-yul was as bright as ever, Mu-jin was in a calm mood, while Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong seemed somewhat nervous. Both Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong had been sternly lectured by Master Uncle Hye-jeong in preparation for training with Hyeon-gwang. Being a great elder of the Shaolin, even the smallest mistake was not tolerated. In fact, Mu-yul had heard the same lecture, but Hehe. Mu-yul wasnt one to take such precautions to heart. Watching the Four Masters of the Mujae Sect show various expressions and reactions, Hyeon-gwang spoke with a gentle smile. Did you all hear about the training we will be doing from today? Yes! We heard it will be body technique training! I forgot! Immediately after each answered Hyeon-gwangs question, the other three looked at Mu-yul with incredulous expressions. Hahaha. Its fine. Youre truly a pure child. However, Hyeon-gwang didnt seem to mind and continued his exnation. As you said, from today, we will be training in body techniques. Does that mean we will be learning new martial arts? Mu-gung asked with a slightly expectant expression, but Hyeon-gwang shook his head. How could all four of you, who are different, learn the same martial art? What you will be learning from today is not a martial art, but the body technique itself. At Hyeon-gwangs cryptic words, all four tilted their heads in confusion. Finding their expressions endearing, Hyeon-gwang softlyughed and then asked Mu-gung, who stood firmly like a model student, What do you think the body technique is? I understand it to be a martial art that allows one to run fast. Hahaha. You know it well. Then, how can one move quickly? When Mu-gung didnt answer easily, Hyeon-gwangs gaze moved to the side. By moving your legs faster! And Mu-yul, who met his gaze, gave a very simple answer. Hahaha. That is one way, but its far from the essence of the body technique. Gently smiling at Mu-yul, Hyeon-gwang then looked at Mu-gyeong. Indeed, he is excellent in a different sensepared to Mu-jin. Noticing Mu-gyeongs deep contemtion, Hyeon-gwang was quietly impressed. He realized that Mu-gyeong was recalling the numerous martial arts he had learned and was reviewing the key principles and characteristics of the body technique. Deciding not to interrupt Mu-gyeongs thoughts, Hyeon-gwang turned his attention to his great-grandson, Mu-jin. Finally, Mu-jin, who had been contemting and pondering, opened his mouth with a hopeful thought. The very name body technique means a method to lighten the body. So, is it about increasing speed by making the body lighter? Hahaha. You got it right. Hyeon-gwangughed heartily at Mu-jins answer. Mu-gyeong had exceptional wisdom and gradually understood even the mostplex matters through deep contemtion. In contrast, his great-grandson, Mu-jin, had remarkable intuition. Rather than understanding and solvingplicated problems step by step, he found answers through intuition. In this sense, Mu-gyeong was more simr to Hyeon-gwang himself than Mu-jin was, showing the mysterious nature of human connections. Hahaha. I too am entangled in this web of mysterious connections. Having briefly entertained these trivial thoughts, Hyeon-gwang continued his exnation with a gentle smile. As Mu-jin said, the body technique means a method to lighten the body. It is a martial art that increases speed, but there is a trap. A trap? Yes. Think about it. If you throw a light bird feather with all your strength, does that feather move quickly? Ah! Even Mu-yul eximed in understanding at Hyeon-gwangs exnation. Mu-yul recalled his past experience of throwing a crane feather that had fallen in the yard during his Crane Fist training. But if you look closely, because it is light, the speed at the moment it is thrown is very fast. Its just that it cannot resist the force of the wind because it is light. Then how can one move even faster? Very advanced body techniques, such as the Kunlun Sects Cloud Dragon Eight Styles, discuss methods to reverse the flow of the wind or create gaps in obstructing wind, but that is too advanced for you. First, you will learn the basics. And the basics of body techniques, contrary to their name, involve making the body heavy. At Hyeon-gwangs words, all except Mu-yul seemed to grasp the concept to some extent. When you kick off the ground, you make your body light to increase explosive power, and when you move, you make your body heavy to resist the force of the wind? Hyeon-gwang responded to Mu-gungs question. That is just the beginning. The essence lies in the shift of bnce. In each moment, you can make your body heavy and then light again. Or you can alter the weight distribution at each position of your body to produce explosive speed or create ever-changing movements. After exining up to that point, Hyeon-gwang swept his gaze over the four with a gentle look and said, If you grasp the essence of this body technique, you will be able to apply it to any lightness skill or stepping technique. So, the first thing you need to learn today is the method to change your bodys weight. Its called Thousand-Jin Drop. After giving a brief outline of the steps they would need to master, Hyeon-gwang then exined the method and principles of the technique known as Thousand-Jin Drop. Now, take your stances and practice Thousand-Jin Drop. As soon as Hyeon-gwang gave the instruction, the three of them, except for Mu-yul, took their stances and tried to operate their internal energy while recalling the key points Hyeon-gwang had taught them. Mu-yul quickly raised his hand. Master Uncle! Im sorry, but I forgot the key points! Hahaha. Its all right. This old man will teach you slowly. Having heard about Mu-yuls characteristics from Mu-jin, Hyeon-gwang smiled gently and carefully went over the key points again with Mu-yul. He may not be brilliant, but he has a wild, instinctive talent. Hyeon-gwang had heard that although Mu-yul was slow to understand and master the key points due to hisck of aptitude, once he ingrained them into his body, he had the talent to apply them freely. While instructing Mu-yul on the basics, Hyeon-gwang used his natural energy to keep track of the other three childrens training progress. As expected, these two are the fastest. Even though he had only just exined the principles of the Thousand-Jin Drop, Mu-gyeong and Mu-jin were already awkwardly attempting to perform it. Mu-gyeong, with his exceptional understanding, had grasped the principlespletely, while Mu-jin, already at the stage of qi sense, demonstrated the essentials with his advanced perception. Even the dirt floor of the yard where Mu-jin stood was gradually being crushed or pressed down. Although Mu-jin had not yet fully mastered the Celestial Weight, his power was extraordinary due to his possession of much more internal energy than Mu-gyeong. Following the lead of Mu-gyeong and Mu-jin, Hyeon-gwang observed Mu-gung with natural energy. Hehehe. Hye-dams disciple is not bad either. While not a prodigy, he at least had the talent to be considered a top student. Moreover, despite the fact that the two prodigies were surpassing him, he steadfastly focused on his own training. At such a young age, it wasmon to feel impatient and jealous of those more talented than oneself, yet he did not. Hye-dam has taught him well. Hyeon-gwang could easily surmise that it was thanks to Hye-dams unique and steadfast training in the Immovable Heart technique. These children will be the pirs of Shaolin in the future. A smile had naturally formed on Hyeon-gwangs lips as he taught the Mujae Factions Four. * * * About a month had passed since the training with the Celestial Weight began. One day, Hyeon-gwang and the Mujae Factions Four were together on the outskirts of Shaolin Temple, halfway up Mount Song. Since you have all adapted to the techniques of the Celestial Weight, we will now begin practical application training. As he spoke, Hyeon-gwang pointed to a peak of Mount Song visible through the bushes. From now on, use your learned qinggong to retrieve this from the tree at the top of that peak. In Hyeon-gwangs hand was a wooden tablet. And Mu-jin, since you have more internal energy than the others, I have hidden your tablet further away. Do you see the slightly higher peak behind that one? Yes, Grandfather. Mu-jin replied, looking at the peak slightly higher behind the one Hyeon-gwang pointed to. Then, start now. As soon as Hyeon-gwangs words fell, the Mujae Factions Four moved towards their goal. Especially notable was Mu-jins speed, significantly faster due to his much higher level of internal energypared to the others. Hahaha. Watching the children run, Hyeon-gwangughed heartily and his body floated lightly into the air. Utilizing natural energy, Hyeon-gwang soared into the sky, following the running children and observing them. The children, who started running quickly from the beginning, soon encountered difficulties. Though they had started from a fairly wide open area, as they progressed, dense bushes and trees began to block their path and view. Hehehe. Lets see how they handle this. Hyeon-gwang had intentionally chosen this forest path over an open or wide area. The Qinggong technique is not simply about moving quickly. It was a martial art, a skill ultimately meant forbat. Running while avoiding trees, bushes, and animals that suddenly appeared along the waythat was training in Qinggong that closely resembled actualbat. Surprisingly, the child who excelled the most in thisbat-like Qinggong training was none other than Mu-yul. In terms of sheer speed, Mu-jin, with his overwhelmingly superior internal energy and physical prowess, was far ahead. Huh. Truly an animalistic movement. Mu-yul disyed agility and bizarre movements that even amazed Hyeon-gwang. To avoid a tree directly in front of him, he leaped to the left. However, there was anotherrge tree in his path on the left side. But instead of abruptly twisting his body or stopping to avoid this second tree, Mu-yul Whoa-hey! With a strangeugh that could have been joy or surprise, he kicked out with his leg. Pop! Using the rebound force from kicking therge tree trunk, he propelled himself to the right. Then, grabbing a branch that obscured his view as he moved forward, he swung himself like he was enjoying a horizontal bar, using the branchs sticity tounch his body. He was the child who took the longest to master the Celestial Weight technique. In fact, the reason they had trained the Celestial Weight technique for a whole month was entirely because of Mu-yul. However, once he mastered the essentials, he used them more freely than anyone else. Like a monkey, he grabbed branches to spring his body or ran along the branches. Sometimes he came down to the ground, running on the t terrain, then alternately kicking therge trees on either side to propel himself forward. Considering the branches did not break, it was clear he was freely controlling the Celestial Weight technique. Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Trailing closely behind Mu-yul was Mu-gyeong. Unlike Mu-yul, who exhibited animalistic movements, Mu-gyeong was integrating the techniques of the Thousand-Pound Fall into the various stepping techniques he had mastered. Hes getting faster and faster. Mu-gyeong was applying the various stepping techniques and light-footwork he had learned, regardless of the type of martial arts, ording to the situation. In the midst of this, he was continuously calcting in his mind, blending the techniques of the Thousand-Pound Fall with countless stepping techniques and light-footwork, showing that the term genius was well-deserved. In the end, the one who fell farthest behind was Mu-gung. Due to hisrge build, Mu-gung found it very difficult to run in this obstacle-filled environment. Watching this for a moment, Hyun-gwang decided to give Mu-gung some advice. C Remember the center of your body. Mu-gung flinched involuntarily at the sudden voice piercing into his mind.Its the voice of Grand Master Hyun-gwang. Realizing the owner of the voice, Mu-gung regained hisposure. Once again, Hyun-gwangs wisdom was conveyed into Mu-gungs mind. C Remember the center of your body and widen your field of vision. C Do not fear the obstacles. As long as you dont touch them, there will be no problems. C Just avoid them with minimal movement. This advice was perfect for therge-built Mu-gung. It also aligned with Mu-gungs direction. Instead of shy and variable movements, avoiding obstacles with minimal movement was indeed the essence of the mystery of stillness in motion (???). C With the training youve received from Hye-dam, you should be able to do it. As Mu-gung had been consistently training in the Unmoving Heart technique, he would be able to exhibit minimal movement with precision. Indeed, perhaps thanks to Hyun-gwangs advice, Mu-gung seemed to have realized something. The frustration-filled expression on Mu-gungs face as he tried to avoid obstacles with hisrge build turned into one of seriousness. Swish. Thud. Of course, it wasnt perfect from the start. As Mu-gung tried to avoid obstacles with minimal movement, the obstacles brushed against various parts of his body, and sometimes he even collided with them outright. However, finding a direction and moving forward was entirely different from merely getting frustrated without a direction. Even though his body was umting small wounds, Mu-gung continued to move forward with a calm expression. The number of obstacles touching his body gradually decreased. * * * Meanwhile, at that moment. Mu-jin, with his overwhelming internal energy and physical strength, had run to a position invisible to the other children. Running toward the target point, Mu-jin organized his thoughts about light-footwork in his mind. To be precise, he was thinking about the light-footwork that suited the path he was taking. Grandfather said, no matter how strong I am, its useless if I cant get close to my opponent. Thus, his movement technique did not need to be unpredictable or shy. Instead, it had to be so fast that his opponent could never escape. Alright. Ill go all out. Thats why Mu-jin began to utilize the Celestial Weight technique solely to enhance his speed. Naturally, countless branches and bushes appeared, blocking his path. Haaah! Mere bushes and branches couldnt wound Mu-jins body. Ignoring everything that blocked him, Mu-jin sprinted forward at his highest speed in a straight line. His movement truly embodied the word unstoppable. Behind Mu-jin, deep footprints and countless fallen branches and bushes were scattered like corpses. A massive tree appeared in front of Mu-jin as if to test the movement technique he had thought of. I wont lose! As if considering this a test, Mu-jin focused his energy and ran with full force. Mu-jin, without slowing down, reached the vicinity of the massive tree. Haaap! With a shout, Mu-jin leaped and his flying kick struck the massive tree. Boom! A hole exploded in the center of the massive tree, as if a thunderbolt had struck it. Defeating his challenge, Mu-jin continued to sprint forward without slowing down. The massive tree, having lost its bnce from the impact, fell to the side with a thunderous crash. * * * Boom! Boom! Thud! The continuous loud noises made the three children chasing after Mu-jin flinch. Soon, they were greeted by a forest in utter chaos. Branches and bushes scattered on the ground like corpses. Deep footprints. All these things became new obstacles for the three children. Thanks to the loud noises they had just heard and the numerous traces, Hyun-gwang realized what Mu-jin had thought of. Heh heh heh Hyun-gwang smiled for a moment, seeing Mu-jin find the answer on his own, even though he had only pointed the direction. But when he saw the massive tree half-destroyed and lying on the ground, Hyun-gwang flinched without realizing it. If this continues, the forests of Mount Songshan wont survive. Thinking that his great-grandson might turn Mount Songshan into a wastnd, Hyun-gwang quickly moved. Using the power of nature, Hyun-gwang flew swiftly through the air and soon reached the location where Mu-jin was visible. Heh heh heh heh And Hyun-gwang couldnt help but let out a dryugh at the sight of the savage destruction before him. A path had been created there. As he looked at the path Mu-jin had created with his body, a path that should rightfully be called Mu-jins Path, Hyun-gwang thought. I need to stop him. At this rate, Mount Songshan would truly be a wastnd. However, he couldnt simply stop Mu-jins qinggong training just to protect the bushes. After all, the movement technique Mu-jin was currently using was the most suitable for his great-grandson. Therefore, Hyun-gwang came up with a n. C Mu-jin. !? Startled by Hyun-gwangs voice suddenly sounding in his mind, Mu-jin flinched for a moment. Is this Hyegwang Sim-eon? Knowing that Hyun-gwang could easily perform such a technique, Mu-jin tried to resume running forward calmly. But then, Hyun-gwangs voice continued. C You are creating a movement technique very suitable for yourself. However, the current technique has one w. A w? Assuming that Hyun-gwang would exin, Mu-jin asked back into the empty air, and soon Hyun-gwangs Hyegwang Sim-eo was heard again. C Thats right. While its good to charge in at high speed ignoring the opponents attacks, this technique is only useful when the opponent stands still or moves backward. Ah! You mean theres a gap in myteral movement? C Exactly right. So, from now on, how about training to move quickly left and right while dodging the bushes and trees? Think of it not as dodging, but as chasing the enemy. Thank you for your guidance, Grandfather! Mu-jin saluted in the direction of the unseen Hyun-gwang and, after organizing his thoughts for a moment, began moving again. Not dodging, but chasing the enemy. Mu-jin sprinted forward at a tremendous speed once more, envisioning an imaginary enemy every time arge tree loomed ahead. He imagined the enemy leaping to the left or right of the massive tree. Pop! Then, just before colliding with the giant tree, Mu-jin sharply twisted his body using his leg strength and the Celestial Weight technique. Bang! The ground Mu-jin stepped on exploded like a bomb, and his body flew to the left without losing much speed. Due to his tremendous speed and relentless body, some branches and bushes were crushed again. Well, at least the big trees are intact. Hyun-gwang thought that this level of damage was eptable. * * * About a month had passed since the qinggong training that involved running through Mount Songshans forest began. It seems the qinggong training has reached a satisfactory level. Returning with the wooden target in a much shorter time than on the first day, Hyun-gwang chuckled and spoke. Now, everyone had skillfully integrated the Celestial Weight technique into their own qinggong or stepping techniques. And above all else. If we proceed any further, Songshan will not remain intact. Mu-jin had to be stopped from further destroying the mountain forest. Compared to the first day, the number of bushes and trees he had destroyed had significantly decreased. Ignoring small obstacles, Mu-jin focused solely on speed with his simple yet forceful qinggong. Thanks to Hyun-gwangs advice, he could make sharp turns. Though his qinggong was still so crude that he ignored bushes and branches as he ran, it was Mu-jins unique qinggong. It was inevitable given that his martial art, named Mountain-Shattering Divine Step, was so powerful it could destroy mountains if mastered. The moment aplex and intricate maneuver was added, the current explosive power would be halved. Even the name Mountain-Shattering seemed to exceed the usual scope of qinggong. Hyun-gwang, watching Mu-jin with a peculiar expression, turned his gaze to the other three children. Hahaha. They are all achieving more than I expected. When Mu-jin first proposed training with the other children, Hyun-gwang had a simple reason for epting. It was just a choice for after I am gone. Hyun-gwang knew that Mu-jins nature didnt suit Shaolin. Thus, he feared that if he left, Mu-jin would drift away from Shaolin. He might even leave Shaolin entirely. So, he readily epted Mu-jins wish to train with the other third-generation disciples. Just as he remained on earth out of force, he hoped Mu-jin would stay in Shaolin because of his bond with the other children. But that was just the initial reason for epting the proposal. Teaching the four children, those thoughts had long since vanished. Even without Mu-jin, the other three children were talented enough to be called prodigies, making teaching them enjoyable. I must hope that those four will be the future of Shaolin. Amitabha. He hoped Shaolin would soon forget his absence when he was gone. * * * Having created a qinggong method perfectly suited for himself called Mountain-Shattering Divine Step, Mu-jin moved on to his next n. It was a n to open a new clinic branch to make money. For this, Mu-jin frequented Hyuncheon, the abbot of Shaolin, Chubodang, which managed the funds, the external affairs office, and even the Cheonryu Merchant Guild, with which he was working on medical matters. He also met with Ryu Ji-gwang. As a result, Mu-jin managed to open a new clinic in Luoyang as he had wanted. Naturally, the news also reached Ryu Seol-hwa. Master Mu-jin, is it true that you are opening a new clinic in Luoyang? Ryu Seol-hwa, who hade to visit as usual after four days, stuffed her mouth with a hearty meal and subtly asked Mu-jin. In response to her question, Mu-jin finished chewing and swallowing his food before speaking. Since it is a business with the Cheonryu Merchant Guild, I thought it was time to open a new branch. Then, may I join you there? Are you saying that, benefactor Seol-hwa? A hint of puzzlement appeared in Mu-jins eyes at her words. If you do that, there will be no one to care for the female patients whoe here. That is true Actually, because of that, I have a request for you, Master Mu-jin. If it is a request I can fulfill, I will do so. Thanks to Ryu Seol-hwa, Mu-jin had been secretly eating nourishing food without the Shaolin disciples knowledge, so he was willing to ept most requests. As Mu-jin stared at her intently, Ryu Seol-hwa tried to calm her trembling heart. Her heart was pounding not only because she was having a private conversation with Mu-jin but also because she was about to reveal her ambitions for the first time in her life to someone. I was thinking of managing all the future clinics, including those in Deungbong County and the new one in Luoyang. She had lived her life depending on others with her infinitely lowered self-esteem, and now she had to confess her aspirations to the man she admired the most. Though she tried to keep her head up, she couldnt bring herself to look Mu-jin directly in the eye, her face turning red as she shyly lowered her gaze. Watching her for a moment. Shes changed a lot. Mu-jin, realizing she was starting to break out of her shell, couldnt help but smile warmly. He thought it might be due to her steady exercise, which had slightly restored her self-esteem. As her former fitness center manager and the one who had taught her to exercise, it was a sight that warmed his heart. Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Unfinished Match (1) It doesnt seem like a bad idea. If its Lady Seol-hwa, she can certainly manage it. Th-thank you. Was it thanks to Mu-jins praise? Her face turned even redder, but she slightly lifted her head, which had been about to bow, and looked at Mu-jin. If I do this, I can get closer to Monk Mu-jin, right? However, separate from Mu-jins satisfaction, there was a bigger reason why she became so proactive. Ryu Seol-hwa had originally harbored such thoughts. Since Mu-jin was a disciple of Shaolin, she believed she was the only woman who could bring him back to secr life. She thought that the kind of temptation that would make Mu-jin abandon the name of Shaolin and martial arts could only be provided by herself and Cheonryu Sangdan.Therefore, she anticipated that Mu-jin would either marry her or continue living as a monk. But her positive outlook was shattered with the appearance of Jegal Jin-hee. Jegal Jin-hees Jegal family was known as one of the Five Great ns, on par with the Cheonryu Sangdan. Moreover, Jegal Jin-hee was considered a talented woman even within her n. Ryu Seol-hwa felt a sense of crisis, thinking that at this rate, Mu-jin could be taken away by her. Hence, she decided to act more assertively. But Mu-jin, unaware of her circumstances, was simply pleased. Feeling like he was looking at a young niece taking her first steps, Mu-jin felt the need to help her stand on her own. So, do you need my help to open and manage the new clinics? Yes. The clinic in Nanchang that we openedst time and the new one we will open in Luoyang are both unable to ept female patients. Since Lady Seol-hwa is the only one who knows my treatment methods. Mu-jin easily understood her intention. However, understanding her intention did not mean all problems were solved. I can teach my treatment methods to other women, but the head of the Sangdan will likely oppose it. Theres a risk that the women who learn the treatment methods might betray Cheonryu Sangdan and reveal them to other Sangdan. How should this problem be resolved? As Mu-jin was pondering a solution to help her, Ryu Seol-hwa cautiously opened her mouth. Ive already thought about that. Theres a simple way. We can hire women who have no need to betray us. Women who have no need to betray us? As Mu-jin tilted his head, unable to think of anyone, Ryu Seol-hwa added an exnation. The women from families that have a positive rtionship with our Cheonryu Sangdan. Not the women working in the Sangdan, but the ones from families who serve the imperial court? Yes, Monk Mu-jin. Would such women be willing to work in clinics? * * * In response to Mu-jins question, Ryu Seol-hwa answered confidently. It would be a favorable condition for them. As you know, Monk Mu-jin, the exercises done at the clinic are very beneficial for beauty. And women from such families are naturally interested in beauty. To be precise, it was more beneficial for body shape than for the face. This was something Ryu Seol-hwa herself felt the most strongly. And secondly, its advantageous for forming connections. While working at the Deungbong-hyeon clinic, Ive be acquainted with the daughters and mistresses of the influential families there, interacting with them daily. Therefore, if they manage the clinics in other counties, they will also be able to be acquainted with the high-ranking women there. If that happened, it could create a link between families living in distant regions. In other words, even as women, they could gain some influence within their families. Mu-jin, with his extensive social experience, easily understood the meaning behind her words. They say you cant hide your true nature, huh? Who would have thought that Ryu Seol-hwa had such a keen mind? Realizing that her hidden potential was blooming, Mu-jin dly pped his hands and praised her. Its truly a perfect n. I dont think the Sangdanju-nim will refuse Lady Seol-hwas n. Is it really a good n? Yes! T-then, is it okay to teach your treatment methods to other women? Well As Mu-jin was about to respond affirmatively, a thought suddenly shed through his mind. She had just mentioned that she intended to manage all the clinics that would be opened in the future. Inspired by her words, Mu-jin concealed his excitement and spoke. Before I do that, I have one condition. One condition? Yes. What is it? With a mix of tension and anticipation, Ryu Seol-hwa asked. She was hoping he might make a personal request to her. I would like you to bring exercise equipment into the existing and new clinics. She still hadnt fully grasped Mu-jins nature. If you mean rehabilitation equipment, were already nning to include them. Are you referring to other types of exercise equipment? Yes. Im talking about the kinds of equipment I once requested from you, those meant for strengthening the body. She hadnt realized yet that Mu-jin was obsessed with muscles. What if Ryu Seol-hwa was given full authority over the clinics and started expanding them throughout the Central ins, and each of these clinics was equipped with exercise equipment for Mu-jin to train his muscles? Just as fitness enthusiasts from the modern era book hotels with gyms when they travel, Mu-jin could train his muscles at these clinics whenever he traveled to a new region. Mu-jin had been worried about that point the most while foolishly building up his muscles with the help of the Jade Vajra Technique. Two years from now, after the martial artspetition, he would likely be traveling across various parts of the continent. If that happened, the muscles he had worked so hard to build would inevitably start to diminish. Building muscles required not only effort but also consistent exercise to maintain them. From that perspective, the condition Mu-jin had set was the best condition that could instantly eliminate his worries about muscle loss. Of course, that was only from Mu-jins standpoint. Ryu Seol-hwa, who had never imagined such a condition, responded in a reluctant tone. If its under those conditions, it might be possible. Upon hearing her answer, Mu-jin grabbed both of Ryu Seol-hwas hands with a genuinely grateful expression and expressed his thanks. Thank you, Seol-hwa Shi-ju-nim! Ryu Seol-hwas face blushed once again for some reason. * * * After a preparation period of about a month, the opening day of the clinic in Luoyang approached. Then Ill be off, Grandfather! And as promised, Mu-jin had tomute on foot from Shaolin Temple to Luoyang. Hahaha. Its been a while since Ist trained in Qinggong. How did we end up in this? Alongside Mu-jin were eight second-ss disciples and the deputy head of Chubodang. They were the ones who would manage the Luoyang clinic with Mu-jin and were also there to prevent any risks Mu-jin might encounter, like losing his way or having an ident on the journey to Luoyang. However, given Mu-jins current state, the risk of causing an ident was even greater. In the early morning, Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples departed from Shaolin Temple and reached Luoyang after a half-sijin (about an hour) of running. The distance between Shaolin Temple and Luoyang was roughly 120 li (about 60 km). They covered that distance in just half a sijin. And the days in Luoyang were very simr to the time spent in Nanchang. Mu-jin taught rehabilitation exercises, acupressure techniques, and close-range spear techniques to the secr Shaolin sect established in Luoyang and helped tend to visitors with them. In the afternoon, he would use Qinggong to return to Shaolin Temple, where he trained his muscles after dinner. Thus, Mu-jin spent his days practicing martial arts and physical training in the early mornings and evenings, training in Qinggong during hismute, and teaching treatment methods in Luoyang. Meanwhile, quite a distance from Songshan, in Wudang Mountain of Hubei Province. The Wudang Sect, known alongside Shaolin as the pir of orthodox sects and currently called the Supreme Sect of the World, was located in this renowned mountain. In the very depths of this mountain, there was a small, tranquil pavilion that seemed like an immortal might live there. Today, some very special news reached the owner of the pavilion, who had been living a life almostpletely disconnected from the world. The Shaolin Saint Monk has been resurrected? Are you saying that Hyun-gwang has recovered his body? Yes, Senior Uncle. The old man sitting cross-legged on a tform, which was ced there to enjoy the view of the clouds and mountains below, stroked his long white beard a few times with his eyes closed, looking like an immortal. Having made up his mind, the old man opened his eyes wide and stood up from the tform. Are you going, Senior Uncle Yunheo? It seems I must settle an old score. As he spoke, Yunheo Zhenren stretched out his hand, and the Songmun Antique Sword in his pavilion flew through the air into the old mans hand. Yunheo Zhenren. One of the Three Swords Under Heaven and known as the Taiji Sword Immortal, he awakened from his long seclusion. * * * Two months had passed since the clinic in Luoyang had opened. During those two months, Mu-jin had consistently practiced Qinggong whilemuting between Shaolin and Luoyang. In the first few days, just traveling the 120 li (about 60 km) was exhausting, but after his stamina and internal energy usage improved, he started attempting various techniques. He alternated between running slowly and at maximum speed, trying to enhance the momentary eleration of the Po Mountain God Steps. Following Hyun-gwangs advice, he also trained by sprinting as if chasing a fleeing enemy, while simultaneously practicing dodging to the left and right. However, no matter how much Qinggong training he did during hismute between Luoyang and Shaolin, the time he spent in Luoyang felt like a waste to Mu-jin. For someone who needed to start moving in earnest after the martial artspetition, spending time caring for patients in the clinic was quite frustrating. Even though Mu-jin enjoyed caring for the elderly and was investing in giving the miraculous medicine to the Three Undefeated Warriors, it was still troubling. Fortunately, on the day marking the second month, a savior came to Mu-jin. Sorry for beingte, Monk Mu-jin. Mu-jin responded with a bow to her, who greeted him with a bright smile. Not at all, Shi-ju-nim Seol-hwa. The reason she camete to Luoyang was to receive a handover from Ryu Ji-gwang regarding the clinic business and, most importantly, to train a sessor to manage the clinic in Deungbong-hyeon. Mu-jin warmly weed Ryu Seol-hwa, who hade to visit after two months. Then Ill leave the Luoyang branch in your capable hands, Shi-ju-nim Seol-hwa. Yes. I look forward to working with you, Monk Mu-jin. Look forward to working with me? What do you mean by that? Werent we supposed to receive patients together now? Since Shi-ju-nim Seol-hwa is here, I thought I would return to Shaolin? At Mu-jins words, her bright smile froze. Though her mouth smiled, her eyes shook violently for some reason. If this was the n, there was no need to rush here!! It was Ryu Seol-hwas silent outcry. Are you saying, Monk Mu-jin, that you wonte to Luoyang at all now? Hearing the slight tremor in her voice, Mu-jin fell into a brief contemtion. Hmm. With Ryu Seol-hwa not in Deungbong-hyeon, even if I go there, I wont get any no, I wont be able to eat any nourishing food, right? To eat nourishing food, he needed Ryu Seol-hwa. Reaching that thought, Mu-jin answered with a bright smile. As I did in Deungbong-hyeon, I will visit every five days, Shi-ju-nim Seol-hwa. Mu-jin, who had improved his Qinggong, could now run to Luoyang in less than half a sijin, so he could easily make the trip for the sake of nourishing food. With Mu-jins bright answer, Ryu Seol-hwa thought. Right. I couldnt see him for two months. Its better to see him once every five days than not at all. She was indeed a very positive person. Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Unfinished Duel (2) Mu-jin, who had returned to Shaolin, resumed his rigorous martial arts training at Hyun-gwangs residence. A few dayster, a first-ss disciple from the Ji-guest Hall visited Hyun-gwangs quarters. Master Uncle Hyun-gwang, a guest has arrived from Wudang. Along with the guest were two individuals, one old and one young. The elder had the appearance of an immortal, while the youth had a clear and fresh impression. As if familiar with the elder, Hyun-gwang greeted them warmly with a gentle smile. Hahaha. Its been a long time, Daoist Malko. At Hyun-gwangs unexpected greeting, a vein stood out on the old mans forehead. The youth beside him seemed startled and unsure of how to react. You seem to have changed while we were apart, you bald monk.The old man, refusing to be outdone, responded, but Hyun-gwang simplyughed it off. Hahaha. Judging by the atmosphere, it doesnt seem like you came just to chat. We need to settle the match we couldnt finish because you were bedridden. Hmm. At the old mans words, Hyun-gwang stroked his beard for a moment. It seems if we had the match here, the pavilion wouldnt survive. Shall we move to another location? From the way you speak, it seems the rumors werent false. After a brief exchange of words and a stare-off between Hyun-gwang and the old man. Mu-jin, follow me. Yes, Grandfather. Rising from his seat, Hyun-gwang beckoned Mu-jin to join them. With Hyun-gwang leading the way, the old man and the youth followed without a word. As they walked along with Hyun-gwang, Mu-jin, now skilled enough in Qi maniption to use sound transmission, asked a question that had been nagging at him. C Grandfather, who is that old man to be challenging you to a match? C Hahaha. He is Yunheo Zhenren from Wudang, known as Malko. At Hyun-gwangs answer, Mu-jin couldnt help but be astonished. The only relief was that he did not make the mistake of turning around. Yunheo Zhenren. A name mentioned multiple times in the novel as one of the Three Swords of the World. People have a penchant for ranking things, and this habit extends to the world of martial arts novels as well. Typically, if there was a singrly outstanding master, they would be called the Supreme Martial Artist, but such cases were rare. Therefore, people usually selected the ten most renowned masters and discussed them as the Ten Great Masters of the World. However, in their era, there were three exceptionally distinguished masters among those ten, all skilled with the sword, and they were referred to as the Three Swords of the World. The Taiji Sword Immortal of Wudang. The Namgung Sword Emperor of the Namgung family. The Heavenly Sword Emperor of the Pa-gyeom Sect. In the current martial arts world, the three strongest individuals stood at the top, with the Seven Kings below them. But why would one of the Three Swords of the World, known as the Taiji Sword Immortal, seek out Hyun-gwang? Grandfather, were you originally acquainted with the Taiji Sword Immortal? Hahaha, we merely discussed martial arts a few times in our younger days. After answering up to that point with Hyegwang Sim-eon, Hyun-gwang suddenly spoke up. And theres no need to use telepathy, Mu-jin. If its that old Taoist, he could easily eavesdrop on our telepathic conversation. Ahem. The Yunheo Zhenren, who had indeed been eavesdropping on Mu-jins telepathic conversation, gave an awkward cough. But even in that moment, he was thinking something else in his mind. The young monks voice was heard, but not Hyun-gwangs. A method he couldnt hear. Theres no doubt he used Hyegwang Sim-eon. If he used Hyegwang Sim-eon to that extent, it was highly likely that the rumors about Hyun-gwang recovering his martial arts were true. After that, the four of them walked along the mountain path of Songshan in awkward silence. This ce seems suitable. Before long, they arrived at a suitably spacious mountain mid-slope. Hyun-gwang, who had been walking ahead, turned around with his hands behind his back and looked at Yunheo Zhenren. Shall we begin? At Hyun-gwangs question, Yunheo Zhenren pondered briefly before opening his mouth. Before that, Id like to hear your answer. Have you truly recovered? I wont becking in facing the old Taoist. Hahaha. As if making up his mind at Hyun-gwangs reply, Yunheo Zhenren drew out the Songmun Antique Sword and spoke to the young man beside him. It could be dangerous, so step back a little and watch. Yes, great master. Hyun-gwang also nced at Mu-jin, who was beside him, and Mu-jin tactfully stepped back. Perhaps because the stage was all set. Lets begin. As soon as Yunheo Zhenren spoke, he swung his sword. No, he must have swung it. For Mu-jins eyes couldnt properly follow Yunheo Zhenrens movement. At some point, Yunheo Zhenrens Songmun Antique Sword had traced from right to left. The sword energy, leaving a faint trajectory in the air, burst forth right in front of Hyun-gwang. And simrly, at some point, a barrier formed of natural energy had manifested in front of Hyun-gwang. Huh. Yunheo Zhenren let out a shortugh, surprised at the barrier that had formed without even sensing the energy gathering for it. Then, try blocking this one as well. With that shout, Yunheo Zhenrens sword began to draw countless circles in the air. Countless sword energies poured out from the circles his sword had drawn in the air, only to be blocked by Hyun-gwangs barrier and dissipate without exception. Boom!!! However, among the sword energies that burst forth without any trouble, there were some that created particrly loud explosions. Sword Force! It was only then that Mu-jin realized those were not mere sword energies but Sword Force. To shoot out so many sword energies and mix in Sword Force intermittently. The past duel between Hye-gwan and Paedobangju naturally came to Mu-jins mind. Both Hye-gwan and Paedobangju had reached the level where they could create Strong Force but did not use it recklessly. This was because there would inevitably be a gap created while generating Strong Force. But Yunheo Zhenren, not only did he create Sword Force as if pulling out sword energies, but he also mixed them to enhance the effect. Indeed, the Sword Force was such a powerful attack that even a barrier formed from natural energy had difficulty blocking it. Hyun-gwang, letting out a hollowugh, moved his feet for the first time. Hahaha. Avoiding the sword energies and Sword Force sent by Yunheo Zhenren, Hyun-gwang assumed the most basic stance of the Shaolin martial arts, the fundamental straight punch posture. At the same time, massive natural energy was drawn into Hyun-gwangs fist. From the point of Hyun-gwangs fist, which was thrust so quickly that Mu-jins eyes couldnt follow, a vast amount of energy burst forth. It was not Strong Force. Calling it Fist Energy would beughable. If one had to describe it, it was a tidal wave of energy. A flood of energy surged forward, seeming to engulf Yunheo Zhenren. Despite the overwhelming scene, Yunheo Zhenrens eyes remained calm. Just as before, Yunheo Zhenren began drawing countless circles in the air with his Songmun Antique Sword. And at the moment when the vast tidal wave of energy touched Yunheo Zhenrens seemingly tiny Songmun Antique Sword, !!! There was neither a massive explosion nor any explosive noise. The Songmun Antique Sword did not block the path of the tidal wave. Instead, it guided the wave by drawing countless circles, directing it forward. Swish. Under Yunheo Zhenrens guidance, the tidal wave of energy twisted and turned, colliding and neutralizing itself, disappearingpletely. Hahaha. It seems your skills have greatly improved since Ist saw you, old Taoist. You too, bald monk. I heard you had recovered, but it seems youve even surpassed your previous limits. After exchanging a single blow, Hyun-gwang and Yunheo Zhenren conversed with peculiar expressions. Today, we can finally settle the promised duel. Hahaha. Isnt it strange to talk about a duel now after losing five times already? Old Taoist. The one who wins in the end is the true victor. Saying so, Yunheo Zhenren, with veins bulging on his forehead, resumed his stance. Yunheo Zhenren, known as one of the Three Swords of the World, had not made a name for himself in his youth. To be precise, he had always been the eternal second. From his childhood, Yunheo Zhenren was called a prodigy born of Wudang, but soon after, Hyun-gwang, three years younger than him, began to make a name for himself. Naturally, the two prodigies had to sh eventually. And during their youth, Hyun-gwangs nickname was The Greatest Prodigy in the World, so every time, it was Yunheo Zhenren who ended up defeated. Starting from their youth, over the span of ten years, Yunheo Zhenren was defeated by Hyun-gwang five times. After thest duel, he made a promise. I acknowledge that you are superior now. But Wudangs martial arts are not weak. I will refine my skills for ten years and then challenge you again! Hyun-gwang had epted Yunheo Zhenrens outcry with his characteristicpassionate smile. But before the promised ten years had passed, News arrived for Yunheo Zhenren, who was secluded and training endlessly on Wudang Mountain. It was the news that Hyun-gwang had be a cripple. Hearing that the man who had been his most formidable rival and the wall he could not surpass for over a decade had fallen, Yunheo Zhenren felt emptiness rather than joy. The world is indeed futile. On the day he realized that no matter how hard humans tried and became strong, they couldnt resist the flow of the world, Yunheo Zhenrenprehended the true meaning of the Taiji Sword Technique, which he had been practicing only with his five senses. And when he emerged from his ten-year seclusion, as promised to Hyun-gwang, He was just past forty, and the world bestowed upon him the title of one of the Ten Great Masters of the World. Nearly thirty years had passed since that day. Now, he was known as one of the Three Swords of the World. I will show you what I have gained in myter years. Try blocking this as well. Yunheo Zhenren threw the Songmun Antique Sword, which he had been holding, into the air. Whish. The Songmun Antique Sword, which had soared into the air, suddenly stopped and flew towards Hyun-gwang. The Qi Control Sword Technique. It was a miraculous skill that seemed toe out of ancient tales. The Songmun Antique Sword, flying through the air at an incredible speed, reached right in front of Hyun-gwang. But Hyun-gwang had already formed a barrier, and soon, the Songmun Antique Sword collided with the barrier, creating a loud explosion. A Sword Force had been oveid on the sword tip of the Songmun Antique Sword, which was floating in the air through the Qi Control Sword Technique. Even after that, the Songmun Antique Sword glided smoothly through the air, drawing circles as if Yunheo Zhenren himself was wielding it. It was the Taiji Sword Technique performed with the Qi Control Sword Technique. However, Hyun-gwang calmly blocked it with his barrier or struck it down with natural energy-enhanced Striking Bone Technique. Focusing on the spar to not miss a single move, Mu-jin saw Yunheo Zhenrens figure. He has reached the level of Hand-Controlled Sword. The realm of using ones hands to perform the Qi Control Sword Technique. Yunheo Zhenren was raising his left index and middle fingers as if they were a sword, moving them here and there to perform the Taiji Sword Technique. Matching his finger movements, the Songmun Antique Sword danced towards Hyun-gwang. But as Hyun-gwang blocked all the sword techniques, perhaps feeling frustrated, Ha! Yunheo Zhenren suddenly let out a shout and extended his right hand. His right hand reached out to the young Taoist standing beside him, and the young Taoists sword flew straight into Yunheo Zhenrens hand. Surprisingly, Yunheo Zhenren, while performing the Qi Control Sword Technique with his left hand, Ha! At the same time, swung the sword in his right hand, scattering sword energy and Sword Force. Hahaha. It seems youve mastered the Liangyi Divine Technique as well. It was Wudangs secret technique, which allowed one to divide their mind in two. Watching Yunheo Zhenren and Hyun-gwangs duel, with Yunheo Zhenren using the Liangyi Divine Technique, Mu-jin thought, What is this a battle of monsters? Chapter 88: Chapter 88: The Unfinished Battle (3) Yunheo Zhenren sometimes used the Songmun Antique Sword to pressure Hyun-gwang from a distance, unleashing sword energy and sword aura. Other times, he moved directly, attacking from the left and right with the Songmun Antique Sword, or surrounding and assaulting from the front and back. Thanks to thebined capabilities of the Liangyi Divine Technique and Sword Control Technique, Yunheo Zhenren was performing a perfectbination technique alone. However, even with such relentless ferocity, he could not bring Hyun-gwang down. Hyun-gwang used natural qi to block or deflect Yunheo Zhenrens attacks, asionally evading the Songmun Antique Sword and directing natural qi at Yunheo Zhenren. Sword energy, sword aura, sword control technique, qi st, natural qi, and more. The ultimate techniques used by the two elders continued to fill the air, making it hard to tell if this was reality or a dream. It felt like watching a battle between immortals. Watching their duel, one couldnt help but feel overwhelmed.Could I ever reach that level? When watching Hye-gwan and the Paedobangju fight, Mu-jin felt he might reach that level if he worked hard enough, but todays duel was on an entirely different level. However. I must reach it. No, even if I cant, I must at least pave the way for others to reach it. Mu-jin repeatedly reminded himself. This was not about whether it could be done; it was a matter of necessity. The reason was clear: one of the Three Swords of the World was deeply connected to the hidden forces. This meant that they would inevitably sh in the future. While Mu-jin focused on the duel, thinking about the future, time passed, and as with any duel, no matter how evenly matched, a winner would eventually emerge. Hoo. Yunheo Zhenren, who had been filling the air with countless sword energies and auras, retrieved the Songmun Antique Sword with his Sword Control Technique and took a deep breath. Although Mu-jin did not notice, Yunheo Zhenrens arm was trembling very slightly. Suppressing the symptom with effort, Yunheo Zhenren spoke in a calm tone. Indeed, natural qi. Its limits are nowhere in sight. With those words, Mu-jin realized why Yunheo Zhenren had suddenly stopped moving. Hes exhausted his internal energy! Indeed, no matter how abundant his internal energy, it would be strange if anything was left after using such massive amounts of sword aura and Sword Control Technique so recklessly. On the other hand, since Hyun-gwang was using natural qi, his usable energy could be considered limitless. Understanding the meaning behind Yunheo Zhenrens words, Hyun-gwang responded with a gentle smile. Hehehe. It is merely that what I understood with my mind has touched my heart. Your nonchnt attitude, then and now, still gets on peoples nerves, you damned monk. What can I do when its the truth? At Hyun-gwangs words, Yunheo Zhenren clicked his tongue lightly and asked. Then, has your body recovered because you have surpassed the barrier? Hahaha. The reason my body is healed is thanks to our Mu-jin here. Hyun-gwang, pointing to Mu-jin who had been watching the duel from the back, gave a lengthy speech about Mu-jins healing methods, almost as if boasting about his grandchild. Hearing Hyun-gwangs praise, Yunheo Zhenrens eyes surprisingly showed astonishment. Huh. A healing and training method that corrects damaged muscles and bones and develops them into the desired form. If what he said was true, it would indeed be knowledge that could bring about significant changes in the martial arts world. Even someone like Yunheo Zhenren, one of the Three Swords of the World, coveted that knowledge, so there was no need to say more. Khm. As Yunheo Zhenren struggled to ignore the aching pain in his wrist and organized his thoughts, Hyun-gwang unexpectedly made a suggestion. Hahaha. It seems you have some difort. How about showing it to Mu-jin? You knew? Theres a saying, Those who suffer together understand each other. A person who has experienced pain knows the feelings of another in pain. Hahaha. With a lightugh, Hyun-gwang turned to look at Mu-jin. Mu-jin, why dont you take a look at Master Yunheos condition? Yes, Grandfather. Mu-jin responded to Hyun-gwang and cautiously approached Yunheo Zhenren. As Yunheo Zhenren watched Mu-jin with aplicated expression, he handed the sword he was holding back to the young master and extended his right hand forward. My right hand isnt in good condition. Can you treat it? Let me check it first. Mu-jin replied and started to press around Yunheo Zhenrens wrist little by little. How does it feel when I press here? Its difficult to diagnose urately if you endure the pain. These martial artists seemed to consider enduring pain as a virtue, and Yunheo Zhenren was also stubbornly enduring the pain. Do you perhaps feel a tingling numbness along with the pain at the fingertips? Yes. Looking at Yunheo Zhenren, who answered as if admitting to a weakness, Mu-jin sighed inwardly. Its carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome, also known as wrist tunnel syndrome. After a few words of conversation and pressing here and there, it seemed certain. Now, extend your arm forward like me, fold your thumb in first, and then grasp your thumb with the remaining four fingers. Following Mu-jins instructions, Yunheo Zhenren moved his hand, and Mu-jin added more instructions. In that state, move your wrist to bend your hand downward. As Yunheo Zhenren bent his hand downward following Mu-jins instructions, Mu-jin did not miss the cold sweat on Yunheo Zhenrens forehead and the momentarily furrowed eyebrows. Wow. Tendinitis in the wrist too. How did he even wield a sword with a wrist like that? What Mu-jin performed was the mostmonly used self-diagnostic method for wrist tendinitis, known as the Finkelstein test. How is it? When Mu-jin, who had been performing strange actions with his hand, closed his mouth, Yunheo Zhenren asked in a calm tone. The condition is very serious. You mean it cant be cured. It can be cured, but it will take some time. Honestly, seeing your wrist reminds me of when I first met Grandfather Hyun-gwang. Huh. Are you saying you can fix this wrist? Yunheo Zhenren asked in a slightly skeptical tone. Well, he did say that he healed that friend Hyun-gwang, who was rumored to have be a cripple. Yunheo Zhenren quickly concluded that there was no need to doubt Mu-jins words. He knew how crippled Hyun-gwang had be just from the rumors at the time. Shaolin had tried to cure Hyun-gwang even if it meant uprooting its foundation, but they eventually gave up after five years. This boy had seeded in a treatment that even Shaolin had given up on. Reaching this point in his thoughts, Yunheo Zhenren spoke in aposed tone. Then, can you treat this old mans hand? No, can you teach me the treatment method? If you do, I will grant you one favor, anything within my power. It was an incredibly generous offer. However, Yunheo Zhenrens reason for proposing such conditions was not simply for the sake of his wrist. If I can learn the treatment method, Wudang can make significant progress. In fact, the symptoms Yunheo Zhenren was experiencing were not unique to him alone. The majority of Wudangs swordsmen, regardless of age, faced this issue. Wudangs swordsmanship was fundamentally based on the principle of softness. Commonly known as softness oveing hardness, this principle, while seemingly excellent, had one major w. To reach the level where strong forces were redirected through the technique of softness, the wrist had to be excessively strained. Rather than directly shing, redirecting powerful forces softly ced enormous stress on the wrist if the technique wascking. Especially during their early years as third-ss disciples when their internal energy was still insufficient, the burden was even greater. Eventually, by the time they perfected the technique through such strenuous processes, nine out of ten would have damaged wrists. Despite their damaged wrists, Wudang swordsmen could freely wield their soft swordsmanship because, ironically, anyone who had perfected the technique to that level had considerable internal energy. Topensate for the damaged wrist muscles, he wielded the sword using the power of his internal energy. In fact, Yunheo Zhenren had also sparred with Hyun-gwang using that method, and at the end of the duel, intense pain started to rise from his wrist as his internal energy depleted. However, whether Yunheo Zhenren knew the true intentions or not, Mu-jin responded in a calm tone. I can help with the treatment, but teaching the method might be difficult. Its due to a contract with Cheonryu Sangdan. Cheonryu Sangdan? Are you referring to the Cheonryu Sangdan, known as one of the Five Great Merchant Groups? Shaolin, which practically severed ties with the mundane world, had entered into a contract with a merchant group? Likewise, Yunheo Zhenren, who had also severed ties with the mundane world, couldnt easily understand Mu-jins words. To Yunheo Zhenrens question, Mu-jin briefly exined the contract between Shaolin and Cheonryu Sangdan and the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. I understand that you cannot teach the method. Then, can you perhaps teach me a training method to strengthen the wrist? If you do, as promised earlier, I will fulfill any request you have, within my ability. At Yunheo Zhenrens words, Mu-jin sensed some unease. Why is he so obsessed? He had already reached the peak of martial arts, and he was an old man. What was he missing that made him cling to the treatment method or the training method despite being offered treatment? Since guessing alone wouldnt provide any answers, Mu-jin just asked outright. I dont understand why the Taiji Sword Immortal, who has already reached such heights, is cing such great conditions on my modest training method. Yunheo Zhenren pondered for a moment at Mu-jins question. Most Wudang swordsmen suffered from wrist pain, which could be considered a weakness of Wudang. Would it be right to reveal such a weakness of Wudang to this young monk? In his contemtion, Yunheo Zhenren nced at Hyun-gwang. Once his greatest rival and the wall he had to ovee, but now a crippled friend. Turning back, Yunheo Zhenren looked at Mu-jin. The young monk who had cured hispletely crippled friend with mysterious medical skills. Hyun-gwang, his old rival, wasnt someone who would lie, so there was no reason to doubt the treatment method or training method of this boy. Having reached this conclusion, Yunheo Zhenren looked at the young Taoist who had been silently watching the situation unfold. The young prodigy who would shoulder the future of Wudang after his departure. What does it matter about our current weakness? If I can learn the training method, there will be no match for Wudang when this boy matures. Having sorted out his thoughts, Yunheo Zhenren turned his gaze back to Mu-jin and spoke. In truth, I am not the only one suffering from this condition. Our Wudangs swordsmanship is so profound that it can only be mastered through rigorous training. And many who undergo this rigorous training end up damaging their wrists. Ah Only then did Mu-jin grasp the situation. This is a bigger deal than I thought. Initially, he thought it was just about treating Yunheo Zhenrens wrist. He intended to just help with the treatment and be done with it. How can I take advantage of this? If it meant granting a favor to the entire Wudang, the calctions changed. After a moment of deliberation, Mu-jin calmly opened his mouth. If that is the case, I will dly teach you. But before that, may I ask a question? Speak. You said you would grant any request within your ability. Could you punish Hyeok Jin-gang? Hyeok Jin-gang, known as the Breaker of Swords, also had the moniker of the Heavenly Sword Emperor and was one of the Three Swords of the World, just like the Taiji Sword Immortal. He was deeply involved with hidden forces and was someone who must be eliminated. Thus, Mu-jin thought of using a stratagem to kill with a borrowed knife. Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Unfinished Duel (4) It is not possible. Yunheo Zhenren replied immediately, as if there was no room for hesitation, and added a further exnation. To be precise, it is possible to fight him, but that would result in too much bloodshed in Jianghu. I would wield my sword to save someone, but I cannot wield a sword that would spill so much blood. At Yunheo Zhenrens excuse, which was not really an excuse, Mu-jin merely nodded, thinking, as expected. Hyeok Jin-gang was the leader of an organization called the Pa-gyeom Sect. And Pa-gyeom Sect was one of the seven pirs of the demonic faction, known as the Seven Pirs. The organization that these Seven Pirs had formed an alliance with was called the Demonic Alliance (???), and Hyeok Jin-gang was not only the leader of Pa-gyeom Sect but also the leader of the Demonic Alliance. In other words, if Yunheo Zhenren were to fight Hyeok Jin-gang, it could directly lead to a great war between the righteous and demonic factions. Knowing these circumstances, Mu-jin had only asked out of a just in case mindset.In fact, if a war between the righteous and demonic factions broke out, it would be fortunate; the worst-case scenario would be if only Wudang sufferedplete destruction. Despite the existence of the Demonic Alliance and the powerful entities known as the Seven Pirs within the demonic faction, the righteous faction held a significant advantage. There were as many as fifteen entities in the righteous factionparable to the Seven Pirs, including the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families. However, because the bnce of power was so skewed, the righteous faction rarely united easily. They were constantly engaged in underhanded deals and power struggles to gain more significant advantages over one another. This behavior was especially pronounced since most of therge righteous factions were located close to each other. If Yunheo Zhenren were to attack the Demonic Alliance and confront Hyeok Jin-gang, there was a high chance that the Jegal family, which shared Hubei Province with Wudang, would support the Demonic Alliance from behind. Outwardly, they would pretend to criticize the Demonic Alliance while doing so. Therefore, to deal with Hyeok Jin-gang, at least one of three conditions had to be met. Unite the righteous faction as one. Create a single force capable of opposing the Demonic Alliance. Or make the Demonic Alliance copse from within. Hmm. Should I rather use Wudang to keep the Jegal family in check? Not immediately, but certainly, someday an incident rted to the hidden forces within the Jegal family would ur. If history were to follow its original course, Jegal Jin-hee would also lose her life due to that incident. I have built some rapport with her, so maybe I could intervene before the incident happens? If Jegal Jin-hee provided information in advance, it might be possible to resolve the incident through Wudang. When Mu-jin was deeply contemting thatplicated matter, Yunheo Zhenren asked him a question. By the way, why is a disciple of Shaolin like you trying to make such a cruel request? A request for an assassination. It was something unbefitting a Shaolin disciple. In response to Yunheo Zhenrens question, Mu-jin gave an answer he had prepared in advance. I have a personal grudge against the Pa-gyeom Sect from my time in the secr world. Anyway, they were a demonic faction, so there would be many who held grudges against them. It was a convenient excuse to deflect the reason. I see, thats how it is. Suddenly, Hyun-gwang joined the conversation. What does he mean by thats how it is? Mu-jin looked at Hyun-gwang, trying hard to hide his bewildered feelings. I heard from senior brother Bang-geon. He said that your family was exterminated, Mu-jin. The First-ss Disciple who found you as an orphan on the streets brought you into Shaolin, and now it seems the ones who destroyed your family were from the Pa-gyeom Sect. Th-thats right! Does this really work out this way? Mu-jin thought to himself, but he responded, trying to appear calm. Fortunately, Mu-jins acting seemed to work, as not only Hyun-gwang, but also Yunheo Zhenren and the young Taoist priest next to him looked at him with sympathetic expressions. How could I, this old man, understand the resentment of losing ones family? Even though you joined Shaolin, I wouldnt force you to calm that feeling. So dont worry, Mu-jin. Amitabha. Amitabha. Stay strong. Amitabha. With theforting words from the old master, Yunheo Zhenrens bitter expression, and the young Taoist priests encouragement, Mu-jin felt strangely ufortable. Ahem. Im much better now. I just asked on a whim. I couldnt think of anything to request right away. The grudge must have been so great that you couldnt think of another wish Dont worry. Even if I dont intervene, that person has umted countless grudges. As they say, The of heaven is vast and wide, but nothing escapes it. Someday, that person will be punished. The of heaven is vast and wide, but nothing escapes it. It meant that someday, Hyeok Jin-gang would receive divine retribution. No, I mean, I dont actually have a personal grudge. There was no way he could reveal the truth now. Mu-jin felt the need to change the subject. Then, Ill make the requestter. For now, can we proceed with the treatment first? Oh, I must have made you very ufortable. Please, go ahead. Perhaps due to the pitiful story Mu-jin shared, Yunheo Zhenren extended his arm with a much friendlier attitude. Mu-jin began with acupressure as usual, then used simple Close-Range Spear Techniques to loosen the wrist and surrounding muscles. Please remember the movements I show you now and practice them slowly once or twice a day. Then, Mu-jin turned his head to look at Hyun-gwang. Grandfather, please only perform heat therapy. In addition to tenosynovitis, Yunheo Zhenren also had carpal tunnel syndrome, and the symptoms were quite severe. Rehabilitation therapy would have been counterproductive, so Mu-jin decided to proceed with acupressure, Close-Range Spear Techniques, and heat therapy only. If only we had paraffin. Paraffin, the mostmonly used tool for wrist treatment, was not something he could easily acquire. While Hyun-gwang emitted heat onto Yunheo Zhenrens wrist, Mu-jin, who had prepared paper and ink, began to write something down on the paper. Living with the medical staff at the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic, he had learned about medicinal herbs effective for inmmation and noted them down. Lastly, wrap this cloth around your wrist like this. Its best to put down the sword until the painpletely subsides. If you absolutely cant put it down, just hold it without swinging it. Saying this, Mu-jin wrapped Yunheo Zhenrens wrist and hand with the cloth, almost like a wrist guard. If you loosen your wrist once a day with Close-Range Spear Techniques, receive heat therapy, and take these medicinal herbs, you will gradually see improvement, provided you dont overexert yourself. Mu-jin added more words afterpleting the prescription. This process will take quite some time. Do you n to stay at Shaolin or in Deungbong-hyeon? Yunheo Zhenren, who seemed to ponder Mu-jins question for a moment, carefully asked. If possible, could you apany me to Wudang? Wudang? Yes. As I mentioned earlier, there are several patients in Wudang, not just myself. So, if its alright with you, I would like you toe to Wudang with me. Ah! If you agree toe with me, I will never forget this favor. Hearing Yunheo Zhenrens urgent words, Mu-jin nced subtly at Hyun-gwang. Hahaha. Wudangs martial arts are also excellent, so experiencing them firsthand would be good. When Hyun-gwang indirectly expressed his approval, Yunheo Zhenren stroked his beard and spoke. Hmm. You mean to disguise it as an exchange visit rather than a treatment trip. Thank you for your consideration. Only after hearing Yunheo Zhenrens words did Mu-jin grasp Hyun-gwangs hidden intention. If the rumor spread that Mu-jin went to Wudang for treatment, it would inevitably lead to talks about problems in Wudang. To prevent such issues in advance, they proposed the excuse of an exchange visit. Hahaha, why bother with a false pretense? Mu-jin is in the midst of honing his skills, so he genuinely needs the exchange. Dont worry, Daoist Mal-ko. Dont worry. Im more than happy to wee martial arts exchanges, given the favor Im receiving. With Yunheo Zhenrens curt speech, Hyun-gwangughed heartily and added. In that case, we need some time to arrange an official exchange visit. Wudang must also prepare to receive guests. Ill return to Wudang tomorrow and report this matter to the head of our sect. Thus, the martial arts exchange between Shaolin and Wudang was established. In reality, it was Mu-jins treatment expedition. * * * That evening. At Hyun-gwangs residence, Yunheo Zhenren and Hyun-gwang sat facing each other. Hahaha. Would you like a drink too, Daoist Mal-ko? As Hyun-gwangughed heartily and offered a drink of the Xiao Hong Wine gifted by Hye-gwan, Yunheo Zhenren let out a dryugh. Truly, youve be a real drunkard since Ist saw you. Daoist Yunheo, who spoke so nonchntly, also extended his cup as if it were natural, epting and drinking the Xiao Hong Liquor. The two elders alternated drinking the Xiao Hong Liquor for a while without saying a word. And perhaps because he was slightly intoxicated, Daoist Yunheo clicked his tongue once and began to speak. Click. I thought that damned monk was just lying around, but it seems he picked up and raised a strange kid from somewhere. Its the same for both of us. Daoist Mal-ko also brought a peculiar child. Didnt you intend to show that child the duel? Click. And werent you, too, nning to show the duel to that boy, Mu-jin? In response to Daoist Yunheos question, Hyun-gwang tilted his cup instead of giving a direct answer. Watching him for a moment, Daoist Yunheo asked, So, is that boy Mu-jin continuing your teachings? As always, this monk merely pointed out the direction. Daoist Yunheo could grasp the underlying meaning in Hyun-gwangs usual nonchnt response. A child who can realize it on his own just by being pointed in the right direction. Heh heh heh. Listening to Hyun-gwangsughter, Daoist Yunheo recalled Mu-jins appearance from today. Given that Daoist Yunheo had already reached an exalted state, he could roughly gauge Mu-jins level through his gait, each of his movements, his aura, and his developed muscles. Even with those alone, Mu-jin had already far surpassed the level of his peers. However, that was equally true for his own grand disciple. Reading the pride on Daoist Yunheos face, Hyun-gwang lightlyughed and asked, What kind of child is that young Daoist? If I were to describe Cheong-su with one word, Sword Fool would be the most fitting. Sword Fool. A fool for the sword. It did not mean a fool who could not master the sword. It meant a fool who knew nothing but the sword. Come to think of it, were in simr situations. I also do not so much teach that child martial arts as I point out the direction of life. So that the child wont use the sword for nefarious purposes. The obsession of a Sword Fool towards the sword could lead them to be a Sword Immortal if they went in the right direction, but if they grew in the wrong direction, they could be a Sword Demon. Indeed, a Sword Fool That exins why he was so mesmerized by Daoist Mal-kos sword. While exchanging techniques with Daoist Yunheo, Hyun-gwang had also been observing the young Daoist named Cheong-su. He had noticed the look of ecstasy on Cheong-sus face as he watched Daoist Yunheos swordsmanship. Daoist Yunheo had also been watching Mu-jin closely. That boy Mu-jin is quite unique. Despite facing an overwhelmingly high level, he didnt get intimidated. At first, he seemed surprised, but there was a determined look in his eyes. Thats precisely why I bothered to show him the duel. Heh heh heh. Hyun-gwangsughter was filled with pride and affection for Mu-jin. As he observed Hyun-gwang for a moment, Daoist Yunheo recalled the various behaviors Hyun-gwang had disyed throughout the day. Naturally, Daoist Yunheo came to a crucial realization. It seems you havent changed, but have done it intentionally. Despite gaining great enlightenment, you chose to remain in the mortal world. In his youth, Hyun-gwang had been a figure who embodied the term Buddhist. That same person was now calling him Daoist Mal-ko and engaging in bizarre behaviors such as drinking alcohol, which had puzzled him. Daoist Yunheo realized that these were deliberate actions by Hyun-gwang. What attachment made you forgo such a precious opportunity? If its Daoist Mal-ko, you can surely guess. Disciples. And the sect. Because he had simr concerns, Daoist Yunheo could easily deduce it. Then, how much time do you have left? Roughly five years, Id say. Ill visit you often, then. Heh heh heh. Theres no need. Our remaining time isnt that long. It would only increase the lingering regrets. Would you even have lingering regrets for me? Daoist Yunheo smiled faintly at the remark. And the two quietly sipped their drinks, as if there was no need to continue the conversation. By the way, Mu-jins qi is quite remarkable. Did you perhaps give him a Great Restoration Pill? Heh heh heh. It happened by chance. Click. No matter how much you dote on your grandson, giving him a Great Restoration Pill already. Didnt you also give a Supreme Pill to that boy, Cheong-su? Daoist Mal-ko. Cheong-su has the talent to deserve it! Mu-jin is no different. Then, as grandfathers typically do, they began to boast about their grandsons. Hmph. Do you know how smart my Cheong-su is? Didnt you just call him a fool a moment ago? I said Sword Fool, not a fool! Click click. If hes learning from such a foolish Daoist Mal-ko, that childs future is also clear. Hmph. Just wait and see. That boy Mu-jin wont be able to match Cheong-su. Heh heh heh. Theres nothing more disgraceful than entrusting what you couldnt achieve to your grandson. Shall we have a rematch now? Whats the point of a rematch? Were both old now. Besides, Mu-jin will win anyway, so Ill leave it to him. Heh heh heh. They were truly indulgent grandfathers. Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Mu-dang Journey (1) After spending a day at Hyun-gwangs residence, Yunheo Zhenren and the young Daoist left Shaolin early the next morning. Take care. Daoist Mal-ko. Just you wait, you damned monk. Having shared drinks the previous night, it seemed the rtionship between the two had somehow worsened. After bidding farewell to Yunheo Zhenren, Hyun-gwang turned to Mu-jin and spoke. Then this old man will go and talk with senior brother Bang-geon. You continue your training. Yes, grandfather. With a gentle smile to Mu-jin, Hyun-gwang turned and headed towards the head monks office.Oh, wee, senior brother. With a slightly trembling voice, Abbot Hyun Cheon, who had prior dealings with the Great Restoration Pills, greeted Hyun-gwang. I heard the Taiji Sword Immortal has been here. He left just a while ago. Haha. In fact, Ivee because I made a promise to that Daoist Mal-ko. Da-Daoist Mal-ko, you say? Who would dare call the Taiji Sword Immortal by that name? But thinking about it, Hyun-gwang was indeed capable of such familiarity. He was once evaluated to be superior to Yunheo Zhenren and had even attained enlightenment close to Buddhahood. Although he seemed to have be somewhat entric after that enlightenment. Regaining hisposure, Abbot Hyun Cheon inquired about the nature of the promise. May I ask what the promise was? At the abbots question, Hyun-gwang exined the promise made the previous day. Mu-jin needed to go to Wudang to treat their sword masters. The pretext for this was to propose a martial arts exchange. An exchange with Wudang, huh. It doesnt sound like a bad idea. Wudang was currently hailed as the Supreme Sect of the World, outshining many other martial sects. A martial arts exchange with Wudang wouldnt be a loss for Shaolin either. Moreover, the fact that Mu-jin would be in their debt was indeed pleasing news for Shaolin. Then, we need to decide who will participate in this exchange. Naturally, Mu-jin should be included. Actually, I came here with some thoughts on that matter, senior brother. Who do you have in mind, senior brother? Since its a martial arts exchange, it would be beneficial for the younger disciples to gain insight into Wudangs techniques, dont you think? Along with Mu-jin, how about including Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong? Having the four second-ss disciples participate would be ideal. Hmm. All three are outstanding even among the Muja division, so its not a bad idea. Haha. Im relieved to hear that you agree, senior brother. Saying this, Hyun-gwang suddenly extended his palm forward. Somehow familiar with this gesture, Abbot Hyun Cheon involuntarily flinched and looked at the outstretched palm. Why are you extending your palm? Isnt it obvious? Im asking you to hand it over. Hand it over? What do you mean? Hahaha. Since Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong are going to visit Wudang, naturally, they should be given Lesser Restoration Pills before they go, right? What does visiting Wudang have to do with Lesser Restoration Pills? What do you mean, senior brother Bang-geon? Even if its just an exchange, our Shaolin disciples might lose their spirit in front of the Wudang disciples, right? Moreover, the Wudangs Daoists fight with swords shamelessly, so at the very least, we should enhance their internal energy before sending them. Hearing this, even Abbot Hyun Cheon, who would usually oppose such ideas, nodded in agreement. That makes sense. Even if its an exchange, we cant have Shaolin disciples losing their spirit. Abbot Hyun Cheon had always med himself for the reputation of Shaolin falling below that of Wudang. Therefore, he strongly wished that the young disciples would not be defeated by Wudang. Hahaha. It seems we finally understand each other, senior brother Bang-geon. Thanks to Mu-jin, we have ie from the clinic, so theres no issue in making new Lesser Restoration Pills, right? Indeed, Mu-jin is undoubtedly the greatest blessing in our martial arts world. Amitabha. Amitabha. The two old monks, now in agreement, shared a heartyugh. * * * Ten dayster. Shaolin disciples, fully prepared to depart for Wudang, gathered at the mountain gate. Mu-jin greeted the Mujae trio who had arrived earlier and were waiting. Have you all absorbed the Lesser Restoration Pills? Mu-yul replied cheerfully and Mu-gung curtly, each in their usual manner. Master helped us! Well, more or less? Mu-gyeong, looking as if he had reached enlightenment, replied nonchntly. Master Hye-gwan helped me. Master Hye-gwan? Thats unusual. He said he would personally kill me if I went astray while absorbing the pill, so I managed to survive through sheer desperation. Feeling that it would be dangerous to dig deeper, Mu-jin averted his gaze. His eyesnded on Abbot Hyun Cheon, the eldest of Shaolin. Hahaha. Wudang, along with our Shaolin, is called the pinnacle of the martial world. You will see and learn many things. Make sure to uphold our Shaolins name, follow the rules, and have a good time. Mu-jin chuckled at Abbot Hyun Cheons advice, which felt like a principals speech at a school. It seemed that things were the same everywhere in the world. When Abbot Hyun Cheons long speech ended, the first-ss disciple, who was to lead the exchange, stepped forward. Then, lets depart now, Abbot Bang-geon. Travel safely, Hye-geol Sajil. Hye-geol, Mu-yuls master uncle, was appointed as the representative for this exchange as the vice head of the External Affairs Department. With the farewell of Abbot Hyun Cheon, Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples descended from Mount Song to Deungbong-hyeon, where several workers from Cheonryu Sangdan greeted them. Weve been waiting for you. Are you saying that Cheonryu Sangdan has been waiting for us? Yes. Actually, there was a request from Monk Mu-jin, so we have prepared ordingly. ??? At the workers words, Hye-geol and the disciples looked at Mu-jin with puzzled expressions. Instead of answering immediately, Mu-jin approached the carriages positioned behind the workers. When he lifted the curtains covering the entrance of one carriage, there were numerous iron weights inside. Since its a long journey for the exchange, I thought it would be good to prepare these, as we cant neglect training even during a journey, can we? These were various exercise equipment prepared by Mu-jin, who was concerned about muscle loss. Even though a change in ns might inconvenience the representative, Mu-jin didnt worry. Hye-geol, as Mu-jin experienced, was a man with a passionate heart. Wasnt he the one who even brought a crane and performed artistic acts, iming he would teach Mu-yul Crane Fist? Absolutely! Worrying about training at all times is indeed what a true Shaolin disciple should do! As expected, the passionate man Hye-geol eximed with an inspired look as he saw the carriage Mu-jin had prepared. Since itse to this, it might be good to continue training even on the way to Wudang. Do you mean to use the exercise equipment along the way? Thats a given. Additionally, if we pull the carriages ourselves, it will also serve as exercise, wont it? At Hye-geols words, the Shaolin disciples looked back and forth between Hye-geol and the carriages with bewildered expressions. The exercise equipment Mu-jin used weighed hundreds of pounds each. To withstand such weight, the carriages were made of steel tes. They were so heavy that at least four horses would be needed to pull one. Besides these, there were two more carriages carrying lighter exercise equipment for other disciples, and two empty carriages that were meant for the Shaolin disciples to ride in. It seems the empty carriages wont be necessary. If we pull the three carriages loaded with equipment ourselves, it will not only train our bodies but also greatly help our Qinggong practice. Hahaha! With Hye-geols continued words, the Shaolin disciples faces filled with distress. Wow! This sounds fun, Master! Except for the ever-cheerful Mu-yul, of course. Naturally, the Shaolin disciples gazes turned towards Mu-jin, the root cause of this situation. Understanding their feelings, Mu-jin stepped forward and said, Master Uncle Hye-geol! While pushing the carriages will indeed be great for full-body exercise, doing so repeatedly every day risks damaging our muscles. At Mu-jins words, the Shaolin disciples eyes filled with anticipation. Hmm. Then what should we do? It would be best to pull and train for two days, then rest for a day to focus on recovery and Qi Conducting Technique. At Mu-jins subsequent suggestion, everyone let out a deep sigh. Whether it turned out good or bad, they were going to pull the carriages. * * * In the end, it was decided that they would pull the three carriages loaded with various iron weights. Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong took positions in front of the three carriages. Mu-jin, Hye-geol, and the apanying second-ss disciples were ready to run alongside. To ensure efficient training, they nned to take turns pulling the carriages. Lets get going! As soon as Hye-geols shout rang out, Mu-yul, who was in charge of the left carriage, surged forward. Woaaaaah! He seemed to think pulling the carriage instead of a horse was some kind of game. With a cheerful expression, Mu-yul pulled the carriage. Drawing on the strength he had built up, the Celestial Weight technique he learned from Hyun-gwang, and the Qi he absorbed from the Lesser Restoration Pill a few days ago, Mu-yul ran like a madman. Mu-jin, who was leisurely keeping pace with the other two carriages, asked Hye-geol beside him. Master Uncle, is that really the direction of Mount Wudang? Probably not. Shouldnt we stop him? Pointing to the now-dusty carriage Mu-yul was pulling, Mu-jin asked, and Hye-geol burst into heartyughter. Hahaha. When training, one sometimes takes the wrong path! Going there anding back is also training! . Feeling a slight headache, Mu-jin sighed deeply. Ill go after him then. Do that. With Hye-geols permission, Mu-jin chased after Mu-yul, who was heading in the wrong direction. Hoo. Mu-gung, pulling the carriage with a calm face as if possessed by an ox, was training diligently. However, his expression was merely the result of the Immovable Mind technique he learned while enduring Master Hye-dams training. His eyes, however, were burning with apetitive spirit. I cant lose in strength! Even though he was training in Immovable Mind under Hye-dam, Mu-gung was a boy who joined Shaolin with the desire to be the best. Since his days as an initiate disciple, over the span of four years, Mu-gung had encountered many Shaolin disciples and understood how difficult it was. Setting aside Mu-jin, who defiedmon sense, there were times when the timid Mu-gyeong disyed more mastery of martial arts than himself, causing Mu-gung to struggle with impatience. Mu-yuls talent was also exceptional, but his frequent bizarre actions didnt particrly arouse envy. One day, when his fists wavered from impatience, his master uncle Hye-dam, usually so reticent, opened his mouth to give him advice. The doctrine of Manlyugwijong was that even if one became the best in just one field, one could be the best in the world. From that moment, Mu-gung gave up on learning shy martial arts. Instead, he delved deeply into the essence of Shaolins orthodox techniques. Therefore, in the realm of strength, Mu-gung did not want to lose to anyone. Haaa! As he grew, Mu-gung reached over 6 cheok 3 chi in height, with a robust physique. His muscles bulged, and veins stood out as he exerted his strength. Screeeeech. The carriage, loaded with the heaviest weights from Mu-jins exercise equipment, began to pick up speed. Meanwhile, Mu-gyeong, moving at the slowest pace, looked at Mu-gungs carriage ahead with a puzzled expression. We have to go a long way, why are they both moving so recklessly? From the start, pulling the carriages all the way to Wudang instead of riding them was a foolish endeavor. But since pulling the carriages was already decided, the important thing for the long journey was efficient movement. When I push, the wheels gain momentum but then slow down again due to friction. Carefully pulling his carriage, Mu-gyeong gradually adapted to the recoil created by pulling it. By intricately using the various stepping techniques and the Celestial Weight technique he had mastered, he developed a unique Qinggong method suited for pulling the heavily loaded carriage. As time passed and the Qinggong method for pulling the carriage became more refined, Mu-gyeongs speed also gradually increased. Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Mu-dang Practice (2) Mu-jin ran off to catch up with Mu-yuls carriage, which was speeding down the wrong path. Crash! The carriage, which had been moving at full speed, came to a sudden halt with a loud noise. Naturally, due to inertia, some of the exercise equipment inside the carriage burst out through the entrance. Good grief! Mu-jin quickly used the Fast Ascent Step to leap into the air and grabbed the exercise equipment that was flying around. These were iron weights that ranged from tens to hundreds of geun. If he caught such weights with his bare hands, his bones would likely shatter, but Mu-jin, who had reached the state of the Jade Vajra Technique, didnt even get a scratch. Mu-jin, who swiftly gathered the airborne exercise equipment, asked Mu-yul, who was lying on the ground.Why are you taking a nap there? Heheh. Ive run out of internal energy. Who told you to sprint at full speed? Good grief. Mu-jin sighed and opened his mouth after holding his head for a moment at Mu-yuls reply. Just get in the carriage. Ill pull it. Okay!! Mu-yul, who responded brightly, got up and staggered onto the carriage. Confirming this, Mu-jin began moving in the direction the Shaolin disciples had gone, utilizing the Fast Ascent Step to its fullest. * * * While Mu-gung was showing off his strength, running forward. Mu-gyeong, who had been left behind, was now running alongside him. Heheheh!! Yahhh!! From a distance, Mu-yuls bright voice began to be heard. No way, did he already return after running so recklessly? For a moment, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong were amazed at how deep Mu-yuls internal energy and qinggong training were. Soon, they would face the truth. Go! Mu-jins carriage!! Mu-yul, who was hopping around like a monkey on the carriage, and Mu-jin, who was pulling the carriage at an incredible speed, came into view. Why isnt Mu-jin saying anything to Mu-yul? It seemed strange that Mu-jin, who was being treated like a horse by Mu-yul, wasnt reprimanding him. While Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong felt puzzled, Mu-jin, who had been running at an incredible speed, adjusted the carriages speed to match theirs. Is he controlling his strength? Thinking that, they realized something else odd. Despite having slowed down, veins bulged on Mu-jins forehead. Not only his forehead but also all the muscles visible through his kasa seemed ready to burst. Realizing this, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong soon understood what Mu-jin was doing. No way is he reducing his internal energy and using maximum muscle strength to push? Why would he do something so ridiculous? The answer was obvious. To build muscle! Mu-jin truly considered pulling the carriage as muscle training. Only then did Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong understand why Mu-jin wasnt angry with Mu-yul. The more difficult the exercise, the more it would help in muscle training. Lunatic. Muscle monster. Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong had simr yet different thoughts as they realized the truth. * * * Hubei Province, Wudang Mountain. At the mid-slope of the tall Wudang Mountain, where various peaks boasted their elegance. The entrance of the Wudang Sect, where one shows respect to Wudang byying down their swords. Haegeomji. Surely, they should have arrived today at thetest ording to the schedule. Did something happen on their way here? Two young men, dressed in the distinctive robes of the Wudang Sect, exchanged brief words. Th-there, they seem to being, Senior Brother! A slightly younger-looking youth pointed towards the foot of the mountain. Indeed, looking where the youth was pointing, a group d in crimson kasaya was climbing the mountain. They appear to be Shaolin disciples. But what on earth are they carrying? It was the Shaolin disciples carrying three enormous objects up the mountain together. They look like carriages, Senior Brother. So why on earth are they dragging carriages up here? And a carriage is called a carriage because it is pulled by horses, but can you call it a carriage if people are carrying it? While the two Wudang senior brothers were puzzled by this, the men in crimson kasaya drew closer to Haegeomji. Soon, the Shaolin disciples, whether it was a carriage or a human cart, ced the enormous objects on the ground at Haegeomji. Bang!! !!! Even though they ced them down gently, the sound of the ground at Haegeomji being crushed startled the two senior brothers. Facing the startled senior brothers, Hye-geol awkwardly took a bow and apologized. I apologize for causing a disturbance. Amitabha. I tried to be as careful as possible, but because of the weight, this happened. What on earth is in that thing for it to be so heavy? As you can see, its a carriage. So why are people carrying the carriage? This question would soon be answered. Wudang Mountain was steep, making it impossible for horses to pull carriages up. But the question still lingered. Then why not just carry the luggage individually? Why bring the whole carriage? What on earth is inside that you had to carry the entire carriage up here? Haha. We carried it up as training. Since the items inside are so varied, it was inconvenient to carry them one by one. As Hye-geol said this, he lifted the curtain of the carriage, revealing various metal objects. Of course, the two Wudang disciples had no idea what these various metal objects were for. Are these new weapons created by Shaolin? They might have brought new weapons for martial arts exchange. They misunderstood the various metal objects as weapons. While the two were lost in their strange thoughts, Hye-geol spoke up again. Oh, I apologize for thete introduction. I am Hye-geol, the first disciple of Shaolin. I havee to exchange martial arts as agreed with Wudang. You are the renowned invincible master! I am Myung-woo, the second disciple of Wudang. I am Myung-shin, the second disciple of Wudang. I will notify the others inside. After a brief greeting, Myung-shin moved to ry the message. Soon after. Several key figures from Wudang, including the headmaster Yun-song, appeared at Haegeomji to wee the Shaolin disciples. I am Yun-song, the headmaster of Wudang. Thank you for visiting us. I am Hye-geol, the first disciple of Shaolin. It is an honor to meet you, headmaster. After exchanging simple greetings, Yun-song, observing the appearance of the Shaolin disciples, added in a puzzled tone. Did something happen on your way here? The Shaolin disciples were in a terrible state. Their crimson kasas were covered in dirt and sweat, and sweat was continuously pouring off their bodies. In response to Yun-songs question, Hye-geol stepped forward and answered. Hahaha. We thought it would be a waste to just travel from Shaolin to Wudang, so webined our journey with training. Ah. Yun-song let out a peculiar sigh at Hye-geols exnation. As expected of Shaolin. Though Shaolin had lost its title as the greatest sect due to not producing any top-tier masters like the Three Swords of the World or the Seven Kings in recent times, those with keen insight in the martial world knew the truth. Even if Shaolin didnt have any absolute masters, it was the ce with the most experts. With a thousand years of tradition and the Seventy-two Consummate Arts still preserved. Now that I look closely, their clothes are dirty, but their qi is uniformly strong. The Shaolin disciples behind Hye-geol appeared to be second or third-ss disciples in age, but their gazes and auras were weighty. Especially, the muscles peeking through their kasas exuded a powerful energy. Yun-song couldnt know that these muscles were forcibly built from pulling carts all the way from Shaolin to Wudang. Since you must be tired from training during your long journey, why dont you rest at your lodgings today? Thank you for your consideration, headmaster. But before that, may we move our luggage a bit? It was only then that Yun-song noticed the massive heaps behind the Shaolin disciples, unsure if they were carts or wagons. Those must be the carts Myung-shin mentioned. Realizing that carrying those up Wudang Mountain was part of their training, Yun-song spoke. It is customary to leave weapons at Haegeomji before entering, but I will allow it for the sake of martial arts exchange. Weapons? What do you mean? We havent brought any weapons. If those iron masses in the carts arent weapons, then what are they? They are training tools. Hahaha. Since we will be staying in Wudang for a while, we brought them along. As Hye-geol gestured with his eyes, Mu-jin and some other Shaolin disciples began taking out the iron masses from the carts. Huff. Huff. They started lifting weights right in front of the Wudang disciples. Yun-song began to feel a headacheing on. * * * Right after resolving the trivial misunderstanding. The Shaolin disciples followed the Wudang disciples guidance, heading towards the amodations provided by Wudang while carrying carts loaded with exercise equipment. Seeing their miserable state, Yun-song Zhenren rmended they rest for a day. The Shaolin disciples dly epted Yun-song Zhenrens consideration, organized their exercise equipment, and prepared themselves by bathing and cleansing. And the next morning. I apologize for causing a disturbance yesterday. Let me introduce myself again. I am Hye-geol, First-ss Disciple of Shaolin. The Shaolin disciples exchanged formal greetings with the Wudang disciples who had weed them. Hehehe. It is an honor to meet the Invincible Five Fists in person. Hahaha. My nickname is nothingpared to the name of the Wudang Grandmaster, like a firefly before the sun. After expressing modesty appropriately, the Wudang Grandmaster and Hye-geol got to the main topic. Have you heard the main purpose of this martial arts exchange? Yes, I have heard from Bang-geon Seonsaengnim. Then, could you show us that wrist training method first? The Wudang Grandmaster directly addressed the main topic. I will do so. Mu-jin stepped forward with confidence. Standing proudly before hundreds of Wudang disciples, Mu-jin began to speak. I will demonstrate, so please follow along slowly. However, if your wrists are in poor condition, its better to receive treatment first. At Mu-jins words, the Wudang elders, including the senior disciple Yunja-bae, stepped back, and the second and third-ss disciples stepped forward. Most of the first-ss disciples and Yunja-bae had damaged wrists. Once it was roughly decided who woulde forward to learn, Mu-jin began his demonstration slowly. We will start with the Close-Range Spear Technique. This exercise rxes tense or stiff muscles. Doing this Close-Range Spear Technique before and after exercise is highly effective in preventing injuries. Just as he had taught beginner disciples in the past, Mu-jin exined the basics step by step. After loosening your wrists, we will move on to the actual training. Having taught various wrist rxation techniques, Mu-jin began the main exercise. Today, I will first show you a simple exercise to strengthen your wrists using a sword. Could you lend me a spare wooden sword or any sword? At Mu-jins request, one of the first-ss disciples watching from the back handed him a wooden sword from the training hall. Originally, this exercise uses dumbbells, but they might find using a sword morefortable. Mu-jin, who had momentarily thought of unrted matters while looking at the wooden sword, assumed his stance and began to speak. ce your forearm on a desk or stone b like this, and rotate the hand holding the sword. Once you get used to it, you can use heavier objects. As Mu-jin began exining and demonstrating several exercises, the Wudang first-ss disciples and Yunja-bae watching from the back wore various expressions. He is very ustomed to teaching someone. Hmm. He is an unusual kid. Some looked at Mu-jin with interest. Can this really be effective? Hmph. Since Yun-heo Zhenren strongly insisted, we couldnt stop him. Due to Yun-heo Zhenrens insistence, some could not voice their skepticism, but their eyes were filled with negativity. Can such training alone truly strengthen the wrist? Eventually, one elder who was doubtful of Mu-jins training method voiced his question. Mu-jin tilted his head and replied to the elders question. As with all training, it takes time to see if it is effective. That may be true, but At the elders reluctant answer, Mu-jin smiled lightly and said, Or, would you prefer to verify it throughparison? Comparison? What kind ofparison? We couldpare the wrist strength of those who have trained with this method and those who havent among the Wudang disciples. At Mu-jins suggestion, the elder who had stepped forward and those who had shown doubtful reactions all nodded. So, how do you n to test wrist strength? Mu-jin, smiling brightly like Mu-yul, asked back, Have you ever heard of arm wrestling (baisouwan)? Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Arm wrestling? Its a contest where two people grasp each others hands over a table and apply force until one persons hand touches the table first, thereby losing. Its a battle of wrist and arm strength, as well as technique. Mu-jin exined arm wrestling briefly and added with a bright smile. If the disciples of Wudang who are most confident in their wrist strength could step forward, I will take you on. At Mu-jins confident words, there was amotion among the Wudang disciples. They were discussing who would step forward. Yunheo Zhenren, who in a way was the origin of this whole situation, was silently observing everything. Originally, Yunheo Zhenren had intended to intervene when his junior, Elder Yunpyeong, raised doubts about Mu-jins training methods. However, Mu-jin handled the situation with aposure beyond his years, so Yunheo Zhenren decided to watch the situation unfold. Its obvious that training conducted after verifying its effectiveness is more productive than forcing it.The only concern left was whether this young monk could truly prove his methods. Come to think of it, its quite remarkable. Despite this child, who is merely a third-ss disciple, stepping forward alone, none of the Shaolin disciples seem worried. For some reason, the atmosphere among the Shaolin disciples was very rxed. And this was perfectly natural. Mu-jin never loses. If its just a test of strength, then they cant use internal energy, right? If its a fight without internal energy, isnt he the best in the world? Mu-jin had been spreading his muscle training methods in Shaolin since his days as an initiate, and four years had already passed since then. Not only initiates and third-ss disciples but even second-ss and first-ss disciples had been training their muscles using Mu-jins methods. And they all knew very well how ridiculously heavy the weights Mu-jin used for training were. But the Wudang disciples, who didnt know this, ended up voluntarily sending out a sacrificialmb. I am Myeong-hwan, a second-ss disciple of Wudang. As the man in his early thirties proudly stepped forward, Mu-jin tilted his head in curiosity. Its supposed to be a contest of strength, but why did they send out a weakling? For a moment, he wondered if that guy was being bullied in Wudang. But after quickly observing the Wudang disciples closely, Mu-jin soon realized something. Ah. There isnt anyone like Mu-gung here. Leaving aside those who had built their bodies through sheer hard work like himself, there are usually those who boast natural strength like Mu-gung. But for some reason, the Wudang disciples all had reasonably bnced or slightly slender physiques. Hmm. Could it be because of their martial arts? Wudangs martial arts mostly ced significance on the subtle mysteries of internal energy, so they seemed to give higher scores to children with graceful movements rather than those with superior strength. Although Mu-jin had expected to win, he found himself smiling slightly at the thought that it might be easier than he initially thought, and then he took his ce in front of the table. If you ce your elbows like this and start with your hands sped, we begin. If you lift your elbows or your hand touches the table, you lose. And we onlypete using the strength of our arms and wrists? Thats correct. After hearing Mu-jins exnation, Myung-hwan stood across from him and ced his elbow on the table. Then, right after they sped hands. Begin! As soon as Yun-song Zhenrens shout fell, the veins on Myung-hwans arm bulged. !? But why was it? Despite using so much force that his muscles trembled, Mu-jins forearm remained as immobile as a rock. Is that all? Instead, Mu-jin asked Myung-hwan in a tone of disbelief. Seeing Myung-hwans face turning red and his arm trembling, it was clear that he was exerting his full strength. This is worse than I thought. From Mu-jins perspective, it felt like the effort wasnt even reaching his muscles. This isnt even exercise. Feeling like he was bullying a child, Mu-jin casually swung his arm, causing Myung-hwans arm to topple over. Thud! Because Myung-hwan, who had stepped up as their representative, lost so miserably, a moment of silence fell over the training grounds. Mu-jin shrugged his shoulders and asked the visibly flustered Wudang disciples. If youre not convinced, would anyone else like to try? At Mu-jins question, the Wudang disciples exchanged nces briefly. A new volunteer stepped forward. The two soon sped hands over the table. What? His hand feels like its made of iron. While the new volunteer was internally shocked by the feeling of Mu-jins hand. Ah,e to think of it, this arm wrestling was meant to show the effects of wrist training, right? Mu-jin said leisurely, and instead of pushing his arm over, he slowly started to tilt his wrist forward. As Mu-jin tilted his wrist forward, the opponents wrist naturally bent backward. Ugh. As the opponent groaned in pain from his bent wrist, Mu-jin, feeling like he was needlessly bullying him, casually swung his arm, causing the opponents hand to hit the table. Thud! Is there anyone else whod like to try? Having easily defeated two people in a row, no one from Wudang stepped forward in response to Mu-jins question. Thus, Yun-song Zhenren, who had been observing the situation, finally spoke up. It seems that this sufficiently proves the effectiveness of the training. It was clear to Yun-song Zhenren that there was no one in Wudang who could match Mu-jin in arm wrestling. Considering the proof of training was sufficient, he stepped forward, thinking there was no need to further hurt the pride of the main disciples. Losing in an arm wrestling match, which isnt even martial arts, isnt something to dwell on. Moreover, if you train under Mu-jin Dao-un, you too can sufficiently strengthen your wrists. Instead of dwelling on this, strive to improve yourselves! Yes, Master! Yes, Grandmaster! Whether it was due to the abilities Mu-jin demonstrated or Yun-song Zhenrens encouragement, the Wudang disciples began to learn the training methods Mu-jin had taught with more enthusiasm. * * * Right after the unexpected arm wrestling match and wrist training session, Wudang and Shaolin began their official martial arts exchange. Of course, this martial arts exchange didnt involve revealing the absolute techniques of each sect to one another. Since its the first day, well start by teaching you our most iconic martial art, Taiji Quan. Each sect taught one martial art per day, starting from beginner level and gradually advancing. Even as time passed, they would only exchange up to first-rate martial arts. They wouldnt exchange advanced martial arts, ultimate techniques, or divine techniques. However, the martial arts of each sect reflected their unique characteristics. Even beginner or second-rate martial arts were sufficient to experience the essence valued by each sect. The martial arts taught by Wudang generally embodied the principle of yielding to ovee, counterattacking with softness. The martial arts Shaolin taught Wudang were deeply embedded with the principle of strength, oveing opponents with a single powerful strike. Naturally, the principles of stillness in movement and the strong, versus yielding to ovee with softness, were fundamentally different. In fact, they were almost the exact opposites. Understanding and executing these two principles simultaneously was nearly impossible. Except, perhaps, for a genius like Mu-gyeong. Hmm. I wonder if I can deflect Master Uncles attacks with this? Despite it being a beginner martial art, Mu-gyeong, who had quickly learned Taiji Quan, muttered to himself. It seemed he always envisioned sparring with Hye-gwan whenever he learned martial arts. In any case, while it seemed that Wudangs martial arts wouldnt be helpful to most Shaolin disciples, the reality was different. Hmm. To counter someone using a soft sword, it might be better to adjust the direction slightly to deflect their attacks. Rather than that, wouldnt it be better to increase the power to the point where deflection is impossible? The fact that they were opposites meant there was a sort of counterbnce rtionship. In other words, if they became familiar with the principle of yielding to ovee, it could be very helpful when facing someone using a simr martial art in the future. The same applied to Wudang. Disciples of both sects actively tried to learn each others martial arts and incorporate them into their own. Specifically, after understanding the opponents principles, they endeavored to adapt their own martial arts to counter or break them. Observing the enthusiastic efforts of the third and second-ss disciples from both sects, Yun-song Zhenren made a peculiar expression. Huh. That childs talent is truly astonishing. The child Yun-song Zhenren was watching was Mu-gyeong. With just a few demonstrations, he had naturally executed Taiji Quan and was now seamlessly blending the principle of yielding to ovee from Taiji Quan with Shaolins Striking Bone Technique. Despite alternating between martial arts based on entirely different principles, he did so without any awkwardness. This was truly a sign of a genius. However, the more extraordinary Mu-gyeongs talent seemed, the more Yun-song Zhenrens mind was clouded with confusion. With such a talented child, why did that old monk choose this boy Mu-jin as the grand disciple? Of course, Mu-jin also had unique qualities. His method for treating Hyun-gwang, who had be a cripple, his systematic training regimen for developing muscles and bones, and his confident demeanor in leading situations even in front of hundreds of Wudang disciples. Clearly, he was a child who would greatly benefit Shaolin. However, he does not seem to have the innate talent to inherit that old monks true legacy. From the perspective of martial arts talent alone, Mu-gyeong seemed superior. After all, Mu-gyeong had learned Taiji Quan more quickly and was adept at mixing it with Shaolin martial arts, whereas Mu-jin had only mimicked Taiji Quan moderately before stopping. Currently, Mu-jin had the advantage in internal energy and physical development, but Yun-song Zhenren judged that Mu-gyeongs potential was higher. Hmm. I need to find out what that old monk saw in him. With that thought, Yun-song Zhenren approached the disciples of both sects, who were passionately exchanging martial arts. While teaching each others martial arts is good, it would be better to directly experience them through sparring. What do you think, Okwon Mu-jeok Dao-un? Are you suggesting we hold a match? In response to Yun-song Zhenrens sudden proposal, Hye-geol asked back. Yes. Since this is a friendly exchange, it would be good for the younger disciples to have sparring matches. Yun-song Zhenren, wearing a smile like that of an immortal, looked at Mu-jin. What do you think? It would be a valuable experience to directly face Wudangs martial arts. Having little interest in the principle of yielding to ovee and having already experienced Je-gal Jin-hees superior ck and White Fan Technique, Mu-jin found sparring to be a more interesting prospect. When Mu-jin showed an active stance, Yun-song Zhenren nodded and looked somewhere. There was a person who could verify why Hyun-gwang had chosen Mu-jin over Mu-gyeong and determine the extent of the boys potential. Cheong-su, step forward. Cheong-su Dojang. A genius regarded alongside Namgung Jin-cheon of the Namgung family as the greatest prodigy of the world. Specifically, he was the one inheriting Yun-song Zhenrens legacy among the Three Swords of the World. Most importantly, he possessed a talent of a simr magnitude to Mu-gyeong. Their talent might be simr, but in terms of experience, theres noparison. Cheong-su had been learning martial arts for seven years. Rumor had it that both Mu-gyeong and Mu-jin had been training for only about four years. Moreover, Cheong-su had even absorbed Wudangs Taecheongdan,parable to Shaolins Great Restoration Pills. Despite simr talents, it was nearly impossible for Mu-gyeong to catch up to Cheong-su. Whatever the old monk was thinking when he chose that boy, its unlikely that Mu-jin can defeat Cheong-su. Yun-song Zhenren recalled a conversation he had with Hyun-gwang a month ago. The old monk had assured him that the Cheong-su he had raised would not be a match for Mu-jin. Lets see whose judgment was correct. This was a duel between the greatest talents of Wudang and Shaolin, continuing the legacy of their respective sects. Chapter 93: Chapter 93: The Shaolin disciples showed interest at the call of Yunheo Zhenren. Qing Shui Dojang, huh. Today, we get to see the famous Wudang Sword Dragons sword. Even Shaolin disciples had heard of Qing Shui Dojang, as its fame had spread across the continent. However, the Shaolin disciples werent particrly worried about Mu-jin. They were more curious. Mu-jin was showing the most remarkable growth in Shaolin. They were curious about how his levelpared to that of the Wudang Sword Dragon. On the other hand, the eyes of the Wudang disciples were filled with confidence. The arm-wrestling match in the morning had been decided by pure strength, but in terms of martial arts, they were certain that Qing Shui would win. Whether they couldnt read the subtly contrasting atmosphere or didnt care, Qing Shui Dojang stepped forward with a bright expression.Do I fight the Daoist in front of me? Thats right. At Yunheo Zhenrens answer, Qing Shui Dojang sped his fists and bowed to Mu-jin. I am Qing Shui, the third disciple of Wudang. Amitabha. I am Mu-jin, the third disciple of Shaolin. Amitabha. Mu-jin, who responded appropriately, had a glint in his eyes. The name Qing Shui appeared often in novels. Well, the role is pretty insignificant, though. Qing Shui Dojang was somewhat of a tragic character. Despite his strength, his presence was too small. That was because the rival of the protagonist of the second part was another genius from a different sect, Namgung Jincheon. And Qing Shui Dojang often ended up being the eternal second-inmand of the sect. Not that there was a huge difference between Namgung Jincheon and Qing Shui Dojang, but it was said to be about one or two levels. Yet, that made it even more interesting. Hes a perfect opponent to check my current level. As Mu-jin, intrigued by this fact, took his stance, Qing Shui Dojang drew his sword and asked, How many moves should I let you make first? Having lived a life without peers, Qing Shui Dojang naturally asked, assuming it was obvious to yield some moves to someone. Mu-jin merely chuckled. Since its an exchange of martial arts today, you can go first. Oh! Now that you mention it, youre right! Qing Shui Dojangs pure-hearted demeanor made Mu-jin think of someone. Mu-yul? That thought was soon reced when Qing Shui Dojang started to move his sword. Qing Shui Dojang, who had been all smiles, began to wield his sword with a look of rapture. He turns into Mu-gyeong when he wields his sword? His sword drew a mysterious trajectory through the air, creating circles in the void. Some of the Wudang disciples watching eximed with surprise, Qing Shui Sa-hyung!! Why are you using a real sword! Despite it being a friendly match, Qing Shui Dojang had drawn his usual Songmun Sword without thinking. To the few disciples who had shouted in surprise, the other Wudang disciples replied calmly, Dont worry. With Qing Shuis skill, he can subdue his opponent without a single injury, even with a real sword. However, their calmness didntst long. It wasnt because Qing Shui Dojang, fully immersed in his sword, swung a real sword at Mu-jin amidst the noise. ng!!! Despite Qing Shuis real sword, the moment it shed with Mu-jins fist, a metallic sound rang out. How can there be a metallic sound when flesh and a real sword collide! While the Wudang disciples watching were shocked, Mu-jin, who had exchanged the first move, showed a peculiar expression. He parries it as if its natural? Normally, anyone would try to cut with a real sword if a fist was presented, not parry it. With growing interest, Mu-jin continued to exchange fists, palms, and kicks with Qing Shuis sword. Oh? Each time, Mu-jin felt as if his attacks were slightly off-target, as if testing his durability. He gradually increased his internal energy. As the speed and power of Mu-jins attacks increased, At some point, the situation reversed, with Mu-jin attacking and Qing Shui defending. However, the Wudang disciples and Yunheo Zhenren watching the duel showed no signs of panic. From the beginning, the Wudang sword was not meant to kill but to save lives. It was a martial art focused on countering and subduing with the intent of preserving life. As expected, Qing Shui Dojang, who deflected Mu-jins punches, palms, and kicks, showed no sign of panic on his face. Rather than panicking, he seemed entranced by his sword, with a dreamy expression as if he were drunk. So, hes like Mu-gyeong, huh? Mu-jin wasnt sure if he would be bloodthirsty like Mu-gyeong when deeply immersed, but he seemed quite peculiar. Well then, can you block this too? Curious, Mu-jin threw a punch towards Qing Shui Dojangs sword, just as he had been doing, but this time a golden aura began to envelop his fist. Fist energy!! The Wudang disciples eximed in shock, recognizing the golden aura. The monk Mu-jin was only sixteen. How many at that age could wield fist energy in the vast Central ins? However, they were merely surprised at Mu-jins level. They still believed in Qing Shui Dojangs victory. After all Qing Shuis sword, which was meeting Mu-jins fist enveloped in fist energy, now began to emit sword energy. Instead of being startled by Mu-jins fist energy, Qing Shui Dojang shouted with a delighted expression. Hahaha, you can use fist energy! His voice suggested he was finally excited about the fight. In reality, Qing Shui Dojangs sword, now emitting sword energy, moved even more gracefully. The swords trajectory,bined with the sword energy, created countless Taiji symbols in the air. And each time the Taiji symbols headed towards Mu-jin, he shattered them with his fists or feet. His hands and feet were now enveloped in a golden aura like gloves and shoes. Mu-jin had already reached a level where he could release energy without regard for specific techniques. What in the world!? Huh Everyone watching the duel between Qing Shui Dojang and Mu-jin was either shocked or dumbfounded. Is this really a duel between third disciples? They can release energy so freely! It was because these two third disciples, not even twenty years old, were showing skills that surpassed those of the second disciples from most prestigious sects. Hes holding his own against Qing Shui! No wonder hes called the Wudang Sword Dragon. While the disciples of Wudang and Shaolin were each amazed by the levels of Qing Shui and Mu-jin, Yunheo Zhenren felt an inexplicable, peculiar sensation. It wasnt because of Mu-jins outstanding level for his age. As someone whose level was among the top on the continent, Yunheo Zhenren had already roughly gauged the level Mu-jin had achieved. Yunheo Zhenren had already figured out that Mu-jin had absorbed the Great Restoration Pills. Nevertheless, the reason Yunheo Zhenren insisted on facilitating the duel between Qing Shui and Mu-jin wasnt solely due to the boastful ims of the boastful monk. No matter how exceptional they are for their age, both Qing Shui and that boy are still too young to be calledte bloomers. Therefore, what mattered was not their current level but their potential. He truly wanted to assess Mu-jins potential. He wondered if there was something the boastful monk had discovered that he himself had missed. But no matter how I look at it, I cant sense any mysteriousness in his movements. Rather than being mysterious, his movements were extremely simple. They were simple but had the advantages of being fast and powerful. And this puzzlement deepened as the duel continued. Why, despite using fist energy, is he not employing any ultimate techniques? Amazingly, as the duel progressed, Mu-jins punches, palms, and kicks increased in speed and power. He still didnt use any ultimate orplex martial arts techniques. * * * Unaware that Yunheo Zhenren was watching the duel with puzzlement, the duel between Qing Shui Dojang and Mu-jin was gradually reaching its climax. Qing Shui Dojangs sword, which deflected Mu-jins relentless attacks, continued to drawrge and small circles. Hes really enjoying himself. Completely absorbed in his sword, Qing Shui Dojang wielded his sword with a rapturous expression. Thinking he had sufficiently gauged Qing Shuis level, Mu-jin executed the extremely aggressive Fast Ascent Step. Boom!! In an instant, as if a bomb had exploded on the ground, a thunderous noise echoed. Mu-jin, who had been exchanging blows with Qing Shui Dojang from a distance of about 3 meters, suddenly closed the distance and was now right in front of Qing Shui Dojang. Mu-jins fist flew towards Qing Shui Dojangs body with overwhelming momentum. Despite the sudden crisis, Qing Shui Dojang, still entranced by his sword, swung his de. He began to draw a Taiji symbol with sword energy in the path of Mu-jins iing fist. Immediately after, an enormous explosive sound erupted as Mu-jins fist collided with Qing Shui Dojangs Taiji symbol. Boom!!! Despite his genius talent, Qing Shui Dojang tried to deflect Mu-jins power. Try to deflect this too! With his fist and the sword in contact, Mu-jin added the Celestial Weight Technique to his strength. Unable to withstand the immense force of that strike, Qing Shui Dojangs arm was pushed back. No, unable to offset the power, his entire body was pushed back along with his arm. Even amidst this, Qing Shui Dojang, still entranced, tried to steady himself and wield his sword again. Its over. Mu-jins left fist was already stopped right in front of Qing Shui Dojangs face. Ah Finally snapping out of his trance, Qing Shui Dojang looked at Mu-jins fist in front of him with a bewildered expression for a moment. Oh! Thank you for the match. Realizing btedly that he had lost, he stepped back and sped his fists in a gesture of respect. Only then did the Wudang disciples understand that Qing Shui had lost, and many sighs emerged from them. I learned a great deal today. Hahaha. Unlike the reactions of the Wudang disciples, Qing Shui Dojang, unfazed by his defeat,ughed heartily, not at all behaving like a young man hailed as a genius. May I request another duel in the future? Facing your fists, Master Mu-jin, has sparked many insights in my mind. Hahaha. He seemedpletely oblivious to the atmosphere among the Wudang disciples behind him. No, it appeared he was more interested in refining his sword skills than in the oue of the match. Is this guy only thinking about his sword? Understanding the type of person Qing Shui was, Mu-jin smiled lightly and replied. Ill be staying in Wudang for a while, so it would be great if we could spar often. As Qing Shui Dojang showed a bright smile at Mu-jins words, That was an excellent duel, Yunheo Zhenren subtly joined their conversation. But after watching the duel, I have something Id like to ask you, Daoist Mu-jin. Please, ask away. May I know the names of the martial arts you are practicing? Although Mu-jin wondered why Yunheo Zhenren was asking such a question, he didnt mind and answered. Jade Vajra Technique, Fast Ascent Step, and a few Shaolin martial arts. Most of Mu-jins martial arts were ones that no one would recognize by name. They were unique techniques he had created with the help of Hyun-gwang and several other Shaolin elders. Naturally, Yunheo Zhenren, who had never heard of such martial arts, tilted his head in curiosity and asked, Does Shaolin have such martial arts? They did not. Then, are you saying Hyun-gwang created those martial arts for you? Its true that I learned them with my grandfathers help. After hearing Mu-jins answer, a phrase suddenly came to Yunheo Zhenrens mind. C I merely pointed him in the right direction. This was what Hyun-gwang had said while exining Mu-jin. Which meant So, when Hyun-gwang pointed him in the right direction, this boy created martial arts suited to himself! Finally, Yunheo Zhenren understood why Mu-jin hadnt properly learned the Taiji Sword. He didnt consider it necessary for his path. If it were any other child, Yunheo Zhenren might have thought it was the childish arrogance of youth, but Mu-jin was different. To have created martial arts that brought him to this level and to have defeated Qing Shui Yunheo Zhenren realized why Hyun-gwang had chosen this boy. Hes a vessel that only that boastful monk could nurture. At merely sixteen years old, Mu-jin wasnt just a child learning what others had taught him; he was a warrior progressing toward his ownpletion. Chapter 94: Chapter 94: A ck Inkstick Makes You ck (1) After the martial arts exchange between the Shaolin and Wudang disciples was over, it was nearing evening. Mu-jin and a few second-ss disciples were heading towards Jasogung under the guidance of Wudangs first-ss disciple. Upon reaching the main hall of Jasogung, several elderly Wudang elders, including Yun-heo Zhenren and Wudangs head, Yun-song Zhenren, were already present. The expressions of the Wudang Yunja-bae members, who were waiting for Mu-jin and the Shaolin second-ss disciples, were varied. Taking the lead for the gathered senior brothers, Yun-heo Zhenren spoke first. They are disciples experiencing symptoms simr to mine. Could you take a look at them? I will do so. The reason why Mu-jin carefully visited Jasogung in the evening was to treat the Wudang swordsmen, which was the original purpose of his Wudang trip.First, please extend your affected arms. As he spoke, Mu-jin walked around the hall, examining each of the elderly swordsmen one by one. Some had carpal tunnel syndrome, others had tendonitis. Some, like Yun-heo Zhenren, were suffering from both conditions. There were those with mild symptoms and those with severe ones, so Mu-jin provided appropriate close-range spear techniques and acupressure methods suited to each individual. To those who havepleted their check-up, please provide heat therapy. We shall do so. At Mu-jins words, the second-ss disciples who had apanied him to Jasogung began to administer heat therapy using heat energy. Afterpleting the heat therapy, he wrapped cloth around their wrists like wrist guards and prescribed medicine, just as he did for Yun-heo Zhenren. After taking care of dozens of patients over the course of about an hour, Mu-jin and the Shaolin second-ss disciples were about to leave Jasogung. Mu-jin Dou! Cheong Shui Dojang greeted Mu-jin with a bright face and drew his sword. Looking at Cheong Shui Dojangs Songmun sword, which gleamed sharply in the moonlight, Mu-jin thought. Is he really as crazy as Mu-gyeong? The sight of him drawing his sword with a smile in the moonlight looked exactly like that of a maniacal assassin. However, contrary to Mu-jins thoughts, Cheong Shui Dojang spoke in a cheerful tone while drawing his sword. Ive been waiting to challenge you to a spar once again, Mu-jin Dou. Hahaha. Hmm. Unlike Mu-gyeong, hes crazy about swords. Thinking to himself, Mu-jin responded to Cheong Shui Dojang in a kind tone. I cannot. Why not!? Its time for my lower body workout. Excuse me? Cheong Shui Dojang, unable to understand Mu-jins words, asked again, but Mu-jin didnt care. Not even a day can pass without exercise. No way. Mu-jin, who had been busy with martial arts exchanges, sparring, and wrist treatments since the morning, hadnt done his weight training yet. Rejecting Cheong Shui Dojangs proposal, Mu-jin returned to the quarters provided by Wudang for the Shaolin disciples. Cheong Shui Dojang followed behind Mu-jin with a face like a puppy. I clearly declined, so why are you following me? Hahaha. Im just curious. After briefly looking at Cheong Shui Dojang, Mu-jin decided to ignore him. It wasnt as if he could chase away a Wudang disciple while at Wudang. Eventually, upon reaching the quarters, Mu-jin lightly warmed up his body and approached the exercise equipment he had prearranged in the yard. Various weights boasting substantial sizes were lined up. Without wasting any more time, Mu-jin began lifting the weights in earnest, torturing his lower body. As Mu-jin lifted various weights in different postures for a long time, Cheong Shui Dojang, who was silently watching like a puppy, approached the weight Mu-jin had just used. Like a puppy encountering a new toy, he poked the weight several times with his finger, then assumed the same posture as Mu-jin and tried to lift it. Hoo! Barely lifting the weight using all his internal energy, he quickly set it down and exhaled heavily. Turning his head at the sound of metal, Mu-jin soon realized what Cheong Shui Dojang had done. Using internal energy to lift it defeats the purpose of the exercise. Amitabha. Hmm, thats a new Buddha saying Ive never heard. Hahaha. Cheong Shui Dojang burst intoughter for a moment, then suddenly stoppedughing like a broken machine and asked mechanically. Are you saying that you lifted this without using internal energy? Yes. Mu-jin nodded as if it were obvious in response to the extremely awkward question. However, despite Mu-jins firm answer, Cheong Shui Dojang still seemed broken. Lifting this without internal energy? Is that something a person can do? As he briefly entertained such thoughts, Cheong Shui Dojang soon realized an important fact. Because it was possible, he could exert such strength! The sparring match from earlier in the day reyed in Cheong Shui Dojangs mind. It was a match he had reviewed dozens of times before requesting a rematch with Mu-jin. Yet, despite all that, there were still inexplicable aspects, which is why he had sought out Mu-jin again under the moonlight. That tremendous power came from physical strength. What he couldntprehend was the sheer weight of Mu-jins martial arts. Countless attacks that he could barely deflect without making full use of all the intricacies of the Liu Sword techniques he had learned. Just deflecting Mu-jins attacks made Cheong Shui Dojang feel as if his swordsmanship was improving. In the end, he couldnt deflect the final blow and lost, so it was only natural that he was curious about the source of that strength. But to think the source of that power was simply brute strength. No, its not natural strength. Yet, like the genius he was, Cheong Shui Dojang quickly corrected his thoughts. Ive heard that Mu-jin Dou knows training methods to strengthen muscles and bones. He even mentioned during wrist training today to gradually increase the weight as one gets used to it. In that case, the crude weights Mu-jin was lifting now were the result of Years of continually increasing the weight! Reaching this conclusion, Cheong Shui Dojang looked at Mu-jin with a face full of admiration. Truly amazing, Mu-jin Dou! What are you talking about? Mu-jin couldnt understand why Cheong Shui Dojang suddenly found him amazing, especially after hed been standing there with a nk expression like a broken machine. Ah, sorry. I sometimes blurt out my thoughts, and it often surprises my senior brothers. Hahaha. Laughing as he answered Mu-jins question, Cheong Shui Dojang then exined his reasoning. Mu-jin Dou, you must have been continuously strengthening your muscles to lift such heavy weights, correct? Well, thats true. Thats really incredible! Ah, if you can lift such heavy weights so easily, your muscles must be very sturdy! Mm. Yes, my muscles are quite sturdy. Mu-jin couldnt help but feel a bit proud at Cheong Shui Dojangs sudden praise. After all, what gym enthusiast doesnt likepliments about their muscles? Could you perhaps show me? Hmm. Alright. At Cheong Shui Dojangs request, Mu-jin took off his top as if to ensure smooth movement during exercise and struck various poses. Wow!! With every change in Mu-jins posture, Cheong Shui Dojang unconsciously eximed at the sight of his rippling muscles. Hmm. Its a shame I trained in the Jade Vajra Technique at times like this. If he hadnt trained in it, his muscles would have been at least 1.5 times more massive. On the other hand, Cheong Shui Dojang, obsessed with martial arts and swords, observed Mu-jins muscles from a functional perspective. Indeed! With all the muscles developed like that, no wonder he can exert such power! In that case, perhaps If I build muscles too, wouldnt I be able to handle my sword more freely? Eyes gleaming with the desire to further improve his swordsmanship, Cheong Shui Dojang was deeply engrossed. Noticing Cheong Shui Dojangs bright gaze, Mu-jin asked, Do you want to learn how to exercise? Yes! His response was immediate and loud. With a somewhat peculiar expression, Mu-jin spoke to Cheong Shui Dojang, However, the weights I use are suitable for someone with a professional level of strength, so they might not be appropriate for you. Therefore, Ill start by teaching you a few exercises that can be done with just your body or a sandbag. Thank you, Mu-jin Dou! The young man, known as Wudangs most talented disciple, bowed at a right angle and expressed his gratitude. Watching him with satisfaction, Mu-jin began teaching a few simple bodyweight exercises. Itste today, and I have my own workouts to do, so Ill teach you new exercises again tomorrow. Mu-jin Dou, your heart is as vast as the sea! As he watched Cheong Shui Dojang leave, brightly smiling and bowing in martial arts etiquette, Mu-jin thought, Even if his role in the novel is small, he has talent, so if I nurture him, he could be useful. For some reason, Mu-jins lips kept twitching into a smile. Anyone who appreciates the beauty of muscles cant be a bad person. Yep. He looked unmistakably like a gym enthusiast who had found a promising follower. * * * Early the next morning. As always, the Shaolin disciples were awake early. As soon as they woke up, following their ingrained habits, they loosened their bodies with close-range spear techniques and gathered at the entrance of the quarters. Were a bitte today. Our bodies seemed a bit stiff, so we did close-range spear techniques a bit longer. The reason was simple. The exercise equipment they had brought in, even by cart, wasid out there. Today, this monk ns to train chest muscles. Oh, then you should use this first, Senior Brother. Ill start with the one next to it. They shared their exercise routines and took turns using the limited weights efficiently. Naturally, Mu-jin and the three members of the Muja-bae were also included. As they immersed themselves in their weight training for a while, Mu-jin Dou! An unexpected visitor came to see Mu-jin early in the morning. Hahaha. Sorry for beingte. I had to slip out of Wudangs early morning training, so it took me a bit of time. Is it alright for you to slip out of that? Mu-jin asked, incredulous, and Cheong Shui Dojang replied with a clearugh. I finished my allotted morning training early and just slipped out. Hahaha. Not only Mu-jin but also Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong had simr thoughts at his bright demeanor. Thats not the point If it was morning training, the elders of the sect would conduct it. How could a third-ss disciple just slip out on his own? Naturally, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong turned their gaze to Mu-yul. It was a familiar way of thinking, more precisely, a way of not thinking at all. But that wasnt the most important thing right now. Realizing another oddity, Mu-gung asked, But what brings you here at such an early hour, Cheong Shui? Ah! Its because Mu-jin Dou said he would teach me exercise. Hahaha. I heard he exercises even at dawn, so I matched the time. At Cheong Shui Dojangs answer, each of the Muja-bae trio had different thoughts. Cheong Shui Dojang, huh. I wont lose. A new victim. Hehehe. Seeing Cheong Shui Dojangs enthusiasm for exercise early in the morning, Mu-jin smiled and spoke. Yesterday, I taught you wrist and arm exercises, so today Ill show you some abdominal and core exercises. Afterward, Mu-jin guided Cheong Shui Dojang through bodyweight exercises. He taught Cheong Shui Dojang the proper postures and proceeded with his own workout, lifting objects weighing over 100 pounds beside him, without much hindrance. Among the Shaolin disciples in their crimson kasayas, Cheong Shui Dojang stood out in his fluttering white robe. Chapter 95: Chapter 95: A ck Inkstick Makes You ck (2) After finishing his dawn exercise and morning meal, it was time for martial arts exchange again. However, today was a bit different from yesterday. I will personally teach Mu-jin the martial arts of Wudang. Master Yunheo suddenly selected Mu-jin. Although it was a surprising situation, Mu-jin stepped forward without hesitation. Thank you. The chance to be taught by one of the Three Swords of the World, known as the Taiji Sword Immortal, was not something to be refused. Master Yunheo looked at Mu-jin with aplex expression for a moment, then turned to call Qing Shui.Qing Shui, you shoulde along too. Yes, Grandmaster. Eventually, Mu-jin and Qing Shui left the training ground and followed Master Yunheo to somewhere in Wudang Mountain. After climbing the mountain path for a while, they arrived at a pavilion situated at the top of a mountain peak. This is the pavilion where I reside. You can enjoy the scenery of Jade Maiden Peak from here. Hahaha. Indeed, Master Yunheoughing heartily in the pavilion at the cloud-covered mountain peak seemed like an immortal. After briefly introducing his residence, Master Yunheo asked Mu-jin, Do you know why I called you here separately? I do not know exactly. He couldnt have been called just because he defeated Grandmaster Qing Shui. Is it because of Grandfather Hyun-gwang? As Mu-jin was thinking this, Master Yunheo provided the answer. It is because of a promise I made with that rascal Hyun-gwang. A promise? Since he had not heard anything from his grandfather, Mu-jin asked with a puzzled face. He asked me to take good care of you while you are here in Wudang. In truth, it was a matter of conscience even before the promise. How could he neglect the grandson of a friend who had only five years left to live, borrowing him for a month? If he had been just an ordinary child, I would have let the masters teach him, but since he has shown potential, I must teach him personally. Master Yunheo made this decision after watching the duel between Qing Shui and Mu-jin yesterday. However, it is not appropriate to teach the secrets of Wudang to someone who is not a disciple of Wudang. Therefore, the martial art I will teach you is Taiji Quan. Taiji Quan? Hearing Master Yunheos words, Mu-jin unknowingly asked again. Taiji Quan was also taught during the martial arts exchange yesterday. Mu-jin understood its essence but felt it did not align with his direction, so he only grasped the principles. There must be a reason, right? Surely, a master ranked among the top three in the world would not waste time teaching meaningless martial arts. I will do my best to learn. After organizing his thoughts, Mu-jin bowed and replied, and Master Yunheoughed heartily and took the initial stance of Taiji Quan. It is better to experience it through sparring than just demonstrating it. Come at me. I ask for your guidance. Taking the initial stance and paying respect, Mu-jin then dashed towards Master Yunheo, disying the Fast Ascent Step from the start. He did not expect to win due to the extreme difference in their levels. He just hoped to learn something by doing his best. Indeed, Master Yunheo easily deflected Mu-jins Striking Bone Technique, even though Mu-jin mixed it with the Celestial Weight technique. While deflecting Mu-jins fierce attacks, Master Yunheo spoke in a rxed tone. Our Wudang martial arts are based on the principle of softness oveing hardness, but to fully express this principle, the most important thing is not superior skills. Even as Master Yunheo spoke, Mu-jin continued to swing his Striking Bone Technique with full power, but the master easily deflected his attacks. To deflect something, the first thing needed is to observe the opponent. The first step is to read how the opponents body moves. As he spoke, Master Yunheo deflected Mu-jins left palm strike. The second step is to read the opponents qi. Master Yunheo gently dispersed the golden qi surrounding Mu-jins right kick. The third step is to read the opponents mind. Bang! Before Mu-jin could fully extend his right fist, it was caught by Master Yunheos hand. Mu-jin tried to swing his fist, but as Yunheo Zhenrens left hand traced a Taiji circle while holding Mu-jins hand, Mu-jins body involuntarily followed. If you can read the opponents body, qi, and mind, youll be able to counterattack before the opponent even moves. Saying this, Yunheo Zhenren released Mu-jins arm, which had been bound by Taiji Quan. The final stage is to read the world itself. This is a level that even I have notpletely achieved. Perhaps your grandfather could. After hearing thisst lesson, Mu-jin, freed from Yunheo Zhenrens Taiji Quan, bowed in respect. Thank you for your teaching. Mu-jin realized what Yunheo Zhenren was trying to teach. From the beginning, Taiji Quan was just a wrapping. In essence, he was trying to teach the most important aspects of life-and-death battles and duels. The first stage, reading the opponents movements, meant understanding the opponents next move through their muscle or joint movements or posture. Mu-jin also frequently used this technique. And strangely enough, he somewhat understood the third stage, reading the mind. You can grasp the opponents habits and even lead them to make specific moves through psychological warfare. However, the second stage, reading qi, was the biggest revtion for Mu-jin. It meant that one could predict the next move by reading not just the body movements but also the flow of internal energy the opponent used. Thest stage, reading the world itself, sounded too abstract to understand. But even the first three stages alone were significant teachings. * * * After Mu-jin and Qing Shui left Yunheo Zhenren after receiving his teachings at Jade Maiden Peak. At Jade Maiden Peak, Wudangs leader, Yun-song Zhenren, arrived. Master Yunheo. Even if Mu-jins treatment and wrist strengthening techniques are truly effective, is there a need for you to personally teach that disciple? Wudang had indeed received a favor from Mu-jin, but Yunheo Zhenren teaching Mu-jin was separate from that favor. Yunheo Zhenren had taken Mu-jin without any prior discussion. Of course, this was also due to his promise with Hyun-gwang. I decided to teach Mu-jin for the future of Wudang, Senior Brother. Yunheo Zhenren had another reason. Why is teaching a Shaolin disciple beneficial for Wudangs future, Yunheo? Yunheo Zhenren closed and opened his eyes, speaking with a somewhat troubled voice. As you know, our time as the Yunja generation is almost over. In five to ten years, we will pass Wudang to the first-generation disciples and live in harmony with nature. Yunheo Zhenrens words did not merely imply retirement from the martial world. A persons physical capabilities peak in their twenties and generally start to decline in their thirties. However, martial arts are extremelyplex, and it is difficult to achieve significant internal energy at a young age. Therefore, the period when most martial artists reach their peak ability is usually around their thirties or forties. In their forties, assuming they have consistently trained, their bodies are still capable. Additionally, this is when they are filled with knowledge about internal energy and martial arts, and they have ample experience. But from their fifties onwards, a prolonged tug-of-war begins. While their understanding of martial arts and internal energy increases, their physical abilities rapidly decline. When the decline of their physical capabilities surpasses the growth in their internal energy and understanding of martial arts, their overall ability declines rapidly. Thus, in most prestigious sects, the ones symbolizing martial power are usually the first-generation disciples. Elders or sect leaders, in reality, are more like former masters than current ones. This excludes those who have reached extraordinary heights, such as Hyun-gwang, the Three Swords of the World, or the Seven Kings. And I too, in about ten years, will no longer be known as one of the Three Swords of the World. At over seventy years old, Yunheo Zhenren was at a stage where he relied solely on his internal energy to move his body while using martial arts. On the other hand, the leader of the Demonic Alliance will still be in his prime ten years from now. Unlike Yunheo Zhenren or Namgung Sword Emperor, Hyeok Jin-gang, the Heavenly Sword Emperor, was still middle-aged. Even in ten years, he would be younger than Yunheo Zhenren was now. Moreover, it has already been thirty-six years since the Demonic Cult invaded the Central ins. The next generation might see their ambitions rise again. Some might think it would be better to eliminate the Demonic Cult and other heretical sects now, while they still have the strength, but a war between the righteous and demonic factions would spill too much blood across the continent. If we move first, Wudang might end up bearing all the me. Both Yunheo Zhenren and Yun-song Zhenren were aware that some of the prestigious sects and powerful families valued their own privileges over the peace of the martial world. Hence, what was necessary was to build strength. To achieve peace, they understood the paradox that one needed a strength so formidable that no one would dare to provoke them. So, do you intend to borrow Mu-jins strength to prevent future dangers? Yun-song Zhenren asked, and Yunheo Zhenren shook his head. Today, I trained not only Mu-jin but also Qing Shui. Do you know why? Are you saying that training with Mu-jin greatly benefits Qing Shui? Exactly. Qing Shui possesses extraordinary talent, but in his heart, there is only the sword. While this has allowed him to grow rapidly, he will eventually hit a limit. This was a judgment that only Yunheo Zhenren, who had reached great heights, could make. If he does not see the vast world and remains obsessed with his own sword, how can he epass the world within his sword? Yunheo Zhenren intended to teach both Mu-jin and Qing Shui. Qing Shui, being deeply engrossed in the magic of the sword, often became intoxicated with his own sword during training or dueling. Thus, Yunheo Zhenren imparted the lesson that one must observe their opponent. He also hoped Qing Shui would see the world. Since Qing Shui had developed a significant interest in Mu-jin after being defeated by him, this was a deliberate decision. Even this morning, Qing Shui had gone to the Shaolin pavilion to learn something from Mu-jin. Although it saddens me to see my old rivalry with that rascal reyed, this is the best for Qing Shuis growth. Yunheo Zhenren felt that Qing Shui might spend his whole life in Mu-jins shadow, but he shook his head, dispelling such negative thoughts. * * * Meanwhile, at that time, Qing Shui, who had descended from Jade Maiden Peak, was focusing on his training in the training ground used by Wudang disciples. How does Mu-jin know all these things? He had learned various knowledge from Mu-jin, including ways to build muscle strength. For example, he learned that muscles grow stronger after getting injured and healing. Therefore, it was important to divide training by muscle groups on different days or takeplete rest days during full-body workouts. Mu-jin also stressed the importance of diet, suggesting he eat plenty of beans and mushrooms since they couldnt eat meat. Additionally, he learned exercises beneficial to Wudang martial arts, like the Close-Range Spear Technique. Thus, Qing Shui was currently practicing some bodyweight exercises and the Close-Range Spear Technique he had learned from Mu-jin. Seeing Qing Shui practice, some Wudang disciples approached him. Senior Brother Qing Shui, what is that exercise you are doing? Could we also learn it? Without Yunheo Zhenren and Yun-song Zhenren knowing, the Wudang disciples were bing influenced by Mu-jin. Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Around ten days had passed since the Shaolin disciples began staying at Wudang. Mu-jin, watching the scene at the training ground, felt a sense of bewilderment. This scene feels strangely familiar. Over a hundred Wudang disciples were at the training ground, eachying a cloth on the ground and assuming the same posture on it. How did wrist training time turn into a GX session? Well, if there was a catalyst, it was probably that. Teaching bodyweight exercises and some close-range spear techniques to the Qing Shui dojo? After teaching Qing Shui dojo some exercises for a few days, not only Qing Shui but also several Wudang disciples started flocking to him. At this rate, it was better to conduct the sessions at the training ground rather than the front yard of the hall given to Shaolin. Why is everyoneing?The number gradually increased, and now, all the third-ss and second-ss Wudang disciples were flocking to the training ground. That didnt necessarily mean he was losing time. Originally, it was time to teach wrist training methods anyway. In fact, most of the wrist training methods had already been taught. Precisely, those that they could follow at a basic level. Wrist training, after all, was about training muscles, which wouldnt see significant improvement in just a day or two, and doing wrist exercises alone every day would be counterproductive. In other words, on days when the wrists needed rest, other exercises were conducted. Thanks to that, Mu-jin had be an instructor teaching hundreds of members. You need to bend a little more there. You have to breathe. Inhale, then bend a little more as you exhale. The Shaolin disciples were acting as a sort of assistant instructors. From the Shaolin disciples perspective, it might seem excessive to teach exercises to Wudang disciples who werent even their fellow students. Oh! Such impressive muscles, Sir Do! If we exercise consistently, we can build our bodies too, right? Hahaha. This is nothingpared to Master Mu-jin. The Wudang disciples, with their stick-like bodies, were showering praises on the muscles, dazzling with admiration, leaving the Shaolin disciples bewildered. Anyone who has exercised knows that building a body is an arduous task. Martial arts training has its own fun, but weight training is just about lifting heavy things repetitively. It was a tedious and tough process that had to be repeated for years. Praising muscles not only acknowledged the muscles themselves but also the effort put into building them, making it more gratifying. One of the biggest reasons muscle enthusiasts loved receivingpliments on their muscles and wanted to boast about them. In this sense, the innocent and pure praise from the naive Wudang disciples, who had only practiced swordsmanship in the mountains, captured the hearts of the Shaolin disciples. Among them, the most outstanding was, of course, Qing Shui dojo. Master Mu-jin! Whats the next move? As expected of Master Mu-jin! How can you move so flexibly with muscles like steel!? It was pure, sincere praise without any hint of ttery. Meanwhile. The Yunja-bae of Wudang, watching the interaction between the Wudang and Shaolin disciples, were having thoughts simr to Mu-jins. How did this happen? Simr, but with a slightly different feeling. * * * Twenty days had passed since Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples had arrived at Wudang. During that time, the bond between the Shaolin and Wudang disciples had grown stronger. While it was partly because Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples taught exercises to the Wudang disciples every morning, The main reason was that about fifteen dayster, Mu-jins treatments and wrist training methods began showing results. Wudangs main sword experts, who had beenining of wrist pain, started showing great favor towards Mu-jin, including the Yunja-bae and the first-ss disciples. And today, right after Mu-jin treated the wrists of Wudangs sword experts, Master Mu-jin. May we have a word with you? Suddenly, Yun-song Zhenren, the leader of Wudang, approached Mu-jin. I have time, but is there a problem? Yun-song Zhenren, with a gentleugh at Mu-jins question, finally spoke up after all the Wudang sword experts and second-ss Shaolin disciples had left. I heard from Yunheo senior that Master Mu-jins treatment methods cannot be shared due to a contract with the Cheonryu Sangdan. * * * Yes. Mu-jin replied in a hesitant tone to Yun-song Zhenrens words. Could he be asking me to secretly teach him anyway? As Mu-jin pondered suspiciously, Yun-song Zhenren added more to his statement. In that case, could you perhaps open that musculoskeletal treatment clinic near Wudang Mountain instead? A clinic, you say? Indeed. Ive heard that the clinic not only fixes wrists but also corrects the entire bodys musculoskeletal system. Though wrists are the most severe, there are quite a few who have injuries from rigorous training. But we cant keep you tied to Wudang forever, Master Mu-jin. Hearing Yun-song Zhenrens words, Mu-jin began to calcte in his mind. Mount Yongzhong, where the Jegal family is based, is less than two hundred li from here, right? At that distance, Mu-jin could cover it within an hours time. It was an opportunity to establish a clinic right under the nose of the Jegal family, who were set to cause trouble in the future. With his calctionsplete, Mu-jin responded with a business-like smile. Then, the most suitable location would be Gunyun, which is closest to Wudang. Hahaha. Gunyun would indeed be convenient for us at Wudang as well. Then I shall send a message to the headquarters and Cheonryu Sangdan. Both Mu-jin and Yun-song Zhenren ended their conversation with satisfied smiles. * * * Its regrettable to see you go. Yun-song Zhenren had aplex and subtle expression as he looked at the Shaolin disciples who were ready to depart. Seeing this, Hye-geol, the representative, responded with a heartyugh. As they say, those who meet must part, and those who part will meet again. We will surely meet again. Hahaha. The day hade for the Shaolin disciples to return after spending the promised month fruitfully. Wudang owes a great debt to Master Mu-jin. Whenever you need help, just send us a message. We will surely repay this debt. Im sorry we couldnt stay longer. However, now that were opening a clinic in Gunyun, you can visit there if you have any physical difort. Yun-song Zhenren smiled softly at Mu-jins humble words. Beyond the treatments, the wrist training methods Mu-jin taught had freed the future Wudang swordsmen from chronic issues. Additionally, they had learned simple muscle training methods and close-range spear techniques to increase body flexibility. From Wudangs perspective, there could be no greater favor. At that moment, Qing Shui dojo approached Mu-jin, who was exchanging farewells with Yun-song Zhenren. Its truly regrettable. Hahaha. If I had known you were leaving so soon, I would have requested a sparring match yesterday. Qing Shui dojos expression showed genuine regret. Indeed, ever since being defeated by Mu-jin, Qing Shui dojo had been reying the match in their mind. However, Qing Shui dojo had yet to figure out how to counter Mu-jins overwhelming strength and had been diligently practicing the training methods Mu-jin had taught. This fool who knew nothing but the sword didnt even know the date when the Shaolin disciples would return. So now, he was regretting it. Otherwise, would it be possible to ask for a sparring match today? Since it was impossible to engage in another sparring session when they were about to return to Shaolin, Mu-jin declined politely. Anyway, there will be a martial arts tournament in a year and a half, so why dont we test our skills then? Ah! Now that I think about it, there will be a martial arts tournament then. I had forgotten about it because I wasnt interested. Haha. If Mu-jin Do-woo participates, it will be an enjoyable tournament. At Cheong-sus cheerful response, Mu-jin simply smiled lightly. Lets get going! And a momentter. With Hye-geols loud shout, the Shaolin disciples began descending Wudang Mountain. As always, they lifted those massive carriages and heavy iron pieces. * * * Yongjung Mountain in Hubei Province. Unlike other major families or most martial arts families that established themselves in ces like counties or provincial capitals, the Jegal family was settled on a mountain like a sect. There were several reasons for this, but the main reason was likely due to historical roots. It was the famous mountain where the revered Wolong Jegal Master was said to have secluded himself, the backdrop of the Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage. Additionally, since they were situated on a mountain, they had reimed thend to use a vast estate. Moreover, utilizing the geographical advantage of the mountain, numerous formations filled the interior and exterior of the Jegal family estate. This was probably impossible in a city or a bustling county. Thus, the Jegal family, known as the Miraculous Jegal, had created an impregnable fortress in the middle of the mountain. In one corner of this vast estate, in a spacious training ground, Jegal Jin-hee sheathed the fans she held in both hands and exhaled deeply. Phew. Nine months had passed since she returned to the family after learning various exercises and the Close-Range Spear Technique from Mu-jin. When she first started the exercises Mu-jin had taught her upon returning home, all the family members looked at Jegal Jin-hee with strange gazes. The Jegal family prided themselves on being the descendants of Jegal Gongmyung, believing that martial arts were also performed with intellect and talent. Naturally, they worried and delighted, thinking she had fallen into madness when she started lifting iron weights. Moreover, when she assumed strange postures (she was practicing the Close-Range Spear Technique), many were shocked. But as it is said, humans are creatures of adaptation. When she focused solely on training and exercises without caring about the gazes of those around her, the people of the Jegal family gradually adapted. This adaptation was more about epting that something was wrong with her mind. However, the gaze of the family elders or the ridicule of her peerspeting for the position of family head had no effect on her training. There are less than two years left now. Her mind was filled with thoughts of the martial arts tournament she had promised Mu-jin. But first, I need to catch my breath for a moment. Hadnt Mu-jin said that only after the body recovers from hardship can growth ur? Overexertion was forbidden in training. As she was catching her breath, she heard a peculiar conversation. A martial arts exchange between Shaolin and Wudang, is that true? I heard that the monk named Mu-jin was also there. Elder Jegal-hyeon, who was defeated by him in Nanchang, was waiting for him, but he couldnt make a move since Mu-jin was with Wudang. She had intended to let it pass without much thought, but the words Shaolin and Mu-jin piqued Jegal Jin-hees interest. Focusing her hearing, she eavesdropped more intently on the conversation of those passing by the training grounds wall. ording to our agreement, I should wait until the martial arts tournament. But nine months was quite a long time. Besides, it wasnt as far as Henan, just a stones throw away to Wudang Mountain. Would it be alright to go visit him? Yes! She could just pretend she was visiting Wudang on some business and ran into him by chance! True to her reputation as a clever member of the Jegal family, Jegal Jin-hee thought of a good pretext and immediately set her n into motion. * * * The next day. Jegal Jin-hee, fully prepared, set out from her familys estate early in the morning and arrived at Gyun-hyun, the area closest to Wudang Mountain, by noon. Who knows, we might end up sparring? And I might make a strange noise from my stomach. She decided to have a simple lunch here before climbing Wudang Mountain. While strolling around Gyun-hyun looking for a suitable restaurant, she spotted a signboard that caught her eye. [Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic] It was the same signboard she had seen in Deungbong-hyeon and Nanchang. With a sense of expectation, she entered the estate and soon encountered a familiar figure. What brings you here? I could ask you the same, youngdy. It was Ryu Seol-hwa, whom she had met at the clinic in Deungbong-hyeon. After receiving Mu-jins letter, Ryu Seol-hwa had quickly prepared to open the clinic and came to Gyun-hyun. This time, she intended to spend a little more time with him. However, sadly, Mu-jin had returned to Song Mountain a few days after she arrived, havingpleted his exchange with Wudang. Thinking it would be more efficient for her to manage the clinic alone, Mu-jin decided there was no need for him to stay, which was a painful story from Ryu Seol-hwas perspective. Concealing her sorrow, Ryu Seol-hwa asked kindly. Are you here to see Monk Mu-jin? Jegal Jin-hee replied confidently to her question. Yes, we have an agreement. Ryu Seol-hwa smirked inwardly at her metaphorical expression, already aware that the agreement was about sparring. I see. Monk Mu-jin is at the Wudang sect, so you will need to climb Wudang Mountain to meet him. Thank you for the information. Jegal Jin-hee, disying a victorious smile, left the clinic and headed straight for Wudang Mountain without even stopping for lunch. And what awaited her was: Are you talking about Do-woo Mu-jin? He left yesterday. All the Shaolin disciples departed together. This was the polite response from the Wudang disciples guarding the entrance to Haegeomji. Did he dare deceive me? She, a descendant of Jegal Gongmyung, had been fooled by someone. With veins popping on her forehead, Jegal Jin-hee used her qinggong technique to quickly descend Wudang Mountain and returned to the clinic. Whether it was due to her anger or her rapid movements, she returned to the clinic with an unusually flushed face and confronted Ryu Seol-hwa, who answered with a bright smile. Oh my, did he leave? I didnt know that. You didnt know? Jegal Jin-hee red coldly at her. Yes. Ryu Seol-hwas radiant smile and eye smile met Jegal Jin-hees icy stare. * * * Meanwhile, at that moment. Mu-jin, who was pulling a cart loaded with exercise equipment on his way back to Shaolin, suddenly coughed. Ugh, why do I feel a sudden chill? Had he caught a cold because he cooled off after sweating during a short break? Worry crept onto Mu-jins face as he considered this. Mu-gyeong, running alongside him, noticed Mu-jins serious expression and asked. Whats wrong? Are you sick? No, Im not sick, just feeling a bit uneasy. Whats making you uneasy? I might lose muscle mass if I catch a cold. Mu-gyeong looked at Mu-jin with a bizarre expression upon hearing his answer. Chapter 97: Chapter 97: A few dayster, the Shaolin disciples safely returned to Songshan. Though their appearances were far from respectable, much like when they had arrived at Wudang Mountain, they were nevertheless safe. Were back, Master. Master Uncle. When Mu-gung, covered in sweat and dust, offered a bow as the leader, Hye-dam nodded silently as usual and asked, Did you gain anything from Wudang? It was very helpful, I believe. The saying goes that disciples resemble their masters. Just as Hye-dam had asked briefly, Mu-gung responded concisely. Through his two years of experience, he had learned that Hye-dam disliked lengthy, borate exnations. Then, demonstrate what you have learned.Despite his exhaustion from pulling the cart, Mu-gung took his stance at Hye-damsmand and showcased the martial arts he had mastered. Bang! Mu-gung moved with minimal motion and simplicity. However, due to hisrge build and immense strength, even his simplest movements produced powerful shockwaves. As he watched, a faint ripple appeared in Hye-dams eyes. His mind has be much calmer. In Mu-gungs movements, all distractions had vanished. Through this journey to Wudang, Mu-gung was able to discard his doubts about himself. He had joined Shaolin with the ambition to be a renowned martial artist but had felt inadequate witnessing the overwhelming talents of Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong. No matter how much he reminded himself to follow his own path, deep down, the young mans heart, not even twenty years old, was always wavering. However, at Wudang, he gained a significant realization. It wasnt that he wascking; it was that Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong possessed extraordinary talents. Even in Wudang, renowned as the best sect under the heavens, their talents shone brilliantly. The only one who couldpare to them at Wudang was Qing Shui, who was already famous throughout the Central ins. Moreover, experiencing Wudang disciples admiring his robust muscles and asking him to teach them exercise further boosted his self-esteem. Of course, his path was different from the Wudang disciples. Their admiration was limited to his muscles, as they took great pride in their Wudang martial arts. But what did it matter? Shaolins martial arts are not inferior to Wudangs. He, too, was a disciple of Shaolin, which possessed techniques no less formidable than those of Wudang. Spending time at Wudang, Mu-gung gained confidence that he was not weak. As he continued to train at Wudang and gained strength from pulling the cart, along with the internal energy from the Lesser Restoration Pill he consumed before leaving, Mu-gungs movements became faster and stronger. Naturally, his movements generated wind as he executed his techniques, more powerful and swift than before his departure to Wudang. That will be enough. Watching this scene, Hye-dam, uncharacteristically, showed a slight smile and spoke. You are finally ready to learn the Tathagata Palm. Hye-dam realized it was time to teach Mu-gung the Seventy-two consummate arts. * * * He-geol, who had apanied his disciple Mu-yul to Wudang, was deep in thought inside the pavilion. This trip to Wudang had been greatly beneficial for his disciple. Shaolins Five Fists, which emted animal movements, pursued naturalness, resembling Daoist principles more than Buddhist ones. Wudangs martial arts, truly embodying Daoist principles, contrasted with the Hwasan Sect, which pursued splendor, and the Jeomchang Sect, which sought swift swordy. Of course, the Hwasan Sect, striving for the essence of the flower among living beings in nature, inherently had Daoist colors in its martial arts. Jeomchang Sect also had martial arts inspired by nature but seemed to antagonize natural objects, practicing sword techniques to pierce the sun or cut through light. In any case, this was why the exchange of martial arts with Wudang greatly benefited Mu-yul. Especially since Mu-yul was currently mastering Crane Fist and Snake Fist, both of which emphasized softness. Additionally, the internal energy gained from the Lesser Restoration Pill before departing and the various training undertaken on the journey to and from Wudang had elevated Mu-yuls martial arts to a new level. Despite his disciples clear advancement, He-geol was deep in thought in the pavilion. Can I truly capture it? For a moment, he pondered this unknown worry. Hm. Theres no point in worrying; its better to take action during this time. Determining that action was better than worrying, Hye-geol willingly sprang up from his seat. Hyun-ah. Take good care of Mu-yul. I have somewhere to be. Yes, Master. Leaving those words with Beob-hyun, his disciple and Mu-jins master, Hye-geol leapt away. And five dayster. Covered in dirt and dust as if he had been training by pulling a cart again, Hye-geol returned to Shaolin. This time, he brought along a peculiar pet. Grrr. The fierce animal, growling savagely, quieted when Hye-geol stroked its neck. Hahaha. Isnt it cute, Mu-yul? He pointed at the now-docile animal,ughing heartily at Mu-yul. Seeing such an animal for the first time, Mu-yuls eyes sparkled with curiosity. Seeing this, Hye-geolughed heartily again and spoke. Mu-yul! Its finally time to learn the Panther Fist. The animal Hye-geol had captured over five days. It was a leopard. * * * Meanwhile, at the same time. Have you returned, Master Uncle? Mu-gyeong greeted Hye-gwan, who had returned to the secr world after a long time on a mission. Hye-gwans return from the secr world meant he had eliminated a malicious demon. Outwardly, he appeared the same as usual, but having spent two years together, Mu-gyeong knew. He knew that Hye-gwans mood was not entirely cheerful right after returning from the secr world. Hye-gwan, noticing Mu-gyeongs polite greeting, smirked. His face was flushed, and he held a liquor bottle, looking like a typical drunkard. Hehehe. Did you have a good trip to Wudang? Yes, Master Uncle. Well then, lets see how much youve improved. Understanding Hye-gwans intentions, Mu-gyeong did not hesitate and approached him. Pleased by his response, Hye-gwan thrust his left leg. The left leg flew at an unexpected angle and with strange speed. Swish. Mu-gyeong smoothly dodged Hye-gwans kick. In an instant, he demonstrated the martial arts he had learned through the exchange at Wudang. Hahaha! Youve learned something interesting. While Hye-gwanughed heartily, Mu-gyeong took another step forward andunched a palm strike. Hye-gwan knew very well that this palm strike could transform into a fist technique, a finger technique, or the Golden Locking Hand at any moment. So, Hye-gwan made a bold move. Instead of defending or evading, he folded his left leg, which Mu-gyeong had dodged, and aimed his knee at Mu-gyeongs head. Realizing this, Mu-gyeong quickly withdrew his extended right palm and blocked the knee. The two disciples continued to exchange dozens of moves. Thud. As Hye-gwan increased his speed, he kicked Mu-gyeong and spoke. My drunkenness ispletely gone. Though he had been going easy, it meant that it was bing difficult to spar while drinking. To have grown this much already. Hiding his satisfaction, Hye-gwan smirked. Well then, its time to learn some real martial arts. Real martial arts? Mu-gyeong, who had been pushed back by Hye-gwans kick, tilted his head in curiosity. Hye-gwan had only pushed him with his foot, not kicked him with full force, so Mu-gyeong was not seriously harmed. Instead of answering Mu-gyeongs question directly, Hye-gwan threw away the liquor bottle he was holding in his right hand and took his stance. As he slowly punched the air, Hye-gwan recited phrases from the Buddhist scriptures with each punch. Matching his movements and words, a golden aura flowed from Hye-gwans fists. After demonstrating a total of twenty-four movements, Hye-gwan adjusted his stance and spoke. This is one of the Seventy-two Consummate Arts that this monk has mastered: the Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist. Have you memorized all the forms and key points? Mu-gyeong responded in a calm tone to Hye-gwans casual disy of the Seventy-two Consummate Arts. I have memorized everything for now. Hye-gwan smiled with a peculiar expression. As expected. His disciple was a genius. Even Hye-gwan, considered one of the top experts in Shaolin, had not been this talented. In a long ten years, or perhaps in just five, he might no longer be able to teach his disciple. But that was a matter for the future. For now, it was still his time to instruct Mu-gyeong. Well then, lets spar using the Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist. What!? Ive only just memorized the forms and key points Hehehe. Thats enough. Martial arts are meant to be learned through realbat. Hye-gwan intended to teach Mu-gyeong his way. Wait a moment There is no wait a moment in realbat! As Mu-gyeong cried out in panic, Hye-gwans fist, glowing with a golden aura, had already closed in on him. How do I generate the fist energy!? If you dont know, learn while getting hit! From Hye-gwans pavilion, the sounds of wailing once again echoed. * * * While the three members of Yunja-bae were engrossed in learning new martial arts, Mu-jin was calmly assessing himself at Hyun-gwangs ce. My strength and Jade Vajra Technique are steadily improving. He had entered a temporary teau in spring, but recently he felt he was growing again. Did the cart-pulling training help in its own way? People are often described as adaptable creatures. This saying applied to their mindset, but it was equally true for their bodies. The human body adapts to hardships. No matter how grueling the training, if one endures with determined shouts, they eventually grow ustomed to it. Of course, training to the point of injury was another matter entirely. The phrase, What doesnt kill you makes you stronger, applied to the body as well. However, once the body adapted, growth would cease. The human body only grew to the level where it could endure the hardships. This was true for muscle training as well. Therefore, to build muscle, one had to not only change the weights but also asionally alter the exercise methods. From this perspective, the insane full-body exercise of pulling a cart, which he had never tried before, brought new changes to his muscles. From now on, I should try some unusual training during transitional periods. With the Jade Vajra Technique preventing his body from breaking down, Mu-jin had built his strength to an almost reckless degree, surpassing even the strength he had in his prime as Choi Kang-hyuk. From this point on, it was uncharted territory for Mu-jin. Additionally, under the guidance of Yunheo Zhenren, he gained new insights into fighting techniques. Though a series of fortunate events had urred, Mu-jins expression was not entirely bright. For almost half a year now, there has been no progress with the Body Protection Technique. He had managed to freely emit qi and encase his hands and feet with it like gloves and shoes around early spring. Since then, his growth had stagnated. Aiming to encase his entire body in qi, Mu-jin was far from achieving his goal. How could he emit qi further and maintain its desired shape? While pondering this, Mu-jin repeatedly emitted and retracted qi through his hands and feet. Hahaha. You seem to have many worries. Watching him, Hyun-gwang approached Mu-jin with a gentle smile. When you find yourself blocked in finding your own path, it is sometimes good to borrow the wisdom of the sages. The wisdom of the sages? Indeed. Your current goal is to emit qi from your fists and feet to reach further and maintain the shape you desire, correct? Thats right, Grandfather. There is a Shaolin technique that deeply considers sending qi further. At Hyun-gwangs words, Mu-jins eyes sparkled with curiosity. What technique is that? Instead of answering immediately, Hyun-gwang took his stance and slowly punched the air. At first, nothing seemed to happen near Hyun-gwangs fist. But then, Crack! A branch on a tree dozens of yards away snapped. In Shaolin, we call this technique the Hundred Steps Divine Fist. Demonstrating the technique, Hyun-gwang smiled gently. Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Hundred Steps Divine Fist As the name suggested, it was a punch that covered a distance of a hundred steps. In truth, a hundred steps roughly tranted to about 40 to 50 meters, meaning it was an attackunched over that distance. Even if one reached the level where they could emit their qi externally, it was only natural that controlling it would be increasingly difficult the further it moved away from the body. To handle qi precisely over such a distance required intricate and profound study. Thus, it was naturally one of Shaolins Seventy-two Consummate Arts. Can I learn this? For a brief moment, Mu-jin entertained such thoughts. From the moment he woke up in Mu-jins body, he had always been worried about that point.He was concerned about whether he could decipher and understand the essence ofplex martial arts known as absolute arts or divine techniques. He was not the real protagonist Mu-jin of the novel but Choi Kang-hyuk who had lived in the modern world. He couldnt imagine himself achieving enlightenment through the abstruse terminologies of the mnemonics filled with nonsense. However, Hoo. I cant avoid it forever. And if Grandfather helps, it might be possible. He thought that if Hyun-gwang interpreted the mnemonics for him, even someone with hiscking talents might be able to learn it. Please teach me, Grandfather. Hahaha. I shall do so. When Mu-jin bowed and spoke, Hyun-gwangughed heartily. * * * The initial training for the Hundred Steps Divine Fist involved memorizing the forms and mnemonics. The Hundred Steps Divine Fist broke down the simple action of a straight punch into a dozen or so stages, each with aplex process of internal qi maniption. Moreover, these detailed stages had to flow smoothly into one continuous motion rather than being disjointed. The fortunate thing was, Its a relief that Grandfather Hyun-gwang interpreted the mnemonics for me. The terriblyplicated mnemonics were, of course, written in Buddhist scripture verses. However, Hyun-gwang didnt leave it to Mu-jin to interpret them himself; instead, he exined each mnemonic phrase by phrase. The Hundred Steps Divine Fist, with its forms and mnemonics alone, could fill an entire book. Including the interpretation of the mnemonics, it would amount to four or five volumes. Mu-jin transcribed all the interpretations that Hyun-gwang had provided, creating aprehensive guide to the Hundred Steps Divine Fist and memorized it thoroughly. If one couldnt solve a math problem with genius-level intellect, they could at least memorize the solution process to solve it. Having memorized the forms, mnemonics, and their interpretations over several days, Mu-jin began punching the air continuously, setting aside time for muscle training. Initially, his speed was exceedingly slow. He had to execute the inner energy flow equivalent to the contents of four or five books with just a single punch. Even though he had performed it incredibly slowly, he made far more mistakes when he properly utilized his inner energy. How much time had passed as he relentlessly swung his fist into the air until he became ustomed to utilizing his inner energy? A month had passed, and when Mu-jin turned seventeen. Mu-jin had be familiar with the key points of the Hundred Steps Divine Fist, enough to avoid mistakes, even though he still performed it slowly and hesitantly. Hoo. Now I need to connect the movements without breaking. After another three months had passed, when the cold winter arrived at Songshan. Mu-jin was able to perform the Hundred Steps Divine Fist at a speed that seemed like an ordinary punch. The movements were no longer disconnected. Each time Mu-jin threw a punch, a golden energy burst forth from his fist. However, it wasnt powerful enough to befit the name of the Hundred Steps Divine Fist. The energy he emitted only traveled a distance of about three feet. If anything, it felt like a Two Steps Divine Fist. Hyun-gwang, who had been observing the training that continued into the fourth month, spoke up. Hehehe. You seem to have be familiar with the first half of the Hundred Steps Divine Fist. Now you must learn the second half. Is there a second half? Dont worry. The second half only involves key points. Its not bound by any particr form. Hyun-gwang omitted the fact that the key points were longer and moreplex. If the first half involved utilizing the internal energy within the body ording toplex key points to emit it powerfully, The second half involved key points to make the emitted energy travel further, faster, and stronger. Mu-jin wrote down the key points and exnations of the second half of the Hundred Steps Divine Fist that Hyun-gwang taught him on paper and memorized them thoroughly. Then, as he performed the Hundred Steps Divine Fist, he tried to control the energy ording to those key points. As he repeated the training, spring arrived. He practiced external energy training early in the morning and in the evening. During the remaining time, he continuously threw punches into the air. Whenever he used too much energy and his danjeon became empty, he sat in a cross-legged position and meditated while performing the Qi Conducting Technique. Even during meditation, his mind was filled with thoughts of the Hundred Steps Divine Fist. He imagined himself from a third-person perspective performing the Hundred Steps Divine Fist. In the imaginary world, he observed himself and revisited the sensation of the energy emitted from his punches. As more time passed and the warm sunlight poured over Songshan. Hup! A rock ced twenty steps away shattered into pieces from the energy emitted from Mu-jins punch. Hyun-gwang, who was observing, pped with a pleased expression. Hehehe. That will do for the Hundred Steps Divine Fist. If the goal had been to master the Hundred Steps Divine Fistpletely, there was still a long way to go. The further the distance that could be struck, the more arduous and lengthy the training to advance to the next stage would be. However, the purpose of teaching Mu-jin the Hundred Steps Divine Fist was not to strike an enemy from a hundred steps away. Now, lets incorporate the key points and sensations youve learned from the Hundred Steps Divine Fist into your martial arts. Mu-jins objective was to create a defensive qi technique that expanded the range of energy concentrated in his hands and feet to protect his entire body. He intended tobine this defensive qi technique with the power of the Jade Vajra Technique and the reckless speed of the Fast Ascent Step, tounch a full-bodied charge and overpower his opponent with sheer strength. That was the path Mu-jin envisioned for himself. And once again, Mu-jin received significant help from Hyun-gwang. Hyun-gwang exined how to seamlessly integrate the key points of the Hundred Steps Divine Fist into various movements at the right moments. With Hyun-gwangs assistance, Mu-jin worked hard to be familiar with his martial arts, which now incorporated several key points of the Hundred Steps Divine Fist. Time passed, and the following spring arrived. Finally, the time for the martial arts tournament hade. * * * Thirty-eight years ago, when the Demon Cult invaded the Central ins, The orthodox factions formed an alliance called the Martial Alliance to resist the Demon Cult. After nearly a year of war, the alliance seeded in driving out the Demon Cult. But perhaps because they had expelled themon enemy, the Demon Cult, the name of the Martial Alliance became increasingly meaningless over time. Historically, there had been several instances where the orthodox factions united under the name of the Martial Alliance to repel invasions from the unorthodox factions, the ck Path, the Demon Cult, and other foreign forces. Each time, the orthodox factions imed themselves to be the rightful masters of the martial world and united under the name of the Martial Alliance. After the wars ended, the organization naturally disbanded. However, this time was different. Perhaps due to the repeated cycles of simr history, a proposal emerged to maintain the alliance instead of forming it only after invasions urred. To sustain the gradually declining alliance, they started holding a grand unification tournament every ten years from thirty years ago. Since the tournament was organized by the Martial Alliance, it was called the Martial Arts Tournament. The Martial Arts Tournament featured various events, but the most significant one was the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, where future leaders of the orthodox factions could be identified. As apetition to identify future leaders of the orthodox factions, the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly became a small-scale contest among prestigious sects andrge ns. Naturally, each sect sent their most talented young disciples to the tournament. Shaolin was no exception. After a serious meeting among the current Shaolin master, Bang-geon of the Hyunja faction, and the elders, four disciples were selected to leave Shaolin in preparation. * * * In a pavilion of Shaolin Temple, Hye-geol looked at his disciple with a pleased expression. Hehehet. Mu-yul, who was smiling brightly, now had a leopard design on his spiky hair instead of a snake design. Hye-geol had personally trimmed his hair and inscribed the new design not long ago. The design symbolized that Mu-yul had mastered the Leopard Fist after a year and a half of training. The number of people who mastered the Leopard Fist at the young age of eighteen could be counted on one hand in Shaolins thousand-year history. Hahaha. Teaching him the key points was like hell, but once he mastered them, he could execute them more freely than anyone else. His outstanding senses and animal-like physical abilities contrasted sharply with hiscking intelligence. To make up for this, he had to repeat the same key points dozens, hundreds, even thousands of times, which was truly grueling. But once he ingrained the key points into his body, he could execute martial arts at a level that could only be described as genius. Thus, Hye-geol confidently told his disciple. Mu-yul, you will surely make the name of our Shaolin and the Shaolin Five Fists renowned at this martial arts tournament! Hehe, really? Of course! Absolutely! Does that mean I will win? Hye-geol, who had been answering energetically to Mu-yuls innocent question, flinched. Well, if the matchups are favorable, you could make it to the finals. As he answered, a certain disciples face surfaced in Hye-geols mind. In Shaolin, there was a monster who, despite being only an eighteen-year-old third-ss disciple, had already surpassed the level of second-ss disciples. * * * Do not get overly excited just because you are participating in the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. Yes, Master. Mu-gung responded in a t tone to Hye-dams blunt advice. Seeing his calm demeanor, Hye-dam felt satisfied, albeit internally. Of course, his expression remained as stoic as ever. The martial arts tournament will be a significant experience for you. Over the past three and a half years, Hye-dam observed that what his disciple needed most was self-esteem and confidence. Although he might act arrogantly or make reckless mistakes due to such emotions, the steady practice of the Immovable Heart Technique over the past three and a half years made the chances of such errors very low. On the contrary, Mu-gung was a child who strengthened his Immovable Heart through self-esteem. Therefore, meeting and fighting other young talents from different sects at this martial arts tournament would greatly benefit Mu-gung. From this perspective, I must hope for favorable matchups. Hye-dam had to entertain an uncharacteristic thought. There was one person in Shaolin whom he hoped Mu-gung wouldnt encounter. * * * Go and beat up those you dont like. Hehehe. With his usual nonchnt attitude, Hye-gwan took a sip of alcohol. But, dont kill anyone. Do you think Im you, Master? Mu-gyeong grumbled in response to Hye-gwans jest. The once timid boy had undergone a peculiar change in character. Well, after being beaten under the guise of training for three and a half years, it would be strange if he hadnt be a bit twisted. However, Hye-gwan did not regret his training methods. Although Mu-gyeongs demeanor had be somewhat rebellious and grumbling, at least he no longer sumbed to madness. Instead of switching between personalities like a split personality, the two personalities seemed to have blended, which Hye-gwan considered better than before. Hehehe. Thats good enough. As for martial arts, Mu-gyeong was such a genius that there was no need for concern. His already impressive intelligence had been enhanced by the power of the Lesser Restoration Pill, increasing his inner energy. Coupled with steady physical training following Mu-jins training methods, he had truly sprouted wings. Just aim for second ce. Shouldnt you be telling me to win? To Mu-gyeongs response, Hye-gwanzily pointed somewhere with a nod. It was in the direction of Hyun-gwangs residence. You might surpass him in the future, but not now. Amitabha. At least give me some encouragement with words. Fine. Ill pray to Buddha that you dont meet Mu-jin in the finals. Hehehe. Smirking, Hye-gwan thought. His disciple was indeed a genius. So, how should he describe Mu-jin? A mutant? A monster? As he thought this, Hye-gwan chuckled and nced at his own arm unconsciously. It was the part that had shed with Mu-jin during a recent spar. To think that the grand-disciple of Master Hyun-gwang would use such a brute-force martial art. Although he eventually won, Hye-gwan had only managed to subdue Mu-jin by going all out. Being known as the Anti-Demon Monk, even the viins of the Central ins trembled at his full power, yet an eighteen-year-old boy had managed to draw out that power. It was even more challenging because he had to subdue rather than kill him. Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Martial Arts Tournament (1) Well then, Ill be off. Grandfather. Hehehe. Go safely. Mu-jin bid farewell to Hyun-gwang as he prepared to participate in the martial arts tournament. A few days before the tournament, Mu-jin engaged in his final training by sparring with several Shaolin disciples. Skipping the third-ss disciples, he began sparring with the second-ss disciples, and finally, he sparred with first-ss disciples like Hye-geol, Hye-dam, and Hye-gwan. Thanks to the Hundred Steps Divine Fist, my Qi sense has improved significantly. By mastering martial arts that involved emitting and manipting Qi over a distance, his Qi sensing ability had improved, allowing him to read others Qi more proficiently. The sparring with second-ss and first-ss disciples was a process of refining the insights he had learned from Yunheo Zhenren by utilizing this enhanced Qi sense.It was training to read others Qi and predict the techniques they were about to use. Afterpleting this final training and self-assessment, Mu-jin was now ready to leave Shaolin. As if reading Mu-jins intentions, Hehehe. It seems youll be away from Shaolin for quite a while. Hyun-gwang added a subtle remark as Mu-jin bid him farewell. Once you finish what you need to do,e back to Shaolin. There are still things I need to teach you. Hearing Hyun-gwangs words, Mu-jin hesitated for a moment before answering somewhat honestly. I will definitely return once I finish my tasks. Grandfather. Hehehe. Thats enough. With Hyun-gwangs heartyugh, Mu-jin finished his farewell and stepped out of the hall. The Wulin Alliance, a coalition of righteous sects, was located there. The reason was simple. The Nine Great Sects and the Five Great ns, thergest factions in the righteous sects, were most centrally located in Hubei Province or Shaanxi Province. Shaanxi Province was chosen over Hubei Province because of the past war with the Demon Cult. Baoji in Shaanxi Province was deemed a more advantageous location to confront the Demon Cult forces invading from Xinjiang. Hanzhong, a strategic point connecting Sichuan and Gansu, was also a candidate, but its difficult terrain made transportation notoriously inconvenient, famously described as a chicken rib by Cao Cao. In any case, for these reasons, the Wulin Alliance settled in Baoji, which was now attracting people from all over the Central ins. They were gathering to participate in or watch the martial arts tournament, especially the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. It had been thirty-eight years since the Wulin Alliance was established. It had been thirty years since the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly began alongside the martial arts tournament. This uing martial arts tournament would be the fourth of its kind, and the vicinity of the Wulin Alliance now resembled a bustling city with a multitude of people and buildings. Originally, the Wulin Alliance was located in a secluded area on a hill in Baoji. But as the saying goes, even rivers and mountains change in ten years. The once quiet vicinity of the Wulin Alliance had gradually transformed into a town-like area with numerous peopleing and going. The grand pavilion built in the outer district surrounding the Wulin Alliance was called Outer Pavilion. It was a mansion constructed by the Jegal family, where members of the Jegal family who were working at the Wulin Alliance or visiting from the main house stayed. At that mansion, visitors who were not members of the Jegal family arrived. How have you all been? In response to Jegal-hyeons question, who had arranged this meeting, the visitors showed various reactions. Hahaha. Its been a while. The elder of the Hwangbo family responded heartily, pretending to be boisterous. What brings you to arrange this meeting? The elder of the Sichuan Tang n looked at Jegal-hyeon with a keen gaze, trying to discern his intentions. Tsk. Are you going to tell us another pointless story? The elder of the Hebei Peng family spoke in a dissatisfied tone, clearly unimpressed by the Jegal familys constant scheming. . Meanwhile, the elder of the Namgung family sat arrogantly, as if it didnt matter. These were the elders of the five great families, known as the Five Great Families of the World. They hade as representatives of their respective families to participate in the martial arts tournament. Jegal-hyeon began to speak with a peculiar expression. You may have heard the rumors, buttely, Shaolins movements have been unusual. In ce of the silent Namgung elder and the elder of the Hwangbo family, who wore a foolish expression, the elders of the Tang n and the Peng family spoke up. Unusual movements. Are you talking about that strange business, the clinic? Yes. Are you worried about that volunteer-like activity? Although most of the profits from that clinic are used by Shaolin for poverty relief, it is true that Shaolin is continuously expanding its business. Moreover, they are doing this in partnership with the Cheonryu Sangdan. Upon hearing Jegal-hyeons exnation, the elder of the Tang n began calcting with a cold expression, while the elder of the Peng family looked irritated. Also, the clinic is not the only problem. As you may have already heard, Shaolin has also partnered with Wudang. A year and a half ago, they sent their second and third-ss disciples for martial arts exchange. Immediately after that, they opened a clinic right near Wudang, in Gunyun. So, they have partnered with both the Cheonryu Sangdan and Wudang. Yes. Those who have been pretending to be noble all this time are now slowly revealing their ambitions. Instead of wasting time on things we already know, why dont you get to the main point? In response to the impatient question from the elder of the Peng family, Jegal-hyeon answered with an intellectual smile. What does it mean that Shaolin was the first to partner with Wudang? Isnt it that they are trying to create a force centered around the Nine Great Sects? Are you suggesting that the Five Great Families should form a force to counter them? Rather than counter, lets call it insurance. We must prepare for any unforeseen events. With Jegal-hyeons words, the five elders present exchanged various nces. * * * While the elders of each family were discussing this in a corner of the Jegal familys mansion, The young talents who had apanied the elders gathered and conversed. Yawn. This is boring. Even within the Tang n, known for their gloomy personalities among the righteous sects, Tang So-mi was considered an oddity. She stifled a yawn as she tried to pass the time. How can they not be bored of that? She nced over to where several young talents were gathered around a certain young man, chatting animatedly. Although they were called the Five Great Families, there were clear differences in power among them. If the current strongest sect was Wudang, then the current strongest family was undoubtedly the Namgung family. The young man, sitting quietly in the center of the young talents and half-listening to their chatter, was none other than Namgung Jin-cheon, the future of the Namgung family. Hahaha. I dont know why we even need to hold the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. The victory will surely go to Brother Namgung anyway. Tsk. While its a given that Brother Namgung will win, we should also try to make a name for ourselves, Miss Peng. Thats true. Hahaha. Well then, lets hope for a favorable draw. Some of the young men harbored apetitive spirit toward Namgung Jin-cheon, but all the women, except for herself, were trying to gain his favor. Huh? However, upon closer inspection, she noticed that there was another woman besides herself who showed no interest in Namgung Jin-cheon. Naturally, Tang So-mis curiosity was piqued. Jegal Jin-hee right? She had heard of her several times before, as she was a well-known woman. Jegal Jin-hee was not only a talenteddy of the Jegal family but also an ambitious person aiming for the head position of the family, despite being a woman. However, recalling this information made Tang So-mi tilt her head in confusion. If thats the case, shouldnt she at least show somepetitiveness? Jegal Jin-hee seemed genuinely uninterested in Namgung Jin-cheon, showing no signs of even the slightestpetitive spirit. At that moment, Jegal Jin-hee, whom Tang So-mi had been observing, moved. Driven by curiosity, Tang So-mi followed her out of the room. Sister Jegal! Calling out in a cheerful tone, Tang So-mi was met with a stern look from Jegal Jin-hee. What is it, Miss Tang? Despite being called sister, Jegal Jin-hee responded in a stiff tone. Its too boring inside, so I followed you out to see what youre up to. Feigning innocence, Tang So-mi smiled while she spoke. Even if you follow me, you wont find anything interesting. I was just thinking of training instead of wasting time in there. Her tone suggested that she wanted to be left alone, but Tang So-mis curiosity wouldnt let her back down easily. As expected of the talenteddy of the Jegal family. Is your goal also to defeat Namgungs sword? Im not interested in Namgungs sword at all. Hmm. Well, setting too high of a goal is difficult. I understand that feeling. When Tang So-mi made her provocative remark while pretending to be innocent, Jegal Jin-hees face broke into a smile. It was a cold smile. Namgung Jin-cheon is just a stepping stone. I have someone else in mind. At Jegal Jin-hees words, Tang So-mis eyes sparkled. She had implied that Namgung Jin-cheon was merely a stepping stone. That meant She must know of someone stronger than Namgung Jin-cheon among the young talents! Tang So-mi, having reached that conclusion, asked a question. Are you referring to the Sword Dragon of Wudang? Not the Qing Shui Sect. I need to train, so Ill take my leave. Jegal Jin-hee responded in her usual blunt manner and turned to leave. Watching her, Tang So-mis eyes gleamed with interest. This might be more fun than I thought. She suddenly found herself bing interested in the uing Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. * * * The outer district was filled with a massive crowd. Among them, the disciples of Shaolin had arrived. Wow~!! Mu-yul, the young monk, eximed in innocent wonder at the bustling scene. Mu-gung, although not showing it outwardly, spoke in a curious tone. Is this ce always this bustling? Hehehe. People doe and go regrly, but not to this extent. Its because of the martial arts tournament and the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly that so many people have gathered. The one who answered Mu-gungs question was the Head of the External Affairs Department, Master Hyun-hyeon, who was in charge of this trip. For such a significant event, it was unlikely that Shaolin would send only four third-ss disciples. The Dragon and Phoenix Assembly was just the biggest event, while the martial arts tournament served as a grand gathering of the righteous sects organized by the Wulin Alliance. Revered martial artists would demonstrate their skills, and the Wulin Alliance would hold meetings with key figures from various sects to discuss important matters. Still, Shaolin had kept their delegation fairly simple. Their delegation consisted of Master Hyun-hyeon as the representative, one first-ss disciple, five second-ss disciples, and the four third-ss disciples who would participate in the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly. First, we should head to the mansion to settle in and unpack. With those words, Master Hyun-hyeon led the way, followed by Mu-jin and the other Shaolin disciples. Naturally, the gazes of the crowd filling the streets turned toward them. Shaolin. Recognizing the distinctive crimson kasaya of Shaolin, the crowds reactions varied. Some looked on with admiration, others with caution, and some with curiosity. In truth, these reactions were primarily due to the location being the outer district. As in Deungbong-hyeon, from the perspective of ordinary people, Shaolin monks were just kind, strong monks who asionally dealt with bad guys. However, the outer district was a vige that had developed around the Wulin Alliance and was now filled with martial artists due to the martial arts tournament. Among those observing the Shaolin disciples in the streets, a good nine out of ten were martial artists of some sort, whether skilled or not. It seems Shaolin is participating in the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly as well. Hmm. But dont they look too young? There are only three of them too. Some of the less skilled martial artists whispered among themselves, but their words did not escape the keen hearing of the Four Tiger Disciples of Shaolin. Do we look too young? Mu-gyeong asked. Mu-jin responded indifferently, Were rtively young for young talents. Typically, young talents are those in their early twenties up to around thirty. Participation in the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly was restricted to young talents. Thus, the usual age range for participants was early to mid-twenties. Those younger oftencked the skill, while older participants could stillpete but would lose face as it implied they were clinging to their youth. In this sense, the Four Tiger Disciples were quite young. Mu-jin and Mu-yul were eighteen, and Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong were neen. Realizing they were rtively young, Mu-gyeong spoke in a somewhat uneasy tone, Then we seem to be at a disadvantage What are you worried about? There wont be anyone stronger than Master Uncle Hye-gwan anyway, Mu-jin encouraged. Mu-gyeong nodded at Mu-jins reassurance. No matter who they faced, it wouldnt be as tough as their training sessions. At that moment, Mu-yul, who had been listening with a bright expression, tilted his head and asked, But why are we only three? There are four of us, right? At this question, Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong nced at Mu-gung. Who would consider that broad frame and mature face as belonging to a young talent? What? Why? Mu-gung shouted, his face reddening under Mu-jin and Mu-gyeongs gaze. It seemed he still needed more training in the Immovable Heart Technique. Chapter 100: Chapter 100: Martial Arts Tournament (2) The Shaolin disciples moved through the crowd and soon arrived at the manor prepared for them. Hahaha. This is the manor created by the masters of the Beob Gong faction when the Murim Alliance was first established. At Master Hyun-hyeons exnation, Mu-jin nodded in agreement. The manor, boasting a history of thirty-eight years, had a certain something about it. As expected of Shaolin. It was exceedingly simple. Mu-jin, who had not expected a grandiose manor or extravagant halls, simply epted it and entered the manor. Wow~ This brings back memories. Right, Mu-jin?Perhaps because they were going to sleep together in a small room, Mu-yul seemed to be reminiscing about their novice days. Mu-jin, smiling slightly at the innocent look, organized the few belongings he had brought and started to warm up his body while thinking. The martial arts tournament To Mu-jin, the martial arts tournament held great significance. After all, his favorite novel, *Legend of the Evil Emperor*, began with this martial arts tournament. It might seem strange that the introduction of *Legend of the Evil Emperor*, which was about the greatest person in the demonic sect, started with the martial arts tournament, a celebration for the orthodox sects. But it was inevitable. The protagonist of the second part of the novel was originally from the orthodox sect. To be precise, his family belonged to a small faction within the orthodox sects. It was only during the process of uncovering the schemes of the hidden forces that he came into conflict with the orthodox sects. Hmm. At this time, that guy would probably be training hard at the Demonic Path Institute, right? The Demonic Path Institute was an organization that trained the future sessors of the Heavenly Demon Cult. Mu-jin had no intention of contacting the protagonist of the first part of the novel, the future Heavenly Demon, who would emerge from the Heavenly Demon Cult after graduating from the Demonic Path Institute. Sneaking into the Heavenly Demon Cult as an outsider was nothing short of suicidal. Anyway, that genius will graduate as the top student ande out on his own, so I can worry about himter. Mu-jin nned to meet the protagonist around the time he would confront Mu-gyeong, who was supposed to be the Blood Sessor in the middle of the first part of the novel. Since he had not interfered with the Heavenly Demon Cult, he calcted that everything would proceed ording to the novel until then, without him having to contact the Heavenly Demon. On the contrary, if the Heavenly Demon did not be stronger in the fight against the Blood Sessor, he might die in the next trial. Therefore, Mu-jin needed to meet him by then to help him grow. So this time, I should prevent a few of the hidden forces schemes in advance. Thinking about the hidden forces, Mu-jin let out a deep sigh. Even though he had read both parts of the novel, and *Legend of the Evil Emperor* was his favorite, which he had re-read multiple times He still did not know the exact and detailed power and identity of the hidden forces. The first part of the novel, *Record of the Heavenly Demons Return*, written by martial arts author Ga-gyeong, mainly dealt with the protagonist unifying the demon cult. While there were some hints about the hidden forces, there were no direct appearances, and it ended with the protagonist starting an invasion of the Central ins after unifying the demon cult. And the second part of the novel dealt with the protagonist discovering traces of the hidden forces and uncovering their secrets. In the process, due to having beaten to death the martial artists and sects belonging to the righteous faction who had either joined hands with the hidden forces or were being used by them, he ended up beingbeled as a member of the demonic faction. Anyway, even in the second part of the novel, they had only caught the tail and part of the body of the hidden forces. They had not chased down the head. The only thing the Evil Emperor had done was to invade the Heavenly Demon Cults headquarters alone and fight against the Heavenly Demon after discovering their connection to the demonic cult that had begun the invasion of the Central ins. And there, a person called Saint Monk, who seemed to be the protagonist of the third part of the novel, appeared. The Saint Monk intervened in the duel between the Evil Emperor and the Heavenly Demon, mediated between them, cleared up the Evil Emperors misunderstanding, formed a temporary alliance, and then vowed to wage war against the hidden forces, bringing the story to a close. In other words, the true nature of the hidden forces was scheduled to be revealed only in the third part. But I got dragged here after reading only two parts. Of course, having read the content and possessing basic martial arts knowledge, there were a few expected identities, but nothing was certain. However, he wasnt particrly worried. At least he knew a few of the conspiracies they would carry out in the future and some of the forces rted to them. Just like the second parts protagonist, the Evil Emperor, if he stirred up the tail and body, wouldnt some clues emerge? The incident of the Grave of the Divine Thief should be prevented before it happens if possible. It would also be better to deal with Baekyangmun this time. As he was sorting out matters that were supposed to be revealed or dealt with by the Evil Emperor a few yearster, naturally, his thoughts drifted towards the Evil Emperor. Should I try to make contact this time? It was a matter of much deliberation. Just as he had postponed his meeting with the Heavenly Demon, he wondered if there was a need to make immediate contact with the Evil Emperor. The guy was destined to awaken through a certain event, and he was worried that meeting him now might interfere with that event. Lets just watch for now. In fact, just by his presence in this ce, the storyline of the novel was slightly deviating. Originally, Shaolin was not supposed to participate in this martial arts tournament. There was only a mention that a great monk of Shaolin had passed away, leading Shaolin to prohibit all external activities. And Mu-jin somehow knew who that great monk supposed to die in the novel was. It must have been Grandfather. After all, Hyeongwangs name had never been mentioned in the novel. While Mu-jin was organizing his thoughts about the future events internally, First-ss disciple Hye-gong, who had suddenly visited the pavilion where the third-ss disciples were gathered, delivered a message. We all have somewhere to go together. It seems weve been invited by Mount Hua. At Hye-gongs words, Mu-jin wore a peculiar expression. Mount Hua, huh. Theplicated thoughts about the protagonists felt clearer. Since the future could change in unpredictable ways, it was best to deal with the certain matters step by step. Mount Hua was a sect destined to ally with the hidden forces, just like the Jegal family. * * * A few of the Shaolin disciples stepped out of Shaolins manor. Not all of the Shaolin disciples were going. Leading the group were Master Hyun-hyeon and the third-ss disciples, while the first-ss disciple Hye-gong and the second-ss disciples remained at the manor. Shortly after leaving the manor with Master Hyun-hyeon, Mu-jin arrived at the manor of the Mount Hua Sect. This is quite a stark contrast, isnt it? The Shaolin manor consisted of only a few modest pavilions with narrow rooms and a single training ground. The only decorations were small wooden Buddha statues in each room. On the other hand, the manor of the Mount Hua Sect was different right from the walls surrounding it. The appearance of the pavilions visible over the wall was on a whole different level. How much have they spent on this? Mu-jin thought to himself as he entered the manor. Though it couldnt bepared to the headquarters of the Cheonryu Sangdan, the inside of the manor was still quite grand. Thete-stage disciples are currently gathered here. Master, please follow me. At the exnation from the first-ss disciple of the Mount Hua Sect who was guiding the Shaolin disciples, Master Hyun-hyeon turned to look at the Muja faction. You all stay here and pass the time. Yes, Grandmaster. Mu-jin replied on behalf of the group and headed to the room indicated by the first-ss disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. Entering the room with the Muja faction, Mu-jin nced at those already inside. Mount Hua, Wudang, and even Emei? He could recognize them just by their attire. He had seen the Wudang robes before, and the Emei Sect members were nuns. The Mount Hua Sect disciples wore robes simr to the Wudang robes but with embroidered plum blossoms. Are moreing, or did Mount Hua only invite these three sects? While Mu-jin was pondering this, the disciples from Qing Shui Hall and Wudang warmly greeted Mu-jins group. Mu-jin Do-wu! Its been a while! Mu-jin smiled as he looked at the leading disciple of Qing Shui Hall who was greeting him. Hes like a little puppy. He almost reached out to pat his head without realizing it. Its been a while, Qing Shui Dojang. Have you been training diligently? Hahaha, of course, what else would I be doing? Saying so, Qing Shui Dojang proudly rolled up his sleeve to show off his muscles. Well, the toothpick has developed into a chopstick. Though still scrawny, he had certainly be much strongerpared to a year and a half ago. Not only Qing Shui Dojang, but the other Wudang disciples also exchanged greetings with Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong. Those three had also visited Wudang before, so they were already acquainted. As the Shaolin disciples and Wudang disciples were catching up, a voice suddenly interrupted from the back. Qing Shui Dojang, isnt it time to introduce us as well? The person who spoke was a young swordsman of the Mount Hua Sect. Oh my, I was so happy to see the Shaolin folks that Ipletely forgot. Hahaha. As Cheong-su Dojangughed brightly and spoke, the swordsman responded in kind. Hahaha. Cheong-su Dojang is always like that. How did you manage to earn the nickname Wudang Sword Dragon while being so forgetful? Its truly a mystery. At the words of the Hwasan sect swordsman, Mu-jins lips curled up slightly. What do we have here? Though the Hwasan swordsman spoke lightly, there was a hint of sarcasm mixed in. Jealousy is practically dripping from his eyes. Mu-jin, who had grown ustomed to the petty politics of martial arts sects, immediately recognized the underlying hostility, though the other disciples, who spent most of their time training in the mountains, seemed oblivious. Cheong-su Dojang, seemingly unaware of the underlying tone, simplyughed cheerfully in response. Hahaha. Indeed, I get so absorbed in thinking about the sword that I cant remember much else. Though spoken brightly, the words were a hidden dagger. Depending on interpretation, it could be taken as a suggestion to focus on swordsmanship rather than trivial matters. As expected, the face of the Hwasan swordsman contorted briefly with jealousy and inferiority. Pfft. Mu-jin, finding the expression amusing, couldnt help butugh. Annoyed by theughter, the Hwasan swordsman turned to Mu-jin with a feigned smile. Whats so amusing? Care to share the joke? It would be nice tough together. I just find Cheong-su Dojangs words very characteristic of him, thats all. Mu-jin replied with a subtle smirk. It was a delicate expression that could be taken as either a genuine smile or a sneer. Naturally, the Hwasan swordsmans smiling face stiffened slightly. Is that so? Ah,e to think of it, we havent introduced ourselves properly. I am Hong So-il, recently nicknamed the New Dragon of Hwasan. Upon Hong So-ils introduction, Mu-jin thought to himself. Who is this nobody? No matter how hard he tried, he couldnt recall seeing that name in the novel. Despite being ate-stage disciple from a sect meant to serve as a pawn for the dark forces, he was aplete unknown. Should I approach him like I did with Jegal Jin-hee or Ryu Seol-hwa? He entertained the thought briefly. Mu-jin quickly realized it was pointless. Before participating in the martial arts tournament, Mu-jin had gathered information about the various sects. He knew that the names of the current Hwasan sect leaders matched those in the novel. Unlike the Cheonryu Sangdan, which had a new leader, or the Jegal family, whose head had changed, the Hwasan sects leaders had originally allied with the dark forces themselves. Having reached that conclusion, Mu-jin, hiding his true thoughts, spoke lightly with a smile. Nice to meet you. I am Mu-jin, a third-generation disciple of Shaolin. Your Dharma name is Mu-jin. It seems this is your first time in the martial world, judging by the unfamiliar name. The fact that a nobody was calling him a nobody made a vein pop on Mu-jins forehead. Hahaha. Well, as long as you fight strong opponents, your name will naturally be known. For instance, against someone like the New Dragon of Hwasan. Hahaha. I look forward to it. Lets meet at the Yongbong Gathering. You better not be eliminated before then, Mu-jin. I will pray to Buddha that you dont get eliminated, Hong So-il. Offering Hong So-il a courteous smile, Mu-jin thought. Good. I had nned to win the Yongbong Gathering anyway. Mu-jins participation in the martial arts tournament wasnt to meet the protagonist of the second part of the novel. He was actually worried that such a meeting mightplicate things. He entered the Yongbong Gathering for the winning prize, which was connected to the dark forces. Hahaha. I hope we can meet there. If he was going to win, he might as well crush the future enemy seedlings of the Hwasan sect along the way. Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Preliminary Round (1) On the way back after the meeting. Mu-jin, noticing the somewhat ufortable expression on Master Hyun-hyeons face, asked him a question. Head of the External Affairs Department. Is there something troubling you? Hahaha. Its nothing, replied Master Hyun-hyeon with a smile typical of a monk, but he did have something on his mind. While the Mu-ja-bae Four were meeting with disciples from other sects, Master Hyun-hyeon had a meeting with the elders of those sects. The discussions from that meeting were enough to cloud his mind. They said this child was involved in most of the affairs with the Cheonryu Sangdan. Despite his age, he has a deep sense of judgment. It might not be a bad idea to keep an eye on him. Master Hyun-hyeon, remembering that his senior brother and Mu-jins grandmaster, Hyun-gwang, as well as Abbot Hyun-cheon and Chubodangs head, Hyun-myeong, also held Mu-jins judgment in high regard, sent a telepathic message. C Did you know that not only our Shaolin, but also Hwasan, Wudang, and Ami were present at todays meeting?Despite the sudden telepathic message, Mu-jin showed no sign of surprise. In fact, he responded as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. C Yes, Head of the External Affairs Department. The disciples of Ami and Wudang were also there. C At the meeting today, Elder Hwa Sun-kyung of Hwasans Plum Blossom Drunken Sword mentioned that Hwasan also wishes to join us. With Ami added to the mix, that makes four sects together. Listening without knowing the context might make this seem like a random statement. But Mu-jin had a rough understanding of the situation. Moreover, despite his average academic ability, his rich social experience made it easy for him to grasp the context. C It seems Hwasan believes we have allied with Wudang and the Cheonryu Sangdan. I apologize. I feel like this situation has arisen because of me. Master Hyun-hyeon had to conceal his surprise at Mu-jins apology, understanding the entire situation with just a brief exnation. They were walking along the main road, conversing telepathically, so he couldnt afford to show any conspicuous reaction. C No. You opened a clinic with the Cheonryu Sangdan to help people, didnt you? And your involvement with Wudang was solely to assist them. Its just that those people misunderstood our intentions. Despite Master Hyun-hyeonsforting words, Mu-jin was deep in thought. Naturally, he wasnt feeling guilty for the misunderstanding he might have caused. While its understandable for Hwasan to act like that, why is Ami involved? Mu-jin was merely trying to figure out the intention of the Ami sect, not bothering to ponder over Hwasans intentions. It was because the current head and elders of Hwasan, as depicted in the novel Legend of the Evil Emperor, were nothing but opportunists. Unaware they were being manipted by hidden forces, they craved the benefits offered to them, leading to the downfall of the orthodox faction. Therefore, Mu-jin considered Hwasan as simply an enemy and focused on understanding Amis intentions. Ami Sect was neutral. If divided, it was closer to being a part of the hidden forces. Even though the flow had changed due to his actions, it was strange that the Ami Sect had suddenly be part of the hidden forces. Therefore, Mu-jin pondered deeply about themonalities between the Ami Sect, Hwasan Sect, and perhaps soon the Jegal family, which might get entangled with the hidden forces. Before long, he realized amon point. The rival sects are located nearby! The Jegal family shared Hubei Province with Wudang, the Hwasan Sect shared Shaanxi Province with the Jongnam Sect, and the Ami Sect shared Sichuan Province with the Sichuan Tang n and the Qingcheng Sect. Naturally, most sects would not be happy with this situation. Just as there couldnt be two suns in the sky, if more than onerge sect existed in a single province, their rtionship couldnt be amicable. Despite their power, they had to share resources. The hidden forces must have exploited this sentiment to approach them. However, questions still remained. Still, in Sichuan Province, the Sichuan Tang n was originally the hidden force. Originally, the three major forces in Sichuan were just wary of each other. Then, due to a certain event, a full-fledged conflict structure formed. At that point, the hidden forces extended a helping hand to the Sichuan Tang n, leading the Sichuan Tang n to ally with them. As revealed in thetter part of the novel, the event itself was orchestrated by the hidden forces. Thus, Mu-jin nned to head straight to Sichuan after this Martial Arts Tournament to prevent the event from happening. Of course, he wasnt nning on leaving with Shaolins permission. Mu-jin was nning a grand escape and had organized the tasks he needed toplete after his escape. Thisplicates things from the start. Mu-jins head began to ache suddenly. He understood the purpose of the Ami Sect joining due to the conflict in Sichuan, but the event hadnt happened yet, and this made things tiring in many ways. No, this isnt the only problem. With a sudden thought, Mu-jin asked Master Hyun-hyeon another question. Master of the External Affairs Department, did you ept the proposal from Hwasan? Knowing that Hwasan misunderstands us, how could I ept it? But even if we tried to clear the misunderstanding, they didnt seem to believe it, so I only answered that I would return to Shaolin, discuss it with Senior Brother Bang-geon, and then contact them. Mu-jin pondered for a moment at Master Hyun-hyeons answer. Hmm. Its both regrettable and fortunate. If Hwasan and Ami had teamed up, it might have created a connection to the hidden forces, making it easier to investigate. Conversely, things could have gotten moreplicated. However, since an answer had already been given, he couldnt interfere further and decided to focus on other matters. What about the reactions of the other sects? Wudang knew it was a misunderstanding, so they were indifferent. But Ami seemed a bitplicated. I heard that the elders of the five great families had a meeting at the Jegal familyst night. Only after hearing Master Hyun-hyeons response did Mu-jin understand why Ami had acted a bit more proactively. If the five great families formed an alliance, the power of the Sichuan Tang n would be formidable. Ami must have wanted an allied force to counter that. A meeting of the five great families. Is this also an event from the original novel? This was something even Mu-jin couldnt have known, but the Five Great ns often held meetings. However, a meeting significant enough to discuss an alliance between the Five Great ns was supposed to be a far-off event. This future event was brought forward by the Jegal family, who became prematurely frightened upon hearing that the Shaolin, Wudang, and Cheonryu Sangdan had joined forces. The efforts Mu-jin made to recruit the Cheonryu Sangdan and Wudang were transforming into the fluttering wings of a small butterfly. * * * Even after returning to his lodging, Mu-jin repeatedly pondered, but he realized that his conclusion had not changed much. Although the Ami sect has be anxious because of the meeting of the Five Great ns held yesterday, nothing has happened in Sichuan yet. Whether it turns out good or bad, I should head straight to Sichuan as soon as the Martial Arts Tournament ends. Mu-jin knew that without any additional confirmed information, mere spection would not change anything. Thus, Mu-jin decided to sleep with a calm mind in preparation for the preliminary round of the Yongbongji Meeting the next day. After waking up, Mu-jin, along with the remaining three members of the Mujabae trio, headed to the Murim Alliance. The one guiding them was a first-ss disciple of Shaolin residing in the Murim Alliance. Although Shaolin did not generally involve themselves in external matters, they had nheless dispatched a few disciples to the Murim Alliance, which was at the center of the alliance. In fact, the amodations used by Shaolin disciples when participating in the Martial Arts Tournament were also managed by those dispatched to the Murim Alliance. Thanks to the guidance of the first-ss disciple residing in the Murim Alliance, the Mujabae trio arrived easily at the entrance of the Murim Alliance. Indeed, the entrance of the Murim Alliance was packed with people, likely due to the high interest in the Yongbongji Meeting. However, the Mujabae trio did not need to wait in front. Huh? Can we go in first? Hahaha. You have alreadypleted the registration to be judged on the first day, so it actually helps us to handle things more efficiently if you go in for the evaluation immediately. Mu-jin nodded in understanding at the exnation given by Hye-mil, the first-ss disciple guiding them. It seemed the registration had been handled in advance since the first-ss disciple was stationed at the Murim Alliance. Passing through the crowd gathered at the entrance, they arrived at the entrance of the training ground of the Murim Alliance. Originally, this ce was used for the training of warriors affiliated with the Murim Alliance, but now it was being used for the preliminary evaluations of the Yongbongji Meeting. Only those being evaluated are allowed into the examination area, soe out once youre done. Yes, Master Uncle. After greeting Hye-mil, the Mujabae trio entered the training ground. It seemed that not only Shaolin hadpleted early registration, as several young martial artists were already lined up, waiting for their evaluations. However, instead of checking each individuals appearance, Mu-jin focused on the evaluation scene visible from a distance. Hmm. I was curious about the first preliminary round since it wasnt mentioned in the novel, but its quite simple? Those taking the evaluation first were undergoing a test of lifting arge piece of metal. Following Mu-jins gaze, Mu-gung, Mu-yul, and Mu-gyeong also looked at the scene and soon shared their impressions. It looks too easy. Maybe because its the first preliminary round, Senior Brother Mu-gung? Heheh. This sounds fun! Mu-jin blurted out somethingpletely random as he observed the confident expressions of the trio. Hmm? It looks pretty tough to me, he said. At this, the Muja faction trio tilted their heads in confusion and asked, That? Isnt it difficult to do without internal energy? Well, I can manage it, but you guys might have a hard time. Of course, you have to use internal energy to pass it, right? No way. If were using internal energy, who wouldnt be able to pass that? Even when I was fourteen, I could get through it. Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong looked at Mu-jin in disbelief, while Mu-yul seemed to be convinced by his words. Mu-jin, looking at their faces, grinned as if he had thought of something amusing and said, Why? Do you think you cant pass it without internal energy? At Mu-jins question, Mu-gung snorted, Hmph. Mu-yul was just all smiles, and Mu-gyeong logically rebutted, What if we get disqualified in the first round? If that happens, well be tormented by the Master Uncle for at least a month. Thinking of Hye-gwan, Mu-gyeong shivered. However, Mu-jin wasnt one to back down easily. Alright. Then lets do it without internal energy at first. If anyone feels like theyre going to fail, they can use their internal energy. But whoever uses it will get a penalty, and if you hold out and get eliminated an enormous punishment will await for disgracing the sects name. In the end, a peculiar bet was established by Mu-jins insistence. * * * Meanwhile. Among the countless young martial artists gathered at the training ground for the first preliminary round of the Yongbongji Tournament, there was someone intently watching the Shaolin disciples. Jegal unni, what are you staring at so intently? Tang So-mi asked Jegal Jin-hee, who had spotted Mu-jin from afar. Its nothing, Jegal Jin-hee replied. Hmm, over there Ah! You were looking at the Shaolin people! No matter what Jegal Jin-hee said, Tang So-mi grinned as she followed her gaze. If we do well in this tournament, we might get to see the famous Seventy-Two Consummate Arts! Tang So-mi spoke with excitement, but Jegal Jin-hee responded with a peculiar expression, Well see. Jegal Jin-hee wasnt particrly interested in Shaolins Seventy-Two Consummate Arts. The best young martial artist from Shaolin that she knew hadnt mastered them. With that ambiguous response, Tang So-mi turned her gaze back to the Shaolin disciples. Not only Tang So-mi, but many others at the training ground were subtly paying attention to the Shaolin disciples as well. It was an opportunity to gauge the level of the renowned Thousand-Year Shaolin, the revered pinnacle of martial arts. Chapter 102: Chapter 102: Preliminary Round (2) Countless individuals gathered at the martial arts arena were unaware that Mu-jins turn for the examination was approaching. Mu-jin looked at the iron block before him and thought. I was disappointed to skip strength training yesterday, but this is perfect for warming up. Without hesitation, Mu-jin grabbed both sides of the iron block with his hands. The iron block didnt have handles, making it inconvenient to hold and lift. However, there didnt seem to be a specific stance required to lift the iron block. In other words, he could use his entire body, like performing a tire flip, to lift it. Grasping both sides of the iron block, Mu-jin bent his knees as if doing a squat. Using the muscles of his lower body, glutes, core, and arms, he lifted the iron block with a powerful motion.Hmm. A little over four hundred geun, maybe? Thinking it might weigh around 250kg, Mu-jin lowered the iron block after lifting it. Then, he lifted it again. Youve passed, so you can move on to the next stage. In response to the words of the Murim Alliance warrior overseeing the examination, Mu-jin put down the iron block he had lifted again and replied with an embarrassed look. Oh. Its a habit, but could I lift it ten more times? It was the habit of a fitness enthusiast. The weight was just right, making him feel like his muscles would swell after a set of twelve lifts. Of course, the examiner had no reason to know Mu-jins situation. Ahem. There are others waiting, so please move along. Suppressing the regret in his itching muscles, Mu-jin turned his gaze to the side. Whew! Next to him, Mu-gung, who was also undergoing the examination, seeded in lifting the iron block like Mu-jin, apanied by deep breaths. Mu-gung, naturally broad-shouldered, had been practicing Mu-jins training methods for over five years. In terms of sheer strength, he was not much inferior to Mu-jin. Meanwhile, Mu-gyeong and Mu-yul, on the other hand, were wrestling with the iron block, their faces flushed red. Watching their muscles bulge with veins popping out from beneath their kasaya, Mu-jin couldnt help but chuckle inwardly. Mu-gyeong and Mu-yul had also been training their muscles with Mu-jins help, but in a way that suited their martial arts. Unlike Mu-jin or Mu-gungs brute strength, they had to maintain a well-bnced physique. Some of the disciples from other sects watching this scene began to smirk slightly. Hahaha. So much for Shaolin! They cant even handle this simple task! Unaware that Shaolin disciples werent using internal energy, most of them thought that way. Among them were disciples of the Hwasan Sect. So thats all there is to them. Especially, Hong So-il, who had shed with Mu-jin the previous night, had a deep sneer on his face. At this rate, they wont even make it past the preliminary round, let alone meet at the Yongbong Gathering. Thinking so, Hong So-il, who had lost interest in the Shaolin disciples, looked around the training ground, searching for someone else. Several years ago, while wandering the Central ins as a chivalrous hero, he had met a woman as delicate as a flower. Of all things, shes with the younger generation of the Five Great Families. Should I wait for another opportunity? Seeing Jegal Jin-hee, Hong So-il clicked his tongue lightly and simply gazed at her. Just like the first time they met, her expressionless face remained as aloof as ever. * * * Meanwhile, A sense of crisis shook Mu-gyeongs heart, thinking that he might be eliminated at this rate. Specifically, he imagined a future where, after being eliminated in the first preliminary round, he would return to Shaolin Temple only to be tormented by Hye-gwan. In the end, judging that it would be dangerous if things continued like this, Mu-gyeong discreetly used his internal energy to lift the iron bar. Simrly, thinking that Mu-yul might be eliminated if left alone, Mu-jin discreetly sent a voice transmission. C Yul-ah. If you continue like this, youll just get eliminated. At Mu-jins warning, Mu-yul whimpered and groaned before lifting the iron bar. For now, you two are definitely getting punished. When Mu-jin said this with a grin, the faces of the two fell into despair. Mu-gung, feeling proud of his own sess, snorted alone. Since there are people waiting behind you, can we move on to the next assessment? Ah, sorry. At the examiners instruction, the four quickly moved to the next assessment location. The second task was to run back and forth twenty times between two ces where gs were nted. Shuttle run. Mu-jin thought of the endurance and direction-changing training often used in modern sports like ser and basketball. Several young martial artists, including the four from the Muja Faction, who had passed the first task, waited at the starting line. As soon as the examiner raised and lowered the g, everyone ran towards their respective gs. At the same time, another examiner flipped an hourss. For a moment, several martial artists who had started simultaneously ran back and forth between the two gs ced six to seven jang (18-21 meters) apart. What? Why are they so slow? A young martial artist from the Kunlun Sect looked to his side with a bewildered expression. While he had gone back and forth between the two gs five times, the Shaolin disciples had only managed two or three trips. Is our Kunluns Qinggong technique really that superior? The difference was more than double by simple calction. To think that there was such a gap with the Thousand-Year Shaolin. The young Taoist from Kunlun trembled, once again realizing the greatness of his sect. Of course, the other martial artists watching the assessment had slightly different thoughts. Lower-level martial artists looked at the Kunlun Taoist in awe. As I felt during the first round, Shaolins level seems lower than expected. The young prodigies of high caliber, especially those from the Nine Schools and the Five Great Families, were more disappointed by Shaolins level than impressed by Kunluns standard. Regardless of how others perceived them, the four of the Muja Faction were simply sprinting back and forth between the gs without using internal energy. Their well-trained muscles, particrly the strength of their thighs, were exploding with power, as they frantically swung their arms and legs. As a result, Mu-jin, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul were running between the gs at nearly the same speed as the sand falling in the hourss. Only one of them, Mu-gung, who had a muchrger build, started tog behind. Gradually, he fell a round behind. By the time Mu-jin, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul hadpleted fifteenps, Mu-gung was already twops behind. This is dangerous! Mu-gung nced at the hourss and realized he was on the verge of elimination. Damn it! In the end, Mu-gung explosively increased his speed using his internal energy. !!! The sudden burst of speed caused a ripple of astonishment in the eyes of the martial artists who had been watching the second assessment with mocking expressions. His speed rivals that of a Kunlun disciple! Hmm. Was he conserving his energy by distributing it? This means hecks sufficient internal energy. If we meet in the future, it would be best to aim for a prolonged battle. Regardless of the spectators surprise, Mu-gung focused solely on running until the hoursss sand ran out. Just before the examiner struck the bell, indicating the hourss was empty, Mu-gung, who had caught up from twops behind, narrowly passed the assessment. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Mu-jin spoke to Mu-gung. Mu-gung, youre also confirmed for punishment. Damn. Mu-gung briefly expressed his regret but quickly regained a calm demeanor. Mu-jin, who chuckled lightly at the sight, took a moment to steady his breathing. In reality, Mu-jin, who had just teased Mu-gung, was also in a simrly precarious situation. Considering the distance between the gs, he had run approximately 800 meters. Not a straight distance, but sprinting at full speed while changing directions every 20 meters, his thigh muscles felt like they were about to burst. He had barely passed. Regardless, all four of them had sessfullypleted the second task, so they moved on to face the final third task. Thest task involved attacking arge boulder. If one was a swordsman, they could attack with a sword, and if one was a spearman, they could use a spear. Of course, the four of the Muja Faction had to use the Striking Bone Technique. We would have failed here anyway. Hmm Wouldnt it be dangerous to attack without using internal energy? Heh heh. Shall I give it a try? Dont do it, Mu-yul. Youll break your bones. Yes, Mu-gung, senior brother! The trio of the Muja Faction discussed the third task among themselves. Unlike Mu-jin, the three had not learned the Jade Vajra Technique or the Iron Skin technique. Striking a boulder with bare hands without internal energy meant their hands wouldnt survive. Mu-jin, are you going to try this without using internal energy? Hmm. Ill see how it goes. Mu-jin answered Mu-gyeongs question casually and then asked the examiner of the third task. What are the passing criteria? Do we have topletely shatter the boulder? As long as the martial technique leaves a clear mark on the boulder, that will be enough. For instance, if you use a sword, you could cut a part of the boulder. Mu-jin nodded at the examiners response. This seems doable. * * * The final task of the first preliminary round took ce in the training ground. Compared to the area where they lifted iron bars in the first task, the number of martial artists who had made it this far had been halved. In other words, most of the mediocre third-rate martial artists had been eliminated. The two tasks Mu-jin hadpleted without using internal energy were meant to filter out martial artists who barely met the minimum standards. For instance, those who emphasized the essence of martial arts could pass the first task even if they were third-rate martial artists. However, those third-rate martial artists who had learned the essence of martial arts would likely fail the second task, which required speed. Thus, the first, second, and third tasks were designed to verify the minimum standards for strength, speed, and skill. By the time they reached the third task, all the mediocre martial artists who had only trained in third-rate martial arts books or small vige dojos had been weeded out. Among those eliminated, there were naturally many martial artists from the Nine Schools and the Five Great Families. The level of Shaolins third-generation disciples seems much lower than expected this time, Sister Jegal. Jegal Jin-hee did not respond to Tang So-misment, disappointed by the Shaolin disciples performance. But it wasnt that she was disappointed. Instead, she was struggling to hide her surprise. To think that Monk Mu-jin has grown this much in such a short time. She knew the level Mu-jin had reached two and a half years ago. Therefore, she immediately understood. Mu-jin had participated in the assessment without using any internal energy. His physical capabilities without using internal energy surpassed the basic level of third-rate martial artists who used internal energy. Indeed, how much strength and speed could he achieve if he wielded internal energy with such physical abilities? He must have also improved his martial arts during this time. Jegal Jin-hee was quite looking forward to sparring with Mu-jin in the finals of the Yongbongjihoe. However, unlike Jegal Jin-hee, who knew Mu-jins and the Shaolin disciples true abilities, others thought simrly to Tang So-mi. Soon, the Shaolin disciples third task began. Mu-gung was the first to step forward. Whew. Mu-gung lightly regted his breathing and spread the energy he had drawn up from his danjeon throughout his body. Since I decided to use internal energy, theres no need to hold back. As the extreme yang energy circted through his meridians and gathered in his palm, Mu-gung struck the boulder. Bang!!! With one palm strike from Mu-gung, the boulder, asrge as a person, shattered into pieces. What, what!? Naturally, those who had been mocking the Shaolin disciples abilities were now shouting in astonishment. However, their surprise was premature. Following Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong didnt shatter the boulderpletely like Mu-gung did. Instead, a golden aura enveloped his fist. Thud!! With a dull thud, a hole the size of Mu-gyeongs fist was drilled into the center of therge boulder. This was a technique that required delicate maniption of qi. It was actually more difficult than simply shattering the boulder. Lastly, it was Mu-yuls turn. Heh heh! Perhaps excited by the permission to use internal energy, Mu-yul didnt finish with just one attack but went berserk, wildly striking the boulder in various ces. After a while A, a wolf? The boulder was now carved into the shape of a wolf, resembling the design etched on Mu-yuls head. Has he been hiding his true skills all this time? Why would he do that? While it is amon saying in martial arts to hide ones true strength, this seemed less like hiding three-tenths of their ability and more like only showing three-tenths. If they were going to hide it, why reveal it now? This was the main question on everyones mind. The passing criteria were merely to leave a noticeable mark on the boulder. There was no need to shatter it or disy such impressive skills. Naturally, everyones gaze turned to thest Shaolin disciple, Mu-jin. Hoo. Mu-jin took a deep breath and delivered a single punch with all his strength. Crash! Mu-jins punch barely broke the front of the boulder. No matter how much he had strengthened his skin with the Jade Vajra Technique and trained his muscles, it was impossible for a purely human punch to shatter a massive boulder without internal energy. Yet, even creating a dent in a massive boulder with just human strength was already surpassing the limits of a normal human. Pfft. Those unaware of this mocked Mu-jins results. Hmm. Perhaps he purposely limited his strength to just enough to pass. Some were trying to deduce the intentions of the Shaolin disciples. There was only one person who truly understood what Mu-jin had done. To leave such a mark on a boulder without internal energy! Jegal Jin-hee was the only one who realized the significance of Mu-jins feat. She observed the reactions of the other prodigies watching the Shaolin disciples. Some were mocking, others were watching with suspicion. As Jegal Jin-hee took this in, she realized an important fact. Only she understood Mu-jins true value. Fufufu. Knowing a secret that the world didnt, she felt a strange thrill. Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Chaotic Scene (1) Shao Lins Mu-jin! Passed the first preliminary round! Congrattions on passing. The first preliminary round is over, and the second preliminary round will be held in five days, so pleasee back then. One of the examiners wrote Mu-jins affiliation and name on a paper that looked like a guestbook and handed over a token for the sessful candidates. On the way out of the training ground after finishing the first preliminary round, someone approached the Mujaebae Quartet. Master Mu-jin. Long time no see. Amitabha. Benefactor Jegal Jin-hee. It has indeed been a long time. Hahaha. Jegal Jin-hee, who had been watching Mu-jins examination from a distance, greeted Mu-jin with a smiling face. Ah, you must be seeing these guys for the first time. This is Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul in order.Nice to meet you. Im Jegal Jin-hee. Jegal Jin-hee greeted the Mujaebae Trio after Mu-jin introduced them, and then the trio greeted her in return. Mu-gung greeted in his usual blunt tone, which he had be quite ustomed to recently. Amitabha. Im Mu-gung. Mu-gyeong, who seemed a bit shy, or perhaps surprised by Jegal Jin-hees beauty, greeted her somewhat awkwardly. Amitabha. Im Mu, Mu-gyeong. Lastly, there was Mu-yuls straightforward greeting. Wow! Youre really beautiful! Mu-yul, mind your manners. Hehe. Im sorry, senior brother Mu-gung. Amitabha. Im Mu-yul! Jegal Jin-hee smiled faintly at the sight of the stern senior brother and the mischievous junior disciple. Hoho. Its fine. What woman dislikes being called beautiful? Among them, there was one person who made a strange face at her answer. It was Tang So-mi, who had approached them following Jegal Jin-hee. A few days ago, after meeting Jegal Jin-hee for the first time at the Jegal familys pavilion, Tang So-mi, who had be intrigued by her, had been following her around. Since Jegal Jin-hee was simply indifferent, it wasnt too difficult to follow her. From what Tang So-mi had observed over the past few days, Jegal Jin-hee usually looked at men who flirted with her, saying she was beautiful or lovely, as if they were bugs. But why was she smiling so calmly here? Mu-jin, noticing Tang So-mis change in expression, tilted his head and asked. By the way, is thedy behind you apanion of Benefactor Jegal Jin-hee? Ah, rather than apanion. Werepanions! Nice to meet you all! Im Tang So-mi. Jegal Jin-hee, who had been trying to shake off the annoying follower, turned her head slightly and sighed. Meanwhile, Tang So-mi energetically chatted with the Shaolin disciples. By any chance, are you from the Tang family in Sichuan? Yes! The unparalleled beauty of the Tang family! The number one beauty in Sichuan! Im Tang So-mi. Oh is that so? Mu-jin replied with a reluctant expression, and Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong pretended not to hear anything. Huh? That benefactor from before is more beautiful. Mm! Mm! Mu-yul, who had been about to blurt out something tactless, was restrained by Mu-gung, who was quick-witted despite hisrge build. My junior brother spoke out of turn. I apologize on his behalf, Benefactor Tang So-mi. Oh my. Its fine. Doesnt everyone have different standards of beauty? Hohoho. Whenever I look in the mirror, I think Im the most beautiful, so it doesnt bother me. Her confident remark even made Mu-jin silently click his tongue. Of course, that didnt mean she was unattractive. Objectively, she was a beauty, but her type was entirely different from Jegal Jin-hee or Ryu Seol-hwa. Jegal Jin-hee was an elegant and graceful beauty. On the other hand, Tang So-mi had a look brimming with healthy charm. From Mu-jins perspective, who knew Jegal Jin-hees dedication and effort toward martial arts, Jegal Jin-hee could also be seen as a beauty radiating healthiness. But in terms of appearance alone, thats how it was. Meanwhile. Jegal Jin-hee, seemingly displeased with Tang So-mis close attention to Mu-jin, quickly joined the conversation. Ah. Actually, we were also watching while participating in the examination. Master Mu-jin, it seems you have further trained your external energy during this time. Two and a half years have passed since then, so shouldnt I improve at least a little? Hahaha. I thought I had put in quite an effort over the past two and a half years, but it seems you have improved much more than before, Master Mu-jin. Im curious to see how much you have improved, Benefactor Jegal Jin-hee. How much weight are you lifting these days? As the conversation shifted to the topic of exercise, Jegal Jin-hee and Mu-jin engaged in a lively discussion about the weights they were lifting. However, much to Jegal Jin-hees dismay, Tang So-mi unhesitatingly joined their conversation. Two and a half years ago? Did something happen between you two at that time? Jegal Jin-hee quickly answered on behalf of Mu-jin. Around that time, I happened to meet Master Mu-jin, and we had a sparring match. After the sparring, we talked a bit about martial arts. Tang So-mis face showed a hint of surprise at Jegal Jin-hees exnation. That high-nosed Jegal Jin-hee, having a sparring match and even discussing martial arts? Jegal Jin-hee was someone who didnt easily get along even with otherte-stage geniuses from other prominent families. The fact that Tang So-mi was currently following her around was also purely one-sided. As Tang So-mi pondered this, a story she had heard a few days ago naturally came to mind. So he was the monk! The one she wanted to defeat at this Yongbong Meeting! This Mu-jin monk was undoubtedly the mysteriouste-stage genius that Jegal Jin-hee considered superior to Namgung Jin-cheon, who was known as the greatest prodigy of the continent. Master Mu-jin, you are an incredible master! Tang So-mi said with a bright smile, but Mu-jin shook his head. I am still far from deserving such praise. When Mu-jin replied modestly, Jegal Jin-hee subtly joined the conversation again. It seems you all passed the first preliminary round. Where are you headed now? Ah. Actually, while we were participating in the first preliminary round, we made a small bet among ourselves. Were nning to have some strength training to carry out the punishment. A bet? A Buddhist disciple making a bet!? And a Shaolin disciple at that!? Tang So-mi asked in a perplexed tone, but her question was drowned out by Jegal Jin-hees next inquiry. Ah! If youre going to do strength training, can I join as well? Hahaha. I was curious about how much Benefactor Jegal Jin-hee had improved, so this is perfect. Tang So-mi, regaining herposure, quickly interjected into their conversation. May I join as well? Mu-jin hesitated for a moment at Tang So-mis request. After the martial arts tournament, Mu-jin nned to leave Shaolin and head to Sichuan. This was to thwart the conspiracy that the hidden forces were preparing. The Tang family Theres no need to form ties with them right now, is there? However, he didnt need to form a close rtionship with Tang So-mi. In fact, it might be wiser to avoid her altogether since his goal was to finish things before the Tang family got involved. Im sorry. Since this is a training method of our sect, we cannot casually share it with outsiders. As Mu-jin firmly declined her request, Jegal Jin-hee felt a burst of joy inside, but Tang So-mi was quite the persistent one. Oh? But why is it okay for Jin-hee? Because of our rtionship from two years ago, she received permission from our sect at that time. Ah Living as a daughter of the Tang family, it was the first time Tang So-mi had been so coldly rejected, so she responded in a slightly flustered voice. Shall we go, then, Master Mu-jin? On the other hand, Jegal Jin-hees face revealed a faint smile amidst her usually stern expression. To go so far as to tell such a lie to cut her off. Does that mean he considers me special? She had never heard of any such permission from the elders of the sect. Two years ago, Mu-jin had merely shown her an exercise method when she visited Shaolin. Mu-jin had chosen to do so as part of a deal to obtain information about the Jegal family, but Jegal Jin-hee, unaware of this fact, simply saw it as a gesture of goodwill from Mu-jin. In the end, leaving Tang So-mi behind, Mu-jin, Jegal Jin-hee, and Mu-yul began to move together. Was the punishment muscle training, Senior Brother Mu-gung? I have no idea. But why is Mu-jin going for muscle training even though he isnt part of the punishment? Hes always been like that. Thats true. Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong sighed as they talked, their faces filled with exhaustion. * * * After walking along the roadside for a while, Mu-jin, the Mujaebae Quartet, and Jegal Jin-hee reached their destination, and Mu-jin stopped and spoke. This is the ce. Naturally, Jegal Jin-hees gaze followed to the que of the location they had arrived at. [Cheonryu Sangdan] It was the branch of the Cheonryu Sangdan. As one of the five major tradingpanies, Cheonryu Sangdan maintained a positive rtionship with martial artists and provided a slight (?) sponsorship to the Martial Alliance. It wasnt surprising at all that a branch of the Cheonryu Sangdan was located in the outer area where the Martial Alliance was based. The only issue was why Mu-jin, who said he was going to do strength training, came to this ce. Could it be Feeling a vague sense of foreboding, Jegal Jin-hees face hardened strangely. Mu-jin Sunim! At the unmistakable lively voice, her already stiff face hardened even more. The owner of the lively voice was none other than Ryu Seol-hwa. Thanks to the head of the merchant group, Ryu Ji-gwang, epting Mu-jins request, Ryu Seol-hwa was currently at the Cheonryu Sangdan branch, not at the clinic, with various exercise equipment that Mu-jin had requested. Since the outer region was a ce where only martial artists gathered, it was not a suitable ce to open a musculoskeletal treatment clinic. There were no high officials or local influential figures, who were customers of Cheonryu Sangdan, nor were theremon people that Shaolin needed to save. However, Jegal Jin-hee did not care about such circumstances, and soon Ryu Seol-hwa, who had been greeting Mu-jin energetically, also noticed her. Its been a while, Jegal Jin-hee. Nice to see you, Ryu Seol-hwa. Mu-jin tilted his head and asked at the awkward greeting between the two women. Do you two know each other? Being the daughters of famous families in the continent, they might have heard each others names, but their greeting suggested they were already acquainted. We got to know each other by chance. Yes, by chance. Thats right. At the awkward answers from the two women, Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples felt a strange sensation. To break the awkward atmosphere, Mu-jin asked Ryu Seol-hwa. Seol-hwa, could you show us to the prepared ce? Of course! Ah, are you alling along? Ryu Seol-hwa asked with a heart hoping for a No. Yes, we are. Sadly, her hope did not reach Mu-jin. * * * Mu-jin, Jegal Jin-hee, and Ryu Seol-hwa arrived at the training ground prepared at the Cheonryu Sangdan branch. The training ground was filled with various pieces of equipment that Mu-jin had requested. Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong, who had been exercising with Mu-jin for over five years, started their training ording to their routines. Mu-jin was helping Jegal Jin-hee, who hadnt exercised with him in a long time. For some reason, Ryu Seol-hwa was also there. First, lets start with a warm-up before strength training. Warming up before weights was basic. Under Mu-jins lead, they started with close-range spear techniques. Ryu Seol-hwa, who had been learning Ptes, yoga, and close-range spear techniques from Mu-jin for over three years and was working as a rehabilitation exercise instructor, performed the movements very flexibly. Jegal Jin-hee also performed the movements that Mu-jin had taught her two and a half years ago quite well. Hmm. Since Jegal Jin-hees martial arts value quickness and elegance, teaching her a bit more should help. Thinking so, Mu-jin demonstrated some more challenging movements, closer to yoga than close-range spear techniques. Ryu Seol-hwa, who had already learned these movements, followed along well, but Jegal Jin-hee, who was learning them for the first time, had her posture slightly off. Naturally, Mu-jin approached Jegal Jin-hee, just like he did two and a half years ago. Let me help you a bit. He directly corrected her posture with his hands. !!! Ryu Seol-hwas eyes shook violently as she proudly followed the movements Mu-jin taught her. She had never been in direct contact with Mu-jin while learning exercises from him. Therefore, Ryu Seol-hwa acted boldly. Its too hard. Mu-jin Sunim, could you help me too? Although she had been following along just fine until a moment ago, she suddenly twisted her posture and asked for Mu-jins help. Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Scene of Mayhem (2) Ah, if you bring your right leg slightly inward and bnce with your core muscles, that should do it. However, for some reason, Mu-jin only exined verbally without touching Ryu Seol-hwas body. Um, could you hold me directly to help me bnce? Normally, she would have been too embarrassed to say such a thing. But after seeing Mu-jin touch Jegal Jin-hees body, Ryu Seol-hwa had nothing to lose. Of course, from Mu-jins perspective, it was a very awkward situation. Ahem. How could I dare touch a womans body so carelessly? Although Mu-jin wasnt an overly old-fashioned person, he did have a sense of tact. He was mindful enough to act ording to the social norms of the time. However, the problem was that hecked the tact to read a womans feelings.Then why is it okay with Jegal Jin-hee? Ah, um shes also a martial artist, and weve already shed several times during sparring, so I thought light contact wouldnt be an issue. But if it made you ufortable, Ill refrain from now on, Lady Jegal Jin-hee. When Mu-jin spoke while looking directly at Jegal Jin-hee, she shook her head vigorously. No! Its fine! Were martial artists, right? Unlike Lady Ryu Seol-hwa. Then, behind Mu-jins back, she shed a victorious smile at Ryu Seol-hwa. Naturally, seeing that smile made Ryu Seol-hwas eyes ze with anger. I dont mind either! So please show me directly with your hands! Others might see and spread rumors. Lady Seol-hwa, wouldnt that sadden the Head of the Sangdan? Its fine! My father would be delighted. Pardon? When Mu-jin, puzzled by her iprehensible words, asked again, Ryu Seol-hwa hastily corrected herself. Oh, I misspoke. I meant he would understand. The fact that her father, Ryu Ji-gwang, the head of the Sangdan, was trying to match her with Mu-jin to bring him back to the secr world was a secret known only to her and Ryu Ji-gwang. And Jegal Jin-hee, who was watching their conversation, quickly caught the true meaning behind Ryu Seol-hwas hasty correction. The head of the Cheonryu Sangdan is also targeting Mu-jin! As expected of the head of one of the Five Great Sangdan. He recognizes Mu-jins worth. It was very significant and threatening information. Unlike her own family, the Jegal n, which had a rather hostile attitude towards Mu-jin, Ryu Seol-hwas family was after him with full force. Naturally, Jegal Jin-hee and Ryu Seol-hwa exchanged nces filled with various meanings. Could it be because of me? Mu-jin finally began to entertain a thought close to the truth. No, that cant be. But soon, he dismissed the idea. It was an unavoidable issue. Mu-jin. No, Choi Kang-hyuk had been a man who, from his early twenties when he served in a special forces unit, worked relentlessly to support his grandmother. Even after that, it was the same. After his grandmother passed away and he was forcibly retired from the military, he had lived a life obsessed with work and exercise to survive and regain his health. For seventeen years, he had lived without any romantic rtionships, and then an additional six years as a monk, leaving his romantic instincts severely atrophied. Of course, despite this, given his years of experience, the sudden reactions from the women sometimes led to strange thoughts. I must be really lonely these days. Theres no way anyone would like me, a monk. He simply thought this andughed it off internally. Though he had every intention of escaping Shaolin and engaging in romantic rtionships in the future, the idea that women who knew he was a monk could have romantic feelings for him seemed absurd. So, why was Ryu Seol-hwa suddenly reacting this way? In the first ce, Mu-jin knew that Ryu Seol-hwa was capable of doing that move herself. For over three years, Mu-jin had taught her rehabilitation exercises, Close-Range Spear Technique, and yoga. Despite this, she suddenly insisted she couldnt do it and demanded to be taught directly by hand. Ah! Soon, Mu-jin came up with a new answer. Come to think of it, this happened in modern times too. Members who received PT from the same instructor wouldin if the instructors teaching style or attitude was different, using them of favoritism. Everyone feels the same way. Its natural to feel wronged if one doesnt receive at least equal treatment. Few people get angry when they receive better treatment. Therefore, there was only one solution. I have to treat them both equally. One was a youngdy from the Cheonryu Sangdan, who had been a great help, and the other was a youngdy from the Jegal family, who might provide important information in the future. Mu-jin decided to treat both memberspletely equally, as he could not afford to be negligent with either. Ahem. In that case, I will also help you with your posture directly, Lady Seol-hwa. Ah, yes! As Mu-jin said this and approached Ryu Seol-hwa, Jegal Jin-hee red at Ryu Seol-hwa with a cold expression. Of course, with his back to Jegal Jin-hee, Mu-jin could not see her expression. On the other hand, Ryu Seol-hwa also didnt have the time to worry about Jegal Jin-hees expression. Though she had requested physical assistance out of jealousy, when Mu-jin actually approached and extended his hand, she found herself unable to keep herposure. In this posture, the most important things are your core muscles and waist strength. As Mu-jin said this and his palm touched Ryu Seol-hwas waist, Hii! Ryu Seol-hwa let out a strange scream. Startled, Mu-jin slightly withdrew his hand and asked, Are you okay? Im f-fine! No, its good! Pardon? No, I mean, not good, but Im okay! You can continue! Ryu Seol-hwa shook her head vigorously as she shouted, making it hard to understand what she was saying. In truth, even Ryu Seol-hwa herself didnt know what she was blurting out. Ah, yes. Mu-jin, with a somewhat awkward tone, ced his hand on her waist to guide her where to apply strength, or held her abdomen to support her, while helping her lift her right leg up. Hii, hiik. Of course, each time, she let out a sound that was somewhere between a scream and something unidentifiable. Are you really okay? Mu-jin asked, looking at her as she kept making strange noises, her face flushed as if it would burst. I-Im fine! While Ryu Seol-hwa was losing herposure due to the intense contact (though from Mu-jins perspective, it was merely a light touch of his fingertips), Ahem. Master Mu-jin. It seems Lady Seol-hwa has got her posture right, so could you assist me now? Jegal Jin-hee quickly intervened. Yes. Fairly! Fairly! There was a chance Jegal Jin-hee mightin if he didnt, so now it was her turn to receive his attention. Hmm. It seems your body is well warmed up, so lets move on to strength training. With that, Mu-jin brought over some weights. Lets see how much youve improved over these two and a half years. He handed her an empty bar without any weight tes attached. Well start with a simple weighted squat. Given the importance of speed and fluidity, the most crucial muscles for Jegal Jin-hee were her lower body and core, making squats an ideal exercise. Holding the empty bar Mu-jin handed her, Jegal Jin-hee said, Its been a while, so could you help me with my posture, Master Mu-jin? Despite having learned and practiced under Mu-jin for two and a half years, she deliberately adopted an awkward posture. Mu-jin, with no other choice, touched her back to help her bnce and ced his hands on her thighs to adjust the angle of her legs. Thanks to Mu-jins assistance, she sessfullypleted several reps of the empty bar squat, and continued to gradually add weight tes to the bar, increasing the load. The weight seems to be throwing off my posture a bit, Master Mu-jin. Feigning nonchnce, Jegal Jin-hee lied, having deliberately twisted her body. Every time the weight increased, Mu-jin had to readjust her posture. In the meantime, the weight she was lifting gradually increased to 150 pounds (90kg). Huuh. It seemed 150 pounds was her limit, as shepleted the squat with a flushed face and used her internal energy to set the bar down. Watching her, Mu-jin pped with a pleased smile. You can really feel how much effort youve put in over these two and a half years! The fact that you can lift such heavy weights, especially considering your thigh muscles, glutes, and spinal erectors! Youve be much more toned during this time! Due to the typical loose clothing of martial artists, he couldnt see it precisely, but he could tell by feeling her muscles as she increased the weight during squats. From her lower body up to her core muscles, every muscle was highly developed. Or rather, beyond that Its not easy for a woman of her build to lift 90 kg. Jegal Jin-hee appeared to be around 166 to 168 cm tall. In this medieval martial arts world, she was quite tall for a woman. However, given the nature of the martial arts she practiced, she was likely to have a lean, muscr build. Although it was not clearly visible due to her martial arts clothing, Mu-jin estimated her weight to be around 52 to 55 kg. While that might seem heavy for a woman, considering the proportion of muscle over fat, it was a bnced weight for her height with muscle. And for a woman, squatting 90 kg at that weight was an elite level. Through the quality of her muscles he felt and the weight she lifted, Mu-jin could clearly see how much effort she had put in. Therefore, he praised the results of her hard workher thigh muscles, glutes, and spinal erectors. Ahem, thank you. For some reason, Jegal Jin-hee blushed and cleared her throat. Master Mu-jin seems to pay a lot of attention to womens lower bodies. And it seems he prefers toned bodies over those with more flesh. She believed she had figured out Mu-jins preferences from hispliments. I need to increase my lower body exercises. Even more? Yes. To suit Master Mu-jins preferences My preferences? What do you mean? Oh, no! I guess lifting heavy weights made the blood rush to my head. I misspoke. For my martial arts. My martial arts emphasize the lower body and core, after all. Seeing her fan herself with her hands as she spoke with a flushed face, Mu-jin smiled gently. Witnessing the harmonious interaction between the member and the trainer, Ryu Seol-hwas eyes burned with jealousy. Master Mu-jin. Yes, Lady Seol-hwa? Please teach me too. Teach you what? What do you mean? What you just taught Lady Jegal Jin-hee. Strength training. Ryu Seol-hwa had been learning rehabilitation exercises (Ptes) from Mu-jin and working as a kind of rehabilitation exercise instructor for over three years. But conversely, she had only been consistently doing rehabilitation exercises and yoga-rted techniques up until now. She had rarely touched strength training involving heavy weights. Yet suddenly! After watching Jegal Jin-hee and Mu-jin interact, she showed interest in strength training! It was quite a peculiar situation. Oh! Thats a great idea, Lady Seol-hwa! While rehabilitation exercises are good,bining them with strength training is the best approach. Mu-jin was simply delighted that she showed interest in weight training. Then well start with the lower body today, Lady Seol-hwa. Both of you can do it together with different weights. Since Jegal Jin-hee was already working on her lower body, Mu-jin thought to have them both do lower body exercises equally. As expected, he likes strong lower bodies. I was satisfied with just losing weight until now. I must have been such a fool. The two women continued to foster their strange misunderstandings. Afterward, Mu-jin was busy alternating between correcting the postures of the two women, who kept saying, I really dont know the posture. The two women, meanwhile, each shed a victors smile at the neglected opponent whenever Mu-jin focused on them. That guy is so lucky. Is it okay for a monk to act like that, Senior Brother Mu-gung? It seems he has no idea whats going on, so what can you do? Even Mu-jin has something he doesnt understand. Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong, who were watching the scene, exchanged incredulous looks as they spoke. Yeah, how can he not get it? Maybe were the only ones who understand. Saying this, Mu-gyeong looked somewhere, and Mu-gung followed his gaze. Where their eyesnded Heheh. Senior Brother Mu-gung! Senior Brother Mu-gyeong! Arent you going to work out more? Mu-yul was smiling innocently. Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Protagonist (1) For the next four days, Mu-jins routine flowed simrly. He trained in martial arts at the Shaolin Hall and continued his strength training at the Cheonryu Sangdan Branch. Since he had scheduled his time in advance, Jegal Jin-hee often visited him. One peculiar point was: Is it lower body training again today? Im ready, Monk Mu-jin. For some reason, both women showed an excessive obsession with lower body exercises. Thus, they spent three days in a seemingly harmonious yet somewhat intense atmosphere. On the fifth day, the Muja-ba Four visited the Murim Alliance.Today was the day of the second preliminary round evaluation of the Yongbongji Conference. Handing over the first preliminary round pass, the Muja-ba Four passed through the entrance of the Murim Alliance and headed to the training ground where the second preliminary round was held. Near the training ground, they encountered Jegal Jin-hee and Tang So-mi, who had alsoe for the second preliminary round. Youvee out early. Its been a while, Monk Mu-jin~!!! Jegal Jin-hee greeted calmly while Tang So-mi was extremely cheerful. Despite being firmly rejectedst time, she showed no trace of negative emotions on her face. To Tang So-mi, Mu-jin was an intriguing figure. Jegal Jin-hee, who burned with a stronger desire topete than Namgung Jin-cheon, was someone who straightforwardly rejected the demands of a direct descendant of the Sichuan Tang n as if it were natural. Her sharp rejection only heightened Tang So-mis curiosity. Who are you most looking forward to sparring with in this tournament, Monk Mu-jin? Naturally, having met Mu-jin for the first time in four days, Tang So-mi kept talking to him, trying to get closer and learn more about him. If you ever visit Sichuan after the tournament, pleasee by. Ill treat you properly. The one who first showed signs of annoyance at her persistent courtship was not Mu-jin but Jegal Jin-hee. Miss Tang, dont make Monk Mu-jin ufortable before the evaluation. Surely, youre not trying to hinder him, are you? Oh ho ho, what are you talking about? Do you really think Monk Mu-jin, whom you consider a rival, would fail at this mere second preliminary round? Jegal Jin-hee maintained her usual expressionless face, while Tang So-mi wore a cheerful smile as they faced each other. Sparks were flying. Sparks that only Mu-jin couldnt recognize. Its tiring enough dealing with the youngest daughter of Cheonryu Sangdan, and now theres also a woman from the Tang n. Judging by Jegals reaction, it doesnt seem like she sees him just as a rival. Jegal Jin-hee felt slightly annoyed, while Tang So-mi found the situation increasingly interesting. Sensing a foreboding aura in Tang So-mis gaze, Jegal Jin-hee quickly turned her head to look at Mu-jin. Monk Mu-jin, instead of staying here, shouldnt we proceed with the evaluation registration? It would be best to finish the evaluation quickly and return. I need to train today as well. That sounds good. Letsplete the evaluation and go back together. Jegal Jin-hee smiled softly at Mu-jins words. She felt happy at the thought of training with Mu-jin after the evaluation. Well, even though she would have to deal with the youngest daughter of Cheonryu Sangdan and herpetitive spirit there, she could at least get rid of Tang So-mi for now. Seeing that smile, Tang So-mi thought to herself, As expected! Jegal Jin-hee, known for her pure and elegant beauty, was often called the woman with a heart of stone because of her always expressionless face. But whenever she was with Mu-jin, she would smile every time. And that rare smile from such a beautiful woman was enough to captivate the attention of those around her. Why is that woman with such a despicable monk? Hong So-il, a disciple of the Hwasan Sect who hade for the second preliminary evaluation today, also saw that smile. Disciples of the Hwasan Sect, who lived closer to the secr worldpared to Wudang or Shaolin, often traveled around the Central ins engaging in chivalrous acts. During these travels, they sometimes made acquaintances with disciples from other sects. Hong So-il had met disciples from Wudang and the Jegal family in Hubei Province. It was there that he was captivated by Jegal Jin-hees appearance and her lofty, proud demeanor. He even felt a desire to conquer her, wanting to break her high and mighty attitude. Though it might seem odd for a Taoist sect disciple to desire a woman, the Hwasan Sect, unlike Shaolin or Wudang, permitted marriages. There was nothing sinful about it. With this reasoning, he had nned to approach her through the Yongbongji Conference. Why was the woman who acted so haughtily toward him now smiling so brightly at a monk from Shaolin? Feeling displeased with the situation, Hong So-il confidently approached them. He thought there was no need to hesitate as he was the second-ss disciple of the great Hwasan Sect and had started learning the Plum Blossom Sword Technique. Its been a while, Lady Jegal Jin-hee. At his sudden greeting, Jegal Jin-hee returned to her expressionless face to acknowledge him. It has been a while, Taoist Hong So-il. His mood soured further at her response. Why did she smile at that monk but treat him so coldly? However, it would be disgraceful to me or get angry at her just because she did not smile at him. Hahaha, Monk Mu-jin, youre here too. I didnt recognize you, thinking you had failed the first preliminary round. Hong So-il decided to belittle Mu-jin, who had taken away Jegal Jin-hees smile. Ah. It seems Lady Jegal Jin-hee didnt properly watch Monk Mu-jins first preliminary round. It was hard to believe he was a disciple of Shaolin, which is known as the pinnacle of martial arts. Hahaha. At Hong So-ils crude provocation, a sly smile appeared on Mu-jins lips. Oh, really? As the saying goes, a monk cannot shave his own head. People often find it easier to solve others problems than their own, especially when ites to matters of love. Just like how a perpetual bachelor can give the best dating advice, Mu-jin instantly saw through Hong So-ils feelings. A Taoist disciple blinded by a woman, how amusing. After a moments thought, Mu-jin realized a significant fact. Hwasan sect allows marriage!! Mu-jin, who had reached this conclusion, had veins bulging on his forehead. Damn. Thinking about it now makes me angry. If the protagonist of the third part had been a disciple of the Hwasan sect, there would have been no need to defect, right? Compared to Wudang, which shared the same Taoist roots, Hwasan had a more secr atmosphere. It allowed marriage and even permitted meat and alcohol on special asions. Recalling this fact made Mu-jin, who already considered Hwasan an enemy, dislike the sect even more. So, just before Mu-jin moved to stomp on the guy regardless of the tournament or anything else, Jegal Jin-hee spoke first. Truly pathetic. It seemed like her usual expressionless face, but there was more chill in her voice than usual. However, Hong So-il interpreted her change positively. Hahaha. Thats right. For a Shaolin disciple, he really is pathetic, isnt he? No. I said pathetic, but I wasnt referring to Mu-jin, but to you, Dojang Hong So-il. What do you mean by that? I mean its pathetic to mock someone without even having the eyes to discern their skills. At the tant criticism from the woman he had feelings for, Hong So-ils face turned as red as if it would burst. Are you saying that my skills are inferior to that monks? Yes. How dare you insult a disciple of the Great Hwasan sect? You will pay for that insult! At his act of beating the drum alone, Mu-jin almost burst outughing out of sheer absurdity rather than anger. Jegal Jin-hee seemed to feel the same way, as she also smiled. It was the smile Hong So-il wanted to see, but it was a little different from what Mu-jin had seen. It was an overt mockery. If what I said is wrong, then whatever you demand, I will do it. You must keep that promise. Hong So-il ground his teeth as he replied to the mocking promise made by Jegal Jin-hee. However, everyone there except Mu-yul didnt miss it. The distorted desire in Hong So-ils eyes, pretending to be angry. Jin-hee unni, isnt this dangerous? After Hong So-il left, Tang So-mi cautiously asked Jegal Jin-hee. She seemed worried but her eyes were full of excitement. Theres no need to worry. Monk Mu-jin wont lose to a swordsman of that caliber. Jegal Jin-hees confident answer was seconded by Mu-jin. Well, it seems hes not a match for you, Donor Jegal Jin-hee, either. There shouldnt be any problem. Ignoring Hong So-il, Mu-jins group chatted amongst themselves as theypleted the registration for the second preliminary round. Afterward, they waited for their turn to be judged while continuing their conversation for a while. A judges voice shouted, piercing Mu-jins ears intensely. Dao Yuetian of the Cheon Seom Moon (Thousand Lightning Sect)! Please enter! Dao Yuetian of the Cheon Seom Moon. That name was very familiar to Mu-jin. Mu-jins gaze instinctively turned in the direction of the sound. Following the examiners call, a young warrior heading towards the training ground came into view. Mu-jin. No, Choi Kang-hyuk recalled his high school days, when his favorite novel, the second part of Ga-gyeongs trilogy, was *Legend of the Evil Emperor*. The protagonist of that novel, destined to be the future ruler of the demonic path, the Evil Emperor, was right there. * * * Protagonist. While this term refers to the leading character in a novel or y, its original etymology is derived from Buddhism, meaning an enlightened person. Mu-jin had no idea that protagonist was a Buddhist term, but he learned it during his six years at Shaolin Temple. Naturally, the protagonist of the second part of the novel, Dao Yuetian, did not seed in attaining enlightenment. It was more akin to the Asura Path rather than the Buddhas Way Mu-jin reminisced about the novel he had read dozens of times during his school days, his favorite. In the novel, Dao Yuetians talent was quite ordinary. That didnt mean he was as average asmon people. He wasnt a genius like Mu-gyeong or from a prestigious ce like Qing Shui, just had the talent of an average third-generation disciple of Shaolin. And through this Yongbongji Conference, the starting point of the novel *Legend of the Evil Emperor*, Dao Yuetian realized his talent was not extraordinary. He came to understand this by witnessing true geniuses. Dao Yuetian epted this fact humbly and returned to his hometown, simply refining his familys martial arts. Then, the event happened. The massacre of his family. That was the trigger for Dao Yuetians awakening. He entered the mountains and dedicated himself to training for five years for revenge. Dao Yuetian knew his talent was average. So, he gave up perfecting his familys martial arts. Instead, he endlessly honed just one technique. And after five years, when he descended from the mountains. His single de technique, originally the best skill of an ordinary small sect, transformed into an extraordinary art that couldnt be blocked, even if known. In exchange for this divine skill, he lost thefort of being human. The human body is imperfect. Through habits, sleeping patterns, and lifestyle, it gradually distorts. Just as athletes, after practicing certain movements for over a decade, have their bodies reshaped to specialize in those movements. His body also distorted, bing morefortable wielding a de than just standing still. He surpassed his limits by turning his body into a device for wielding the sword, not a human. When I was young, it seemed so cool After experiencing physical deterioration, studying rehabilitation therapy, Ptes, and working as a fitness trainer for ten years, Mu-jin now knew. How horrifying that act was. But thats why Dao Yuetian was Choi Kang-hyuks idol. In a poor environment, with no parents, and even his grandfather who raised him had passed away. Despite facing the massacre of his family andcking talent, Dao Yuetian surpassed his limits through sheer effort, which was a greatfort to young Choi Kang-hyuk. Whenever he felt exhausted while training to join the special forces, or during the grueling training sessions at the special forces training camp, he endured by thinking of Dao Yuetian. I had forgotten it for a while After sessfully joining the special forces and finding stability in life, he had forgotten about martial arts novels. Though Dao Yuetian was his childhood idol, he was just a character in a novel. Confronted with such a person in reality, Mu-jin found himself instinctively moving towards him. Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Protagonist (2) Mujin Monk? Mujin, where are you going? If hispanions hadnt called out to him from behind, he might have been so dazed that he would have spoken to Dao Yuetian. That was close. If he approached Dao Yuetian here and something went wrong, the future could be twisted. To see the end of this novel, Dao Yuetian had to grow into the Evil Emperor ording to the content of the second part of the novel. And the event that triggers that is the massacre of his entire family. So, at least until that event urs and hepletes his five years of training, no variables should arise.However, Can I really just let his family be destroyed? It was nothing when he thought of him as just a character in a novel, but after directly witnessing Dao Yuetians appearance, his mind becameplicated. Dao Yuetian was certainly just a character appearing in a novel. Mujin Monk, are you okay? Whats wrong? Your expression doesnt look good. Jegal Jin-hee, Mu-gyeong, Mu-yul, and Mu-gung looked at him with concern. So, are these people whoughed and chatted with him until now just characters in a novel? Was even Hyun-gwang, who cared for him like a grandfather, merely a character in a novel? Had he treated them all just as characters in a novel until now? The question he had consciously ignored until now took root in Mujins mind. * * * Mujin, lost in deep thoughts, couldnt continue worrying for long. Shaolins Mujin Monk! Please enter the training ground! It was because he heard the voice of the examiner calling his name. Mujin, pushing aside hisplicated thoughts, headed to the training ground for the second preliminary round. The inside of the training ground was divided into sections by some sort of curtains, and in the section Mujin entered, a middle-aged martial artist was present. The second preliminary round will be conducted through a sparring match. Ill let you take the first move, so start when youre ready. The middle-aged martial artist briefly exined the second preliminary round. Since the second preliminary round was a sparring match, the training ground was divided into sections with curtains. While this wouldnt matter in the finals, in the preliminaries, no one would want to reveal their martial arts techniques to others. The middle-aged martial artist, who was in charge of Mujins second preliminary round, calmly drew his sword and observed Mujin. Hes a disciple of Shaolin, but the results of the first preliminary round were quite close, I heard? The middle-aged martial artist, who was in charge of this round, belonged to the Murim Alliance. As the Murim Alliance was a coalition of all orthodox sects, the level of martial artists belonging to it was quite high. Especially for sects and families that were not part of the Nine Great Sects or the Five Noble Families, having one of their disciples be a martial artist of the Murim Alliance was a great honor and opportunity. When selected as a warrior of the Murim Alliance, one could learn martial arts provided by the Murim Alliance and be trained by instructors chosen from the Nine Great Sects or the Five Noble Families. The middle-aged martial artist who had drawn his sword had also been active as a warrior of the Murim Alliance for over ten years, reaching a level where he could be called a master. Conversely, having spent a long time in the Murim Alliance, he knew better than anyone the fearsome nature of the Nine Great Sects, but he was confident that he wouldnt be defeated by the younger generation, even those at the level called Future Hopes. However, !!! The moment Mujin, who had assumed his stance, moved, ripples appeared in his seemingly calm eyes. Mujin moved with extreme proficiency in the Fast Ascent Step technique, so much so that even to the eyes of the master martial artist, only afterimages were visible. It was an explosive speed, fitting the expression a shadow springing from a bent bow. But his movements are too obvious! Only momentarily surprised, the middle-aged martial artist swung his sword in the path Mujin was charging. The Shaolin disciple, who was expected to dodge, astonishingly thrust his fist toward the oing sword. There was a golden energy swirling around the young monks fist, prompting the middle-aged martial artist to hastily gather his own energy. Just before Mujins fist and the martial artists sword shed, a blue sword energy erupted from the middle-aged martial artists sword. Bang!!! Right after the explosive sh, ng. Huh. Ha ha ha. With the sound of metal ringing on the floor, the middle-aged martial artist let out a hollowugh. To think it would break He looked at his broken sword with a bewildered expression. Of course, his sword wasnt a special one at the level of a divine weapon. Even so, it was surrounded by sword energy. How did it break so cleanly in two? It was aplete defeat, with only a single exchange. Ahem. Shaolins Mujin Monk. Congrattions on advancing to the finals. Amitabha. Thank you. Mujin bowed in the Buddhist manner, offering his respects to the middle-aged martial artist. Given hisplicated state of mind, he hadnt held back his strength and had unleashed his martial arts fully, ending the sparring match more easily than expected. After the victory, Mujin, having regained someposure, asked the middle-aged martial artist a question that hade to mind. By the way, is this the end of the preliminaries for the Yongbongji Conference? I thought there were three rounds. The third preliminary round is a sparring match among the outstanding Future Hopes from the second preliminary round. However, those who win against the examiners in the second preliminary round advance directly to the finals. Thank you for the exnation. Amitabha. After offering his respects once more, Mujin left the examination hall. As he watched Mu-jins retreating figure, the middle-aged warrior thought to himself. Shao Lin has raised an absurd monster * * * After finishing the second preliminary round, Mu-jin and hispanions headed to the Cheonryu Sangdan branch for training. However, Mu-jin, whose mind was cluttered, couldnt properly focus on his exercises. Thinking he might get injured if he continued like this, Mu-jin uncharacteristically decided to take a day off. A day off? Are you feeling alright, Mu-jin? Could it be inner demons? When Mu-jin mentioned he would take a day off, the eyes of the three martial artists in his group widened in disbelief. Mu-jin skipping a workout? It was as if the sun would rise in the west. I just have some things to think about. Since there are no evaluations tomorrow, Ill double up then. Dont worry. Having reassured them, Mu-jin returned to his quarters and shut himself in his room to organize his thoughts. In the end, the crux of the matter was this: Should he leave Do Yuetian alone and let him be the tyrant as per the novels plot, or should he warn him of the impending threat to his family, therebypletely altering the storyline? The first option only caused psychological difort. It was the safest way to see the end of this novel. In the second scenario, Do Yuetian, who wouldnt experience the annihtion of his family, might develop slower than he did in the novel. Although Mu-jin had previously intervened in the matters of Cheonryu Sangdan and Jegal Jin-hee, Do Yuetian was different. He was the protagonist of the second part, and the annihtion of his family was his trigger for awakening. If he didnt awaken, it would be increasingly difficult to fight the hidden forces. Moreover, if Do Yuetians growth merely slowed, it would be fortunate. The plot could bepletely tangled, and his family might still be annihted. This was because informing them wouldnt increase Cheon Seom Moons chances of survival to even zero. The hidden forces targeted the heirloom of Cheon Seom Moon, the Cheon Seom de. More precisely, it was the secret hidden within the heirloom. Naturally, Do Yuetians father wouldnt abandon or sell the heirloom to avoid an attack that hadnt happened yet. This was a medieval martial arts world that valued history, family, and sect above all. As the plot twisted, there was a chance Do Yuetian might die along with the destruction of Cheon Seom Moon. Logically thinking, the first choice seemed the right answer, but Damn it. Mu-jin, who had refrained from swearing while pretending to be a monk, suddenly stood up. He didnt even know where Do Yuetian was staying in the outer city. Or maybe the plot had already twisted. With four Shao Lin disciples, including himself, advancing to the finals, Do Yuetian might have failed to make it to the finals. There could be problems if he left Do Yuetian alone, and conversely, he might not even encounter him if he tried to intervene. Considering every possible scenario with no definite answer was not Mu-jins style. Lets just do what I want! Rather than worrying about things that hadnt even happened yet, he decided to follow the path he believed was right. And if problems arose? He would solve them then. That was Mu-jins way. * * * Having sorted out his thoughts, Mu-jin focused on training for the next seven days and nights. During that time, the second and third preliminary rounds of the Yongbongji Conference were held by the Murim Alliance. At the entrance of the Murim Alliance, a bracket listing the names of those who had advanced to the finals was posted after the preliminaries werepleted. Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples headed to the Murim Alliance to check the announcement. Hmm. Mu-jin scanned the bracket, stroking a nonexistent beard. At least we should easily make it through the second round. The opponents of the Shaolin disciples were all characters he didnt remember seeing in the novel. Of course, Mu-jins memory wasnt perfect, so they might have appeared in the novel. However, if he didnt remember them, it meant their roles were insignificant, so it didnt matter much. As he turned his gaze, whether fortunately or unfortunately, Do Yuetians name was also listed. It seems fate does exist. Even though four Shaolin disciples, including himself, had advanced to the finals, Do Yuetians opponent was exactly as it was in the novels plot. [Cheon Seom Moon Do Yuetian vs. Namgung family Namgung Jincheon] Do Yuetians opponent was Namgung Jincheon, known as the greatest prodigy in the world. Namgung Jincheon, huh In the novel *Legend of the Evil Emperor*, Namgung Jincheon and Do Yuetian shed three times, establishing a rivalry of sorts. He was also the person who made Do Yuetian realize the wall of talent. Ive read it so many times that honestly, it feels less like a rivalry and more like abat power gauge. In their first duel, Do Yuetian was one-sidedly defeated. In their second duel, Namgung Jincheon, who had underestimated Do Yuetian, narrowly lost. And in their third duel, Do Yuetianpletely crushed him. It was inevitable. By the end of the novel, Do Yuetian was a monsterparable to the Three Swords of the World. On the other hand, Namgung Jincheons martial arts development was hindered by a certain problem. That problem was also revealed by Do Yuetian after their third duel. Namgung Jincheon participated in the Yongbongji Conference because of that problem. If not for that problem, Mu-jin would have just used the conference as an excuse to leave Shaolin and run away. While Mu-jin recalled the novels plot as he looked at the names of Do Yuetian and Namgung Jincheon on the bracket, the three martial artists were also discussing their matchups. They each confirmed their opponents and then scanned the rest of the bracket. Looks like Jegal Jin-hee will be facing that Hwasan Sect master. Noting the unusual matchup, they murmured to themselves. Pulled from his thoughts by their conversation, Mu-jin checked the bracket again. [Jegal family Jegal Jin-hee vs. Hwasan Sect Hong So-il] Indeed, as Mu-gung had said, Jegal Jin-hee was set to face Hong So-il. Hmm. I was nning to crush the Hwasan Sect myself this time. Feeling a bit regretful, he realized it was actually quite an interesting matchup. If he gets beaten one-sidedly by the woman he likes, itll be humiliating in its own way, right? In Mu-jins view, Hong So-il was no match for Jegal Jin-hee. Naturally, he pictured Hong So-il being beaten one-sidedly by Jegal Jin-hee in his mind. Surely, that Hwasan Sect disciple doesnt have such tastes, right? Suddenly, a troubling thought crossed Mu-jins mind. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Protagonist (3) A few dayster. Finally, one of the main events of the Martial Arts Tournament, the finals of the Yongbongji Conference, began. Unlike the preliminary rounds, which were held as an internal event within the Murim Alliance, the finals of the Yongbongji Conference took ce in a specially prepared arena in the outer courtyard. Naturally, to watch this major event and martial artspetition, countless spectators filled the seats surrounding the arena. Despite the numerouste-stage contenders who participated, only thirty-two made it to the finals. Just qualifying for the finals was enough to be considered a te-stage contender, which fueled the excitement for the ongoing finals of the Yongbongji Conference. Wow! Some exmations burst out as they watched the duels of the young warriors.Oh. The Kunlun Sect has raised an excellent disciple this time. To have already mastered the Unryong Daepal Technique at that age. Others gauged the future of each martial sect through the skills of thete-stage contenders. After seven duels had concluded, it was Mu-jins turn, and he headed towards the arena. Ryu Seol-hwa, seated in the front row, watched Mu-jin with bright, sparkling eyes. Though she wasnt the type to cheer loudly in front of others. But then, surprisingly. Despite not being able to shout, Mu-jin somehow found her spot and smiled directly at her. !!! Ryu Seol-hwas heart pounded with the thought that they might be bound by the thread of destiny. Hehe. I can make a good amount of emergency funds for my escape after the Yongbongji Conference ends. The reason Mu-jin smiled at her was different. As he looked at Ryu Seol-hwa, who was blushing, Mu-jin recalled what had happened the previous evening. * * * One day earlier. As usual, after finishing his strength training at the Cheonryu Sangdan branch, Ryu Seol-hwa shared an interesting story with Mu-jin. Mu-jin, do you know this? The odds of you winning are quite high. It seems people still dont fully recognize your abilities. What do you mean by my winning odds? Many groups gather at the Martial Arts Tournament, and various businesses engage in activities to make money. Naturally, those who have donated the most to the Murim Alliance get the best spots for better business. Hmm. So, does that mean Cheonryu Sangdan is running a betting pool on the oues? Mu-jin asked in a bewildered tone, and Ryu Seol-hwa shook her head. No. While we have secured several locations to do business through inns and stalls, Daegum Sangdan has given up other interests in exchange for control over the betting pool. Ryu Seol-hwa added with a gentle smile. After the final tournament bracket was released, Daegum Sangdan announced the odds for the finalists victory, and they set Mu-jins odds quite high. However, this time, the smile on Ryu Seol-hwas face was a bit different from usual. It wasnt the shy smile she usually showed Mu-jin but a merchants smile. So, our Cheonryu Sangdan decided to bet a significant amount on Mu-jin. Is that alright? What if you invest too much money and they refuse to pay out the winnings? Theres nothing bad about it for us. If Daegum Sangdan, which is also called one of the Five Great Sangdan like us, doesnt return the winnings, their credit will be damaged. Even that alone is beneficial for us. They know that too, so they wont dare to do such a thing. Hmm. If Cheonryu Sangdan ces a bet on me, wont they prepare some countermeasures? So, were not betting under my name or Cheonryu Sangdans name. Were spreading the bets under different names. They probably wont suspect that were behind it. Watching Ryu Seol-hwa respond as if this was only natural, Mu-jin thought. Seeing her like this, she really does look like a merchant. It seemed her business acumen had blossomed since she began overseeing the operations of the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. Her personality had be more lively as well. She still wasnt the type to raise her voice in front of others. At this rate, wont she be a merchant who controls the economy from the shadows? Come to think of it, the original novel portrayed Ryu Seol-hwa as a viiness who would do anything for money, even earning the nickname Golden Demon. It felt like he had made a rather dangerous woman his ally. Well, as long as shes an ally, its a good thing, right? Although he felt a bit uneasy, Mu-jin had a more pressing concern at the moment. By the way, can I join in on this bet too? Are you saying you want to bet as well, Mu-jin? I have some money I received from the Sangdanjust time. I cant ce a bet under the name of a Shaolin disciple, so could you help me a bit? At Mu-jins words, Ryu Seol-hwas eyes sparkled. If its that much, of course. It would just increase our funds to attack Daegum Sangdan, so theres no harm for us. Since Cheonryu Sangdan was already changing the names for their bets, they could simply mix in Mu-jins money with theirs. One might be disappointed that a monk wanted to join a gambling ring, but Ryu Seol-hwa was rather pleased. The more interested Mu-jin bes in the secr world, the easier it will be to draw him out of Shaolin! Her father, Ryu Ji-gwang, had told her that whenever Mu-jin made a request that was unbing of a monk, she should willingly grant it. The more he enjoyed the pleasures of the secr world, the easier it would be to pull him in. The end of this defection would naturally lead to her marriage with him and his entry into Cheonryu Sangdan as a son-inw. How much are you thinking of betting? Mu-jin felt an inexplicable sense of unease at her question, her face blushing with thoughts of the future. Surely, shes not blushing because shes excited about taking Daegum Sangdans money? The thought of a woman getting excited about troubling a rival sangdan made Ryu Seol-hwa seem quite frightening to Mu-jin at that moment. * * * Despite being surprised by Ryu Seol-hwas different demeanor, Mu-jin bet all his money on his victory. In the past, he had received one hundred nyang of gold from Ryu Ji-gwang. Although he had spent quite a bit on Hye-gwans drinks in Nanchang, he still had over ny nyang left. And the odds set by Daegum Sangdan for Mu-jins victory were 21.7 to 1. Including the original principal, it was a return of 3.17 times the amount. This was a reduced rate set by Daegum Sangdan, considering Mu-jin was a Shaolin disciple and had passed the second preliminary round in one go without needing to participate in the third round. For martial artists from lesser-known factions that people showed no interest in, like Dao Yuetian, the odds were nearly one hundred to one. If one were aiming for a windfall, betting on Dao Yuetian might be tempting. No one would be that crazy. Sure, someone might bet one nyang of silver for fun, but no one would stake their entire fortune. Conversely, the overwhelming favorite Namgung Jin-cheons odds were a mere 1.07, and the odds for the next favorite, the Qing Shui dojo, were 1.13. Since odds were assigned to all finalists, spectators often based their predictions on these odds while watching the Yongbongji Conference. Ate-stage genius from Shaolin, huh? Hmm. Shaolin rarely sends their disciples outside, so I havent heard of that Dharma name. Still, a 21.7 to 1 odds suggests they have some skill, right? Hmm. But their opponent isnt easy. Its young master Hwang Bo-ung from the Hwangbo family. Indeed, young master Hwang Bo-ung cleared the Red Snake Stronghold in the Green Forestst year, didnt he? Looking at it that way, Daegum Sangdans odds seem quite urate. Young master Hwang Bo-ungs odds are around ten to one, so, aside from Namgung Jin-cheon and Qing Shui dojo, his odds are quite low. I can hear everything, you fools. Although these martial artists were whispering among themselves while watching the Yongbongji Conference, their voices couldnt escape Mu-jins heightened hearing. And whether it was because of the odds or the reputation of Hwang Bo-ung, who had cleared a Green Forest stronghold, many were betting on Hwang Bo-ungs victory. However, it wasnt a bad thing. Thanks to their underestimation, Mu-jin stood to make arge profit. Mu-jin had bet ny nyang of gold on himself, so if he won, he would gain around three hundred nyang of gold. With three hundred nyang of gold, he could travel the martial world for years without worrying about money. Begin! At the judges shout, the marble floor of the martial stage cracked under Mu-jins foot. Bang!!! With a noise like a thunderp, Mu-jins first punch struck. Unable to dodge in time due to the incredible speed, Hwang Bo-ung hastily raised his arm but was sent flying out of the ring, spitting blood. The overwhelmingly one-sided result brought a chilling silence over the previously fervent spectators. * * * After easily winning the first match, Mu-jin retreated to the waiting area, watching the martial stage. He intended to observe the skills of the otherte-stage geniuses participating in the Yongbongji Conference, but he was also waiting for someone. However, separate from the duel Mu-jin was waiting for, The Jegal familys Jegal Jin-hee! And Hwasan Sects Hong So-il! Let the duel begin! A rather interesting duel was just about to start. On the Yongbongji Conferences dueling stage, I trust you remember our promise. Hong So-il spoke to Jegal Jin-hee, trying to maintain a dignified demeanor. Yet, deep within his eyes, an unmistakable desire stirred. Since youll be eliminated here anyway, what meaning does that promise hold? Jegal Jin-hees provocative response made Hong So-ils eyebrows twitch. Are you ignoring me right now? The very notion that someone like you, who cant even defeat me, thinks he can win against Monk Mu-jin isughable. And above all else. Jegal Jin-hee paused for a moment, smiling at the reddening face of Hong So-il. Before I am a woman, I am a martial artist. I have no interest in a martial artist weaker than myself. Her cold sneer cut deep. Youll regret those words!! An excited Hong So-il drew his plum blossom sword and executed the Plum Blossom Twenty-Four Movements of the Hwasan Sect. Contrary to his appearance, his sword danced with an incredibly dazzling movement, painting red plum blossoms in the air with the crimson aura from his de. Hong So-il seemed poised to fill the entire dueling stage with plum blossoms created by his sword aura, but Jegal Jin-hee did not just stand by and watch. At some point, her hands had gripped iron fans, and she moved gracefully, like dancing a fan dance, swinging them. Each time her iron fans met Hong So-ils plum blossoms, the sword aura dissipated as if petals were touched by a harsh wind. Soon enough, only one solitary plum blossom remained from Hong So-ils creation. Rather than using her fan to eliminate thest lonely plum blossom, Thud!! She kicked Hong So-il in the stomach, who was busy painting flowers. Ugh! Hit by a kick infused with internal energy, Hong So-il let out a pained groan, his breath momentarily choked. His flow of internal energy disrupted, Hong So-il staggered back, swinging his sword clumsily, not befitting his status as a master. Dont forget, the plum blossoms of Hwasan bloom twice! In that case, Ill just uproot them. Jegal Jin-hee responded with a cold expression and charged. Unlike her earlier smooth movements, she now moved swiftly as if one with the wind, showcasing the power of her lower body training over the past two and a half years. Gasp! Startled by her unexpected speed, Hong So-il attempted to weave plum blossoms with his sword aura again. But inevitably, the plum blossoms withered away like fallen leaves before the whirlwind created by Jegal Jin-hees iron fans. Thud!! Ugh On the dueling stage, only Hong So-ils groans consoled the scattering plum blossoms. * * * Wow. Watching Hong So-il being beaten unterally on the dueling stage, Mu-jin couldnt help but exim in admiration. Fortunately (?) for Hong So-il, he did not seem to have any peculiar inclinations. Hong So-ils face, beaten as it was, did not show a hint of pleasure. Instead, it was filled with humiliation and pain. Thus, Mu-jins gaze was more directed at Jegal Jin-hee than Hong So-il. Indeed, her vastly improved skillspared to two and a half years ago were impressive. Shes a bit scary, though. The way she trampled Hong So-il, looking at him like an insect, was quite shocking. If Mu-jin had such a preference, he might have considered her expression as a reward. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Protagonist (4) After the bout between Jegal Jin-hee and Hong So-il ended, two more rounds of duels proceeded. Finally, the duel that Mu-jin had been waiting for arrived. On each side of the duel stage stood a swordsman and a saber master. Dao Yuetian and Namgung Jin-cheon faced off. In terms of betting odds by the Daegum Sangdan, it was a match between 100 to 1 odds and 1.07 to 1 odds. Without a miracle, it seemed impossible for Dao Yuetian to win. *Cheng!!* Winner! Namgung Jin-cheon Sohyeop! In reality, the duel ended in just one move.On the duel stage. Namgung Jin-cheon, the victor, looked expressionless as if it was the most natural oue, while Dao Yuetian looked slightly dazed. It was the moment when a man, who had lived like a frog in a well, first encountered the wall. Its just beginning. And more importantly, this was the starting point of the novel *Legend of the Evil Emperor*. However, it wasnt merely to feel such sentiments that Mu-jin was observing the duel. Spotting Dao Yuetian descending from the duel stage, Mu-jin carefully followed him. Mu-jin had already made a decision regarding the dilemma hed been pondering since he first met Dao Yuetian. Thus, Mu-jin followed Dao Yuetian as he left the area prepared for the Yongbongji Conference and exited the outer hall. Sir. At some point, he overtook Dao Yuetian and blocked his path. Do you have something to say to me? Looking at the puzzled Dao Yuetian, Mu-jin thought. At this point, he was still quite na?ve. If he had suddenly blocked the path of Dao Yuetian, who had started walking the Asura Path after his family was massacred, he would have likely drawn his saber immediately. And the tremendous saber strike would have cleaved his body in two. However, seeing Dao Yuetians na?ve reaction instead, Mu-jin felt assured of his choice. I am Mu-jin, the third disciple of Shaolin. Amitabha. I know from watching the duel. I am Dao Yuetian of Cheon Seom Moon. Responding na?vely to the sudden greeting from a stranger blocking his path, the young man showed his simplicity. If he had ignored the misfortune that would befall this young man, who was to be the future Evil Emperor, he would have deeply regretted itter. The driving force that had helped him ovee his troubled childhood was the desire not to turn a blind eye to the misfortune that would befall his schooldays idol. And most importantly, This guy, even without that misfortune, would still grow strong. Mu-jin decided to trust in Dao Yuetian, his idol from the past. The only problem was, Suddenly showing up and saying your entire family will be massacred soon would just make me seem like a madman. Therefore, Mu-jin pondered how to persuade Dao Yuetian on their first meeting. The conclusion Mu-jin reached through his deliberation was simple. Dao Yuetian Sohyeop, do you have any interest in the Buddhas Way? He intended to sell the idea to the future Evil Emperor. * * * As expected, Dao Yuetian looked at Mu-jin with an expression that he had seen something bizarre. I have no interest in the Buddhas Way. Goodbye. And shortly after, Dao Yuetian, managing his expression with effort, replied bluntly and tried to pass by Mu-jin. Amitabha. While you, Dao Yuetian, may not be interested in the Buddhas Way, there is such a thing as fate in this world. At some point, Mu-jin had moved a step to the side and blocked Dao Yuetians path again. Already frustrated from losing in just one move and on his way back home, Dao Yuetian was beginning to get annoyed by this persistent monk blocking his path, but he was also curious. Why is a monk, who defeated Hwang Bo-ung from the Five Noble Families in just one move like Namgung Jin-cheon, doing this? He wondered why a monk who had reached a level far beyond his own was behaving this way. Thanks to studying the Buddhas Way, I can read a bit of fate. However, the more he listened, the more ridiculous it sounded. Is that so? Im not interested in such things, so goodbye. Dao Yuetian tried to ignore the crazy talk and walk past the monk, but Mu-jins next words stopped him in his tracks. And today, I happened to see your fate, Dao Yuetian. You have a small scar on your left forearm, dont you? The one you got as a child when you swung a real sword instead of a wooden one and cut yourself. How do you know that!? Dao Yuetian asked in shock. Of course, I know it from the novel. Although the novel didnt describe the scene of young Dao Yuetian cutting his arm, there was a part where he recalled it. When Dao Yuetian walked the Asura Path, his body was covered with wounds and scars. The scar on his left arm was hidden among other scars, and he remembered his family while looking at it. There was another scene in the novel where Dao Yuetian reminisced about his family and his past. And you have a younger sister, dont you? The one who loves the mooncakes made by your mother more than anything else in the world. During a conflict with the Hidden Forces, minions of the Paedobang attempted to kidnap his uniquely constituted sister. To thank him for saving her child, a peasant woman gave him mooncakes. Mooncakes, being an ancient food, had various fillings depending on the region and family. But the mooncakes the woman gave him tasted just like the ones his mother made, and while eating them, Dao Yuetian reminisced about his murdered sister and family. And the next day. In Dao Yuetians hands, the Paedobang was destroyed, and a few dayster, the Cheonryu Sangdan fell. Ah, that was epic. Thinking about how the Cheonryu Sangdan fell and how even the formidable Ryu Seol-hwa lost her life to Dao Yuetian sent chills down his spine. Since Ryu Seol-hwa and the Cheonryu Sangdan have changed, such a thing wont happen, right? Shaking off the terrifying vision of the Cheonryu Sangdan copsing at Dao Yuetians hands, Mu-jin focused on the man in front of him. Did you truly read my fate? Dao Yuetians eyes were filled with astonishment as Mu-jin urately mentioned things no stranger could know. Mu-jin, bowing his head with a solemn expression, responded to the bewildered Dao Yuetian. Yes. And I apologize. I know it is wrong to read someone elses fate, but this matter is too important not to mention. Important? What do you mean? ording to the fate I read, a great misfortune may befall Cheon Seom Moon within a year. A misfortune will befall our family? Dao Yuetian asked, startled. Normally, if someone he met for the first time said something like this, he would have been angry. Saying that a cmity would strike his family sounded like a curse. However, since Mu-jin had already revealed two things about his life, Dao Yuetian saw him not as a fraud but as a genuine prophet. Confident that his act as a prophet was working, Mu-jin continued speaking. Its exactly as I said. A great wave of fate awaits both you and Cheon Seom Moon. And, unfortunately, in your current state, you do not have the strength to ovee it. Then what should I do? Dao Yuetian asked through gritted teeth. Amitabha. Mu-jin pulled out a small box from his sleeve and handed it to Dao Yuetian. As Dao Yuetian looked at the box with a puzzled expression, Mu-jin smiled kindly and said, Its a Lesser Restoration Pill. !? I wish I could personally help you fend off this misfortune, but I have other cmities I must prevent. So, use this to gain the strength to withstand the wave of fate, Dao Yuetian. With that, Mu-jin opened the box, revealing not one but two pills inside. Dao Yuetian looked at the two pills in the box and asked in a bewildered tone, Why are you giving the elixir of Shaolin to someone you just met? As I said, I read the great misfortune entangled in your fate. Mu-jins answer moved Dao Yuetian deeply. He looks about my age, yet this monk is truly remarkable! Considering the skill he had shown at the Yongbongji Conference, his deep devotion to the Buddha allowing him to read others fates, and his generosity in giving a precious elixir to a stranger, Dao Yuetian was filled with admiration. With a face full of gratitude, Dao Yuetian quickly sped his hands and bowed deeply. I will repay this kindness with my life if necessary, Mu-jin. It is merely my duty as a Buddhist, so do not concern yourself with it. Looking at Mu-jins kind smile, Dao Yuetian felt moved once again. Mu-jin handed him the box with the pills as if he might cry at any moment, and Dao Yuetian epted the box, not knowing what else to do. Mu-jin, still smiling warmly, added, To be honest, even taking two Lesser Restoration Pills wont be enough to fend off the misfortune that will befall you. Then what should I do? Should I relocate my familys home? Dao Yuetian asked urgently,pletely swayed by the pills and Mu-jins persuasion. Mu-jin shook his head and replied, Moving to another ce wont avoid this disaster. But, as fate usually dictates, theres no adversity that cant be ovee. After all, hardships exist to be conquered. Then, what is the way to ovee this disaster? As I said, Dao Yuetian benefactor must be strong enough to ovee this disaster. For this, your resolve is necessary. My resolve? Yes. The resolve to acknowledge the limits of your talent. !!! And above all, the resolve to endure hellish suffering to surpass those limits. Acknowledging the limits of his talent? He had already sensed a wall when sparring with Namgung Jincheon, but hearing it from someone else was not pleasant. However Until the disaster arrives, should I train relentlessly to ovee my limits? The threat to his family was more important than a slight sense of humiliation. That alone is not enough. You must let go of your greed. Abandon the desire to master the martial arts of your sect. Instead, you must hone just one technique to its limit, just as monks achieve enlightenment through asceticism. The Lesser Restoration Pills I gave you are merely a gift to slightly shorten the period of suffering. Are you saying that even with my talent, its difficult to master just one technique? Even with these Lesser Restoration Pills? To Dao Yuetians somewhat forlorn question, the monk standing before him made a peculiar expression. Yes. The monk, as if looking at a distant ce or swimming in a dream, added. But once you have mastered that one technique, benefactor Dao Yuetian, you will gain a de capable of shattering the heavens. * * * Whew. Watching Dao Yuetians departing figure, Mu-jin sighed. It seemed his acting had worked. Well, the main reasons were probably the personal matters he brought up and the bribe of the Lesser Restoration Pills. It wasnt my original intention to care for Dao Yuetian. From the beginning, Mu-jin had secretly taken three Lesser Restoration Pills from the pharmacy when he left Shaolin this time. Originally, they were meant for Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul. Although all three had taken one each, their internal energy was stillckingpared to their martial arts levels. Since it was their second time taking the pills, the effectiveness would be less than the first time, but they could still gain about ten years of internal energy each. However, he had given two of the three Lesser Restoration Pills to Dao Yuetian. Despite this, Mu-jin wasnt particrly worried. There are ways to obtain elixirs once I leave Shaolin this time. Mu-jin couldnt remember all the fortuitous encounters or elixirs from the first and second parts of the novel, but he remembered one or two. During this journey, he nned to obtain one of them and share it with the Muja-bae trio. Since that was the n, it wouldnt be bad to give all three Lesser Restoration Pills to Dao Yuetian, but taking the same elixir multiple times reduced its effectiveness. Up to two pills might retain about half the effectiveness, but by the third pill, there would be little benefit. I should keep the remaining Lesser Restoration Pill as an emergency medicine for internal injuries. With that thought, Mu-jin watched Dao Yuetians distant figure. With a face mixed with expectations and concerns. Could Dao Yuetian ovee his limits before facing misfortune? It would be nice if Mu-jin could help prevent that bloodshed since he decided to assist him. For now, I can only trust him. Helping Dao Yuetian was never part of Mu-jins original n. He had intended to leave him alone. He thought he could finish his nned tasks and only assist if the bloodshed had not urred by then. First, I need to win the Yongbongji Conference. With his thoughts organized, Mu-jin turned away from the disappearing figure of Dao Yuetian. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 The Four Monks of Shaolin (1) The first match of the Yongbongji Conference had just concluded. Out of the thirty-two contestants who advanced to the main tournament, sixteen had progressed to the second round. This was an expected oue. However, outside the venue of the Yongbongji Conference, a significant topic of conversation was circting. No one expected all the Shaolin disciples to win in the first round. They call it the Thousand-Year Shaolin for a reason; its reputation is well-deserved. There were sixteen contestants in the second round. Combining the Nine Great Sects and the Five Noble Families, which were regarded as the pirs of orthodox martial arts, there were a total of fifteen contestants. Logically, each sect should have only one outstandingte-stage disciple making it to the second round of the Yongbongji Conference. For any sect, having two contestants in the second round was already a tremendous achievement. Conversely, it was a disgrace for a sect not to have a single contestant advance.However, Shaolin had managed to send four contestants to the second round. Because of this, several sects like the Hwasan Sect and the Hwangbo Family failed to advance any contestants to the second round. In twenty years, it might be the era of Shaolin. Thus, many predicted that in twenty years, when thete-stage disciples reached their prime age to be considered true masters of martial arts, Shaolin might reim the title of Supreme Sect of the World. However, not everyone shared this sentiment. What does it matter if many contestants reach the second round? Ultimately, the most outstanding one will be the Supreme Martial Artist. The sect of the Supreme Martial Artist will be the Supreme Sect of the World. Ahem. Indeed, we cant ignore Young Hero Namgung Jincheon and the Qing Shui Dojang. Despite Shaolins resurgence after living in seclusion from the secr world, the strongest candidates for victory remained Namgung Jincheon and the Qing Shui Dojang. Moreover, with both the Namgung Family and the Wudang Sect still standing strong, if either won, they would undoubtedly be called the Supreme Sect of the World. And there were some who were quite displeased with such evaluations. This sentiment was shared among the sects whose disciples had advanced to the second round, just like the disciples of Namgung Jincheon, the Qing Shui Dojang, and the Shaolin Temple. Tsk. Whi-il, pay no mind to the ignorant words of themon people. Theres no need to worry, Master Uncle. Whi-ils confident response made the elder of the Jeomchang Sect smile with satisfaction. Whi-il was among the youngest of the second-ss disciples in the Jeomchang Sect. He was only a few years older than some of the senior third-ss disciples. As the lowest-ranked among the second-ss disciples, no one expected Whi-il to be the head of the Jeomchang Sect, but all the elders of the sect shared the same thought. They believed this boy would be the greatest swordsman of the Jeomchang Sect and bring the title of Supreme Swordsman from the Namgung Family and the Wudang Sect to Jeomchang. Indeed. Whi-il was the secret talent nurtured by the Jeomchang Sect to surpass Namgung and Wudang. This Yongbongji Conference was the opportunity for Whi-il, who had been meticulously trained, to shine. And to trample over Namgung Jincheon and the Qing Shui Dojang in the process. If Whi-il wins the grand prize, the goal of him bing the Supreme Martial Artist in the future would not be a mere fantasy. While thinking about the tremendous item the Murim Alliance had put up as the prize for the Yongbongji Conference, Il-hwi, with a confident expression, spoke to the elder. I am just disappointed that I havent yet met Young Hero Namgung Jincheon or the Qing Shui Dojang. The sooner I meet them, the sooner I can correct themon peoples ignorance, dont you think? Hahaha. Thats an excellent mindset. Dont worry, youll meet them soon enough if you keep winning in the martial arts matches. The Shaolin disciples are merely stepping stones. Moreover, Il-hwi was scheduled to duel a Shaolin disciple in the second round. Was it Mu-gung? Il-hwi briefly recalled his opponents dharma name for the second round but soon erased it from his mind. After all, he was not a worthy opponent to concern himself with. * * * Thanks to all four members of the Muja Group advancing to the second round, the atmosphere in the hall where the Shaolin disciples resided was subtly ted. However, despite the surrounding excitement, the Muja Group spent their time as usual. They spent their time strengthening their muscles at the Cheonryu Sangdan sub-branch and honing their martial arts skills in the halls of the Shaolin Temple. Hmm? Amid this consistent atmosphere, Mu-jin sensed something strange. Is there something on your mind? Mu-jin asked, looking at Mu-gung, who seemed different from usual. Mu-gung, who looked and had the build of a bandit but was surprisingly vain, had been acting stiff and rigid over the past couple of days. Normally, he was already stiff due to his build and nature, but this was different. It wasnt his body that was stiff, but his actions and movements seemed unnaturally rigid. Ahem. Its nothing. Mu-gung responded with an uncharacteristically stern expression, iming it was nothing, despite having trained in the Immovable Heart Technique for four years. Dont put on a tough act. If you have something on your mind, just say it. Often, when you talk about your worries, they turn out to be nothing. However, this didnt work on Mu-jin, who had decades of social experience. Why? Are you nervous about advancing to the second round? Advancing to the second round isnt whats causing this. Then what? Is it because of your opponent? . Mu-gung hesitated at Mu-jins question. From his demeanor, it wasnt hard to guess the reason. Who is your opponent in the second round? Do you know them? Its Il-hwi Dojang from the Jeomchang Sect. I didnt recognize him at first, but I knew him when I saw his face. He probably wont remember me, though. You know him, but he doesnt know you? After a moment of contemtion, Mu-gung began to share a lengthy story with Mu-jin. You know Im from a minor sect, not the secr Shaolin, right? I heard about it when you joined as an apprentice disciple. In fact, our main family is located in a small county in Yunnan Province. So, if I had to join one of the Nine Great Sects, I should have joined the Jeomchang Sect. Then why did youe to Shaolin? There was a very famous genius in our county. He was four years older than me, so he was usuallypared to my older brothers rather than me. Is that genius your opponent, Il-hwi Dojang? Yes. His original name was Na Jin-seong. So, until I saw his face, I didnt know it was the same person. Listening to Mu-gungs exnation, Mu-jin seemed to understand why Mu-gung had stiffened. It had been nearly ten years since hest met the genius who had frequently crossed his path and beenpared to him in their childhood neighborhood. Childhood experiences tend to be intense, so perhaps deep down in his heart, he already felt a sense of defeat. However, as one question was answered, another arose. But, aside from that, why did youe to Shaolin instead of Jeomchang? At Mu-jins question, Mu-gung, in a manner uncharacteristic of his bulky frame, scratched at a nonexistent beard in embarrassment as he replied. If I joined Jeomchang, I would constantly bepared to him. Huh? Theres only a four-year age difference, and we came from the same county. Besides, I heard rumors that he was already being considered a promising talent in Jeomchang, so if I joined, everyone would only pay attention to Il-hwi Dojang. Ah Listening to Mu-gungs exnation, Mu-jin recalled a forgotten memory. Now that I think about it, this guy was quite a coward, despite his bulky frame. To be precise, it wasnt that he was cowardly, but he had an obsessive dislike of losing. He was the type who didnt want to show an unsightly side to others. In reality, even though he knew Mu-gyeong was being bullied, he ignored it because he couldnt win against the three bullies. Hmph. Now that I think about it, I really didnt like this guy at first. As a kid, he just took care of him out of habit, and thats why they ended up sticking together. Recalling how Mu-gung had ignored Mu-gyeong back then, Mu-jin smacked the back of Mu-gungs head after a long time. Ow! Why did you hit me? Just reminiscing about old times. What? Mu-gung asked incredulously, but Mu-jin brought up another topic instead of answering. Anyway. Enough about the past. How do you feel now? Now? Well. I guess Ill only know after I fight. No, I mean other than Il-hwi Dojang. Do you regreting to Shaolin? Regreting to Shaolin? What nonsense is that? You said you were scared of being overshadowed by Il-hwi Dojang if you went to Jeomchang, so you came to Shaolin instead. Do you regret that decision now? Ah Mu-gungs expression became quiteplex at Mu-jins question. When he had joined Shaolin, he had harbored great dreams. Dreams of bing renowned in the martial arts world through Shaolin. To this end, he had strived to monopolize the attention of Shaolins elders since his novice days. However, as time passed, he found himself overshadowed by the monstrous talents of Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong. At first, he had been jealous of the two. He had felt bitter about why hecked their talents. Perhaps his constant grumbling at Mu-jin had been an attempt to hide his jealousy. Even now, the reason he continued to grumble was that it had be a habit. But did he still envy them? Mu-jin is Mu-jin, Mu-gyeong is Mu-gyeong, and I am me. He did not. By being with Hye-dam, who was like a living statue of the Four Heavenly Kings, his mind had matured as well. And Mu-gyeong aside, this guy is beyondparison. Moreover, Mu-jin was not someone to be jealous of in the first ce. In the early days, he had thought his own talentcking, but now he knew better. Not only had Mu-jin easily won against Cheong-su Dojang, one of the most prominent uing martial artists, but now, as a mere third-ss disciple, he was sparring on equal footing with first-ss disciples. This guy was not just exceptional among Shaolins third-ss disciples or even within Shaolin. He was a phenomenal monster by the standards of the entire Central ins. Ironically, Mu-gung had received significant help from him. Hadnt Mu-jin taught him training methods that even the thousand-year Shaolin did not possess? Not only to him but also to Mu-gyeong and Mu-yul. Thanks to this, he was now counted among the strongest of Shaolins third-ss disciples. He had even reached the second round of the Yongbongji Conference, where the best of the rising stars across the continentpeted, ranking among the top sixteen. Therefore Youre stating the obvious. Of course, I dont regreting to Shaolin. He did not have the slightest regret left. At Mu-gungs now-confident answer, Mu-jin chuckled and replied. Right. Youve thought it through. The past is the past, and now is now. Besides, youre stronger, so why worry about someone like Il-hwi? Im stronger? Mu-gungs lips trembled at the question. He tried to maintain a neutral expression, but his face clearly showed his joy. Had someone else said it, he might have dismissed it as mere words. Buting from Mu-jin, it held a different weight. Mu-jin had reached a level where the term uing martial artist wasughable. Compared to the so-called genius Il-hwi Dojang from the countryside, Mu-jins words meant that he truly might be a superior martial artist. Right. Compared to Mu-jin, Il-hwi Dojang is nothing. The presence of Il-hwi Dojang, which had been gradually growing in his mind, rapidly shrank. Hmph, of course, Im stronger. I was just reminiscing for a moment. Mu-jin smiled lightly at Mu-gung, who now acted boastful. Right. Since youre the stronger one, if you lose, it means your mind wavered. So, if you do lose, Ill make sure to tell Master Uncle Hye-dam. Youll tell Master Uncle? What do you mean? Ill tell him that your Immovable Heart Technique training seemscking. If its Master Uncle Hye-dam, hell probably give you one-on-one special training for a month or so. The color rapidly drained from Mu-gungs face, which had just brightened up. Despite his bulky appearance, Mu-gung craved attention and was overly concerned with outward appearances. The thought of having a silent, intensive one-on-one session with the extremely taciturn Hye-dam was nothing short of a nightmare for him. * * * The next day. To participate in the second round of the Yongbongji Conference, the Shaolin disciples headed to the location of the martial stage. The procession included not only the four members of the Muja Group but also Master Hyun-hyeon, the second-ss disciples, and the disciples who had been dispatched from the Murim Alliance. Upon reaching the vicinity of the martial stage, Mu-jin scanned the crowd surrounding the area and muttered. It looks like the Hwasan Sect has gone back? I guess they felt it wasnt worth staying. They were all eliminated in the preliminaries and the first round. Hmm. But over there, the Hwangbo family seems to be mingling? Where Mu-jin pointed, Hwang Bo-ung, who had been defeated by Mu-jin and eliminated, was sitting with several others. Did they stay to socialize? Their outfits are all different. Indeed, as Mu-gyeong noted, their attire didnt seem uniformly coordinated. There were rumors about a noble family alliance, and it looks like theyre maintaining their connections. Upon closer inspection, the outfits of the Five Noble Families were mixed together. While observing the noble families, Mu-jin identally made eye contact with Jegal Jin-hee, who subtly greeted him with her eyes. Mu-jin returned her greeting with a simple nod before looking around again. With the Hwasan Sect gone, there doesnt seem to be any other group clustering together. Unlike the Five Noble Families, the martial artists of the Nine Great Sects were scattered and had taken their own positions. As Mu-jin pondered the power dynamics of the orthodox factions based on their positions around the martial stage, the time for the second round of the Yongbongji Conference approached. Mu-gung, who was to fight first in the second round, paid his respects to the highest-ranking master present, Master Hyun-hyeon. Ill be back. Dont be nervous, and do your best. Amitabha. Yes, Master of the External Affairs Department. Watching this, Mu-jin smiled faintly. It looks like hes let it all go. As Mu-gung headed toward the martial stage, there wasnt a trace of tension left on his face. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 The Four Shaolin Monks (2) As Mu-gung headed towards the martial arts arena, a young swordsman stepped forward from where the Taoists of the Jeomchang Sect were gathered. Mu-gung greeted Il-hwi Dojang with the Ban-dangju. Amitabha. Its been a long time. Do you know me? To Il-hwi Dojangs blunt question, Mu-gung responded calmly. If you dont remember, it doesnt matter. In the past, his pride might have been hurt. Of course, that didnt mean he felt no emotions now. Rather, it was more likeI will make sure he experiences the defeat from someone he doesnt even remember. Thanks to his training with Hye-dam, Mu-gung maintained a calm expression while burning with apetitive spirit inside. Let the martial contest between Shaolins Monk Mu-gung and Jeomchang Sects Il-hwi Dojang begin! At the referees shout, a sharp sound apanied the shing of a sword light, echoing beyond the arena. * * * At that age, to wield the Sa-il Sword Technique with such ease Master Hyun-hyeon murmured in a somber tone as he watched the martial contest between Mu-gung and Il-hwi Dojang. As soon as the contest began, Il-hwi Dojangs sword moved so swiftly that it was unclear when it had been drawn. Mu-gung, who lost the initiative with that first strike, found his monks robe torn and was pushed into a defensive stance from the start. Il-hwi Dojang continued to thrust his sword rapidly, and the sword energy emanating from his de kept shing Mu-gungs kasa. The Sa-il Sword Technique. One of the Jeomchang Sects ultimate techniques, it focused on thrusting attacks. True to its name, meaning Shooting the Sun Sword Technique, its speed was so great that it was difficult for the eye to follow. Oh!!! As expected of Jeomchang! Spectators were eximing in awe, unable to properly see the swords path due to its tremendous speed. In contrast, the faces of the Shaolin disciples darkened. What do we do? It looks like Brother Mu-gung is struggling. Brother Mu-gung might be facing an opponent thats a bit too much for him. Amitabha. As Mu-yul and Mu-gyeong murmured in regret while watching, Mu-jin spoke with a faint smile. Dont worry. Mu-gung can definitely win. We hope Brother Mu-gung wins too, but Its not just that it would be good if he won, Mu-gungs skill is superior. ??? When Mu-gyeong and Mu-yul looked at Mu-jin with puzzled expressions, Mu-jin pointed to Mu-gung on the martial arts stage, whose robe was being torn. Look closely. Only his clothes are being cut, he has almost no injuries. It means hes dodging with minimal movements, not that he cant avoid it. * * * In a situation that seemed to be driving him into a corner, Mu-gung calmly observed Il-hwi Dojangs movements with serene eyes. Hoo. He is indeed fast. As expected, the Sa-il Sword Technique, considered a top technique of the Jeomchang Sect which valued the essence of speed, made it nearly impossible to dodge just by seeing. Therefore, just as he had learned from Mu-jin in his childhood, Mu-gung was predicting the swords path through the opponents preliminary movements. Does heck realbat experience? Or is it hard to vary his moves because he focuses so much on speed? Though incredibly fast, the swords path was too straightforward. Despite this, his robe was being torn partly because of hisrge body. When movements berger, crises tend to arrive. This was also due to the direction of martial arts he pursued. The subtlety of stillness within movement. It was the path chosen by someone with arge build and mighty strength butcking in agility. Mu-gung, while appearing to stand still, evaded the strikes of Il-hwi Dojangs sword with very slight movements, teetering on the edge. In the subtlety of stillness within movement, the most crucial aspect was the Immovable Heart Technique. Even as sword energy flew toward him, appearing as if it would pierce his body, his eyes did not waver. Swish! Swish! The moment he became fully ustomed to the movements of the Sa-il Sword Technique, Bang! A powerful shockwave resounded across the martial arts stage with a fierce vibration. Unerringly, Mu-gung, evading a thrust by a hairs breadth, closed in on Il-hwi Dojang and unleashed a palm strike. Mu-gungs hand, imbued with Extreme Yang Energy, resembled that of Shakyamuni Buddha. !!! As the opponent, who had been toying with his sword strikes, suddenly closed in and unleashed a palm strike, the greatly rmed Il-hwi Dojang hurriedly executed a hidden technique. Naturally, the quick thrusting motion of his sword changed. Mu-gungs hand, glowing crimson with Extreme Yang Energybined with Metal Energy, was met with a thin white line. * * * Tathagata Palm!! Someone, realizing the martial art through Mu-gungs crimson palm, shouted in surprise. Then, someone else, seeing the thin white line drawn in the air, eximed, And even the Splitting Light Eighteen Hands! With the renowned Seventy-Two Consummate Arts of Shaolin and the ultimate technique of the Jeomchang Sect simultaneously on disy, the crowd surrounding the martial arts stage went into an uproar. How cante-stage disciples already wield such ultimate techniques? As expected of the Nine Great Sects! Neutral spectators from lesser-known sects or one-man schools all expressed their admiration, while most of those from the Nine Great Sects and Five Noble Families who had advanced to this round wore rather serious expressions. Im closing in! Seizing the opportunity, Mu-gung boldly stepped forward once more. Mu-gung had not expected Il-hwi Dojang to suddenly unleash such an extraordinary technique. However, the first move of the Splitting Light Eighteen Hands that Il-hwi Dojang executed, the Splitting Light sh, was hastily performed without preparation. Moreover, the sh between the Splitting Light sh, which emphasized speed, and the Tathagata Palm, which contained the essence of stillness, had a predetermined oue unless there was a significant difference in skill level. Guh. After the collision, Il-hwi Dojang, pushed back by the force difference, let out a groan and disyed an rmed expression as he executed the Sa-il Sword Technique. He had not anticipated that the premier technique of his esteemed sect, the Splitting Light Eighteen Hands, would be overpowered. As expected, hecks experience. On the other hand, Mu-gung moved with a heart settled in utmost calmness, analyzing his opponent. If he had aimed for a counterattack, I would understand, but choosing defense at that moment One of the ultimate skills desired by martial artists who pursued speed: the technique of attacking after the opponent, but striking first. If Il-hwi Dojang had used Splitting Light sh to target Mu-gungs vital point instead of blocking Tathagata Palm a moment ago, he might have achieved a draw or perhaps won instantly with a counterattack. However, a flustered Il-hwi Dojang failed to capitalize on the strengths of his martial arts. In contrast, Mu-gung still calmly advanced toward Il-hwi Dojang. Il-hwi Dojang hastily performed the Sa-il Sword Technique to drive Mu-gung back, but due to the internal injury and broken posture from the earlier sh, the speed was reducedpared to the technique he had disyed at the beginning of the duel. Naturally, the slower Sa-il Sword Technique did not reach Mu-gungs body. Its over. Before anyone realized, Mu-gungs crimson palm had already touched Il-hwi Dojangs abdomen. * * * Did I win? Even with his palm against Il-hwi Dojangs abdomen, Mu-gung still felt dazed. Wo!! As expected of Shaolin! But the cheers erupting around the martial arts stage as soon as the duel ended snapped Mu-gung out of his daze. The roar of the crowd, deeply immersed in the duel, shook Mu-gungs Immovable Heart. Yes! I won! I beat that genius! Realizing his victory, Mu-gung struggled to suppress the smile threatening to break out. Hmm. If Im to be a refined martial arts master, I must act like its no big deal. Indeed. unting after a victory would diminish his gravitas. Mu-gung straightened his posture, imagining theposed demeanor of the dignified martial arts master he aspired to be. Amitabha. He stepped back, maintaining an air of nonchnce after the victory. Ah, this is it. This was the image of a Shaolin master that Mu-gung envisioned. The crowd erupted in cheers again at hisposed disy. Hmm. Mu-gung forced his rising smile and cheekbones down as he descended from the stage. He had defeated a genius of the past and garnered the crowds attentiontruly an ideal situation. Mu-gung felt as if he was soaring in the sky. Trying to look cool in those rags? Until Mu-jin spoke to him. R-rags? Look at your clothes. Even beggars wouldnt take those. Snapped back to reality, Mu-gung examined his clothes. Sure enough, dodging the Sa-il Sword Technique by a hairs breadth had left his clothes in tatters. Damn. I won so stylishly, but my clothes are in this state. Feeling embarrassed by his shabby appearance, Mu-gungs face reddened slightly. Here, you might have some shallow cuts from not fully dodging, so apply this. Mu-jin handed over the Golden Wound Medicine he had prepared for the martial arts tournament. Hmph. Such minor wounds are nothing for a martial artist. Mu-jin chuckled at Mu-gungs boastful yet still dazed demeanor. Ah, yes, of course. Mu-jin casually tossed the Golden Wound Medicine to Mu-gung and said, Apply it when you return to the pavilion this evening. With that, Mu-jin turned his attention to Mu-yul, who was about to spar, leaving Mu-gung, who was still pouting, to be approached by Master Hyun-hyeon and the Shaolin disciples. You did very well, Mu-gung. To calmly secure victory against such a formidable opponent! Splendid! The praise from the Shaolin elders naturally caused Mu-gungs smile and cheeks to rise once more. * * * After the duel between Mu-gung and Il-hwi Dojang concluded, Following a brief period ofmotion, the next duel began. The second duel of the second round of the Yongbongji Conference was between Cheong-su Dojang, the top prodigy of Wudang, and Bohyeon, the nun from the Ami sect. However, instead of watching the duel, Mu-jin spoke to Mu-yul, who was scheduled for the next bout. Yul-ah. You know youre up next, right? Oh, its my turn next! I was just nning to go out when they called my name. Hehe. As expected, Mu-jin was worried, confirming his suspicions with Mu-yuls carefree response. Do you remember who your opponent is? Hmm I saw him two days ago, I think. As I thought, you forgot. Mu-jin sighed lightly. He had anticipated this, so he had memorized Mu-yuls opponent for him. Peng Kah-hu. Hes from the Peng family in Hebei and uses a saber. From what I saw in thest duel, it seems hes mastered the Five Tigers Severing de Technique. Upon hearing Mu-jins brief exnation of his opponent, Mu-yuls previously carefree expression turned into one of surprise. Really? The Five Tigers Severing de Technique!? Mu-jin tilted his head in confusion at Mu-yuls excessive reaction. What is this? Does he have some story rted to the Five Tigers Severing de Technique like Mu-gung does? Did he have some childhood experience with a martial artist who used the technique? Why? Is there a problem? Of course, theres a problem! Five Tigers means there are five tigers. Right. Then it must be stronger than the Tiger Fist. Tiger Fist is just one tiger. What was I expecting from him? Mu-jin felt a strange sense of despair. However, regardless of Mu-jins feelings, I havent even learned Dragon Fist yet, what should I do, Mu-jin? Mu-yul was deeply worried, a troubled look on his face. Mu-jin unconsciously rubbed his face dry and thought of someone. Master Uncle Hye-geol, what kind of fight are you having? At that moment, the character (leopard) engraved on Mu-yuls back by Hye-geol, who had celebrated Mu-yuls mastery of the Leopard Fist, caught Mu-jins eye. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Four Monks of Shaolin (3) At the ce where the members of the Five Noble Families had gathered, theter generation masters were all watching the martial arts stage. This was because it was the martial arts contest of Qing Shui Dojang, the only rival of Namgung Jin-cheon in the current Murim. Hahaha. Brother Namgung! This match-up has turned out to be quite strange. At this rate, Ill have to defeat Qing Shui Dojang in the semifinals to meet you in the finals. The man, acting as if it was natural that he would reach the finals by winning all the remaining matches, was Peng Kah-hu, a direct descendant of the Peng family. That would indeed be interesting. Namgung Jin-cheon replied coldly, not looking amused at all. However, it wasnt that he was engrossed in watching the duel on the martial arts stage either. From the start, Namgung Jin-cheon had no interest in Peng Kah-hu and even less in Qing Shui Dojang.What did it matter who his opponent was? In any case, he would be the one to reach the summit. Due to this very obvious principle, Namgung Jin-cheon found no special meaning inpeting with others. Hmm. However, Peng Kah-hu, who felt ignored after awkwardly trying to start a conversation, had his face slightly reddened. The Hebei Peng family, known for their excellent physique and fiery temper, were remarkable for not losing their temper in this situation. Given their generally aggressive martial arts style, it was almost miraculous that he hadnt lost his temper here. If it hadnt been for the fact that he was facing the young master of the Namgung family, he might have already attacked. Just then, the duel on the martial arts stage came to an end. As most people had expected, Qing Shui Dojang won. And the next match was Peng Kah-hus turn. Then, Ill be off! Peng Kah-hu decided to vent his anger from Namgung Jin-cheon through this match. * * * I am Peng Kah-hu! I am Mu-yul of Shaolin. Amitabha. With a rough voice, Peng Kah-hu greeted and looked at the young monk who had be the target of his venting. For some reason, the monk named Mu-yul seemed slightly intimidated even before the match began. Heh heh heh. Looks like hes scared just by hearing my name! Deciding to toy with his opponent a bit for his anger release, Peng Kah-hu swung his sword yfully. And Mu-yul, as if it were the most natural thing, avoided the sword. Indeed! Hese this far, so he must have some basic skills! After swinging his sword a few more times, Peng Kah-hu drew more internal energy from his Danjeon. As his internal energy level increased, naturally, the Peng familys characteristic aggressive sword technique was disyed, but Hyutcha! His opponent easily avoided his sword technique. No, simply avoiding it would have been fine, but the monk was even adding strange exmations as he darted around yfully. How could a monk move so frivolously! Feeling that the opponent was toying with him, Peng Kah-hu, already furious, began to unleash his signature technique, the Five Tigers Severing de. The start was the first move of the Five Tigers Severing de, Ferocious Tiger Appears. The de energy that surged from his sword took on the form of a tiger and flew towards Mu-yul. Ah! Its a real tiger! Mu-yul, greatly surprised, began to frantically dodge around the martial stage. In other words, he had evaded Peng Kah-hus Ferocious Tiger Appears. Feeling more and more like he was being mocked, Peng Kah-hu drew upon all his internal energy and consecutively unleashed the sessive moves of the Five Tigers Severing de. The de energy from his sword sometimes manifested as a tigers swipe with its paw, and sometimes as its fangs, attacking Mu-yul. Hehe. This reminds me of ying with Master Uncle. Mu-yul, who had long forgotten his fear of the five tigers, smiled brightly as he dodged all the attacks. This was simr to how it was when he sparred with his master uncle, Hye-geol. When Hye-geol created tigers with the Tiger Fist technique, Mu-yul would instinctively dodge the attacks in various ways. For Mu-yul, who was pure-hearted, it wasnt training but rather ying a game of tag with Hye-geol. Of course, that was only from Mu-yuls perspective. You brat!! Seeing Mu-yul dodge his moves whileughing, a vein bulged on Peng Kah-hus forehead. Of course, Mu-yul wasughing simply because he was enjoying himself, but to Peng Kah-hu, it looked like ridicule. It was no wonder, as the infuriating monk sometimes spread his arms like a bird and soared into the air, sometimes twisted his body like a mollusk to let the de energy pass by, and even dodged on all fours. Is this monkey mocking me!!! Peng Kah-hu screamed again, but Mu-yul felt unjustly used. His soaring like a bird was an application of the Crane Fist technique, his twisting was the Snake Fist, and running on all fours was an application of the Leopard Fist. Its not a monkey, its a crane, a snake, and a leopard. Mu-yul replied with an innocent face, which made Peng Kah-hus rage boil over. Peng Kah-hu decided to end it. He unleashed the ultimate technique of the Five Tigers Severing de, which he had mastered up to the seventh level: Four Tigers Encirclement. shing his sword ferociously, four masses of de energy shot out with a time difference. Each de energy took on the form of a different tiger, attacking Mu-yul from all directions. Mu-yul, relying on his instincts, dodged the de energies again, but even for him, it was impossible to evade all the de energiesing from all directions. In the end, with no way to dodge thest de energy, Mu-yul had to use the Leopard Fist. Suddenly, his hands emitted energy resembling the ws of a leopard, and as Mu-yuls energy collided with Peng Kah-hus tiger-shaped de energy, Bang!! With a fierce explosion, Peng Kah-hus de energy scattered. Huh? Mu-yul, who had blocked the de energy, tilted his head in confusion. Peng Kah-hu, whose breathing was disrupted from using the ultimate technique, looked at Mu-yul, trying to understand why he had suddenly stopped. And Mu-yuls next words were enough to snap Peng Kah-hus sanity. Why is a tiger weaker than a leopard? You brat!!!! Havingpletely lost his mind, Peng Kah-hu drew upon all the energy from his danjeon and swung his sword madly. Cough. Cough. Suddenly, Peng Kah-hu started coughing and blood spurted from his mouth. The rapid depletion of his internal energy,bined with his rage, had caused a Qi deviation. * * * Wow Mu-jin, who had been watching the duel between Mu-yul and Peng Kah-hu, let out a sigh of admiration filled with various emotions. He won like that? It was a method that Mu-jin could never have imagined. From now on, if we encounter any nasty viins, I should just send out Mu-yul. It seemed that Mu-yul was an instant remedy for dealing with bad-tempered people. Well, it was like that in the army. In the military, the person most difficult for a naturally bad-tempered and explosive person to deal with wasnt a senior soldier, the units ace, or even a rebellious junior. It was the perpetually cheerful simpleton who never understood the anger directed at them and justughed it off, driving the angry person to madness. In that sense, Mu-yuls innocent cheerfulness was indeed a perfect counter to such explosive personalities. To think they taught that kid the Leopard Fist technique Mu-jin couldnt help but feel a strange respect for Hye-geol. He wondered if Hye-geol might have grown a sarira (a relic) somewhere in his body from all the patience. Clearing away his needless thoughts, Mu-jin approached Mu-yul, who had won the duel, and spoke to him. Why? Is there a problem? Mu-jin asked because Mu-yul was making a strange expression despite his victory. Tilting his head, Mu-yul replied. Its strange, Mu-jin. He clearly said it was a tiger, but its weaker than a leopard. Are tigers usually weaker than leopards? Then why is the Tiger Fist technique taught after the Leopard Fist? Mu-jin chuckled at Mu-yuls innocent question and answered. Maybe the tigers from their ce are weaker. Oh, so it was a fake tiger! It was a conversation that could cause the entire Peng family to suffer Qi deviation if they heard it. Regardless, Mu-yul seemed satisfied with the clear answer andughed cheerfully. But why did youe up, Mu-jin? Its my turn for the next duel. Mu-jin had stepped forward not to greet Mu-yul but because he was next in line for the duel. Mu-yul, with a bright expression, said to Mu-jin. Youll be back down soon? Ill be waiting! In Mu-yuls innocent mind, there was no scenario where Mu-jin lost. He was so pure that he hadnt even considered the possibility that if Mu-jin won this duel, they would have to face each other in the third round. * * * Meanwhile. Unlike the harmonious atmosphere among the Shaolin disciples, the mood on the side of the Five Noble Families was quite serious. Gah-hu! Get a grip! Bring the medicine! Quickly!! To be precise, it was the Peng family members who were in an uproar. Those damned monks! To duel in such a despicable manner! We must immediately protest to the Shaolin! First, we need to treat Gah-hu! We must fix him before his Qi and blood bepletely disrupted from Qi deviation! The Peng family members, with their rough faces and bulky bodies, were shouting loudly, creating an extremely tense atmosphere. Tsk. How pathetic. Of course, there were also those who found such a disy pathetic. One of them was Jegal Jin-hee. She was embarrassed to belong to the Jegal family, which was lumped together with such fools as part of the Five Noble Families. Feeling her eyes and ears rotting, she forcibly turned her attention to the martial stage. It was because she knew that the next duel was Mu-jins turn. But for some reason. Even though she was watching Mu-jin ascend to the stage, she felt a vague unease in her heart. And she was somewhat aware of the reason for that unease, though she tried to ignore it. Oh my, its my turn already. Ill be back soon, Jin-hee unnie~ A woman who had been sticking close and acting friendly since their first meeting, Tang So-mi, greeted Jegal Jin-hee before heading to the martial stage. In this second round, Mu-jins opponent was Tang So-mi. However, Jegal Jin-hees unease wasnt solely because Tang So-mi was fighting Mu-jin. The real reason for her difort was: Why is she wearing a different outfit than in the first round? It was because of Tang So-mis attire. She was wearing a tight-fitting qipao,monly known as a cheongsam, which exposed one leg entirely. Tang So-mi had appeared in this bold outfit to participate in the Yongbongji Conferences martial duel. With her bold choice of attire, Tang So-mi walked lightly towards the stage. With each confident step she took, her right leg shed through the slit of her qipao, catching the eyes of the crowd surrounding the martial stage. Yet, Tang So-mi didnt mind. Not only did she have a confident personality that disregarded others gazes, but she had chosen this outfit precisely to attract attention. I wonder how he will react. Suppressing her amusement, she looked at Mu-jin, who stood opposite her. Mu-jin, the man that even Jegal Jin-hee, who showed no interest in Namgung Jin-cheon, had her eyes on. And he was a monk of the Shaolin Temple! In many ways, he was an interesting subject for her little experiment. Nice to meet you, Monk Mu-jin. Before the duel began, she greeted Mu-jin with a bright smile. Amitabha. Nice to meet you, Lady Tang So-mi. Mu-jin responded indifferently as always, with a slight bow. Monk Mu-jin, did you know? Despite his indifferent reaction, Tang So-mi smiled sweetly and spoke in a seductive manner as she slowly walked around the stage. As if drawing a circle around Mu-jin. Walking slightly sideways, each step revealed her bare right leg through the slit of her qipao. Momentarily distracted, the referee cleared his throat and spoke up. Ahem. Lady Tang, we should start the duel. Oh, you can start now. She replied with a sultry smile, finally stopping her steps. The duel between Lady Tang So-mi of the Sichuan Tang n and Monk Mu-jin of the Shaolin Temple will now begin! The referee announced, but instead of disying her martial arts, Tang So-mi spoke to Mu-jin again. Do you know what Jin-hee unnie said during her duel with Hong So-il? Im not particrly interested. Shouldnt we start the duel now, Lady Tang So-mi? Mu-jin answered indifferently, but Tang So-mi continued unbothered. She sped her hands behind her back and leaned slightly forward. Although her upper body was fully covered, the tightness of her outfit entuated her curves. In that provocative pose, she spoke. Jin-hee unnie said shes not interested in men weaker than her. Is that so? But did you know? Im the same way. Tang So-mis face lit up with a mischievous, alluring smile. Watching her, Mu-jin thought. She wasnt in the novel, so I was curious, but shes a lunatic. Mu-jin vaguely sensed what Tang So-mi was trying to do. It was the infamous honey trap! The only problem was. Using a honey trap on a monk. To Mu-jin, her actions seemed nothing short of insane. There was an old saying that came to mind. For madness, the best cure is a beating. To cure her of her madness, Mu-jin diagnosed that physical therapy was necessary. Amitabha. Chanting the Buddhas name as if delivering a death sentence, Mu-jinunched himself at her. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Shaolin Temple Monks (4) W-what is she doing right now!? This thought simultaneously crossed the minds of Jegal Jin-hee and Ryu Seol-hwa as they watched the sparring match. Both women felt an unusual mix of emotions. One was anger at Tang So-mi, who dared to flirt with Mu-jin. The other was a worry: Do I need to do the same? They were concerned that Mu-jin might favor such direct and tant advances. Given that Mu-jin had a keen interest in legs, the cheongsam (qipao) Tang So-mi wore might be highly stimting to him. So, if Mu-jin showed any signs of wavering in this sparring match, they thought, I should look into some clothes as well. However, whether it was fortunate or unfortunate: Amitabha.Mu-jin leaped forward with disapproval at Tang So-mis tant actions. Bang! The force of his charge was so fierce that it nearly cracked the ground of the sparring stage. Mu-jins body swiftly approached Tang So-mi, and without hesitation, he aimed a punch at her. Even so, being a daughter of one of the Five Great Families, Tang So-mi, just before being struck by Mu-jins fist, performed an excellent evasion technique. While evading sideways, she threw a concealed weapon, which she had somehow retrieved from her tightly fitted cheongsam. However, Mu-jins Pasan Shinbo, a technique specialized in chasing opponents, allowed for sudden changes in direction despite its incredible speed. Mu-jin darted toward the direction where Tang So-mi had thrown herself, and as for the concealed weapon sheunched, Ting! Ting! It bounced off Mu-jins body with a metallic sound. !!! Tang So-mis eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected oue, and Mu-jin, who had closed the distance in an instant due to herck of defense, delivered a straight punch. In a situation where evasion was impossible, Tang So-mi quickly raised her arms to block Mu-jins punch. Bang!!! With a tremendous explosion, Tang So-mi was sent flying out of the sparring stage. A loss by ring-out. Although it was a rather anticlimactic result, Tang So-mi found it difficult to maintain herposure due to the severe pain. Her arms, which had blocked Mu-jins straight punch, were swollen and red, and despite hastily gathering her internal energy, her defenses had been breached, causing her blood and energy to roil. In contrast, Mu-jin, who had not been able to perform the nned physical therapypletely, showed a somewhat rigid expression as he bowed to Tang So-mi. Amitabha. That was dangerous, Tang So-mi Shizhu. The reason Mu-jin said this was simple. I never imagined you would use poison during the sparring match, Tang So-mi Shizhu. Only after he had used his Pasan Shinbo technique did he realize that he had already been poisoned. So, the initialps around the sparring stage were to position herself downwind. By drawing attention with her legs exposed through the cheongsam, she had secured a favorable position for applying the poison. He surmised that the moment she spread the poison was likely when she crossed her arms behind her back and leaned forward, using the contours of her body revealed through the clothes to distract, while surreptitiously spreading the poison with her sped hands behind her back. Initially thinking it was just a simple charm offensive, Mu-jin hadnt anticipated such a cunning stratagem. If this had been a real fight, I might already be dead. The most famous aspects of the Sichuan Tang n were poison and assassination techniques. However, the use of deadly poison was prohibited in the Yongbongji Conference. What she had used was a type of paralytic poison, which had slowed Mu-jins body considerably. Even so, the fact that he won so easily was due to the vast difference in strength, internal energy, and martial arts mastery, despite his slowed reactions. In truth, when Mu-jin said it was dangerous, he meant that Tang So-mi was in danger. The paralytic poison made it difficult for him to control his strength, and he had almost ended up putting a big hole in her abdomen by mistake. Meanwhile, despite being defeated by Mu-jin, Tang So-mi wore a peculiar smile as she ignored the pain radiating from her arms and Danjeon. Didnt you feel it was unfair? I am aware that you used poison only after the referee signaled the start of the match. How could I call it unfair when I was poisoned due to my own negligence? Rather, I am pleased to have learned something important through this sparring match. Amitabha. He was sincere. After the Yongbongji Conference, Mu-jin nned to leave Shaolin and step into the martial world. He had learned just how dangerous poison could be. If I see even a hint of suspicion, I should beat them up first. He had resolved on a course of action that might bring a bloodstorm to the martial world. The one who had made Mu-jine to this grim determination, Tang So-mi, was smiling despite her defeat. This smile was different from the feigned ones before. Indeed, this must be why that indifferent Jin-hee unni cant get over him. Those who suffered from the Tang ns poison and assassination techniques always cursed them, saying that the martial artists used underhanded and vile methods. Thus, the Tang n people became bitter. They never forgot grudges and dealt with viins as cruelly as possible to ensure no one could ever curse the Tang n. For this reason, the Tang n people never forgot kindness. To erase the stigma of being sneaky poisoners, they aimed to be righteous heroes who never forgot kindness. Though the world saw the Tang n people as entric because they used poison and assassination techniques, Tang So-mi had a different view. Because of the worlds gaze, the Tang n people became peculiar. Thus, Tang So-mi fought the worlds view in her own way. Acting confidently as if she didnt care about others opinions was her method. However, just because one acted confidently didnt mean they didnt get hurt inside. To the Tang n people, an opponent who recognized their martial arts was precious. Even more so if they were a talented prodigy who could defeat her so easily. Her preference for men stronger than herself was not just a simple line to use her charms. The problem was, It seems like charms dont work very well on him He was still an opponent she was at a loss about how to approach. Though Mu-jin considered her crazy for using her charms on a monk, Tang So-mi would haveughed at that notion. My aunt told me she yed around with many young monks and Daoists in her youth. ording to the stories passed down in the Tang n, most monks and Daoists, due to their long periods of celibacy, were vulnerable to charms. Especially among young monks and Daoists, many failed to resist the urges and went astray, which made Tang So-mis choice to use charms seem rational. Hehe. After the Yongbongji Conference ends, I should ask my aunt for advice. She wanted to find a way to seduce that capable monk who seemed immune to her charms. * * * Jegal Jin-hee, who had been watching the sparring match between Mu-jin and Tang So-mi, let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Mu-jin had not fallen for such tant charms. If even that method doesnt work, Ill have to think of another What am I thinking!? Mu-jin is just a rival! An opponent Ill meet in the finals of the Yongbongji Conference! While Jegal Jin-hee was arguing with herself, Tang So-mi, who had been defeated by ring-out, returned to the group of martial artists from the Five Great Families. Are you alright? Yes. It doesnt seem like theres any damage to my bones. Just taking some medicine and resting should do. Hm. Its good to know your body is alright. Dont worry about the sparring result. In a real fight, you would have won. Tang So-mi gave a faint smile at the words of the Sichuan Tang n elder. Indeed, if the poison she used at the beginning of the match had been a deadly one instead of a paralytic one, Mu-jin would have been gravely injured. Well, even in a real fight, it might have ended in mutual destruction Even after being poisoned, Mu-jin had performed remarkably. If he had been affected by a deadly poison, he still might have overpowered her. But there was no need to voice such thoughts to the family elder. The martial arts of the Tang n, which involved poison and assassination techniques, were not suitable for sparring matches. Hence, losing in the Yongbongji Conference was not a disgrace. This was a somewhat valid reason, but also a way for the Sichuan Tang n members to protect their pride. Knowing this, Tang So-mi saw no need to provoke the elders temper. Im not worried, Elder. Good. As long as you hold your head high, thats what matters. And my opponent wasnt bad either. He recognized my martial arts. Ha. To think such a disciple would emerge from the rigid Shaolin. Truly surprising. The stern-looking elder of the Sichuan Tang n smiled contentedly. After exchanging a few more words with the elder and receiving some medicine, Tang So-mi spoke to Jegal Jin-hee, who was passing by her. Jin-hee unni, I look forward to our continued rtionship~ What do you mean by that? There are things like that. Hehe. Jegal Jin-hee felt a strange unease at Tang So-mis yful remark. But she couldnt dwell on it for long. The reason she was passing by Tang So-mi was not to chat. The next match was her turn. This is quite an ironic draw. Although her turn was right after Mu-jins, due to the bracketyout, she would only meet him in the finals. So, to reach the finals, she needed to focus on her match. Her opponent was the only one in the second round who did not belong to one of the Five Great Families or Nine Great Sects. A young swordsman from the Il-in Jeonseung Sword School. But when it came to the match, his level was even lower than that of Hong So-il, who she had faced in the first round. In retrospect, Hong So-il had been quite unlucky with the draw. He certainly had the skills to reach the second round. Of course, he would have still been eliminated in the second round, so it didnt make much difference. Well done. After winning her match with ease, Jegal Jin-hee cupped her fist in salute and stepped down from the sparring stage. She looked at the young man ascending the stage as she descended. When the man stepped onto the stage, cheers erupted from the spectators. Naturally. It was the match of the strongest contender for the championship in this Yongbongji Conference. With an expressionless face, Namgung Jin-cheon ascended the stage, and Jegal Jin-hee steeled her resolve. Her goal was Mu-jin, so she had little interest in Namgung Jin-cheon, but unfortunately, her opponent in the third round was none other than Namgung Jin-cheon. Of course, that was assuming Namgung Jin-cheon won his match. Ooooooh! As expected of the prodigy of the Namgung family! Like the first round, Namgung Jin-cheon won in a single exchange and wore an expressionless face as if it were a matter of course. * * * Is it because hes the protagonists rival? Watching Namgung Jin-cheons victory, Mu-jin thought of Dao Yuetian, who had returned to his hometown. That guy will be doing well, right? The Dao Yuetian Mu-jin saw in the novel was the embodiment of hard work, so there was no need to worry. Thus, Mu-jin turned his attention to the person he was currently concerned about. The Shaolin disciple Mu-gyeong, who would be the highlight of todaysst match in the second round. Mu-gyeong, remember what I told you since the first round? The person Mu-jin was most worried about in this Yongbongji Conference was not Mu-yul but Mu-gyeong. It wasnt that he feared Mu-gyeong might lose control and kill his opponent during the match. After being tormented by Hye-gwan for over four years, Mu-gyeong had managed to control his madness to some extent. The problem was the strange habit he developed during his training under Hye-gwan. A dangerous habit that, if mishandled, could make him a public enemy in the martial world. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 The Four Shaolin Monks (5) Facing Mu-jins worried face, Mu-gyeong replied in a gruff tone. Dont worry. Im not a kid. To me, you are still a kid. He was only neen years old. In modern terms, he would barely be a college freshman or sophomore. He might see himself as an adult, but from Mu-jins perspective, he was just a young guy who didnt know much about the world. Of course, from Mu-gyeongs perspective, this was nonsense. Mu-jin, did you know something? What?Im a year older than you. He didnt expect to be treated as an elder or a senior brother, but being treated like a child was annoying for Mu-gyeong. Yeah. This is all my karma. Sigh. Mu-gyeong sighed, thinking that first impressions might be crucial after all. His first impression had been as a bullied novice disciple, so he might be treated as a helpless kid by Mu-jin for the rest of his life. Of course, Mu-jin was worried about Mu-gyeong not because of his first impression but because he was actually young. Anyway, do you remember what I said? Mu-gyeong sighed and replied to Mu-jins nagging, which was like that of a mother. Dont imitate your opponents martial arts in a duel, right? Thats right. Mu-jin was concerned about Mu-gyeongs habit. It was the act of stealing his opponents martial arts during a duel. Mu-gyeongs teacher, Hye-gwan, had trained him through sparring that was close to actualbat. Like the saying from a certain fighting game, If you dont know, you have to get hit, was Hye-gwans training method. Combined with Mu-gyeongs exceptional talent, this led to a peculiar habit for Mu-gyeong. During sparring, he would steal his opponents martial arts or instantly find a way to counter them. The problem was that the martial arts of each sect were the foundation of that sect. If he stole their unique martial arts or found ways to counter them after seeing them a few times, it was tantamount to shaking the foundation of that sect. As such, there was a risk that the opposing sect might attempt to assassinate him or engage in political maneuvers to ostracize him. If it were a real fight, Id rather steal the martial arts and aim for annihtion, but doing such a thing in a public duel would be troublesome in many ways. Therefore, Mu-jin kept warning Mu-gyeong. Having too much talent can be a problem too, indeed. If Mu-gyeongs talent were mediocre, there wouldnt be a need for such warnings. Who could imitate martial arts after seeing them a few times? It was an absurd notion. But for Mu-gyeong, it was possible. He could perfectly replicate even the so-called beginner or third-rate martial arts after seeing them once. Even the so-called first-rate martial arts, after seeing them once, he could imitate the form, and after seeing them twice, he would grasp the meaning. By the third time, he would find a perfect way to counter them or a way to incorporate them into his own martial arts. Fortunately, the higher-level martial arts or divine techniques required seeing them quite a few times to imitate. There are probably only one or two crazy people in this world who could imitate divine techniques after seeing them a couple of times. The genius with the greatest talent in this world was probably rolling around somewhere in Xinjiang right now. As for the other person, they were likely rxing at Shaolin Temple, waiting for news from Mu-jin. In any case, as Mu-jin was warning Mu-gyeong, the duel on the stage wasing to an end. The winner was Hu Gae, considered the next leader of the Beggars Sect. He would be Mu-gyeongs third opponent. Of course, that was if Mu-gyeong won this duel. Hurry up and finish. I need to get to my workout before I lose muscle. Mu-jin didnt even consider the possibility of Mu-gyeong losing. * * * On the stage, Mu-gyeong looked at his opponent. His opponent was Byeok-wan, a young man in his mid-twenties, the second-ss disciple of the Zhongnan Sect. If its the Zhongnan Sect, they are famous for the Thirty-Six Swords of the World. The Zhongnan Sect, located near the Huashan Sect, focused on defensive swordsmanship, unlike the Huashan Sect, which emphasized the mysteries of transformation. Their top martial art, the Thirty-Six Swords of the World, was known for its absolute defense, covering all thirty-six directions. What if he blocks all my attacks? As Mu-gyeong was thinking negatively as usual, the judge announced the start of the duel. But neither of the two contestants on the stage moved hastily. Byeok-wan Dojang stood firm, taking a middle stance, while Mu-gyeong darted around, trying to find an opening in his stance. Surprisingly, it was Mu-gyeong who broke the static atmosphere first. Eh! Itll work out somehow! It was a habit ingrained in Mu-gyeongs body, having trained under Hye-gwan, who believed in the adage of attack first, win first. To be precise, if he only defended, he would get beaten twice as hard by Hye-gwan, so he had learned to strike first. Mu-gyeong moved around Byeok-wan in a light step, disying various martial arts techniques without distinguishing between punches, palms, fingers, and kicks. Although he was young andcked internal energy, having only mastered two of the Shaolin Seventy-Two Consummate Arts, Mu-gyeong had, on the contrary, mastered most Shaolin martial arts, excluding the Seventy-Two Consummate Arts. True to the name Thousand-Year Shaolin, the number of martial arts techniques exceeded three digits, and each time Mu-gyeong struck with a punch, palm, finger, or kick, it followed a different martial art principle. For most martial artists, theplexbination of moves would have been overwhelming, but Byeok-wan Dojang blocked all of Mu-gyeongs attacks with simple movements. ng! Each time Mu-gyeongs punches, palms, fingers, or kicks shed with Byeok-wans sword, a metallic sound rang out. However, this didnt mean that Mu-gyeong had trained in the Iron Skin Technique like Mu-jin, making his body as tough as steel. During his sparring sessions with Hye-gwan, Mu-gyeong had instinctively learned to efficiently use his limited internal energy by concentrating it on specific points of contact. In other words, each time he collided with Byeok-wans sword, he enveloped his fists, palms, and shins with internal energy. He created a precise and minimal energy barrier to match the size of Byeok-wans sword. Naturally, the duels flow became a contest to see who would tire out first between Mu-gyeong, whounched varied and borate attacks, and Byeok-wan, who defended against them. On the surface, it seemed that way. Wow! So thats how you block in this situation? They call it the Thirty-Six Swords of the World, but it seems like the footwork supporting the sword techniques is crucial. Even while attacking, Mu-gyeong was storing all the techniques Byeok-wan used to block him in his memory and analyzing those moves. Diverting his attention during a tense duel could be considered madness, but it didnt apply to Mu-gyeong. It was as natural as breathing for him to recall and analyze his opponents techniques, so it didnt disrupt his movements. I thought it would be simr to Wudang, but its quite different. Its stiffer than I expected. Or is it deliberate? Mu-gyeong had experience exchanging martial arts with Wudang, which, like Zhongnan Sect, focused on defense and counterattacks. The Wudang techniques he had learned aimed to deflect attacks softly and disrupt the opponents stance to counterattack. In contrast, Zhongnan Sects defense wasnt soft. It was solid and rigid. Rather than deflecting to disrupt the stance, they create a rebound force that injures the attacker! Mu-gyeongs mind began to whirl as he grasped the characteristics of Byeok-wans martial arts. Theres no need to forcefully counter. Couldnt I mix in Wudangs techniques to deflect smoothly? Oh! The Thirty-Six Defenses seem simr to Wudangs Bagua Palm. Could Ibine them to deflect attacks from all directions? Recalling the Taiji Sword and Bagua Palm he had learned at Wudang, Mu-gyeong began to connect those techniques with Byeok-wans defensive moves during the duel. The myriad martial arts principles in Mu-gyeongs mind intertwined and eventually formed a natural flow. Mu-gyeongs body and internal energy began to move in sync with that self-created flow. Unconsciously, Mu-gyeong almost performed the Thirty-Six Swords of the World with his hands. C Never imitate the opponents martial arts! If it werent for Mu-jins repeated warnings, ingrained in his mind since the beginning of the Yongbongji Conference, Mu-gyeong might have remained in a trance-like state. Just as he was about to perform the Thirty-Six Swords of the World with his hands, Mu-gyeong barely snapped out of it thanks to Mu-jins warning etched in his mind. Phew. That was close. If he had used martial arts like this, he would have be an idiot who couldnt understand even if warned. Then, Mu-jin would have scolded him tremendously. Although he had long given up on being treated as a senior brother, there was still ast shred of dignity as a senior brother. Tsk. I should go back and practice after the match. If I blend our Shaolin martial arts with Wudang martial arts and modify them, it wont be too noticeable then. Having made his decision, Mu-gyeong moved to end the match. He wanted to observe and analyze more of Byeok-wans movements in the Thirty-six Swords of the World, but his internal energy was starting to run out. Mu-gyeongcked internal energypared to his talents and realm. No matter how efficiently he used it, his danjeon was gradually emptying. Of course, just by changing his mindset, he couldnt break through the defense he hadnt been able to before. Mu-gyeong had already been analyzing the martial arts and had thought of a countermeasure. Ha-at! With a shout, Mu-gyeong thrust a palm towards Byeok-wans lower right side, the most vulnerable part of his defense. However, it was still only rtively vulnerable, and Byeok-wan blocked Mu-gyeongs palm with his sword. This was precisely what Mu-gyeong aimed for. The moment the rebound force from Byeok-wans sword transmitted to Mu-gyeongs palm, Mu-gyeong used the subtlety of Tai Chi to deflect the rebound force back towards Byeok-wans sword. It was as if he had performed a seamless consecutive strike with no time gap. Ugh. For the first time, Byeok-wan let out a faint groan and his stance slightly faltered. Mu-gyeong did not miss this gap. He explosively used the internal energy he had been conserving and performed the Revolving Fist Technique, one of the seventy-two consummate arts taught by Hye-gwan, at full strength. Although he had not yet reached Hye-gwans level of leaving afterimages with the technique due to hisck of internal energy, it was enough now that Byeok-wans stance was broken. Its over. Before he knew it, Mu-gyeong had moved to Byeok-wans left side, with his fingertip touching Byeok-wans body. Mu-gyeong had used the Stone-crushing Finger technique to strike Byeok-wans acupoint. The result was anticlimacticpared to the intense match, but Mu-gyeong didnt mind. He was eager to return to the Shaolin Temple and reinterpret the Thirty-six Swords of the World he had just observed in his own way. If I can perfect this, I might get beaten less by my master uncle!! For Mu-gyeong, martial arts were a way to figure out how to get beaten less by Hye-gwan. * * * With Mu-gyeongs match, all the martial arts matches of the second round of the Yongbongji Conference ended. The results of the second round of the Yongbongji Conference caused an uproar throughout the entire region. Huh. To think all the Shaolin disciples would advance to the third round! No matter how renowned the Thousand-Year Shaolin is, such a one-sided result is surprising The reason was, of course, Shaolins overwhelming performance. Out of the eight participants advancing to the third round, half were Shaolin disciples. It wasnt that Shaolin had sent dozens of disciples; the four participants who entered the conference all advanced to the third round. Naturally, whenever martial artists gathered in inns or taverns throughout the region, they talked about Shaolin. Perhaps, ten or twenty years from now, the era of Shaolin might truly begin. At this rate, aligning with Shaolin early could be a choice for the future. Hmm. While their martial arts are impressive, Shaolin has always been disinterested in worldly matters, no? Youre behind on the news. Shaolin has been coborating with Cheonryu Sangdan on several projects for years. Isnt that a sign of reaching out to the secr world? Ha. With martial arts and wealth, Shaolins era might indeed begin. In the minds of the martial artists imagining the future of the righteous sects, the image of Shaolin stood tall. And at the forefront were the four disciples who participated in this Yongbongji Conference. News of the Four Shaolin Monks began to spread from the region to the entire Central ins. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Immediately after finishing the second round of the Yongbongji Conference. The Muja Group members naturally headed towards the Cheonryu Sangdan branch. This was due to Mu-jins rule that they couldnt skip training even on the day of a martial artspetition. If the match had been extremely strenuous, they would have focused on recovery training using close-range spear techniques, but none of the four were in such a state. As expected, Jegal Jin-hee also visited the Cheonryu Sangdan branch. I wanted toe earlier, but I was tied up with a meeting of the Five Noble Families, so I got a bit dyed. Though she said that, the real reason for her dy was Tang So-mi. Jegal Jin-hee had spent extra time trying to avoid Tang So-mi, who seemed even more interested in Mu-jin after the martial arts match. Ryu Seol-hwa, who was receiving personal lessons from Mu-jin, smiled brightly at Jegal Jin-hee. Since you werete, it would have been fine to skip today. Since you had a match today, why not take a day off? Hohoho. I cant skip training just because of a little match, dont you agree?Though both women were smiling and conversing, there was a sense of intense energy shing between them. Did Ryu Seol-hwa also learn martial arts? Mu-jin wondered if the Jade Maiden Technique he had taught Ryu Seol-hwa before was actually a high-level martial art. In any case, the training session proceeded in its usual cheerful yet tense atmosphere, and after sufficiently torturing their muscles, it was time for the close-range spear technique. While they were rxing their muscles, Mu-jin cautiously asked, Is everything okay with your family? Nothing much to speak of, Jegal Jin-hee replied, trying to keep a neutral expression. Since she started implementing the physical training methods and close-range spear techniques she learned from Mu-jin at her family, she had begun to be treated as an oddity. But there was no need to bother Mu-jin with such trivial matters. Theres no need topare myself with Ryu Seol-hwa. Especially since she didnt want to highlight the stark contrast between her own familys situation and that of Ryu Seol-hwa, who was being fully supported by the Sangdanju. Mu-jins next words, however, led to a misunderstanding. If you ever have any trouble, please feel free to contact me. Regardless of our respective sects or families, Jegal Jin-hee, you are a precious friend to me. Mu-jin merely said this to identify any peculiarities that might ur in the Jegal family someday. So, he already knew. Jegal Jin-hee took it to mean something else entirely. The reason she was treated as an oddity was not just because she, a direct descendant of the Jegal family, was practicing external martial arts instead of internal energy techniques, but fundamentally because of Mu-jin, who had embarrassed the Jegal family and seemed to maintain a close rtionship with Shaolin. Yes, if any trouble arises with my family, you will be the first I seek help from, Mu-jin. Jegal Jin-hee felt both grateful for Mu-jins considerate words and frustrated by his insistence on referring to her as a friend. * * * Master Elder, are you going to leave the youngdy as she is? In response to the question from a Hyun Sword Squad warrior, who was like a close aide, Jegal-hyeon answered in a blunt tone. Leave her be for now. After all, she is the only one from our family who has advanced to the third round. Only eightte-stage practitioners advanced to the third round of the Yongbongji Conference. Among them, only two were from the Five Noble Families: Namgung Jin-cheon and Jegal Jin-hee. This was because four of the eight finalists were from the Shaolin Temple, which the Jegal family subtly considered a rival. However, the familys honor being elevated by her being among the eight finalists was not enough to excuse her unrestrained behavior. Currently, the elders of the Five Noble Families were continuously meeting to discuss the formation of an alliance. But as with any alliance, it wasnt something that could be settled with a simple Lets form an alliance! Such verbal alliances could quickly be meaningless, so naturally, basic rules and agreements were needed to maintain the alliance. In the process of establishing these rules and agreements, each family was engaged in a battle for dominance to ensure favorable terms for themselves. In this sense, the results of the current Yongbongji Conference were very significant. Although they were justte-stage practitioners now, in ten or twenty years, they would grow into key figures in their respective families. Therefore, the Yongbongji Conference could be considered a rough measure of each familys future potential. Thus, Jegal Jin-hees performance could strengthen the Jegal familys influence during the alliance formation process. This much was understood by her aide as well. However, the next opponent is the young master of the Namgung family. No matter how exceptional the youngdys talent is, it wont be easy to face that young master. The aide voiced his concern because he believed that not even Jegal Jin-hee could defeat Namgung Jin-cheon. Specifically, he feared that if she lost to Namgung Jin-cheon in the next match, her current unrestrained behavior woulde back to haunt her. Leave it. For now, just leave it be. Understood, Master Elder. However, since Jegal-hyeon gave the same response again, the aide refrained from saying anything further. The hierarchy within the martial arts families was very conservative. The aide could only ask such questions because he was a trusted confidant of Jegal-hyeon. But after hearing the same answer, asking further questions could lead to being dismissed. The fact that the youngdy hase here and continues to associate with the Shaolin has already been reported to the family by the other young masters. Its hard to understand what both the youngdy and the elder are thinking, the aide thought to himself, unable to voice his unasked questions. At this rate, Jegal Jin-hee might fall out of favor with Jegal Mun, her grandfather and the family head. The young masters, who saw her as a thorn in their side because she was aiming for the position of family head despite being a woman, would continue to nder her. Ironically, this was exactly what Jegal-hyeon desired. The more Jegal Jin-hee alienates the direct line of the family, the easier it will be to win her over. Jegal-hyeon was drawing up a grand scheme, simultaneously envisioning the alliance of the Five Noble Families and seeking revenge for the bitterness he had endured as a branch family member. * * * On her way back to the Shaolin temple after exercising with Ryu Seol-hwa, Jegal Jin-hee encountered Mu-jin. Master Mu-jin! Its good to see you. Infinite Life Buddha. Since we are in the same area, it seems natural that we meet. Amitabha. The Shaolin disciples happened to meet the disciples of the Qing Shui Dojang and the Wudang Sect. Hahaha. Actually, Ive been meaning to visit the Shaolin temple several times. Visit our temple? Yes. Due to some strange twists in the schedule, our meeting kept getting postponed, making my hands itch. The disciple of the Qing Shui Dojang, who said this, smiled brightly and ced his hand on his sword. Its fortunate that this guy joined the Wudang Sect. If he had joined the Demonic Path or the Heavenly Demon Cult, he would have be a real killing machine. If that had happened, an extraordinary sword demon would have arisen, causing a bloodbath in the martial arts world. Are you nning to spar right here in the middle of the street? Hahaha. If I could have a match with Master Mu-jin, what does the location matter? But, considering the elders of our sects, that might be a bit difficult. He sighed genuinely disappointed and reluctantly removed his hand from his sword. It seemed as though his hand was glued to it, and the struggle to detach it appeared quite odd. Still, I can endure it since well face each other in the semifinals. Ahem. Thats a relief. Mu-jin awkwardly responded with augh. Instead of Mu-jin, it was Mu-gung who was provoked by the words of the Qing Shui Dojang disciple. That was because Mu-gung was the one who would face the Qing Shui Dojang disciple in the third round of thepetition. Does he already think hell face Mu-jin in the semifinals? That expression, which seemed to disregard him entirely, hurt Mu-gungs pride. If it had been the Mu-gung from a few days ago, he would have just felt a little ufortable and left it at that. This was because the Qing Shui Dojang disciple was a genius renowned throughout the continent, unlike himself. However, he now had the experience of defeating Il-hwi Dojang, a genius who had already taken root in his heart. If I can just defeat the Qing Shui Dojang disciple as I did Na Jin-seong! He could draw all the attention of the martial arts world, which was currently focused on the Qing Shui Dojang disciple, to himself! This was an opportunity to take a significant step closer to the name he had always dreamed ofMu-gung, the martial arts prodigy. Mugungspetitive spirit ignited with the thought of avenging himself against Cheongsu Dojang while simultaneously capturing peoples attention. Of course, Cheongsu Dojang was simply looking forward to the match with Mujin. He had no intention of disregarding Mugung. Hahaha. Cheongsu Dojangs thoughtless speech resembled that of someone close to Mujin. * * * Two dayster. The morning of the third match of Yongbong Gathering dawned. As before, the Shaolin disciples headed to the martial arts stage together, and shortly thereafter, Mugung ascended the stage in time for the start of the Yongbong Gathering. Opposite him, amidst the Wudang Daoists, Cheongsu Dojang calmly walked up to the stage. Phew. Focus. Burning withpetitive spirit towards Cheongsu Dojang, Mugung steadied his breathing. Though the desire for fame still lingered, the past four years of training in immovable mind had not been in vain. He had cultivated enough to distinguish between when to maintainposure and when to act impulsively. Amitabha. I am Mugung of Shaolin. Immeasurable Buddha. I am Cheongsu of Wudang. As soon as Mugung and Cheongsu Dojang exchanged greetings with half-bows and fist salutes on the stage, The match between Mugung of Shaolin and Cheongsu Dojang of Wudang will begin! The referees shout rang out, but neither man moved hastily. Hes different from Ilhui Dojang. Is this what it means to be Wudang? Wudangs martial arts focused on defense and counterattack through subtlety, seemingly waiting for his initiative. However, he couldnt just stand idly by. Hah! With a shout, Mugung took arge step forward towards Cheongsu Dojang. As Mugung moved, Cheongsu Dojangs sword began to dance slowly and gracefully. Mugung admired Cheongsu Dojangs sword with calm eyes, inwardly eximing. Hes not called the best of Wudang for nothing! Cheongsu Dojangs sword seemed to move slowly at first nce, drawing a circle. That circle epassed all possible directions of Mugungs attacks. In other words, he was ready to deflect and counter any attack. Mugung stepped around Cheongsu Dojang, asionally feinting to deceive him, but Cheongsu Dojangs defense remained solid. Failing to find an opening, Mugung decided on a direct approach. If there are no openings, Ill just make one! At the moment of decision, extreme yang energy and forbidden energy began to converge in Mugungs palm. Naturally, his palm began to turn crimson. Unleashing the Shaolin technique that had broken the Splendid Light Thirteen Hands of the Mount Heaven Sect in the second match, Mugung aimed his palm strike at Wudangs Taiji. Just as with Ilhui Dojang, who had been struck by the Buddhas Palm, the calm look in Cheongsu Dojangs eyes changed. However, unlike Ilhui Dojang, he was not flustered. Hahaha! Far from being flustered, Cheongsu Dojangughed as if things had finally be interesting. He watched Mugungs crimson palm strike with an ecstatic expression and began to draw countless Taiji symbols with his sword energy in the air. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 The moment his Arhat Divine Palm collided with the Taiji of Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-gung realized something crucial. Hepletely deflected it. The heavy sensation he felt when he shed with the Splendid Light Thirteen Hands of Ilhwi Dojang during theirst duel was entirely absent this time. At first nce, it seemed as if he had gained the upper hand. Cheongsu Dojang, drawing a Taiji, had stepped back a pace upon impact. However, this movement was solely to perfectly deflect the force of the Arhat Divine Palm. Cheongsu Dojangs posture, having stepped back a pace, did not waver in the slightest. But could a match be decided in just one exchange? Mu-gung, with concise movements, advanced on Cheongsu Dojang again, relentlessly thrusting his crimson-tinted hands. ng!Each time, Cheongsu Dojang danced with light metallic sounds that were hard to believe resulted from shing with the heavy Arhat Divine Palm. Damn it. Like that guy, Muyul! Indeed, Cheongsu Dojang was truly dancing. He moved diagonally in response to Mu-gungs movements, performing a sword dance. At a nce, it seemed like he was retreating, but upon closer inspection, he was merely tracing arge circle on the martial stage, deflecting all of Mu-gungs Arhat Divine Palm. And he did so with a joyful smile, reminiscent of that guy, Muyul. For some reason, Mu-gung began to understand the sentiments of Paeng Gahu. Hahaha, you are truly outstanding! Cheongsu Dojang, having deflected all of Mu-gungs continuous palm strikes, burst into a pleasedugh. Cheongsu Dojang was genuinely enjoying the match. In the past, after losing to Mu-jin, he had devoted himself to his swordsmanship, reying Mu-jins martial arts in his mind every night. However, there was a problem: there was no one in Wudang who demonstrated such excessively heavy martial arts like Mu-jin. As a result, he had to refine his swordsmanship by engaging in imagined duels with the phantom Mu-jin. Therefore, Mu-gungs Arhat Divine Palm was quenching the thirst in Cheongsu Dojangs heart. It was as heavy as the brute force Mu-jin had disyed in the past. Although he hadpletely deflected Mu-gungs Arhat Divine Palm, the heavy energy transmitted through his sword each time he deflected it. The heaviness, enough to make his fingertips tingle, brought joy to Cheongsu Dojang. But that was solely from Cheongsu Dojangs perspective. Seeing his ecstatic face, Mu-gung couldnt help but get more riled up. Hoo. I must stay calm! If he got too excited and ended up like Paeng Gahu, experiencing internal chaos, it would be an utter disgrace. Mu-gung took a deep breath, regted his inner energy, and then summoned all his calm inner energy from his danjeon. With my current Arhat Divine Palm, I cannot break through Cheongsu Dojangs defense. Besides, I cannot win in a long-term fight. Mu-gung had heard from Mu-jin that Cheongsu Dojang had even consumed Wudangs Taecheongdan,parable to Shaolins Great Rejuvenation Pill. In other words, he was overwhelmingly disadvantaged in terms of internal power. Therefore, Mu-gung decided to shake Cheongsu Dojangs defense with his strongest move. Even if it meant depleting all his inner energy, it didnt matter. Break through the defense and finish it with external power. He still had his robust body, which had been forcibly trained by Mu-jin. With this determination, the inner energy from his danjeon surged fiercely through his bodys meridians. The intense Yang energy, akin to moltenva, tried to rampage, but the restrictive energy surrounding it controlled it like the Golden Band of Sun Wukong. Theres only one chance. The Seventy-Two Supreme Arts of Shaolin consumed a vast amount of inner energy, true to their reputation as ultimate techniques. Since his duel with Ilhwi Dojang, Mu-gung had only been using the first stance, which consumed the least amount of internal energy. Now, Mu-gung was preparing the most powerful stance he could muster, a move that would burn all his remaining inner energy at once. Haaaah! With a spirited shout, Mu-gung stepped forward and thrust his palm. The crimson heat of the Arhat Divine Palm, which had been confined to his palm, began to expand. As the giant hand, resembling the palm of a massive Buddha statue, descended upon Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-gung saw it clearly. The ecstatic expression on Cheongsu Dojangs face, as if he were in bliss. Hahahahaha!! Contrary to his burst of fierceughter, Cheongsu Dojangs movements were not fast. They werent fast, but his continuous motions met Mu-gungs Arhat Divine Palm with his sword. At the moment of collision with the giant hand, Cheongsu Dojangs sword moved backward, seemingly pushed by the force. However, Mu-gung knew. He wasnt being pushed back by the force; he was retreating of his own ord. Cheongsu Dojangs sword wasnt merely retreating; it was drawing a giant Taiji. No, it wasnt just the sword drawing the Taiji. This is what they call the unity of body and sword. Cheongsu Dojangs feet moved in sync with the swords movements, and the footwork he used was also drawing a Taiji. Not only his wrist holding the sword or his feet but also his shoulders, waist, and hips were all drawing the Taiji, deflecting Mu-gungs giant hand. This was the method Cheongsu Dojang had discovered over the past year and a half. A way to deflect Mu-jins brute and terrifyingly strong attacks. No matter how much he refined the subtleties of his martial arts, he couldnt find a way to deflect that brute force with swordsmanship alone. Thus, Cheongsu Dojang decided to be the sword himself. To be precise, the closebat techniques and physical training methods he learned through Mu-jin inspired him. The inspiration that one could deflect attacks with the whole body, not just the sword or wrist, by developing flexibility. Following that inspiration, he spent over a year honing his unique Taeguk Haegum, a slow sword dance performed with his entire body. At the moment his sword dance came to a halt, The great hand sent by Mu-gung had already vanished without a trace. Mu-gung, who intended to shake the opponents defense and finish with an external attack, stood still like a statue, muttering to himself. This is why I hate geniuses. The Cheongsu Dojang, who had deflected the great hand, did not show even the slightest sign of disruption. * * * Mu-jin, who had been watching the sparring match, muttered to himself, feeling inexplicably apologetic. Im sorry, Mu-gung. Honestly, the main reason Mu-gung was defeated in this match, if you really think about it, was himself. Im sure the Cheongsu Dojang from the novel wasnt this skilled In the novel, Cheongsu Dojang was a minor character in the orthodox faction. Of course, even in the novel, he eventually achieved the unity of sword and mind, but that was supposed to be a few yearster. It seemed that his growth had elerated since meeting him. If Cheongsu Dojang had remained as he was in the novel, Mu-gung might have won. Mu-gung, that guy. Hes going to be depressed again for a while. Thinking of the burly but surprisingly sensitive Mu-gung shrinking his broad shoulders in disappointment made him feel even more apologetic. Why is he doing that? However, a slightly different scene than Mu-jin had expected was unfolding on the martial arts stage. * * * Defeat. What Mu-gung hated the most in the world. Even worse, a defeat on the martial arts stage in front of countless onlookers. Mu-gung felt like he wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. Wo!! Suddenly, a tremendous cheer and apuse erupted from the crowd surrounding the martial arts stage. Mu-gung naturally thought all the apuse and cheers were directed at Cheongsu Dojang. Is this truly a match between advanced disciples? Both warriors are truly magnificent! The great hand disyed by Mu-gung at the end was truly a formidable skill. Amidst the cheers, there were also voices praising him. Of course, there were more praises directed at the victor, Cheongsu Dojang, but there were no mocking or critical voices directed at him. Although he had lost, everyone appreciated his excellent skills. For Mu-gung, who felt like he was falling into an abyss, it was a situation that naturally brought a smile to his face. No, I must not smile! Smiling after a defeat! But he tried his best to maintain aposed expression to show a dignified appearance to the audience. Indeed, the swordsmanship of Wudang is unparalleled. Today, I have learned a great deal. Amitabha. Instead, he respectfully bowed to Cheongsu Dojang with a dignified attitude. A proud loser, amendable disciple of the orthodox faction who fought fairly. Mu-gung wanted to portray such an image. Haha, the martial arts of Shaolin were also excellent. I have also gained a lot. Boundless Longevity. It meant that Mu-gung was an excellent sparring partner to prepare for the next match with Mu-jin. But such intentions did not matter to Mu-gung. Hehe, a closely matched duel and mutual admiration between advanced disciples. Cheongsu Dojang is more stylish than I thought. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 The reason Mu-yul made such a strange proposal to Mu-jin was due to advice he received from his master, Haegeol, a few months before the Yongbongjihoe began. C Mu-yul. C Yes, Master! C Only use this martial art if you encounter an opponent at the Yongbongjihoe who seems unbeatable. With these words, Haegeol taught Mu-yul a special secret technique a few months before the Yongbongjihoe. Afterpleting the Pyo Fist technique, Haegeol inscribed the character for leopard () on Mu-yuls forehead. It was a secret technique he had been preparing for months until the Yongbongjihoe. Mu-yul bent his knees and lowered his upper body in a posture close to quadrupedal movement, just as he had used the Pyo Fist until now. Then, following the flow ingrained in his body through months of repetitive training, he circted his internal energy. In an instant, Mu-yul, propelled by the highlypressed energy in his thighs, charged at Mu-jin with the momentum of a fierce tiger.Closing the distance with explosive speed, Mu-yulunched his right fist at Mu-jin, and the energy emitted from his punch burst out like sharp ws. It was like a tiger crouching and then pouncing on its prey. This was the fourth stage of the Shaolin Five Fists. Mu-yul had mastered only the Tiger Fist, and this initial move was the Fierce Tiger Assault. At a nce, it seemed simr to the Pyo Fist Mu-yul had shown before, but the revealed power at the end was vastly different. However, despite Mu-yuls unexpected Tiger Fist, Mu-jin calmly extended his hand towards Mu-yuls iing punch. The energy emanating from Mu-yuls right fist resembled a tigers w, while the firm golden energy flowed from Mu-jins palm. Boom!!! The two energies shed, causing a deafening explosion and a whirlwind of dust around the fighting stage. Momentster, as the dust settled, Mu-jin was seen grasping Mu-yuls right fist with his left hand. Mu-jin, having blocked Mu-yuls secret technique, smiled and spoke. So, is it my turn now? To this question, Mu-yul responded with a clearugh. No! Im out of internal energy, so I surrender! Mu-jins expression turned nk at Mu-yuls answer. What is this? Why do I feel so mocked? Well, if he had been outwitted by someone as smart as a member of the Jegal family, he might have felt, Damn those cunning Jegal bastards! and gotten angry. But being tricked by Mu-yuls scheme left him feeling more self-pity than anger. Now I understand why Paeng Gahu fell into madness. Sigh. The skill gap was so significant that it ended like this, but if they were more evenly matched, Mu-jin felt he might have ended up like Paeng Gahu. Mu-jin is indeed too strong! Although he felt a bit uneasy, Mu-jin gave a faint smile while looking at Mu-yul, who was smiling brightly. Yes. This guy isnt one to lie. It was probably true that Mu-yuls internal energy waspletely depleted. Despite his physical talent, Mu-yuls five senses werecking, so even though he took the summoning pill, his internal energy was significantly lowerpared to Mu-gung or Mu-jin. His understanding of internal energy techniques was low because hecked five senses. Since he used Tiger Fist with such low internal energy, it was inevitable that he would run out of energy. At times like this, it seemed better to show magnanimity as an adult. Still, you did well. I didnt expect you to master Tiger Fist. While Mu-jin praised Mu-yul, who was smiling brightly, he ruffled his hair. Suddenly, a curious thought came to mind, and he asked, But how did you learn Tiger Fist? I never heard you caught a tiger. If he had indeed caught a tiger, it would have caused quite amotion in the temple, even in secret, it would have been impossible to learn. Nah. I didnt catch a tiger. Master said he would catch one after the Yongbongji Conference ends, so he told me to just learn one move for now. He said its simr to Leopard Fist, so it wouldnt be hard. Oh, really? Mu-jin responded with a somewhat uneasy tone and thought, He really ns to catch a tiger He felt that he might have set things off on the wrong foot during the crane fist training. Well, its not like I have to catch it myself. Once again, Mu-jin decided to overlook Hye-geols efforts. * * * Watching Mu-jin and Mu-yul whispering something to each other after the martial arts contest, Jegal Jin-huiposed herself and headed to the martial arts stage. It was her turn for the third match of the third round. Following her, another young man from the same assembly of the Five Great Families martial artists headed to the stage. The prodigy of the Namgung family, Namgung Jin-cheon. Jegal Jin-hui, who stepped onto the stage, turned and looked at the young man with an indifferent face. Namgung Jin-cheon, known as the greatest talent of the Namgung family and further regarded as the greatest talent among the Five Great Families, with some even calling him the greatest talent in the martial arts world. Currently, her goal was Mu-jin, but there was a time when she aimed to surpass Namgung Jin-cheon as a member of the Five Great Families. However, whether he knew her feelings or not, Namgung Jin-cheon only looked at her with an uninterested expression. His gaze treated everyone equally, looking down on all. Ill defeat Namgung Jin-cheon here and meet Monk Mu-jin in the finals. As Jegal Jin-hui steeled her resolve with that thought, The duel between Lady Jegal Jin-hui of the Jegal family and Young Master Namgung Jin-cheon of the Namgung family will now begin! The referee announced the start of the match. * * * As the duel progressed, about one and a half gakh seemed to have passed. As expected did it end like this? Mu-jin muttered with a bitter expression as he watched Jegal Jin-hui, who had fallen outside the martial arts stage and lost by falling out of bounds. Lying on the ground, she seemed to have suffered internal injuries, with blood trickling from her mouth. However, unlike previous matches where Jegal Jin-hui had been defeated with a single strike, this duel hadsted over one and a half gakh. Even so, it was hard to say that the match had been close. Namgung Jin-cheon had maintained a rxed attitude throughout. Yes, it was something like that. Rather than viewing Jegal Jin-hui as a duel opponent, it felt more like Namgung Jin-cheon was testing her abilities, almost as if he were a superior. Youre quite skilled for a woman. Namgung Jin-cheon, standing alone on the martial arts stage, looked down at the fallen Jegal Jin-hui and spoke as if he were evaluating her, leaving no room for doubt about his condescension. Watching his detestable demeanor, Mu-jin muttered unconsciously, Enviable silver spoon brat. Knowing that Namgung Jin-cheon appeared as a protagonists rival in the novel, Mu-jin was well aware of how ridiculously well-supported Namgung Jin-cheon had been while growing up. Frankly, calling him a silver spoon was an understatement. A diamond spoon. No, at that level, its practically an adamantine spoon. Mu-jin even found himself wondering how things might have been different if he had possessed Namgung Jin-cheons body instead of Mu-jins. Well, if that were the case, he wouldnt have met the trio from the Martial Arts Hall or Hyun-gwang, so it wouldnt necessarily have been better. Shaking off his meaningless thoughts, Mu-jin turned his gaze slightly to look at Jegal Jin-hui, who had fallen outside the martial arts stage. She seems quite enraged. Mu-jin knew herpetitive spirit better than anyone. After losing once in their first encounter, she had stormed into the bone-setting clinic of the enemy territory of Shaolin alone just a few dayster. However, precisely because of this, there was no need to worry about Jegal Jin-hui. Shes not the type to fall into despair just because she lost; shed train even harder with gritted teeth. Indeed, she was currently ring at Namgung Jin-cheon with a murderous intensity. Mu-jin couldnt help but think that she might stick to him more persistently, using her training to get revenge on Namgung Jin-cheon as an excuse. Well, thats not the most important thing right now. Mu-jin nced at Jegal Jin-hui, who was retreating with renewed determination, and then looked at Mu-gyeong, who was standing beside him. Do well. If you fall too, Shaolin will only have me left. Isnt it normal for only one person from a sect to reach the semifinals? Mu-gyeong replied, seemingly exasperated, but Mu-jin shrugged with a light smile. Wheres the fun in that? This time, four of us from Shaolin participated, so it would look great if all four made it to the semifinals. If all four were you, that might be possible. Ugh, forget it. Sighing, Mu-gyeong, uncharacteristically for a monk, walkedzily towards the martial arts stage. As expected, the match proceeded ording to Mu-jins predictions. Mu-gyeong won. Although it took quite some time, Mu-jin didnt think Mu-gyeong struggled much. Did you manage to steal the Beggar Sects staff techniques? Huh, steal? I didnt do anything like that. When Mu-jin slyly asked Mu-gyeong, who had just finished his match ande down, Mu-gyeong pretended to be oblivious. Of course, Mu-jin wasnt fooled. Who are you trying to deceive? Ever since the sparring match with Byeokwan Dojang two days ago, youve been practicing the Thirty-Six Swords of the World. Well, I mean, the opponent was strong, so I just picked up some techniques after a long fight. I didnt steal anything, okay? Mu-jin chuckled at Mu-gyeongs consistent denial. Well, there was some truth in his words. After all, the opponent was a martial artist who had made it to the third round. It wouldnt have been easy to win, and during the prolonged match, Mu-gyeong likely figured out the weaknesses of his opponents techniques and exploited them to secure his victory. Although he was looking for a way to counter the techniques, he was already analyzing and reconstructing his opponents martial arts in his mind. Beggar Sects Staff Techniques are good, but for now, practice the Thirty-Six Swords of the World and the Wudang martial arts you stolest time. Practice them so well that it doesnt seem like youre using the Thirty-Six Swords of the World. Those two will be more useful for your next opponent. By next opponent, do you mean Namgung Jincheon? Yes. As you know, his main martial art uses a heavy sword, and he has an overwhelming amount of inner strength, so you probably cant handle him in a direct confrontation. Mu-jins advice was reasonable, and Mu-gung nodded without saying much. It was sound advice. * * * The third round of the Yongbongji Conference finals came to an end, and the matchups for the semifinals were finally decided. The first match would be between Cheongsu Dojang of Wudang and Mu-jin of Shaolin. The second match would be between Namgung Jincheon of the Namgung n and Mu-gung of Shaolin. Even though two of the Shaolin disciples who caused a stir in this Yongbongji Conference were eliminated in the third round, the surprises continued. One had been defeated by the tournament favorite, Cheongsu Dojang, and the other was eliminated by another Shaolin disciple. The fact that two disciples from the same sect made it to the semifinals was already astonishing, and recently, there had been rumors circting. Rumors that perhaps the Shaolin disciples might defeat the tournament favorites, Cheongsu Dojang or Namgung Jincheon. Humans inherently like to rank things, and martial artists, who never miss a chance to watch a good fight, found this to be an intriguing topic. Deep within the Martial Alliance. There were those who were troubled by the unexpected turn of events at this Yongbongji Conference. Haha, this Yongbongji Conference has indeed attracted many outstanding young talents. Wouldnt you agree? C Are you sure its okay to proceed like this? You all know that the setup was intended to target Cheongsu Dojang or Namgung Jincheon. Indeed, seeing them, I can say that the future of our orthodox sects and the Martial Alliance is bright. C Ahem. What choice do we have? We cant suddenly stop the Yongbongji Conference now. For now, we can only hope that Namgung Jincheon or Cheongsu Dojang wins. Their outward words were mere pretense to deceive those watching and listening. Hmph. Theres no need to just hope. We can simply deal with those two Shaolin disciples or make sure they cant advance to the semifinals. They were exchanging entirely different messages through voice transmission. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Listening to the conversation of the two middle-aged men, the man seated at the head of the table burst into heartyughter and spoke. Hahaha. The reputation of the Cheongsu Dojang and Namgung Jin-cheons martial prowess is already widespread across the continent, but I never imagined that the Shaolin would have such talents. C Dont act rashly. A report has already been submitted to the main headquarters, and the directive is to wait for now. C Did they really say just to wait? C You know how much immense resources have been invested in this n, right? And yet they are telling us to just wait, thats C Watch your words. Listening to you, it sounds like youre using the main headquarters of ipetence. C That was not my intention. I apologize. After the man who made a verbal blunder apologized, the flow of conversation briefly halted. Of course, only the covertmunication was interrupted; outwardly, they all continued tough heartily and discuss the bright future of their righteous faction.Then, the man seated at the head of the table, who had mentioned the main headquarters, resumed the covertmunication. C I understand your concerns. I also know how important this n is. However, thats precisely why the upper management is approaching this cautiously. C Understood. C Since the Yongbongji Conference spans several days, there are about five days until the finals. By then, a decision from the upper management wille. At the words of the man at the head of the table, the other two men nodded as if they had nothing more to say. All three had been involved in preparing the n on the ground, and they understood the efforts and potential gains from its sess. What they had prepared this time was something significant. It was an opportunity that might note again, and an item that was equally hard toe by. And through this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and the rare item, their target was the Wudang sect, where Cheongsu Dojang belonged, and the Namgung family of Namgung Jin-cheon. Both were highly uncooperative forces towards their organization. Of course, other ces might also react uncooperatively if their true identities were revealed, but Wudang and the Namgung family were on a different level altogether. In the case of Wudang, although they hadnt severed ties with the secr world like Shaolin, they outright rejected any deal or contract that seemed even slightly suspicious. No matter how beneficial or lucrative the offer might be for Wudang. Conversely, the Namgung family were like back-alley thugs. No matter how many profits were handed to them, they dismissed it with the attitude of Its only natural for a subordinate to offer tribute to their king. As a result, it was almost impossible to bring the two sects, considered the strongest in the current righteous factions, to their side. Therefore, they targeted Cheongsu Dojang and Namgung Jin-cheon, who were seen as the future of Wudang and the Namgung family. The trap they preparedy in the grand prize of the Yongbongji Conference, and ording to the vast information collected by theirrge organization, Namgung Jin-cheon was the overwhelming favorite to win this tournament. If there were to be any twists or exceptions, it would likely be due to Cheongsu Dojang. Either way, if they managed to ensnare one of the two, their n would be considered a great sess. Thats why they prepared that grand prize. Unexpectedly, Shaolin had entered the scene. * * * After the third match ended. Mu-jin had remarkably advanced to the semifinals, but he seemed indifferent to public opinion, as he relentlessly visited the Cheonryu Sangdan branch. He intended to work his muscles with weights as usual. Seol-hwa Shiju-nim, may I have a word with you? With only the semifinals and finals left to conclude the Yongbongji Conference, he was starting to prepare for his next task. Just the two of us? Yes. Mu-jin, with her slightly blushing face, led her out of the training grounds to an empty pavilion and exined the purpose of his visit. The truth is, I have a business proposition for you, Seol-hwa Shiju-nim. A business proposition? Yes. Could you perhaps prepare a carriage, wigs, makeup tools, and simple clothing on the outskirts of Woe-hyeon on the day the Yongbongji Conference finals end? In return, I will pay fifty gold coins. Even though carriages, makeup tools, and wigs were quite expensive, they were not items worth purchasing for fifty gold coins. However, offering such arge amount meant that the money was not for purchasing items but for maintaining confidentiality. Ryu Seol-hwa, who managed the branches of clinics across the continent and was flourishing in business, could easily read such an intention. Do you have a ce to secretly go after the Yongbongji Conference ends? Its not from the Shaolin Temple. I just have something I need to do. This meant that Mu-jin nned to leave even without informing the Shaolin Temple. I understand. I will make sure to prepare everything for you. Ryu Seol-hwa suppressed her smile and gave the softest smile she could manage. Ryu Seol-hwa and the Cheonryu Sangdan had been working hard to persuade Mu-jin to leave the secr world. Now, he intended to sneak out of Shaolin to do something on his own! For Ryu Seol-hwa, this was nothing short of great news. And, I owe Mu-jin for the help Ive received so far. Fifty gold coins seem too excessive for such a small favor. Ill help you for free this time. It wasnt that she intended to give everything to Mu-jin like a fool. She was a merchant before she was a woman. She calcted that Mu-jin wouldnt ignore a debt of gratitude. Is there anything else you need? A big and sturdy carriage would be best, right? Hmm. Ill also try to find clothes of the best quality possible. It seemed like she was using the excuse of a debt of gratitude to give him everything she could. Hmm. Since I need to sneak out, it should be something inconspicuous. And theres one more favor I need to ask, so I will give the fifty gold coins to you, Seol-hwa Shiju-nim. Another favor? Please, tell me anything. It was odd how the one receiving the favor was speaking as if she were the one asking for it. I need a fake identity. Also, if I need to exchange information with Shaolin or Cheonryu Sangdan, I was thinking of using the branches of musculoskeletal treatment clinics tomunicate with you, Seol-hwa Shiju-nim. Hmm~ Creating a fake identity and informing the branches in advance. Ill make sure that any letters sent under the fake identity are delivered to me as top-secret documents. I would really appreciate it if you could do that. In addition, could you allow me to use the medical facilities under that false identity? This was Mu-jins most important objective. In fact, escaping from Shaolin was something he could do without anyones help. He just needed to receive the dividend from his investment in the Daegum Sangdans martial arts gambling and then make a nighttime escape. However, if he did that, he wouldnt be able to utilize the system he had established while helping the Cheonryu Sangdan. He was referring to the exercise facilities avable at every branch of the medical clinic. Just like modern fitness enthusiasts who look for hotels with gyms while traveling, Mu-jin nned to visit the Cheonryu Musculoskeletal Clinics in the area whenever he traveled. To minimize muscle loss. This mission will take at least three months. Not being able to lift weights for three months? Oh no. Mu-jin shivered at the thought of his muscles. Of course, as an exercise enthusiast and trainer, countless workout methods using body weight or stones and trees came to mind. But considering his current physical condition, bodyweight exercises wouldnt make much of a difference unless he dedicated at least three or four sijin (six to eight hours) a day to exercise. The body he had developed over six years, with the effectiveness of the Jade Vajra Technique, had muscles sopressed that they werent noticeable. His physical abilities alone had already surpassed those of the original Choi Kang-hyuk. Conversely, having developed his muscles over six years, he was so obsessed that even a day without exercise made his muscles itch. That much, I can certainly help with! However, Ryu Seol-hwa wasnt interested in Mu-jins main objective. Ryu Seol-hwa was already focused on something else. A secret letter just between us two! It feels just like the love letters Mu-jin delivered to me in the beginning! To others, Mu-jin was traveling the martial world incognito. She was the only one able tomunicate with him. It was a scene straight out of a sweet romance novel, dancing in her mind. That much, I can certainly help with! So, theres no need to give me extra gold coins! Yes! Since they would be exchanging secret letters for a while, what meaning did money have? For Ryu Seol-hwa, that alone was an enjoyable thing. Ah. Do you have a name youd like to use for your false identity? Mu-jin, who had been pondering her suddenly cheerful question, opened his mouth. Ill go with Kang-hyuk. He chose this alias because using his modern name would be less confusing. It was both an alias and his real name. * * * After concluding his transaction-like agreement with Ryu Seol-hwa, Mu-jin headed to the training grounds. At that moment, Jegal Jin-hee, who had been defeated by Namgung Jin-cheon in a duel today, came to the Cheonryu Sangdan branch. Youve arrived, Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nim. We were just about to start. Jegal Jin-hee responded to Mu-jins wee with a somewhat bitter expression. It seems I wont be able to train with you today. Actually, I came to say goodbye in advance, as today might be myst. She was well aware of her familys situation and her own position. The fact that they allowed her to visit here was because she was making a name for herself at the Yongbongji Conference. And now that shield was gone, she too had toy low for a while. Nheless, the reason she came here onest time today was, as she had mentioned, to say goodbye. Additionally, she had a warning to deliver. Do you happen to know anything about Namgung Gongja? It was to provide information about the man who had defeated her, Namgung Jin-cheon. At her question, Mu-jin looked into the distance with a pensive expression. Namgung Gongja He knew a lot about Namgung Jin-cheon. He had seen him numerous times in the novel. But that was about future events, and it wasnt something he could talk about now. I dont know much about him, but I do know a bit about the Namgung Family. Thus, Mu-jin decided to describe them in a suitably vague manner. Namgung Jin-cheon. There was one word that best described the direct lineage of the Namgung Family. They are like emperors sickly children. They were strange folks who considered themselves kings. That didnt mean they were tyrants or bullies. True to their reputation as an honorable family of the righteous faction, they punished the wicked near Anhui Province and saved themon people. But how should one put it? Their actions were driven by a sense of duty, as if it were only natural for a king to care for the pitiable popce. Conversely, they also took it for granted that people would offer them tributes. Paying back for these tributes was not part of their concern. They simply helped the people out of royal benevolence. Themoners had no right to ask them for favors, even if they offered money and tributes. Thus, while they didntmit any heinous acts, their arrogance and self-assurance made them rather distasteful individuals. Mu-jin found himself empathizing with the expression used, which brought a faint smile to Je-gal Jin-huis lips. Thats quite an apt expression. As a sessor of the same Five Great Families, she had already sensed such a disposition. And it resonated even more during the martial artspetition. In that case, this conversation should be straightforward. The direct descendants of the Namgung Family see themselves as royalty. But as is the case with any martial family, power ultimatelyes from martial prowess. This principle applied equally to the other Five Great Families. Within the Je-gal Family, to which Je-gal Jin-hui belonged, the martial arts avable to direct and coteral lines were also divided. However, Mu-jin listened attentively to her without adding any particrments. Of course, this applies to the other Five Great Families as well, but the Namgung Familys obsession is somewhat excessive. They pour immense support into the potential family heads of each generation. Support, as in things like elixirs? Elixirs and martial arts are just the basics. They even go through the process of Balmo Se-su (Cleansing the Marrow and Cutting the Hair). Moreover, Namgung Jin-cheon was born with a Heavenly Martial Body. Recognizing his potential, the Namgung Family sacrificed their elders to further his Balmo Se-su. Wouldnt the elders lose their internal energy from performing Balmo Se-su? Yes. But since elders are from the coteral line, it bes an opportunity to weaken the coteral branchs power. Besides, the Namgung Family promises afortable retirement with Geumbun Se-su (Golden Basin Hand-Washing) for the elders who perform Balmo Se-su. Balmo Se-su is different from the natural enlightenment and internal energy progressions like Se-maek Ta-dong or Hwan-gol Tal-tae. It involves transferring anothers internal energy. Naturally, it requires immense internal energy, so it is usually performed on infants with undeveloped muscles and clean meridians to increase the slight chance of sess. Geumbun Se-su, on the other hand, involves washing ones hands in a basin of gold, symbolizing retirement from the martial world, and is done in a ceremony attended by fellow martial artists. In the end, Namgung Jin-cheon, through the Balmo Se-su performed by several Namgung Family elders who retired afterward, gained a perfected body and clean meridians from infancy. In addition, with the familys wealth pouring massive elixirs into him and mastering the Namgung Familys supreme martial arts, he could be considered a monster. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Namgung Jin-cheon (2) Mu-jin listened to Jegal Jin-hees exnation with a calm expression and nodded slightly. Of course, Mu-jin already knew all this. It was just that since he had been confined to Shaolin, it would have been strange for him to know such information. Hence, he pretended to listen to Jegal Jin-hees story as if it were new to him. Knowing the kind of person he was, he referred to him as the eternal golden spoon. But what could he do? Its not like he could forfeit if he met that guy in the finals. ording to the original history, Namgung Jin-cheon wins the Yongbongji Conference and obtains the winning prize. The reason Mu-jin remained in this years Yongbongji Conference and aimed for victory was to prevent him from getting that item. Enhancing Shaolins reputation was just something that came along the way to the finals.And if its Mu-gung, he might even beat that monster. Mu-jin thought that he might meet Mu-gung in the finals. At that moment, Jegal Jin-hee, who had finished warning him about Namgung Jin-cheon, bid farewell to Mu-jin. Then, Ill be heading back to my familys pavilion. I cant stay long. Mu-jin quickly grabbed Jegal Jin-hee, who was about to turn away. Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nim. If theres ever an urgent need to contact me, please send a message through the musculoskeletal treatment clinic in front of Wudang. The musculoskeletal treatment clinic? Why not directly to Shaolin? Because the musculoskeletal treatment clinic is managed by Seol-hwa Shiju-nim here, and it can be directly connected to me. Any message sent from the Jegal family to Shaolin is likely to catch other peoples attention, wouldnt it? Mu-jin did not mention his n to soon escape from Shaolin. It wasnt that he didnt trust Jegal Jin-hee, but the fewer people who knew about it, the better. Of course, Ryu Seol-hwa made a sullen face as Jegal Jin-hee joined their privatemunication line. C Im sorry, Seol-hwa Shiju-nim. It was such an urgent matter that I couldnt seek your permission. Mu-jin hurriedly exined the situation to Ryu Seol-hwa via telepathy. * * * In the Jegal family, a simr situation to the one that urred in the Cheonryu Sangdan a few years ago is about to unfold. To prevent this, I needed a way tomunicate with Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nim. Ryu Seol-hwa was surprised by Mu-jins telepathic message but did not show it outwardly. If she showed any strange signs, Jegal Jin-hee would also notice. After Jegal Jin-hee and Mu-jin finished their farewells, Ryu Seol-hwa calmly responded to Mu-jin. If thats the case, then it cant be helped. Ill contact the musculoskeletal treatment clinic in Gunyun. Though she was reluctant to be the contact point between Jegal Jin-hee and Mu-jin, the circumstances were what they were. What had happened in the Cheonryu Sangdan referred to the rebellion caused by her brother, Ryu Seol-ho. Knowing how terrible that incident was, she did not want to hinder Mu-jin out of mere jealousy. Letting such a significant event unfold due to jealousy would be foolish. It would be better to have Mu-jin and Jegal Jin-hee owe me a favor. Moreover, it was also an opportunity to gain an advantage over Jegal Jin-hee, so there was no reason to refuse. * * * A few dayster. Amid the interest of countless martial artists who had gathered at Woe-hyeon, the semifinals of the Yongbongji Conference began. Mu-jin, who was to fight in the first match of the semifinals, walked calmly toward the arena. On the opposite side, with the support of the Wudang Sect Taoists, Cheongsu Dojang ascended the arena. He smirked. Mu-jin couldnt help butugh as he watched the scene. An elder from the Wudang Sect, with white hair and a long white beard, seemed to be giving some advice to Cheongsu Dojang, but Cheongsu Dojang wasnt listening at all. Cheongsu Dojangs eyes were entirely fixed on him, and a happy smile was spread across his face. And his hand was already gripping the sword at his side, twitching as if he wanted to draw it immediately. Who would think that guy is a Taoist from the Wudang Sect? If he werent wearing the Wudang Sects uniform, he would undoubtedly look like a sword demon or a pleasure killer. But Mu-jin, with his amplebat experience, knew the biggest difference between a pleasure killer and Cheongsu Dojang. At least, unlike Mu-gung, he doesnt have a murderous aura. Cheongsu Dojang was simply obsessed with the sword. He found pleasure in elevating his own state rather than in cutting down others. The reason Cheongsu Dojang was so focused on him was not because he found pleasure in cutting him. It was probably because he had experienced elevating his state through a duel with him. Well, if he had taken the wrong path, he might have be a crazy person who found pleasure in raising his state by cutting people. * * * Boundless Life Buddha. Ive really been waiting for this moment for a long time, Mu-jin Dowoo-nim. Amitabha. It certainly looks that way, Cheongsu Dojang. Hahahahaha. Its hard to contain myself even now. Ah, but I dont need to hold back anymore! With that, Cheongsu Dojang drew his sword. Well, if I hone my skills, they mighte in handyter. Mu-jin also willingly rushed towards Cheongsu Dojang, deploying his Fast Ascent Step technique. And while Im at it, Ill avenge Mu-gung as well! In an instant, Mu-jins fist, cloaked in golden energy, pierced the distance between them. Bang!!! Immediately after, Mu-jins first punch shed with Cheongsu Dojangs Taiji Sword Technique. Hmm? Mu-jin let out a peculiar sound after the initial collision. It was because the sensation he felt from the sh was quite bizarre. Just as Mu-gung described, it feels like striking water. Although his fist had made contact with the sword, the sensation in his hand was as if he had dipped it into flowing water. Mu-gung, with his natural strength and build, matched Mu-jins power, which had been built up over six years through specialized training. Given that Cheongsu Dojangs Taiji Sword Technique could fend off Mu-gungs Tathagata Palm, it was no surprise that it could also deflect Mu-jins punch. Well, even water will show its bottom if you keep hitting it. But Mu-jin didnt mind. He could relentlessly unleash attacksparable to Mu-gungs Tathagata Palm. Unlike Mu-gung, who merely had brute strength and size, Mu-jin had trained to maintain bnce in his body. Bang! After his first punch was blocked, Mu-jin immediately followed up with another punch from his left hand. He then partially retracted his right hand and thrust his elbow forward. Bang!! Even though his elbow collided with Cheongsu Dojangs sword energy instead of his fist, Mu-jins elbow wasnt cut. The golden energy that had enveloped his hand had now spread to his elbow. This was the direction Mu-jin had decided on after reaching the state of energetic extremes. By mastering the Hundred Steps Divine Fist, he had developed his unique martial art for a physical assault enveloped in protective energy. This was the efficacy of his Golden Turtle Technique. What initially only surrounded his fists like gloves now covered his entire arms. And not just that. Bang!! The energy that had started from his feet, wrapping around them like shoes, now enveloped his entire legs. Mu-jins entire limbs were covered in a golden aura. Bang! With his limbs encased in energy, Mu-jin unleashed an endless barrage of attacks. Fists, palms, fingers, and even elbows and knees became weapons in his assault, making his barrage utterly ferocious. Caught in this savage onught, Cheongsu Dojang swayed like a willow leaf in a storm. Hahahahaha! However, Cheongsu Dojang burst intoughter, as if he was enjoying himself immensely, letting his body flow with the storm. As expected of Mu-jin Sunim! He was genuinely impressed. Each attacks power wasparable to the strikes of Mu-gung, whom he had faced in the third round. But the problem was the relentless barrage, iparable to Mu-gung. Before he could fully deflect the impact of one strike, the next attack followed. Naturally, the umted impacts, which he couldnt fully deflect, transmitted through the sword to his body. The duel had only just begun, and it hadnt been long since then, but it felt as if his entire body was screaming in pain, as if he had caught a severe illness. Nevertheless, for this very reason, Cheongsu Dojang entrusted his body to Mu-jins onught. Being a man worthy of being called a genius of the sword, he instinctively realized that he could not withstand the storm with his own strength. Cheongsu Dojang found a way out. It was to counteract the turbulence created by Mu-jins continuous attacks. He returned the shock that had not yet been fully dispersed, causing it to collide with Mu-jins next attack. Of course, it was not an easy task. Utilizing the opponents strength against them was fundamental to Wudang martial arts. Indeed, you are experienced! The problem was that Mu-jin was not a simple-minded opponent. Though it wasnt apparent due to the high speed of the attacks, Mu-jin was clearly mixing in feints intermittently. Very subtle feints. A slight shift in gaze. A tiny change in the angle of the toes. A minute movement of the shoulder. Although these feints were not conspicuous,bined with Mu-jins explosive speed and immense strength, they were highly threatening. If one misread the feints even slightly and tried to counter, the Taegeuk Haegum could shatter instantly. It was an overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation where one had to continuously solve incrediblyplex puzzles in split seconds. However, this tense and unfavorable situation was bestowing a great gift upon Cheongsu Dojang. A gift called Muah Ji-kyung. Mu-jin thought as he watched Cheongsu Dojang wield his sword with a half-dazed, ecstatic expression. Geniuses, I tell you. They achieve enlightenment by entering the Muah Ji-kyung at the slightest provocation. To be honest, Mu-jin could count on one hand the number of times he had entered such a state while learning martial arts. If he had reached enlightenment in every duel like that, he would already be a master at the level of the Seven Kings. But envying geniuses wouldnt change anything. Not being a genius himself, he just had to move forward in his own way. Haat! As Mu-jinunched another fist, Cheongsu Dojang, still with an ecstatic expression, met it with his sword. The moment Mu-jins fist and Cheongsu Dojangs Taegeuk Haegum shed. !? Before he knew it, Mu-jin had transformed his fist into a w technique and had grasped Cheongsu Dojangs Songmun Sword. Cheongsu Dojang judged this to be a mistake. Grabbing a sword to hinder its movement was a sure way to have ones handpletely severed, no matter how urgent the situation. Did he think I wouldnt do such a thing because Im a Taoist? Thinking this, Cheongsu Dojang swung his sword without hesitation. Or rather, he tried to. He certainly tried to operate his internal energy and apply strength to move the sword, but the sword caught in Mu-jins grip showed no signs of movement. Moreover, there was no blood spurting from Mu-jins hand, which held the sword barehanded. Screeech. Only a strange friction sound echoed, as if the sword was caught in an iron wire. Though Mu-jins Jade Vajra Technique was known forpressing muscles, it also contained the efficacy of the Iron Skin Technique. With long-term training in both the Iron Skin Technique and the Jade Vajra Technique, Mu-jins skin had already reached a level where it was impervious to des. Of course, his skin could still be cut by sword energy or de energy, but Screeeeeech. Every time Cheongsu Dojang generated sword energy, the air barrier from the Golden Turtle Technique pushed away Cheongsu Dojangs sword energy. Eventually, after the energy dissipated, only flesh and metal remained between them. Mu-jins iron-like fleshpletely enveloped the de of Cheongsu Dojangs sword. With his left hand holding Cheongsu Dojangs Songmun Antique Sword in ce, Mu-jinunched a right punch. However, Cheongsu Dojang, a martial artist who could perfectly execute the Taiji Fist, the foundation of the Taiji Sword Technique, attempted to deflect Mu-jins right punch with his left arm. Snap. As if the punch was a feint, Mu-jins outstretched left hand caught Cheongsu Dojangs extended left hand. Caught as if interlocking fingers, Cheongsu Dojang could not use any wrist or finger techniques. With both of Cheongsu Dojangs hands sealed, Mu-jin chose a very simple method. Ugh Mu-jin focused his internal energy and strength into his right hand, which held Cheongsu Dojangs left hand. Even without internal energy, Mu-jin could exert nearly 120 kilograms of pure grip strength. As he exerted this monstrous strength while holding Cheongsu Dojangs hand, a scream involuntarily burst from Cheongsu Dojangs mouth. The forciblypressed muscles and bones rubbed against each other, creating excruciating pain. The pain felt as if the bones in his left hand might shatter into pieces at any moment. Despite this, Cheongsu Dojang swung his sword, trying to drive Mu-jin away. Kkiriririk. His sword remained firmly held in Mu-jins grip, producing an unpleasant metallic sound. Why dont you surrender now? If you dy any longer, your left hand will truly break, Mu-jin threatened, though it wasnt quite a threat. Even in pain, Cheongsu Dojang smiled and replied, Hmph. To give up such a precious martial arts duel over a little hand pain Hmph. How could I? As they conversed, he tried to pull his hand away or swing his sword, but both his hand and sword remained immovable. The essence of the technique was to redirect the opponents force, not to move something that was stationary. Realizing that if this continued, he might really have to turn Cheongsu Dojangs arm into a rag, Mu-jin sighed. There will be other opportunities for duels. If your bones shatter into pieces, wouldnt it be inconvenient for the next duel? Even in a world where Qi and miraculous medicines existed, fixing shattered bones required an extremely difficult surgical procedure. In this world,plete recovery was almost impossible. Hearing Mu-jins words, Cheongsu Dojangs eyes sparkled as he asked, Will you duel with me next time as well? Theres no reason not to, is there? I surrender! Cheongsu Dojang shouted, smiling brightly at Mu-jins response. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Namgung Jin-cheon (3) Right after the judges deration of the winner. When will the next match be possible? Cheongsu Dojang, who had dered surrender, asked with sparkling eyes. Mm. Lets arrange it after the Yongbongji Conference ends. Hahaha. I look forward to it, Mu-jin Monk. Watching the happily smiling Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-jin struggled to hide his awkward expression. It was a lie. He nned to escape after the Yongbongji Conference, so a match with Cheongsu would likely be far in the future.Of course, there was no reason to exin all that. After bidding farewell to Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-jin headed towards where the Shaolin disciples were gathered. Meanwhile, from among the Shaolin disciples, Mu-gung was making his way to the arena. See you in the finals. Dont say such dreadful things. Mu-gung, with a horrified expression at the mere thought of a match with Mu-jin, sluggishly stepped onto the arena. And on the opposite side, Namgung Jin-cheon ascended the stage with his usual indifferent expression. He said he would use the middle sword, didnt he? Facing Namgung Jin-cheon directly, Mu-gung recalled the martial arts Namgung Jin-cheon had disyed in his match against Jegal Jinhee a few days prior. Meanwhile, Namgung Jin-cheon simply stared at Mu-gung with an expression devoid of any emotion. I am Mu-gung of Shaolin. I am Namgung Jin-cheon of the Namgung Family. Right after the two men greeted each other with a bow and a fist salute, the judge signaled the start of the match. At the same time, Namgung Jin-cheon drew his sword and, as always, began to press Mu-gung with the Chang-gung Mu-ae Sword Technique, the signature technique of the Namgung Family. Mu-gungs impression of Namgung Jin-cheons middle sword was simple. I cant see any way to evade it. Namgung Jin-cheons sword wasnt particrly fast. In fact, in terms of speed, it was slower than many of the other swordsmen who had reached the finals of the Yongbongji Conference. However, Mu-gung, known for his remarkable perceptiveness, instantly realized it. This sword, though slow, was a technique that could respond to the opponents movements. A slow sword that simultaneously pressured all directions. And the moment it shed, it would use the profoundness of the middle sword to pin down the opponent. But just because there was no way to evade didnt mean there was no method to counter it. Im d I listened to Mu-jin. Mu-gung began to employ the Tianxia Thirty-Six Swords technique of the Zhongnan Sect, which he had observed in the second round. However, among those watching the match, no one recognized it as the Tianxia Thirty-Six Swords. It was because Mu-gungs version of the Tianxia Thirty-Six Swords had been altered by blending in the martial arts of Wudang and Shaolin, transforming it into something entirely different. It was an unimaginable act, one only possible because he was a genius. However, no matter how outstanding Mu-gyeongs martial arts were, the gap in internal energy was too great. Moreover, Namgung Jin-cheon had activated Balmo Se-su, fully mobilizing his qi. The difference in the amount of energy that could be exerted with each technique was extreme. Ha! Mu-gyeong could barely deflect Namgung Jin-cheons Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship. Naturally, he was forced into a defensive position. * * * Most of those watching the sparring on the martial arts stage had the same thought. Just like in the third match, they believed Mu-gyeong would eventually exhaust himself defending against Namgung Jin-cheons relentless attacks and copse. Even Jegal Jin-hee had managed to block and deflect Namgung Jin-cheons sword dozens of times, only to lose when his strength was depleted. However, there was a difference between Jegal Jin-hee and Mu-gyeong. If Jegal Jin-hee is a prodigy whobines effort with talent, Mu-gyeong is one of those rare geniuses you can count on one hand. Only Mu-jin believed that Mu-gyeong could dismantle Namgung Jin-cheons swordsmanship. And when the two martial artists on the stage had exchanged over thirty moves, the flow of the sparring began to shift. * * * At first, the Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship seemed to apply pressure from all directions. But after blocking over twenty moves, Mu-gyeong started to notice the weaker points in the pressure. An opening! At a certain point, instead of just blocking or deflecting, Mu-gyeong began targeting these weaker points. Whoosh!! Finally, a situation arose where Mu-gyeongs palm strike, evading the Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship, struck Namgung Jin-cheons chest. It was a situation that could be called an unexpected turn of events. Naturally, the thought of Could it be? arose in the minds of all those watching the sparring. They wondered if, just like in the first match, the Shaolin disciple would defeat Namgung Jin-cheon, who was a favorite to win. And for Namgung Jin-cheon, who considered himself a king, this was an unparalleled humiliation. To think you managed to wound me. For the first time, Namgung Jin-cheon, who had maintained aposed expression until now, looked somewhat angry as he raised his sword. Suddenly, the atmosphere surrounding the martial arts stage changed. Consider it an honor that you made me use this. Ignoring any defense, Namgung Jin-cheon raised his sword high and then brought it down very slowly. The Emperors Sword Style. The ultimate technique of Namgung Sword Emperor, one of the Three Swords of the World, was being recreated by Namgung Jin-cheon. Even though Namgung Jin-cheons sword moved slowly, Mu-gyeong was unable to counterattack or evade, as if he were nailed to the spot. It was an unavoidable situation. Namgung Jin-cheons sword moved slowly, but instead, Namgung Jin-cheons Qi wave dominated the entire area. The Emperors Sword Form. This martial art was created by Namgung Sword Emperor, the Supreme Elder of the Namgung Family and one of the Three Swords of the World, after feeling the limitations of the Namgung Familys ultimate technique, the Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship. It was more a Qi-manipting skill than a sword technique. Even though the Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship was a heavy sword technique that pressed down on all directions, it was difficult to prevent someone with exceptional lightness skill from escaping. Moreover, highly skilled martial artists could either block or deflect the Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship. However, how could an emperor chase a fleeing opponent recklessly, and how could anyone dare block an emperors sword? An emperor is inherently a decision-maker. The subjects must simply follow the emperors decisions. Thus, the Emperors Sword Form was a skill that channeled immense internal energy into a Qi wave to restrain the opponent. It was a sword technique that executed a death sentence with a heavy sword imbued with vast Qi after restraining the opponent with Qi. This was the essence of the Emperors Sword Form created by Namgung Sword Emperor. And Namgung Jin-cheon, at the mere age of twenty-three, was executing this Emperors Sword Form created by the Namgung Sword Emperor. Of course, he had only mastered the first form, the Emperors Heaven-Shaking Stance, but what did that matter? No one among the Post-Heaven stage could withstand the Emperors Heaven-Shaking Stance of Namgung Jin-cheon, who possessed overwhelming internal energy for his age. Furthermore, Mu-gung, who was worthy of the title genius, also immediately grasped the essence of the Emperors Sword Form. This was because the essence of the Emperors Sword Form was achieved through an extremely straightforward and blunt method. The problem, however, was there is no way to escape. Since it was a brute force suppression with internal energy, there was no appropriate solution. To be precise, all the solutions that came to mind required immense internal energy. Eventually, Mu-gung, who discarded countless ns from his mind, chose one method. A direct breakthrough. As soon as he made up his mind, the flow of internal energy starting from Mu-gungs danjeon created a fierce Qi wave, concentrating on his fist. This was the Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist, one of the seventy-two supreme techniques of Shaolin, which he had diligently trained under his master, Hye-geol, to avoid being defeated by him. Thus, it was the ultimate technique he could perform most perfectly in any situation. The golden fist Qi of the Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist condensed around Mu-gungs fist. And the moment Namgung Jin-cheons sword reached right before Mu-gungs nose Mu-gung unleashed the maximally condensed fist Qi toward Namgung Jin-cheons sword. Boom!! At the moment when the sword imbued with immense Qi and the fist Qi collided, a massive explosion erupted. With a storm of dust, Mu-gungs body was propelled through the dust storm, flying out of the martial arts stage. Thud! However, instead of taking an out-of-bounds loss, Mu-gyeong used a Qinggong technique to stop at the edge. Mu-gyeong never thought he could block the Emperors Sword Form with the Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist. The difference in their internal energy was too great. Mu-gyeong merely aimed to disrupt the energy wave of the Emperors Sword Form through the collision, and seizing the moment when the energy wave was disturbed, he used the shock to escape the shackles of the Emperors Sword Form. Cough. However, the price of escaping the Emperors Sword Form was too high. His energy pathways werepletely shaken, causing blood to seep from his mouth, and his eyes to be bloodshot. Despite this, his mind constantly analyzed Namgung Jin-cheons martial arts to find a way to counter them. The will to win and the impact of his shaken energy pathways drove Mu-gyeong into Qi Deviation. Snap! Barely regaining his bnce, Mu-gyeong rushed at Namgung Jin-cheon again, fully exerting the Yeontae Gupum. Even though his twisted energy pathways caused blood to flow up his throat again, Mu-gyeong didnt care. No, he couldnt even perceive it. Mu-gyeongs bloodshot eyes, filled with murderous intent, only targeted Namgung Jin-cheons heart. Do you wish to die? Seeing such tant killing intent, Namgung Jin-cheon also disregarded the fact that this was the Yongbongji Conference arena and unleashed his killing technique. Just as the murderous martial arts of the two warriors were about to sh, Bang!! A figure suddenly stepped onto the arena and blocked both their techniques. The man blocked Namgung Jin-cheons sword with his right hand and Mu-gyeongs Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist with his left hand, despite the blood. What the? Surprised by the sudden intervention, Namgung Jin-cheon frowned and asked, but Mu-jin, who intervened in the fight, paid no attention to Namgung Jin-cheon. Mu-jin released Namgung Jin-cheons sword with his right hand and turned to strike the back of Mu-gyeongs neck with his left hand. Ugh Right after Mu-gyeong copsed with a groan, the referee, regaining hisposure, spoke in a perplexed tone. Mu-jin, why did you intervene in the match? Amitabha. It seemed that Mu-gyeong fell into Qi Deviation due to internal injuries, so I moved urgently. I apologize. Qi Deviation, you say? Yes. It seems urgent treatment is required, so I moved to stop the match first. We of the Shaolin Temple acknowledge Mu-gyeongs defeat. May we move him for treatment? Hmm. If its Qi Deviation, its crucial to start treatment quickly. As soon as the referee granted permission, Mu-jin picked up the bleeding and copsed Mu-gyeong. Wait. However, Namgung Jin-cheon, who had suddenly had his duel interrupted, grabbed Mu-jin. What is the meaning of this? I already exined the situation. Its Qi Deviation, so please understand the urgency. Mu-jins behavior, showing no interest in him from the moment he intervened in the duel, oddly irritated Namgung Jin-cheon. That man dared to unleash a killing move on me. Do you think its reasonable to take him away like that? The killing move was due to Qi Deviation, and I stepped in before he caused any more trouble. Needing to treat Mu-gyeong immediately, Mu-jins expression started to show signs of irritation as Namgung Jin-cheon continued to hold him back. Well likely meet in the finals anyway. If you haveints, why not resolve them in the duel? In the final match, there wont be anyone to step in and stop it like today. So dont worry. Ill be going now. Spitting out his words like rapid fire, Mu-jin used the Fast Ascent Step to swiftly leave the arena. Namgung Jin-cheon tried to say something in response to the one-sided deration, but Mu-jin had already exited the arena. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Trap (1) Mu-jin, who had urgently taken care of Mu-gyeong and exited the Yongbongji Conference arena, headed towards the Shaolin Temples pavilion with the Shaolin monks. Damn. I didnt expect him to have mastered the Emperors Sword Form. So far, Namgung Jin-cheon had only been using the Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship in the duels, so Mu-jin couldnt urately gauge his level. In the novel Legend of the Evil Emperor, the Yongbongji Conference ends with the protagonist, Dao Yuetian, being defeated by Namgung Jin-cheons Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship in just one move. Later, its only mentioned that the winner of the Yongbongji Conference is Namgung Jin-cheon, and the runner-up is the Cheongsu Dojang. The true extent of Namgung Jin-cheons power is revealed five yearster when Dao Yuetian finishes his closed-door training for revenge. Naturally, Mu-jin assumed that Namgung Jin-cheon would have learned the Emperors Sword Form after obtaining the prize from the Yongbongji Conference. The Emperors Sword Form requires immense internal energy, and the prize for this years Yongbongji Conference was something closely rted to internal energy.But that was then, and now treating Mu-gyeong was the priority. After arriving at the pavilion, Master Hyun-hyeon, who checked Mu-gyeongs pulse after he wasid on the floor, spoke with a bitter expression. All his energy pathways are twisted, and his internal energy is rampaging chaotically. It might be a bit risky to treat him with just the internal injury medicine we have here. At those words from Master Hyun-hyeon, Mu-jin hurriedly went into the room and brought out a box. This is a Lesser Restoration Pill I received when departing from Shaolin. How about using this? You mean to say the pharmacy gave you a Lesser Restoration Pill? Master Hyun-hyeon, who didnt even know about this as the person in charge of this event, looked puzzled. More importantly, treating Mu-gyeong is our priority right now, Grandmaster! Ah, yes! Quickly, give me the Lesser Restoration Pill! When Mu-jin shouted urgently, Master Hyun-hyeon also regained hisposure and focused on treating Mu-gyeong. * * * Evening. A grand mansion built in Woe-hyeon by the Namgung Family. In the martial arts training hall prepared for the direct line of the Namgung Family in the heart of this mansion, Namgung Jin-cheon was meditating with his sword drawn. To think he blocked that sword so easily. What he was recalling now was the appearance of Mu-jin, who had intruded at the end of the duel. Specifically, the sight of him effortlessly catching his killing sword with his hand. Even though it wasnt directed at Mu-jin, it was a killing sword aimed to kill Mu-gyeong, imbued with his full intent using the Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship. What irked Namgung Jin-cheon the most was not just the indifferent look in Mu-jins eyes, but the fact that he had so easily blocked his sword. Blocking the kings execution is nothing short of rebellion. Hoo. As Namgung Jin-cheon took a deep breath, a heavy wave of energy emanated from him, pressing down on the entire training hall area. Namgung Jin-cheons heavy sword moved slowly, poised to crush the imaginary Mu-jin. In the final match, no one will be able to interfere. At this moment, in the Yongbongji Conference, Namgung Jin-cheon identified someone as a significant threat to the kinga traitor for the first time. * * * Meanwhile, at that very moment. Deep within the Murim Alliance, three middle-aged martial artists were gathering once again. Outwardly, they discussed the bright future of the righteous factions, engaging in boisterous conversations. However, behind the scenes, they were exchanging secret messages. C The final match of the Yongbongji Conference willmence after two days of rest. Are there still no orders from above? C Do not worry. The orders just arrived a short while ago. C Thats a relief. What are the instructions? C The higher-ups decided to just leave it be. C Leave it be? What do you mean by that? C Did the higher-ups have a discussion? C Surely, it means they believe Namgung Jin-cheon will win, so theyre leaving it alone? C How irresponsible C Watch your words, one man at the head of the table warned through a secret message, causing the other two to cough awkwardly. Breaking the brief, cold silence, the man at the head added further exnation. C Its not because they are confident of Namgung Jin-cheons victory. The higher-ups concluded that it wouldnt matter even if Shaolin wins. C Is it because of the recent involvement with the Cheonryu Sangdan? C Thats part of it, but the revival of the Shaolin Divine Monk seems to have significantly influenced their decision. C The Shaolin Divine Monk To these middle-aged men, the name Shaolin Divine Monk seemed almost mythical. After all, it had been thirty-six years since Hyun-gwang lost his martial arts abilities. Hyun-gwang had be crippled just as they were starting to be recognized in the martial world. Though they had heard of his great reputation, he was a forgotten figure by the time they became active in the Murim. C Is he really that formidable? C The higher-ups seem to be closely monitoring him. Their judgment is that hes at least on par with the Three Swords of the World. C How How could someone who was crippled for over thirty years reach such a level? C Thats why he was called the Divine Monk. After this final remark, silence once again enveloped the room. Though their secret messages had ceased, they continued their outwardly amicable conversation. The man whost sent a secret message resumed the discussion after a brief pause. C In any case, the higher-ups instructed to proceed with the Yongbongji Conference as nned. Their investigation into the Cheonryu Sangdan and Shaolin revealed that Mu-jin, ate-blooming talent of Shaolin, is a cherished disciple of the Shaolin Divine Monk. It must have been because the information was quite surprising. Despite the content of the message, the faces of the two men, who appeared to be having a hearty conversation, momentarily showed signs of astonishment. Of course, both men skillfully erased their expressions and resumed their act. So, youre saying that Mu-jin, this promising martial artist, is continuing the progress of that Shaolin Divine Monk? Thats the judgment from above. Hmm. If hes such a promising martial artist, there should be no problem with him recing both Cheongsu Dojang and Namgung Jin-cheon. Before long, both men wore satisfied expressions. Their outward conversation was also about praising the promising martial artists, so their faces didnt seem out of ce at all. Then, we n to finish it the day after the Yongbongji Conference ends. Hehehe. Whether its Namgung or Shaolin, soon they will be within our grasp. Since Shaolin had been living in seclusion, pretending to be lofty and cutting ties with the world, they hadnt particrly paid attention to Shaolin. However, considering their recent actions and the name Shaolin Divine Monk, and now a promising martial artist continuing the progress of the Shaolin Divine Monk, it was definitely a worthy prey to use the trap they had prepared. * * * Late at night, after nearly two hours of treatment, the turbulent qi and blood flow in Mu-gung had stabilized. The medicine Mu-jin had brought, the Summoning Pill, had proven highly effective. Although it was primarily used for treating internal injuries, so Mu-gungs inner power didnt increase significantly, at most by about five years worth. Mu-jin had gifted two of the three Summoning Pills he brought to Do-wolcheon, and used thest one for treatment, leaving him with no more Summoning Pills, but he didnt mind. After all, he had another miraculous medicine in mind. Instead, Mu-jin focused on the immediate important matter: the final match of the Yongbongji Conference. Over the remaining two days, Mu-jin pushed his body to an appropriate level and refined his martial arts in preparation for the finals. And two dayster, Mu-jin headed to the Yongbongji Conferences arena with the Shaolin disciples as usual. However, the atmosphere around the Yongbongji Conferences arena was somewhat different from usual. It wasnt just because it was the final match. Although more people had gathered than usual because it was the finals, the real difference was the identities of those who hade to watch the final match. Since its the finals, even the major figures of the Murim Alliance have alle. Following the direction Master Hyun-hyeon was looking, there were several martial artists ranging from middle-aged to elderly gathered together. They were in a position close to the arena, and judging by the atmosphere around them, it was clearly a VIP area. Because the Shaolin disciples gaze followed his, Master Hyun-hyeon exined who they were, one by one. The man seated in the center is none other than the leader of the Murim Alliance, Wi Ji-hak. Mu-jins eyes sparkled at Master Hyun-hyeons words. Wi Ji-hak, the leader of the Murim Alliance. Among his various nicknames, the most famous was the Fist King. He was a man who had imed the title of Fist King, the foremost martial artist, by surpassing the two great pirs of Shaolin from the Nine Great Schools and the Hwangbo from the Five Great Families. So, thats what he looks like. Having only read about him in novels, Mu-jin hadnt recognized him until Master Hyun-hyeon pointed him out. Wi Ji-hak, the Fist King. Wi Ji-hak had be the Murim Alliance Leader almost by default due to the political struggles among the major orthodox forces who did not want to elect someone from different sects or families. Unlike the Heavenly Three Swords or the Seven Kings, who were either from the unorthodox faction or the Five Great Families and Nine Prestigious ns, Wi Ji-haks position was more of a politicalpromise. Nevertheless, he was one of the top ten martial artists in the world, ranked among the Seven Kings, just below the Heavenly Three Swords. Hes also apanied by a strategist. The middle-aged man beside Wi Ji-hak, who did not look like a martial artist, was none other than Jegal Muhwan, the chief strategist of the Murim Alliance from the Jegal Family. Mu-jin felt an unsettling aura as he looked at Jegal Muhwan. I suspected that guy might be the culprit. Having read Saga of the Demon Emperor, where Do Wol-cheon is the protagonist, several times, Mu-jin knew that the hidden forces had concealed a trap within the prize of this Yongbongji Conference. He also knew that the Jegal Family was in league with these hidden forces, leading him to believe that the trap was set by the chief strategist, Jegal Muhwan. So, the Jegal Family hasntpletely turned yet. Thanks to his encounter with Jegal Jin-hee, Mu-jin realized that the Jegal Family hadnt fully allied with the hidden forces. The problem, however, was that the Jegal Family was divided into factions. Jegal Muhwan, the half-brother of Jegal Mun, the current head of the Jegal Family, had distanced himself from the family due to a power struggle and had quickly aligned himself with the Murim Alliance when he was younger. In the end, it was possible that Jegal Muhwan was the culprit, but it wasnt certain. Well, if I break a few of the hidden forces ns after the Yongbongji Conference, I might get some clues. While Mu-jin was organizing his thoughts, Master Hyun-hyeon continued to brief the Shaolin disciples on the key figures of the Murim Alliance. And shortly after. As the time for the Yongbongji Conference finals approached, Murim Alliance Leader Wi Ji-hak stood up and lightly flew onto the arena. Greetings,rades of the Orthodox Murim! I am Wi Ji-hak, humbly serving as the Murim Alliance Leader! Yaaaaah!!! His deep voice, imbued with inner power, was not particrly loud but resonated clearly in the ears of the thousands of martial artists surrounding the arena. Wi Ji-hak effortlessly demonstrated a level of skill far more advanced than simply amplifying his voice through sheer force. Today is an exceptionally special day. We are about to witness a martial artspetition to determine the most outstanding junior who will shoulder the future of our Orthodox Murim. Hahaha. When Wi Ji-hak burst into heartyughter, some smiled contentedly, while others followed suit with their own heartyughs. Our Murim Alliance was formed as a coalition of Orthodox Murim to fend off those vile practitioners of the Unorthodox Sect and the brutal Demon Cult. And the juniors participating in this Yongbongji Conference are the precious talents who will fight them in the future, ten or twenty years from now! Hence, our Murim Alliance has prepared a significant gift that will be a tremendous help to the future hero who will fend off the Unorthodox Sect! Yaaaaah!!! Then today, lets witness together who among our juniors will lead our Orthodox Murim in the future and receive this gift! As Wi Ji-haks speech concluded, a tremendous cheer and apuse erupted from the crowd surrounding the arena. Wi Ji-hak greeted the martial artists surrounding the arena with a sped fist salute before returning to his seat. After the noisy and chaotic atmosphere calmed down a bit, a martial artist from the Murim Alliance, who was appointed as the referee, stepped onto the arena. With the referees announcement, the protagonists of this final match, Mu-jin and Namgung Jin-cheon, headed towards the arena. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Trap (2) The final round of the Yongbongji Conference, considered by many orthodox martial artists to determine the worlds greatest talent. The noisy mor created by the countless martial artists surrounding the arena vanished like melting snow the moment the two final contenders faced each other. Despite the presence of thousands of martial artists, an eerie silence pervaded the area, with Namgung Jin-cheon staring intently at Mu-jin. The Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship wont work. Just a few days ago, Mu-jin had effortlessly caught his deadly sword strike. Although it could have been a coincidence, Namgung Jin-cheon was not foolish enough to dismiss it and let his guard down. Even if the Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship did work, recalling what he had witnessed that day, it might take dozens or even hundreds of exchanges. Such an act would not befit a kings dignity.Thus, Namgung Jin-cheon had already decided the oue of this match before stepping into the arena. Phew. With a serious expression, contrasting his usual arrogant demeanor, Namgung Jin-cheon raised his sword. A tremendous wave of qi emanated from his body, pressing down on the surrounding area. The first form of the Emperors Sword Form. Emperor Jin-cheons Force. A technique named after him, or more precisely, a technique from which his grandfather, the Namgung Sword Emperor, derived his name. Namgung Jin-cheon began to execute this ultimate technique right at the start of the match. This was a disy of confidence. The Emperors Sword Form was a perfect technique that required no prior preparation or concern. Supporting his confidence, the overwhelming qi pressed down on Mu-jins entire body. With no way to escape, no means to hinder the kings execution. In that immense pressure of qi, Is he smiling? Mu-jin faintly smiled. * * * Crazy. How many elixirs has he taken? This was why Mu-jin smiled under the pressure of the Emperors Sword Form. It was absurd. Namgung Jin-cheon was now using even more internal energy than he did when he demonstrated the Emperors Sword Form against Mu-gyeong. From this alone, it was clear that Namgung Jin-cheons total amount of internal energy was superior to his own. Moreover, Namgung Jin-cheon had also circted all his meridians using the Balmo Se-su, making the advantage of having used the Great Restoration Pill irrelevant. However, Mu-jinsughter did not signify giving up on the match. After all, Mu-jin knew how Dao Yuetian had shattered the Emperors Sword Form in their decisive battle five yearster. A golden aura emanated from Mu-jins hands and feet as he smiled. The golden aura of the Golden Turtle Technique quickly expanded, enveloping his limbs in a golden hue. Whiiing. The aura of the Golden Turtle Technique, now fully expanded,pletely enveloped Mu-jins body like a shell. However, Mu-jin did not simply use the Golden Turtle Technique to endure the pressure by curling up like a turtle. The golden aura surrounding Mu-jins entire body began to sh with the qi emanating from Namgung Jin-cheon, which was pressing down on him. Pop!! As the golden aura of the Golden Turtle Technique collided with Namgung Jin-cheons qi, creating a strange noise, Mu-jins body regained its freedom. But the choice Mu-jin made upon regaining his freedom was not to flee. Despite regaining his freedom, he adjusted his stance and waited for Namgung Jin-cheons sword to descend. Mu-jin assumed the basic straight punch stance foundational to Shaolin martial arts. Though his appearance seemed static on the outside, internally, it was quite the opposite. The internal energy starting from Mu-jins danjeon raced through his entire body at an incredible speed, amplifying his power. In the process, divine strength began to infuse his already highly developed physique. The moment all preparations wereplete. Haap!! With a shout, Mu-jins form vanished. With extreme condensed muscle power and internal energy, Mu-jins movement, at a speed that could be described as almost teleportation, arrived right in front of Namgung Jin-cheons sword. !!! Ignoring Namgung Jin-cheons face, showing unprecedented shock throughout the Yongbongji Conference, Mu-jin thrust his right fist toward Namgung Jin-cheons sword. Boom!!!! At the moment Mu-jins fist met Namgung Jin-cheons sword, a thunderous explosion echoed through the arena. The massive impact raised a dust storm simr to the one during the semifinals, but the oue was starkly different this time. Through the dust storm, it was Namgung Jin-cheon, not the Shaolin disciple, who was thrown out. And like Mu-gyeong had experienced, Namgung Jin-cheon had blood at the corner of his mouth. Cough. In fact, Namgung Jin-cheons condition seemed more severe than Mu-gyeongs. Spitting out bright red blood with his cough, Namgung Jin-cheons face was deathly pale. Even amidst this, Namgung Jin-cheon wore a confused expression, unable toprehend the current situation. He could not ept the reality that the ultimate technique of the Namgung Sword Emperor, one of the Three Swords of the World and the strongest in the current martial world, had been shattered. Of course, Mu-jin had no intention of kindly pointing out the subtle weaknesses of the Emperors Sword Form. If he had induced a long-term battle using the Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship, it would have been more troublesome. The subtle weakness of the Emperors Sword Form was that it was designed to overwhelmingly crush weaker opponents. The Emperors Sword Form, created to suppress those trying to avoid or deflect the Namgung Familys heavy sword, relied on dominating the area with overwhelming qi. Conversely, this meant that because it radiated so much qi around, it couldnt concentrate all internal energy into the sword. Now that I think about it, Mu-gyeong was impressive too. He figured out the answer at once. In the semifinals, the method Mu-gung chose was indeed the correct one. The problem was simply the overwhelming difference in internal power, such that even choosing the right method couldnt secure victory. Although Mu-jin had less internal powerpared to Namgung Jin-cheon, he at least had enough internal power to push back against the energy waves and enough strength to directly shatter Namgung Jin-cheons swordsmanship. After six years of grueling training to build his muscles, if he had lost in a direct strength contest, he would have had no excuse if mocked for having balloon muscles. As soon as the finals ended in a single exchange, a cold silence enveloped the area. The result was too shocking. Of course, since Mu-jin had already defeated Cheongsu Dojang, another strong contender, some had bet on his victory. However, no one expected such an overwhelming victory in a single exchange. Even the elders of Shaolin, like Mu-jin, were no exception. Amita Buddha. Piercing through the awkward silence, Mu-jins Buddhist chant echoed across the stage. Only then did the audience regain theirposure and start making various noises. Wooaahhh! Cheers weing the birth of a new star in the orthodox sects. My mooooney~!!! And the despair of countless gamblers who had bet on the absolute favorite, Namgung Jin-cheon. * * * After winning the Yongbongji Conference finals. With Wi Ji-haks congrattory speech praising the young talents who participated in the Yongbongji Conference, the long yet short event came to an end. Mu-jin, along with Wi Ji-hak, was walking inside the Martial Alliance to receive the prize for winning the Yongbongji Conference, which was to be given to the best young talent of the orthodox sects. Hahaha. I had heard about you through letters since the second match, but I never expected you to win so easily. In response to Wi Ji-hakspliment, Mu-jin modestly replied. It seems Namgung Sohyup was impatient. I did not expect him to aim for victory in the first move either. Hmm. Ending in a single exchange might have been due to that, but winning in that one exchange still means your skills are exceptional. With Wi Ji-haks continued praise, Mu-jin simply chanted Amita Buddha, without furtherment. He truly looked like a well-cultivated Shaolin disciple. Watching this, Wi Ji-hak nodded in satisfaction, then eximed as if he had remembered something. Ah,e to think of it, the martial arts you used looked unfamiliar. Did you learn it from Shaolin? Its a martial art created based on Shaolins techniques. Ha! To create such a unique martial art at your age. Truly remarkable. How could Ipare to the leader, who is known as the Fist King. Amita Buddha. Hahaha. I was just lucky. Even if someone were to gain the same serendipity as the leader, how many could truly reach the same level as him? At Mu-jins response, Wi Ji-hak subtly smiled. The fact that Wi Ji-hak obtained his divine techniques through serendipity was well known to anyone associated with the martial world. Therefore, some warriors either belittled or envied Wi Ji-hak, thinking that if they had the same serendipity, they could also be the leader of the Murim Alliance and be called the Fist King. In the past, Mu-jin might have thought the same. However, learning Shaolins martial arts, especially mastering the Hundred Steps Divine Fist,pletely changed his perspective. Even with Grandpa revealing all the mnemonic secrets, it was extremely difficult. To think someone could master it on their own? Moreover, Mu-jin had steadily increased his skill level step by step, starting with basic martial arts in Shaolin. On the other hand, Wi Ji-hak was just the son of an ordinary herb gatherer until he gained his divine techniques through serendipity. Mu-jin pondered what it would have been like if he had obtained the Hundred Steps Divine Fist manual without any foundation. I probably wouldnt have been able to master even one move or, worse, would have died from Qi Deviation due to incorrect practice. Gaining a manual for divine techniques through serendipity would be meaningless unless one were a genius with immense talent; self-study would be impossible. It would be like putting a pearl ne on a pig. Hahaha. Such sweet words from a Buddhist disciple. I was merely stating the truth. Hmm. Thank you. Anyway, now you should go inside and take it. It will be quite cold, so be cautious. Wi Ji-hakughed awkwardly and passed through the iron door guarded by Murim Alliance warriors. Mu-jin followed Wi Ji-hak through the iron door, and the corridor led downward. As they descended, a chilling cold seeped through Mu-jins robes, touching his skin. They passed several iron doors along the corridor and finally reached the door at the far end. There was also a Murim Alliance warrior standing guard at that door, and Wi Ji-hak and Mu-jin passed him to enter. This ce is actually used by our Murim Alliance as an ice storage and for training in Ice Techniques. The deeper you go, the stronger the cold bes. The gift prepared for you is in thisst room. Indeed, just as Wi Ji-hak exined, the room beyond the iron door was filled with a bone-chilling cold. It was an unnatural level of cold. And rightfully so. At the far end of the room, there was an ice crystal, a gift from the North Sea Ice Pce to the Murim Alliance in the past, emanating cold air. However, the ice crystal was not the prize for the winner of the Yongbongji Conference. The prize for this years winner was ced on top of the ice crystal. A medicinal herb that at first nce looked like a ginseng. A special herb that endured and absorbed the intense cold over countless years, growing while retaining the cold. It was the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, an elixir coveted by all martial artists. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Trap (3) Wi Ji-hak, who had led Mu-jin to the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, asked, Will you consume it here? Or will you take it with you? I will consume it elsewhere. I understand. Consuming it here would be unsettling. The cold is too intense, and it would be mentally ufortable. Wi Ji-hak nodded at Mu-jins answer and added some advice. But it would be best to consume it as soon as possible. The Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng is an elixir that grows in a ce with intense cold, so its efficacy will quickly dissipate if you take it elsewhere. After the brief exnation, Wi Ji-hak ced the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng into a small metal box next to the Ice Crystal and handed it to Mu-jin. This is the box we used to bring the ginseng to the Martial Alliance. It contains Ice Crystal powder, which will help maintain some of the cold. However, its effect is weakpared to keeping it next to the Ice Crystal itself, so it wontst long. In fact, we had to continuously infuse it with cold using the help of a warrior from the North Sea Ice Pce to bring it here. But you havent mastered the Ice Technique, have you? I should return to the Shaolin Hall as soon as possible. To prepare for any contingencies, I will assign Martial Alliance warriors to escort you. Return directly to the Shaolin Hall. Thank you for your consideration. Amitabha.Mu-jin bowed respectfully to Wi Ji-hak and took the box he handed him. Immediately after leaving the storage room, Wi Ji-hak said, Everything is prepared, so return quickly. Ignoring Wi Ji-haks farewell, Mu-jin used his body technique to swiftly leave the Martial Alliance, apanied by several warriors to ensure his safety. Given the value of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng as a prize, it was a situation ripe for someone to covet it excessively. Upon reaching the entrance of the Martial Alliance, Mu-jin met the Shaolin disciples who had been waiting for him. Mu-jin quickly exined the situation to them, and they immediately set off together for the Shaolin Hall. We will guard the perimeter of the hall, so you should proceed with the consumption of the ginseng, said the senior monk. Thank you, Elder Monk. As Mu-jin bowed respectfully, Master Hyun-hyeon instructed the Shaolin disciples on their positions to guard against any potential threats. Watching them for a moment, Mu-jin then headed to his room. Once inside, he opened the box, and as expected, an immense energy emanated from the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. As the surrounding cold diminished, the unfamiliar environment caused the ginsengs efficacy to wane. Even the energy dissipating now was immense, making any martial artist want to immediately consume it. Without hesitation, Mu-jin raised his internal energy in both hands. Crack! He crushed the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. Kwaaaa. Though there was no actual sound, Mu-jin felt as if he could hear one. As the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, imbued with an endlessly condensed coldness, was being crushed, a highly concentrated energy began to gush out with tremendous force. Hoo. Mu-jin exhaled deeply, expanding the Golden Turtle Technique, which had only covered his hands, to envelop his entire body. If he didnt do this, his whole body would have sumbed to frostbite due to the cold of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. With his body protected by the Golden Turtle Technique, Mu-jin continued to crush the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng from its end, as if grinding it with apressor. Though the ginseng took on a form simr to a nt, once Mu-jins grip broke its shape, it began to transform not into powder but into pure energy. The immense cold radiated to every corner of the room, causing frost to form and even icicles to develop, turning the room into what looked like an ice storage. Despite this, Mu-jin remained focused on dismantling the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. When only a small amount of the ginseng was left, !!! Feeling a strange sensation in his fingers, Mu-jin stopped crushing the ginseng and quickly grasped the source of the sensation. Got it. A ck creature, much smaller than a bean and roughly the size of a coarse salt grain, was trying to escape into the remaining ginseng but was caught by Mu-jin. This was the trap prepared by the shadowy forces within the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. In Mu-jins view, the ginseng itself was merely bait for this creature. It was a Yin-Yang Gu. A type of Gu poison, it absorbs the energy of its host and camouges itself like a chameleon. In other words, if this creature was inside an elixir, one wouldnt notice anything unusual even after consuming it. Simrly, when absorbed into the body through the elixir, it would absorb part of the new hosts inner energy, take on a simr color, eliminate any sense of difference, and coil itself naturally around the upper dantian. Since it coils around the upper dantian, where the brain is located, it can allow a sorcerer to impose a form of brainwashing on the host. Even if it had already settled inside, it would be impossible to detect through pulse diagnosis because it harbors the same energy as the host. In the original story, Namgung Jin-cheon consumed this and turned into a ruffian. Originally, Namgung Jin-cheon was an arrogant and annoying person, but he wasnt one to bully others without reason. In any case, since this creature was discovered, it could be said that the shadowy forces n for the Yongbongji Conference had been thwarted. In the original story, it appeared only once, and it was said to be extremely difficult to make. Creating it was already difficult, but using it was even harder. Because it had the ability to hide by absorbing the hosts energy, it had to be immediately put into an elixir upon creation. Moreover, to keep it alive, it required constant feeding of elixirs since it was continuously absorbing energy for its survival. Hmm. I should keep it as evidence forter. Mu-jin ced the small insect he had in his hand into the box he received from the leader of the Martial Alliance and sealed it tightly with multipleyers. After years of contemting while preparing for the Yongbongji Conference, Mu-jin concluded that using this creature as evidence right away would be foolish. Damn martial arts novels. In a world without CCTVs or cameras, bringing this creature out and saying, This came out of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng! would only lead to the other side rebutting with, This is a set-up! and that would be the end of it. Logically, it was strange enough to find this creature without consuming the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, one of the rarest elixirs. Anyone could see that it seemed like an actmitted with prior knowledge of this creatures presence in the ginseng. Naturally, it would lead to questions about how this knowledge was obtained and who did it, but Mu-jin had no idea who was responsible. He didnt even know when it was ced there. He only knew that the Yin-Yang Gu was inside. Of course, he could have crushed the ginseng in front of Wi Ji-hak and shown the creature, but The result would be the same. In the end, not knowing who did it made it meaningless. It would only lead to mutual suspicion. The already conflicted orthodox factions could be even more fragmented, making it easier for the shadowy forces to thrive. Therefore, Mu-jin decided to secretly dispose of the creature and leave Shaolin to break the shadowy forces ns while hiding his identity. It would be even better if he could secure evidence rted to the Yin-Yang Gu during the process. Hmm. It seems theres still some energy left. He briefly gazed at the remaining piece of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, which was still emitting and losing energy. Without hesitation, Mu-jin put the remnants of the ginseng into his mouth. Hwaaah! Ignoring the coldness that spread from his mouth, Mu-jin swallowed it down. Then, he began to absorb the energy of the ginseng with the Dae-seung Divine Technique. Because the Yin-Yang Gu has already absorbed some energy, theres less than expected. Even though only a small piece was left, the energy was less than he anticipated, so he absorbed it quickly. Thus, right after absorbing the energy of the ginseng that had entered his body, Mu-jin took a deep breath and began to draw in the external energy. As the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng was crushed, its cold energy spread throughout the room. Some of it mixed with the ambient qi and escaped outside through small gaps, but the room was still filled with a massive amount of cold energy. Although it was difficult to gain the benefits of the elixir, one could still experience the effects of cultivating in a ce where natural qi was condensed. Hoo. After about one sijin of qi cultivation, Mu-jin opened his eyes with a deep breath. The room, which had begun to umte frost and icicles, was now filled only with moisture and a wet floor. The cold hadpletely dissipated. In that one sijin, some of the cold energy had been absorbed into Mu-jins danjeon, while the rest had been expelled from the room. About fifteen years worth of cultivation? Although the gain was ridiculously small for consuming the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, Mu-jin thought it was better than nothing and stood up. * * * Huh. I didnt realize the energy of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng was this strong. The Shaolin disciples standing guard around the pavilion where Mu-jin was located muttered in amazement. They could feel the immense cold energy constantly flowing out from the room Mu-jin had entered. If the energy flowing out is this much, how much energy has Mu-jin absorbed? There was a slight misunderstanding among them. They assumed Mu-jin was in the process of absorbing the elixir, so they thought the immense cold energy was just the remnants of what he couldnt absorb. The cold is so intense, I worry it might disrupt his internal bnce. Well, Mu-jin should be able to endure it. He might even be releasing some of the cold intentionally to maintain bnce. Master Hyun-hyeon responded calmly to one of the Shaolin disciples concerns. During the hour of guarding the pavilion, the Shaolin disciples faces changed to a mixture of anticipation and worry. The fortunate aspect was that, unlike the initial massive outflow, the cold energy gradually weakened over time. And finally, after the cold energypletely dissipated, Screeeech. The hinges, damp with cold and moisture, made an unpleasant creaking sound as Mu-jin emerged. Is your body alright? Yes, Elder Monk. Hearing Mu-jins response, the Shaolin disciples sighed in relief. Mu-jin, puzzled by their reaction, tilted his head. He didnt understand why they were concerned about his well-being when he hadnt even engaged in anybat. Meanwhile, in the distance, a man focused his internal energy to watch the scene from afar. It seems he seeded in absorbing it. Heh heh. With a satisfied expression, he turned towards the direction of the Murim Alliance. * * * That night. As usual, the Muja Groups four members were preparing to sleep, spreading mats on the floor in their room. However, for some reason, Mu-yul, while holding his mat, noticed Mu-jin deep in thought and asked, Hey, Mu-jin, what are you doing? Mu-jin, deciding that pondering was pointless, spoke to the other three members of the Muja Group. You all know we have to return to Shaolin tomorrow, right? Of course. So, we should get to bed early. We need to pack our things and leave first thing in the morning. In response to Mu-gung and Mu-gyeongs replies, Mu-jin grinned and asked, Dont you want to stay a bit longer? Stay a bit longer? How? Hmm. If we ask Master Uncle Hyun-hyeon, he might give us an extra day. Mu-gyeong and Mu-gung, always the model students, gave practical answers, but Mu-jin shook his head. That doesnt make any sense. Think about it, guys. If we go back to Shaolin now, when do you think well be able toe out again? Mu-jin had decided to recruit aplices for a n to escape. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Escape (1) I guess it will be difficult to get out before bing a second-ss disciple? That means it will take at least five more years. The duration isnt the issue here! What are you talking about? Are you suggesting we sneak out? Mu-gyeong calmly calcted the dates while Mu-gung, despite hisrge build, was startled. And Mu-jin nodded as if Mu-gungs question was very obvious. Youre right. We need to sneak out. They wont give us permission. Are you crazy? What if we get caught? If I were worried about getting caught, I wouldnt have brought this up. Mu-jin shrugged and spoke to the anxious Mu-gyeong.Why? Because of Master Uncle Hye-gwan? You havent experienced it! If we get caught sneaking out, you cant even imagine how much wed get beaten Mu-gyeongs words had a w. Although not as much as Mu-gyeong, Mu-jin had also faced Hye-gwan in martial arts several times. Naturally, he had been beaten countless times each time. But bringing this up wouldnt help persuade them. Think carefully, Mu-gyeong. Do you think you wont get beaten if you just go back now? !!! Anyway, until you be stronger than Master Uncle Hye-gwan, youll get beaten the same every day. Isnt it better to take this opportunity to rest for a few months? !!! As if he had gained a great realization, Mu-gyeongs eyes widened. Having seeded in persuading Mu-gyeong, Mu-jin then looked at Mu-gung. Mu-gungs eyes were trembling wildly as if he was suffering from an anxiety disorder. It was hard to believe he had been practicing the Immovable Heart Technique for years. I cant do it! Even though Mu-gyeong gets beaten every day, its different for me! If I get caught sneaking out Mu-gung couldnt even imagine what kind of punishment the stern, rigid, and taciturn Master Hye-dam would give him. Hmm. You should think about it carefully. Theres nothing to think about! Mu-jin smirked at Mu-gung, who responded with utmost certainty. Having spent years together, Mu-jin knew Mu-gung quite well. Naturally, he knew what Mu-gung liked. Think back carefully. Do you remember seeing Master Uncle Hye-dam ever leave Shaolin? Huh??? Master Uncle Hye-dam is one of the One Hundred Eight Arhats, right? That means when you be a second-ss disciple, youll also be one of the One Hundred Eight Arhats. And the duty of the One Hundred Eight Arhats is to protect Shaolin and the Sutra Repository. In other words, you will never leave Shaolin in your lifetime, just like Master Uncle Hye-dam. Ah? Ah Aaaah!! As if he hadnt even considered it, the face of the person who had been looking puzzled turned to one of shock. Until youre old and attain Buddhahood, this is your first andst chance to travel around the Central ins. Mu-jins final words made Mu-gungs head spin. The fear of the punishment they would receive from Hye-dam if they were caught sneaking out. And the fear of never being able to see the Central ins again after returning to Shaolin. Which was worse? At the end of the terrible dilemma of choosing the lesser evil instead of the best choice: Take me with you, too. With a face that seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, Mu-gung muttered helplessly. Having seeded in persuading both of them, Mu-jin finally looked at Mu-yul. And Mu-yul: Hehehe. So were all going on a trip together? This is going to be fun! It didnt seem like any persuasion was needed. Good. Then, first, lets go get the fortuitous encounter. The main reason he bothered to persuade the Muja Trio was that the first destination was the ce where the fortuitous encounter, seen in the novel, was hidden. Especially, that fortuitous encounter was something the Muja Trio should obtain, not him. He already had absorbed the Great Restoration Pill and had a bit of Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, so he had enough internal energy. Everyonecks internal energypared to their stage, so getting that fortuitous encounter will be helpful in many ways. And from now on, the journey wasnt going to be a peaceful martial arts contest between disciples. Real battles awaited them, against masters who were already active in the martial world or moving in secret. * * * As the hours of the Rat (1~3 AM) wereing to an end, The door of the room where the Muja Quartet had been sleeping opened very carefully. Mu-jin, who assessed the surroundings through his keen eyesight and sense of qi, led the Muja Quartet out of the room, making as little noise as possible. Since Shaolin disciples were used to waking up early from their novice days, most were asleep at this hour. Except for the second-ss disciples who took turns standing guard at night. At that moment, a second-ss disciple was patrolling the perimeter of the hall. During his stay at the Outer Temple, Mu-jin had studied the guards patterns and structure to devise a method of escape. The night watch was meant to prevent external intrusions. It didnt consider the possibility of Shaolin disciples escaping, making it less difficult. Of course, it was simple only for Mu-jin. For Mu-gyeong and Mu-gung, their hearts pounded so much that their vision seemed endlessly narrow as they moved. Hehehe. Well, for Mu-yul, who considered this a kind of game, it was nothing but fun. Thus, the group moved together: one serious, two trembling with fear, and one enjoying the thrill. Mu-jin, who was leading the way, showed the promised signal for halt and stopped. Tap. At the same time, a suspicious figure descended in front of them. As the moon, hidden by night clouds, emerged, the sword held by the figure glinted menacingly in the moonlight. Is he from the shadowy forces? Are they really aiming for assassination? Mu-jin felt puzzled by the sudden appearance of the stranger, but only for a moment. As the moonlight passed the sword and illuminated the figures clothes and face, a wry smile appeared on Mu-jins lips. Mu-jin, where are you heading at thiste hour? And what about you, Cheongsu Dojang? Why are you wandering around looking so menacing at thiste hour? Oh! At Mu-jins remark, Cheongsu Dojang, as if realizing his mistake, sheathed his Songmun Antique Sword. I couldnt sleep, so Ive been swinging my sword until now. Haha. While doing so, I sensed movement at thiste hour and came rushing out. Saying that, Cheongsu Dojang unsheathed his Songmun Antique Sword again. Since were here by chance, how about having the sparring match you promised in the semifinals right now? We have an urgent matter to attend to, so lets postpone the sparring match. Mu-jin felt a bit frustrated. They needed to leave Woe-hyeon quickly before getting caught, but they couldnt afford to waste time here. Of course, he was confident he could subdue Cheongsu Dojang, but the biggest problem was that he wasnt sure he could do it without causing amotion. But why was it? Cheongsu Dojangs eyes gleamed as he said something strange. Hmm? Is it okay if I join you? Mu-ryang-su-bul. Join us? Judging by your appearance, it seems the four of you are headed somewhere together, and I thought it might be fine if I joined. I could be quite useful. Hahaha. At thiste hour? We have to move immediately, so we dont have time to get permission from the Wudang elders. It wasnt something to say while sneaking out, but it was an appropriate excuse to send Cheongsu Dojang away. However, Cheongsu Dojang replied readily to Mu-jins words. Dont worry. Master Unheo also told me to leave Wudang and see the world once the Yongbongji Conference was over. It would be even better if I could see it with you, Mu-jin. Hahaha. At Cheongsu Dojangs cheerful response, Mu-jin felt a headacheing on. But he couldnt keep arguing with Cheongsu Dojang here. Do as you wish. With that reply, Mu-jin began moving towards the predetermined target point, followed by the Muja Trio and now Cheongsu Dojang. They continued to alternately move through the alleys and main streets of Woe-hyeon for a while. Mu-jin saw arge baggage wagon upon arriving at the outskirts of Woe-hyeon. It was the baggage wagon prepared by Ryu Seol-hwa as promised. Inside, there were various items such as wigs, makeup tools, and clothes to hide their identities. Are we going to ride in this? But why is there a wagon without horses? While Mu-gung voiced his curiosity, an inexplicable sense of foreboding emerged in his mind. This situation felt eerily familiar to him. Dont tell me, its that again? Of course. If you skip strength training for even a day, your muscles will cramp, Mu-jin replied confidently. Mu-gung sighed deeply at Mu-jins bold statement. Oh! As expected of Mu-jin Do-u-nim. Hehehe! This is going to be fun! Seeing Mu-yul and Cheongsu Dojang looking so innocent, Mu-gung realized a very important fact. Another fool has been added. And this fool was strong enough to have beaten him in a duel. * * * Early the next morning. Elder Monk! S-Something terrible has happened!! The usually quiet Shaolin hall was filled withmotion. Amitabha. What has happened to cause such urgency? T-This! Elder Monk Hyun-hyeon, who received a letter from the panicked second disciple, tilted his head in puzzlement. The letter contained a very short message. C I have some important business to attend to, so I will be away for a while. I will return within a year. What is the problem with this? The letter was found in the room where the Muja Quartet was staying. Just as he thought it was no big deal, Hyun-hyeon sensed something off from the second disciples panicked expression and tone, and asked with a sinking feeling. Are you saying the entire Muja Quartet has disappeared? T-Thats right, Elder Monk! It was shocking news. The Muja Quartet had all advanced to the third round of the Yongbongji Conference finals, earning the nickname Shaolin Four. One even won, and another reached the semifinals. For such sessful children to suddenly run away as soon as the Yongbongji Conference ended was bewildering. The Shaolin hall naturally fell into chaos, but that chaos was only the beginning. E-Elder Monk! A guest from the Martial Alliance has arrived. In the midst of the confusion, visitors had suddenly shown up. Everyone, stay calm! Theres no need to let the world know that the children have disappeared! With his extensive experience and frequent exposure to the outside world as the Shaolin elder monk, Master Hyun-hyeon calmed his disciples and headed toward the entrance of the hall. This is Shaolin Elder Monk Hyun-hyeon. Amitabha. I am Dok-go Pae, Head of the Hyeonmu Division of the Murim Alliance. A middle-aged man with a bold appearance responded to Master Hyun-hyeons half bow with a cupped fist salute. What brings the Head of Hyeonmu Division here? Upon hearing that the Shaolin members were nning to depart this morning, I came early to visit. I apologize for the inconvenience, but could I possibly meet with Monk Mu-jin, the winner of the Yongbongji Conference? As Dok-go Pae asked, a bead of sweat trickled down the back of Master Hyun-hyeons bald head. He couldnt possibly reveal to the Murim Alliance that the Shaolin prodigy, who had won the Yongbongji Conference and was now regarded as the top talent of the orthodox factions, had run away in the middle of the night. If the elder monk, who managed Shaolins external affairs, disclosed such a fact, it would not just tarnish the reputation of Shaolin but smear it with disgrace. Ahem. Actually, urgent news from our headquarters required the Muja Trio to leave early this morning. Urgent business!? What happened to cause such urgency? Ahem. It is a private matter of our sect, and I find it difficult to disclose. Ah, I apologize for my rudeness. Dok-go Pae quickly bowed his head with a cupped fist salute, but internally he was in turmoil, unsure of how to report this situation to his superiors. In fact, the entity he had to report to was not the Murim Alliance. Damn. I came here immediately upon hearing that Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng had been obtained yesterday. To be precise, he was affiliated with the Murim Alliance but had superiors elsewhere, just like Dok-go Pae. Ahem. Since Mu-jin has already returned to the sect, could you please leave now? Ah, yes, I will do so. Both Master Hyun-hyeon, who was hiding Mu-jins midnight escape, and Dok-go Pae, who had failed his mission, exchanged awkward farewells. An uneasy silence hung between Dok-go Pae, reluctant to leave, and Master Hyun-hyeon, eager for him to go. Meanwhile, there was a far more pressing matter than Mu-jins disappearance. Where is Cheongsu?! Is there really no one who has seen Cheongsu?! Compared to the panic of the Wudang Sect searching for the missing Cheongsu Dojang, the atmosphere was rtively calm. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Escape (2) Deungbong-hyeon, Song Mountain, Henan Province. The Shaolin Temple, renowned as the apex of martial arts for a thousand years. In the abbots room located in its depths, the current abbot Hyun Cheon and his disciple and future sessor, Hye Pyeong, were having a conversation. Both the elderly Hyun Cheon and the middle-aged Hye Pyeong had faces filled with serenity, a reflection of their deep Buddhist practice. The topic of their conversation naturally brought about a sense of calm. Hahaha. As expected, Mu-jin did not disappoint. Master, didnt you also expect Mu-jin to win? Well, yes, but one can never be certain.Actually, whats more remarkable than Mu-jins achievement is that all the other children also advanced to the third round. I was about to bring that up. It truly makes me feel that the future of our Shaolin is bright. Amitabha. The Buddha surely watches over our Shaolin. Amitabha. The two masters were beaming with joy upon learning from a letter that arrived this morning that Mu-jin had won the Yongbongji Conference. However, their joy was short-lived. With a serious expression, Hye Pyeong asked, Master, are you considering Mu-jin as the grand disciple of the Muja Group? The grand disciple of each group represents that group and, barring any special circumstances, would eventually be the abbot. In other words, he was asking if Mu-jin was being groomed as the next abbot of the Muja Group. I do not intend to choose the grand disciple based solely on martial prowess. Hyun Cheon, responding to the question from Hye Pyeong, the grand disciple of the Hyeja Group and his direct disciple, took a sip of tea before speaking again. However, aside from his martial prowess, Mu-jin is bringing various changes to Shaolin. The fact that Mu-gyeong, Mu-gung, and Mu-yul all advanced to the third round. The improved external skills of other disciples. All of these are thanks to Mu-jin. In essence, he was saying he intended to designate Mu-jin as the grand disciple of the Muja Group. Understanding his masters words, Hye Pyeong carefully opened his mouth. Master, have you heard the news? What news? I heard that the number of Lesser Restoration Pills made by the pharmacy does not match. At his disciples words, the tranquility of Hyun Cheon, which was as clear as a mirror in deep meditation, was disturbed. And, ording to a letter from the External Affairs Department Head a few days ago, during the treatment of Mu-gyeongs Qi Deviation, they used the Lesser Restoration Pills that Mu-jin had brought. Ahem. Hyun Cheon averted his gaze, pretending to drink his tea, while Hye Pyeong sighed inwardly. It wasnt that Hye Pyeong disliked Mu-jin. He acknowledged that Shaolin was positively changing thanks to the child named Mu-jin. He simply didnt think Mu-jin was suited to be the abbot. In Hye Pyeongs view, the leader of a sect should beposed and possess the capacity to epass the entire sect and love for the monastic order. However, in his eyes, Mu-jin, despite his capabilities, was somewhat reckless and, while he cherished certain individuals like Hyun-gwang and the Muja Trio, showed little affection for the monastic order. Just as he was about to point this out and say something more to his master who was avoiding his gaze. A visitor arrived at the abbots room. Abbot! Hearing the urgent voice of a disciple from beyond the door, Hyun Cheon smiled inwardly. He saw it as an opportunity to escape Hye Pyeongs pressing questions. What is it? But such thoughts were a bit premature. The Muja Group disciples who participated in the Yongbongji Conference have, have fled in the middle of the night! An awkward silence filled the abbots room. * * * Between Woe-hyeon in Shaanxi Province, where the Yongbongji Conference was held, and Deungbong-hyeon in Henan Province, where the Shaolin Temple is located, lies a significant distance. In other words, the news of the Muja Quartets escape reached the Shaolin Temple four days after their departure. And while the shocking news was causing an uproar in the Shaolin Temple, Phew. The Muja Quartet, looking like beggars, along with the Cheongsu Dojang, had arrived in Guizhou Province. After traveling non-stop for four days, taking turns pulling the cart themselves, they were covered in dust and sweat. Lets leave the cart here and take a short break. Here? Mu-gung asked with a look of disbelief at Mu-jins suggestion. It was understandable since the ce where they had stopped the cart was at the edge of a mountain covered in dense foliage. The most famous mountain in Guizhou Province, known as the Land of Mountains, was Mount Fan Jing (Panjingshan), but the mountain they were looking at was not Mount Fan Jing. Even though Mount Fan Jing is considered a sacred Buddhist site, they hadnt escaped in the middle of the night for a pilgrimage. They had arrived at a mountain near Jeongan-hyeon in Guizhou Province. As Mu-jin looked at the mountain they needed to climb, he thought, Should I call this a mountain or a mountain range? Countless peaks were connected to each other, giving the impression of numerous mountainsbined into one. I need to give these kids the opportunity that Dao Yuetian was supposed to have. In the original story, Dao Yuetian trained in seclusion for five years at this mountain after surviving a cmity that destroyed his n. To be precise, it was likely one of the numerous peaks. The novel had only mentioned a mountain near Jeongan-hyeon in Guizhou Province. And Dao Yuetian hadpleted his One de technique and found a miraculous elixir during his five years of training here. Thus, Mu-jin intended to share the opportunity meant for Dao Yuetian with the Muja Trio, in exchange for the two Lesser Restoration Pills he had given to Dao Yuetian in advance. The only problem was, Now, we need to climb the mountain and find a ce where the cliff forms a natural roof, filled with red flowers and a pond in the corner. He did not know the exact location of the elixir. He only remembered the characteristics described in the novel. Are you telling us to find such a ce in that huge mountain? Are you kidding? Wow! Are we going on a treasure hunt? Hahaha. This sounds fun, Mu-jin Do-nim. The Muja Trio and Cheongsu Dojang each showed different reactions to Mu-jins absurd demand. They would likely have to search an entire mountain range with dozens of peaks to find the ce Mu-jin described. Even though they were martial artists skilled in lightfoot technique, it wasnt something they couldplete in a day or two. Dont worry. The outer areas of the mountain are not worth searching. Mu-jin tried tofort the kids who would be participating in the treasure hunt. In the novel, Dao Yuetians secluded training spot was deep within the mountain. During his seclusion, he didnt encounter a single person, not even herbalists or hunters, who never ventured into that ce. There are five of us, and we dont need to search the outer areas, so it shouldnt take more than ten days. Mu-jin responded nonchntly, causing Mu-gyeong to sigh and ask, But why do we need to find such a ce? Because there is a miraculous elixir there. !!! How how do you know that? Mu-gung was taken aback and Mu-gyeong asked in a slightly hesitant tone. You dont need to know how I found out. Anyway, we just need to find such a ce, so lets hurry up and get going. It gets dark early in the mountains. As Mu-jin began to climb the mountain first, the other four followed behind him. However, the atmosphere had slightly changed from the beginning. Hehe. Hahaha. The mountain scenery is truly beautiful. Mu-yul and the Cheongsu Dojang remained as cheerful as ever. Searching the mountain for a miraculous encounter This is just like a story from the old tales! Mu-jin has no reason to lie about this, so maybe there really is a miraculous elixir. Even the previously skeptical Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong were now excited. Especially Mu-gung, who harbored romantic notions about the Martial Arts Legend, felt like he was the protagonist of an old tale. * * * After fifteen days of scouring the mountain, filled with dreams and hopes. The five, who had transitioned from monks and Taoists to beggars, were now gathered together with half-dazed expressions. Well, to be precise, only three of them looked dazed. Hehehe. Hahaha. Mu-yul and the Cheongsu Dojang were leisurely enjoying the mountain scenery with a rxed attitude, feeling at one with nature. You said wed find it in ten days at most. What are we doing on the fifteenth day? As Mu-gyeong and Mu-gung grumbled, Mu-jin let out a deep sigh. There must be something. There had to be. But why hadnt they found anything after searching this entirerge mountain? Didnt someone miss something and just pass by it? This time, lets go back and check each spot one by one! Mu-jin shouted, trying to lift the spirits of the group. If this information hade from some random gossip, they might have given up by now. But Mu-jin was certain. He was convinced that there was a miraculous encounter on this mountain. In the end, unable to resist Mu-jins insistence, they spread out and began searching the mountain again. How long had they been searching the mountain like this? Hehehe. Mu-yul was running around here and there with a carefree expression. Indeed, he wasnt searching the mountain but literally ying around. Words like miraculous encounter or miraculous elixir had long disappeared from Mu-yuls mind. In fact, he had long forgotten the terrain that Mu-jin had described. Running around on all fours like a quadruped or swinging from branches like a monkey for quite a while. Wow! With a joyful exmation, Mu-yulunched himself using the springiness of a thick branch. Swoosh. He pushed through the brush that obstructed his view and leaped out. Ook? He saw a small monkey with bright red fur. Ook ook? The two, who strangely resembled each other, looked at each other and exchanged greetings with simr sounds. Ook! Ook! Ook ook ook! Startled by Mu-yul, the monkey screamed and ran away, jumping from branch to branch, and Mu-yul, excited, imitated the monkeys sounds and movements. As Mu-yul continued to mimic the monkey, chasing it around for a while, Ooki-ki! Ooki! At some point, the monkey, which had been running away in surprise, started approaching Mu-yul, as if it considered him a fellow monkey. It made sense since Mu-yul was acting just like it and carried a simr natural scent, having spent the past fifteen days in the mountains. Mu-yul had practically be one with nature. When the fleeing monkey approached, Mu-yul responded with a bright smile and mimicked the monkeys sounds. Ooki! Ooki! Delighted, the monkey, which was much smaller than Mu-yul, snuggled up to him. Mu-yul embraced the monkey and rolled around in the underbrush. Afterwards, the monkey would sit on Mu-yuls head and point in various directions. Mu-yul, moving like a monkey, would swing from branches and head in the indicated direction. Sometimes Mu-yul would throw the monkey towards a branch, and the monkey would gracefully catch it and fly away. Conversely, the monkey would also throw Mu-yul, who would then swing from a branch. It was quite peculiar to see such a small monkey, norger than Mu-yuls torso, throw him around. But Mu-yul, with his bright demeanor, was simply happy to y with the monkey. How long did they move around together, with the monkey guiding Mu-yul? Ooki! Ooki! Hmm? You need help? Whats the problem? Ooki! Ooki! For some reason, Mu-yul found himself able tomunicate with the monkey. Although he was instinctively interpreting the monkeys bodynguage and vocal tones, it seemed as if they were having a real conversation. Mu-yul listened to the monkeys borate tale, and his eyes welled up with tears. The monkeys story was both tragic and simple. It had a home where it lived with its mother, but an evil creature invaded their home. The monkeys mother fought to protect it but was ultimately defeated and eaten by the creature. Thanks to its mother, the monkey managed to escape, but it lost both its home and its mother. Ill help you, Ling-ling! Mu-yul, wiping the tears from his eyes, gave the monkey a name and smiled determinedly. Ooki! Ooki! Overjoyed by Mu-yuls words, the monkey climbed onto his head and pointed somewhere. Following Ling-lings guidance, Mu-yul navigated the mountainous terrain for a while. He arrived at a very special ce. It was a hollowed-out cliff, seemingly carved out, with a roof-like overhang. Red flowers were blooming profusely, and inside, water trickled down the cliff, forming a pond. This was the location where Mu-jin had said a miraculous encounter was hidden, but Mu-yul had already forgotten about that. Instead, what caught Mu-yuls attention was, Is it that guy? Ooki! In the middle of the red flower fieldy a gigantic ck boar. Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Escape (3) While Mu-yul was busy ying with the monkey. The other four had already gathered at the agreed-upon location. Why isnt Mu-yul here? Did he get lost? Where would he get lost? He just needs to use qinggong to reach the visible mountain peak. Hmm. Maybe he didnt get lost, but forgot he was supposed to return? Everyone fell silent and looked at each other, finding Mu-gyeongs hypothesis too usible. Hahaha. No way, even so, that couldnt be the case. Except for Cheongsu Dojang. For some reason, everyone felt more certain after hearing Cheongsu Dojangs words. It was lucky that Mu-jin ran into him while returning at the promised time; otherwise, Cheongsu Dojang might have also been distracted, admiring flowers and trees. Its definitely that. Ugh. From tomorrow, Ill have to take him with me. Then what about Cheongsu Dojang? Cheongsu Dojang, you should take him with you, Mu-gyeong. Lets decide thatter, we need to find Mu-yul first, right? Yeah. Lets move. After deciding, the four moved in the direction Mu-yul had originally headed. Mu-jin tracked the traces Mu-yul had left behind, continuously blowing his whistle along the way. If they got close enough, Mu-yul might hear the whistle ande looking for them. How long had they been scouring the mountains like that? As the sky began to be painted with crimson hues of sunset, Mu-jin worried that the surroundings would soon turn dark due to the mountains nature of bringing nightfall early. !!! He felt a faint sh of qi from somewhere. Mu-jin, feeling uneasy, dashed in the direction of the sh of qi. As they started to get closer, Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-gung also sensed the anomaly and their faces turned urgent. What they saw as they ran at full speed using qinggong. Why is he fighting a wild boar? Look over there, isnt the monkey fighting too? It was an undeniably bizarre scene. However, the strangest thing wasnt that he was fighting a wild boar, nor that the monkey was also fighting alongside him. Why are they so in sync The most baffling thing was that Mu-yul and the monkeys coordination was impable. They demonstrated perfect harmony as if they were one entity. It wasnt just that they alternated positions or executed well-coordinated attacks. Both the monkey, an animal, and Mu-yul, who was close to being an animal himself, moved based on instinct rather than structured coordination, yet they somehow worked together seamlessly. Moreover, The monkey seems to be mimicking Mu-yuls moves? The monkey clumsily imitated Mu-yul, trying to perform Crane Fist, Snake Fist, and Leopard Fist. Then what Mu-yul is doing must be Monkey Fist? Mu-yul was also asionally mimicking the monkeys movements. If this continues, the final form of the Shaolin Five Fists might change from Dragon Fist to Monkey Fist. For a brief moment, an idle thought crossed his mind. Lets go. Mu-yul seems to be getting tired. With Mu-jin in the lead, the four who joined btedly charged into the battlefield. He wasnt sure when the fight started, but Mu-yul, whose inner strength was waning, was gradually slowing down. Whoosh! Mu-jin, using his extreme Fast Ascent Step, tore through the foliage on the ground as he rushed forward. In an instant, Mu-jin reached the battlefield and, channeling his inner strength, shouted. Move!! Even while busy fighting the wild boar, both Mu-yul and the monkey reacted to the shout and stepped aside. A path to the wild boar quickly opened, and Mu-jins fist struck the boars forehead directly. Bang! At that moment, a thunderous sound akin to an explosion echoed, and the massive body of the boar was flung backward, unable to withstand the impact. The flower bed, unable to bear the weight of the boar, had furrows like those plowed by an ox. It was overwhelming violence. If this had been an ordinary boar, its body wouldnt have merely been pushed back but would have exploded entirely. Indeed, it must be a spiritual beast. The boar was merely knocked unconscious with a huge lump on its forehead. Seeing the boar overwhelm Mu-yul, who was using martial arts, Mu-jin had swung his fist with full force, assuming it might be a spiritual beast. Wait a minute. If its a spiritual beast, wouldnt it have an inner core? As Mu-jin thought about this and rejoiced inwardly, Mu-yul approached and spoke. Mu-jin! When did you get here? At that bright question, Mu-jin sighed and replied. We came to find you since you didnte back. Why were you fighting here instead of returning? Oh, right! Sorry. I forgot. Hehe. I thought as much. But how did you find this ce? Mu-jin asked, ncing around. The moment he arrived at this ce, Mu-jin immediately recognized it. This was the very ce that appeared in the novel. Huh? Why? This is Ling-lings home. Ling-ling? When Mu-jin asked, tilting his head in confusion, Mu-yul lifted the monkey he had been fighting alongside and presented it. Ook? As the small monkey cried, tilting its head, Mu-jin looked at it with an incredulous expression and asked. This is that monkeys home? Then what about the boar? He took Ling-lings home. And he even ate Ling-lings mother! So I tried to punish him instead, but he was stronger than I thought. Hehe. Right? Mu-yul asked, to which the monkey responded with, Ukki! Ukki! Mu-jin, who had been staring at them with a bewildered expression, suddenly had a sh of insight. Wait a minute. Seeing how it fought that boar, isnt this monkey a spiritual beast too? The thought that the monkey might have an internal elixir in its belly crossed his mind. Ukki!! Suddenly, the monkey let out a scream as if having a fit and hid behind Mu-yul. Ukki? Ukkikki? Then, Mu-yul, mimicking the monkeys cries, spoke to Ling-ling as if it was the most natural thing. Mu-jin watched this confusing scene unfold for a moment. After finishing their conversation in monkeynguage, Mu-yul looked at Mu-jin with a displeased expression. Ling-ling is scared. Huh? Scared of what? Ling-ling thinks youre trying to eat him. Mu-jin involuntarily flinched at Ling-lings urate assessment. Just then, Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Cheongsu Dojang arrived and joined the conversation. Mu-yul, you must have misunderstood. Right. No matter how much its Mu-jin, hes still a Shaolin disciple. He wouldnt do something like that. Hahaha. How could Master Mu-jin possibly cut open Ling-lings belly when hes perfectly fine? Amitabha. The moment he suggested cutting open Ling-lings belly, he felt like he would be the worst viin in the world. Ahem. Of course! Ling-ling must have misunderstood. Tell him not to worry. Mu-jin forced an awkward smile and looked at Ling-ling as if seeking reconciliation. This is why perceptive kids are a problem. There was a strange sense of regret in his eyes. Ahem. Enough with the nonsense. Lets deal with that boar first. Ignoring Ling-lings suspicious gaze, Mu-jin pointed at the boar. Huh? Deal with the boar? Are we just going to leave it there? Weve punished it enough, so shouldnt we just drive it away? But after we leave, that Ling-ling or whatever will lose its home again. Oh Mu-yul, who usually seemed thoughtless, now had aplicated expression on his face. But killing a perfectly fine creature Amitabha. Its best to avoid killing whenever possible, Master Mu-jin. Even the three onlookers started to dissuade Mu-jin. Unlike Mu-jin, who was a fake monk thoroughly corrupted by the secr world, the other four were rtively innocent monks and taoists. Of course, Mu-jin found their words frustrating to the point of madness. If youre going to say such things, you shouldnt have interfered in the first ce. You should have let nature take its course and let Ling-ling be eaten by this creature. Nature operates on the principle of survival of the fittest. So, if youre going to interfere, do it properly. Ling-ling probably doesnt want to end his revenge on his mothers death with just a beating. Ukki! Ukki!! Ling-ling barked in agreement, shaking his head vigorously up and down. With Ling-ling siding with Mu-jin, the other four found it hard to refuse. Well done, Ling-ling. I wont target your internal elixir. Hehe. Judging by size and strength, the boars internal elixir was bound to be muchrger than Ling-lings. Thanks to Ling-lings support, Mu-jin could easily acquire the boars internal elixir. Even finding this location was thanks to Ling-ling, making it a stroke of good luck. Ultimately, under the pretext of avenging Ling-lings mother, Mu-jin focused his energy and crushed the boars head with a single blow. Then, he used his energy to cut open the boars belly and find the internal elixir. Phew. Mu-jin finally seeded in extracting a round, bead-like object from the boars belly. Covered in blood from rummaging through the boars abdomen, Mu-jin held the elixir and moved towards the flower field. Inside the flower field, where a cliff towered overhead like a roof, water flowed down the cliff, creating a pond over the ages. Mu-jin washed his arms and face in the ponds water and surveyed the area. The terrain suggested that natural energy would be concentrated here, but the ponds water was not a miraculous elixirjust somewhat beneficial spring water. This was because creatures that thrived on the natural energy umted in the pond existed here. There it is! Mu-jins eyes shone as he spotted blue leaves growing near the pond. Several blue leaves were growing along the ponds edge, just as Mu-jin had hoped. But why are there so few? There should be more, right? The thought barely formed before Mu-jin came up with a hypothesis. Could that boar have eaten some of them earlier? Of course, there was no way to confirm this theory. After all, when Dao Yuetian discovered this ce in the novel, such a boar didnt even exist. But the reason didnt matter much. What was important now was that an even greater opportunity awaited them than expected. Look. Do you see those blue leaves around here? Yes. Start picking them one by one. Thats the miraculous elixir I mentioned. Really? Seriously? With surprised expressions, the four of them dug around the blue leaves and soon found the main body, which resembled ginseng, rooted in the ground. Even though they avoided the smaller, almost grass-like ones and only pulled out therger ginsengs, they managed to gather six in total. Dao Yuetian only managed to get three! This was an incredible sess in many ways. Even though, if they divided them among the five of them, each would get only one and one would be left over, Mu-jin was willing to give up his share. Moreover Cheongsu Dojang, Im sorry, but could you let Mu-yul, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-gung have these ginsengs? After all, I have the Great Restoration Pill, and you have Taecheongdan, so we already have plenty of internal energy and wont benefit as much. Mu-jin was reluctant to give one to Cheongsu Dojang, who only had an obsession with swords and didnt care much about anything else. Hahaha. Since you were the one who knew about the elixir here, Mu-jin Doin, you should decide as you wish. Cheongsu Dojang, who had no attachments other than to swords, didnt mind at all. Thanks to this, the distribution was easily settled, and Mu-jin handed two ginsengs each to the three members of the Muja Trio. In any case, eating multiple of the same elixir only builds resistance and diminishes its effect. Two is the proper amount. Dao Yuetian had eaten three ginsengs, but by the time he ate the third one, it only increased his power by about five years. Compared to the twenty-five years of power gained from the first one and ten years from the second, the efficiency of the third was quite disappointing. At that moment, Mu-gung, holding two ginsengs, asked hopefully, But, could those flowers also be elixirs? Looking at the spot Mu-gung pointed to, they saw Ling-ling, who had reimed his home, happily eating the red flowers growing from the ground. Youre half right and half wrong. Mu-jin exined with a grin. Those flowers can only be eaten if you have the ginseng. They are poisonous otherwise. In the novel, Dao Yuetian had almost crossed the river of death because of his greed for the flowers. He had barely survived by hastily eating the ginseng after consuming the flowers first. The forty years of internal energy Dao Yuetian gained included the energy obtained from those red flowers. Its probably because of the rtionship between the ginseng and the flowers. The ce where natural energy is most concentrated is this pond. Mu-jin pointed at the pond as he spoke. But this water has almost no elixir effect. The ginseng and flowers around it have absorbed all the natural energy. Probably, the flowers with poison first emerged to monopolize the natural energy, and then the ginseng, which can neutralize the poison, grew around the pond, absorbing the energy that would go to the flowers. Oh. Mu-jin, how do you know all this? As expected, your family is known for its medical knowledge. You seem to know everything about this. Ah! So thats how you knew there was an elixir here! Although Mu-jin was merely recounting Dao Yuetians reasoning from the novel, he felt no need to correct the childrens misunderstanding. After that, each member of the Muja Trio picked a few red flower petals and began to consume them along with the ginseng. Meanwhile, the sky, which had turned orange at sunset, darkened, and the moonlight and starlight softly illuminated the flower field where they were. About an hour passed. The first to open his eyes was Mu-gyeong. Thanks to his outstandingprehension, he had the deepest understanding of the internal energy technique among the three. After another quarter-hour, Mu-gung opened his eyes, and another quarter-hourter, Mu-yul did as well. Chapter126 Chapter126 Sichuan (1) Did you absorb it well? Hmm. It seems like its increased by a little more than half. Me too. Hehe. Ive almost absorbed it all! Mu-jin, who was satisfied with the responses of the three, now took out the boars inner core he had kept aside. Here, you can share this among the three of you as well. But for some reason, all three frowned as they looked at the inner core Mu-jin had taken out.No matter what, thats a bit Yeah, it was inside a boars body. Mu-jin, eating meat is dangerous. The innocent monks were spouting nonsense. Then, should I just eat it myself? While Mu-jin was thinking this, Mu-yul suddenly blurted out nonsense. Cant we give that to Ling-ling? Hmm. Thats not a bad idea. Right. They say this was originally Ling-lings home. Since we ate the ginseng and flowers from Ling-lings home, its only right to give this to Ling-ling. That is truly the way of nature. Infinite life. Mu-jin was dumbfounded as he watched the four of them in perfect harmony. However, having spent six years in Shaolin Temple, perhaps Mu-jins brain had been slightly remodeled. Well, we did find this ce thanks to that monkey. Besides, we got more ginseng than expected. These thoughts were crossing his mind. Additionally, there was a logical reason. Since that monkey was also a spiritual creature, eating the inner core would probably make it stronger. Moreover, the monkey seemed to only eat the red flowers and not the ginseng. We left the undergrown ginseng, so leaving that monkey to guard it anding backter to harvest only the ginseng wouldnt be a bad idea. In the end, Mu-jin handed the inner core to Ling-ling, who snatched it with his hand and put it straight into his mouth with a Uki! Feeling good, Ling-ling ran around the flower field barking continuously for a moment. Ukiiii!! Suddenly, Ling-ling started screaming and rolling around in the flower field. Li-Ling-ling, whats wrong!? Mu-yul, startled, was the first to rush to the writhing Ling-ling, followed by the others. Hmm it seems like hes still young and ate too big an inner core, so its hard to digest, inferred Mu-gyeong with insight. Everyone watched the writhing Ling-ling with somber faces for a while. At first, the monkey rolled painfully on the ground, but its cries gradually subsided. Suddenly, a change urred in its body. The monkeys red fur deepened in color and began to grow slightly longer, and its size also began to increase subtly. Simultaneously, the monkey gradually calmed down and soon stood up with a healthy appearance. Uki! Uki!! The monkey, feeling better, clung to Mu-jin, who had given him the inner core, shaking his body, and then slipped into Mu-yuls arms. Mu-jin, watching this scene for a moment, spoke. Well, since weve gathered everything, shall we head back? The exploration for opportunities, expected to bepleted in ten days, had taken fifteen days. Mu-jin, wanting to move to the next location as quickly as possible, prepared to leave. Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong, who had also had enough of the mountains, followed Mu-jin and made preparations to leave. Take care, Ling-ling~ Welle see you again next time. Amitabha. Infinite life. After getting ready to leave, Mu-yul and the others bid farewell to the monkey. Keep an eye on the ginseng, well be back to harvest themter. Only Mu-jin harbored such secr thoughts inwardly. Uki!! For some reason, Ling-ling shook his head and barked, then climbed onto Mu-yuls head. Huh? Do you want toe with us? Uki! Ukikiki!! In response to Mu-yuls question, the monkey excitedly nodded his head up and down. At that moment, an unexpected pet was added to their party. * * * After leaving the mountains, the five humans and one monkey traveled for a day and a half, pushing a cart, and finally arrived at Renhuai County, located at the passage from Guizhou Province to Sichuan Province. In Mu-jins original n, the destination after obtaining the fortuitous encounter was Sichuan Province. In about a year or two, a significant event was set to ur in Sichuan Province. The so-called Tomb of the Divine Thief, or the Divine Thiefs Hidden Cave incident. The Divine Thief, a legendary bandit who was active about a hundred years ago. A rumor would spread that a hidden cave somewhere in Sichuan Province held the countless treasures, miraculous elixirs, and martial arts manuals he had stolen throughout his life. As the rumor took shape, the hidden cave, believed to be the Tomb of the Divine Thief, would eventually be discovered. Naturally, countless martial artists and martial sects would sh to im the cave. The incident would be the catalyst for aplete breakdown in rtions between the strongest forces in Sichuan Province: the Sichuan Tang n, Emei Sect, and the Qingcheng Sect. Therefore, Mu-jin decided to head to Sichuan Province to prevent the Tomb of the Divine Thief incident. However, instead of heading straight to Sichuan Province, Mu-jin decided to rest here for a few days. There was some leeway since the incident was more than a year in the future. Additionally, the unexpected prolonged stay in the mountains had turned most of the clothes Ryu Seol-hwa had prepared into rags, and they all looked like beggars. Going to Sichuan Province in such a state would draw too much attention. Ahh, this is the life. The main reason, though, was to lift weights after a break of fifteen days. Thanks to Ryu Seol-hwas help, Mu-jin, under the fake identity of Choi Kang-hyuk, could freely exercise at a musculoskeletal treatment clinic. He waspletely absorbed in weight training, enjoying it after fifteen days. Although he had been doing bodyweight exercises using trees and rocks, it was vastly different from using a variety of equipment. During the fifteen days without weight training, Mu-jin had felt an irrational fear that his muscles were shrinking. Lifting weights brought him peace of mind. Of course, this was only from Mu-jins perspective. Its killing me, really. I should have expected this when I decided to follow Mu-jin Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong, who had been dragged to a muscle and bone treatment clinic by Mu-jin, looked utterly exhausted. Meanwhile, Mu-yul was ying, alternating between holding Ling-ling and a metal weight. In the case of Cheongsu Dojang, they were also lifting the metal weights with a look of great admiration. Hahaha. So this is the secret to Master Mu-jins strength! Amidst the varied reactions, Mu-jin continued his workout until he felt sufficient muscle stimtion before putting the weights down. And after enough exercise, sufficient nutrition is essential. They headed to a grand inn they had reserved in Renhuai County. Five of your best dishes, please. All with meat. Of course, sir! As soon as Mu-jin shouted upon entering the inn, the innkeeper responded with enthusiasm. Despite their initial beggarly appearance, they had surprisingly unted gold and rented the most expensive room for three whole days, bing splendid guests. After securing the room, they bathed in hot water, shedding their ragged appearance. After going out somewhere, they returned, seemingly intent on eating more expensive food. Are you crazy? Meat? What are you thinking? But the group, watching Mu-jin ce his order, cried out in shock. So what? Were not monks or anything. We can eat meat as much as we want, right? C If we dont eat meat in a ce like this, it will look suspicious, you fools. Mu-jin sent a telepathic message, making a usible excuse, and they all shut their mouths with uneasy expressions. After all, they were currently fleeing at night and roaming the martial world incognito. Anyway, what do you guys want to eat? Huh? Didnt you just order five dishes? Yeah, all five of those are for me. After todays exercise and the exhausting ordeal of pulling the cart through the mountains, he needed a hearty meal to recover. However, the other kids seemed to have different thoughts, and after checking the menu, they ended up ordering vegetable stir-fries or noodles. Since they were picking foods without meat from what was avable, those were the only options left. Your food is here! While they waited for their food, the dishes Mu-jin had ordered began to fill the table one by one. The colorful and dazzling appearance of the dishes immediately caught the eye, and the aroma wafting from the tes was tantalizing. Feeling good, Mu-jin began to savor the dishes, putting each one in his mouth one by one. Hmm? Noticing the stares of the four whose food had yet to arrive, Mu-jin smiled faintly. As the tantalizing aroma wafted through the air, the four of them found it difficult to keep theirposure amidst their hunger. If you want to eat, feel free to join in. We can always order more, Mu-jin subtly encouraged. Despite his offer, the four hesitated to pick up their chopsticks. But then, someone made the first move. Ookki!! Ling-ling, who was sitting on Mu-yulsp, awkwardly imitated Mu-jin and grabbed some Five-Spice Braised Pork with its chopsticks, stuffing it into its mouth. Perhaps spurred on by Ling-lings initiative, Mu-yul naturally reached for the meat as well. Hmm. The texts do permit meat consumption on special asions. Today, as our first visit to an inn since arriving in the Central ins, surely qualifies as a special asion, said a member of Cheongsu Dojang, reaching for a dish. That left only Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong. After exchanging nces for a moment, To hell with it! Since were all in this together, we wont get caught! They both simultaneously reached for the tes with their chopsticks. In truth, Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul had only be vegetarians after joining Shaolin. In their younger days, they all had eaten meat. How could they resist the temptation of such dazzling dishesid out before them? Hehehe. Watching the once-reserved kids devour the food like hungry ghosts, Mu-jin smiled contentedly. After all that hard work, if you just eat noodles, youll ruin your health. Absolutely. Mu-jin was pleased to introduce these poor Shaolin kids to the joys of eating meat. Once they started eating, they decided not to hold back, barely touching the noodles or vegetable stir-fries they had initially ordered. Naturally, the dishes on the table were quickly devoured. Here, add one more of each of these five dishes, and also five more of the next most popr dishes! Mu-jin called out. Yes! Right away! Ill have them prepared immediately! the innkeeper responded eagerly. Oh! And bring us a bottle of Maotai as well, Mu-jin added. Maotai, a famous liquor from Maotai Town in Renhuai County, was renowned throughout the Central ins. Mu-jin had learned about it not from novels, but from Seol-hwa Shiju-nim while discussing the locations of muscle and bone treatment clinics. Renhuai County, a bridge between Sichuan and Guizhou Provinces, housed a branch of Cheonryu Sangdan and a muscle and bone treatment clinic, thanks to the famed Maotai liquor. Shortly after, as the food on the table was nearly gone (the noodles and vegetable stir-fries remained untouched), new dishes and the Maotai arrived. Ah, finally, I get to drink! Mu-jin thought. He had been waiting for this moment for so long! Although he had be an adult this year, it wasnt as if he had waited until adulthood to drink. Mu-jin had avoided alcohol because it hindered muscle growth. But now, he no longer had to worry. I can enjoy the slight intoxication, then just dispel the effects with my internal energyter! Having already mastered the Small and Large Circtions of Qi, Mu-jin could now enjoy alcohol without fearing a hangover. Thus, while watching the Shaolin and Wudang disciples relish the meat, Clink. Mu-jin leisurely savored the renowned Maotai liquor of the Central ins. Ahem. Could I possibly have a taste of that too? When the kids of the Muja Trio eyed the Maotai after enjoying the meat, Mu-jin red at them. No, itll cause muscle loss for you. They hadnt even mastered the Large Cirction of Qi yet. Tsk. Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Sichuan (2) After resting in Renhuai County for four days, they reorganized their muscles and gathered additional clothing and wigs needed for their disguise. The group finally arrived in Ziyang City, Sichuan Province, after several days of travel. Ziyang City was quite a distance from Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan. It was also the stage for the Divine Thiefs Grave incident, which would ur a year or soter. Of course, since the incident hadnt happened yet, it wasnt easy to spot martial artists on the streets. At least, it wasnt supposed to be easy. Is the Yongbongji Conference being held here too? It seems like there are as many martial artists here as in Woe-hyeon, Senior Brother Mu-gung. Wherever they went, they saw countless martial artists wielding various weapons like swords, sabers, spears, and axes, wandering the streets. Unlike Woe-hyeon, these weapon-wielding martial artists were divided into groups, each watching the others warily.The city was filled with a tension so palpable that it felt like it could explode at any moment with just a tiny spark. Doesnt it feel like everyone is watching us? Its probably because were outsiders. Mu-jin had a gut feeling that, if they werent careful, they could be the spark that ignited the tension. Despite their disguise as monks and Taoists, they stood out due to the monkey they were leading around. Lets find lodging first. Not wanting to draw unnecessary attention, Mu-jin led the group forward. Fortunately, the people here werent so crazy as to start a fight just because of a brief eye contact. Well, there was one crazy guy. Cheongsu Dojang, stop. Mu-jins voice transmission made Cheongsu Dojang look at him with a bright smile, puzzled as to why he was stopping him. This ce seems like the perfect spot to cultivate my swordsmanship. He looked eager to engage in a duel immediately. Of course, Cheongsu Dojang wasnt the type to pick a fight with just anyone. He only enjoyed dueling with masters who could help improve his skills. However, the city was teeming with martial artists, some of whom were mere riffraff, while others exuded an aura that hinted at their mastery. And every time Cheongsu Dojangs eyes met those of the apparent masters, his hand involuntarily moved toward his sword. Once we secure lodging, Ill spar with you. So, please hold back for now. Hahaha. In that case, Ill wait as long as you need! Cheongsu Dojang, convinced by Mu-jins sweet talk, let go of his sword with a bright smile. Thanks to this, they managed to avoid a small scuffle and found an inn without much trouble. However, due to the influx of martial artists in Ziyang City, most inns had no vacant rooms. It took passing by several inns before they finally seeded in renting an entire private room. The garden inside the walls is included with the private room, and if you need bath water, just call for it! Meals can also be delivered to your private room if you wish! After listening to the detailed exnation from the inns attendant, Mu-jin took out some silver from his pocket and handed it to the attendant. It wasnt a gift for the thorough exnation. I have a question. The silver was payment for information. The attendant, experienced enough to understand the intent, leaned in closer to Mu-jin and cautiously replied. Ill answer whatever I can. Are there usually this many martial artists in Ziyang? There were a few small sects and martial arts halls, but never this many. Then why is the towns atmosphere like this? The attendant nced around nervously, as if afraid to say too much. Of course, there was no one else in the private room except Mu-jins group and the attendant. Ting. Seeing through the act, Mu-jin flicked another silver coin from his pocket towards the attendant. Mu-jin, who had made a fortune by betting on his victory in the Yongbongji Conference, didnt care about a couple of silver coins. With two silver coins in hand, the attendants face broke into a wide grin. Well, theres been a rumor recently. They say the famous Divine Thiefs grave is hidden near Ziyang County. The Divine Thiefs grave? Yes! The Divine Thief! A great thief who was active over a hundred years ago. The items he stole were so varied and renowned The attendant started to exin in great detail about the Divine Thief, but Mu-jin only half-listened, letting the rest go in one ear and out the other. It was unimaginable The future had changed. The Divine Thiefs Grave incident began sooner than it was supposed to in the original timeline. While the exact cause of this shift was unclear, it wasnt the time to specte or seek the reason. This disrupts all my ns Mu-jins original n was to raid the Divine Thiefs Crypt before the incident urred. Whether the crypt itself was fabricated by the shadowy forces or if the real grave of the Divine Thief was found by these forces and the rumors were spread by them, was uncertain. However, it was known that the crypt near Ziyang contained numerous treasures, legendary swords, and martial arts manuals. It was only natural. If the crypt contained nothing, even fools would realize it was a trap set by the shadowy forces. To instill deep-rooted distrust across Sichuan, the treasures had to be real. Thus, Mu-jin had nned to preemptively raid the crypt prepared by the shadowy forces. If I recklessly move to raid the crypt now, I might end up making enemies of all the martial artists here. Even Mu-jin didnt have infinite internal energy. It was impossible to fight against hundreds of martial artists. It might be different if they were all low-level, but there were undoubtedly some experts mixed in. During these thoughts, Mu-jin realized something peculiar. Why are all the martial artists staying here in Ziyang? Mu-jins question puzzled the attendant, as if he couldnt understand the intention behind it. The Divine Thiefs Crypt is said to be nearby. Why arent the martial artists going there, but instead are engaging in this standoff here? Ah ording to rumors, the person who held the map of the crypt mentioned its location was near here before dying. The problem is, the map went missing, so theyre all just watching each other, unsure of the exact location. Hearing the attendants exnation, Mu-jins eyes gleamed. So its not toote. Mu-jin knew the identity of the shadowy forces pawn who was supposed to scatter the map in Sichuan. * * * They stayed in the private room in Ziyang City for a day, avoiding outside activities to not attract the attention of the martial artists there. The next morning, they left the private room, pulling a cart of indistinguishable contents. Once again, they drew the gazes of the martial artists on the streets, but Mu-jin ignored them. Mu-yul yed with Ling-ling while following Mu-jin without much thought, and Cheongsu Dojang asionally reached for his sword, but otherwise caused no issues. They soon left Ziyang City, traveling along the official road connecting the towns. C Mu-jin, someone seems to be following us from behind. Mu-gyeong cautiously sent a voice transmission. C Ignore them. Theyll turn back if we keep following the official road. Mu-jin believed these were just suspicious individuals wondering if they held the crypts map. However, they didnt possess the map, nor were they heading towards the crypt. As they continued down the official road for about half a shichen (an hour), the pursuers began to fall back one by one. Shall we run for a bit? Without waiting for an answer, Mu-jin started running. After running for another half a shichen along the official road, they managed to shake off the remaining pursuers. Some pursuerscked sufficient internal energy or stamina, while others decided there was no need to continue chasing. After traveling for over a shichen on the official road, a new county appeared before them. Gan-yang County. Located midway between Ziyang City and Chengdu, it was Mu-jins destination. Although it was close to Ziyang City by continental standards, the actual distance was nearly 40 kilometers. As a result, Gan-yang County felt somewhat more rxedpared to Ziyang. As in Ziyang City, Mu-jin rented a private room at an inn and summoned the attendant for questions. Which are the famous sects in Gan-yang County? Offering a piece of silver, Mu-jin listened attentively as the attendant listed and located the famous sects. After sending the attendant away, Mu-jin addressed hispanions. Take a nap for a bit. We have ces to go tonight. With that, Mu-jin left the inn alone. * * * As night fell over Gan-yang County. Only a few taverns and inns were lit, with the moonlight and starlight gently illuminating the county. Squeak. Mu-jin and hispanions quietly left their private room and exited the inn. C Follow me carefully. Mu-jin led the group along the route he had scouted during the day. His experience in a special unit proved invaluable in situations like this. By noting ces that would be dark at night or appear blind spots from other locations, and moving quickly through these areas, they could move stealthily without much difficulty. After moving for a while under the cover of darkness, a signboard of a sect appeared. [Taeeulmun] ording to the attendant, although it wasnt thergest sect in Gan-yang County, it was reputed to be the most virtuous. They didnt extort money from themon people and often helped those in difficult situations, earning a ster reputation in the county. However, Mu-jin inwardly scoffed at this description. The attendants exnation had two major ws. Firstly, how could such a virtuous sect be responsible for scattering the crypt map and turning Sichuan into a bloodbath? That was absurd. C Were going to raid that sect. Some of them showed signs of surprise at Mu-jins voice transmission, but Mu-jin made a gesture to silence them and continued. C ording to the attendant, that ce is known for its wickedness in Gan-yang County. As disciples of the orthodox faction, we cant just leave such viins alone. Right? Mu-jin had gathered information from the attendant alone for this very reason. Had he told them the sects external reputation, everyone would have hesitated. C If thats the case, we must teach them a lesson! C Hmm. Not a bad opponent for my first martial expedition. Mu-jins lie stoked their spirits, especially Mu-gung, whose enthusiasm seemed ready to burst. Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Sichuan (3) Ensure that no one escapes; attack simultaneously from all directions. The front gate will attract the most attention, so well send two there first. One person each will cover the left, right, and rear. After assigning their positions, they utilized their Qinggong techniques to scale the wall and infiltrate Taeeulmun. Who, who are you!? A guard on night watch shouted in rm but was swiftly subdued by Mu-jin. What is the meaning of this!? Why are you attacking us suddenly!? Hearing themotion, the martial artists of Taeeulmun started to rush out, but they were no match for Mu-jin and his group. Most of them were no better than second-rate warriors. After knocking down about twenty martial artists, a white-bearded, kind-looking old man cried out in indignation.What is the meaning of this!? Mu-jin stepped forward and addressed the elderly man, who seemed to be the leader. Are you the sect leader of Taeeulmun, Bang Ji-hyuk? Yes! Who are you tomit such atrocities against us? What have we done to deserve this!? You haventmitted a crime yet, but you are preparing to, arent you? What are you talking about? The mans tone was incredulous, but Mu-jin didnt bother to exin further and added a cryptic remark. Your act wont work. Bang Ji-hyuk of Taeeulmun, or should I call you Sichuan Branch Number One? How do you know that name? Bang Ji-hyuks expression changed from kindness to a sharp look as he responded with a counter-question. The title Sichuan Branch Number One was used to refer to him by the main headquarters. Just like Geum Pyo-gu, who was known as Hanam Branch Number One while working as the internal overseer of the Cheonryu Sangdan. Mu-jin had no intention of revealing his sources. Why should I tell you where I got my information? Hmm. In that case, Ill just have to capture you and find out. Bang Ji-hyuks demeanor turned cold, and his aura changed dramatically. Not only his, but a few others around him also revealed their true nature. Swish! Why? Before the situation could be understood, the bodies of those standing near Bang Ji-hyuk were cut in two. To hide their identities, they had killed theirrades with whom they had shared years of camaraderie. Moreover, among the fallen martial artists, several began to rise naturally. They had pretended to be defeated to conceal their true strength. The second piece of misinformation the tavern owner had provided was about theirbat power. About ten martial artists, emitting strong auras and sword energies, began approaching Mu-jin and his group. Though they were not as formidable as the elite members of major sects or great families, ten experts who had reached the early stages of mastery were an unbeatable force in this provincial area. Even for Mu-jin, it wouldnt be easy to handle ten experts simultaneously. Good thing I didnte alone. Mu-jin wasnt alone. His group consisted of five members, and they each began to fight two enemies. If they hade here directly after the Yongbongji Conference, it might have been a tough battle. While Cheongsu Dojang and Mu-jin could manage, Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul, who had reached the early stages of mastery, stillcked sufficient internal energy. But that was no longer the case. Ugh. A man who had boldly emitted his sword energy and disyed his martial arts let out a groan just from shing with Mu-gungs heavy Tathagata Palm. Die! Cheongsu Dojang and Mu-gyeong seemed to be enjoying the fight, effortlessly deflecting or dodging their opponents attacks and steadily pushing them back. The most noticeable change, however, was in Mu-yul. Ook! Hehe. Just like during the battle with the boar spirit, Mu-yul disyed excellent teamwork with Ling-ling. When Mu-yul used his Crane Fist to deflect an attack, Ling-ling would mimic his Crane Fist movements, leaping from Mu-yuls head to scratch the face of an attacking opponent with its ws. When another opponent shot a palm strike at Ling-ling, Mu-yul used his Leopard Fist to block it, leaping into the air. Ook! Ook ook! Sometimes, Mu-yul would imitate Ling-lings movements, even making monkey sounds while executing his moves. Its not like they are lost twins or anything. Mu-jin wondered if the monkey was actually human or if Mu-yul was originally a monkey. Whatever the case, Mu-yul and Ling-ling demonstrated a level of coordination surpassing that of two humans. It seemed Mu-yul had gained the greatest benefit this time. His physical skills were unparalleled, but his intelligence was at monkey-level. However, Ling-ling filled this gap perfectly, even exceeding it. Hmm. Seems like theres no need to help anyone. Mu-jins momentum shifted as he fended off two attackers, while keeping an eye on hispanions battles. What the? As he grabbed a sword wrapped in sword energy with his left hand, the swordsman let out a startled cry. In that moment, the correct choice would have been to abandon the sword and flee. Ugh But the swordsman had no time to react before Mu-jins fist was already buried in his stomach. Meanwhile, the other attacker managed tond a punch infused with energy into Mu-jins side. Ho, Ho-shin Gang-gi? However, the Golden Turtle Techniques Qi barrier deflected the punch. Mu-jin, having finished off the swordsman, dropped the sword and reached for the neck of the other attacker who hade within range. Not quite Gang-gi. It was merely a Qi barrier, albeit enhanced by the Jade Vajra Technique. But his opponent could not hear his response, as Mu-jins grip had already broken his neck. After swiftly dealing with the two attackers, Mu-jin looked at Bang Ji-hyuk. Bang Ji-hyuks previously friendly expression had turned cold and then changed again to one of confusion. Sensing the tide of the battle turning against him, Bang Ji-hyuk attempted to flee. Where do you think youre going?! As Bang Ji-hyuk prepared to use a stepping technique to escape, Mu-jin, already employing the Fast Ascent Step to its extreme, charged towards him. Ill take your head with me! Bang Ji-hyuk swung his sword in the air, releasing a semi-transparent energy that surged towards Mu-jin. In the dark of night, the nearly invisible sword energy was more akin to something an assassin would use rather than a reputable martial artist. Mu-jins direct charge seemed reckless, like a moth flying into a me. Boom! A tremendous explosion erupted, and Mu-jin, enveloped in a golden aura, tore through the dust cloud, heading straight for Bang Ji-hyuk. Bang Ji-hyuk, now rmed, employed a nearly imperceptible stepping technique to retreat, his hands moving swiftly in the darkness. What is this!? The invisible sword energy Bang Ji-hyuk sent out was neutralized by Mu-jins golden Qi barrier. A golden aura that protected his entire body. A young martial artist using domineering techniques. With these two pieces of information, a rumor circting throughout the martial world shed through Bang Ji-hyuks mind. Shaolin Fist Dragon!! The recent winner of the Yongbongji Conference and Shaolins new rising star. But why was this star here? He had heard that the Shaolin Fist Dragon had returned to the Shaolin Temple immediately after the Yongbongji Conference. Because of that, they failed to brainwash him Bang Ji-hyuks thoughts were abruptly cut short as Mu-jin, ignoring his attacks, closed the distance. Boom!! Bang Ji-hyuk barely managed to block Mu-jins powerful punch, but the impact made him cough up blood. Even in that moment, Bang Ji-hyuk was contemting. Shaolin Fist Dragon knows our identity! The urgency to report this information to the main organization shed with the realization of his own survival. Can I survive this? Or will he capture me for interrogation? The decision was quick. Ugh Bang Ji-hyuk, already injured, coughed up more blood, this time a different color Cpletely lifeless. Damn it!! Realizing that Bang Ji-hyuk had taken poison, Mu-jin urgently grabbed him, but Bang Ji-hyuks eyes had already lost their light. We need to capture at least one alive!! Mu-jins urgent cry came toote. Following Bang Ji-hyuks suicide, the remaining enemies also bit down on poison. ?! The children, experiencing such a scenario for the first time, were bewildered as their opponents suddenly copsed, coughing up blood. Someones dead Mu-gungs face paled as he realized their opponents had died in such a short time. Mu-ryangsu-bul. Amitabha Mu-yuls face also darkened with sorrow, while Mu-gyeong and Cheongsu Dojang appeared confused. They were all skilled martial artists, but this was their first real battle, especially one involving life and death. They struggled to ept the current situation. You didnt kill them. They allmitted suicide. Mu-jin spoke up, trying tofort them. In truth, when Mu-jin had initially nned his nighttime escape, he had hesitated about bringing the Muja Trio for this very reason. He needed to bring them out and feed them the miraculous elixir for the future. But subsequent battles against the shadowy forces would inevitably lead to such oues. Despite everything, the reason Mu-jin brought them along was because Ultimately, its something they will have to face someday Aside from the shadowy forces, it was something that anyone living as a martial artist would eventually encounter. Rather than confining them in Shaolin and letting them grow up as children, Mu-jin thought it would be better to grow stronger together while oveing hardships. However, it was also irresponsible in many ways to leave the confused children to ovee things on their own. Just take a break for a moment. Saying this to the children, Mu-jin then started to search every corner of Taeeulmuns pavilion. Under the table of what seemed to be the pavilion of Taeeulmuns leader, he found a stash of the item he was looking for. It was none other than the map of the Divine Thiefs Hidden Path. Of course, it wasnt to leave the children, who were in shock from their first real battle and the act of killing (even though it was self-defense), and go treasure hunting. Mu-jin took the bundle of maps and returned to the battlefield. Here. He pulled out the maps from the bundle and distributed them to the children. Whats this? A map of the Divine Thiefs Hidden Path. A map!? The one that shows the location of miraculous elixirs and treasures? Yes. Did you have us fight these people because of this? Mu-gyeong asked, sounding somewhat disappointed or perhaps shocked. Mu-jin shook his head and replied. Youre half right and half wrong. Think about it. If this map was really showing where such treasures were hidden, would there be so many of them? Even in their confused state, Mu-jins words made sense to them, and they all hadplicated expressions. I told you, this is the most notorious sect in this area, Gan-yang-hyeon. And this is the reason. You saw how hostile the atmosphere in Jayangshi was. What do you think would happen if these maps were distributed inrge quantities and people flocked to the Divine Thiefs Hidden Path? Ah Starting with the brilliant Mu-gyeong, one by one, they began to understand Mu-jins point. The guys we just fought were nning to turn Sichuan into a bloodbath. If we hadnt dealt with them, hundreds, if not thousands, might have died. The reason Mu-jin deliberately showed the maps to the shocked children was to alleviate their guilt. If the weight of killing was too much to bear, it would be easier to think of the ones they killed as vicious viins. To think of them as heinous criminals who would have killed hundreds or thousands if left unchecked. Just like the education he received during his time in the special forces. Killing terrorists is far better than letting citizens die from terrorism. Chapter 129: Chapter 129: The Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern (1) Of course, it was unreasonable to expect that Mu-jins single remark would instantly clear the childrens minds or lift their spirits. However, they gradually began to recover from the initial shock. So, what will we do with them? Mu-gung asked, pointing at the Taeeulmun warriors sprawled on the ground. You saw it, right? They even killed their own during the fight. These people were just being used, so we should leave them alone. Mu-jin and the others, being from sects dedicated to non-lethal force, had only subdued their opponents in the final battle. Not a single person had been killed. Are we going back now? Mu-yul attempted his usual bright smile, but it looked awkward. Mu-jin forced a cheerful tone in response. No. We need to check this ce out.He waved a map as he spoke. That ce? Why? I told you, this is a trap meant to annihte the martial artists of Sichuan. So, we need to clear the trap before we leave, dont we? Not to mention, there were treasures to be looted there. Of course, Mu-jin kept that part to himself. Mu-jin, whats with that scroll? Mu-gyeong asked, noticing the scroll Mu-jin was holding along with the map. Mu-jin shrugged nonchntly. It might be usefulter. Saying this, Mu-jin tucked the scroll, found while searching the Taeeulmun leaders room, into his sleeve. * * * For precaution, Mu-jin kept only one map and burned the rest. The group concealed themselves in the dark night and moved toward the location indicated on the map. The map pointed to a specific ce on arge mountain rtively close to Jayangshi. In truth, Mu-jin only knew that the Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern existed in that mountain. He wasnt aware of the exact location indicated on the map. ording to history, the Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern incident was supposed to ur a year or twoter. At that time, Do-wolcheon was deep in secluded training in the mountains. Thus, Do-wolcheon didnt directly experience the incident. He discovered the background of the Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern incident while tracking down the forces that annihted his family. So, Mu-jin intended to search the entire mountain with the children, as he had done when looking for the miraculous elixir. Though things had taken an unexpected turn, leading them here in this manner. Meanwhile. Traveling nearly a hundred miles using their light-foot technique, Mu-jins group moved toward the indicated location on the map. At that moment, in a certain pavilion located in Chengdu, Sichuan. As a figure in night attire appeared in the darkness, a middle-aged man lying on a bed opened his eyes. Taeeulmun has fallen. At the womans report, the middle-aged man sat up, frowning. Taeeulmun has fallen? What do you mean by that? Exactly as I said. A force attacked Taeeulmun at night, and Il-ho along with the warriors there were all killed. Are you saying Taeeulmun waspletely annihted? Only those affiliated with us lost their lives. The other warriors were mostly just knocked out. Additionally, we confirmed signs of maps being burned. The middle-aged man furrowed his brow deeply upon hearing the womans report. The woman awaited further instructions without saying another word. Immediately distribute the prepared maps and order the major sects infiltrated in Sichuan to initiate the grand n. Despite the potential for questions, the woman followed the instructions without hesitation. After she silently departed, the middle-aged many back on his bed, organizing his thoughts. Someone has found our trail, it seems. But it wouldnt yield significant results. Their organization was not that sloppy. Even if the maps in Taeeulmun were burned, they had prepared backups. Although the execution of the n had been brought forward, it wasnt a major issue. The conflicts among the orthodox sects in Sichuan had already reached a peak. The alliance of the five great families, led by the Jegal Family, was facing dys in concrete negotiations, but it had prompted the Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect to overtly check the Sichuan Dang family. Moreover, rumors about the Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern had already attracted numerous martial artists to Jayangshi, creating a vtile atmosphere ready to explode at any moment. When the Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern revealed itself, a tremendous storm would follow. Of course, the unknown assants who attacked Taeeulmun might clear out the Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern first. Unless theyre supreme experts capable of using Ho-shin Gang-gi freely, it wont be that easy to break through. The cavern wasden with numerous traps, meticulously prepared over a long period. * * * At dawn, Mu-jin and his group arrived at the mountain entrance and began searching for the location marked on the map. And when the reddish sky turned a clear blue. We found it! They reached the ce indicated on the map. Lets go in. Mu-jin was about to move toward the entrance of the Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern when hispanions hurriedly stopped him. Mu-jin Doin, didnt you say this ce is a trap targeting the martial artists of Sichuan? It might be dangerous to enter recklessly. Right. What if there are all sorts of terrifying traps like in those martial arts tales? Mu-jin nodded at their words. Since Do-wolcheon hadnt visited the cavern himself, Mu-jin didnt know exactly how many trapsy within. But. Well, they probably cant mix traps with Gang-gi. Mu-jin pushed the children aside and stepped into the cavern first. Whoo. Taking a deep breath, he channeled his internal energy to its peak, enveloping his body in a golden aura. Follow me closely. With that, Mu-jinunched himself into the trap-filled Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern. *Crash!* He activated the Fast Ascent Step, charging into the cavern filled with traps. *Screech!* Somewhere, amidst a loud noise, arrows or shurikens flew, and des rained down from the ceiling aiming to skewer Mu-jins body. Ching!!! The countless traps could not prate Mu-jins Golden Turtle Technique and Jade Vajra Techniques barrier. Ching!!! Boom!!! Despite the sounds of the floor bursting and metal shing, Mu-jin kept running forward, unconcerned by the metal shing against his body. . Is this really how one breaks through traps? The party watched in disbelief as Mu-jin created chaos. Hahaha. As expected of Mu-jin! Boundless blessings! Wow!! Mu-jin is fast!! Ookki!! Ookkikki!!! No, only Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong had faces of disbelief. Is it us who are strange? It seems we lose by paying attention. Senior Brother Mu-gung. Simultaneously, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong sighed and followed the path Mu-jin had cleared. Meanwhile, at the forefront, Mu-jin, who was breaking through the traps with his body, stopped with a curse. Damn it. A fork in the road appeared. It branched into three paths. Which way should I go? Without a map of the interior of the Divine Thiefs Den, Mu-jin also didnt know which way to go. Should I check all of them? While Mu-jin was lost in thought, the party that was chasing after him arrived and saw the fork. As everyone was pondering what to do. Ookki! Ookkikki!! Ling-ling, who was perched on Mu-yuls head, barked while pointing to the left path. Ling-ling thinks its the left path! With Mu-yuls additional remark, Mu-jin briefly pondered. But the hesitation was short-lived. Mu-jin immediately started walking towards the left path indicated by Ling-ling, prompting a startled Mu-gung to shout. Are you really going that way!? Since we dont know the way, we might as well try it. . Leaving the speechless party behind, Mu-jin willingly entered the left fork. And a momentter. Click. A peculiar sound was heard, and Mu-jin vanished from sight. !? The shocked party rushed to where Mu-jin had disappeared and discovered a trap hidden in the shadows of the cave. A shallow cover on the ground had copsed, causing Mu-jin to fall underground. And belowy a heap of sharp des. Click. However, Mu-jin, who had fallen among the des, lightly clicked his tongue and used the Fast Ascent Step to leap upwards. When Mu-jin emerged, he was unscathed. By now, they began to wonder if the arrows and des from the traps were actually dull. Since the Divine Thief was active more than a hundred years ago, maybe the traps have all deteriorated? Hmm. That might be the case. As Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong discussed. Bang!! Mu-jin, having emerged from the pit, charged forward again. The party encountered dozens of traps and several more forks in the path. Every time they reached a fork, they followed the direction pointed out by Ling-ling. Bang!!!! This time, with a loud explosion, a real Thunder Bomb went off. The shock caused part of the cave wall to copse, and rubble fell on top of Mu-jin, who was caught in the explosion. Bang!! Using his internal strength and physical power, Mu-jin pushed aside the pile of stones and stood up. Theyve really set this up in a nasty way. Covered in dust from the Thunder Bomb and the rubble, Mu-jin spat out a dusty saliva. This trap was quite powerful, causing his Golden Turtle Technique to crack and his clothes to be tattered. Thanks to the significant reduction in damage by the Golden Turtle Technique, there were no fatal injuries, but even his skin, toughened by the Jade Vajra Technique, had some minor scratches. Lets switch for a bit. Im almost out of qi. With Mu-jins suggestion, the formation changed. Mu-gyeong and Cheongsu Dojang, who excelled in defense, took the front. Since they had to break through traps while advancing, defense was crucial. Move out~! Ookki!! With the cheerful shouts of Mu-yul and Ling-ling, who had unexpectedly taken on the role of guides, Mu-gyeong and Cheongsu Dojang began to move forward step by step. Shortly after they started moving, arrows, des, and shurikens poured out from traps as expected. Ching!! Mu-gyeong and Cheongsu Dojang began to parry the arrows and projectiles with their swords and hands. These arent dull at all, are they? Realizing how sharp the projectiles he deflected were, Mu-gyeong swallowed dryly. Even though it was an over hundred-year-old tomb, the items used in the traps were all perfectly sharpened. I heard from the Master Abbot, but this really is sturdily made. Even the Anti-Demon Monk, known for his robustness and listed among the top hundred masters in the world, was astonished by Mu-jins toughness. Seeing the traps Mu-jin had broken through with his body firsthand, Mu-gyeong realized just how formidable Mu-jins resilience was. Hahaha. Its good to block Mu-jins strikes, but this also seems like an excellent training method. In contrast, Cheongsu Dojang, who took the front with Mu-gyeong, was smiling brightly despite facing numerous traps. True to his nature, he connected everything to his sword training. Looking at Cheongsu Dojang as if he were crazy for a moment. Hmm? If I do it that way, I can use my internal energy more efficiently. Mu-gyeong began to mimic Cheongsu Dojangs sword technique. Specifically, how he broke the traps. Cheongsu Dojang used the essence of Taiji, letting some of the numerous projectiles collide with each other by deflecting them in certain ways. Even Mu-gyeong couldnt imitate the Taiji Sword Technique just by watching a few times, but he could adopt this method. Of course, only someone like Mu-gyeong could do that. Hahaha. Excellent! Ironically, Cheongsu Dojang, instead of using Mu-gyeong of being a martial arts thief for imitating him, was rather getting inspired for his own swordsmanship. The two, like Mu-yul and Ling-ling, disyed excellent teamwork, cutting through the flood of projectiles. It was beautiful to see them inspiring each other and rapidly developing their martial arts. Indeed, geniuses. Mu-gung, merely a talented individual, clicked his tongue. Chapter 130: Chapter 130: The Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern Despite Mu-gyeong and Cheongsu Dojang showing excellent teamwork, progress was slower than when Mu-jin broke through due to the densely prepared traps. Even though the two couldnt match Mu-jins speed, nobodyined as safety was paramount. They continued slowly but steadily. ng. Rumble. A foreboding sound was heard. Damn. A giant boulder, the size of the caves width, was seen rolling down the slope.Mu-jin was out of internal energy, and in such a narrow space, the martial arts of Cheongsu Dojang and Mu-gyeong were not suitable for blocking such a massive boulder. Ill handle this! Thus, Mu-gung stepped forward, shouting loudly to take the ce of the two. As he gathered his internal energy, his palm turned red, gradually expanding its range. Haaat! With a shout, as Mu-gung thrust his hand forward, the crimson Great Palm of Tathagata shot out, shattering the giant boulder into pieces. Watching this, Mu-jin pped his hands with a pleased smile. Oh. The effects of the miraculous elixir are certainly good. Not only had the size of the Great Palm increasedpared to the Yongbongji Conference, but Mu-gung still appearedposed despite using a vast amount of internal energy. Furthermore, even with Cheongsu Dojang, who had also taken the Taecheongdan, helping to clear the path, Mu-gyeong was notgging behind. Regardless of ones understanding of techniques and martial arts, ack of internal energy naturally limited the number of times martial arts could be used. Thinking about it like this, thisbination seems better than I thought. Mu-gyeong and Cheongsu Dojang, with their excellent skills in technique and defense. Mu-gung, with his explosive firepower. And Mu-yul and Ling-ling, serving as guides and cheerleaders. Oookii! Oookii! Ling-ling says theres a strange smell? After passing through the shattered boulder and navigating dozens of traps and several forks in the path, the cheerleader shouted excitedly. But the content wasnt exactly thrilling. A strange smell? In a cave full of traps, if there was a strange smell that human noses couldnt detect Its poison! Retreat and hold your breath! Mu-jin, using the energy he had recovered, unfolded the Golden Turtle Technique and shouted. With the energy veil enveloping the whole body, it was reasonably resistant to poison. After confirming that the children had retreated a bit, Mu-jin urgently added, Which way is the smelling from? Imitating Mu-yul, Ling-ling, who was covering his nose and mouth with both hands, extended his right hand to point to the left wall in front of the cave. Not all poisons are like this, but most poisons are weak against fire. Having identified the location of the trap infused with poison, Mu-jin organized his thoughts and sent a transmission to Mu-gung. C Prepare to use the martial arts you used earlier again. After giving the instruction, Mu-jin, protected by the Golden Turtle Technique, carefully took steps forward. Having trained diligently in active cultivation since his days as an entry disciple, Mu-jin had somewhat recovered his energy without needing to employ a Qi Conducting Technique. And after taking a few steps, Click. With a small sound, a fine crack appeared on the wall Ling-ling had pointed to. But being colorless, there wasnt any visible change. Something harmful is touching the energy veil. However, it was clear that something harmful was emanating, as perceived through the veil. C Now! Simultaneously with Mu-jins transmission, Mu-gung, whose palm was already red, thrust his hand forward. Fwoosh!! As the crimson Great Palm of Tathagata emanated from Mu-gungs hand reached Mu-jins vicinity, it erupted into massive mes as if burning an invisible substance. After the mes died down, Mu-jin, who had briefly retreated, approached the area again. It seems safe to proceed now. After confirming that nothing was touching the Golden Turtle Technique, he led the group forward. Indeed, thebination of Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-gyeong, Mu-yul, and Mu-gung was highly effective in navigating this trap-filled cave. We should take a short break before moving on. Amitabha. I feel my internal energy is nearly depleted as well. Ive also pushed my internal energy to the limit by using it twice in a row. Although thebination was efficient, there were still limits to their internal energy. Its fine. Ill take the lead and break through from now on. The all-purpose trap destroyer was ready to run. * * * Just as Mu-jins group began breaking through the traps. In the outskirts of Chengdu, Sichuan Province. In a vige located at the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. This ce was inhabited by people with the same surname, and in the center stood a grand estate, known to the world as Tang Family Manor. At the heart of Tang Family Manor, one of the Five Noble Families of the martial arts world, was the Sichuan Tang n. And early in the morning, just as dawn was breaking, there was amotion in the Tang ns estate. n leader!! What is thismotion so early in the morning? Zhang Bodo has appeared! Zhang Bodo? Thinking for a moment, the Tang n leader, Tang Pae-jin, who had recently heard rumors in Sichuan, asked, Do you mean Zhang Bodo of Shintu Bidong? Yes, indeed! Despite the urgent reply from the retainer, Tang Pae-jin remained indifferent. Why should our Sichuan Tang n be startled by the grave of a mere thief whose authenticity hasnt even been verified? Well, it seems the rumors might be true. Theres information that Emei and Qingcheng have already begun to move. Emei and Qingcheng? Yes, Master! We cannot let those hypocrites take it. At the retainers outcry, a vein bulged on the cool-headed Tang Pae-jins forehead. If both Emei and Qingcheng were on the move, it changed the situation entirely. If either of those factions obtained the immense treasure rumored to be there, the bnce in Sichuan would be disrupted. While it didnt matter if they themselves did not acquire it, they certainly couldnt let Emei or Qingcheng get their hands on those treasures. However, I have a bad feeling about this. As the leader of the mighty Sichuan Tang n for over a decade, Tang Pae-jin sensed something unsettling about this situation. He couldnt shake the feeling that something about it seemed orchestrated. I should send the youths to monitor the situation rather than have them enter the cave directly. As Tang Pae-jin settled on a safer course of action and was about to give orders, the retainer added more information. Master! Weve also received news that Miss Tang So-mi, who was in Gan-yang-hyeon, has already set out upon hearing the rumors! The rumors about Zhang Bodo also originated in Gan-yang-hyeon. What!? For the first time, Tang Pae-jins face, which had been cold until now, showed a hint of shock. Though the Sichuan Tang n was known for its cold and aloof demeanor, often attributed to their use of poisons or their reputation, there was one thing that always stirred strong emotions: family matters. Perhaps, being treated as heretics by the orthodox sects made them even more tightly knit as a family. But regardless of those circumstances, Send the youths immediately to bring So-mi back! What mattered now was rescuing his daughter, Tang So-mi. Interestingly, simr situations were unfolding in both Emei and Qingcheng. Master! Weve received word that the Sichuan Tang n is sending warriors to Shintu Bidong! We must act as well! Just as the Sichuan Tang n had noted Emei and Qingchengs movements, Emei and Qingcheng were simrly receiving reports of the Tang ns actions. * * * While the Sichuan Tang n, Emei, and Qingcheng began to move in earnest, At the entrance of the mountain where Shintu Bidong was said to lie in Ja-yang-shi, Tang So-mi, disguised as a man, was climbing the mountain with four Tang n warriors. Not only Tang So-mi, but the Tang n warriors with her, wore ck martial attire instead of their usual Tang n garb. Although Tang So-mi had moved before her father, Tang Pae-jin, had given any orders, she wasnt recklessly coveting the treasure of Shintu Bidong. I heard both Qingcheng and Emei have also moved. She nced at the warrior who had given her this information. He was one of her guards who always apanied her whenever she left the family estate. His words prompted her to act first. The n was to establish a position near Shintu Bidong and observe the movements of other warriors, particrly those from Qingcheng and Emei, and report back once reinforcements arrived from the main family. She had no intention of taking undue risks with such a small number. At least, until they reached the location described in Zhang Bodos writings. It seems many warriors have already entered. Upon arriving at the location described in Zhang Bodos writings, they found countless traces at the entrance. Lets go inside and assess the situation. Avoid fights as much as possible and dont push too deep. After making her decision, she cautiously entered Shintu Bidong with her guards. Shortly after, It seems a formidable expert has already gone in. Tang So-mi made a grim face at the sight inside Shintu Bidong. The ce wasnt littered with countless bodies and blood. Rather, the remains of countless traps were strewn about in a state of destruction. Despite the numerous traps, there wasnt a single body or drop of blood on the floor. Perhaps, someone far more terrifying than the traps was waiting ahead. Lets proceed further. Determined to assess the situation for her family, she steeled herself to push forward. Not long after, a new problem arose for her. Which way should we go? Suddenly, three paths appeared before them. As they paused, unable to decide, They sensed someone approaching from behind. Turning around, they saw a group of four cautiously approaching. As both groups watched each other warily, Tang So-mi moved cautiously to the wall. We have no intention of fighting. Please, go ahead. As soon as she spoke, her guards also moved to the wall, mirroring her. Hmph. Cowards. The four men, not recognizing the disguised Tang So-mi and her guards, sneered at them as they passed by. The men chose the right path. Aaahhh! Shortly after, a scream echoed from the right path. It seems the right path is not the correct one. Even the correct path may have traps, right? In response to Tang So-mis remark, one of her guards questioned. If those who left the traces we saw earlier entered, they probably destroyed all the traps along their way. We dont know who they are, but theres no guarantee they know the correct path. Our goal is not to find the treasure but to understand the situation. And in my view, the ones who destroyed all the traps are the ones we should keep an eye on. Lets follow them first. Her exnation made the guards nod in agreement. Not long after, another group approached them from behind. As before, Tang So-mi and her group stepped aside to let them pass, and the neers chose the left path. When no sounds followed this time, Tang So-mi decided to follow them down the left path. Chapter 131: Chapter 131: The Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern The mountain where the Divine Thief was sleeping. Countless martial artists were climbing the mountain, and even more were approaching it than those already ascending. Tang So-mi and her escorting warriors were stationed in Ganyanghyeon, where Zhang Bodo had first spread. Since they had moved quickly, there were fewerpetitors. However, as time passed, the number of martial artists climbing the mountain increased exponentially. Of course, among the numerous people, there were also many who sought fortune or serendipitous encounters. From here on, you must have the permission of the Four Heroes of Sichuan to pass! Among them, there were also several experts who were quite renowned in Sichuan. By what right do you block this ce? As the four who called themselves the Four Heroes of Sichuan blocked the entrance to the Divine Thiefs cave, some began to raise their voices against their tyranny.Normally, they would have bowed their heads just by meeting their eyes, but with so many martial artists gathered, they judged that the Four Heroes of Sichuan could not act recklessly. However, no one dared to easily challenge the Four Heroes of Sichuan. Everyone knew that if they joined forces, they could kill those four, but no one wanted to sacrifice their life in the process. Thus, some were exchanging quick nces at that moment. Rather, exchanging nces was just a visible act. Amidst the chaos, they were secretlymunicating and forming alliances and breakups. They were looking for trustworthy individuals based on their skills and character, or those who could be betrayed at thest moment. And what broke the chaos was not a new group but a single strong man. Hah! These frogs in a well dont seem to know the value of their lives. A figure d in ck from head to toe stepped forward, speaking in a raspy voice. You must be the one who wants to die! The youngest of the Four Heroes of Sichuan shouted boldly and charged at the figure in ck. Slice! With a single strike, too quick to see, five red lines were drawn in the air. Along those lines, the youngest ones body was split apart. ck w Blood Demon! Immediately after, someone who recognized the figures identity muttered in a horrified voice. They inferred it from the ck iron ws and the red energy on the figures arm, which were revealed after the martial art was disyed. Hah, Im d there are still people who remember my nickname. As the ck-d figure pulled back his hood, the face of an elderly man with half-white hair was revealed. The ck w Blood Demon. An infamous viin known for his capricious temper and numerous killings in the past. Because of his entric nature, he couldnt establish a proper force and was hunted as a public enemy by several sects, leading to his disappearance twenty years ago. Everyone was equally shocked to see such a person suddenly appear here. Do you want to follow your brothers fate? As the ck w Blood Demon threatened the remaining three of the Four Heroes of Sichuan with his iron ws, they stepped aside in fright. Hah, what beautiful brotherhood. Laughing at the three, the ck w Blood Demon entered the cave first, followed by some who had been hesitating. With one less person, and possibly due to the death of their sworn brother, the remaining members of the Four Heroes of Sichuan did not try to block others as before. Of course, it wasnt long before new people tried to control the entrance. Several times, new figures or groups would break through, only to be reced by others trying to block the entrance. Make way! After some time, a group of people, unlike any before, began appearing at the entrance to the Divine Thiefs cave. First, dozens of Daoists appeared, followed by martial artists in green uniforms. After them, dozens of nuns arrived one after another. It was the Qingcheng Sect, the Sichuan Tang n, and the Emei Sect. Elder Dang Taeryeong, who led the Sichuan Tang n warriors, quickly scanned the area as soon as they arrived at the entrance. So-mi must have already gone in. Despite inwardly cursing, he maintained a cold expression outwardly. Their primary goal was not to retrieve the treasure from the Divine Thiefs cave but to ensure Tang So-mis safety. Does the Tang n have an interest in this ce as well? At that moment, someone from the Qingcheng Sect spoke to them first. Since we are materialistic beings involved in the mundane world, we cant miss out on such events. But I never imagined seeing Daoists and nuns in front of a thiefs grave. Dang Taeryeong lowered their own status while fiercely putting down the other party. Ahem. We are here to prevent bloodshed. Amitabha. As the Qingcheng Sect elder, Master Cheongpung said, we cannot allow innocent blood to be shed here. When the Emei Sect elder, Master Myeoljeol, echoed the words of the Qingcheng Sect elder, Master Cheongpung, Dang Taeryeongs eyebrows twitched momentarily. These guys? Dang Taeryeong immediately realized that the Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect had joined hands for this event. Then, please prevent the bloodshed here. We will proceed inside. However, the most important thing now was ensuring Tang So-mis safety. Without showing any impatience, Dang Taeryeong spoke in a blunt tone and stepped toward the entrance of the cave. Stop! Your actions will only lead to more deaths! If you move any further, we will not stand by. Amitabha. Naturally, the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect would not just let it happen. If you block the entrance, there wont be any bloodshed. Otherwise, juste in with us. Since the treasure was not their primary goal, Dang Taeryeong said this and entered the cave. The Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect elders looked at each other in bewilderment for a moment. Ahem. Ahem. Lets go in. Following the Tang n, the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect also entered the cave. * * * Shall we get going again? As everyone in the group, who had been sitting cross-legged, opened their eyes, Mu-jin, who had been standing guard, spoke lightly. Unlike Mu-jin, who practiced active cultivation, the others needed to recover their internal energy through the Qi Conducting Technique. Of course, Mu-jin also recovered his internal energy faster when he sat cross-legged and used the Qi Conducting Technique. But in a ce full of traps like this, someone needed to stand guard, and since he could practice active cultivation, he took on the guard duty. Mu-gyeong, who was getting up after finishing the Qi Conducting Technique, stretched his stiff body and spoke. Phew. This ce is much more dangerous than I thought. If the Zhang Bodo that Master Mu-jin mentioned had spread here, there would have been great bloodshed in Sichuan. Infinite life to Buddha. Its a good thing we organized in advance. Cheongsu Dojang added ament that sounded unusually sage-like, and Mu-gung emphasized the word we with a proud expression on his face. Well, its certainly fortunate. Mu-jin could only shrug in response to Mu-gungs antics, acting like he was enjoying ying the role of a martial artist while searching for Zhang Bodo and exploring the Bi-dong. Theyre all so naive. While the group was awed by the traps in the area, Mu-jin thought the true danger of the Divine Thief Bi-dongy not in the traps themselves, but in human greed. They were rxed because they hade to this ce alone. But what if crowds of people had rushed in, especially hundreds or thousands of martial artists, driven mad by the thought of treasure? Thered be no time for Qi Conducting Techniques. Not just Qi Conducting Techniques, but theyd also have to constantly watch their backs to avoid ambushes. The very people entering Bi-dong would be another kind of trap. Its a good thing we came to Sichuan before news of Zhang Bodo spread. Exploring Bi-dong without the worry of being pursued made for a very pleasant environment. Lets quickly gather everything before others find this ce. With those words, Mu-jin enveloped himself in the Golden Turtle Technique, smashing through traps as he advanced. After passing a dozen traps and two branching paths, Wow Its sparkling! Ooh! Ooh ooh! Is that the legendary Night Pearl? They arrived at a ce filled with treasure. The walls were embedded with Night Pearls, illuminating the interior. On one side, there was a bookshelf with several volumes of books. Additionally, there were weapon racks disying various weapons, and several chests scattered on the floor. Fearing there might be one final trap, Mu-jin approached the chests while maintaining the Golden Turtle Technique. Click. As Mu-jin opened a chest, it revealed a dazzling array of gold and silver treasures, reflecting the light of the Night Pearls. Its shining! Its shining! Ooh! Ooh ooh! Whoa! Mu-yul, Ling-ling, and Mu-gung were mesmerized by the brilliant sight. Hmmm. Meanwhile, Mu-gyeong was examining what appeared to be martial arts manuals on the bookshelf. Cheongsu Dojang, with a dazed look in his eyes, was meticulously inspecting the famous swords disyed on the racks, as if he had fallen in love at first sight. In contrast, Mu-jin was contemting the most practical issue: how to transport all these treasures. Should we have brought a wagon? No, if we were unlucky, the wagon might have been destroyed by the traps. But now that weve cleared the path, should I go to Gan-yang-hyeon to fetch a wagon? Or should we carry the treasures out by making multiple trips? While everyone was immersed in their own ways of appreciating the treasure, Ooh! Suddenly, Ling-ling, perched on Mu-yuls head, started barking and waving its arms. Mu-jin, Ling-ling says she hears something. A sound? Tilting his head, Mu-jin enhanced his hearing with his internal energy. Given how Ling-ling had guided them so far and its superior senses as a spiritual creature, Mu-jin trusted its abilities. Focusing his hearing, he heard a faint noise, as Ling-ling had indicated. It wasnt a natural sound like the wind. It was faint, but it definitely sounded metallic. Why would there be a metallic sound? They had burned Zhang Bodo, and they had entered Bi-dong secretly at dawn. There should be no one following them, so why was there a metallic sound? Lets check it out. Feeling uneasy, Mu-jin led the group back through the path they had cleared. Passing through the narrow paths with destroyed traps and the caverns with multiple branches, they retraced their steps. Before long, they arrived at a cavern with five branching paths. What they saw there was: Ugh. Miss! Take cover! Hand over the treasure!! Two groups of people wielding weapons, attacking each other to kill. It was already surprising enough that someone had followed them into Bi-dong, which should have been empty. Uh? Is that Tang So-mi Shiju-nim? Among them was a very familiar figure, though her hair was disheveled and her clothes tattered from whatever ordeal she had faced. Shh. Were in disguise right now. Mu-jin quickly warned the group, recognizing Tang So-mi, but he was just as taken aback. In disguise and not wanting to get involved with the Tang n, Mu-jin was torn about whether to help them or not. Just as Mu-jin was deep in thought, There are new ones over there! They came from the inside!! The warriors who had been pressing Tang So-mi and her bodyguard noticed Mu-jins group hiding in the branches. They might have the treasure! Seeing Mu-jins group as potential treasure holders, they turned their greedy eyes on them. Finish off that Tang n wench and her guard. Ill handle these neers. A bald old man wielding a ck iron w, who had been standing at the rear, started approaching Mu-jins group. Chapter 132: Chapter 132: The Divine Thiefs Hidden Cavern Tang So-mi and her escort warriors, upon entering the Sin-to Bi-dong, cleverly utilized other martial artists to navigate through traps and crossroadsfortably. However, as they ventured deeper, the number of pursuers dwindled rapidly. Unbeknownst to her, this was partly due to groups attempting to control the entrance of the Bi-dong, and the multiple crossroads had reduced the number of those following her direction. Ultimately, unable to wait for the rear group, she and her guards had to make choices at the crossroads, leading to traps that imed the lives of two of her escort warriors. Her disguise was ruined, her clothes torn to shreds, and her hair loose, revealing her true appearance. Another new crossroad appeared, and realizing the dangers of the traps, she decided to wait for the rear group again. Shortly, five new martial artists appeared from the rear. ng! They drew their weapons as soon as they spotted Tang So-mis group. Having lost two of her escort warriors, she yed herst card to avoid conflict. We have no intention of fighting. Hmph. Do you think we dont know youre trying to reap the benefits of our work! I give you my word, in the name of Tang So-mi of the Sichuan Tang n, that we mean no harm.Revealing her identity since her disguise was alreadypromised, she hoped her name would hold weight. Hahaha. Do you think that treacherous n name can protect you here? Hehehe. Instead of fear, they chose to eliminate her. Tang So-mi, always cautious, prepared to use poison while conversing with the new arrivals. Dont give her time to use poison! Attack! An old man in the rear shouted, swinging his iron staff, disrupting her chance to use poison. The four martial artists charged, and red energy emanated from the iron staff swung by the old man. Ugh The escort warrior who stepped forward to protect Tang So-mi was overwhelmed by the old mans attack, losing his stance. He was quickly killed by the four charging martial artists, leaving Tang So-mi and one escort warrior against the four attackers. ck w Blood Demon! Why now of all times. Distracted by the old man watching with his hands behind his back, Tang So-mi couldnt fight effectively, fearing the devastating martial arts she had witnessed earlier. Pressed into a dire situation, her and the remaining escort warriors lives were at constant risk. More neers have appeared! They emerged from inside!! The battlefield suddenly shifted. * * * Finish off that Tang n girl and her guard. Ill handle those neers. Hehehe. The ck w Blood Demon leisurely approached those who appeared with the treasure. He initially nned to navigate the Bi-dong alone but created temporary subordinates due to itsplexity and numerous traps. He had enticed the usable martial artists he met in the Bi-dong to serve under him. Hehehe. Ill dispose of them after we escape. They were merely temporary subordinates, as he was not the type to keep followers. He also felt no guilt, knowing they intended to kill him for the treasure eventually. Meanwhile, as the ck w Blood Demon approached Mu-jins group, Tang So-mi shouted urgently despite being in a critical situation. Be careful! That man is the infamous ck w Blood Demon! Though she couldnt recognize Mu-jins group due to their disguises, she extended her goodwill as a member of the righteous sect. Hahaha. Where are you looking! Her brief distraction cost her a slight injury, but her warning made Mu-jins groups eyes widen in shock. ck w Blood Demon!! The infamous one!! Wow!! Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul eximed in shock, prompting Mu-jin to frown and ask. Who is the ck w Blood Demon? A character who never appeared in the novel, Mu-jin had no idea. I dont know either. Me neither. Ha ha, I just mimicked because Senior Brother Mu-gung and Senior Brother Mu-gyeong seemed surprised. Then why did you pretend to be surprised? They said he was notorious, so I tried to act like I knew. Hmm. I thought Senior Brother Mu-gung knew. Haha. Mu-jin chuckled at their confident answers. Hehe. These young ones must have a death wish. Seeing them chatting in front of him, the ck w Blood Demon burst intoughter. Of course, only his mouth was smiling. His forehead bore the character for Heaven, and his eyes gleamed with murderous intent. Ill handle that old man. Go and help over there. Regardless, Mu-jin decided to help Tang So-mi first. Though he wanted to avoid getting entangled with the Tang n, the situation had escted to the point where he feltpelled to help. As he put down the treasure he was holding, hispanions also set down their burdens. A youngster wants to take me on alone? Hehe. The ck w Blood Demon smirked at the five openly discussing their n in front of him. As soon as the young man finished speaking, the other four started moving towards Tang So-mis group, ignoring him. Naturally, the ck w Blood Demon had no intention of letting the four pass by unharmed. Red energy began to swirl around the iron staff in his hand as he prepared to unleash his technique, Devil Spirit Red w. Boom!! With a thunderous sound, the youngster who had ignored him earlier came flying at an incredible speed. !!! The punch, thrown at near-transcendental speed, carried immense force that couldnt be ignored. Boom!! The ck w Blood Demon had to give up attacking the four who tried to pass by and block the punch from the youngster. Swish! In the meantime, the four youths passed by the ck w Blood Demon. If they had tried to attack him from the side or behind, he would likely have been injured. This moment showed just how inexperienced they were in realbat. Damn it!! Furious at being mocked by these youngsters, the ck w Blood Demon swung his iron staff with a shout. The ck w Blood Demon was a viin who had umted countless grudges through numerous heinous acts and was hunted by hundreds of martial artists. He had managed to escape from an almost inescapable siege and lived in seclusion in the mountains until his name was forgotten. But he hadnt just been idling away. His internal energy had grown immensely after twenty years of training in seclusion. As he swung his iron staff wildly, red energy filled the narrow passage of the cave like a, producing a deafening roar. Boom!!! The red energy created an enormous explosion. Did I get him? The ck w Blood Demon muttered the phrase he should never have uttered. Through the dust kicked up by the red, Mu-jin, cloaked in a golden aura, charged at the ck w Blood Demon. But the experienced viin reacted swiftly, narrowly evading Mu-jins punch with a stepping technique, then swung his iron staff with immense internal energy. Boom! In the fierce chase, Mu-jin blocked the ck w Blood Demons blood-red energy dozens of times. This notorious guy he is indeed a master. Mu-jin realized the extent of his opponents skill. His control over energy, his ability to measure distance, and his stepping techniques were all on par with Master Uncle Hye-gwan, whom Mu-jin had sparred with many times. And Mu-jin had never won a sparring match against Hye-gwan. Indeed, the ck w Blood Demon was elusive, constantly scattering energy, causing the protective aura of Mu-jins Golden Turtle Technique to waver and minor wounds to umte on his body. Despite this, Mu-jin did not entertain the thought of defeat. The reason was the significant difference between Hye-gwan and this viin. Old man. Hehe. Are you going to beg for your life now? The ck w Blood Demon sneered, but Mu-jin, far from begging, smirked in return. The ck w Blood Demons martial arts and techniques were all focused on massacring weaker opponents inrge numbers. Although someone could have developed such martial arts to challenge stronger opponents, he had never done so, even in situations where he was nearly captured. This convinced Mu-jin. Lets be honest, old man. Youve never fought someone stronger than yourself, have you? Unlike Master Uncle Hye-gwan, this guy was only good at bullying the weak. Hehe. A dying man hastens his death. Your evasive answer proves me right. Youre just a coward who runs away from stronger opponents, but kills weaker ones to satisfy your pride, arent you? You really want to die, dont you? Clearly hitting a nerve, the ck w Blood Demons facade of calmness began to crack, his forehead veins bulging. But instead of charging at him, Mu-jin added another provocative remark. By the way, old man, did you know? I was also balding. You brat!!! The ck w Blood Demon, enraged by Mu-jins seemingly nonsensical taunt, wildly swung his iron ws. The idea that this young man with a full head of hair could also be balding was pure provocation. Of course, Mu-jinsment was a reference to Choi Kang-hyuk, his former self. It was the damned hair loss that had led him to read martial arts novels and ultimately brought him to this world. Having shared the misery of hair loss, Mu-jin understood the sorrow of bald men better than anyone. Boom! Bursting through the red energy again, Mu-jinunched his Golden Locking Hand technique, aiming his grasp at the ck w Blood Demons head, specifically at the remaining hair. !!! The ck w Blood Demon hurriedly raised his iron ws to block Mu-jins grasp. Smack!! Ugh. But the Golden Locking Hand was just a feint. With the ck w Blood Demons defense down, Mu-jin drove his left fist into his opponents abdomen. The force of the blow caused the ck w Blood Demon to spew blood and copse to his knees. Mu-jin smirked as he gently touched his own hair. Well, not anymore. * * * Tang So-mi was in a daze. Neers had appeared and quickly dealt with the four martial artists who had cornered her. On top of that, a young man, seemingly her age, was single-handedly facing the infamous ck w Blood Demon. But what shocked her the most was: Ive seen that martial art somewhere. The golden aura used by the young man who defeated the ck w Blood Demon seemed incredibly familiar. Recognizing the martial art, she immediately identified Mu-jins true identity. Realizing who Mu-jin was, it wasnt hard to infer the identities of the others. Where did that red monkeye from, though? But thats not important. Could it be that the one who broke through all those traps was Mu-jin? She had encountered several traps on her way, which had torn her clothes and cost the lives of two of her escort warriors. The formidable martial artist who destroyed those dreadful traps to reach this pointshe now understood it was Mu-jin. I thought he was a master ever since his fight with Namgung Jin-cheon, but She realized she needed to reassess Mu-jins capabilities upward. While she was lost in thought, trying to gather herself, Mu-jin, who had defeated the ck w Blood Demon, approached her. My name is Kang-hyuk. How did you get here, youngdy? Though he used an alias, she decided to y along. Thank you for helping me, young hero. She thought it best not to reveal that she had recognized his identity. And I got here by simply choosing the crossroads. I meant, how did you find this cave? Do you know what this cave is? Tang So-mi tilted her head. How could she not know? This is the Sin-to Bi-dong. How do you know that? What do you mean? From Gan-yang-hyeon to Zhang Bodo, the news is widespread. Mu-jins face hardened at her words. She didnt understand his reaction, but for Mu-jin, it was serious. Damn. Was there a preliminary Zhang Bodo? If what she said was true, countless martial artists might have already entered the Sin-to Bi-dong. This could mean hundreds or thousands of battles just to get out with the treasure. Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Entrance of the Hidden Cave At the entrance of the hidden cave, martial artists continued to gather, now numbering over a thousand, exchanging nces and engaging in a silent standoff. Despite there being no one explicitly blocking the path, the reason they hesitated to enter was simple. Three dominant forces in SichuanSichuan Tang n, Emei Sect, and Qingcheng Secthad already sent their key martial artists inside. Of course, there were high-level practitioners among the gathered crowd, and many felt confident enough to face any one or two of those inside. However, with names like the Nine Great Sects and Five Noble Families, the groups inside were formidable, each consisting of dozens of members. The instant they encountered each other, it would be certain death. Damn it. As someone cursed at the reality that they had to yield once again to those three major forces, someone else offered a peculiar suggestion to the thousand-strong crowd.Why dont we all just wait here together? What do you mean, wait here? If whats written in the Zhang Bodo is true, theres only one entrance to that ce anyway! So rather than entering a hidden cave where we dont know what lies ahead, wouldnt it be better to wait here for them to bring out the treasure? !!! A few people who grasped the meaning behind the suggestion had their eyes light up, and soon others began to understand as well. Right. With over a thousand martial artists here, even the Emei, Qingcheng, or Tang n would struggle to handle all of us! ording to rumors, those three dont get along very well, so theres a good chance theyve weakened each other inside the cave. The eyes of the martial artists, who were considering giving up and going back, now gleamed with renewed greed. The man who first made the suggestion faintly smiled as he felt the dark aura of desire spread. Surprisingly, he was certain that there was only one entrance to that cave. Hehehe. No one will be able to get out of here easily. Considering the immense value of the treasures, weapons, and martial arts manuals within the cave, at least a few thousand martial artists had to die here. To ensure this, the caves entrance was designed to have only one point of entry, by the force he belonged to. * * * Seeing Mu-jin suddenly adopting a serious expression, Mu-yul tilted his head and spoke. Mu As he was about to call Mu-jin by his real name, Mu-gyeong covered his mouth. Ahem. Choi Kang-hyuk, whats wrong? Mu-gyeong, unaware that Tang So-mi had noticed something, tried to conceal their identity by using a pseudonym for Mu-jin. In response to Mu-gyeongs question, Mu-jin spoke. It seems were a step toote. Others have gathered here. Oh While Mu-gyeong and Mu-gung quickly understood the situation, Mu-yul and those at the Cheongsu Dojang did not. Why is that a problem, Mu I mean, Choi Kang-hyuk Dowu? If we try to take out the treasure, well likely have to fight all the martial artists who have gathered here. That could mean hundreds, if not thousands, of martial artists. Then, why dont we just leave the treasure? Even if we leave the treasure, they will still suspect us since we came out from the inside. The innocent children couldnt understand Mu-jins exnation. If we dont have the treasure, why would they suspect us? They might think we hid small treasures or martial arts manuals in our clothes. Theyd probably want to search our bodies. Then we can just let them search us. What if they suddenly attack or hit our pressure points? Hmm? Why would they do that? . Mu-jin realized how hard it was to exin the ugliness of humans driven mad by treasures or martial arts manuals to these innocent kids. Anyway, thats the situation. If we leave the treasure, the martial artists who have gathered here will start killing each other. More than a thousand might die. Oh Then, what should we do!? But the thought of so many people potentially dying made the childrens faces turn serious. We need to think of a solution. It would be great if we could find a hidden exit. Despite knowing the unlikelihood, Mu-jin muttered this. A trapden ce like this was unlikely to have a secret exit. But then, unexpectedly Uki! Ukikiki! **Ling-lings Sudden Behavior** Ling-ling, who had been guiding Mu-jin and his party to the treasure, suddenly started barking and leaped off Mu-yuls head. Huh? Ling-ling then began running on all fours towards the fork in the path they had previously passed. Feeling puzzled yet hopeful, they quickly gathered their treasures again and chased after Ling-ling. ??? Tang So-mi, who couldnt grasp the situation, and a surviving escort warrior also followed them. We need to keep them from getting up. During the chase, Tang So-mi scattered some sleep-inducing and other poisons in the cavity. After passing two forks in the path, Tang So-mi also arrived at the ce that Mu-jins party had discovered. On the wall, there were night pearls embedded, chests filled with gold and silver treasures, a disy of valuable weapons, and shelves lined with martial arts manuals. It was truly a jackpot, but it seemed impossible to sneak out unnoticed no matter how one looked at it. Meanwhile Ling-ling, who led them back to that location, barked while pointing at the wall with the night pearls. Uki! Ukiki!! Ling-ling says theres winding from there, tranted Mu-yul, which made Mu-jins eyes light up. Wind ising through? When he thought about it, this hidden cave was quite strange. The ce they had reached was a considerable distance from the cave entrance. A cave dug into the mountainside, deep within. Naturally, there should have been a severeck of oxygen. Mu-jin approached the wall Ling-ling was pointing at and noticed tiny holes in the shadows cast by the light of the night pearls. And indeed, as Ling-ling said, a faint breeze was blowing through those holes. Uki! Ukikiki!! Ling-ling says the wind is strongest from that wall, so it thought this was the exit and came here. . To think that such a long meaning was contained in just two barks. More importantly, how does he understand that? The thought briefly crossed Mu-jins mind, but he dismissed it as it wasnt important at the moment. Atst, he understood how Ling-ling had found the path in the hidden cave. Due to the darkness of the cave, they hadnt noticed, but it seemed there were small venttion holes throughout the cave. Ling-ling wasnt finding treasures but choosing paths with the strongest breeze at each fork. Mu-jin thought that a strong breeze likely indicated a wall closest to the outside. Right. Theres nothing to lose. With this thought, Mu-jin reached out and ced his hand on the wall with the embedded night pearls. Then he began digging through the wall with his bare hands like a mole. What, what are you doing? Surprised by his actions, hispanions asked, and Mu-jin replied while continuing to dig. What does it look like? If theres no exit, Ill just make one! What do you mean Tang So-mi was astounded by Mu-jins simple and straightforward solution. Digging a hole in a cave on a mountainside was a reckless act that could bury them all under a pile of dirt if anything went wrong. Yeah! Haha. As expected of Choi Kang-hyuk Dowu. To think of such a simple solution. For some reason, Mu-jinspanions brightlyughed as if they had heard an excellent idea. Move aside. Let me st a big hole instead. Mu-gung, feeling confident after consuming the miraculous elixir, stepped forward to use the Tathagata Palm, but Mu-jin rebuked him. Are you crazy? Do you want us all buried alive? Huh? Ill dig safely. You all stay at the front of the cavity and block any other martial artists froming here. Alright Feeling chastised, Mu-gung, contrary to hisrge size, drooped his shoulders and stepped back. After hispanions, Tang So-mi, and the escort warrior returned to the cavity, Mu-jin resumed his work alone. With overwhelming strength and skin tough enough to withstand metal, he dug through the rocks and soil of the cave wall. And with the remaining internal energy Wiiiing. Using the Golden Turtle Technique, Mu-jin created a golden barrier above his head. This was to prevent the ceiling from copsing as he made his way through. With his hands clearing the path, he reinforced the ceiling with the Golden Turtle Technique. While Mu-jin was creating a way out on his own, Ill take over this time. Hmm, is it my turn now? The group took turns facing the martial artists who asionally arrived at the cave. Mu-yul, Mu-gyeong, Mu-gung, the Cheongsu Dojang members, Tang So-mi, and her bodyguards, totaling six people, fought in shifts while practicing Qi Conducting Techniques. They look like theyre in some kind of sparring match. Though Tang So-mi found it an absurd sight, having narrowly escaped death multiple times in this cave, she couldnt deny the strange spectacle. Hahaha, its truly delightful to have an endless stream of sparring partners! Lets go, Ling-ling! Ookki!! The most astonishing part was the skill level of the Muja Quartet. Even disregarding Cheongsu Dojang, the other three seemed to have improved significantly since the Yongbongji Conference, in less than a month. As a result, the number of martial artists lying sprawled on the ground steadily increased in the spacious cave. Tang So-mi was further bewildered by the fact that they subdued all opponents without killing any of them. When the number of subdued martial artists exceeded thirty, Ookki! Ookkikki!! Suddenly, Ling-ling started barking. It seems Choi Kang-hyuk has cleared the path! A strong wind is blowing in! Indeed, just as Ling-ling said, upon returning to the treasure room, they found a newly dug tunnelrge enough for a person to pass through. Phew. In front of it, Mu-jin was catching his breath, having just returned from clearing the exit. Now we just need to take these treasures and leave but it looks like well need to make two or three trips. Leaving the treasures behind would lead to a deadly struggle, but carrying them all at once was impossible with their current numbers. They would have to transport the treasures to a safe location outside and make multiple trips. While contemting this issue, Step, step. They heard the faint sound of footsteps from beyond the cave. Naturally, Mu-jins group prepared for battle. Soon, martial artists dressed in green uniforms appeared from the dark crossroads. Elder! So-mi! They were the Sichuan Tang n martial artists who hade to find Tang So-mi. They had managed to reach this treacherous ce without losing any members, though they had encountered numerous traps. Although they were elite Tang n martial artists, their easy arrival was due to another reason. What were you thinking,ing to such a dangerous ce alone? I didnte alone. I brought my guards with me. Thats not what I meant! But thanks to me, you found this ce easily, didnt you? Sigh Alright. Well discuss this further once we return to the n. Tang So-mis confident reply made Elder Dang Taeryeong sigh deeply. The reason they had found the ce so easily was thanks to the unique Thousand-League Tracking Incense that Tang So-mi had spread while breaking through the cave. Only the well-trained martial artists of the Sichuan Tang n could detect this special scent. Tang So-mi had originallye to investigate the situation, not to find treasures, and had left the scent trail for the following Tang n martial artists to find her. Pointing to the n members she had led here, Tang So-mi said brightly, Now we can leave right away, right? We have people to carry the treasures! * * * Meanwhile, A strange tension filled the air among the thousand martial artists gathered at the entrance of the cave. Why hasnt anyonee out yet? Could there be another exit inside? They had been camped there since noon, and now the sky had turned crimson. Ah, they must not have found the treasure yet. Lets wait just a little longer. The subordinate of the hidden forces, who had proposed the alliance, wiped his sweating forehead in response to the impatient questions of some martial artists. Despite all the traps, with the Tang n, Emei Sect, and Qingcheng Sect inside, they havent found the treasure yet? He was confident that there was no other exit in the cave and couldntprehend the current situation. Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Secret Cave While the guards at the cave entrance were idly wasting time. Mu-jin, hispanions, and the martial artists of the Sichuan Tang n were gathering treasures. They each started moving through a small hole that they had made. Time was not on their side, so the size of the hole was just slightlyrger than Mu-jins build. It was wide enough for one person to barely squeeze through unless they were exceptionally small. Mu-gung, who wasrger than Mu-jin, had to practically contort his body to pass through the hole. As they were escaping one by one through the hole and moving to the opposite side of the cave entrance, halfway up the mountain. Catch them! You wont escape so easily! Unfortunately, disruptors appeared.And they werent just any adversaries; they were quite numerous. Moreover, they werent simply many in number. The new arrivals were Taoists and nuns, martial artists from the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect. Initially, the Qingcheng and Emei Sects, who had each breached different parts of the cave, decided to pursue the Tang n just in case. After all, apart from the Tang n, there were no significantpetitors to worry about. If the Tang n were wiped out while breaking through traps, they could simply move to another side. If the Sichuan Tang n obtained the treasures, they nned to ambush them. At thest moment, Mu-jin and Elder Tang Taeryeong, who intended to be thest to leave the cave, were intercepted. Elder Tang Taeryeong, in a fit of rage, shouted. Cowards! Youve been following us! Hahaha. Itsughable to hear cowards who use poison and hidden weapons call others cowards. Even the Original Patriarch wouldugh. But what came back was only the sneering of Cheongpung, the elder of the Qingcheng Sect. Just as the enraged Elder Tang Taeryeong was about to use poison. C Do not kill! Just use incapacitating poison! Mu-jins urgent voice transmitted to his ear. It was well-known not only here but in many martial arts stories that the Sichuan Tang n always repays their debts, whether of grace or vengeance. * * * While moving with the Tang n martial artists, Mu-jin realized something very important. This is a sweet deal. As they descended the mountain, there were no lunatics to bother them. Even though they were carrying treasures and weapons openly, without any carriages. In a way, it was natural. In the cave, murder and extermination were possible, but in an open area like this, it was madness to confront dozens of Tang n martial artists. To kill them all and take the treasures, dozens or even hundreds would have to attack. If such arge number moved in this area, news would inevitably reach the Tang n. After that They would live in constant fear, not knowing when they might be poisoned or struck by hidden weapons for the rest of their lives. So, using the Tang n martial artists asborers and guards, they movedfortably for a long time. Hey, can I ask you something? Elder Tang Taeryeong, who was moving with them, spoke to Mu-jin. Please, go ahead. Why did you stop me? To prevent a bloodbath in Sichuan. Hmm I thought so, but to think that was really the reason. Saving our youngdy as well, today Ive seen a friend who truly deserves the title of hero. Hahaha. Elder Tang Taeryeong let out a rare heartyugh. He also knew. If he had spread lethal poison and killed many disciples of Emei and Qingcheng there, it could have led to a full-scale war between the Tang n and those sects, which were already engaged in a battle of wits. And it wouldnt have ended as a simple fight between the Tang n, Emei, and Qingcheng. Given the size and influence of the three major forces in Sichuan, they had numerous affiliated ns under them. Additionally, there were other sects and forces connected to the vested interests of the three sects. Countless martial artists would have died, and if arge number of civilians were killed in the process, even the royal court might have intervened. Mu-jin had another reason for stopping Elder Tang Taeryeong. Things are already tangled, and if he had killed Qingcheng or Emei disciples, it would have been uncontroble. In fact, Mu-jin hesitated to ept Tang So-mis proposal for this reason. When he went to the Tang n, he was not worried that they might kill them out of greed for the treasures. In the original history described in the second part of the novel, the ultimate victors of the Secret Cave Incident were the Emei and Qingcheng alliance. The Qingcheng and Emei alliance used the wealth and power gained from the treasures to pressure the Sichuan Tang n. In the process of resisting that pressure, the Tang n allied with shadowy forces. Preventing this was his goal, not directly interacting with the Tang n. Therefore, he nned to clear out the Secret Cave in advance. However, things were already deviating from Mu-jins n. Since the n was off track, Mu-jin needed time to consider his next steps. After contemting while moving with the Tang n martial artists, he concluded. Since itse to this, its better to move actively. Rather than just taking the treasures and leaving, he decided it would be better to use the Tang n to clean up Sichuan a bit. And for this, he needed to confirm a few things. Tang So-mi. Yes, please speak, Young Hero. She answered without showing that she had noticed Mu-jins identity. Do you remember the time when you obtained the Zhang Bodo from the Secret Cave? It was around the early hours of the Rabbit (5-7 AM). I heard the news while resting at the vi in Gan-yang-hyeon. Mu-jin nodded slightly at her answer. I knew it. They had a backup Zhang Bodo. Mu-jins group moved to raid the Taeeulmun around the early hours of the Tiger (3-5 AM). Even considering the time spent fighting and cleaning up after finding the hidden Zhang Bodo, it was at most half an hour. It meant the Zhang Bodo had started spreading in Gan-yang-hyeon half an hour after they left. Unless they had prepared in advance, it was an impossible speed. But why do you ask? Tang So-mi asked with curiosity, but instead of answering, Mu-jin added another question. Ill exinter. Did you head straight there after obtaining the Zhang Bodo? Yes. Was it for the treasure? Honestly, it was to prevent Qingcheng or Emei from getting the treasure. I thought waiting for a letter to reach the main family in Chengdu would be toote, so I nned to go first and gather information. Isnt Qingcheng or Emei also based in Chengdu? Moreover, their sects are located in the mountains, so they should be slower than the Tang n? They have affiliated ns and rted people. I heard that Qingcheng and Emeis affiliated ns disciples were seen moving urgently in Gan-yang-hyeon. Its early morning during the hours of the Rabbit. How did you get such information? Though Tang So-mi tilted her head at Mu-jins continuous questions, she soon pointed to the bodyguard standing next to her. In the morning, I noticed some chaos outside, so I went to check. The Taeeulmun mansion was on fire, and Zhang Bodo was scattered around. The taciturn bodyguard exined, and Mu-jin nodded. I see. Now that I think about it, we havent introduced ourselves properly. My name is Kang Hyuk. I am Tang Hyeok-soo, responsible for Miss Tang So-mis security. While exchanging greetings with the bodyguard, Mu-jin had to manage his expression carefully. I found him. The name he had seen in the novel had popped up. * * * Without any further obstacles, Mu-jins group and the Tang n martial artists reached Tangjata, the area where the Tang n resided. The atmosphere there was rather grim, as if preparing for an imminent war. Its Elder Tang Taeryeong! Miss Tang So-mi has returned too! However, the vigers cheered loudly upon recognizing them. It seemed the tension from the Secret Cave incident had affected the entire vige. Tang So-mi, Elder Tang Taeryeong, and the Tang n martial artists exchanged brief conversations with the vigers and received their warm hospitality as they headed to the main family of the Sichuan Tang n, a grand mansion. Mu-jins group was treated with considerable hospitality, as they had saved Tang So-mi. After soaking in warm water and enjoying a sumptuous meal (which, of course, included a variety of meat and fish dishes, but they were now used to it), Have you checked all the secret manuals? Mu-jin asked Mu-gyeong, who was reviewing the manuals they had looted from the Secret Cave. Ive skimmed through them once. Some seem useful, and there are some peculiar ones. Peculiar ones? Yes. There were some martial arts that seemed to be stolen by the thieves from other sects, like ascending martial arts in fist and sword techniques, and some martial arts that seemed to be used by the thieves themselves. Mu-gyeong handed a few manuals forward as he spoke. There were techniques like the Golden Locking Hand for theft and rope handling skills for securing treasures, but the martial arts that caught Mu-jins eye were different. [Phantom Step], [Shadow Art] Just from the names, Mu-jin had a feeling, but he asked to confirm. What were these two about? Both are simr. Phantom Step allows you to move without a sound, as if you have no feet, and Shadow Art lets you blend into the darkness, erasing your presence. Mu-gyeong exined, and Mu-gung, who was listening, snorted. These martial arts dont suit us. Us presumably referred to the Shaolin. Despite being a Buddhist sect, the Shaolin was known for its upright and honorable nature, fitting the term righteous path. However, Can you break down the essence of these two manuals into a book for me to readter? Mu-jin intended to learn both of these techniques. Despite his experience in the special forces, where he was somewhat adept at hiding and stealth, it was only effective against unsuspecting or ordinary people. Experts could enhance their senses with internal energy and even detect things that couldnt be perceived by the five senses. Therefore, learning these two techniques would allow him to use his special forces stealth skills even against experts. It will be very usefulter. Considering he had to deal with the shadowy forces scheming in the dark, these two techniques were the greatest harvest from the Secret Cave. * * * After that, Mu-jins group continued to rest at a mansion-like pavilion. Mu-yul yed in the yard with Ling-ling, Mu-gyeong read the manuals, and Cheongsu Dojang conversed with his sword. Meanwhile, a visitor arrived at the pavilion. Or rather, the owner came. A Tang n martial artist came to convey the family heads message. Young Hero Kang. The family head wishes to speak with you. Understood. Mu-jin dly epted the invitation. He needed to meet and talk with the Tang ns family head anyway. To deal with the matter rted to the person he met earlier in the day, Tang Hyeok-soo. Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Special report Following behind the guide, Mu-jin soon arrived at a grand pavilion. Inside, the head of the Tang n, Tang Pae-jin, was present along with Tang So-mi, several young men, and the n elders. Judging by their appearance, the young men seemed to be the n leaders sons and Tang So-mis brothers. Haha! You are more imposing than I imagined, young hero! Thank you for saving my sister, young hero Kang! Our Tang n will not forget the favor you have done for our youngdy. Contrary to their reputation for being narrow-minded, they greeted Mu-jin with heartyughter. If there is anythingcking in our hospitality, please do not hesitate to tell us. We will provide whatever you need, young hero Kang.Even Tang Pae-jin, the n leader, wore a friendly smile. The current hospitality is more than enough. Thank you, n Leader. Mu-jin responded to Tang Pae-jins question and discreetly sent a message. C n Leader, may we speak in private? C Please wait a moment. Tang Pae-jin, experienced as the leader of a powerful faction, maintained his smile without revealing any sign of having received the message. However, Mu-jin and Tang Pae-jin did not immediately get a chance to speak privately. n Leader! Urgent news! The Qingcheng Sect and the Emei Sect are approaching with their disciples! The sudden report prompted the Tang n to enter a state of alert. Young hero Kang, please return and restfortably. We will handle this matter. Confidently saying this, Tang Pae-jin led the elders and Tang So-mi out. How can I rest easy when a battle is about to break out right outside? Receiving guidance from a warrior, Mu-jin returned to the mansion, briefly exined the situation to hispanions, and headed to the front gate with them. There, an intense atmosphere ready to explode at any moment had formed. Taoists and Buddhist nuns dressed in their respective robes had gathered, surrounded by the Tang n members. On the fortress-like walls of the Tang ns main residence, Tang Pae-jin and the ns warriors faced them. It seemed a battle could break out any moment, yet many onlookers watched from afar, as if enjoying the spectacle. Elder Tang Taeryeong! Do you think you can attack the disciples of our Qingcheng and Emei Sects and get away with it?! A Taoist stepped forward and shouted, making Mu-jin smirk. He recognized the man. Though he didnt know the name or nickname, he was the man Mu-jin had met at the end of the Divine Thiefs cave. Elder Tang Taeryeong, enraged by the mans arrogance, shouted back. Cheongpung Sword, how dare you speak such words after aiming your swords at us first! We merely held our swords for precaution! And didnt you use poison on us first? I only spread paralysis and scatter poisons as a precaution! Isnt that why youre all still alive? Such despicable methods are truly disgraceful! What did you say?! Despicable? As they exchanged harsh words, Mu-jin thought. What nonsense is this? Why were they exchanging words so fiercely when it seemed like a war could break out any moment? Soon, he realized the answer. Some of the warriors from the Tang n, Qingcheng, and Emei were subtly ncing at the onlookers. Its a battle for justification. Tsk. They were mindful of the onlookers who had gathered around. Being part of the orthodox factions, they were engaging in a political battle, trying to establish that we are the good guys and they are the bad guys before the actual fight. Cheongpung Sword and Elder Tang Taeryeong shouting with internal energy seemed part of this effort to ensure everyone could hear them. Then, an elderly nun standing beside Cheongpung Sword joined in. The Tang ns despicable ways are known throughout Sichuan! Didnt you kidnap people from the Divine Thiefs cave for the treasures? At first, Mu-jin couldnt understand what she meant. Kidnapping? Who? Then, he realized who she was referring to. Are they talking about us? Mu-jin smirked at their tant maniption. They were framing the Tang n as the viins to make it seem like they were rescuing them. Their motive was obvious. Theyre after the treasures we obtained from the Divine Thiefs cave. While Mu-jin smirked at the orthodox factions tactics, the two factions continued their heated exchange. Kidnapping? We were merely escorting them safely with the treasures! Just as you aimed your swords at us in the cave, someone else could have attacked them! We are treating them as honored guests! Hahaha! Who in Sichuan would believe that? Unable to watch their foolish behavior any longer, Mu-jin finally stepped forward. I am Kang Hyuk, who escaped the Divine Thiefs cave with the help of the Tang n! Suddenly, with the actual person involved stepping out, all eyes turned to Mu-jin. Despite the situation, Qingcheng and Emei remained confident, even though their deceit was about to be exposed. We appreciate the concern from the Qingcheng and Emei Sects, but mypanions and I are being treated with utmost care by the Tang n, so theres no need to worry! You heard that! Young hero Kang is being treated well! Despite Elder Tang Taeryeongs triumphant shout, Qingcheng and Emei had clearly anticipated this situation. People of Sichuan! Did you hear that? The Tang n must have poisoned young hero Kang and hispanions! They must be forced to support the Tang n because of the poison! Thats right! This is how the Tang n uses poison. Everyone! It was then that Mu-jin realized why they remained confident despite his appearance. The truth didnt matter. The preconceived notion that the Tang n used poison and hidden weapons was all that mattered. You bastards! Are you trying to nder us?! As the Tang n members were on the verge of losing their temper, Mu-jin felt a headacheing on. Supporting the Tang n seemed like it would lead to war, and switching sides to Qingcheng and Emei felt like ying into the hands of the shadowy forces. Finding a solution didnt fit Mu-jins personality either. So, Mu-jin chose an option he could handle. Ah, this is too noisy. The world he had entered was the martial arts world from the novels he admired during his school days. Why was a martial arts novel called a martial arts novel? Because it was about performing righteous deeds through martial arts. It usually meant defeating the viins with strength. In other words, the strongest was considered righteous. Lets settle this like martial artists, with a duel. Mu-jin boldly proposed a match. * * * Cheongpung Sword, who had been leading the Qingcheng Sects representatives, barely hid his sneer as he asked. A duel? Do you mean a duel between us and the Tang n? Having gathered such arge crowd, they had anticipated a duel rather than a war. The Tang ns hidden weapons and poisons were better suited for war than for a duel. However, Mu-jins response shattered his expectations. What nonsense are you talking about? A duel with me. A duel with you? What do you mean? I decide where I stay. If you want to take me, win the duel. Ah! How about this? I will share the treasures from the Divine Thiefs cave with anyone who defeats me. Hahaha! Mu-jins provocative words changed the atmosphere. The elders of Emei and Qingcheng quickly exchanged nces. Even some of the onlookers, watching from afar, lit up with interest. They seemed eager to join in and im the treasures. In the midst of this, Mu-jin added with a heartyugh. I was nning to travel the central ins and challenge others anyway. This is a great opportunity! Haha. Surely, the distinguished disciples of Qingcheng and Emei wont send elders or first-ss disciples against a mere young hero like me. Hahaha! Mu-jins quick thinking made the elders of Emei and Qingcheng grimace. Indeed, well said! Mu-jins words garnered support from those among the spectators who were tempted by the treasures. If Qingcheng or Emei sent their first-ss disciples or elders, they had no chance, but they might have a shot if it was a duel between post-advanced disciples. Haha. Would the renowned disciples of Daoism and Buddhism bully a young hero in such a manner? Seeing Mu-jin give Qingcheng and Emei a taste of their own medicine, the Tang n members, who had been enraged, now stood behind Mu-jin, except for one. Father, theres no need to worry. Tang So-mi cautiously spoke to Tang Pae-jin, whose expression was stiff. Young hero Kang will not lose. She had not revealed Mu-jins true identity to anyone. Hence, only she knew. Unless the opponents were first-ss disciples or elders, no warrior could defeat Kang Hyuk. Just a month ago, this young hero had won the Yongbongji Conference and was considered the best post-advanced disciple in the world. Still, even as she spoke confidently, she couldnt help but worry. She sent a message to Mu-jin. C Arent you trying to keep your identity hidden? Using your martial arts will inevitably reveal it. Mu-jin flinched momentarily at her message but quickly regained hisposure. So she did notice. He had managed to defeat the ck w Blood Demon by exploiting its weaknesses, but since its level wasparable to Hye-gwans, he couldnt hide his skills. After dealing with the ck w Blood Demon, he had been slightly uneasy. He had only felt reassured because Tang So-mi acted as if she hadnt noticed anything. Initially, Mu-jin hadnt felt the need to hide his martial arts while embarking on his martial arts journey. Most of his martial arts were derived from Shaolin techniques. Therefore, he thought no one would recognize him as a Shaolin disciple even if he used his martial arts. I didnt expect the rumors to spread so quickly. When the head of Taeeulmun had immediately called him Shaolin Dragon after the Yongbongji Conference, he realized he needed to hide his martial arts. Initially, Mu-jin didnt even realize that title referred to him. He had been in the mountains searching for opportunities right after the conference. C Dont worry. Mu-jin replied to Tang So-mis message and boldly stepped forward. He had proposed the duel with the intention of hiding his martial arts. He had a specific strategy in mind. Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Special Martial Arts Chapter 2 It seemed that neither Qingcheng nor Emei had decided who would step forward, as they continued to exchange nces. If no one intends to step forward, please disperse now, dered Mu-jin confidently. After a long period of hesitation, a Taoist from the Qingcheng Sect stepped forward. I am Feng Yun, the second-ss disciple of Qingcheng Sect. He appeared to be in his early to mid-thirties. Qingyun Defends Against Evil! The Qingcheng Sect seems determined! Although this character did not appear in the novel, the spectators reactions indicated that he was a well-known master. C Be careful. As you may know, this Taoist reached the third round of the Yongbongji Conferencest time.Mu-jin, who was unaware of this, received this warning from Tang So-mi through a telepathic message. The Yongbongji Conference is a martial arts tournament held every ten years. Advancing to the third round (quarter-finals) in the previous conference meant that ten years had already passed since then. Considering the changes that can ur in a decade, this opponent was quite dangerous. However, Mu-jin did not pay much attention to Tang So-mis advice and greeted Feng Yun with a bow. Though he found the formal fist greeting slightly awkward due to his habit of performing the half-bow often used in the novel, he managed. I am Kang-hyuk. Feng Yun frowned at Mu-jins greeting and asked, Which sect do you belong to? You probably havent heard of it. Its not a sect based in the Central ins. Still, tell me. I hail from a distant easternnd, from the Special Martial Arts School. Special Martial Arts you say? Feng Yun looked puzzled. Of course, he wouldnt know. I just made it up. The name wasntpletely fabricated; it was derived from the Special Forces. The techniques Mu-jin intended to use in this duel were practical martial arts he had learned during his time in the Special Forces. He had used these techniques against Mu-gung in the past and also during Yeon Ga-hees seventieth birthday celebration against Ryu Seol-hos bodyguard. Since it wasnt used in the Yongbongji Conference, no one will know. While Mu-jin was lost in his thoughts, a peculiar expression appeared on Feng Yuns facea mix of relief andcency. He thinks its an unknown school, huh. Mu-jin didnt mind. If his opponent underestimated him, it would make things easier. Helle to his senses after a few hits. Lets start, shall we? Mu-jin asked. Very well. Feng Yun drew his sword in response to Mu-jins question. Observing Feng Yuns posture, Mu-jin turned slightly to the side and assumed his stance. To effectively deliver punches and grappling moves, his hands were half-clenched, with his left foot and left hand forward and his right hand and right foot back. He slightly bent his lower body for flexibility and leaned his upper body slightly forward, ready to tackle at any moment. It was the most basic stance often seen in mixed martial arts matches. In reality, the martial arts taught in the South Korean Special Forces, Special Martial Arts, were based on Hapkido and Jujitsu, with additional training for handling military weapons likebat knives and entrenching tools. Despite the long-established training regime, modern martial arts techniques were being incorporated into it. As Feng Yun took note of Mu-jins unusual posture, an unfamiliar stance from an unknown school made him uneasy. Still, despite his underestimation, he did not let his guard down entirely. After all, he was there to secure the sects interests and had umted some experience by his thirties. Feng Yun of Qingyun Defends Against Evil. He mastered Qingyuns Red Mist Sword, one of Qingcheng Sects unique skills, earning his title by killing numerous evil practitioners. His sword began to move, and a blue sword aura emanated like mist. Right from the start, he deployed the Qingyun Red Mist Sword, a technique embodying the natural transformation of time with its blue clouds and red dusk. The initial attack was a pure blue, gradually turning red. However, having in numerous evil practitioners, Feng Yun had a different interpretation of his swordsmanship. The blue clouds will inevitably be stained red with the blood of the enemies. And once again, he was confident his blue clouds would be dyed red with the blood of this man named Kang-hyuk. Whoosh! However, with a simple step back, Mu-jin easily evaded the first strike. Unfazed, Feng Yun continued to release blue sword energy, expanding his aura like clouds to dominate the space. Meanwhile, Mu-jin utilized the Golden Turtle Technique with his hands to deflect the iing aura, making it appear as if he was using his fists. There seems to be some skill! Feng Yun eximed, feigning excitement while raising his energy further. As his sword technique transitioned, the blue mist gradually turned red. Try to block this! Feng Yun shouted confidently as he increased his offensive. At that moment, Mu-jin, who had been dodging sideways and backward, suddenly lunged forward. He waited for Feng Yun to make arger move, ensuring his opponent underestimated him. Mu-jins reason was simple. Since he had to conceal his martial arts, he couldnt fully utilize the Golden Turtle Technique or the Fast Ascent Step. Although his clothes were torn and blood sttered from the red aura during the lunge, Mu-jin managed to grab Feng Yuns knees with both hands. Simultaneously, he pulled at Feng Yuns knees with his hands and pushed his upper body with his shoulder, executing a perfect tackle. Ugh! As Feng Yun groaned from the forced impact with the ground, Mu-jin swiftly pinned his arms to prevent any counterattacks. He wasnt just stopping him from wielding his sword; he aimed to prevent any deadly techniques like the Golden Locking Hand from being used. In previous encounters, Mu-jin had learned that submission techniques could be highly dangerous against skilled opponents. Even a light touch could be lethal due to the existence of pressure points and internal energy in this world. If only I could use the Golden Turtle Technique to defend myself while applying submissions. This was Mu-jins goal, but since he couldnt use it now, he first subdued his opponents hands. Utilizing his superior strength, he pinned Feng Yuns arms to his chest with one hand and gripped Feng Yuns neck with the other. Will you surrender? Feng Yun quickly realized the immense strength in Mu-jins grip and, struggling, admitted defeat. I concede. Being pinned to the ground and choked was humiliating, and Feng Yuns face turned red with shame. But to Mu-jins surprise We do not ept this! Some elders from the Qingcheng Sect shouted, veins bulging in their necks. Is this so-called martial arts, mere street brawler techniques? Theres no difference from a back alley thug! Mu-jin smirked at their tant disdain and responded, So youre saying Feng Yun was defeated by a thugs techniques? !!! That, thats unreasonable Youre the unreasonable ones! While the Qingcheng elders were momentarily silenced, the Tang family vigorously supported Mu-jin. Ahem! We acknowledge the martial arts! But this was a duel. Therefore, since Kang-hyuk was already cut before he overpowered Feng Yun, we can consider him defeated! Right! Even sustaining such wounds, he is clearly defeated! How could he attack while Feng Yun showed mercy? You mean this? Mu-jin pointed at his wound, now openly mocking their objections. Then he tore his shirt as if it were paper. Revealed beneath were robust, granite-like muscles. Although there were scratches from the duel, his sturdy build made them seem like mere superficial cracks. Practicing external energy techniques means these scratches are nothing. The sight of Mu-jins imposing physique and his dismissive words left the Qingcheng martial artists speechless. The surrounding atmosphere was already in favor of Mu-jin. C Its fine. Weve gauged his martial arts. Our Emei Sect will handle it from here. Amitabha. The Emei Sect nunsmunicated telepathically to the Qingcheng elders. Ahem We ept defeat. Then, Emei Sect will challenge next. Kang-hyuk. Though it was clear what Qingcheng and Emei had discussed, Mu-jin readily epted the challenge. Fine. He preferred resolving disputes with fists rather than words. As soon as Mu-jin agreed, an Emei Sect nun stepped forward. I am Gye-ryun, the second-ss disciple of Emei Sect. Amitabha. I am Kang-hyuk of Special Martial Arts School. As they exchanged greetings, Mu-jin analyzed his opponent. Shes unarmed, indicating theyve devised a strategy. Emei Sect was known for its swordsmanship despite being a Buddhist sect. But this opponent was barehanded, suggesting she intended to use Golden Locking Hand techniques to target pressure points during the grapple. However, they misunderstood one crucial fact: Mu-jins weapon wasnt only external martial arts and submission techniques. The duel began, and Mu-jin took a step forward. Rather than a long-range confrontation, he opted for closebat. As soon as Mu-jin feigned a tackle by lowering his upper body, Gye-ryun, as expected, attempted to use Golden Locking Hand to target his pressure points. But instead of grabbing her knees as he had done before, Mu-jin pulled back and threw a light left jab at Gye-ryuns face. In modern terms, it was a fake tackle followed by a left jab. Although Gye-ryun barely managed to block Mu-jins left punch, she quickly found herself overwhelmed by a barrage of light but powerful jabs from Mu-jin, both left and right. Though they appeared light, Mu-jins immense strength and internal energy made them devastating. Gye-ryuns defense began to falter. Desperately, she tried to escape by using her footwork, but Mu-jin relentlessly pursued her. Bam! Her defenses finally copsed, and Mu-jins left punchnded squarely on Gye-ryuns face. With that single blow, the duel ended. Though he had pulled his punch to avoid killing her, Mu-jins formidable strength was still overwhelming. Silence enveloped the area as Mu-jin stood victorious against the second-ss disciples of the Nine Great Sects with unheard-of martial arts from an unheard-of school. However, regardless of the surrounding atmosphere, Mu-jin gazed at the nun lying unconscious on the ground and cracked his neck. Next. In the cold silence, the only sound was the faint cracking of his joints. Chapter 137: Chapter 137: If Youre Scared, Just Die Amidst the unexpected series of defeats, the Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect were bewildered. I will go next! What nonsense! I will step forward first! Suddenly, a few warriors among the spectators began to step forward. They believed that their opportunity was over due to Mu-jins deration of next, assuming that it was the end for Emei and Qingcheng. Of course, Emei and Qingcheng found it hard to ept this situation. The problem was: Even Feng Yun lost, and so did Qingchengs Gye-ryun. To defeat that Choi Kang-hyuk or whatever his name is, at least a first-ss disciple must step forwardThe two who had fought in thepetition were the highest-ranking second-ss disciples present here. Moreover, both of them had lost to an unheard-of novice, resulting in aplete disgrace. Naturally, Emei and Qingcheng were in a dilemma. C What is your n? Amitabha. C We cant just leave like this. C Then, do you intend to send out a first-ss disciple? If so, all the martial artists in Sichuan willugh at us. C Weve already been disgraced! Rather than return empty-handed after being shamed, its better to retrieve something even if we suffer greater disgrace. C So, who do you n to send out? If we lose again, there will be no choice but to go to full-scale war. Amitabha. C Having already prepared for disgrace, I will step forward myself this time. Infinite Life Buddha. Cheongpung Sword, who was exchanging words with Master Myeoljeol, decided to discard his dignity as an elder of the Qingcheng Sect and stepped forward. Our Qingcheng has not given up yet. Does that mean you, Elder Cheongpung Sword of the Qingcheng Sect, will personally step forward? Mu-jin eximed as if he had heard an astonishing story. In response to Mu-jins shout, amotion arose among the surrounding spectators. It was scandalous for an elder of the Nine Great Sects to step forward against a seemingly youngte-stage disciple. It was a disgraceful act even if he won, and if by any chance he lost, it would greatly tarnish the Qingcheng Sects reputation. However, Cheongpung Sword, who had already prepared to be criticized, didnt care. It is because I recognize your skill. It seems defeating Feng Yun was not a coincidence. Mu-jin pondered for a moment as he looked at Cheongpung Sword, who had shamelessly stepped forward. Can I win without revealing my martial arts? The opponent was an elder of the Nine Great Sects. While not all elders had the same skill level, the abilities of Shaolin elders and first-ss disciples varied widely. Nevertheless, anyone who had trained in a prestigious sect for nearly fifty years would have a minimum standard of skill. While it might be possible if he went all out, it would be challenging for Mu-jin to fight while hiding his most powerful techniques, the Golden Turtle Technique and Fast Ascent Step. And then, an unexpected turn of events urred. Keuheuheu. Monks and Taoists are amusing themselves quite well. A strange voice was heard from somewhere. Although the voice was faint, it pierced through the ears of everyone present. It was a high-level skill that went beyond simply amplifying ones voice with internal energy. An incredible master! Realizing this, everyones gaze naturally turned towards the direction the voice came from. Mu-jin also turned his gaze towards the wall of the Tang familys fortress where the voice hade from, and there, an old man was sitting on the wall with a smoking pipe. While Mu-jin did not recognize the old man, fortunately, Cheongpung Sword, who was standing in front, identified him. The Dark King! The old man was one of the Ten Greatest Masters under Heaven and one of the Seven Kings, known as the Dark King and the Supreme Elder of the Tang family, Tang Gak. I heard he had retired Cheongpung Sword murmured, but Tang Gak didnt miss his words despite the distance. Keuheuheu. Youre not in a position to talk about making a fuss loud enough for an old mans ears. Tang Gak leisurely responded, mocking Cheongpung Sword. More importantly, kid, youre having an interesting bet. Can I join in on that bet? Anyway, Emei and Qingchengs turn is over, so shouldnt it be our Tang familys turn? It is unseemly for the Supreme Elder of a family to join a bet with a youngte-stage disciple. How about maintaining some decorum? Cheongpung Sword sternly rebutted Tang Gaks words on behalf of Mu-jin, but what he got in return was Tang Gaks tant ridicule. Keuheuheu. Thats the funniest nonsense Ive heard today! If an elder of the Nine Great Sects can step forward, why cant the Supreme Elder? Despite Cheongpung Swords face turning red with embarrassment, he couldnt utter a word in rebuttal. It was not just about logic; he was also flustered because he had not expected Tang Gak to interfere. They knew that if a war broke out with the Tang family, that old recluse would emerge. Thus, Qingcheng and Emei sought to involve spectators to frame it as a righteous battle. Of course, even with that old man, he was confident that if Qingcheng and Emei united and waged a full-scale war, they could win. However, the damage would be significant, so they only tried to use a justification. The problem was that, thanks to that youngster named Choi Kang-hyuk or something, the justification was taken by the other side. Fortunately for Master Cheongpung, Myeoljeol Sa-tae spoke up in his ce when he was left speechless. It is different for Tang-jak Shiju-nim and Master Cheongpung Shiju-nim to intervene. Amitabha. Hehe. Different, you say. Lets hear that snake-like mouth of yours babble. Despite Tang-jaks tant provocation, Myeoljeol Sa-tae remained calm. Master Cheongpung Shiju-nim intervened to save the young hero Choi Kang-hyuk. Did you say he came to save me? When Mu-jin asked incredulously, Myeoljeol Sa-tae answered confidently. Yes, thats correct. He stepped in to save you, who might be being threatened with poison! If I were poisoned, are you saying that they lost to a poisoned me a moment ago? Well, thats Ah! Its possible that yourpanions were poisoned and captured and being threatened! If mypanions were poisoned and captured, why would I stay at Tang-jak and win the duel? I could just lose moderately and go over to your side. They must have threatened not to give you the antidote! Thats exactly Tang-jaks method! As Myeoljeol Sa-tae tried to drag in justification again by ndering Tang-jak, there was an uproar on Tang-jaks side, but Mu-jins response was quicker. Lets say thats true. Then, if the antidote for saving mypanions is at Tang-jak, whats the point of me leaving Tang-jak? Are you telling me to leave mypanions to die and go over to your side? That that While Myeoljeol Sa-tae couldnt answer immediately and hesitated, Mu-jin continued. We are being treated well at Tang-jak and have never been threatened or poisoned. Even if that were the case, the antidote is at Tang-jak, so leaving wouldnt change anything. Therefore, trying to take us away from here is meaningless. Mu-jin, who spoke loud enough for everyone to hear with internal energy, made his point clear. Unless, of course, Qingcheng and Emei, the pirs of righteousness, are not trying to take us away for the treasures from the bandits den? The justification was shattered by Mu-jins words and force. If they persisted, they would only be bandits coveting the bandits treasure. I hope you can leave Tang-jak safely. Take care, young hero. Cheongpung and Myeoljeol Sa-tae had no choice but to leave with stiff expressions, spouting insincere well-wishes. * * * After Cheongpung and Myeoljeol Sa-tae led the Qingcheng and Emei disciples back. Perhaps due to the awkward atmosphere, the spectators also began to leave Tang-jak one by one. There were many who wanted to duel with Mu-jin to obtain the Divine Thiefs treasure, but none dared to challenge him, as even the Supreme Elder of Tang-jak, known as the Dark King, had appeared. Once those without the Tang surname left. Haha. What a bold young hero you are! A new young hero has been born in Sichuan today! Thank you for putting Qingcheng and Emei in their ce on behalf of our Tang-jak! All the Tang n members present at Tang-jak began to revere Mu-jin. This wasnt just among the coteral branches living at Tang-jak. Youve worked hard, young hero. Tang So-mi, who had approached Mu-jin with a pleasant smile, was among them, as were the elders and n leader Tang Pae-jin, all wearing satisfied expressions. You must be tired from two duels. Please,e inside. Not only have you saved So-mi, but you also fought against Qingcheng and Emeis schemes on our behalf. I will make sure to repay you generously! Tang Pae-jin, looking as if he had found a prospective son-inw, tried to lead Mu-jin towards the door. Young man, where do you think youre going? That is, if Tang-ak, who had a smoking pipe in his mouth, hadnt intervened. Father, calling him young man is a bit much for our benefactor. Haha. A benefactor he may be, but isnt there still something he has to do? Despite the rebuke from his son, the current n leader Tang Pae-jin, Tang-akughed wickedly and looked at Mu-jin. Theyve left, so now we can have a match, right? At Tang-gaks words, Mu-jin felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Hes just like Hye-geol Sasukjo! A madman. Or a troublemaker. And as if shocked by his fathers outrageous behavior, the son hurriedly tried to stop him. Father! Hes a benefactor to our Tang family! How can you try to take the treasure he acquired? You fool. Do you think Im doing this just for some mere treasure? As a senior in the martial world and a benefactor to our family, I want to help him improve his skills through a match! Though he seemed like an honorable senior of the martial world, Mu-jin noticed. The sons eyes showed he didnt believe his father at all. And more than anything, it was obvious that the old man was the same type as Hye-geol. I refuse. Mu-jins experience of being beaten countless times by Hye-geol in the guise of a match told him so. If he fought with that old man, hed end up a pincushion for hidden weapons. His opponent was one of the Seven Kings. No matter how much he hid his skills, hed be risking his life even if he fought with all his might. Hey now. I thought you were a rare, bold young man, but youre just a coward. Hahaha. Instead of a match, how about a bold drink, senior? Kekekeke. A drink, huh? That doesnt sound too bad. Mu-jin was convinced by Tang-gaks sudden change in attitude. The way he was obsessed with alcohol reminded him of someone he knew well. * * * In the Tang familys main hall. There were three men seated there: an old man, a middle-aged man, and a young man. Tang-gak, Tang Pae-jin, and Mu-jin. Before the sudden situation urred, Mu-jin had requested a private meeting with Tang Pae-jin. And though Tang Pae-jin was preparing for a private meeting with Mu-jin If its just a drink, Ill join too. Tang-gak, in his boorish manner, barged into the private meeting. Knowing his father would not listen to anything once he made up his mind, Tang Pae-jin had no choice but to seek Mu-jins understanding and included Tang-gak. Ahem. My father is a bit peculiar, but dont worry, Kang Sohyeop. Our Tang family always repays our debts, no matter what. Its fine, Gaju-nim. Mu-jin had dealt with madmen often enough that it wasnt particrly difficult. So, what was it you wanted to ask by requesting a private meeting, Kang Sohyeop? Ignoring his father, who was drinking alone, Tang Pae-jin asked gravely. At Tang Pae-jins question, Mu-jin took a sip of the exquisite wine the Tang family had provided and began to speak. Did you not find the recent Divine Thief Cave incident, and the attitudes of the Emei and Qingcheng Sects, somewhat contrived? Hmm. Instead of answering immediately, Tang Pae-jin also took a sip of his drink, making a curious sound. He liked Mu-jins straightforwardness but assumed he wanted a realistic reward since he was a young martial artist. He thought Mu-jin requested a private meeting because he was embarrassed to bring it up in front of others. To think hed bring up such a topic. Tang Pae-jin swallowed the liquor he held in his mouth and answered with a serious face. I did feel something was off, but why bring it up now? Because I noticed some suspicious circumstances in the process of obtaining the treasure from the Divine Thief Cave. Suspicious circumstances? Can you tell me now? Mu-jin recounted how they had raided the Taeeulmun and how, despite burning Zhang Bodo to the ground, martial artists flocked to the Divine Thief Cave shortly after. He skimmed over how they found out Zhang Bodo was at Taeeulmun, but that wasnt the crucial part. So, youre saying the Divine Thief Cave itself was a trap targeting the martial artists of Sichuan? To be precise, I believe it was someones scheme to incite a war between the Tang family, Emei, and Qingcheng. Even without knowing the details, I felt it was contrived. How could our Tang family, Emei, and Qingcheng easily fall into such an obvious trap? It may seem so since we avoided disaster, but what if Lady Tang So-mi had died there? What if Elder Tang Taeryeong had poisoned the disciples of Emei and Qingcheng while rescuing Lady Tang So-mi? Tang Pae-jin fell silent. As Mu-jin said, if such events had urred, a war would have erupted in Sichuans martial world. Even knowing it was a trap, they would have suspected the other party set it. So, who do you suspect is behind this trap, Kang Sohyeop? I dont know the mastermind. However, I have found a suspicious individual. A suspicious individual? Yes. We burned Zhang Bodo around the middle of the Inshi (3-5 AM), yet Lady Tang So-mi acquired it around the end of Myoshi (5-7 AM). Furthermore, she mentioned having information that Emei and Qingcheng had already set out. She got this information through her bodyguard, Tang Hyeok-soo. The first to react to Mu-jins words was not Tang Pae-jin but Tang-gak. Even amid the serious discussion, Tang-gak, who had seemed indifferent and was just drinking, burst into loudughter. Kuhuhuhuhuhu. Are you saying that within the heart of the Tang family, youre suspecting a member of the Tang family in front of the head of the Tang family? Kuhuhuhuhu. Its been a long time since Ive seen such a mad young man. Mu-jin frowned at Tang-gaksughter. It wasnt because of the unpleasant sound of hisughter. It was because a madman called him mad. Chapter 138: Chapter 138: If Youre Scared, Just Die Regardless of being treated like a lunatic by Tang Hyeok-soo, the atmosphere inside was utterly cold. Why wouldnt it be? The Tang family was a group that stuck together tightly, to the extent of creating a vige named Tangga-tara, where only people with the surname Tang lived. And Tang Hyeok-soo, as evident by the surname Tang, was part of the Tang familys bloodline. Of course, unlike Tang Pae-jin, the head of the family, he was from a coteral branch. Still, that didnt erase the fact that he was a blood rtive. Fine. As you said, under the circumstances, its suspicious. But let me ask. Is there any conclusive evidence that Hyeok-soo is truly an agent of the enemy? The fact that Tang Pae-jin even tried to resolve this through conversation showed that he respected the other as a benefactor. The situation you mentioned could just be seen as falling for the enemys trap. But the fact that you dared to use my nephew Hyeok-soo in front of me suggests that you have undeniable evidence, doesnt it?It felt as though he wouldnt let this go if there wasnt evidence. The logic that simply falling into the enemys trap and dragging thedy into it made Hyeok-soo guilty of treason didnt seem like it would work here. Contrary to their reputation for being ruthless, the Tang family was surprisingly swayed by emotions. Still, it didnt feel entirely bad. Yes. Thats how family should be. An unwavering bond, showing absolute trust no matter the situation. Where else in the world, other than family, could such a rtionship exist? Of course, that didnt mean Tang Hyeok-soo wasnt a spy. Tang Hyeok-soo. He was a character who appeared in the second part of Legend of the Evil Emperor, but to put it simply, he was a loose threada MacGuffin, so to speak. Dao Yuetian repeatedly attacked the hideouts of the shadowy forces, and during one of those raids, he coincidentally encountered Tang Hyeok-soo there. Tang Hyeok-soo was a messenger, delivering something that the shadowy forces had demanded from the Tang family. Dao Yuetian captured and interrogated him, eventually uncovering the truth of the Shintubidong incident and information about the Taeeulmun. Also, the fact that the Tang family had already fallen into the hands of the shadowy forces. Naturally, when Choi Kang-hyuk, the reader of the novel, saw this, he thought, So, after bringing down the Cheonryu Sangdan and the Jegal family, next up is the Tang family! and looked forward to it. But the story moved on to Sichuan, without tackling this plotline due to other events. Later, as the protagonist of the third part, Mu-jin, Choi Kang-hyuk finally encountered this unresolved plotlineTang Hyeok-soo. So, there was no doubt that Tang Hyeok-soo was a spy working for the shadowy forces. The only problem was Hmm. I didnt expect them to blindly take his side like that. Even if he was their nephew, Mu-jin had thought they might harbor a bit of suspicion under the circumstances. But now that he had already voiced his suspicion of Tang Hyeok-soo, there was no backing down. Retreating now would only raise more suspicion. So how could he persuade them? Ever since dealing with the Cheonryu Sangdan, he realized that in this damn world of martial arts novels, the very concept of evidence wasughable. No recording, no video. You had to catch them in the act, but even then, if they were exchanging information through coded messages, they could easily deny it. In the end, it all boiled down to, Whose words will be believed? Even though circumstantial evidence was being presented, Tang Pae-jin still chose to trust his blood rtive, Tang Hyeok-soo. But because of that, on the contrary Yes! They cant find proof either!! Mu-jin decided to turn the situation around. This is the proof. As he spoke, Mu-jin pulled out a letter he had obtained from the Taeeulmun masters room. What is this? This is the letter that Tang Hyeok-soo delivered to Taeeulmun. Is that really true? Yes, it is. Of course, it was a lie. But Mu-jin didnt care. After all, the other side also had no real evidence. Tang Pae-jin, furrowing his brow, received the letter from Mu-jin and briefly read it, before asking with his whole face contorted. Are you kidding me? Do you think this pathetic letter can serve as proof? The letter merely contained a string of incoherent sentences. Naturally. Isnt this written in code? That alone seems suspicious enough, dont you think? Because it was a coded message. A code that even Mu-jin couldnt decipher. It seemed that after the Cheonryu Sangdan incident, the hidden forces had changed their encryption methods. Mu-jin had kept the letter to try and decode the systemter. Naturally, there was no evidence that Tang Hyeok-soo had given that letter. In fact, Mu-jin didnt even remember seeing such an event. But what did it matter? The other side also had no proof. Its not like this code will be easily deciphered anyway. Instead, Mu-jin pressed forward, trusting in the meticulous nature of the shadowy forces. Hmm. Then, lets see if what you im is true. Well investigate whether Hyeok-soo left So-mis side at night and went somewhere. As this somewhat tant (though fake) piece of evidence surfaced, Tang Pae-jin said this with a half-doubtful expression. However, Mu-jin rejected the suggestion. If you move so tantly, youll only give the enemy time to prepare. Theres no guarantee that Tang Hyeok-soo is the only spy. Not just Hyeok-soo, but youre suspecting others too? Keke. You must be out of your mind, wanting to die. Whether Tang Pae-jin and Tang-gak red at him or not, Mu-jin didnt care. He wasnt worried about his lies being exposed. After all, all of Tang So-mis bodyguards, except Tang Hyeok-soo, were dead. And even if they were alive, Mu-jin could simply use them of being in cahoots with him, dismissing their testimonies. And if Tang Pae-jin got so enraged that he tried to kill Mu-jin? Heh heh. In fact, it worked out so well that Ami and Qingcheng stepped in. Both the Ami and Qingcheng sects had framed the Tang family for poisoning and ckmailing Mu-jin and his group. If Mu-jin were to suddenly die in the Tang familys domain? In that moment, the Tang family would truly fall, seen as a wretched, greedy n, ckmailing with poison and stealing treasures. Thus, the reason Mu-jin said such a thing was that if this matter dragged on, it would only give the other side more time to prepare. For Mu-jin, Tang Hyeok-soo was just a pawn. The real target was someone elsethe figure that was teased in the second part of the novel but had not yet been revealed. Could you bring Tang Hyeok-soo here instead? Well settle it right here and now. After that, the two of you can decide whose words seem more truthful. At Mu-jins bold proposal, Tang Pae-jin let out a scoffingugh, as if he couldnt believe what he was hearing, while Tang-gakughed like a madman. In the end, Tang Pae-jin epted Mu-jins suggestion. He instructed the guards outside the head familys residence to bring Tang Hyeok-soo to the hall. Summoned to the hallte at night, Tang Hyeok-soo maintained a stern expression despite his bewilderment, and he bowed with a fist salute. I greet you, Head of the Family. I greet you, Elder Patriarch. Do you know why weve called you here? I have no idea. In a blunt tone, Tang Hyeok-soo responded, and Tang Pae-jin began rying what Mu-jin had told him. It was about the incident at Shintubidong and Taeeulmun, the suspicion that Shintubidong was a trap, and how Tang Hyeok-soo was being suspected of luring Tang So-mi into it. This letter is supposed to be proof that you went to Taeeulmun. As Tang Pae-jin handed over the coded letter, the corner of Tang Hyeok-soos lips twitched upwards involuntarily. What the hell? Is this guy insane? Frankly, when he first heard that Mu-jin was suspicious of him, he had to make an effort not to show any sign of surprise. It had been a heart-stopping moment. But that letter wasnt written by him. Looking at the fake evidence, he couldnt help but sneer internally. I have never seen this letter before, Head of the Family. Is that so? Im quite sure I saw it at Taeeulmun. This is nder! Ive been guarding Lady Tang So-mi the whole time. I had no time to visit Taeeulmun! Then you must have gone during thete hours when Lady Tang So-mi was asleep. Ask anyone! I never left Lady So-mis side! Tang Hyeok-soo shouted confidently. It wasnt a lie. From the beginning, even when he received the order to obtain the Zhang Bodo or to take Tang So-mi to Shintubidong, he hadnt left the Tang estate. Someone else hade and delivered both the Zhang Bodo and the instructions. Regardless, Mu-jin continued to insist, and Tang Hyeok-soo continued to deny everything. So, youre saying that Tang Hyeok-soo, you didnt receive any orders to lead Lady Tang So-mi to Shintubidong? Thats right! If you continue to nder me like this, I wont stand for it, even though I saved Lady So-mi! Naturally, the argument reached a deadlock, and as the Head of the Family and Elder Patriarch began to show their clear preference for trusting a blood rtive over an outsider, their expressions darkened. Then, Tang Hyeok-soo, are you willing to stake your life on the im that youre not a spy? Yes! And what about you? Will you stake your life on the im that you didnt nder me? Mu-jin, who finally heard the words he wanted, brought out the trump card he had been saving. Very well! I, too, am someone who would find it more unjust to be doubted as a liar than to die! So, lets put our lives on the line and see whose words are true! Mu-jin shouted confidently and turned to Tang Pae-jin. Ive heard that the Tang n has a special pill called the Simnyeong Pill, n Head. Allow me and Tang Hyeok-soo to use it! At the mention of the Simnyeong Pill from Mu-jins mouth, Tang Hyeok-soos previously confident face momentarily showed a hint of shock. How how does that guy know about the name of that pill! The reason Mu-jin knew about the Simnyeong Pill was simple. In the second part of the novel, Tang Hyeok-soo had intended to deliver the pill to a shadowy force as a messenger. The Simnyeong Pill, one of the many drugs developed by the Sichuan Tang n, a renowned house for poisons and hidden weapons, was a special concoction that, when ingested, suppressed the mind, preventing the user from lyinga sort of truth serum. In modern terms, it could be seen as a type of confession drug. In the end, however, Tang Hyeok-soo ended up in the wrong hands, and after consuming the pill, he was forced to divulge information about Shintubidong and Taeeulmun. Despite knowing full well about this substance, Tang Pae-jin had so far kept quiet about the Simnyeong Pill for a reason. Do you even know the side effects of that pill? Yes. The mind is suppressed for only about five minutes. After that, when the effects wear off, the person dies, spitting blood from the seven orifices. Thats what I know. In truth, the Simnyeong Pill was a deadly poison disguised as a confession drug. It was the result of a bizarre creation during the Tang ns attempts to develop a poison that would cause death without pain, like someone who dies in a drunken stupor. They ended up mixing narcotic substances with poison, creating a monstrous concoction. The poison and narcotic elementsbined, stripping the victim of their reasoning, enhancing its use as a confession drug. But since it was a poison that inevitably led to death upon ingestion, Mu-jin aimed to gamble everything on this high-stakes risk. Anyone could im their innocence, but how many would truly be willing to stake their lives on it? Thats why Im asking for the Simnyeong Pill. As a true man, I cannot bear to be falsely used more than I fear death. Of course, Mu-jin valued his life more, but why would that matter? Someone with guilt couldnt possibly wager their life. Naturally, Tang Hyeok-soos expression had hardened without him realizing it. Surely, Tang Hyeok-soo feels the same, doesnt he? Mu-jin, with a smirk, proposed this life-or-death gamble to Tang Hyeok-soo, who was now breaking out in a cold sweat. If youre scared, you can just die. Unlike the frozen Tang Hyeok-soo Even if youre not scared, youll still die after taking it. Mu-jin, with an air ofplete confidence, made his bold statement. Chapter 139: Chapter 139: If Youre Scared, You Might as Well Die Humans were simple yet mysterious beings. When faced with a crisis, most humans end up doing things they normally wouldnt. The funny part is, they arent even aware that their actions arent true to themselves. Just like right now. Ahem. If youre so confident, why dont you eat it first? Once its proven to be safe, Ill eat it too. The man, who had been boldly iming he would stake his life just moments ago, suddenly offered Mu-jin the first turn. He believed his suggestion was logical, but to others, his behavior seemed quite odd. Of course, it would be great if he could get out of this situation, but Mu-jin was not someone who would fall for such a cheap trick.That wouldnt be fair. Whats unfair about you eating first? This is the heart of the Sichuan Tang n. If I eat the Simnyeong Pill first and it proves my innocence, but then this matter is buried, I would die in vain, wouldnt I? Thats nonsense! Our Sichuan Tang n wouldnt do such a despicable thing. Right, n Leader? How can I believe that? Even though I came here with evidence, the n Leader and the Dark King senior still dont believe my ims. !!! So, youre saying you cant trust us? Mu-jins remark left Tang Hyeok-soo momentarily speechless, and Tang Pae-jin, scowling, questioned Mu-jin again. Naturally, Mu-jin responded confidently. Yes, thats right. You insolent wretch! Also! If I die after taking the pill first, the Tang n will have to endure the ridicule of all Sichuan martial artists. You all know that everyone in Sichuan is watching us closely after what happened earlier. Our Tang n would never abandon a family member because of such baseless rumors! While Tang Hyeok-soo breathed a sigh of relief as Tang Pae-jin defended him, He noticed the ominous expression on Mu-jins face. Indeed, as the head of the family, your dedication to your kin is admirable. But its truly strange. I heard that the martial artists of the Tang n would sacrifice even their lives for the honor of their family. Why then, is Tang Hyeok-soo remaining silent even after hearing all this? His ominous feeling was spot on. Naturally, Tang Pae-jin, who had been yelling at Mu-jin, also turned to Tang Hyeok-soo with a puzzled look. I was just being cautious not to interrupt the n Leader. I was about to step forward. Ah, is that so? Then will you take it first? Mu-jins taunting question left Tang Hyeok-soo unable to respond immediately. His mind raced, searching for a way out of this predicament, and he finally came up with a n. Although you im not to trust our Tang n, I too cannot trust you, Kang So-hyeop. If I take the Simnyeong Pill and die, what if you escape? Whats the point then? However, a n devised in a life-threatening situation is not always a perfect solution. In most cases, a hasty move leads to a fatal mistake. Do you think I could escape from here with the n Leader and the Dark King senior present? Exactly. From the start, Mu-jin had been risking his life to assert his innocence (though the evidence was fake). Unlike Tang Hyeok-soo, who had been evading the issue. Now I see, Tang Hyeok-soo seems to think he is a better fighter than the n Leader and the Dark King senior. Hahaha. Just as Tang Hyeok-soo, whose mind was half-crazed by Mu-jins provocations, was about to say something, Hey. Tsk. Young people these days. Tang-gak suddenly stood up and started downing his drink. For some reason, Tang Hyeok-soo, who was about to speak, froze in his position. Insane I barely saw it. Mu-jin couldnt hide his astonishment at Tang-gaks move, which he could barely catch with his eyes. In that short moment, Tang-gak hadunched a needle and struck Tang Hyeok-soos acupoints, immobilizing him. It was a moment that made Mu-jin realize the gravity of the situation. Not only would a direct confrontation be tough, but if he were ambushed by Tang-gak, he might die without even knowing what hit him. This is the skill of a Seven Kings level master. However, regardless of Mu-jins surprise, Tang-gak, having gulped down his drink, spoke with a loud burp. Bring the Simnyeong Pill. If you are truly confident, you too should wait here. Tang-gak red at Mu-jin as he spoke and was about to leave. Father. Do you really suspect Hyeok-soo? Hmph. Regardless of whether its true or not, his attitude is intolerable. As a guardian of our family, how can he fear staking his life while the honor of the n is being insulted like this? Is this truly the behavior of a Tang n guardian? Tang-gak replied to his sons question and then turned to Mu-jin. That doesnt mean I forgive you. If your words turn out to be false and Hyeok-soo is innocent, you wont escape punishment either! Simply taking the Simnyeong Pill is not the end! For deceiving us and causing internal strife with your deceitful tongue, we will pull out your tongue and hunt down everyone associated with you to tear them apart. The immense killing intent that Mu-jin had never experienced before weighed heavily on him, but he forced himself to remain calm. Because he knew neither he nor his associates would be killed by the Dark King. * * * Tang-gak, who had left the main hall, returned shortly with a small box. Inside were two pills. As promised in the wager, Tang-gak put one Simnyeong Pill into Tang Hyeok-soos mouth, who was still paralyzed. Even though his body was immobilized, Tang Hyeok-soos mind was fully functional. As the Simnyeong Pill approached his mouth, his eyes trembled violently as if an earthquake had struck them. Tsk. He didnt even realize that his behavior was making Tang-gak more suspicious of his heir. In the end, as Tang Hyeok-soo ingested the Simnyeong Pill under Tang-gaks hand, his eyes began to lose focus. It seems the medicine is taking effect. Saying so, Tang-gak retrieved the needle stuck in Tang Hyeok-soos acupoint. Seizing the moment, Mu-jin urgently posed a question. He preempted Tang Pae-jin or Tang-gak from questioning the evidence he presented, as that would spell trouble. Did you know that the Divine Thief Bi-dong was a trap? Hee. Y-yes, thats correct. Though Tang Hyeok-soo answered in a slurred, intoxicated manner, it was still understandable. Then, did you deliberately involve Tang So-mi in that trap? Yes. Thats right. With just those two questions and answers, the situation was almostpletely rified. Even Tang Pae-jin and Tang-gak, who had been ring at Mu-jin as if they wanted to kill him, were now looking at Tang Hyeok-soo in shock. However, Mu-jin wasnt satisfied with just this. Who gave you those orders? Hehe. It was father. Tang Hyeok-soos answer made Tang Pae-jin and Tang-gaks eyes widen to the point where they seemed ready to pop out. The inner elder nned such a thing? Sigh Tang Hyeok-soos father was actually an elder of the Sichuan Tang n. But Mu-jin already knew this. That elder was merely a spy nted in the Tang n. What Mu-jin aimed for was the person behind the elder, the one pulling the strings from the shadows. Maybe this time, I can get more information than I read in the novel. However, things didnt go exactly as Mu-jin intended. Then, what does this code mean? Suddenly, Tang Pae-jin presented the letter Mu-jin had given and asked Tang Hyeok-soo. Dont know. What do you mean you dont know? Huh? Isnt this the letter you gave to the Taeeulmun? This is my first time seeing it. As Tang Hyeok-soo, drugged and slurring, spoke, an awkward silence filled the main hall. After a brief but tense standoff, Tang Pae-jin asked with veins bulging on his forehead. What is going on, Kang So-hyeop? Various thoughts raced through Mu-jins mind in that short moment, but he ultimately decided to confront the situation head-on. My apologies, n Leader. I was certain that Tang Hyeok-soo was a spy, so I used it as bait to induce this situation. So youre saying you risked your life by lying because you were sure Tang Hyeok-soo was a spy, just to make him take the Simnyeong Pill? Yes. Because once he took the Simnyeong Pill, his identity as a spy would be revealed? Yes. You risked your life on a gamble with nothing but circumstantial evidence? Yes, but Of course, Mu-jin knew Tang Hyeok-soo was a spy from the novel, but he couldnt reveal that. Thus, Mu-jin had no choice but to pretend he had staked his life on uncertain information. Silence once again enveloped the main hall, but it was brief. Kuhahahahaha. Suddenly, Tang-gak burst into madughter. No, it was more fitting to say heughed in a way that suited his lunacy. In my eighty years of life, Ive seen countless madmen, but youre the craziest of them all. Mu-jin frowned at Tang-gaks words. To be called the craziest by a lunatic who killed his own heir for being a spy. Mu-jin,beled the worlds craziest by a madman. This is not the time to beughing. Shouldnt we be capturing this inner elder right away? Mu-jin quickly spoke to prevent them from thinking about the fake evidence. Youre right. We need to interrogate him thoroughly to find out why he betrayed the n. Tang Pae-jin looked somewhat bitter, while Tang-gak, uttering the word interrogate, revealed a manic gleam in his eyes. * * * Since it was a matter of capturing a spy, Mu-jin, Tang-gak, and Tang Pae-jin moved secretly to the inner elders quarters with the n leaders bodyguards in tow. It didnt take long to capture the inner elder, Tang Min. Though Tang Min was a renowned master as an elder of the Five Great Families Tang n, he couldnt withstand a surprise attack from the Dark King. Elder Tang Min! This is too much! Im also an elder of the Tang n now! Whatever Tang-gak usually did, the inner elder considered this ambush a prank. But seeing Tang Pae-jin and Mu-jin follow, he felt an inexplicable unease. What is this about? Tsk. What were you thinking, plotting such a scheme as an elder of the great Tang n? Instead of exining, Tang-gak took out the pills he brought. Seeing the pills, Tang Min quickly grasped the situation. Im innocent! I did it for the n! Many children of the n, including So-mi, nearly died. How was that for the n? It was a necessary sacrifice for the greater growth of the n! How can the n grow by causing a bloodbath in Sichuan? If we unify Sichuan, the n will be stronger! Listening to a few words from the enraged Tang Min, Tang-gak clicked his tongue. Tsk. Ive heard enough. Then he subdued Tang Mins acupoints and forced the Simnyeong Pill into his mouth. Like his son Tang Hyeok-soo, Tang Mins eyes turned hazy, and Tang-gak released the acupoints he had subdued. Who ordered you to do this? The Head of Unhyangwon. The Head of Unhyangwon. A title that had never appeared in the novel. Mu-jin instinctively sensed something significant. Finally, the mastermind emerges! Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Body (1) Apart from discovering the name of the Head of Unhyangwon, Tang-gak and Tang Pae-jin continued to interrogate the Inner Hall Elder. They were curious why an elder who had dedicated his entire life to the n had betrayed it. However, all they received was emptiness and anger. Surprisingly, Inner Hall Elder Tang Min sincerely believed that this incident was for the benefit of the Sichuan Tang n. Yet, there was a deeper motive behind it. ording to the interrogation results, Tang Min had been associated with the Head of Unhyangwon since his youth. Throughout that association, he had steadily received bribes under the guise of gifts and had been influenced by such stories. How can it be that a n filled with outstanding individuals like Brother Tang is divided into three parts by Emei, Qingcheng, and Sichuan? Gradually, through continuous bribes and ttery, Tang Min began to be swayed by the Head of Unhyangwon.Well, in all that time, they had never asked for anything in return. Even Tang Mins wife was a woman introduced by the Head of Unhyangwon, and naturally, Tang Hyeok-soo, who inherited the values of both parents, also became a traitor. I will kill that woman immediately. Tang-gak, whose eyes had turned red with anger, tried to kill Tang Mins wife immediately, but Mu-jin quickly stopped him. Right now, we should not touch his wife but rather capture the Head of Unhyangwon first. Hmph. I will first clean up the n, then deploy our martial artists to prevent even a single ant from escaping Unhyangwon. Mu-jin shook his head at Tang-gaks words. Youve got the order wrong. These are people who even moved Emei and Qingcheng. If we dy even a little, they will use Emei and Qingcheng to pressure the Tang n in return. At Mu-jins words, Tang-gak and Tang Pae-jin nodded in agreement. Then, it would be better to move quickly with a small number of people to prevent any information leaks. Father, are you nning to move personally? A n head must protect the n. Therefore, an old man like me should handle such matters. Hehe. Understood. Once you leave, I will capture the Inner Hall Elders wife for interrogation and strengthen internal surveince. There may be those who attempt to transmit information. Perhaps because they had experienced the horror of an elder being a spy. In that brief time, Tang Pae-jin devised a n to use the current situation to flush out all the spies. As the two men quickly finalized their ns and were about to move, Mu-jin intervened. Elder Dark King, may I join you? Approaching the core of the shadowy forces. Naturally, Mu-jin wanted to be on the scene. After all, they hade this far thanks to Mu-jin, so it seemed likely he could join, but he asked just in case. Since it involved the Tang ns spies, he worried that Tang-gak might want to move alone. Hehe. You dragged the situation this far, and now youre asking to be left out? However, his concern was unnecessary. Tang-gak dly epted Mu-jins request. * * * Through a hidden passage in the Tang n, Tang-gak and Mu-jin sneaked out of the Tang Manor and headed towards Unhyangwon alone. Incredibly fast, indeed. Despite moving in secrecy, Tang-gaks speed was remarkable, while Mu-jins Fast Ascent Step was not suited for stealthy movement at all. I need to learn the Ghost Steps if Mu-gyeong can provide me with a tranted version. With such thoughts in mind, Mu-jin soon saw a quaint manor on the outskirts of Chengdu. What will that crazy old man do? Watching the back of the Dark King who had arrived at the vicinity of Unhyangwon before him, Mu-jin soon made a startled face. The Dark King, Tang-gak, jumped onto the wall of Unhyangwon with no hesitation and waved his sleeve. Ugh! As if conversation was unnecessary, Tang-gakunched a preemptive strike. C Dont kill everyone!! Mu-jin hurriedly jumped over the wall and sent a telepathic message, but he saw that all the people outside the manor were already lying on the ground. With one strike, he had inserted throwing needles into the heads of a dozen people. Small throwing needles called Wu Mo Needles. Damn it. This time we need to avoid killing everyone. In both Paedobang and Taeeulmun, everyone hadmitted suicide, leaving little information to be gathered. Although Paedobang and Taeeulmun had been mentioned in the novel, so it didnt matter much, this ce was an unknown hideout of the shadowy forces, providing a chance to gather more information than seen in the novel. Hehe. If they die from such methods, there wont be any useful information to obtain. But Tang-gak only muttered nonsensical words that could be advice or rebuke to Mu-jin. Little rats. Do you think I would miss you hiding there! Suddenly, Tang-gak leaped into the air, thrusting both hands into his sleeves. Simultaneously, a massive storm of qi swirled around his seemingly small frame. Tang-gak. Despite being the Grand Elder of the Sichuan Tang n, known for its poison, he was called the Dark King, not the Poison King. In the small manor called Unhyangwon, he disyed the signature technique that had earned him the title of Dark King. The pinnacle of Tang ns hidden weapon techniques. The Rain of Blossoms. And from the hands of the only martial artist in the current Sichuan Tang n capable of perfectly executing this technique, a rain of flowers began to fill the sky. Its more like a meteor shower than flowers. Mu-jins concise yet honest impression. Hundreds of light beams were emitted simultaneously. Of course, it was impossible to hold hundreds of small hidden weapons, Wu Mo Needles, in one hand. In that brief moment, Tang-gak threw various types of hidden weapons at a speed hard to follow with the naked eye, all of which simultaneously hit their targets as if performing a modern artillery TOT (Time on Target) strike. In that brief moment, he imbued hundreds of hidden weapons with energy and sent them off at precise speeds and directions, showcasing incredible skill. The result of this skill waspletely devastated pavilions. Kekeke. So there were hidden rats with skills! From the copsing debris of buildings, two figures emerged. One was a man transitioning from middle to old age with streaks of gray hair, and the other was a mysterious figure entirely d in ck. So you are the Head of Unhyangwon! Kekeke. Tang-gak spoke to the middle-aged man holding a sword imbued with a blue aura, possibly used to block Tang-gaks Manchun Hwa-woo. It seems the Dark Kings greeting is a bit excessive for a first meeting. The Head of Unhyangwon responded to Tang-gaks greeting with a somewhat disapproving expression and swung his sword in the air, as if loosening his wrist before exercise. Kekeke. To think there was someone like you hiding in Sichuan. It seems Ive been cooped up as an old man for too long. Tang-gaks eyes glinted like a predator discovering a delicious prey, interpreting something from the Head of Unhyangwons light movements. But the Head of Unhyangwon, one of the Seven Kings, was not at all intimidated. You should have stayed cooped up for another five years. Bah, you brat. At my age, five years would mean being buried under a tombstone, not in a room. Isnt it better to be buried in a tombstone five yearster than today? Kuhuhu. Thats a funny joke. Immediately after their light banter. Pop! Both the old man and the middle-aged man moved simultaneously without any signal. The sword aura released by the Head of Unhyangwon split the wall where Tang-gak had been standing, and Tang-gak, who had already leapt into the air, scattered hidden weapons. The hidden weapons enveloped in Qi and the sword aura shot by the Head of Unhyangwon shed in midair, creating sessive explosions. Despite this high-level sh that could easily captivate anyones attention, Mu-jin did not allow himself to be distracted by them. The Head of Unhyangwon was not the only survivor of Tang-gaks Manchun Hwa-woo. However, there was a problem. What martial art is that? Even though he was closely watching the ck-d figure, they disappeared from sight right after the sh between the Head of Unhyangwon and the Dark King. In that brief moment, as the dust cloud from the sh obscured his vision. Therefore, Mu-jin heightened his Qi sensitivity to its maximum to monitor the Unhyangwon area and find the hidden ck-d figure. The fact that this figure hid their identity in ck and seemed to possess as much information as the Head of Unhyangwon made Mu-jin reluctant to miss them. Meanwhile, the battle between the Dark King and the Head of Unhyangwon was bing increasingly fierce. Tang-gak was spewing hidden weapons like a meteor shower, and the Head of Unhyangwon was creating waves of sword aura to fend off all those hidden weapons while chasing Tang-gak. As Tang-gak, evading the Head of Unhyangwons pursuit, stepped on the debris of the pavilion he had destroyed and flew towards the wall. From the darkness of the wall, a ckened dagger stabbed towards Tang-gak. The ck-d figure had not fled but was waiting for an opportunity to ambush Tang-gak. You rat-like wench! But as expected of an old master who earned the title of King, Tang-gak sensed the ambush just before it happened. He raised his hand, using Qi to deflect the nearly invisible ckened dagger of the ck-d figure. However, Tang-gaks real opponent was not the ck-d figure but the Head of Unhyangwon. While Tang-gak was blocking the ambush, the Head of Unhyangwon had already reached close proximity to Tang-gak. Bang!!! Just as the Head of Unhyangwon was about to swing his sword at Tang-gak. Mu-jin, using the Fast Ascent Step to its extreme, crashed through the wall and lunged at the Head of Unhyangwon. Tsk. The Head of Unhyangwon clicked his tongue lightly, missing the chance to finish off Tang-gak, and swung his sword at Mu-jin. Bang!! The sh of the Head of Unhyangwons sword and Mu-jins fist created a fierce explosion. Ho? The Head of Unhyangwons eyes glinted as he looked at Mu-jin, who had blocked his sword strike. More precisely, at the golden aura surrounding Mu-jin. You imed names like Kang Hyuk or Teukjeonmun, names Ive never heard of. Now I see, you are the Shaolin Divine Dragon. Although his true identity was exposed in an instant, Mu-jin was unconcerned. The Head of Unhyangwon was a man who fought evenly with the Dark King. Hiding his martial arts in this battle would be suicidal. Id like to take my time figuring out why youre here, but first, Ill cut off your limbs and then think about it. While Mu-jin was blocking his attack, the Dark King was pressing the ck-d figure. Fortunately, it was night. If it werent, the ck-d figure would have already been caught by Tang-gak. The ck-d figures martial arts specialized in stealth and ambushes. Youre using a bizarre stepping technique, wench! The ck-d figure was barely buying time with a peculiar stepping technique that made their steps almost imperceptible and a shadow-like martial art that blended their body with the darkness. Therefore, the Head of Unhyangwon decided to deal with Mu-jin before the ck-d figure got caught. Whiiiing. With a fierce wave of Qi, the Head of Unhyangwons sword flew at tremendous speed. But Mu-jin, who had perfected the Golden Turtle Technique, was determined to charge at the Head of Unhyangwon. If not for the intense warning of his instincts about the danger to his life. Ho. Quite perceptive for ate-stage cultivator? The Head of Unhyangwon spoke with a sinister smile as Mu-jin hastily retreated, but Mu-jins gaze was not on the Head of Unhyangwons face. Sword Qi. Mu-jins eyes were fixed on the dazzling blue aura emanating from the Head of Unhyangwons sword. The aura known as Sword Qi or Gang Qi. The ultimate weapon in martial arts, created byyering sword energy dozens or even hundreds of times. Before this unprecedented weapon, even Vajra Indestructibility and Qi membrane were useless. Swish. Despite his quick retreat, Mu-jins chest was already shed, and blood began to flow. A master. Mu-jins gaze remained calm as he looked at the Head of Unhyangwons Sword Qi. There was no doubt that Gang Qi was an incredible weapon, but there were at least dozens of masters in the martial world capable of creating it. Among the first disciples of Shaolin whom Mu-jin frequently sparred with, some could also create Gang Qi. However, there were only a handful of masters who could create Gang Qi without any preliminary movements or preparation. And those masters are at the level of the Seven Kings. In the world, such masters were often referred to as the Seven Kings. Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Body The moment Mu-jin, who was cautiously observing the Head of Unhyangwons sword, tried to move. **sh!** The experienced Head of Unhyangwon struck first. Before Mu-jin could react, the sword of the Head of Unhyangwon, moving with incredible speed, sliced through the air and struck Mu-jin. The sword energy surrounding the sword of the Head of Unhyangwon cut through Mu-jins Golden Turtle Technique like it was tofu. **Swoosh!** Mu-jin desperately tried to dodge again, but his body was inevitably wounded. Ugh. He gritted his teeth and endured the pain, but the wounds caused by the sword energy felt like severe burns.Thanks to the Golden Turtle Technique, Im not dead instantly. Though it was torn apart like tofu, the Golden Turtle Technique had bought him a moments respite. It allowed him to narrowly avoid having his limbs severedpletely, although long sword wounds still appeared on his body. Should I try to defend my vital points and charge in? As he thought of using a strategy of sacrificing flesh to cut bone against a master several levels higher, suddenly, a silver streak flew towards the Head of Unhyangwon from behind. Click-click-click. It seems you have a nasty hobby of bullying children. It was the Dark King who intervened. Mu-jin recognized his opportunity when the Dark King diverted the Head of Unhyangwons attention and moved. His target was the ck-d person who had ambushed Tang-gak. However, the ck-d figure had once again used that bizarre martial art to disappear. Even though Mu-jin heightened his senses to find the ck-d figure, nothing was caught by his senses. If he couldnt find the ck-d figure, Tang-gak could be ambushed again just like before. Phew. So, Mu-jin focused his mind. Ignoring the noise from the fierce sh between the Dark King and the Head of Unhyangwon nearby, and the pain from the wounds caused by the Head of Unhyangwons sword energy, he concentrated solely on finding traces of the ck-d figure. Mu-jin, standing still like a scarecrow, suddenly shot forward with extreme Fast Ascent Step. He hadnt located the ck-d figure with his senses. He had just noticed a very subtle trace. That trace was a tiny bloodstain. A bloodstain that hadnt been there a moment ago. Its from the wound inflicted by the Dark King! However, even as he rushed towards the bloodstain, nothing was caught by his sight or senses. Nevertheless, Mu-jin fiercely swung both hands towards the spot where the bloodstain appeared. It wasnt a mindless attack hoping to hit the hidden opponent. No, the attack itself was a feint. The real aim was to scatter blood from the wounds caused by the Head of Unhyangwons sword energy. And, oddly enough, some of the blood droplets flying through the air floated as if obstructed by something invisible. Got you!! Without hesitation, Mu-jin threw a punch towards the dark spot marked by the floating blood. At the same time, a translucent dagger emanating sword energy emerged from the darkness to block Mu-jins fist. But as soon as the dagger was thrust, the ck-d figures stealth technique was broken, and Mu-jin could finally see them. Try hiding again! Mu-jin yelled, determined not to let the ck-d figure escape, and fiercely pursued them. He gave up on defense entirely, focusing solely on his qinggong and attacks, even abandoning qi control to give everything to the pursuit. The ck-d figure lunged at Mu-jins unprotected chest with a dagger in a surprise attack. **Swoosh!** As the dagger pierced Mu-jins chest, Got you. Mu-jins left hand grabbed the ck-d figures cheeks. Crack. The reason he had stopped using the Golden Turtle Technique and exposed his chest was to make the ck-d figure drop their guard. I cant let them escape again. This wasnt just about them hiding. It was because of all the experiences with the insane forces of the Paedobang, Taeeulmun, and Cheonryu Sangdan, who would often choose suicide over capture. So, he aimed to make the opponent drop their guard to prevent them frommitting suicide. When Mu-jin applied pressure to the ck-d figures cheeks, their mouth forcibly opened. Without dy, Mu-jin thrust his left hand into their mouth, aiming to extract any suicide pill hidden inside. Though the ck-d figure was fully covered in ck and masked, during the process of forcefully opening their mouth, Mu-jin noticed they were a woman. Thinking back, the Dark King had referred to the attacker as a woman from the start, showing the old mans keen observation skills. **sh!** As soon as Mu-jin extracted the small poison pouch from her mouth, Where do you think youre going? The ck-d woman tried to stab herself with the dagger she had used to stab Mu-jins chest, but Mu-jin quickly grabbed both her arms. Just sleep for a while. **Thud!** While restraining her arms, Mu-jin kneed her in the abdomen, then struck the back of her neck with his hand, making her copse. To be safe, he finally struck her pressure points to fully incapacitate her before looking around. Nearby, the Dark King and the Head of Unhyangwon were engaged in a life-and-death struggle. Damn. Annoyingly, the Dark King was being pushed back. Damn old man, wheres that confidence you had earlier? If the Dark King lost here, his life would also be in danger. Though he considered joining the battle, interfering in a duel of such high-level masters could be a fatal mistake. So, he carefully observed the battle to find an opening to join. It didnt take long for Mu-jin to realize why the Dark King was being pushed back. Hes out of hidden weapons! Unlike before, the Dark King was using debris from the building he had destroyed as makeshift projectiles instead of hidden weapons from his sleeves or clothes. asionally, he would retrieve and reuse fallen hidden weapons or draw a few remaining emergency ones from his sleeves, but it was clearly not enoughpared to his initial barrage of hidden weapons. Since using the Thousand Flowers Rain technique, Ive wondered where all those hidden weapons were kept. Even though he had diligently hidden them in his clothes, there was a limit to the number he could carry. Crazy old man. If theres a limit to how many you can use, you shouldnt have used the Thousand Flowers Rain technique in the first ce! Although he felt like swearing, it wouldnt change the situation. In times like these, moving quickly to take action was better. Mu-jin lifted the unconscious ck-d woman onto his shoulder and swiftly moved through the Unhyangwon, avoiding the duel between the Head of Unhyangwon and the Dark King. **Swoosh. Swoosh.** During his movement, he picked up the small iron pieces, the hidden weapons thrown by the Dark King, scattered among the debris. After searching several ces and collecting dozens of hidden weapons, Mu-jin gathered them in one spot and looked towards the still ongoing chase between the Dark King and the Head of Unhyangwon. The Dark Kings clothes were torn and bloodstained, showing he was being severely pressed. Mu-jin needed to get the hidden weapons to him quickly, but the problem was how to enter such a high-level fight. To attract attention, nothing works better than a threat. But the problem was, those maniacs would rathermit suicide to erase evidence. Threatening to kill the ck-d woman wouldnt work. Instead, Senior Dark King! Hold on a bit longer! Ive captured this woman. I will take her back to the Tang n and interrogate her to expose their identities! Instead, threatening to torture her alive would be effective. C Ive hidden the weapons under the eaves on the right side among the debris. While delivering this threat, Mu-jin sent a telepathic message to the Dark King about the location of the hidden weapons and then started running in the opposite direction. You scoundrel! Whether the threat worked or not, the Head of Unhyangwon, who had been pressing the Dark King, started moving to chase Mu-jin. **Whoosh!** Sensing a cold presence from behind, Mu-jin quickly dodged, as the sword energy from the Head of Unhyangwon sliced through the spot where he had just been. If Mu-jin were alone, he would have trusted in the Golden Turtle Technique and the Jade Vajra Technique and ignored it, but the problem was the ck-d woman on his shoulder. The Head of Unhyangwon was explicitly targeting her with his sword energy, forcing Mu-jin to dodge and deflect the attacks with his free hand. Already struggling with the difference in skill level, evading attacks only made it worse. Mu-jin was quickly overtaken by the Head of Unhyangwon. Die!!! With the Dark King still a concern, the Head of Unhyangwon unleashed his full power, sending waves of sword energy towards Mu-jin. Damn. It was difficult enough to dodge the Head of Unhyangwons sword energy alone, let alone with the burden of the ck-d woman on his shoulder. Mu-jin pushed his internal energy to the limit, reinforcing the Golden Turtle Technique and desperately dodging. Though it was still shredded like tofu, increasing its thickness might buy a little more time. This strategy allowed Mu-jin and the ck-d woman to narrowly avoid being cut in half, but their bodies umted wounds. **Swoosh!** As the Head of Unhyangwon swung his sword to finish Mu-jin off, **sh!** Silver meteors flew towards the Head of Unhyangwons side. You endured well, young one. Click-click-click. It was Tang-gak, who hade after gathering the hidden weapons while Mu-jin bought time. Tang-gak kicked debris towards the Head of Unhyangwon, who dodged the thrown hidden weapons and charged towards Tang-gak. If the Shaolin Divine Dragon escapes while Im held by the Dark King, it will be dangerous. The Head of Unhyangwon lightly deflected the debris and used extreme qinggong to dash towards Tang-gak. Thinking Tang-gak had run out of hidden weapons, he made a bold move. However, he wasnt entirely careless. That crafty old man. He must have a few hidden weapons left for a final move. His n was to block those and then finish off the Dark King before chasing the Shaolin Divine Dragon. However, this was a poor choice because he didnt know Mu-jin had gathered the Dark Kings hidden weapons. As the Head of Unhyangwon approached within striking distance of Tang-gak, his momentum shifted. At the same time, the Dark King pulled out hidden weapons from his clothes and began to throw them. What the?! The number of hidden weapons far exceeded the Head of Unhyangwons expectations. Once again, dozens of hidden weapons spewed from the Dark Kings hands simultaneously. Not just once, but continuously. The Tang ns secret technique, the Thousand Flowers Rain, was unleashed again, this time solely aimed at the Head of Unhyangwon. Mu-jin watched the scene with awe. If we had dueled, I might have been turned into a pin cushion. The initial Thousand Flowers Rain was overwhelming, but this second deployment was even more extraordinary. Unlike the first, where the hidden weapons were thrown in quick session, this time they flew along different paths. Some came directly, others spun sideways, and some even seemed to disappear into the darkness only to reappear and strike from behind. Indeed, the Thousand Flowers Rain was an absurdly powerful technique. The only issue was that using it left no hidden weapons remaining. Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Body By the time the horrifying barrage of hidden weapons ended. Surprisingly, the Head of Unhyangwon did not copse. However, it was close to just barely standing. His clothes were tattered from the hidden weapons he couldntpletely block, and he was bleeding all over. Cough With a cough, the Head of Unhyangwon spat out blood and hastily moved his left hand to press several of his acupoints. Suddenly, his veins began to bulge and turn a reddish color. Get back!!! Its a forbidden technique that explodestent power in exchange for ones life! Recognizing the scene he had read about in novels, Mu-jin urgently shouted and leaped backward.Since it was a technique that would cause the user to die soon anyway, evasion was the best strategy. Rather, the Head of Unhyangwon looked at Mu-jin with a shocked expression after hearing his cry. How does that brat know about this forbidden technique? But there was no time to torture him for answers now. The duration of the technique would onlyst for about one daegang (15 minutes). Killing those two within that time and dying was the best course of action. Boom!! With histent power exploding, the Head of Unhyangwon first rushed at the closer and more troublesome opponent, the Dark King. Grr!! The Dark King, unable to fully evade due to the close distance, hastily raised both hands to block the Head of Unhyangwons strike. However, unable to dissipate the force, he was pushed back and mmed into a wall. Cough The impact caused the Dark King to spit out blood. With just one sh, Tang-gak suffered severe internal injuries. But why was this? Keuheuheu. Even as blood continued to pour from his mouth, Tang-gak was mocking the Head of Unhyangwon instead of showing pain. Wh-why? Having just delivered a single strike, the Head of Unhyangwon was also spitting blood, about to copse to one knee. Recognizing the opponents toughness, Tang-gak had coated his hidden weapons used in the Mancheonhwau technique with deadly poison. Do you think just because I am called the Dark King, I wouldnt use poison? Cough. Even while spitting blood, Tang-gak mocked his opponent, who red at him with a murderous look. Damn Thanks to the forbidden technique elerating the spread of the poison, the Head of Unhyangwon copsed, bleeding ck blood from his seven orifices. * * * Shortly after the Head of Unhyangwon fell. Mu-jin, who had stepped back, approached Tang-gak with the cloaked man slung over his shoulder. Are you all right? The young ones these days leave old men behind and run off so easily. Tang-gak chuckled nastily as he spoke, then immediately Cough spat out a bloody cough. This is why aging is frightening. If I were ten years younger, I wouldnt have to worry about this kind of injury. Use your Qi Conducting Technique to manage your internal injuries. I will finish things here. Keuk keuk keuk. I shall do that. Tang-gak plopped down on the ground and began to regte his qi. After observing him for a moment, Mu-jin moved towards the ruins where the Head of Unhyangwon and the cloaked man had initially hidden. Specifically, he searched through the rubble of the copsed structure and found a few books and letters. Though most were crushed and torn by the debris, they might still contain useful information. When he returned to Tang-gaks location, Tang-gak, who had been sitting cross-legged and conducting his qi, suddenly opened his eyes wide. Cough. He spat out another bloody cough. However, this time the blood was mostly dark, indicating it was the poisoned blood being expelled. It seemed he had forcibly expelled the bad blood for a quicker recovery. It seems I will need to recuperate for a while. Please take me to the Tang family. I will do so. Mu-jin set down the cloaked man and hoisted Tang-gak onto his back. Then he lifted the cloaked man in his arms. Just in case, lets take that corpse too. Do you mean the body of the Head of Unhyangwon? Yes. The bodies of martial artists usually contain a lot of information. In the end, Mu-jin had to carry three people: Tang-gak on his back and the cloaked man and the Head of Unhyangwon in his arms. Even though he had to carry three people, one was an old man and another a woman. Combined, they dont even weigh three hundred geun (180kg). Mu-jin felt disappointed that his muscles didnt even notice the weight. * * * After carrying three people along with books and letters, Mu-jin safely returned to the Sichuan Tang n. Grand Elder!? Father! What in the world happened? Seeing Tang-gak with torn clothes soaked in blood and a pale face, the members of the Tang family were understandably shocked. It was only natural since Tang-gak, known as one of the top ten martial artists, was in such a state. Dont worry. Its just because Im old. Keuk keuk. My body isnt what it used to be. Tang-gak boasted to avoid worrying his sons, daughters, nephews, grandchildren, and granddaughters. He didnt want to cause them concern, so he quickly changed the subject by pointing to those Mu-jin was carrying. The dead man there is the Head of Unhyangwon. Who would have thought that such a formidable person was hiding in this Sichuan Province? Keuk keuk keuk. Was it that serious, Father? Seems like hes about on par with Daoist Mal-ko from Hwasan. Are you referring to the Plum Blossom Sword Master? Forget about the Sword Master. Mal-ko is more than enough for him. Upon hearing the reference to the Plum Blossom Sword Master, also known as the Sword King, Tang Taeryeong, the head of the Tang n, and those around him became quite serious. Mu-jins next words made the atmosphere even more grave. The bigger issue is that even the Head of Unhyangwon is not the leader. What do you mean, not the leader? When he realized he was about to lose to Elder Dark King, he even used a life-threatening sorcery to kill us and conceal information. If he were the leader, everything would end with his death. Why would he sacrifice his life to hide information? In the increasingly serious atmosphere, Tang-gak spoke up with difficulty. So, quickly take these and extract information. The woman in ck is already subdued by Kang So-hyeop, so you should be able to get information through interrogation. We can also obtain information from the Head of Unhyangwons corpse. Just in case, I also brought back books and letters from his residence. Mu-jin handed over the items he had brought to the Tang family members. Take these and extract the information immediately. Escort my father to the medical hall, and select a few warriors to organize Unhyangwon. Gather all the letters and books you find there! I will follow your orders! After giving orders to his trusted retainers, Tang Pae-jin turned to Mu-jin and asked. You seem to be injured too. Why dont you get treated with my father at the medical hall? Mypanions might be waiting, so Ill head back to the pavilion first. Id appreciate it if you could give me some wound medicine and bandages. Alright. Go inside and rest. If we seed in extracting information, Ill call for you. Understood. Mu-jin saluted Tang Pae-jin and headed back to the pavilion where hispanions awaited. When Mu-jin, who had left for a private conversation with Tang Pae-jin, returned after about an hour, hispanions weed him. Mu-jin, what happened? Did you get into another fight? Cant you go an hour without fighting? If you were going to fight, why didnt you take me with you? The responses came from Mu-yul, Mu-gyeong, Mu-gung, and the members of Cheongsu Dojang, respectively. What do they think of me? From their words, it felt like they were treating him as some neighborhood thug. Phew. I went to catch the guys who set traps in Sin-tu Bi-dong while you all were resting herefortably. That must have been fun! Wooki! Wooki! You must have wrecked everything. Judging by your appearance, you must have tormented a lot of people. Haha. If Mu-jin Dowoo-nim struggled, Im curious about what kind of opponents they were. The more they talked, the more Mu-jin felt it wasnt worth exining. Forget it. Just apply some wound medicine for me. When Mu-jin handed over the wound medicine and bandages, the children, who had just treated him like a thug, quickly attended to his wounds. * * * The next morning. A martial artist sent by Tang Pae-jin came to the pavilion to call Mu-jin. It seems theyve gathered some information overnight. Thinking this to himself, Mu-jin followed the martial artist to the n heads hall. Father! Please rest. I beg you! Ive had enough treatment. I heard from the medical hall chief. You need at least a month of rest! You rascal, are you trying to confine your father to the back room for a month? Hearing the father-son conversationing from the n heads hall, the martial artist escorting Mu-jin coughed awkwardly, blushing. It seemed like quite a troublesome household. Perhaps hearing the martial artists cough, the door to the hall suddenly opened, and Tang Pae-jin weed Mu-jin. Pleasee in, Kang So-hyeop. Greetings, n head. Mu-jin saluted Tang Pae-jin and entered the hall. After sitting down, he got straight to the point. Have you found any useful information? Weve uncovered a few things. Tang Pae-jin, speaking calmly, exined the situation, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Tang-gak, who was visibly unwell. First, we tried to trace the martial arts of the Head of Unhyangwon by examining his corpse, but it turned out to be apletely unknown martial art. Doesnt that mean we gained nothing? Mu-jin asked, incredulous, but Tang Pae-jin shook his head. Our n has analyzed martial arts from the Nine Great Sects, the Five Noble Families, and even some demonic and unorthodox martial arts. The fact that we cannot trace such a high-level martial art is, in itself, a gain. It means we can identify others who use simr martial arts in the future. As Mu-jin nodded at this reasonable exnation, Tang Pae-jin continued. And the woman you captured, no matter what kind of training shes undergone, wouldnt speak under any torture. We had no choice but to use the Simnyeong Pill on her. Using the Simnyeong Pill means we can only interrogate for about one daegyeong at best. Still, it wasnt without gain. We deciphered their code and extracted some information from the woman. What information did you get? First, the organization they belong to. The name of the organization is Shinchun (New Heaven). It was a moment when he learned the name of an organization that had not been directly revealed in the novel. It sounds like some sort of cult. As a modern person, Mu-jin couldnt help but think the name had that kind of connotation. They call themselves a new heaven, how arrogant. It seems they are indeed an arrogant group. Deciphering the code confirmed that they prepared the traps in Sin-tu Bi-dong. Their goal, as you suspected, was to cause a bloodbath in Sichuan. Moreover, it looks like they are nning simr operations across the Central ins. Mu-jins eyes gleamed at Tang Pae-jins words. If they could uncover these ns, they could deal a significant blow to this so-called Shinchun. However, the response he received was disappointing. All we found were mentions of operations ongoing in certain areas, but nothing concrete. Is that so Theres no need to be too disappointed. This alone indicates the organizations considerable scale. And it allows us to infer their objectives to some extent. An organization sowing discord among various sects across the Central ins. Given their name, New Heaven, their objective was clear. They aim to weaken the orthodox sects through internal strife, paving the way for their domination of the martial world. Exactly. A few days after the copse of Unhyangwon. A vast manor located somewhere in the Central ins. Sichuan branch has been destroyed? What do you mean? The information about the incident in Sichuan Province had reached this ce, crossing the vast continent. Exactly as I reported. The Unhyangwon, which served as the Sichuan branch, was utterly devastated. Moreover, all those present have gone missing. Gone missing? Are you suggesting they betrayed us? From the traces we found, it appears they were ambushed. So, theyve been tracked? Yes. It seems the Sichuan Tang n traced us back due to the Sin-tu Bi-dong incident. We found traces of the Five Captains and the Sichuan Tang ns martial arts. Also, most of our infiltrators within the Sichuan Tang n have gone missing as well. If they fell despite the Five Captains being there, it seems the Dark King must have moved personally. It seems so. The elderly man fell silent, deep in thought, at his subordinates response. Though they say to do ones best and leave the rest to heaven, things have been going wrong more oftentely. The grand n they had been preparing for nearly a hundred years, spanning generations. Even before his birth, during his ancestors time, they were losing most of their power. ording to his predecessors, ns went awry more often than not during those times. They had to move in secret, and their strength was insufficient. However, after generations of preparation, failures became rare in the elders generation. They had umted power and experience over generations. But now, it seemed as though heaven itself opposed things going too smoothly. After the setbacks with Cheonryu Sangdan and Yongbongji Conference, and now Sichuan, disruptions were bing more frequenttely. If it is heavens will, we will simply make it so that not even heaven can stop us. Shaking off his idle thoughts, the elder gave an order to his subordinate. Continue with the operation in Sichuan. What? But, the Sichuan Tang n might have uncovered our information The Five Captains are not careless. Minor information might have beenpromised, but they wouldnt have found uspletely. And even if they did, do you think the Sichuan Tang n can suddenly unite with Emei and Qingcheng? The ancient sages said that an invisible enemy is more terrifying than a visible one. But the reason this obvious saying is repeated is because it is a difficult principle to uphold. To Emei and Qingcheng, they were the invisible enemy, whereas the Sichuan Tang n was a visible enemy right in front of them. Moreover, they had also nted some operatives within Emei and Qingcheng. Their original n had more connections with the Tang n because it was the core. Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Poison to the Tang n, Medicine to the Tang n An organization aiming to unify the martial arts world Do you have any idea who these Shinchun people might be, Master? Without hesitation, Tang Pae-jin replied to Mu-jins question. I suspect they might be rted to the Demonic Alliance. The Demonic Alliance, the arch-nemesis of the Murim Alliance, was a coalition of dark sect forces. Given that their goal was to induce internal strife within the orthodox sects, it was reasonable to suspect them. However, while nodding in agreement with Tang Pae-jins words, Mu-jin was thinking of something else. The Demonic Alliance might be involved, but they arent the main yers. In the second part of the novel, the final enemy was Hyeok Jin-gang, the Heavenly Sword Emperor and leader of the Demonic Alliance.Although he fought against the Heavenly Demon in the epilogue, the battle was interrupted by Shin-seung, leaving hints for the third part. In any case, if Hyeok Jin-gang were the head of Shinchun, there would have been no reason for the novel to end like that or for a third part to exist. Nevertheless, Mu-jin had a simple reason for not correcting Tang Pae-jins words. Well, we still need to deal with the Demonic Alliance anyway. Even if they mistakenly believed Shinchun was the Demonic Alliance, it didnt harm Mu-jins position. Of course, it could also be people rted to the Heavenly Demon Cult. But the problem isnt whether theyre from the Demonic Alliance or the Heavenly Demon Cult. The issue is that someone powerful enough to pose a challenge to my father is hiding their identity and moving covertly. Indeed, to thwart their ns, we need to first prevent conflicts among the orthodox factions. I understand that too but will Emei and Qingcheng believe us? Tang Pae-jins furrowed brow deepened, bringing a silence to the main hall. The silence was then broken by Tang-gak, who had kept his mouth shut, which was unlike his usually troublesome temperament. Thats precisely why I stayed behind, Master. Father? Tang Pae-jin tilted his head in confusion at his fathers unusual use of Master instead of his usual terms of endearment like boy or son. But Tang-gak, ignoring Tang Pae-jins reaction, continued speaking. Heh heh. After passing the position of Master to you, I lived as an old man without interest in the martial world. However, my granddaughter often visited me and shared interesting stories. Especially, the recent tales she told after returning from the Yongbongji Conference were quite fascinating. The Yongbongji Conference? Tang Pae-jin looked puzzled while Mu-jin felt an inexplicable unease. Yes. So-mi told me she found an interesting disciple of Shaolin at the Yongbongji Conference. And recently, she mentioned that Shaolins actions have significantly changed. Ignoring Tang Pae-jins perplexed gaze, Tang-gak stared directly at Mu-jin. So, I have a request for you. Could you help our Sichuan Tang n, Shaolin Dragon? !!! Tang Pae-jin looked at Mu-jin in shock upon hearing the title Shaolin Dragon. How long have you known? On the other hand, Mu-jin, maintaining a nk expression, wondered if Tang So-mi had given Tang-gak a hint. But it was an unnecessary suspicion. Heh heh. Do you remember the time we went to Unhyangwon together? Apparently, he overheard the Head of Unhyangwon calling him the Shaolin Dragon. So, what kind of help are you asking for? Although my skills are outstanding among the younger generation, they cantpare to Senior Dark King. So-mi told me. Recently, Shaolin has started forming connections with the secr world. Theyve begun business with Cheonryu Sangdan and established rtions with Wudang. So, how about forming a connection with our Sichuan Tang n this time? Before Mu-jin could respond to Tang-gaks request, Tang Pae-jin spoke first. Father, what do you mean? Are you suggesting that our Tang n needs to extend a hand to Shaolin? You know as well, Master. Emei and Qingcheng have already allied. Even for our Tang n, handling the two sects of the Nine Great Sects alone wont be easy. Even if we prevail, there will inevitably be a lot of bloodshed among our kin. Our Tang n is not easily defeated. Moreover, arent you still healthy and strong, Father? Heh heh. While I appreciate you thinking highly of me, I am getting old. A single fight now requires me to rest for half a month. We must start preparing for the time when I am no longer here. Perhaps it was because his father, who had always been proud of his strength, was showing signs of weakness for the first time that Tang Pae-jin had a momentarily confused expression. However, he was a man who had lived as the head of his family. He quickly regained hisposure and organized his thoughts. It was foolish to cling to his pride when his nasty father was showing his weak side. Mu-jin So-hyeop, can you establish a connection between Shaolin and Tang n? Tang Pae-jin asked with a serious expression, and Mu-jin, looking at him, fell into thought for a moment. I didnt n on moving with this in mind. An alliance with the Tang n? It was something he had never even considered before. But, thinking about it, it wasnt a bad idea. No, it was actually a good idea. If they could form an alliance with the Tang n and keep Emei and Qingcheng in check, the likelihood of chaos erupting in Sichuan would decrease. Wars dont simply happen because one side dislikes the other. A war urs when one side thinks, We can win this fight. However, there were a few things that needed to be addressed for this alliance. I would also like to assist the Tang n, but there are a few things that need to be rified first. And what might those be? First of all, although our Shaolin interacts with the Cheonryu Sangdan and Wudang, we are not in a state of alliance or union. There are no agreements or documents that bind us. This is likely the same with our rtionship with the Tang n. Are you saying there is no contractual rtionship? Thats correct. Since there is no contractual rtionship, our Shaolin will act ording to the righteous path. If Emei and Qingchengunch an unjust attack, we can help you, but if the Tang n attacks Emei and Qingcheng unjustly, we cannot assist you. While using Shaolin and righteous path as excuses, it was actually a pretext to prevent war. If they formed an alliance and the Tang n started a war first, Mu-jin would be caught off guard. Mu-jins objective was to prevent internal conflicts within the orthodox sects. We are also only concerned about attacks from Emei and Qingcheng. Now that we have uncovered the secret activities of the Shinchun organization, we have no intention of starting a war. In that case, I will contact our sect. However, ultimately, the decision will be made by the Bang-geon, so I cannot give a definitive answer. That will be sufficient. It would be much more persuasiveing from you than from us. Tang Pae-jin and Tang-gak thought that the Bang-geon of Shaolin would take the message more seriously if it came from Mu-jin, who had gained fame through the Yongbongji Conference. The two had no idea that Mu-jin was nning a night escape. Contacting Ryu Seol-hwa through the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic should be fine, right? Mu-jin nned to leave before Shaolin sent people to capture him. You saved So-mi, captured a spy, and now youre helping with the alliance. It seems we are only receiving help from you. Is there anything you would like to ask of us? Our Tang n never forgets a favor, so speak freely. Upon Tang Pae-jins continued questioning, Mu-jin had to work hard to maintain a neutral expression. From the moment he decided to ept Tang Pae-jins request, Mu-jin had already thought of what he wanted to ask from the Tang n. And there were two things Mu-jin wanted to request. First, if possible, could I get some poison? Poison? Tang Pae-jin looked puzzled at Mu-jins request. It was not unusual to seek poison from the Tang n. Keh keh keh. A Shaolin disciple seeking poison, indeed an interesting fellow! Tang-gak burst into heartyughter at the unusual request from a Shaolin disciple. So, who do you intend to poison? Ill make it suitable for your target. At Tang-gaks question, Mu-jin looked at him like he was crazy and answered. I intend to take it myself. . . With Mu-jins bold response, Tang Pae-jin and Tang-gak started to look at him as if he were insane. Sensing the need for some exnation, Mu-jin added. I asked because I wanted to build up a bit of resistance to poison. Ah. You mean poison for that purpose? Yes. I thought you were nning to assassinate someone with it. I hadnt really considered that. Do you have an aversion to using poison? The Tang n, which used poison as a main weapon, could be somewhat sensitive to the topic. But wouldnt it be easier to just handle things with your fists instead of using poison youre not even good at? It was simply more convenient to deal with things physically rather than wasting time nning or secretly poisoning someone. Tang Pae-jin burst into heartyughter, seemingly pleased with Mu-jins words. Hahaha. Its true that its better to use whatever is more convenient for you. Heh heh. So, you dont intend to use poison, but youre trying to build up an immunity to it. Yes. Mu-jin had felt the need for this ever since his sparring match with Tang So-mi during the Yongbongji Conference. And if it hadnt been for Ling-lings prior warning during the recent Shintooji-myung incident, he would have suffered greatly from the poison. Ill prepare the most basic poison used for poison resistance training. Achievingplete immunity in a short time is impossible, but you can build at least a minimal resistance. Thank you. And Im sorry, but may I ask for one more thing? A request of this level isnt even considered a request. Speak freely. I would like you to make me a specific medicine. By medicine, do you mean an antidote? Mu-jin shook his head at Tang Pae-jins question. If building a resistance to poison was a recent necessity, the second thing Mu-jin desired had been a daily wish since he had possessed Mu-jin. It was something he had dyed because it seemed difficult to create at Shaolin. However, the Tang n, renowned for their expertise in poisons, had likely conducted various biological and chemical experiments, making it feasible. What Mu-jin had always wanted to make was A protein supplement. The precious powder of fitness enthusiasts. * * * After Mu-jin had left. Are you alright? Ugh. Dont worry about me. Despite Tang Pae-jins worried inquiry, Tang-gak, who had been hiding his pain, waved his hand dismissively while groaning. Tang Pae-jin, who had been looking at him sympathetically for a moment, spoke with aplex expression. I wonder if it was the right decision to seek help from Shaolin. As the head of the family, you speak weakly. Im only saying this because Im in front of the elder. Tang Pae-jin replied with a bitter smile and continued. But why did you show such a weak side to the Shaolin Dragon? Mu-jin might not have noticed because Tang-gak hadnt shown his pain, but Tang Pae-jin, Tang-gaks son, could sense it. The original Tang-gak was not someone who would say things like Im old or You should prepare for when Im gone. But the answer that came was quite a bitter one. You already know from the medical officer that its hard for me to fight any longer. The Dark King Tang-gak. He was already nearly eighty years old, an elderly man. He maintained bnce only with immense internal energy and a high level of martial arts. But the severe internal injury he suffered this timepletely broke that bnce. The month-long rest was just to alleviate the pain. The medical officer had said: C If you overexert yourself in martial arts one more time, you will immediately lose your life. Tang-gak could no longer live as a martial artist. He could only participate in onest battle if he was prepared to lose his life. Now that this has happened, I have a lot of thoughts. Whether its better to feign strength out of pride and suffer bloodshed, or to somehow protect the family and its people. Youve chosen thetter. To his sons question, Tang-gak silently nodded. Looking at his father, Tang Pae-jin had aplex expression. The Tang n had a history of not easily trusting outsiders. This was due to their history of being despised for using hidden weapons and poisons, which led to them beingbeled as entric and ruthless. Tang-gak was a person who embodied that prejudice perfectly. For such a father to first show weakness and ask another sect for help It seems you liked the Shaolin Dragon. Heh heh. Not just him, but also Shaolin. Though theyre isted from the world and live in the mountains, theres no need to worry about betrayal from them. Yes. And in my opinion, he didnt seem like a young man who would recklessly harm our family. While Tang-gak and Tang Pae-jin were discussing Mu-jin Mu-jin, who had left the hall earlier, was currently Here. For some reason, he was with Tang Pae-jins precious youngest daughter, Tang So-mi. Here, you dont have to worry about anyone listening to our conversation. Feel free to speak, Monk Mu-jin. And they were alone. Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Title: Poison to the Tang Family, Medicine to the Tang Family On his way back to the pavilion where the group was gathered, Mu-jin was suddenly caught by Tang So-mi, who had emerged out of nowhere looking for him, and was thus brought to the manor. Are you alright? He asked Tang So-mi, who had led him here. In truth, he had been strangely concerned for a while. That was partly why he had followed her here. Although it was revealed that Tang Hyeok-soo was a spy, he was still Tang So-mis bodyguard. No, to be precise, the person who was both her bodyguard and cousin had been revealed as a spy. It was a situation that could have been quite shocking, so he asked out of concern. Huh? Are you asking if Im alright?Tang So-mi reacted as if she didnt understand what he meant. Oh. Are you perhaps referring to Tang Hyeok-soo? Yes, thats right Mu-jin replied hesitantly, taken aback by her unexpected reaction, causing Tang So-mi to burst into a smallugh. Why would I be hurt by someone who betrayed the family? If anything, I was more shocked by my own inability to see through such a person. Mu-jin nodded in agreement at her response. As expected, she was a woman whose thinking was different from his in many ways. So, what brings you to me? At Mu-jins question, Tang So-mi smiled and gestured for him to take a seat. You seem to be in a hurry. First, have a seat. How about we enjoy some tea and talk slowly? Saying this, Tang So-mi brought over the tray with tea that was already prepared and poured him a cup before she started speaking. I just wanted to thank you for helping our Tang family with both the issue of the Divine Thief and Tang Hyeok-soo. Tang So-mi put down her teacup as she spoke. Moreover, you were injured while acting for our family with my grandfatherst night. Despite her words of concern, her eyes held a deep gaze as she reached out and gently ced her hand on Mu-jins bandaged chest. !? Mu-jin looked at Tang So-mi with a startled expression. Hmph. Truly surprised, huh? Tang So-mi smiled inwardly, recalling a recent event. After failing to use her beauty to seduce Mu-jin during the Yongbongji Conference, she had returned to her family and asked her aunt, who was originally a Taoist priestess and the one responsible for bringing her uncle into the family as a consort, for advice. She had asked how to attract young monks or Taoists. Her aunt had kindly offered several pieces of advice. The Yongbongji Conference has countless spectators. Even if the monks try to hide it, pure monks or those who are good at self-restraint wouldnt show any signs of being swayed by a woman in such a public setting. Ah! To tempt such people, you need a ce where no one else is around. With the experienced aunts exnation, Tang So-mi couldnt help but let out an exmation. Pleased with her nieces eager learning spirit, her aunt continued to exin. Although young and beautiful, Tang So-mi had thought that using beauty to seduce someone was merely a matter of appearance, but thanks to her aunt, she was beginning to understand more deeply. And pure monks are generally wary of women approaching them. So, you need to slightly lower their guard. How do I lower their guard? The best would be alcohol, but a pure monk wouldnt drink. So, try using this. Saying this, her aunt had taken out a candle from a hidden ce on the wall and handed it to her. And the candle given that day was now burning in the room where Tang So-mi and Mu-jin were. The candle emitted a faintly sweet fragrance when lit, with a very mild medicinal effect mixed in. It wasnt something obvious and strong like an aphrodisiac. Such tant and powerful substances would be too noticeable. It was just a fragrance that, if continuously inhaled, would make one feel slightly pleasant, akin to being mildly drunk. A pure monk would likely have no experience with alcohol, so it would be difficult to maintain vignce while feeling slightly intoxicated. And what next? Seeing her niece already thinking ahead with a mischievous smile, her aunt also smiled and responded. You know everything, dont you? Haha. And after that, its all over. Pure young men tend to be very responsible. Once they engage in a serious affair, the rest will follow, just like with your uncle. With a seductive smile, her aunt passed down her skilled experience and knowledge to her niece. Following her aunts advice, Tang So-mi brought Mu-jin to the Tang family estate. She had meticulously prepared for this situation. Since the Yongbongji Conference, Tang So-mi had felt a strong curiosity and a slight affection for Mu-jin. In this instance, he had saved her life, helped expose the spies hidden within the family, and done even more. He keeps getting more mysterious! Rumors had it that Mu-jin returned to Shaolin right after the Yongbongji Conference. But now, the person who was supposed to have gone back to Shaolin had infiltrated the Divine Thiefs hideout under a false identity? For someone like Tang So-mi, who couldnt stand not knowing something, Mu-jin was a never-ending source of curiosity. Although her immense curiosity was coupled with gratitude for saving her life, she wasnt necessarily determined to seduce him. She just wanted to uncover what was hidden inside Mu-jin through various preparations. Thus, she prepared this ce. She made sure everything was ready, from tea to the incense candle given by her aunt, and dismissed the guards to ensure privacy. In fact, this ce was Tang So-mis private quarters. Her primary goal was to uncover the inner thoughts of Mu-jin, who constantly piqued her curiosity. One can never know what might happen! Having dismissed all the guards for today, she ensured it was a ce where no problems would arise even if an urgent situation urred. When did you get these bandages? Mypanions wrapped themst night. Then we need to change them soon. With a strangely sticky gaze, Tang So-mi touched the bandages on his chest and got up to help him change them. Dont worry. Ill apply new medicine for you. As she said this: Hmph. By now, the effects of the incense should be kicking in, right? She pretended her legs gave way and fell onto Mu-jins solid muscles. Wearing a tight cheongsam just like at the Yongbongji Conference, her body naturally pressed against Mu-jins muscles, and her bare legs subtly showed through the slit. What will you do now, naive Monk Mu-jin? It was a temptation no ordinary man could resist. However, she had a few misconceptions. Mu-jin was not a naive monk but a defrocked monk who enjoyed alcohol and meat. Above all: It seems Lady Tang So-mi needs to work on her lower body strength. He was an extreme exercise addict. What? Tang So-mi asked in a startled tone. Mu-jin gently removed her from his body, helped her up, and immediately assumed a squat position. Ill demonstrate. If you practice this posture regrly, it will help with your martial arts. Mu-jin then proceeded to show a few lower body exercises beneficial for martial arts. Well, I should be going now. Before she could regain herposure, he quickly left Tang So-mis quarters. Dazed by the unexpected workout instead of the situation she anticipated, Tang So-mi snapped back to reality and burst intoughter like a madwoman. After calming down a bit, she licked her lips with a seductive expression and muttered, As expected, an interesting monk. * * * Meanwhile, Mu-jin, unaware of Tang So-mis gaze following him like prey, hurried towards the pavilion where hispanions were. She really is crazy. Of course, even someone as clueless about romance as Mu-jin could recognize such tant seduction. He just found it bizarre that she would pursue him knowing he was a monk. Does she have a sexual fantasy about religious figures? He mused, wondering if she had a fetish for monks. Despite her odd sexual preferences, Tang So-mi was undeniably beautiful, making her temptation quite threatening. However, Mu-jin had a simple reason for pretending not to notice and escaping. I havent been able to lift weightstely because of all the fights at the Divine Thiefs Hideout and Unhyangwon, so I cant waste my strength on something weird. Yes. The fear of losing muscle mass was stronger than the temptation of a woman. * * * The next day. Mu-jin and hispanions had to visit a certain manor from the morning. Hehe. Youvee well. The person who greeted them at the ce they were guided to by the warrior was Tang-gak. This is the item you requested. Tang-gak handed five pills to Mu-jins group. These pills are one of the basic poisons our family uses when practicing poison arts. The reason Mu-jins group came here was to build a resistance to poison. Since they were training, Mu-jin suggested that the rest of the group join in as well. You mean, were supposed to take this? Of course, he hadnt asked for their consent at all. Did you think I called you here just to look at it? Mu-jin scolded Mu-gung, who was grumbling, and then took the pills from Tang-gaks hand and forcibly distributed them to the four others. This senior, the Dark King, is an expert in poisons from the Tang family. Since hes overseeing, itll be safe, so dont worry and take it. Though he called it poison and told them to take it with ease, it was hard to argue when they knew that fists were closer than poison, so they reluctantly swallowed the poison. After confirming that hispanions had taken the poison, Mu-jin also swallowed the remaining pill. Use your internal energy to protect your major organs, but do notpletely burn off the poison. Your body needs to be exposed to a certain amount of poison to build resistance. Understand? Focus, protect only your major organs and observe the movement of the poison. Following Tang-gaks advice, Mu-jin and hispanions focused on their training. By using their internal energy to steer the poison away from their vital organs and exposing themselves to it, the poisoned areas turned as if they were bruised, and their bodies felt sore as if they had the flu. While they trained, the hourss ran out of sand, and Tang-gak spoke again. Now use your internal energy to burn off the umted poison. If anyone finds it difficult, raise your left hand, and Ill give you an antidote. Fortunately, no one failed to expel the poison with their internal energy. This was no surprise for Mu-jin and Cheongsu Dojang, and even the Muja Trio had recently gained an opportunity that increased their internal energy. After a brief rest to stabilize their bodies, they listened to Tang-gaks theories on poisons. Once they had recovered, they repeated the process with different types of basic poisons several times. Poisons seem to be quite tricky to use, Mu-jin remarked. Hehe. Is that even a question? Using poison without knowing how or without resistance is just suicide. Mu-jin nodded in agreement with Tang-gaks exnation. Just as other martial artists study to use superior martial arts, the warriors of the Tang family train in poison arts and practice precise poison techniques to use stronger poisons. Tang-gak looked pleased with Mu-jins words, which suggested that training with poison was no different from training in fist, palm, or sword techniques. Hehe. Ive really chosen the right person. Unlike other disciples from prestigious sects, this Shaolin Dragon was insightful. I think hes too good to be just a monk in Shaolin. As Tang-gak thought about this, a certain person came to mind. Now that I think about it, So-mi spoke highly of him after the Yongbongji Conference. It was clear that there were mixed feelings between men and women. Hehe. Now that I think about it, youre acquainted with my granddaughter. What do you think of our So-mi? Recalling his time with her yesterday and her behavior at the Yongbongji Conference, Mu-jin responded to Tang-gaks question. I think she is a spirited and honest woman. Mu-jin couldnt bring himself to call his granddaughter a crazy woman. * * * After finishing the poison training with Tang-gak. While the others returned to the pavilion, Mu-jin headed deeper into the Sichuan Tang ns grounds with Tang-gak. This was one of the ces where the Tang family developed new medicines and poisons. Now, exin to me how to make this protein supplement. Finally, Mu-jin began the development of the protein supplement. Chapter 145: Chapter 145: The Poison for the Tang n, the Medicine for the Tang n Protein supplements. The item that bodybuilders always have on hand. However, there were many debates about whether protein supplements were essential for building muscle. Unless one used steroids, there was a limit to the amount of protein the human body could absorb at once. In other words, if one could consume the maximum amount of protein possible through meals with chicken breast, egg whites, and beef, protein supplements were not significantly necessary. Choi Kang-hyuk, a fitness trainer and the owner of arge fitness center, was well aware of this fact as he had studied various exercises, rehabilitation therapy, and even sports science and nutrition, beyond just fitness. In modern times, he did use protein supplements but did not heavily rely on them since he had not used steroids. However, the story was different here. I cant even consume half of the maximum absorbable protein most days.While staying at Shaolin Temple or inrge towns and cities, it was somewhat manageable. The problem arose when traveling between regions or searching for something in the mountains where it was difficult to find food. Theck of protein intake caused his muscles to tremble with the fear of daily muscle loss. But if the Sichuan Tang n could produce protein supplements for him! I could carry them as an emergency supply and take them whenever I couldnt eat meat! It would be a panacea to protect the muscles he had nurtured with such care. To create this precious panacea, Mu-jin began to speak. First of all, protein is one of theponents that make up the human body. Particrly, human muscles are made of this protein. Therefore, to supplement or build muscle, one needs to consume a simr type of protein. So, what are these simr types of protein? The most representative source is animal meat. Like humans, the muscles and flesh of animals are also made of protein. Those from the Sichuan Tang n nodded at Mu-jins exnation. It was alreadymon knowledge that animal meat could supplement the human body. However, Tang-gak looked at Mu-jin with a rather peculiar expression. Though it was a secret within the n, Tang-gak knew that Mu-jin was a disciple of Shaolin. Yet, here was a Shaolin disciple speaking about eating meat. As expected, he doesnt fit in with Shaolin. Heh heh. To achieve great aplishments, one must be obsessed with a particr field. Tang-gak, realizing that despite his young age, Mu-jin shared the same drive for excellence, started to see him as a kindred spirit. Additionally, egg whites and milk from cows also contain this protein. While Tang-gak felt a sense of camaraderie as a fellow maniac, Mu-jin continued his exnation. Hmm. It makes sense that eggs, being an animals offspring, contain it, but milk as well? Yes. The protein supplement I mentioned is made from milk. It is processed into a powder, making it easy to carry and consistently consume, thereby protecting and growing muscles. The most representative protein supplement was whey protein, made from milk. Specifically, it was made by processing the whey left after curds were extracted during the cheese-making process. Depending on the processing involved, names like WPC, WPI, and WPH were given. Even for the Tang n, a primitive whey protein supplement would be the limit. In this era, processes like ion exchange or hydrolysis were impossible. And even if they were possible, it was problematic. Though Mu-jin had studied nutrition and knew the types of protein supplements, he did not have detailed knowledge of ion exchange or hydrolysis processes. He was a fitness trainer, not a protein supplement factory researcher. Have you ever heard of yurak, a dairy product consumed by Westerners or northern nomads? Thus, Mu-jin intended to ask them to produce the most primitive whey protein supplement. In other words, by processing milk to make cheese. After obtaining the whey by separating out the curds, the request was to sterilize, dry, and concentrate the whey. The whey protein produced this way would still contain variousponents likectose and milk fat, in addition to protein. While modern whey protein has over 90% protein content, with the technology in this world, achieving just over 50% would be a great sess. But still, its better than nothing. Besides, food is scarce here anyway. Unless someone hadctose intolerance, a littlectose or milk fat wouldnt be an issue. Tang-gak looked at Mu-jin with a curious expression after hearing his exnation. Where did you gain such knowledge? No matter how he thought about it, this wasnt something Mu-jin could have learned at Shaolin. If Shaolin had such knowledge, Mu-jin wouldnt need toe to the Tang n for help. In response to Tang-gaks question, Mu-jin gave a truthful yet misleading answer. This is a secret technique passed down only in my family. Your family, you say? Yes. Hmm? If you have a family, why share such knowledge with us? Wouldnt it be better to have your family make it? There is no one left in my family besides me. Though he was from a noble background, his family was exterminated by the Demonic Alliance, a fact known to Shaolin about Mu-jins personal history. * * * For the next few days, Mu-jin continued to spend simr time at the Tang n. In the mornings, he built tolerance to various poisons given by Tang-gak along with hispanions, and in the afternoons, he visited the Tang ns workshop to experiment with whey protein production. Mu-jin. What? Shes here again. Just pretend you dont see her, and you guys do the same. Part of this routine involved avoiding Tang So-mi, who persistently tried to approach him. Mu-yul, who alternated his gaze between the hiding Tang So-mi and the studiously ignoring Mu-jin, tilted his head in curiosity. Hmm. Interesting. Whats interesting? Its interesting that Lady Tang is chasing after Mu-jin. Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong reacted to Mu-yuls question, thinking he didnt understand a womans feelings. But they slightly misunderstood Mu-yuls thinking. No, its interesting why Mu-jin isnt hitting her despite her being annoying. Ook! Ook!! Even Ling-ling, who was on Mu-yuls head, barked in agreement, making Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong nod in understanding. Yeah, with his personality, he would have beaten her up by now. Haha. Even if its Mu-jin, he wouldnt be so ruthless to hit a woman. Didnt you see at the Yongbongji Conference? How he attacked Lady Tang? That was a martial contest Thats not it. ording to Master Hye-gwan, he once persistently chased and beat a woman in Nanchang too. Mu-gyeong, referring to what he heard from Hye-gwan, refuted the argument of the Cheongsu Dojang. Hye-gwan shared this story to emte Mu-jins bold and somewhat unscrupulous behavior. Mu-gyeong, however, didnt know that the woman persistently beaten back then was Jegal Jin-hee. You guys When Mu-jin red at the four of them, they subtly avoided his gaze. Sigh. His sigh wasnt solely because of these four. Honestly, if possible, he wanted to provide psychological treatment, albeit physical, to the obsessive monk behind him. If only this werent the Tang n He couldnt beat the precious Tang ns cherished one in the middle of their n. But this ufortable life was almost over. Ignoring Tang So-mi, he and hispanions moved on. Soon, they arrived at the Tang ns workshop. Heh heh heh. Wee. As they greeted Tang-gak, who weed them, he waved off the formalities dismissively. Thats enough. Finally, weve made something somewhat useful. Check it out. The reason Mu-jin and hispanions came to the workshop today was that the prototype of the protein supplement was finally made. A finely ground pale yellow powder. Mu-jin cheerfully poured the powder into a bowl, added water, mixed it, and handed a cup to each of the children. Here. Try it. What is this? Its a magic powder. Magic powder? The four children, tilting their heads at Mu-jins exnation, drank the water mixed with the protein supplement without much thought. Ugh. They immediately gagged as soon as they tasted it. What is this? Is this poison? You should have warned us if it was poison! More importantly, we need to perform Qi Conducting! Qi Conducting, everyone! Watching the childrens frantic reactions, Mu-jin had a knowing expression. Early protein supplements were notorious for tasting terrible. Nowadays, there were vors like vani and chocte, but old protein supplements were often described as tasting like soaked cardboard. Through the childrens reactions, Mu-jin confirmed just how bad it tasted. Ill only drink this on days when I cant get protein. This was an emergency remedy, not a delicacy. It was a moment where he felt a newfound respect for bodybuilders from the 60s to the 80s, who built their bodies before chocte or vani-vored supplements existed. After observing the childrens painful expressions for a moment, Mu-jin turned to Tang-gak. Senior Dark King, has that other item beenpleted? Ah, you mean that? Its been prepared and set aside. With a smile, Mu-jin headed in the direction indicated by Tang-gak. If he had eaten something that tasted horrible, he should cleanse his pte. After finishing their business and leaving the workshop, Mu-jin and his party encountered Tang So-mi, who had been following Mu-jin. Heh heh heh. Did youe here out of curiosity? Tang-gak asked Tang So-mi, who entered the workshop. Is that the item that Master Mu-jin taught you to make? Pointing at the pale yellow powder, Tang So-mi inquired, and Tang-gak nodded. He said its a medicine you mix with water. Tang-gak exined as he mixed some powder with water and handed it to Tang So-mi. With her curiosity piqued, she dly epted the drink. Master Mu-jin seems to have deep knowledge of poisons. She began to misunderstand, thinking it was rted to Mu-jins expertise in poisons. * * * That evening, the Tang n treated Mu-jin and his party to a feast every day, but todays meal included some unusual dishes. Heh heh heh. Mu-jins eyes lit up as he looked at the food. Meat coated in a red, oily sauce. On top of it, melted pale yellow, thick cheese. Yes, they had made cheese using the curds left from whey protein production. Ah, this is the taste! Thebination of spicy food with cheese was truly delightful to the Korean pte. Though the sticky, gradually building heat from gochujang and gochugaru-based Korean spiciness was different from the sharp, Sichuan-style heat from spices. It feels like eating that cheesy spicy chicken from those mukbangs. At least for a moment, Mu-jin could recall the vors of the modern world he had forgotten. Here. Feeling it would be a shame to eat alone, Mu-jin offered the Sichuan-style dish with cheese to the children. Isnt that the stuff from earlier? Why would you eat that, Mu-jin? Amita Buddha. Im fine with this. Thank you, Master Mu-jin. Having been burned by the simrly colored powder drink earlier, the children refused Mu-jins offering with distaste. * * * While Mu-jin was savoring the taste of home, back at the Shaolin Temple, the abbots office was hosting a private meeting between Abbot Hyun Cheon and the youngest daughter of Cheonryu Sangdan, Ryu Seol-hwa. Ahem. So, you say this letter is from Mu-jin? Yes, Abbot. Do you have a separate means ofmunication with Mu-jin? Its just a letter sent by Master Mu-jin through our sects branch. I dont know anything more. Despite Abbot Hyun Cheons probing questions, Ryu Seol-hwa remained calm and skillfully lied. Having been actively involved in the sects affairs for over two years, she was now truly bing a merchant. After scrutinizing her for a moment, Abbot Hyun Cheon sighed and opened the letter supposedly from Mu-jin. As he read through the letter, his expression grew increasingly stern with each line. Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Hyeok-woong Chae After Ryu Seol-hwa departed, Abbot Hyun Cheon convened a meeting of all the sages of Shaolin, including Hyun-gwang. Has something serious happened, Abbot Senior Brother? Instead of exining to the curious disciples gathered in the abbots office, Hyun Cheon handed them the letter he had received from Ryu Seol-hwa. As the sages read the letter, their reactions mirrored that of Hyun Cheon. The contents of the letter were quite extensive: it detailed the existence of shadowy forces behind the Divine Thief incident and the nned massacre in Sichuan, indicating that these forces were operating throughout the Central ins and that Shaolin needed to assist the Tang n to prevent the massacre in Sichuan. Once all the sages had read the letter, Hyun Cheon spoke in a tone that suggested he had already made up his mind. We need to send our disciples to Sichuan immediately. Yes. Now that we know theres a force trying to incite discord among the orthodox sects, we should help the Tang n, one disciple said. Amitabha. There are those who seek to disturb the world. We must uncover their identities quickly, another agreed, nodding. However, Hyun Cheon shook his head. The most urgent task is not to uncover the identity of this group called Shinchun or even to help the Tang n.What do you mean, Abbot Senior Brother? The most urgent matter is to bring the Muja Group children to Shaolin as quickly as possible. The children? ording to this letter, Mu-jin seems to have been tracking these forces from the beginning. Wouldnt it be better to leave it to him? one disciple asked. Mu-jin had left in the middle of the night, leaving a letter that said he had something he needed to do. Initially, everyone thought it was just an excuse for his escape, but thanks to the recent letter, many had changed their minds. Although the question of how Mu-jin knew about such forces still remained, it was clear to Hyun Cheon that Mu-jin had been pursuing these forces. Nevertheless, the reason Hyun Cheon wanted to bring Mu-jin back was simple. There is someone in the Shinchun group who even the Dark King of the Tang n struggled against. We cannot entrust the pursuit of such dangerous individuals to Mu-jin and the other Muja Group children. Amitabha. Chengdu, the most developed region in Sichuan, usually exuded a lively atmosphere, but recently, a strange tension was palpable. This was due to the escting conflict between the Sichuan Tang n, the Emei Sect, and the Qingcheng Sect. Although the three major sects hadnt yet shed directly, several establishments in Chengdu, directly or indirectly connected to these sects, were engaged in a proxy war, creating conflicts. How much longer must we endure this, Luju-nim? one disciple asked impatiently. Just hold on a little longer. We received word from the Tang n that the situation will soon change, replied the Luju, taking a deep breath. In truth, the Qingcheng Sect and the Emei Sect were pressuring businesses associated with the Tang n. They were subtly disrupting the operations of these businesses, waiting for the Tang n to make the first move. If the Tang n acted to protect their associated businesses, the Qingcheng and Emei Sects nned to portray themselves as righteous heroes punishing the Tang n. As a result, the inns and establishments linked to the Tang n had been suffering recently. This isnt like the Tang n. Why are they tolerating this? They must be preparing something, another suggested. The Luju, who employed Tang n warriors as guards, sighed deeply. The Tang n was actually avoiding conflict due to Tang-gaks injuries, but this fact was kept hidden, leaving others frustrated. If this continues, we might go bankrupt, Luju-nim. Lets wait three more days. If nothing changes by then, we might have to consider switching sides, the Luju said, sighing. In fact, some had already switched allegiance to the Qingcheng and Emei Sects. Meanwhile, in another inn nearby, the atmosphere was lively withughter. Hahaha. Seeing the Tang n continuously retreating, it seems that the information was correct. Serves those greedy fools right. Boasting about putting their bloodline first, theyre now self-destructing. Its fitting for those treacherous scoundrels, said an old man in martial arts robes, talking with some middle-aged men. They were members of the Qingcheng Sect. The reason the Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect were acting so boldly was due to some recent information. They had heard that there was a rebellion within the Tang n, resulting in many deaths, and that even the Dark King was injured. This information was cleverly manipted and delivered by spies from Shinchun. Although Unhyangwon had been partially destroyed, traces of the battle between the Head of Unhyangwon and the Dark King remained there. From these traces, it was not difficult for Shinchun to deduce that the Dark King had also sustained injuries. However, since they couldnt reveal the identity of the Head of Unhyangwon, known as one of the Five Squad Leaders in Shinchun, they altered the information, iming that there was a rebellion within the Tang family. After all, since they had already dealt with the underlings and spies they had nted in the Tang family, the result was practically the same. Of course, Qingcheng and Emei found it hard to believe this information, but realizing that the whereabouts of several individuals, including Tang Min, the Elder of the Inner Hall, were unknown, they immediately took action. The Dark Kings injuries do not seem light. Judging by their cautious behavior, it appears so. Why not take this opportunity topletely eliminate them? To this bold suggestion from the Qingcheng Sect warriors, the Elder in charge of external affairs for the Qingcheng Sect, Master Cheongpung, shook his head. No matter how absent the Dark King is, it would be foolish to fight in the Tang familys territory. We dont know how many traps and poisons they might have prepared there. Indeed, those cunning bastards must have made some preparations. Theres no need to rush. If we wait a bit longer, there will be hardly any ces left for them to turn to. By then, even if the Dark King recovers, they will be powerless. Hahaha. It seems Sichuan is finally getting back to its proper state. Sichuan originally belonged to Qingcheng and Emei. However, while they were enjoying their seclusion in the mountains, subtly exerting their influence, secr martial arts families began to tantly spread their influence in Sichuan. Around the time Tang-gak became the head of the Tang family, their influence became the strongest in Sichuan. It was only then that Qingcheng and Emei cast aside concerns about worldly perceptions and started to move openly. And as they all smiled in satisfaction, thinking that Sichuan was returning to its original state, Master Elder! A young Taoist from the Qingcheng Sect hurriedly climbed the steps of the tavern. Why is a disciple of Qingcheng in such a rush? When the first-ss disciple apanying Master Cheongpung scolded the young disciple, thetter bowed his head in apology. Sorry, Senior Brother. There is urgent news I must deliver. Urgent news? Yes, Master Elder. There are reports that people from Cheonryu Sangdan and Shaolin have appeared in Chengdu. At the young disciples exnation, Master Cheongpung frowned. Why does a disciple of Qingcheng get so flustered just because Shaolin has appeared? Do you think Qingcheng is inferior to Shaolin? Thats not it. Its because Shaolin and Cheonryu Sangdan are heading towards the Tang family, which is why I came in such a hurry. What! Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the Taoists of Qingcheng quickly stood up. They rushed to ascertain the situation and, on the way to the Tang family, joined forces with members of the Emei Sect, who had also heard the news. Thus, moving swiftly and abandoning decorum, they arrived at the entrance of the Tang family, where they saw a harmonious scene of the Tang family and Shaolin members conversing. Master Cheongpung boldly interrupted their conversation. I am Master Cheongpung, an elder of the Qingcheng Sect. Hahaha. It is an honor to meet the Sword of Qingcheng. Amitabha. Master Hyun-hyeon, the representative of the Shaolin group this time, greeted his rudeness with a kind smile. But, why have you suddenlye to see us? Ahem. We were curious why people from Shaolin, who reside far away in Henan, suddenly came to Sichuan Chengdu, so we came to find out. We havee to save the people, thats all. The people here will be saved by Qingcheng and Emei. Why dont you return peacefully? Despite Master Cheongpungs tant dismissal, Master Hyun-hyeon merely continued to smile serenely. It is not just Shaolins intention, so that might be difficult. What do you mean? We came here together with Cheonryu Sangdan ording to our agreement, to treat those with musculoskeletal injuries. I heard there are many patients with such injuries in the Tang family. Hahaha. Are you truly saying that Shaolin intends to interfere in Sichuans affairs? Unable to contain his frustration, Master Cheongpung asked directly, to which Master Hyun-hyeon also responded somewhat bluntly. We have no intention of interfering in Sichuans affairs. However, we will not allow needless bloodshed. They did not intend to assist the Tang family in attacking first. However, if a war broke out, they would not remain idle. Master Cheongpung interpreted Master Hyun-hyeons words in this way. * * * After Qingcheng and Emei had departed, Master Hyun-hyeon, who was being guided by the Tang family members, had a private meeting with Tang Pae-jin, the head of the Tang family. Master Hyun-hyeons usual serene demeanor changedpletely. Among his purposes foring here, one was to prevent the bloodshed that was about to ur. Where is Mu-jin? But his primary purpose was to bring Mu-jin back to Shaolin. However, the response was Tang Pae-jins peculiar expression. If you are talking about Monk Mu-jin, he left a few days ago. Did you not receive any message? His expression seemed to question why he was looking for a disciple who had already left. Meanwhile, Ryu Seol-hwa, who hade with Master Hyun-hyeon as a representative of Cheonryu Sangdan, maintained a calm expression despite the shocking news. This was because she already knew that Mu-jin had left. Mu-jin, wary of being captured by Shaolin, had sent a letter to Ryu Seol-hwa once his protein supplement was sufficientlyplete. Moreover, before leaving this ce, he had left her an additional letter. Before we discuss the musculoskeletal treatment clinic, I have something to ask you, Tang Pae-jin. Feel free to ask, Miss Ryu Seol-hwa of the Golden Lily. When he called her by the nickname she had recently gained fame for in the upper circles, Ryu Seol-hwa responded with a bright smile befitting her nickname. I heard on the way here that the Tang family recently developed a sauce while making a certain medicine. And that you developed a recipe to mix this sauce with Sichuan cuisine? Hoho. I have heard that Cheonryu Sangdans intelligence is outstanding, but I didnt know you were aware of such details. But why do you ask? May I taste that dish? If it is indeed excellent, how about we open a guest house together? It was about the dish that Mu-jin had rmended. He had suggested trying Sichuan cuisine with cheese as a delicacy. Of course, for Mu-jin, it was just a rmendation to try it as a delicacy, but for her, now a businesswoman, it was seen as information that could make money. * * * Meanwhile, at that moment. Mu-jin and his group, who had already left Sichuan Tang n, were now crossing a mountain path on their way to Guangxi, having passed through Guizhou. The reason was, of course, to disrupt the ns of the shadowy forces, Shinchun. Furthermore, there was someone in Guangxi who would be good to recruit as an ally. The only issue was. Everyone, be cautious from now on. Beyond hiding our identities, this is truly the territory of the demonic sects. Guangxi was a highly dangerous area for the righteous sectste-stage disciples. The southern region starting from Dongting Lake was the territory of the Demonic Alliance. While Guizhou, Chongqing, Hunan, and Jiangxi were less so, Guangxi, Guangdong, and Fujian werepletely dominated by the demonic sects. Even being identified as a disciple of the righteous sects, let alone a disciple of Shaolin or Wudang, could endanger ones life here. Thus, Hehehehe. You there! Stop right now! This meant that it was not surprising to be surrounded by rough-looking men while climbing a mountain. Middle-aged men suddenly blocked the path. They all wore outfits that screamed Im a bandit! If you want to pass through the path that our heroic mountain men have worked hard to pave, you need to pay a toll! Hehehe. Sighing momentarily at the sight of these clich and shabby bandits. Huh? Mu-jin suddenly came up with a peculiar idea and began to scrutinize the bandits attire. Chapter 147: Chapter 147: ck Bear Vige (2) Was it a misunderstanding of Mu-jins tant stare? Wh-why are you staring at me like that? Heheh. Brother, could it be that guy is you know, into men? Kill him! Kill that bastard first! The bandits suddenly started spouting nonsense. Lets start by beating them up. As soon as Mu-jin charged at the bandits. Screams of the bandits echoed over the previously quiet mountain ridge.* * * Hey! Looks like you still have some strength left to move? One of the bandits, who had been face-down in the dirt, staggered to his feet. Mu-jin asked with a fierce re. My head it hurts so much. The bandits, with their heads buried in the messy dirt ground, felt like their heads were splitting open. Why? Didnt you say you worked hard to clear this path? Then why does your head hurt? The bandits were at a loss for words and continued to groan as they buried their heads again. Stand up. When Mu-jin gave the order, the bandits stood up with an uncharacteristic, military-like discipline. Realizing that the military-style training had worked well, Mu-jin smiled in satisfaction and spoke. Take off your clothes. What? This order was unexpected, causing puzzled voices among the bandits. What? When Mu-jin red and issued themand again, some of the bandits, despite their burly appearance, started to undress with almost tearful expressions. Why are they covering their chests? It was disgusting to see the burly men, who were all obviously men, striking a modest pose. Avoiding the sight for eye protection, Mu-jin pointed to the bandits clothes scattered on the ground and spoke to his party. Pick what you want to wear. What do you mean? Pick what? Those? Why? Hispanions looked utterly confused. Mu-jin sighed and replied. Why do you think? If were going to pose as bandits, we need to wear bandit clothes. Why do we need to pose as bandits? Because were in Guangxi Province now. The thought that Mu-jin had when facing the bandits was to disguise themselves as bandits. To operate in the territory of the dark factions, it was best to disguise themselves as part of the dark factions. And the Green Forest was one of the seven pirs of the Demonic Alliance, one of the Demonic Alliances Seven Great Pirs. Though the shabby bandits they encountered werent part of the Green Forest. Oh, so thats why you made them take off their clothes! Understanding the situation after all the exnations, hispanions eximed in admiration, making Mu-jin sigh and ask. Then why else would I make them take off their clothes? To torment them? All four of them answered in unison, leaving Mu-jin speechless. Fine, now pick what you want to wear. Mu-jin began rummaging through the bandits clothes scattered on the ground, and the others followed suit, looking for clothes that fit them. Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-yul, and Mu-gyeong had all grown their bodies through training, but they werent particrlyrge in build. As a result, finding clothes that fit them wasnt much of a problem. As for Mu-jin, despite being quiterge for this era at six feet (183 cm) and having a sturdy build, there was a ratherrge bandit among the bandits, so he managed to find clothes that fit. But the problem was Mu-gung. None of these fit. At over six feet three inches (192 cm) tall with enormous shoulders and muscles, there were no clothes that fit Mu-gung. Just tear them and wear them. Theyre bandit clothes anyway, so why bother? Mu-jin criticized Mu-gung and picked out thergest clothes he could find, then ripped them around the shoulders, arms, and thighs with his strength and made Mu-gung wear them. Mu-gung, now dressed in torn leather clothes (which were real leather with animal fur still attached), looked Perfect. He embodied the very image of a bandit. His menacing muscles peeking through the torn leather would naturally make any passing merchants hand over their money out of fear. You should be the bandit chief. With such a perfect bandit leader appearance, Mu-jin willingly conceded the role of leader to Mu-gung. Why should I be the chief? You do it! Should we take a vote on who looks more like a chief? Although Mu-gung protested, a fair vote eventually led to Mu-gung being appointed as the chief. See, even they think you look more like a bandit chief. Pointing to those who voted for Mu-gung while trembling in their underwear, Mu-jin said, causing Mu-gung to re at them with a sharp look. Amused by the scene, Mu-yul, who had been smiling all along, suddenly posed a very profound and important question. If senior brother is the chief, whats the name of the bandit gang? A name for the bandit gang. After pondering for a moment, Mu-jin looked at Mu-gung who had be the leader. ck Bear Vige. A name that perfectly matched Mu-gungs appearance as a ck bear. * * * After forming the bandit gang and appointing a chief, Mu-jin turned to the former bandits who had handed over their clothes and asked. Is there a mountain that merchant groups must pass when traveling between Guizhou Province and Haji County? Jiangxi Provinces Haji County. There was a group there that Mu-jin had business with this time. A group like the Paedobang or Taeeulmun, which were shadowy forces pretending to be legitimate organizations. Though Mu-jin had a primary goal in Guangxi Province, now was the perfect time to attack that ce while disguised as bandits. Haji County is surrounded by mountains, so its impossible to pass without going through one. Among them, if heading towards Guizhou Province, Lao Mountain is unavoidable. Hmm. So, are there bandits like us in that area? There is a bandit gang called Great Tiger Vige, but theyre no match for you, sir. Really? Then how do we get to Lao Mountain from here? The bandits, having been thoroughly educated by Mu-jin, eagerly provided the information. However, their politeness was just a facade. Heh heh heh. Youre dead if you go there! Unlike themselves, who were nobodies, the Great Tiger Vige was a bandit gang belonging to the Green Forest, one of the Seven Pirs of the Demonic Alliance. Unlike the many scattered bandits, those in the Green Forest were trained in martial arts, with many masters among them. So, while the bandits outwardly disyed politeness, they secretly wished for Mu-jin and his group to go to Lao Mountain and be killed by the Great Tiger Vige. But for some reason, despite having confirmed everything they needed, Mu-jin didnt leave immediately. Even if we leave, we need to finish our business here first. What business do you mean? What business? Your business. Seeing Mu-jins somewhat cruel smile, the bandits began to tremble. P-please spare us! Its our first time! We swear well never do banditry again! Please forgive us! Maybe it was their wounds or the fact that they were begging in their underwear. Shouldnt we just let them go since weve already beaten them enough? Mu-jinspanions, feeling sorry for the bandits, tried to persuade him, but Mu-jin was unyielding. A dog doesnt stop eating feces. Do you believe them? Were lucky we got away unscathed, but what about the people wholl get robbed by themter? It really was our first time! Please spare us! Weve never killed anyone! Fine. I wont kill you, so dont worry. As the young ones were not ustomed to killing, Mu-jin didnt intend to kill them. But still, it wasnt a problem. Ill just break your Danjeon and one arm and one leg, so youll never do this again. They would live a fate worse than death. * * * After dealing with the bandits who gifted them the clothes, they moved in the direction the bandits had indicated for two days. Damn, this is really disgusting. Mu-jin cursed as he ate the protein supplements he brought from the Tang family, to consume enough protein while traversing the mountain paths. He ate it yesterday and again this morning, but no matter how much he ate, he couldnt get used to the terrible taste. Why do you keep making us eat that awful stuff? Hispanions, also forced to eat the supplement, red at Mu-jin with resentment. Who are you boneheads loitering in someone elses territory?! Finally, the long-awaited voice was heard. Rough-looking men dressed simrly to them, clearly bandits, appeared. Are you the leader of the Great Tiger Vige? Mu-jin asked for confirmation, making the bandits scowl and growl. Did you just call him a bastard? Hey, you bastard, do you think our leader is your friend? But unlike the bandits spouting curses, the man who seemed to be the leader asked seriously. Who are you to seek our leader? We are ck Bear Vige, and this is our leader, Brother ck Bear. Mu-jin confidently stepped forward to introduce Mu-gung, then grinned . And from today, Lao Mountain is ours. You cat bastards. * * * Soon after. Mu-jin and his party were being guided up the mountain by the bandits of the Great Tiger Vige. Judging by the bruises on their faces, it was clear they were forcibly guiding them. If you go a bit further up this path, youll reach the mountain vige, Brother ck Bear. The bandit, who had been acting tough earlier, now spoke to Mu-gung with a groveling expression. Uh, uh-huh. Still ufortable being called leader or brother, Mu-gung awkwardly nodded while clearing his throat. Amidst this awkward atmosphere, they climbed the mountain for a while. Wooden fences and huts made of bushes. Rough men in leather clothes patrolling around the fence. It was truly a ce befitting the name mountain vige that appeared before Mu-jin and his group. Who are those guys!! Squad Leader Three! Who are those guys?! When a bandit standing on the wooden fence shouted, the bandit guiding Mu-jin and his group hastily replied. Theyre crazy bastards invading our territory! Kill them immediately!! The bandit who had been groveling suddenly changed his attitude as soon as the mountain vige came into view. Of course, Mu-jin never expected the bandits to genuinely reform. From today, Lao Mountain is ours! Lets go, boss! Uh, o-okay!! Mu-jin shouted and awkwardly responded, Mu-gung followed him towards the fence, followed by Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-yul, and Mu-gyeong. Hmm? These bandits are quite strong? Though the bandits who guided them earlier and those who lent them clothes were certainly skilled, they were still no match for Mu-jin and his group, who were top masters even among the orthodoxter generations. Mu-jin and Mu-gung knocked out one bandit each with a single punch using their brute strength, while Mu-gyeong and Cheongsu Dojang disyed exquisite movements uncharacteristic of bandits. Die, you damn monkey!! Even Ling-ling seemed to be toying with the bandits. Dont bully Ling-ling!! Despite Ling-ling tormenting the bandit, for some reason, Mu-yul beat up the bandit who cursed at Ling-ling. As Mu-jin and his party wreaked havoc at the entrance of the Great Tiger Vige, arge man dragging a huge axe came out from a sizable thatched house in the center. Who dares disturb the nap of this ck Axe Mountain Lord?! Chief!! Those bastards are invading our territory! Heheh. They must be eager to die! The Great Tiger Vige leaderughed, emitting a murderous aura. Hi-ya! Oo-kee! Oo-kee!! But Mu-jin and his party, instead of paying attention to the leader, were busy knocking down the surrounding bandits. Chapter 148: Chapter 148: ck Bear Vige How dare they!! The Great Tiger Vige Chief, feeling utterly disrespected, lunged forward with a roar. Despite his massive build and the enormous axe he wielded, he flew towards Mu-jin and his group with explosive speed. Haaaah!! True to his moniker, the ck Axe Mountain Lord, his giant ck axe emitted a dark aura as he swung it at the man who had been causing the most trouble among his subordinates. Mu-jin, who was at the forefront of fighting the bandits, swung his leg to meet the iing axe. Bang!! Blocking the axe effortlessly with his golden-tinted foot, Mu-jin kicked the Great Tiger Vige Chief away.However, this wasnt an attack meant to finish him off. Boss! That guy is the Great Tiger Vige Chief! It was merely an attack to push the Great Tiger Vige Chief towards Mu-gung, who was fighting nearby. After all, the highlight of territorial battles was the fight between the leaders. Haaap! As the Great Tiger Vige Chief, kicked by Mu-jin, flew towards him, Mu-gung thrust out his palm. You bastards!! Furious from being disrespected and kicked by Mu-jin, the Great Tiger Vige Chief swung his axe at Mu-gung with bloodshot eyes. Bang!!! As the huge figures of Mu-gung and the Great Tiger Vige Chief collided, thunderous noises echoed continuously. The bandits couldnt even dream of interfering in such a high-level fight. Ookki! Ookki!! Where do you think youre going! Mu-jin and his group, as if uninterested in Mu-gungs battle, were busy knocking down the bandits. And so, Mu-gung, now facing off against the Great Tiger Vige Chief as the leader of ck Bear Vige, found himself thinking. Damn it. A mere bandit! He was having quite a hard time. It wasnt that the Great Tiger Vige Chief was an extraordinary master. Their martial arts styles were different, but ifpared, he was slightly below the level of the head of the Emei Sect that Mu-gung had faced at the Yongbongji Conference. Though the Great Tiger Vige Chief had more practical experience, making him a bit more challenging despite his lower level. However, Mu-gung had also experienced many real battles since then, gaining half a realms worth of internal energy through a fortuitous encounter. He should have been able to win easily, yet he was struggling for a simple reason. If only I could use Tathagatas Palm freely! He couldnt use his signature technique because he was hiding his identity. Thus, the battle between Mu-gung and the Great Tiger Vige Chief dragged on with no resolution, merely creating a lot of noise. Meanwhile, Mu-jin and his group, having already dealt with all the bandits, sat around watching their fight. Go, boss, win! Ookki! Ookki! While Mu-yul and Ling-ling danced around cheering for Mu-gung, Mu-jin yawned, looking visibly bored. When is this going to end, boss? What kind of subordinate talks to their boss like that!! Mu-gung, swinging his fist to deflect the Great Tiger Vige Chiefs axe, shouted angrily. W-what!? The Great Tiger Vige Chief, whose focus was entirely on fighting Mu-gung, finally realized his subordinates were all down and looked around in confusion. Worried that they might gang up on him, he nced around nervously. Seeing this, Mu-jin waved his hand dismissively. Dont worry. Territorial fights should end with the leaders. As Mu-jin tried to cate the Great Tiger Vige Chief, Mu-gung quickly came up with a trick. How to use Tathagatas Palm without revealing it was Tathagatas Palm! Haaat!! Mu-gung gathered his internal energy and assumed the stance for Tathagatas Palm. Just as the extreme Yang energy from his dantian was about to surge through his limbs and explode from his palm Kwaaak. He clenched his fist instead of releasing the heat from his palm. Its the Explosive Fist!! He swung his fist, wrapped in mes, at the Great Tiger Vige Chief. The Great Tiger Vige Chief, worried about Mu-jins groups interference, hurriedly gathered his dark energy to block Mu-gungs punch. Bang!! Unable to withstand the power of Tathagatas Palmno, the Explosive Fistthe Great Tiger Vige Chief was sent flying. How do you like the power of Explosive Fist! Mu-gung shouted, proud of his quick thinking. Thats no Explosive Fist. Its just a knock-off Tathagatas Palm. Mu-jin, picking his ear, replied indifferently. * * * The ce once called Great Tiger Vige. Around fifty burly men knelt with wounds all over their bodies. From now on, this ce is called ck Bear Vige. Understood? Yes, sir!! The bandits, kneeling, responded loudly to Mu-jins question. Boss, would you like to say a few words? Uh, ahem. Blushing despite hisrge frame, Mu-gung stepped forward shyly. ying the role of a bandit leader was quite embarrassing for the romantic Mu-gung. Er, I am ck Bear. As Mu-gung introduced himself in a barely audible voice, a few quick-witted bandits responded enthusiastically. Nice to meet you, boss!! You are truly a man among men! The moment I saw you, I knew I had to follow you as my leader! Mu-gungs face softened slightly at the burly bandits fierce wee. Ahem. Thank you. Of course! We will serve you to the best of our ability! Trust me, and follow! As the bandits responses grew more enthusiastic, Mu-jin couldnt help butugh. Approaching the bandit who was most actively ttering Mu-gung, Mu-jin squatted down. You talk well. Whats your name? Im Kang Il! Sub-leader! Why am I the sub-leader? It just feels that way! I apologize if Im wrong. Brother! Seeing Kang Il sneakily ttering even in his strict posture, Mu-jin patted his head. No, youre right. Good. From now on, youre the seventh in rank. Excluding the boss, me, and the original four of ck Bear Vige, youre the highest. Got it? Shouldnt I be sixth, then? Kang Il asked curiously, to which Mu-jin pointed at Ling-ling. Shes also strong. Ah! I understand! Shes the sixth, then! Bowing his head to Ling-ling, Kang Ils response made Mu-jin nod in approval. This guy has no pride but is convenient to have around. Right now, a guy like him was exactly what Mu-jin needed. Alright. From now on, youre our seventh-ranked Kang Il. Yes, sub-leader! We have some things to discuss, so you keep an eye on everyone here. If anyone tries anything funny, let us know immediately. Me? But Startled, Kang Il nced around. Towards the former Great Tiger Vige Chief, ck Axe Mountain Lord, and the other executives gathered. Mu-jin understood his hesitation. He wasnt scared of them. Dont worry. If wee back and find even a scratch on you, well deal with those guys first. Mu-jin shouted loudly for everyone to hear. Kang Il, wanting to fully utilize this borrowed power, had been ncing around to ensure the hierarchy was clear. Satisfied with setting a proper pecking order, Mu-jin led his group to a corner of what was now ck Bear Vige. As they moved away from the bandits sight, Mu-gyeong asked curiously. Arent you going to deal with them? I already did. I mean, like we did with the banditsst time. Breaking their dantian and limbs. Oh. They might be useful for a while. Useful? Everyone looked puzzled, but Mu-jin responded nonchntly. Theres a ce we need to raid. Bandits raiding? Nothing unusual about that. * * * After finishing their discussion, they returned. Smack! Kang Il was hitting the former vige chief, Cheolsang-gwi, on the head. You bastard!! The former vige chief, ck Axe Mountain Lord, eyes bloodshot, got up but sat back down when Kang Il nced at Mu-jins group. Enjoying his borrowed authority, Kang Il looked satisfied. Kang Il. Yes, sub-leader! Seeing him run over eagerly, Mu-jin smiled slyly. Show us around the vige. Of course, sub-leader! Where would you like to start? Show me where the money is hidden. Understood, sub-leader! Leaving his group to keep an eye on the bandits, Mu-jin followed Kang Il. In a corner of the vige, hidden under a thatched roof and straw, Mu-jin found a stash of treasures. Quite a hoard youve got here. Haha. Its a good spot, sub-leader. But why hoard it all like this? You cant spend it as bandits. Hehe. There are ways. Ways? But you cant go to nearby towns because youre wanted. We use distant settlements. Give them some money to buy things for us. Sometimes, we even get women and booze to party. Mu-jin, smacking Kang Il on the head for his lecherous grin, brought up his real question. More importantly, these are all stolen goods. To sell them, you need to go to the ck market, right? The ck market (). Commonly known as the underworld market. Mu-jin hade to Guangxi Province for this very reason. To approach it more naturally, he decided to y the part of a bandit and came to Hechi County. Sometimes we use the ck market. Hm? Then, do you know the one in Guilin? Asked about the Guilin ck market, Kang Il shook his head. Its too far from here. We dont know much about it. Maybe a nearby vige does But? Because Guilin is a famous tourist spot, the bandits there are quite strong. Of course, our leader and you, sub-leader, could handle it! Kang Ils ttery made Mu-jin smile wickedly as he organized his thoughts. Once things settle here, well raid that vige next. * * * Even after Great Tiger Vige was renamed ck Bear Vige, the bandits daily lives didnt change much. They split into groups, watching the roads through the mountains, checking for merchants or escort agencies passing by. The only difference was Sub-leader! An escort agency is passing by! Which agency? Huajin Escort Agency! Let them go. They only watched. Never raided. While Great Tiger Vige didnt rob every escort they encountered, they did collect a small toll through negotiation. But now, even that small toll was gone. Naturally, without ie, the bandits might have been disgruntled, but Good job. Now rest. Haha. Thank you, brother! Thanks to the feast and booze filling the vige, there were noints. Only the former Great Tiger Vige chief and his executives were on the verge of going mad. All the booze and feasts were bought with the wealth the former chief had umted. Mu-jin and his group simply instructed the bandits to guard the roads, asionally bought food and drink, and spent their days leisurely in the vige. Mu-jin started learning the Ghosts Manual and Shadow Technique through Mu-gyeong and trained his muscles using rocks and trees. Others also trained their martial arts or explored the mountain scenery. The only exception was Mu-gung. Perhaps because he had struggled while hiding Tathagatas Palm, Mu-gung tried to learn something new. If you swing an axe with those strong arms of yours, escort agencies will fall like leaves! Of course! That little axe cantpare! The bandits encouraged Mu-gung, taking advantage of his recent prominence. With Kang Ils ttery raising his rank, others began ttering Mu-jins group too. Mu-jin used this to his advantage, Mu-yul and Cheongsu Dojang didnt mind, and Mu-gyeong found it ufortable. Haha. You think so too? Mu-gung seemed delighted by the praise. When did he startughing like that? Mu-jinughed in disbelief, and Mu-gyeong chided him. You shouldnt call the boss he. True, hes acting like a boss. Swayed by the ttery, Mu-gung took the former chiefs axe and swung it through the air. Whoa! A divine strength bestowed by heaven! Indeed, our ck Bear leader is the best! Every time Mu-gungs axe made a whooshing sound, Kang Il, enjoying his drink and meat, ttered him. Hahaha! Mu-gungs heartyugh echoed, boosted by Kang Ils praise. Having been treated as an inferior by Mu-jin, and just a friendly local by Mu-gyeong and Mu-yul, Mu-gung was now being revered by the bandits, his spirits soaring. Hahahaha! Watching this, Mu-jin shook his head with a smile. They spent their days leisurely until Sub-leader! An escort agency is passing by! Which agency? The bandit, hiding his thoughts of why ask if youre just going to let them go, responded. North Wind Escort Agency! Hearing this, Mu-jin stood up with a sinister smile. Guys, get your weapons. Finally, their awaited prey had appeared. Chapter 149: Chapter 149: ck Bear Vige Northern Wind Escort Agency On the surface, it appeared to be an ordinary escort agency, but this was one of Shinchuns bases introduced in the second part of the novel. When Dao Yuetian, who had faced the annihtion of his n, emerged from five years of secluded training, he roamed the Jianghu seeking revenge against his enemies. He eventually seeded in eliminating those who had attacked his n. However, there was still work to be done. He had to reim the heirloom that was the reason for the attack on his family. One of the ces he discovered in his quest to find the heirloom was the Northern Wind Escort Agency. Shinchun was not only causing internal strife within the orthodox factions but also engaging in human trafficking, gathering children with unique constitutions. Additionally, they collected special items hidden throughout Jianghu, simr to their attack on Dao Yuetians n. The Northern Wind Escort Agency was one of the bases used to transport these collected children and items. It operated as a regr escort agency, mixing these special items and children among the regr shipments to erase traces. Lets go, Brother Heuk-ung! In other words, they had plenty of reasons to attack.Hahaha! Finally, we get to do our first job! It was unclear why Mu-gung was so delighted like a real bandit leader. * * * A narrow mountain path through Mount No that had to be crossed to move northward from Hajeonhyeon. Halt! The escorts from the Northern Wind Escort Agency, passing through this area, remained calm despite the sudden shout. Even when burly men emerged from the bushes in a line, their demeanor didnt change. They knew that bandits from the Great Tiger Vige, affiliated with the Green Forest, were based here, and they had been consistently dealing with them. They thought they could just pay a few coins and pass through. However, it didnt take long to realize something was wrong. Hahaha! I am Heuk-ung, the chief of Heuk-ung Vige! At the words of a vicious-looking young man who stepped forward, the expressions of the Northern Wind escorts changed. Not the Great Tiger Vige but Heuk-ung Vige? When did we ever say Great Tiger Vige! Heuk-ung Vige already took over! Upon hearing that the bandits had taken over the area, the Northern Wind escorts began to feel tense. If the bandits had just taken over, anything could happen. However, Jang Wonsang, the chief escort of the Northern Wind Escort Agency, spoke to Heuk-ung with a seasoned attitude. It seems we have new brothers to trade with. Hahaha. So, how much does Heuk-ung Vige want for the toll? For some reason, the bandit chiefs heartyugh became awkward. How much should I ask for? Mu-gung hade out because Mu-jin asked him to, but he hadnt thought that far. He couldnt act foolishly and disappoint his new followers. As Mu-gung was flustered by the sudden situation, Mu-jins voice reached him through sound transmission. Say 100 gold coins. Mu-gung, who had stiffened awkwardly, parroted Mu-jins words. The toll is 100 gold coins! Thats a bit much for a small escort agency, isnt it? At Jang Wonsangs incredulous question, Mu-gung almost nodded unconsciously. Despite being a monk, he knew 100 gold coins was an enormous sum. He had thoughtlessly followed Mu-jins instruction, but it was an unreasonable amount. Luckily, Mu-jin sent another sound transmission. If they dont have money, ask for their goods. Hahaha! If you dont have money, hand over your goods! Although Mu-gung had blurted out the words thoughtlessly, the atmosphere changed instantly. Losing the goods would drastically lower the escort agencys credibility. Do you want to see the end? It was a deration of war. While Mu-gung hesitated, Mu-jin stepped in instead of sending a sound transmission. Did you think we came here to y house? Chief Heuk-ung, lets go! ?! Mu-gung was confused when Mu-jin suddenly charged at the escorts. Attacking bandits was one thing, but attacking escorts? However, as Mu-jin led, Mu-yul and Ling-ling followed him into the fray. The surrounding bandits looked at Mu-gung, waiting for his order. Whatever, lets do this! Mu-jin must have a reason! Convincing himself, Mu-gung shouted. Attack, everyone! Yes, chief! With his followers, Mu-gung charged with an axe, looking every bit like a bandit chief. * * * Damn it. Chief escort Jang Wonsang frowned as he watched the sudden attack. Weve encountered foolhardy, overzealous newbies. Bandits and escort agencies had a symbiotic rtionship. Bandits needed to rob travelers but couldnt always confront escort agencies directly. High-profile raids attracted attention from the Murim Alliance, great martial sects, or even imperial forces. Escort agencies also couldnt always fight bandits; their escorts would die needlessly. Even if they won, eliminating all bandits would make travel safe, reducing the need for escort services. Thus, a bnce was struck with negotiations and tolls. Only reckless novices would demand such exorbitant amounts or goods. Killing these novice bandits should be easy, but Ugh The first bandit to charge fell with a single punch from the lead escort. The same happened to another escort who was kicked by a bandit with a monkey-like appearance. They were at risk of losing all their goods. As Jang Wonsang sighed and drew his sword, a bandit was split in two by his de. Despite cutting cleanly, his sword had no blood on it. Other escorts, who had been hiding their skills, joined Jang Wonsang, emitting sword and saber energy to cut down the bandits quickly. The strength was far too high for a local escort agency. Kill all the bandits and dispose of those men. Jang Wonsang ordered the hidden-skilled escorts, indicating the regr escorts to be killed to erase evidence. The skilled escorts nodded silently. In the meantime How dare you harm my men! The fierce-looking bandit chief charged at Jang Wonsang with madness in his eyes. Jang Wonsang intended to kill the bandit chief with a single strike. As his sword, imbued with energy, cut through the bandits axe effortlessly, Mu-gung used his Explosive Fist to counter. However, his attack was cut by Jang Wonsangs energy, forcing him to pull back his arm. Nearly lost a hand there. Mu-gung narrowly avoided losing his hand, but the cut left a slight wound. Even though his attack power was reduced by using a fist instead of a palm, the opponents strength was formidable. Hes far stronger than the Great Tiger Vige chief. Realizing the danger, Mu-gung threw the axe handle at the opponent, releasing his Extreme Yang Energy at the same time. However, Jang Wonsang easily cut through it and attacked Mu-gung with swift strikes, which he barely dodged. How can an escort be this strong! The speed wasparable to Il-hwi Dojangs, but the skill level was different. The escorts strikes were sharp enough to cut through Mu-gungs energy andplex due to extensive experience. If his internal energy hadnt increased or if he hadnt experienced the duel with Il-hwi Dojang, he wouldnt havested this long. Chief! Mu-jin joined the fight, quickly dispatching the fake escorts. Frustrated, Jang Wonsang shouted. What are you all doing! Seeing his subordinates on the ground, he shouted in frustration. Theyre all asleep. ?! In a split second of distraction, Mu-jin attacked Jang Wonsang with explosive speed. * * * Hmm. Mu-jin, having subdued the apparent leader, surveyed the surroundings with a strange expression. All the escorts were on the ground, many injured but none dead. The hidden-skilled escorts were Shinchuns informants and needed to be interrogated, while the regr escorts were innocent and didnt need to die. In contrast, more than ten bandits were dead or maimed within a short time, having fallen to the hidden-skilled escorts. Mu-jin sighed not because of them, as he had nned to deal with the bandits after the mission. There was no need to mourn those who preyed on others. The leaders skills were better than expected. The leader wasparable to the Taeeulmun master they fought earlier, indicating a mid-level manager in Shinchun. Move the goods and prisoners to the base. Mu-jin thought there might be something useful among the goods. After securing the goods and preventing the escorts frommitting suicide, Mu-jins group gathered in arge thatched house prepared for the chief. As Mu-jin was about to search the goods, Mu-gyeong spoke with a serious tone. Mu-jin. Yes? Why did we attack the escort agency? Do you remember the force called Shinchun from Shintu Pit Trap? Yes. That escort agency is connected to them. How do you know? Mu-gyeong, unlike the others who trusted Mu-jinsmands without question, asked persistently. Of course, Mu-jin couldnt say it was from the novel, but he had a prepared excuse. Sichuan Tang n provided the information. Ah Mu-gyeong seemed convinced and nodded, then asked again with realization. So we dressed as bandits to attack the escort agency? Well, it was convenient. Since this was a side goal, Mu-jin nodded appropriately. It was natural for bandits to rob escort agencies. While disguised as bandits, attacking the escort agency was not a bad idea. Even though it was an improvised n, it seems quite useful. It was perfect for hiding their identity and, if it caused conflict between Shinchun and the Green Forest, it would be beneficial. Chapter 150: Chapter 150: ck Bear Vige At the time when Mu-jins group was gathered in the thatched house, Cheolsang-gwi, the former chief of Great Tiger Vige, and several of his close bandits were secretly holding a meeting in a corner of Heukwoongchae. Brother, its dangerous to let those crazy guys run wild any longer. If we keep operating like this, well all end up dead. I know that, you fool. At the urgent words of the second-inmand and deputy chief, Cheolsang-gwi answered with a sinister expression that didnt match his burly figure. Thats why I already tipped off Deok-chil. Deok-chil was a bandit in charge of procuring goods from the sh-and-burn farmers vige whenever Great Tiger Vige needed supplies. In a few days, my sworn brother, Peerless Twin Axes Pyo Tae-seok, wille! Peerless Twin Axes Pyo Tae-seok, also known as the Golden King Chief, was the chief of Golden King Vige.Unlike Great Tiger Vige, which was merely middling in the Green Forest, Golden King Vige was one of the top ten notorious bandit groups in the Green Forest. Moreover, Cheolsang-gwi had proudly formed a sworn brotherhood with him during the Green Forest Conference. If only my brother woulde! He would take care of those damn guys who took his ce. Most importantly, I will rip Kang Ils skin to shreds! Cheolsang-gwis hands trembled at the thought of that damn flunky, who always backstabbed him every morning and evening. The more he thought about how he had given that sycophant alcohol and meat during his time as the chief, the more his anger doubled. * * * After convincing his group, Mu-jin spent about one sijin examining the items. I cant believe its here. Mu-jin muttered unconsciously as he picked up a delicate silk dress suitable for Ryu Seol-hwa. The box containing the dress also held dozens of other silk dresses, but Mu-jins eyes were only on that one dress. Compared to the other borate silk dresses, this one had little embroidery, making it inconspicuous. Mu-jin hadnt been looking for this dress from the start. In the second part of the novel he read, several mystical items or artifacts appear. These items were usually hidden and required special methods to find. The family heirloom that Dao Yuetian painstakingly sought was one such item. Many mystical items that didnt appear directly in the novel or had no specific method to find them also existed. So Mu-jin was using every method he had seen in the novel to search through the items, experimenting with each silk dress, thinking there was nothing to lose. Buzzing. He got a reaction from this silk dress. So this went through the North Wind Escort Agency and ended up with the Wolf King. Hearing Mu-jins muttering, Mu-gung, who was searching through the items with him, asked curiously. Wolf King? Was there such a nickname? Ah, I misspoke. Dont worry about it. Mu-jin made a vague excuse. After all, as Mu-gung said, the Wolf King didnt exist. At least not now. The Ten Great Masters of the martial world, currently known as the Three Swords and Seven Kings, were actually from the previous and the one before that generation. It had been over ten years since the titles of the Three Swords and Seven Kings were established. While no one knew the exact age of the Assassination King, a pir of the Seven Pirs, as no one had seen his real face, the youngest among the Seven Kings and the Three Swords, the Fist King Wi Ji-hak, and the Heavenly Sword Emperor Hyeok Jin-gang, were around sixty years old. The rest of the Ten Great Masters, except these two, were mostly over seventy, with the oldest, Poison King and Namgung Sword Emperor, being eighty. Thus, about five yearster, when Dao Yuetian would emerge from seclusion training, the list of the Ten Great Masters would start to change. During this process, a unique master who didnt belong to either the orthodox or unorthodox sects would appear, known as the King of the Wanderers, the Wolf King. The symbol of the Wolf King, who survived countless battles as a mercenary in the martial world, was now in Mu-jins hand. However, the Wolf King was not a woman, nor was he a perverted madman with a fetish for secretly wearing womens clothes at night. Mu-gung. Huh? What? Mu-jin, calling Mu-gung by his name rather than boss, held out the silk dress to him and said. Light this dress with the Tathagata Palm. It sounded as casual as asking him to light a cigarette. Why burn such an expensive silk dress? What a waste! Just do it. Dont burn it too strongly, just light it. Despite Mu-jins strange request, Mu-gung, tilting his head in curiosity, grabbed the dresss sleeve and used the Tathagata Palm. With the intense heat of the Extreme Yang Energy, the sleeve caught fire, and the whole dress soon emitted thick smoke. And where the dress, engulfed in mes, should havepletely burned down to ashes, Huh? There was a mix of charred ash and a thin silver thread. This thread was the treasure symbolizing the Wolf King, the Dragon Scale Thread. Though it was unknown if it was truly made from dragon scales, its abilities were genuine. Despite its extreme thinness, it boasted a toughness that couldnt be cut by ordinary steel swords, and it even amplified power when internal energy was infused into it. Thus, it was an invaluable weapon for those who practiced martial arts involving ropes or threads, and the best armor for those who practiced protective techniques. * * * Having hidden the Dragon Scale Thread to avoid detection by the bandits, Mu-jin headed to where the escorts were tied up. This time, Mu-jin went there alone, not with his group. Cant let the kids see the interrogation. Mu-jin was not ustomed to interrogations or torture, but he felt that the sight of such cruel acts would be difficult for those young individuals to adapt to. The captured guardsy sprawled out, their acupoints suppressed and their limbs bound to prevent them frommitting suicide, resisting, or escaping. These captives typically reacted in one of two ways: those who wanted to live at all costs, and those who wanted to die no matter what. The former were undoubtedly innocent guards, while thetter were likely associated with Shinchun. Thus, Mu-jin decided to first interrogate those connected to Shinchun. Grrk He clumsily mimicked methods he had heard of, like breaking fingers one by one, pulling out nails and toenails, or rubbing dirt and gravel into the wounds. These are some tough guys. However, just as the Tang n had said, none of them divulged any information, regardless of the harsh training they had undergone. Sigh. Mu-jin let out a deep sigh and reluctantly looked at the innocent guards. He had no intention of subjecting them to such cruel torture, especially since they likely knew very little. He merely intended to ask them a few questions. Ask me anything! I swear Ill tell you everything I know! But the perspective of those who had witnessed Mu-jins torture firsthand waspletely different. In addition to providing known information, they eagerly shared even the smallest details they had forgotten and even offered conjectures based on their knowledge. As a result, Mu-jin reached a significant conclusion, despite not expecting much. So, usually the cargo transported with that escort chief heads to either Daegum Sangdan or Eunha Sangdan, right? Y-Yes, thats correct! Watching the guards nodding vigorously, even to the point of tears, Mu-jin organized his thoughts. Since Cheonryu Sangdan is blocked, they seem to be targeting those as the next best options. Although Mu-jin had no immediate ns for Daegum Sangdan or Eunha Sangdan, discovering their connection to the shadowy forces was a noteworthy gain. * * * In a mountain stronghold about a hundred li from the ck Bear Gangs base on Mount Lo. Hahaha. That fool eventually lost his prized position. Inside thergest thatched house in the stronghold, a rough and sinister-looking man burst into a vileugh. He was Pyo Tae-seok, the chief of Geumwangchae. A few years ago, Pyo Tae-seok had nearly lost his mind upon hearing from Great Tiger Vige Chief Cheolsang-gwi about how someone less skilled than him was earningparable wealth. The Great Tiger Viges location on Mount Lo was a lucrative spot. Pyo Tae-seok had been tempted to kill ck Axe Mountain Lord Cheolsang-gwi and take the position immediately. However, the current head chief only permitted ranking battles and forbade territorial disputes among the Green Forest factions. As a result, Pyo Tae-seok proposed a sworn brotherhood to Cheolsang-gwi, believing the man was unfit to hold such a prime spot. The n was to have Cheolsang-gwi seek help from him, his sworn brother, once he inevitably lost his position, allowing Pyo Tae-seok to naturally take over the area under the guise of rescuing him. Finally, the preparations Pyo Tae-seok had made years ago were about to pay off. Summon the Geumrangdae! Pyo Tae-seok nned to head to Mount Lo with the elite Geumrangdae and his deputy chief. He didnt want to lead the entire Geumwangchae there, fearing someone might seize his stronghold in his absence. * * * In the main hall of North Wind Escort Agency in Haji-hyeon. What?! Shocking news had just arrived. The escort team that had departed from Haji-hyeon for Guizhou a few days ago had not yet reached Guizhou. Not only that, but they had also failed to reach Namdan-hyeon, a midpoint. This was a serious issue. The escort agencys chief wouldnt usually be concerned with failed deliveries, but this escort carried a particr item. If this bes known, the Seven Great Lords will not stand idly by. A recently elevated Great Lord had yet to make his official entrance into the martial world, and the agency had sent the item as a gift from the main branch to him. Thats why they had dispatched their best escort chief, Jang Won-sang, along with seven undercover guards. Now is not the time to worry about such things. We must retrieve that item quickly. Fortunately, the location of the blocked escort could be inferred. The only problematic ce between here and Namdan-hyeon. Gather the guards. Were heading to Mount Lo! The escort agencys chief issued the order, drawing a character on his forehead. While there was no doubt that the blockage urred at Mount Lo, the chief found it strange. Could the Great Tiger Vige Chief have bested Jang Won-sang? Considering the usual level of bandits in the area, the chief couldnt help but feel this situation was unusual. * * * Even after robbing the North Wind Escort Agencys goods, Mu-jin and his gang stayed at the ck Bear Gangs base. They expected North Wind Escort Agency to make a move since they had stolen their cargo. Moreover, there was a chance the escort agencys chief mighte this time, meaning more information would naturallye to Mu-jin. A few dayster, the news Mu-jin had been waiting for arrived. Leader! The guards are climbing the mountain! Which escort agency are they from? North Wind Escort Agency! And the agencys chief is with them! It seems theyvee to capture us! Perhaps because more than tenrades had died while robbing North Wind Escort Agency, the bandit who brought the news spoke in a fearful tone, but Mu-jin replied with a delighted expression. Oh-ho. That means theres more to steal? Inspired by something, Mu-gung rose with a bandit leaders demeanor and shouted. Ha-ha-ha! Dont worry and trust this brother! Yes! Youre the best, brother! Kang Il, ranked seventh, shouted obsequiously as Mu-gung confidently called out. Grab your gear, boys! Lets go! Following Kang Ils lead, the other bandits also shouted sycophantically as they armed themselves and headed towards the path where the guards wereing. Naturally, some of them were scowling, particrly Cheolsang-gwi and those who harbored resentment towards Mu-jins gang. Before long, Mu-jins gang and the bandits encountered the guards climbing the mountain. ng! The man at the front of North Wind Escort Agencys group, presumably the chief, drew his weapon without a word, signaling that there was no need for negotiations upon spotting the bandits. Where is the cargo?! At hismand, the guards following him also drew their weapons, and the bandits prepared for battle in response. Just as the tense atmosphere suggested that a fight could break out at any moment. Rustle. Suddenly, about a dozen men dressed as bandits appeared from the right side of the guards. Brother!!! Recognizing Pyo Tae-seok, Cheolsang-gwi shouted with joy at the sight of his rescuer. That one word was enough for Mu-jin to quickly grasp the situation. That bastard secretly called for reinforcements! Despite the unexpected increase in enemies, Mu-jin felt this situation was an opportunity. Mu-jin shouted at the newly appeared bandits with all his might. Brother!! Those bastards are the ones! Lets rob them together and make a fortune! Hahaha! At Mu-jins shout, some guards faces hardened. It seems like a trap, Chief! In contrast, the chiefs expression became even more murderous. Kill everyone except one to question about the cargos location! Understood! At hismand, the guards charged at the bandits without hesitation. Some charged towards Mu-jins group. Damn it!! Kill them!!! Clear a path first!! Many guards also charged at the newly appeared bandits. Watching the two forces that hade to capture them fighting each other, Mu-jin smiled contentedly. Hahaha. What a mess. Chapter 151: Chapter 151: ck Market Mu-jin watched as the men, who hade after them, fought among themselves. Swish. Please, spare me The weakest members of the former Great Tiger Vige bandits were being cut down like falling leaves. Of course, Mu-jin, who had no sympathy for these scoundrels who coveted others money, remained indifferent. Nooo!! Suddenly, Mu-gung shouted and charged into the chaotic battlefield. How dare you harm my brothers!!Mu-gung, filled with burning rage as he saw his followers being torn apart, began attacking the North Wind Escort Agencys guards with explosive fists. Whats with that overacting guy? Mu-jin smirked at the absurd sight for a moment. Ook! Ook ook! Well done, Ling-ling! As if it were a yground, Mu-yul also joined the fray with Ling-ling, blending into the chaos with the North Wind Escort Agency guards. Why are you smiling while hitting people, Mu-yul? Previously unnoticed, Mu-yul, now in bandit attire, seemed like a lunatic. Next to the crazed Mu-yul and Ling-ling was: Hahaha. It seems theres no end to the fights when were with you, Duou-nim! The members of Cheongsu Dojang also wielded their swords with insane smiles, as if enjoying the madness. Move a bit faster, Duou-nim! You can definitely do it! Cheongsu Dojang, seemingly having adapted to the opponents martial arts, even cheered them on. What about the future blood monk Mu-gyeong, who should have been the original lunatic? Are you studying for an exam? Mu-gyeong was like a martial schr, admiring the martial arts of the fake escort guards from North Wind Escort Agency as he fought them. Stop copying, you madman. Unlike the Yongbongji Conference, where he had to be mindful of others, Mu-gyeong freely stole the guards martial arts techniques. However, despite the four fighting the North Wind Escort Agency guards, the battle wasnt entirely in their favor. The former Great Tiger Vige bandits were still falling dead, and only the former chief of Great Tiger Vige, Cheolsang-gwi, was barely holding off an escorts attack. As for the new bandits who hade to attack Mu-jins group: Hm. These bandits are quite skilled. Although the ten bandits couldnt match the North Wind Escort Agency guards individually, they managed to hold off one guard per two or three bandits. A bearded bandit, who seemed to be at a simr level to Mu-gung or Mu-yul, was fighting an escort on equal footing. Finally, the most skilled bandit was: Deputy chief! What are you doing?! being overwhelmed by the man who seemed to be the leader of the North Wind Escort Agency. It wasnt that the banditcked skill; he seemed to be on par with the North Wind Escort Agencys chief, Jang Won-sang, from their previous encounter. But his opponent was formidable. As expected, is he a sort of manager? The North Wind Escort Agency leader seemedparable to the half-bald old man, ck w Blood Demon, they had faced previously. In other words, unless Mu-jin revealed his full power, victory wasnt assured. Im sorry, chief! Please hold on a bit longer! It seemed the bearded bandit was the deputy chief, shouting to the bandit fighting the leader. At first nce, it sounded like a desperate plea to help his leader. Ah, as expected, bandits are bandits. Mu-jin didnt miss the fleeting smile on the bearded bandits face. It seemed he was using this opportunity to kill his leader and take over. But unfortunately for the bearded bandit: Whoosh! Mu-jin leaped towards the leader of the North Wind Escort Agency, attacking from behind. His move wasnt to save the bandit leader but to conceal his own skills. Damn bandits! The leader, caught in a pincer attack, roared and swung his sword, sending icy sword energy in all directions. Mu-jin evaded and parried the sword energy with his fists, while the bandit leader twirled his axes like a firework disy. Huff, huff. Despite revealing openings due to using arge martial technique, Mu-jin didnt recklessly charge in. No way that bandit leader would help if I charge in. Mu-jin kept a distance, provoking the leader asionally with feints and bursts of fist energy. Ill kill you all!! The core of the battle remained between the bandit leader and the fake escort leader. sh! Naturally, minor wounds umted on the bandit leaders body, and the escort leader, distracted by Mu-jin, also sustained some injuries. At this rate, theyll both wear out. Ultimately, the escort leader, falling for Mu-jins ploy, decided to kill the bandit leader first. He unleashed his ultimate technique to finish the bandit leader in one strike. As the sword gathered immense internal energy, creating an icy storm of sword energy, the bandit nearby tried to intervene, but the escort leader ignored him. This was the so-called meat-cutting bone-breaking strategy. If he could kill the bandit leader, he believed he could handle the remaining bandit despite some injuries. Crunch! !!! The escort leader didnt expect the attack meant to inflict minor wounds to go through his bone and destroy his internal organs. Ugh Severely injured, the escort leader spat blood and copsed. Huff, huff. Thank you, my brother. The bandit leader, who had been overwhelmed, gasped for breath and spoke to Mu-jin. It was thanks to you drawing his attention, brother. Hahaha. My brother knows whats up! Today, I gained an excellent sworn brother! The bandit leader, deeply moved, eximed and approached Mu-jin with arms wide open, as if to hug him. Mu-jin also responded by approaching the bandit leader. As soon as he got within a distance of about one and a half meters, the bandit leaders expression changed. At the same time, the bandit leaders axe flew towards Mu-jin in a sudden attack. Crunch!! Mu-jins fist, which had already moved, struck the bandit leaders face. You dare try such a dirty trick. Why would he trust a bandit leader? However, the others seemed to think differently as they all looked at Mu-jin with eyes saying, Whos really being underhanded here? Unhappy with those looks, Mu-jin scowled and shouted. If you dont want to die, drop your weapons and kneel, you bastards. It was an order befitting the true leader of bandits. * * * By the time they had subdued all the escort guards. Out of the former Great Tiger Vige bandits, only about a dozen survived. Out of fifty, only a quarter remained. Mu-jin ordered the survivors to drag the subdued fake escorts and the bandits who hade to attack them back to ck Bear Vige. So, where did youe from? From Guwa Vige. What did you say? From, Gu, Guwa Vige! The bandit leader, whose jaw was shattered, cried out with tears streaming down his face due to the excruciating pain each time he opened his mouth. But his pronunciation was so bad because of his broken jaw that Mu-jin asked the bearded deputy leader who was subdued beside him. Hey, rat. You answer. We came from Geumwang Vige, sir! Why am I your sir? You look at least three times older than me. Hehe. What does age matter among bandits? The one with the skill is the boss! Ho, youre like Kang Il. Did you call, deputy leader? As soon as Mu-jin mentioned the name, Kang Il, who was far away, answered loudly. Even in the midst of most dying, Kang Il had survived, proving that skilled people lived longer. This deputy leader was the same. Ah, yes. Kang Il,e here for a moment. Yes, deputy leader! Kang Il quickly ran over and stood at attention beside Mu-jin. Have you heard of Geumwang Vige? Yes! When the youngest was the leader, he bragged about being sworn brothers with the leader of Geumwang Vige! Now that I think about it, when these guys came, the youngest called them brother! Realizing the connection, Kang Ils eyes widened. With his ugly face and wide eyes, it was somehow unappealing. Whack. Mu-jin hit the back of Kang Ils head and asked. Why are you so surprised? Is Geumwang Vige that famous? Yes! Geumwang Vige is one of the top ten bandit viges in the green forest But of course, theyre nothingpared to you, deputy leader! Even after being hit, Kang Il didnt show any displeasure and ttered Mu-jin. Ho. One of the top ten, huh? Haha. The youngest said so to boast, but it actually means theyre tenth. Still, its a notable bandit vige, isnt it? Exactly! Oh,e to think of it, their vige is closer to Gyerim than ours. These guys might know about the ck market in Gyerim! Really? Hey, rat. Yes, deputy leader! Do you know about the ck market in Gyerim? The former deputy leader of Geumwang Vige eagerly exined everything he knew about the ck market in Gyerim. Thanks to him, Mu-jin learned the exact location and timing of the ck market, and how often it opened. He also obtained several other pieces of information, though they were not as critical. After interrogating the Geumwang Vige members, Mu-jin moved to question the captured escort leader. Its a good thing I brought the Simnyeong Pill. Knowing that torture wouldnt work, Mu-jin readily fed the Simnyeong Pill to the escort leader. He had a few from the Sichuan Tang n, but they were limited and not to be used lightly. So, the item known as the Dragon Scale Thread was supposed to be delivered to the person called Chil Dae-ju? Yes. Hmm. Do you know the identity of this Chil Dae-ju? No. How many people hold the title of Dae-ju? Seven. Recently, one died, and one more was added. So, there should be eight, but since one died, there are seven? Yes. Mu-jin pondered the escort leaders answers. Although he said he didnt know, Chil Dae-ju is likely the Wolf King. If one died recently, it must be the Head of Unhyangwon. In other words, the strength of those holding the title of Dae-ju was simr to the Seven Kings, and there were seven of them left. But it didnt mean there were seven warriors as powerful as the Seven Kings in hiding. Since one of them would eventually be known as the Wolf King in a few years, some might already be recognized as the Seven Kings. Do you know the names or identities of the other Dae-ju? No. Then, who is above the Dae-ju? There must be someone higher up. I dont know. Mu-jin sighed as the escort leader kept shaking his head in response. These crazy bastards. How far do they go to keep their secrets? Most of the answers to his questions were I dont know. When asked about how theymunicated with the organization, the escort leader only pointed to specific sects or agencies in nearby or neighboring towns. Directmunication with the main organization involved asional visits from a contact person. It seemed the only way to get more information was to capture a higher-up and feed them a Simnyeong Pill. * * * Hehehehe. So, the item that should havee to me is now missing? Yes. And because of some lowly bandits? Yes. Hahahaha. The middle-aged man, dressed like a savage,ughed loudly at the emotionless response of the ck-d man kneeling before him. But theughter didntst long. It seems Ill have to step in personally. Suddenly stopping hisughter, the man picked up a bloodstained saber that had been lying nearby and stood up. The first chance to make a name for myself is against bandit scum and escort guards. Truly a pitiful fate. The saber exuded a strong scent of blood. Chapter 152: Chapter 152: ck Market After obtaining the necessary information from the heads of the North Wind Escort Agency and Geumwang Vige, Mu-jin gathered the bandits of ck Bear Vige. Now, everyone take your share. What do you mean by take your share? The bandits wore puzzled expressions at Mu-jins sudden remark. Many people have died, and weve caused quite amotion. It looks like pursuit wille soon, so Im telling you to divide the spoils weve collected until now. Ah A brief exmation escaped their lips, and a deep glint of greed appeared in the eyes of the bandits. Mu-jin was fully aware of this but paid no attention to it.While the bandits were busy squabbling over the goods they had looted from North Wind Escort Agency and the treasures they had previously gathered Are you really going to just let them go like that? Mu-gyeong asked Mu-jin with a puzzled look. Not only were they letting the bandits go, but they were also giving them a heap of gifts. Ah, perhaps you want them to settle down and turn over a new leaf, and thats why youre giving them a substantial amount of money? When Mu-gyeong shared his guess, Mu-gung, Cheongsu Dojang, and Mu-yul looked impressed. You are indeed a Buddhist. Haha, as expected of Comrade Choi Kang-hyuk. Wow! So smart! At their reactions, Mu-jin wore a look that seemed to say, What nonsense are you talking about? Turn over a new leaf? Those guys? There was no way the Beggar Sect would stop begging, and such a thing was simply not going to happen. Then why are you giving them gifts? Theyre not gifts. Theyre bait. Bait? We raided the Shinchun Escort Agency, and theres no way theyll stay quiet. Ah! So you want them to chase these people instead of us? Exactly. Most of the things there are not money but items, so to convert them into money, theyll have to sell them at the ck market or somewhere. In that process, theyll leave traces everywhere, giving our pursuers plenty to follow. Killing all the bandits here and leaving was also an option, but doing so would increase the chance of being tracked. Even if they tried to erase their traces as they moved, if all traces pointed in one direction, they would inevitably be caught someday. But if countless traces were scattered in all directions? Even Shinchun would take a considerable amount of time to find them. Since we raided the Dragon Scale Thread, we need some insurance. Especially since they had stolen the belongings of the Wolf King, there was a risk that he would pursue them. Realistically, to Mu-jin and his group, a master of the Wolf Kings level was no different from the Grim Reaper. So, take as much as you can. Mu-jin smiled grimly at the bandits who were fighting to take as much treasure as possible. They wouldnt know. The treasure they were so fiercely gathering would be a talisman summoning the Grim Reaper. * * * After dealing with both the bandits of Geumwang Vige and the fake escorts from the agency with the bandits of ck Bear Vige, the bandits cheerfully bid farewell to Mu-jins group, each carrying a substantial amount of travel money, and scattered in all directions. Confirming their departure, Mu-jins group lightly packed and left the mountains. After two days of travel using lightness techniques along the mountain paths, they reached their destination, Gyerim. A ce renowned for its natural beauty in Guangxi Province. Mu-jin, having identified the exact location where the ck market would be held through Geumwang Vige, secured a lodging nearby. Lets take a day off and enjoy the scenery of Gyerim. Since they had about a days grace period until the ck market opened, Mu-jins group unpacked at the inn and went sightseeing. Among the most famous ces in Gyerim was the Li River. Wow. I never thought Id see this ce in person, having only seen it on YouTube and TV. Along the broad and long Li River, lush green foliage and towering rock formations created a uniquendscape. And along the river, unique wooden boats that could only amodate one or two people floated. These boats werent the typical sailing vessels but were simply made by tying together five or six long wooden logs about the thickness of a persons arm. Each boat had a fisherman enjoying fishing with one or two birds. Lets make one and ride it too! Seeing something fun, Mu-yul and Ling-ling excitedly ran towards the visible foliage. Following Mu-yul, Mu-jins group cut down some trees and made disposable wooden rafts. In the modern era, even with various tools, it would have taken a day toplete, but thanks to their martial arts skills, breaking the wood was not difficult. As Mu-jins group approached the river with their rafts, an old man spoke to them. Hohoho. Are you nning to fish with those rafts? Yes, sir. Hmm. Why not hire the locals instead? Is there a problem? The old man, after taking a fish from a basket made of tree branches and feeding it to the bird on his shoulder, spoke. Without these birds, its difficult to fish here. These birds locate the fish and guide us through the water. Are you referring to that bird? Yes. Its called a cormorant. Ah, so you suggested hiring the locals because of that. Hohoho. These birds are quite tricky. They only obey their owners, who have trained them since they were chicks by feeding them regrly. Is that so? At the old mans words, Mu-jin tilted his head. It was understandable because Oh, really!? There are fish over there!? Thank you! Mu-yul was already friends with one of those supposedly difficult-to-train cormorants, who wasnt already domesticated but wandered freely. Following Mu-jins gaze, the old mans jaw dropped in astonishment. This, what is this? The old mans mouth was agape with saliva dripping out, his sixty years of umtedmon sense shattered. Is he going to copse? It didnt seem good for the old mans heart. I cant help but feel like that guy chose the wrong profession. Mu-jin thought Mu-yul should have be a druid instead of a monk. Regardless of the others astonishment, Mu-yul, who had just befriended a cormorant for the first time today, observed the movements of the cormorants gliding on the river. Hut-cha! Imitating the movements of the cormorants, Mu-yul jumped into the water and immediately caught a fish with his hand, leaping back up. He had mimicked the movements of the cormorant using the techniques of the Crane Fist. As expected. Mu-jin thought if Mu-yul were sent to the savannas or the Amazon for ten years, he would probably create not just five, but a hundred Shaolin techniques. Ah, he would only create the movements, not the internal techniques. Most likely, he would end up like Tarzan. * * * After enjoying the Li River with the human cormorant, Mu-jins group returned to their inn and savored the famous dishes of Gyerim. The next day, they spent the daytime sightseeing around Gyerim and returned to the inn in the evening for dinner. Shall we go? As night fell, they donned the bandit costumes they had brought along and secretly left the inn. The ck market of Gyerim did not open in the middle of the vige. It opened at intervals at night in the outskirts, near the vige where Mu-jins group was staying. Ho. When they arrived at the location they had learned from the sub-chief of Geumwang Vige, they found the area, which had been deserted during the day, now bustling with people who had appeared from who knows where. Some people wore masks or veils to conceal their identities, while others walked around openly despite being in such a ce. Temporary tents and stalls made of wood and cloth were set up everywhere, and the litnterns made the ce look like a night market. There were no such ces during the day. Did those peoplee and set all this up? When Mu-jins group looked at the vendors selling goods and asked, Mu-jin shook his head. No, theres a separate organization that manages this, called Amcheonhoe. Amcheonhoe!? The Amcheonhoe of the Seven Demons? Keep your voice down. Oops! Although it was a well-known secret, there was no need to attract attention, so Mu-jin cautioned them. ck markets and underground markets were held all over the Central ins, but the ck markets managed by Amcheonhoe were mostly in the territory of the unorthodox factions. However, these guys, who lived in the mountains and were clueless about the world, had forgotten that this ce was managed by Amcheonhoe and were now deeply immersed in the night market scene. Lets try that too. Oh, Ive never seen that food before. Havingpletely lost their aversion to eating meat, they looked at the food on the stalls with bright eyes. It seems like they sell everything here. They were fascinated by the various weapons, clothes, and treasures disyed at the stalls. Even though they were dressed conspicuously like bandits, they didnt care about the snickers from the stall owners and others on the street. Where do they get all these goods? At their naive question, Mu-jin answered with a sly smile. Where else? They are all stolen goods. Things obtained by theft or murder. Illegal goods that can only be sold in an underground market. Only then did they start to realize that this was not a night market, but an underground market. For the groups benefit, Mu-jin exined a few more things. That herb theyre selling there is probably either poison or a drug. And that ck powder being sold secretly over there. Its probably gunpowder that only the royal family is allowed to use. If caught with it, youll be charged with treason. As Mu-jin provided exnations, the groups excited expressions turned tense. However, Mu-jins purpose was not just to show them the horrors of the underground market. His main goal was to disrupt the ns and growth of the shadowy forces of Shinchun. And this Gyerim ck market was also connected to Shinchun. To be precise, the head of this Gyerim ck market was a subordinate of Shinchun. Though Hyeok Jin-gang of the Demonic Alliance was associated with Shinchun, not all unorthodox factions were the same. After all, the Demonic Alliance was just a temporary alliance formed to oppose the orthodox factions. Meanwhile, Hyeok Jin-gang sought to control all unorthodox factions, and the person who ensured Amcheonhoes absolute support for Hyeok Jin-gang was the head of Amcheonhoes Gyerim branch. This head of Amcheonhoes Gyerim branch had, in just a few years, managed to make the Gyerim ck market the secondrgest among the hundreds managed by Amcheonhoe, earning him the position of vice president. Using this influence, he had supported Amcheonhoes absolute backing of Hyeok Jin-gang. Mu-jins group moved deep into the ck market to find out the secret behind how this head had expanded the market so significantly. Soon, the most horrendous scene unfolded before their eyes. Ah! Please, spare me. Heh heh heh. Crazy bitch, do you think I would kill you? Do you know how much money I can make by selling you? A middle-aged man dragging a woman shackled at her limbs. Mommy! Hic. Children crying out for their parents, not understanding anything. Someone who had lost all will to live, their eyes devoid of hope. A piece of gold. Any more is impossible. And people buying and selling these individuals. A ve market. A hellish scene of humans buying and selling other humans wasid out before their eyes. The Gyerim ck market. This ce was an evil den that would grow to boast thergest ve market in the Central ins within a few years. Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Gyerim ck Market In this world, there was a distinct social ss system, and the existence of ves was an undeniable reality. However, these were ves officially recognized by the state. For example, those involved in treason or those captured during wars. The people bought and sold in the Gyerim ck Market were illegal ves. These individuals were often captured through heinous acts like vige massacres in remote areas or outright kidnapping. Nevertheless, the trade of illegal ves wasnt unique to the Gyerim ck Market. This market simply housed a branch manager associated with Shinchun, an organization heavily invested in human trafficking. Their primary objective was to find children with unique constitutions. Historically, they would have conducted extensive human trafficking through the Paedobang and the Cheonryu Sangdan. Children with unique constitutions discovered during this process were taken by Shinchun, while others were mostly sold off in the Gyerim ck Market.Over time, this ce was set to grow into thergest ve market in the Central ins, notorious for its atrocities. Thanks to Mu-jins efforts, Paedobang was eradicated, and Cheonryu Sangdan expelled all Shinchuns pawns. They would have created a huge ve market one way or another. Seeing that Shinchun had aligned with Daegum Sangdan and Eunha Sangdan to rece Cheonryu Sangdan, it was evident that Shinchun wouldnt stop collecting children with unique constitutions. This was their method of enhancing their power. Hence, they wouldnt abandon the expansion of the ve market, which allowed them to destroy evidence and make money in the process. Fortunately, At least, the scale is still small. There were only about six or seven ves in sight. Including those involved in the trade, there were around twenty people. The scale of the Gyerim ck Market described in the novel was iparable to this, where hundreds of illegal ves and traders would fill the area whenever the market opened. Mu-jin felt it was a good decision toe and deal with this before it grew anyrger. What are you going to do? Mu-gung asked with a stern face while observing the horrifying scene of the ve market. What kind of question is that? To thwart Shinchuns schemes, Mu-jin had to conceive and execute numerous troublesome methods. The factions infiltrated by Shinchun were all orthodox sects, pretending to be righteous on the surface. But was there any need to be so cautious when dealing with those openly conducting human trafficking? Kill them all. Kill them? The children looked shocked at Mu-jins words. Having studied Buddhist and Taoist scriptures, they still had a significant aversion to killing. Do you think those scumbags will turn over a new leaf? As Mu-jin cast a bitter nce at those tormenting and appraising the captured ves, the children couldnt find the words to reply. Not killing may be good, but I cant just ignore such scum for the sake of my spiritual training. Originally, the reason foring here was to disrupt Shinchuns ns, but now, such rational reasons didnt matter. No justification could ever excuse the heinous act of human trafficking. Mu-jin cracked his neck, loosening his muscles, and approached a middle-aged man who had chained a young woman. Tsk, tsk. It seems like the mountain thieves are looking for women to use. The man mistook Mu-jin for a potential buyer and smiled as he spoke. Ignoring the man, Mu-jin approached the woman shackled and lying on the ground. Hehe. Shes a top-quality product, so take a good look. Mu-jin disregarded the mans lecherousugh and reached out his hands to the woman. You shouldnt touch the goods Crack! As the man was about to speak, Mu-jin broke the womans handcuffs with his bare hands, apanied by a harsh metallic sound. Crack! Then, he shattered the shackles on her feet. Only then did the man,ing to his senses, shout. You bastard! What are you doing!! As Mu-jin stood up after freeing the woman, the man pointed and screamed. Thud! The strange sound of impact silenced the man. Ugh No, he was moaning lightly, clutching a fist-sized hole that had suddenly appeared in his abdomen. ng! ng!! At the same time, the sound of weapons being drawn echoed from all directions. From the moment Mu-jin broke the womans handcuffs, the attention of those nearby was already on him. If youre mountain thieves, act like thieves and rob in the mountains. Why are you causing trouble in someone elses business? One of the Amcheonhoe warriors, who appeared to be managing the Gyerim ck Market, swaggered as he asked Mu-jin. Idiot. Since when did the evil sects divide business territories? Mu-jin mocked him and swiftly attacked. Gah! The warrior, who had stepped forward, fell after just one move. Kill him! Damn mountain thief! Amcheonhoe warriors nearby, along with merchants and some customers, began to attack Mu-jin. Meanwhile, others, hearing themotion, started gathering around. Naturally, those disguised as mountain thieves like Mu-jinspanions were also targeted by many attackers. However, thanks to their previous battles at Shintubi-dong and Bukpoong Escort Agency, they were already ustomed to such chaotic fights. They began fighting the attackers without much difficulty, though the atmosphere was different from their previous battles. This is the kind of work that the Master Uncle does, dealing with such scum. The first to change was Mu-gyeong. For the first time, he acted on his own judgment, not driven by madness, but deploying his killing techniques. Having grown up listening to the stories of the Demon Extermination Squads head, Hye-gwan, he finally epted Mu-jins teachings. Bang! Mu-gyeong effectively eliminated enemies using the myriad martial arts he had learned at Shaolin, the Yongbongji Conference, the Divine Thief, and the ck Bear Vige. He utilized Golden Locking Hand and Striking Bone Technique to strike vital points, killing enemies by crushing their hearts or organs with fist or palm techniques, breaking legs with kick techniques, and then finishing off those who fell to the ground. He even disarmed opponents and wielded their weapons with more skill than the original users, piercing their bodies effortlessly. As the number of defeated enemies increased, Mu-gyeongs killing techniques became more natural. His martial arts started to embody a lethal aura. C Heh, looks like youve lost your mind again and are eager to die, huh? A familiar voice echoed in his ears, though Hye-gwan wasnt actually there. It was just the voice etched into his memory from the beatings he received over the past four years. Urk. Recalling the beatings after hearing that voice, Mu-gyeong snapped back to reality with a hup. I need to calm my mind with meditation. Regaining hisposure, Mu-gyeong began avoiding the most lethal techniques to prevent losing control again. This didnt mean he stopped killing entirely. Meanwhile, as Mu-gyeong and Mu-jin ughtered enemies, Mu-gung was also deep in thought. But there was no time for such contemtions in the midst of battle. He had to decide quickly. Damn it! Eventually, Mu-gung chose to use martial arts for execution rather than subjugation. He feared the repercussions if the Shaolin elders discovered his vition of the non-killing principle but felt it was wrong to spare such viins. Leaving these scum alive feels wrong! To the young Mu-gung, forgiving these evil men seemed unjust. What about those who had suffered at their hands or those who might suffer in the future? In contrast, the gentle Mu-yul couldnt bring himself to kill the enemies. Next time, dont do bad things!! Oink! Oink oink!! Instead, he crippled them, ensuring they couldntmit further misdeeds. You should be a good person too!! He smiled as he shattered their limbs, ironically appearing the most ruthless of all. During this chaos, the Qing Shui remained surprisingly quiet. Normally, he would have been swinging his sword wildly as if to seize the opportunity to advance his swordsmanship. Yet, he stood there, gazing into the distance with a half-dazed expression. * * * In a secluded corner of Shaolin Temple, two old men shared a drink. Whyd you drag a disciple from another sect without a word, you rascal? Heh, I dont know what youre talking about. At Yunheo Zhenrens frowning question, Hyun-gwang merely chuckled. Why did you involve our Qing Shui in the departure of your great-grandnephew, Mu-jin? Surely it was Qing Shui who followed Mu-jin, not the other way around. Hyun-gwangs response left Yunheo Zhenren grumbling as he took another sip. He had suspected as much. After all, he was the one who had suggested that Qing Shui venture out into the world soon. He just hadnt expected Qing Shui to leave Wudang without a word. Realizing that Qing Shuis disappearance might be linked to Mu-jin, Yunheo Zhenren hade to Shaolin, and upon learning that Mu-jin was also missing from Shaolin, he pieced together the situation. Heh. You cant cling to a child like a fool and expect him to grow properly, Mal-ko. Youre thest person who should say that, you monk. Yunheo Zhenren scowled at being called a fool. And its not venturing into the world that worries me. That child can handle himself. Then what concerns you so? When he witnesses the worlds ugliness, I fear he might be a sword demon. Heh. After ten years of Wudangs teachings, is that all the trust you have in him? For some reason, Hyun-gwangs question made Yunheo Zhenren look bitter instead of angry. You dont understand why he became a swordsman. Yunheo Zhenren poured himself another drink. And I dont fully know the reason either. Despite the absurdity of his statement, Hyun-gwang waited silently for Yunheo Zhenren to continue. Qing Shui. My first disciple, Song Baek, found him. While traveling, he discovered a vige attacked by bandits. After dealing with the bandits, he found a boy, barely ten years old, holding a sword in a pool of blood, surrounded by bandit corpses. Unable to find the boys guardians, Song Baek brought him to Wudang. The boy had lost his memory, clinging to that sword as if it was his whole world. Not knowing his name, we called him Qing Shui. Yunheo Zhenren filled his empty cup again. Thats why I feared sending him out into the world. I feared the unknown past that made him a swordsman, a past that might weigh heavier on him than my teachings. * * * Qing Shui Dojang watched the Muja Quartet fighting from afar, but his gaze seemed distant, not focused on the present. What he saw wasnt the current bloody battlefield but a scene from his forgotten past, one filled with blood. Chapter 154: Chapter 154: The Qing Shui Dojang stood there with a nk expression as memories from over ten years ago, which had been sealed away, rushed in like a storm. Some of the enemies, who were being overwhelmed by the Muja Quartet, started to approach to deal with Qing Shui Dojang first. What are you doing!!! Move!!! In that urgent moment, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong shouted without honorifics as they realized the situationte. A sword from Qing Shui Dojang suddenly pierced the abdomen of the man who had been charging ahead. It was the same method he had used ten years ago on that day when he stabbed a bandits belly. However, the difference between then and now was. Swish!He now possessed the strength and swordsmanship to naturally withdraw the sword he had embedded. Qing Shui Dojang looked at the enemies charging towards him, while also looking back at his past. Swish! It was no longer the child from his memories, but Qing Shui Dojangs sword moving skillfully, drawing countless circles. These circles, which should have been beautiful and embodied nature, instead, Swish!! With a chilling sound of flesh tearing, they created a bloodstorm. Within an instant, Qing Shui Dojang ughtered five people and wore a dissatisfied expression. The movements are not suitable for killing these people. This was a denial of the Taegeuk Haegum, the ultimate technique of his sect, which he had been training for over ten years to perfect. A living sword that continues without pause, deflects the opponents attacks, protects oneself, and subdues the opponent. But was there a need to use such swordsmanship to deal with these kinds of people? As soon as this question arose, Qing Shui Dojangs movements changed. The circr movements transformed into straight lines. Puk! Puk! Abandoning the subtleties of flexibility, his sword moved with incredible speed, aiming precisely at vital points and major acupuncture points. The death sword, whose sole purpose was to kill the opponent, emitted a strong scent of blood. Swish! Before long, dozens of corpses turned into chunks of meaty around Qing Shui Dojang. In less than a quarter of an hour after the battle started, the number of enemies lying on the ground exceeded a hundred. Now, the remaining twenty or so warriors of the ck Market were too frightened to attack and merely surrounded the area. The shadow merchants and customers who hade to the ck market had long fled to avoid the chaos, causing significant losses to the Gyerim ck Market. If their safety could not be guaranteed, who woulde to such a ck market? However, Mu-jin had note here just to disrupt a market. Fortunately, a middle-aged man appeared, parting the formation that surrounded Mu-jin and his group. Have you forgotten the agreement? You maggots of bandits. Are you the owner of this dump? Dump? What else would you call a ce where hundreds of pieces of trash gather? Hehehehe. Who are you calling trash? A bandit shouldnt be talking like that. The middle-aged man tilted his head and added. No, now that I see it, you might just be dressed as bandits. The middle-aged man, who seemed to be the manager, aimed his spear at Mu-jin with a sinister smile. Ill find out who you really are after cutting off your limbs. Attack! At his shout, five warriors who were standing by to assist the middle-aged man charged at Mu-jins group. Mu-jin had nned to leave the small fry to his group and deal with the apparent head of the ck Market himself. Ill handle him. Qing Shui Dojang rushed at the man first. Damn it. Mu-jin swallowed a curse at the sudden development and focused on the warriors attacking him. If he also went after the boss, his group of three would have to face the remaining enemies alone. Mu-gung and Mu-yul, deal with the ones around us first. Gyeong will handle two, and Ill take care of three! Thus, Mu-jin quickly organized the situation. The five who stepped forward were clearly a cut above the third-rate ck path warriors they had faced so far. Just from their aura, stride, and posture, they were on par with the escorts from the Bukpoong Escort Agency. I need to finish this quickly and help Qing Shui Dojang. Given the circumstances, it was highly likely that the middle-aged man was the head of the Gyerim ck Market branch and a future vice-leader of Amcheonhoe. In the novel, that man also wielded a spear as his main weapon. Thus, his skills would beparable to the head of the Bukpoong Escort Agency, making him too strong for Qing Shui Dojang to handle alone. Mu-jin rushed at the foremost warrior among the five approaching him. The warrior swung his sword at Mu-jin, but Mu-jin didnt dodge by leaping sideways or even move his upper body; he just advanced straight. Die!! The warrior shouted as he swung his sword at Mu-jin, who seemed to recklessly thrust his neck forward. But Mu-jin moved his left hand towards his neck. Naturally, the warriors sword aimed at Mu-jins neck met Mu-jins palm. ng! The strange friction sound was not what one would expect from the collision of a de and bare skin. !? The warrior, who couldnt understand the situation, had a shocked expression. Thunk!!! By then, Mu-jins right fist had already connected with the warriors face. Hes achieved de-proof! Be careful! The others finally guessed Mu-jins level and shouted to surround him. At that moment, ording to Mu-jins instructions, Mu-gyeong broke into the encirclement to scatter their formation. The battle naturally evolved into two warriors facing off against one. However, unfortunately for them, two warriors werent enough to handle Mu-jin. Hes achieved de-proof. We need to attack him with medium to long-range techniques or sword energy. Who doesnt know that! But hes deflecting all attacks with his qi! The two warriors fighting Mu-jin discussed their strategy through transmission, but their conversation wasnt particrly useful. Mu-jin ignored minor attacks, blocking only the strikes aimed at his vital points with his qi, and focused on the warrior using fist techniques. The swordsman behind him, instead of assisting the fist fighter, aimed at Mu-jins back. They intended to use the fist fighter as bait to inflict a serious injury on Mu-jin. ng!! As the sword energy-enveloped attack struck Mu-jins back, a peculiar metallic sound rang out. It wasnt that Mu-jin had covered his entire body with the Golden Turtle Technique. It was merely the effect of the Dragon Scale Thread. Having taken the Dragon Scale Thread from the Bukpoong Escort Agency and wrapped it around himself, Mu-jin merely channeled his qi through it to block the sword energy. Thunk!! In the meantime, Mu-jins fist had already pierced the fist fighters abdomen, and he turned to charge at the swordsman. Facing Mu-jin alone, who was already difficult to handle with two, was an impossible task for the swordsman. Unable to properly counter Mu-jins reckless attacks, the swordsman fell after a short struggle. After dealing with three opponents alone, Mu-jin surveyed the battlefield. Mu-gyeong was holding his ground against two opponents, while Mu-yul and Mu-gung were nearly done taking care of the small fry. Once youre done, go help Mu-gyeong! Mu-jin sent a telepathic message to Mu-yul and Mu-gung before moving to assist Cheongsu Dojang. Whats this? Watching the fight between Cheongsu Dojang and the branch chief, Mu-jin tilted his head in confusion. The swordsmanship of Cheongsu Dojang was strangely different from what he remembered. Instead of the usual smooth, continuous circr motions, the movements were now fast, sharp, and linear. It seemed too intense to be merely a tactic to hide his true abilities. The killing intent is too strong. It was as if he was watching Mu-gyeong when he lost his mind. Moreover, apart from the killing intent, the skill with the killing sword was several levels above what Mu-jin knew of Cheongsu Dojangs abilities. Ill join you! For reasons unknown, Mu-jin shouted and joined the fight with Cheongsu Dojang, who seemed almost out of his mind. You brats!! The branch chief, now facing a pincer attack, screamed in frustration. Die!! The branch chief thrust his spear towards Cheongsu Dojangs heart, but Cheongsu Dojang emotionlessly tilted his body and thrust his sword in response. Although he couldntpletely avoid the spear, resulting in a wound on his side, the branch chief also had to retreat, unable to continue his attack. Damn it! This had been happening from the start. That guy seemed to have only one purpose in lifeto kill him. Why dont you die!! In the midst of this, the newly joined Mu-jin approached from behind, swinging his fist. The branch chief frantically swung his spear at Mu-jin, but Mu-jin countered by striking the spear with his sword and moving inside. Their skills aside, both of them acted as if their own lives meant nothing, focusing only on the kill, which was maddening. The branch chief, naturally driven into a corner, couldnt hold out for long and eventually took a heavy blow from Mu-jins fist. Hoo. Mu-jin was relieved that he had stopped him before he couldmit suicide. sh! Feeling a sudden sense of danger, Mu-jin quickly moved his energy and swung his arm. ng! Mu-jins fist stopped precisely an inch before the branch chiefs neck, blocking an unexpected sword strike. It was another fierce and fast strike from Cheongsu Dojang, devoid of any gentleness. What are you doing!? Mu-jin was startled, but Cheongsu Dojang frowned instead. Why are you stopping me? Didnt you just say we should kill them all? Cheongsu Dojangspletely emotionless eyes made Mu-jin swallow hard. Crazy. Hes really lost it. But why? Mu-jin felt more uneasy not knowing the reason for this change. However, he couldnt afford to bicker with Cheongsu Dojang now. They needed to clear the area quickly to avoid being tracked. These guys might have more information. We need to interrogate him. Mu-jin quickly thought of an excuse and spoke. Perhaps finding Mu-jins reasoning eptable, Cheongsu Dojang nodded and leapt towards the still-fighting Muja Trio. Or rather, it felt like he was just moving to slice the necks of the ck Path members. Was he always like that? Since Cheongsu Dojang didnt have a significant role in the novel, Mu-jin found the change surprising in many ways. * * * Shortly after taking down the branch chief, the battle concluded. After all the enemies were defeated, Mu-jin surveyed the surroundings. It was a literal sea of blood. Sniff. Uwaaah. Please, spare us Amidst the carnage, the bound captives were trembling in fear. They were ves brought here to be sold. Mu-jin approached them with pity, but Eek! Seeing Mu-jin covered in blood, their eyes were filled with even more fear. Dont worry. I wont hurt you. Mu-jin tried to reassure them, but they were too panicked to hear him. Giving up on persuasion, Mu-jin approached them and broke their shackles and cuffs with his strength. There were seven captives in total: two children around ten years old, four young women in their mid-teens to early twenties, and one young man who seemed to be intended for hardbor. What should I do? Mu-jins original goal was simply to destroy the Gyerim ck Market. It was a ce that wouldter grow into a massive ve market, supporting human trafficking by Shinchun and bing a backer for Hyeok Jin-gang. Thus, he hadnt nned for the ves caught here. Leaving them here would likely result in them being captured again Their ragged clothes and the terrible security in this area made it extremely dangerous for them to travel alone. Hoo. Well, traveling with them to the next destination shouldnt be too bad. Mu-jin rationalized his decision to take them along. Take care of these people and that guy. Lets get out of here. Knowing that staying too long could attract pursuers, Mu-jins group left the ck market, taking the branch chief and the ves with them. Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Intelligence Handbook Mu-jin and his party, carrying one or two people each, managed to escape from the Gyerim ck Market. They first washed themselves in the Li River. Since their bodies were covered in blood from the fierce battle, they had to clean themselves and their clothes to minimize any traces. While the party members dried their clothes and treated their wounds, and the rescued individuals regained theirposure, Mu-jin took the opportunity for interrogation. Do you think youll get away with this? Our organization will chase you to the ends of hell! The branch chief, unable to move due to his acupoints being suppressed, shouted threats at Mu-jin. If I was scared of that, I wouldnt have acted in the first ce. You piece of trash. Oh. Comparing these human traffickers to trash might be an insult to trash. With that trivial thought, Mu-jin pressed the branch chiefs acupoints.And, its not just the Amcheonhoe thatll be chasing us. Wont Shinchun be after us as well? !!!! The branch chief, unable to speak due to his suppressed acupoints, looked at Mu-jin with shocked eyes. The branch chief had only seen this fight as a mere territorial dispute among the shadowy forces. Just like how the head of the Bukpoong Escort Agency had viewed it as mere bandit plundering. Thus, the branch chief hadnt even considered suicide as an option. Ugh!! Ughhh!! And now, with his vital and acupoints suppressed, he couldnt evenmit suicide if he wanted to. Now, its time to spill everything you know. Mu-jin kindly shoved a Simnyeong Pill into the branch chiefs mouth, who had a desperate look on his face. He didnt have the luxury of torturing him slowly, and he knew the branch chief wouldnt easily give in to torture or interrogation, so he used the Simnyeong Pill right away. Do you know any names or identities of the leaders? To his surprise, the branch chief answered the probing question. Heehee. I havent heard directly, but I suspect someone. Who is it? Its the Sa-doryeonju. Thanks to the Simnyeong Pill, the branch chief, with anguid voice, exined briefly. He said that after growing the Gyerim ck Market through the ves provided by Shinchun, he was ordered to be a patron of the Sa-doryeonju. This part was already known from the novel, so it wasnt particrly special. So, why do you suspect that the Sa-doryeonju is just one of the leaders and not the main one of Shinchun? Because the orders were disrespectful towards the Sa-doryeonju. Isnt it just that all orders are disrespectful? I once saw an order using honorifics. Honorifics? Towards whom? I dont know the details. I just saw an order that said, By themand of the In-ju. Mu-jin tilted his head at the branch chiefs answer. The organization is called Shinchun (New Heaven), but the highest leaders title is In-ju (Master of Humans)? The In-ju could be the head of the shadowy forces, but something felt off. At least one thing was clear: there was someone higher than Sa-doryeonju, Hyeok Jin-gang. It was somewhat expected, but now confirmed. And is there anything else you know about the higher-ups? Sometimes orders came from the Chil Dae-ju. Chil Dae-ju? Mu-jin asked with an uneasy feeling, wondering if the Wolf King was nearby. Yes. The orders were delivered directly by a servant, and the letters had a faint scent of the sea and powder, so I think the Chil Dae-ju might be a woman living by the sea. But the strange answer made Mu-jin frown. The sea is one thing, but theres no way the Wolf King is a woman. While pondering the contradiction, Mu-jin recalled some recent information. Are you sure its the Chil Dae-ju? I heard one of the leaders recently died. Ah. Yes. I received a letter that the position was taken over by Yu Uk Dae-ju. Mu-jin, feeling like hitting the branch chief for trying to mislead him, held back because the Simnyeong Pill had already taken effect. Mu-jin asked a few more questions, and by the time the day had passed, the branch chief copsed, bleeding from the seven orifices due to the side effects of the Simnyeong Pill. To erase any traces, Mu-jin threw the branch chiefs body into the Li River for the fish to eat, then returned to his group. Did you find out the locations of the other branches? As soon as he returned, Cheongsu Dojang, with a murderous look in his eyes, asked Mu-jin, who flinched involuntarily. I did find out a few ces, but it seems difficult to go there immediately. Why? Mu-jin looked at the people they had rescued in response to Cheongsu Dojangs pressing question. We cant take them to such dangerous ces, can we? Thats true. With a voice full of disappointment, Cheongsu Dojang replied, and Mu-jin asked with a puzzled expression. By the way, whats wrong with you? Youre not acting like yourself. Am I? It was too quiet for Mu-jin to shout, Of course! so he just nodded. Seeing Mu-jins nod, Cheongsu Dojang, with aplicated expression, spoke up. I see. Ill be careful. Amitabha. There was definitely something going on, but it was awkward to pry further, so Mu-jin sighed inwardly and spoke to the group. Lets move now. If we dy any longer, we might be tracked. Where are we going? In response to Mu-gungs question, Mu-jin pointed southeast with his finger. Ha-ju County. Ha-ju County, located on the border between Guangxi Province and Guangdong Province, was where Dao Yuetians path to bing the number one in the demonic sect began. The intelligence handbook was buried there. The intelligence handbook was one of the reasons Mu-jin hade to Guangxi Province along with the Gyerim ck Market. * * * Although both Gyerim and Ha-ju County were located in the eastern part of Guangxi Province, it was only close in terms of the vast continents standards. If it were just Mu-jins party moving, they could have reached there in half a day using their qinggong, but since they had the rescued people with them, the journey took longer. They bought clothes in a small vige on the way to Ha-ju County, disposed of the bandit and ve clothes, and then procured a wagon from a nearby county to move to Ha-ju County. Ha ha ha! If you want to pass through here, you must pay a toll to these elders! As one would expect from an area dominated by ouws, bandits would asionally pop up as an added nuisance. Im, Im sorry! Spare me, and Ill mend my ways and live righteously, Great Hero! Dealing with the bandits didnt take much time. After swiftly dispatching a dozen bandits, Mu-jin nced over his group. Theyve certainly improved, likely due to their umtedbat experience. Mu-yul and Ling-ling. And while Mu-gungs growth was noticeable, Mu-gyeong showed the most remarkable progress. It was perhaps expected given the difference in their innate talents. But why is he acting like that? From this perspective, the movements of Cheongsu Dojang when dealing with the bandits were rather odd. Just like the previous night at the Gyerim ck Market, Cheongsu Dojang seemed intent on ughtering the bandits blocking their path. Stop! However, after Mu-jin, who thought a moderate amount of disciplinary action (meaning, turning them into cripples) was sufficient, stopped Cheongsu Dojang, Cheongsu Dojang noticeably slowed down. It was as if the swordsmanship he had honed over the past decade felt like an ill-fitting garment. While his skills seemed to have advanced a few levels during the killst night, his level of skill with the Soft Sword had plummeted several levels instead. As Mu-jin watched Cheongsu Dojang, puzzled by his behavior, Mu-gyeong suddenly spoke to him. Mu-jin. Hm? What is it? Why are there so many bad people here? The Gyerim ck Marketst time was the same. I told you, Guangxi is an area dominated by ouws. Still, even if its an ouw territory, its strange. Normally, the authorities wouldnt leave bandits and human traffickers alone, right? The other kids seemed curious about that part as well, their gazes shifting to Mu-jin. With a bitter expression, Mu-jin decided to tell the innocent kids the harsh truth of the adult world. Because the authorities arent doing their job. Huh? Is that allowed? Normally, it shouldnt be, but thats how the world works. Many people think its not a crime if they dont get caught. Like the army saying that every Korean reserve soldier would know: Amand that doesnt get caught isnt amand, as long as they arent caught, everything works out fine. And this area provided the perfect conditions to avoid getting caught easily. The Imperial Court should oversee the regions, but Beijing, where the Imperial Court is located, is too far from here in Guangxi. The same goes for Guangdong and Fujian. Thus, in those three ces, local nobles and officials acted as if they were the Imperial Court. Due to theck of oversight, corruption is easy, and the corrupt officials love bribes and tributes. So, the ouwsmit crimes and pay bribes to coexist with the authorities. Are the bandits paying bribes too!? Mu-yul asked, wide-eyed with surprise, and Mu-jin shook his head. No, theyre just rampaging because thew enforcement is weak. Would corrupt politicians care about the lives ofmoners? Whether their money gets stolen or not, the soldiers of the government are only concerned with maintaining their own money and power. Although Guangxi, Guangdong, and Fujian are particrly severe, Guizhou, Zhejiang, and Hunan arent much different. The capital cities of each province and the northern areas closer to Beijing are less affected, but the southern regions are almost in the same state. Then, cant the righteous factionse and fight in ce of the authorities? Mu-gung, who held a fascination for heroic tales and the term Great Hero, asked, and Mu-jinughed bitterly. Because of the Amcheonhoe and the Muja Trio, its difficult. Although they were the apparent problem, the real issuey within the righteous factions. Though they had formed an alliance under the name of the Martial Alliance, the major powers within the Nine Great Schools and Five Great Families were more concerned with expanding their own power, each forming and breaking alliances as they saw fit. If any sect tried to confront the Amcheonhoe, the others would retreat and cheer them on from behind, ready to seize any opportunity once the attacking sect lost strength. On the other hand, the situation wasnt any better for the ouws. Unlike the righteous factions who at least cared about appearances, the ouws were tantly selfish and disunited. The Amcheonhoe was merely a temporary alliance to resist the righteous factions. When the righteous factions werent attacking, they were busy fighting among themselves for territory in the south. That was the point exploited by Dao Yuetians n. In the early to mid parts of the novel, Dao Yuetian, who went on a rampage, smashing heads of both righteous and ouw factions, eventually became a Public Enemy of the Martial World after destroying the Jeonggal Family following the Cheonryu Sangdan. However, Dao Yuetian didnt care. Through the war with the Jeonggal Family, he learned a critical piece of information: Pa-cheon Sword Emperor Hyeok Jin-gang, one of the Three Greatest Swordsmen, had deep ties with the shadowy forces. The Jeonggal Family, in league with the shadowy forces, was nning to destroy the Wudang Sect with Hyeok Jin-gangs help to monopolize Hubei Province. Naturally, Dao Yuetian tried to clear his name by exposing this fact, but he eventually gave up and chose a different path. Thanks to a certain character whoter became his advisor in thetter half of the novel. After secretly rescuing Dao Yuetian, who was critically injured after defeating the Jeonggal Family alone, this advisor spoke to him as he rested. C Given that you are now a public enemy, no one in the righteous factions will believe your words. So, take advantage of this situation. C Take advantage? What do you mean? C Your current goal is the Amcheonhoes leader, isnt it? No matter how skilled you are, facing the entire Amcheonhoe alone is too much. So, you should create a new faction among the ouws. Use your reputation from single-handedly defeating the Jeonggal Family to your advantage. C Isnt that unnecessarily troublesome? Forming a faction, and an ouw faction at that. For Dao Yuetian, who was from the righteous factions, it was a difficult pill to swallow. However, he eventually nodded after hearing the advisors continued exnation. C Raise a faction as an ouw and challenge the Amcheonhoes leader. If you approach as an external force, the ouws will band together to block you, but if its an internal struggle, itll just be a fight for leadership. Thus, Dao Yuetian began his path as an ouw. I need to recruit the advisor as soon as possible. An exceptionally talented individual who would be beneficial in many ways, and who was destined to face a terrible fate within a few years. Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Intelligent Strategist After driving the carriage and asionally providing physical and mental education to the bandits along the way, they finally reached Haju-hyeon. Perhaps due to the dangerous nature of the area, many locals eyed the sudden appearance of outsiders with wary nces. However, Mu-jin was unperturbed and approached an elderly man nearby, pulling out ten coins from his sleeve and offering them as he spoke. Excuse me, sir. May I ask you something? Hmm. If its something I know, I will tell you. Do you happen to know about So Cheongmun? Of course I do! The mention of So Cheongmun lit up the elderly mans face, even as he epted the coins with an uneasy expression.Ha ha ha. Now I see, youre looking for So Cheongmun. Yes. Could you tell me its location? At Mu-jins question, the elderly man dly provided the location of So Cheongmun. When Mu-jin returned with the location, Mu-gung asked with a curious expression. Why is the old man so happy? Thats because So Cheongmun is one of the rare orthodox factions in this region. Theres an orthodox faction here? There are very few, but its not like they dont exist at all. In remote areas where there are norge demonic sects, asionally a few such factions are hidden. Operating as an orthodox faction in such a ce. Thats impressive. It is indeed. Its not just an ordinary faction; they sometimes travel to other regions to take in and raise orphaned children. In an area almost akin to awless zone under the dominion of demonic sects, countless orphans inevitably appeared every year. So Cheongmun was like a modern orphanage or childcare facility that took care of such children. And the person Mu-jin was looking for, Baek Ga-hwan, was also supposed to be protected there as an orphan, along with his younger sister. Ah! So thats why you came here. To entrust those children. Mu-gyeong eximed in admiration, recalling the children and women they had rescued from the Gyerim ck Market. Mu-jin nodded slightly in response to Mu-gyeongs reaction and headed towards the location of So Cheongmun with his group. When Mu-jin knocked on the gate adorned with a que reading [So Cheongmun], a young martial artist cautiously opened the door and eyed Mu-jins group suspiciously. I am Kyung-hwan, a disciple of So Cheongmun. What brings you to our sect? We happened to rescue some children, but with nowhere to send them, we heard about So Cheongmuns benevolent deeds and came here. Mu-jin stepped aside, revealing the women and children in the carriage. Kyung-hwan, the disciple, cautiously opened the gate of So Cheongmun. Pleasee in with the children first. I will guide you to our head. As the gate was too narrow for the carriage, Mu-jins group alighted and entered So Cheongmun with the women and children. Once everyone was inside, Kyung-hwan closed the gate, and children began to peep out from the various buildings in the estate. Despite being wary of the sudden visitors, the childrens faces were filled with curiosity. Those are the children being cared for by So Cheongmun. Yes. We wish we could help more children, but our resources are limited, which is unfortunate. In response to Kyung-hwans modest reply, Mu-jins group shook their heads. They were moved by the heartwarming sight, exchanging nces between the children and Kyung-hwan with shining eyes. Engaged in friendly conversation with Kyung-hwan, they walked towards the room where the head of the sect was located. Cough, cough. A faint coughing sound made them turn their heads. They saw a boy in his mid-teens holding a young girl who looked about ten years old. Cough. On closer inspection, the cough came from the young girl in the boys arms. Mu-jin, watching them intently, asked Kyung-hwan with a concerned expression. That child has been frail since birth. We have been giving her medicine, but there has been no improvement. Kyung-hwan exined with a regretful tone, prompting Mu-jin to ask hopefully. May I know the childs name? She is called Baek Ga-ryeong. Kyung-hwan answered, puzzled by the question. Inside, Mu-jin cheered silently. Found them! * * * **So Cheongmuns Heads Office** There, Mu-jins group met the head of So Cheongmun. Greetings. I am Jin Gi-cheol, the head of So Cheongmun. I am Choi Kang-hyuk of Special Mission. We heard of So Cheongmuns good deeds and came here by chance. Haha. How can we call such a small deed benevolent? Are these the ones you brought? After exchanging simple greetings, the head of So Cheongmun looked behind Mu-jin and asked. Yes. Hmmm Jin Gi-cheol responded to Mu-jins answer with a bittersweet expression and spoke regretfully. I wish we could take them all, but our ce is notrge enough to amodate everyone. How many can you take? I think we can manage about five. Older ones should be able to find a way to make a living, so we will take the youngest five. Two children around ten years old, two teenage girls, and one girl in herte teens. The women and men in their twenties would still need Mu-jins group to take care of them. However, this arrangement still provided much-needed relief, so there was no reason to refuse. We are grateful for your generosity. Haha. No need to call it generosity. Will you be leaving soon? We pushed ourselves to get here, so we n to rest for a few days. Due to the matters concerning Baek Ga-hwan and his sister, they could not leave immediately. Would it be alright if we visit the children here asionally before we leave? Hahaha. Its no problem at all. Would you like to join me now to greet the children? I will do so. When Mu-jin responded to Mun-jus question with a bow, Jin Gi-cheol led Mu-jins party out of the main hall. Mun-ju gathered the thirteen children who lived there with his disciples. Of course, not all of them were young children. Some appeared to be in their mid-tote teens, having spent several years here, just like Baek Gi-hwan, the child Mu-jin hade to see. As the children gathered, Jin Gi-cheol introduced the children and young women who had been rescued by Mu-jins party. Although the children and young women who had escaped the ve market initially felt awkward, they began to mingle as the children who had been living there spoke to and weed them. The Muja Trio watched this scene with a satisfied expression. Ooki! Ookikiki!! Heheheh! Hyung! Do it for me too! Monkey, me too, me too!! Meanwhile, Mu-yul and Ling-ling were ying and running around with the children, using their internal energy to toss and catch them or rolling around together. But why is that kid ying with them? Probably because hes happy to meet friends his age. No matter how you look at it, there seems to be at least a six or seven-year difference between them. Is physical age important? Mental age is what matters. When Mu-gung asked in disbelief, Mu-jin replied indifferently. Hm, thats true. You were good at mingling with bandits, werent you? Ahem. That that was just for the sake of acting. As Mu-gung tried to turn his head away, embarrassed by Mu-jins retort, So-cheongmunju, who had been watching Mu-yul and Ling-ling ying with the children, cautiously asked Mu-jin. Huh Now that I see it, that monkey seems to be a spiritual beast. Thats correct. You should be careful. There will be many who covet it. Well, its not an easy beast to capture, being a spiritual one. Even while casually conversing with So-cheongmunju, Mu-jin continued to scan his surroundings. During this time, he noticed Baek Gi-hwan, who hade out briefly to greet them, holding his younger sister and returning to the pavilion. C Follow me quietly. Mu-jin sent a silent message to Mu-gung before slipping out and heading to the pavilion where the two children had entered. Inside, Mu-jin saw a pale girl coughing weakly while Baek Gi-hwan was stoking a fire despite the warm weather. Ah. Im sorry. My sister is very ill. Its not contagious, so you dont have to worry. Baek Gi-hwan said, noticing Mu-jin and Mu-gung btedly. You can restfortably. By the way, we have learned about the body and qi while training martial arts. May we check your sisters pulse? At Mu-jins question, Baek Gi-hwan looked at his sister Baek Ga-ryeong, who weakly nodded. Mu-jin and Mu-gung carefully approached Baek Ga-ryeong, and Mu-jin ced his fingers on her left wrist. Rather than checking her pulse like a doctor, he lightly sent his internal energy to examine her internal condition. As I thought. It didnt take long for Mu-jin to withdraw his fingers. Compared to others, she has a very strong yin energy circting in her body. He couldnt determine her exact constitution. Although Mu-jin had studied qi and meridians, he wasnt as knowledgeable as a physician. However, it was clear that she had a special constitution, and this unique condition was the starting point of the misfortunes that had befallen her and Baek Gi-hwan. Yes. Others who have checked Ga-ryeongs pulse have often said the same thing. Baek Gi-hwan spoke in a bitter tone. Many had identified the problem, but none had found a solution. He had heard that she needed to take special medicine filled with extreme yang energy or learn ascending martial arts that handled extreme yang energy, but it was almost impossible for an ordinary person to obtain such elixirs or martial arts. But while immediate treatment may not be possible, there is a way to calm her body for a while. What What is it!? Baek Gi-hwan asked urgently, startled by Mu-jins words, and Mu-jin turned his head to look at Mu-gung, who was observing the situation. Naturally, Baek Gi-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeongs gazes also turned to Mu-gung. Realizing there was no one else around, Mu-gung pointed to himself with a finger. Me? Yes, you. You need to consistently send a weak flow of yang energy through her entire body. Ah Understanding Mu-jins intention, Mu-gung ced his palm on Baek Ga-ryeongs abdomen. Excuse me for a moment. Surprised by the stronger-than-expected coldness emanating from her body, Mu-gung carefully controlled his internal energy. Gradually, a slight flush of color began to return to Baek Ga-ryeongs pale face. * * * Meanwhile. As Mu-jin and Mu-gung were treating Baek Ga-ryeong. In the yard, Mu-yul and Ling-ling were ying with the children, and the children in their mid-teens were chatting with those rescued by Mu-jins party. However, for some reason, Cheongsu Dojang, who usually yed cheerfully with Mu-yul, stood alone with a dark expression. Quietly watching Mu-yul and Ling-ling y with the children, Cheongsu Dojang slowly raised his hands and looked at them. Hyung, is there something on your hands? At that moment, one of the young children from So-cheongmun approached and spoke to Cheongsu Dojang. I was just looking at my hands because they seemed a bit dirty. Heheh. If your hands are dirty, you can wash them! Ill show you where to wash them! At the childs innocent words, a faint smile appeared on Cheongsu Dojangs troubled face. Hmm. Thank you. By the way, can I know our little friends name? My name is Mun-hyuk! Hehe. And hyung, you shouldnt do that! Shouldnt do what? When asking someones name, you should tell them your name first! Its manners! Cheongsu Dojangughed at the bold words of the young boy and answered. Cheongsu. No, my name is Cha Sun-il. Cheongsu Dojang quickly gave a pseudonym, remembering that he needed to conceal his identity. However, the name Cha Sun-il wasnt a pre-arranged pseudonym agreed upon with the Muja Quartet. Because, in reality, it was a pseudonym that wasnt really a pseudonym. Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Wise Strategist That evening, the group led by Mu-jin rented an inn in Hajuhyeon after leaving So-cheongmun. They spent their days visiting So-cheongmun once a day. Since the incident at the Gyerim ck Market, Cheongsu Dojang, which had seemed somewhatplicated, began to regain its original atmosphere while spending time here. Mu-yul and Ling-ling started interacting innocently with the children. Mu-jin and Mu-gung also yed with the children, but they spent most of their time helping treat Baek Ga-ryeong or being with Baek Ga-hwan. Today, as usual, Mu-jin and Mu-gung entered the room where the Baek siblings were. Baek Ga-hwan, who was holding Baek Ga-ryeong, stood up and greeted them. Thank you, as always. Perhaps because his sisters condition seemed to be improving, Baek Ga-hwans attitude, which had been merely polite, had be noticeably more respectful over the past few days.Baek Ga-ryeong, who could previously only move as Baek Ga-hwan cared for her, slightly bowed her head despite her pain. (Tying grass to repay kindness). Though her voice was as tiny as an ants whisper, Mu-jin and Mu-gung, who were both trained in martial arts, could understand her well. Since it was a well-known idiom, deciphering its meaning wasnt difficult either. It just felt strange that she would suddenly recite an idiom out of the blue. Please forgive my sisters rudeness. Due to her poor health, she has a habit of speaking briefly. How could expressing the desire to repay kindness be considered rude? Mu-jin replied appropriately, yet he felt a peculiar sensation. If she found it hard to speak at length, wouldnt simply saying thank you suffice? Does she have a bit of a pretentious streak, despite her illness? Mu-jin suspected that Baek Ga-ryeong might have a bit of a pretentious nature, but fortunately, it was a misunderstanding. Baek Ga-hwan, who had apologized for his sisters rudeness, suddenly looked upset and turned to Baek Ga-ryeong. Ga-ryeong, why do you speak of death so easily? At Baek Ga-hwans sudden remark, Baek Ga-ryeong averted her gaze sideways. What do you mean by speaking of death? Mu-jin asked, puzzled by the siblings strange conversation, and Baek Ga-hwan sighed before exining. Because Ga-ryeong finds it difficult to speak at length, she avoids meaningless words. If she only wanted to express gratitude, she would have said thank you. However, the idiom means repaying kindness even after bing a spirit after death. She implied that she would repay the kindnesster as a spirit since she is now confined to a sick body. Did that single idiom hold such aplex meaning? Wasnt this just over-interpretation? Mu-jin kept silent, unable to critique a sick person. At that moment, Baek Ga-ryeong spoke in a very small voice. (Changban Slope), (Liu Bei). Mu-jin, who had read theic version of the Three Kingdoms in his past life as Choi Kang-hyuk, understood the rough meaning. Like Liu Bei who abandoned his family and fled with his generals at Changban Slope for the future, she is telling him to abandon her and think of his own future? Mu-jins guess seemed correct as Baek Ga-hwan looked at his sister with a face suppressing anger. Ga-ryeong! Why do you say such things? He understood the feelings of a younger sister who had continuously burdened her brother due to her illness and the sadness of a brother hearing such words. Nheless, the atmosphere became awkward, so Mu-jin intervened between them. Why dont we calm down and start the treatment? Saying so, Mu-jin nced sideways, and Mu-gung tactfully ced his palm on Baek Ga-ryeongs abdomen, infusing extreme yang energy. But the room still felt cold. Despite the fire lit in the corner of the room for Baek Ga-ryeongs sake, the silence created an icy atmosphere. To lighten the mood, Mu-jin spoke up. Hmm. From the conversation earlier, it seems that Miss Baek is very knowledgeable for her age. Mu-jin believed thatpliments were the best way to lighten the mood. Fortunately, Baek Ga-hwan took Mu-jinspliment positively. Haha. Ga-ryeong has always been quite smart. Mu-jin smiled faintly at the sight of Baek Ga-hwan, who seemed genuinely happy to praise his sister like a proud fool. Thats just like what I read in the novel. Although Baek Ga-hwan, who wouldter be known as the Wise Strategist, often said, Compared to my sister, my wisdom is nothing, he was immensely proud of her. As the mood seemed to lighten, Mu-jin continued with another question. So, where did you learn such idioms? Actually, our family used to be schrs preparing for official positions. Some generations ago, one of our ancestors did hold an official position. I also studied to be an official in my youth, but it was difficult as I wasnt smart enough. On the other hand, my sister, despite being a girl, quickly memorized and understood the books just by watching me study. Baek Ga-hwan proudly shared his story in response to Mu-jins question, but his expression darkened suddenly. However, as we failed to secure an official position for generations, we were running out of money. We spent all our money on my sisters medical bills, and then our parents passed away suddenly Er, sorry for asking unnecessary questions. Mu-jin apologized with an embarrassed look, trying to quickly change the subject. But still, Miss Baek seems truly exceptional. Remembering the books she read at such a young age is impressive. What do you mean by young age? How old do you think we are? With the age difference between you two, wasnt Miss Baek very young when you were studying? Baek Ga-hwan tilted his head in confusion at Mu-jins question. What do you mean? Ga-ryeong and I are only three years apart. Pardon? Mu-jin looked at Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong in shock. Uh, how old are you, Baek Gongja? Shes eighteen this year. Then, youre saying Miss Baek is fifteen? Yes, thats correct. Mu-jin looked at Baek Ga-ryeong with a strange expression in response to Baek Ga-hwans answer. No matter how generous I am, she looks twelve. Honestly, I thought she was around ten or eleven. In modern terms, she appeared about eleven years old, which would be roughly equivalent to a fifth or sixth grader in elementary school. But to say she was fifteen? Hmhm. Ga-ryeong has had health issues, so her growth has been a bit slower since she was young. Is that so. Mu-jin awkwardly responded to Baek Ga-hwans exnation, his eyes catching a peculiar sight. What are you doing? Mu-gung, who had been treating Baek Ga-ryeong, had suddenly removed his palm from her abdomen. Why is he blushing all of a sudden? How creepy. Maybe realizing Mu-jins curious gaze, Mu-gung urgently sent a telepathic message. C Help me. C Help with what? C Dont you know the saying that men and women should not touch each other after they reach the age of seven!? Only then did Mu-jin understand what Mu-gung was thinking. Up until now, it seemed Mu-gung had treated Baek Ga-ryeong without much hesitation because she looked so young. However, in this era, it wasmon sense that men and women shouldnt touch each other after the age of seven. And a fifteen-year-old girl was old enough to be preparing for marriage. In other words, Mu-gung, who had treated her without much thought, had started to recognize her as a woman upon learning her age. Is this guy insane? How can he see her as a woman? Of course, biologically speaking, she was a woman, but it was crazy to consider someone who looked like a fifth or sixth grader as one. Mu-jin started to worry that Mu-gung might need some physical mental education. C Hey. What are you thinking about a kid for? Are you crazy? C A kid? Shes a youngdy at fifteen, you ignorant fool! Shes only three years younger than you! And just four years younger than me Even the marriagepatibility But Ive been touching her with my hands all this time Mu-gungs face was getting redder and redder, as if he was about to experience Qi Deviation. C Thats something a Shaolin disciple would say? What, are you going to leave the order and get married? C Ahem. No, thats not it. C Just think of it as a treatment and dont see her as a woman, see her as a patient. C Easier said than done. To help the confused Mu-gung regain hisposure, Mu-jin thought of a n. C Close your eyes and think of Master Hye-dam. Mu-jin suggested thinking of Mu-gungs stern and extremely serious master, who embodied the essence of immovable heart. Is there a problem? As Mu-gung and Mu-jin stopped the treatment and exchanged silent nces, Baek Ga-hwan asked anxiously. Oh. He just had a moment of concern. Since this is a delicate treatment, its better to take a break when ones mind is unsettled. I see. I apologize for pushing you in my concern for my sister. While Mu-jin soothed Baek Ga-hwan with a usible excuse, Mu-gung closed his eyes and tried to calm his mind by imagining his masters stern face. Whew. After a moment, having escaped his mental turmoil, Mu-gung ced his palm back on Baek Ga-ryeongs abdomen. However, unable to open his eyes to look at her, Mu-gung treated her with his eyes closed, thinking only of Hye-dam. Meanwhile, Mu-jin was thinking, If anything goes wrong, Ill just hit him on the back of the head. He was prepared to give Mu-gung some physical mental training if the situation called for it. * * * After the strangely tense treatment session, Mu-jin spoke to Baek Ga-hwan. This treatment is only a temporary measure. As you might know, a proper treatment requires special medicine or learning a particr form of energy cultivation. Though there were proper treatment methods in mind, they couldnt be carried out here. So, this temporary treatment was a preparatory step for the uing long journey. Of course, Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong were unaware of this impending journey. We are already thankful for this. My sister used to have to sleep with a fire even in midsummer, shivering from cold. Recently, she has been able to sleepfortably. So, please, feel free to speak your mind. While Mu-gung and Mu-jin appeased the grateful Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong, they were about to leave So-cheong-moon. Suddenly, a carriage stopped at the entrance of So-cheong-moon, much like Mu-jins group had a few days ago. As Mu-jins group looked curiously at the carriage, a middle-aged man alighted from it and was greeted by a disciple of So-cheong-moon. Wee. Please,e inside. The disciple, along with the middle-aged man who had arrived, cheerfully announced, Mun-hyuk! Do you remember? This is Master Geum who visitedst time. He hase today to be your father. Ha ha ha. Come here. The middle-aged man called Master Geum opened his arms with a kind smile, and the young boy called Mun-hyuk ran into his embrace with a bright smile. Oh. So, this ce not only raises orphans but also finds new families for them. Mu-jins group, touched by the beautiful scene, eximed in admiration. After holding the boy in his arms for a while, the middle-aged man patted his head a few times, then put him down and went to have a conversation with the head of the sect. Today might be thest day. Cheong-su Dojang, who seemed saddened by the news of Mun-hyuk leaving, spoke softly to the boy. Youre such a fool, big brother! I cane to you, or you cane to where I live! Ha ha ha. Thats true. Cheong-su Dojangughed heartily and stepped aside to let the boy spend hisst moments with the other children. After watching the children for a while, Cheong-su Dojang and Mu-jins group left So-cheong-moon and returned to their inn. As soon as they returned, Mu-jin started to put on the ck martial arts uniform he had prepared in advance from Ha-juhyeon. Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Wise Strategist Where are you going? Im going out for a day or two. You all stay here and continue as usual. Especially Mu-gung, please keep taking care of Ga-ryeong. After giving appropriate instructions to the children, Mu-jin left the inn and headed to a pre-determined location. It was a ce from where he could barely see So-cheongmun, yet it was quite a distance away. Upon reaching the spot, Mu-jin moved his internal energy and practiced a martial art he had recently learned. [Dark Shadow Art] It was a martial art he obtained from the Divine Thiefs Secret Cave, which he had Mu-gyeong analyze. Thanks to his frequent practice whenever he had spare time, Mu-jin could now perform it to some extent. As he mastered the Dark Shadow Art and the Ghost Step, he realized that the ck-d man he encountered at the Unhyangwon had used these techniques to conceal himself. Of course, Mu-jin, who had just recently learned these arts, couldntpletely hide his presence and figure like that man. At least, its useful against opponents weaker than me.His understanding of the Dark Shadow Art and Ghost Step was stillcking, but his experience with concealment techniques from his special forces days helped himpensate to some extent. Hidden, he watched So-cheongmun for a while. When he saw the middle-aged man he had noticed earlier leaving So-cheongmun in a carriage, Mu-jin cautiously started following it using Ghost Step. * * * The carriage carrying the middle-aged man, who was called the Grand Elder, and the child named Mun-hyuk traveled for a long time. Ah, father, when will we arrive? Mun-hyuk, who was still awkwardly calling the Grand Elder father, received no reply. Originally a lively child, Mun-hyuk became increasingly timid after being repeatedly ignored. Although his father had treated him kindly at So-cheongmun, his attitude had changed drastically once they left Haju County, leaving Mun-hyuk unsure of what to do. Clutching the gifts from his friends who had wished him happiness, Mun-hyuk had to swallow his sadness. After passing through several viges simr to Haju County and evenrger ones, the carriage turned onto a deserted mountain path. Eventually, it arrived at a lonely inn situated on a mountainside. Get down. The new father, who hadnt spoken to Mun-hyuk for half a day,manded in a stern tone, and Mun-hyuk, trembling, slowly moved. Hurry! Hic. Startled by the sudden shout, Mun-hyuk entered the inn with hups. Come here. Grabbing Mun-hyuks arm roughly, the Grand Elder dragged the child to the kitchen. Such a picky eater. Muttering to himself, the Grand Elder locked the kitchen door and grabbed arge, sharp kitchen knife. Haha. Just thinking about the picky guests who made me travel all the way to Haju County angers me, but thanks to you, Ill make a lot of money today. Fa-father, why, why are you doing this? Mun-hyuk, unable to understand the situation, asked with trembling eyes, but the man didnt answer. Instead, he approached Mun-hyuk to prepare the special ingredient for tonights distinguished guests. Bang!!! With a loud crash, the kitchen wall exploded. Brother? Mun-hyuk saw a familiar young man stepping into the kitchen through the broken wall. It was the young man named Kang-hyuk, who had recently visited So-cheongmun frequently. * * * Damn it. Mu-jin cursed as he urgently entered the kitchen through the broken wall. I thought youd head to some ck market, but when I saw an inn, I knew something was off. Damn it. Never thought Id stumble upon a cannibal inn. Even in a ce dominated by the shadowy forces, this was too much. Eating childrens flesh? Who are you?! The man, who was about to swing his knife at the child, turned and pointed the knife at Mu-jin, but Mu-jin had no intention of revealing his identity to such a person. Bang! With a crash, Mu-jin lunged at the man. Despite the mans attempts to swing the knife at Mu-jin, the skill gap was too great. Thud!! Mu-jin easily grabbed the knife and punched the man in the abdomen. Gyaaah! The man vomited a mixture of blood and bile from the impact. However, it seemed that this cannibal inn wasnt managed by this man alone. ng! Who are you! Do you know where you are?! As soon as Mu-jin knocked down the chef, three men, who appeared to be innkeepers or managers, rushed into the kitchen. * * * It didnt take long to subdue the additional three men. Though all three knew martial arts, and one could even produce something akin to sword energy with his saber, the skill gap was apparent. Oh, great hero, what brings someone like you to such a humble ce? The most skilled of them, likely the manager, asked obsequiously despite his serious internal injuries. Ill be asking the questions. Yes, yes! Please ask! Was this your first transaction with So-cheongmun? The man rolled his eyes, trying to gauge Mu-jins intention. Did I tell you to think before answering? Mu-jins fist flew towards the mans face, prompting him to speak quickly. W-we traded asionally! asionally? Yes! Why? Why? Why did you buy children from So-cheongmun for this? W-wellwe didnt want to do this either! We just wanted to run a clean inn, but insane customers with peculiar tastes kepting, asking for childrens meat. So you bought children from So-cheongmun to supply them? Yes! Its all because of those crazy customers! We even tried using children found starving on the streets, but they said the meat was tough and tasteless, demanding children who lived happy lives! They imed they were forced into this, but listening to their words made Mu-jin feel nauseous. Despite his urge to crush the mans skull immediately, Mu-jin controlled his anger and continued questioning. So, you made deals with So-cheongmun to get children who lived happily? Of course! Then, does So-cheongmun also know about this? Hehehe. Naturally! Its well-known in this circle, but those bastards are even worse than us! They pretend to be good on the surface, but they sell well-trained children at high prices to inns and ck markets like ours! Mu-jin, having heard the desired response from the worm-like man, turned his gaze sideways. There stood Mun-hyuk, one of the children sold here, with a shocked expression. It wasnt because he was frightened by Mu-jins violence. Until Mu-jin started beating those guys, he was thrilled, thinking he was being rescued. Mu-jin sighed deeply, looking at the childs shocked face. In truth, Mu-jin already knew that So-cheongmun was a trashy sect. Dao Yuetian, while seeking revenge on those who annihted his family and retrieving his familys treasures, ended up tracing the shadowy forces of Shinchun. Along this path, he happened to arrive at a ce called Baekyangmun, where children secretly gathered by the Shinchun forces were kept. At Baekyangmun, children with martial arts talent were taught martial arts and simultaneously brainwashed. Dao Yuetian wanted to save those children, but they were already too brainwashed to heed his words. In the end, Dao Yuetian cleared out the ce and moved on to find those who brought the children there, leading him to So-cheongmun. Despite realizing that So-cheongmun had no direct ties to Shinchuns forces, his fury from the Baekyangmun incident led him to destroy So-cheongmun. It was after this massacre that Baek Ga-hwan approached Dao Yuetian. At that time, Baek Ga-hwan was not an orphan staying at So-cheongmun. His younger sister, Baek Ga-ryeong, had already been sold to Shinchun due to her unique constitution, and Baek Ga-hwan left So-cheongmun upon learning this btedly. Instead of foolishly attacking So-cheongmuns master and dying, Baek Ga-hwan entrusted himself to Haomun, preparing for revenge and seeking his sister. Baek Ga-hwan thanked Dao Yuetian for avenging him and inquired if he had seen his sister at Baekyangmun. However, Baek Ga-ryeong had not been found at Baekyangmun. In the end, Baek Ga-hwan stayed with Haomun to continue tracking his sisters whereabouts, while Dao Yuetian set out to find Paedobang based on Baek Ga-hwans information. Thank you for your grace, great hero. Im sorry for taking away the revenge you should have carried out yourself. In their final parting, they exchanged these words. No, its fine. At least, you saved those children, didnt you? Those children are innocent. Baek Ga-hwan decided to take responsibility for the orphans who had been staying at So-cheongmun, a family he once had, in ce of the departing Dao Yuetian. I also wanted to get those kids out of there, but they didnt believe me. Well, when I was young, I thought it was a good ce too. With those words, they parted ways, and about a yearter, when Dao Yuetian copsed Jegal Family, Baek Ga-hwan reappeared as a knowledgeable person. Mu-jins actions against So-cheongmun, knowing it was a filthy ce, were also due to thatst conversation. The children, including Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong, probably still believed it was a good ce. But now that the evidence was secured, the only thing left was to clear out the trash and rescue the children. Thus, Mu-jin nned to clean up and leave with Mun-hyuk. Thud. With a sense of presence, the door of the inn opened. Theyre here! Who? The ones who ordered that food from us! Upon the earnest exnation from the manager, Mu-jin nodded and spoke to Mun-hyuk. Cover your ears and close your eyes for a moment. The child, lost in thought, didnt respond immediately to the words. Thus, Mu-jin had no choice but to put him to sleep by pressing his acupoints. Smash!! Then, with all his might, he swung his fist and shattered the heads of the inn workers. Hehehe. Looks like the cooking is finally starting. Hahaha. It seems we came too early. Well, its hard to hold back after tasting it once. Hey there! Bring us some drinks while we wait. Apparently mistaking the sound of shattering skulls for the sound of preparing meat, disgusting conversations came from beyond the kitchen door. Hoo. Still heated, Mu-jin walked out without wiping the blood off his hands. Hm? A new face. Looks like the innkeeper changed in the meantime. Ignoring their nonsense, Mu-jin slowly approached them. What are you doing! Didnt you hear the order? Bring the drinks! As Mu-jin silently approached, one of the three shouted angrily. Smash!! Mu-jin suddenly smashed his head. What are you doing!! Do you think youll get away with this!! As they screamed, guards who seemed to be their bodyguards entered through the inns door. Kill him! Though they wielded their weapons and rushed at Mu-jin, it didnt take long for them to be reduced to bloody messes. He, heek. With all the guards dead, one man screamed bizarrely, and the other tried to negotiate with Mu-jin. This, this incident will be forgotten, so why dont you just leave? If you mess with us, it wont end well for you! They babbled about being the local magistrate or the son of a noble family. Crack!! But Mu-jin smashed their heads, no longer interested in listening. Hah. Spit. Disgusted by the encounter, Mu-jin spat out phlegm. What a damned ce. Though he knew it was a realm of the dark forces, experiencing it firsthand was vastly different from merely knowing it intellectually. Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Wise Strategist Mu-jin, holding the sleeping child in his arms, used his qinggong to dash through the darkness. Although he had traveled half a day by carriage, it took him quite a bit of time to return, even with his qinggong. Mu-jin, who had departed the innte in the evening, managed to sneak back into the inn around the hours of the Rat (11 PM to 1 AM). Youre back earlier than I thought. The group, weing Mu-jin who returnedte, was startled to see the child in his arms. Isnt that Mun-hyuk? Didnt he go somewhere else earlier today? Did you kidnap him, Mu-jin!?Mu-jin sighed and briefly exined the situation to hispanions, who were treating him like a kidnapper. No way Was So-cheongmun such a ce? However, the children, who had been captivated by the bright and beautiful appearance of So-cheongmun, found it difficult to believe Mu-jins words. Fortunately, the child, whose acupoints Mu-jin had released in advance, began to wake up. Are you okay? The child, who had almost experienced something horrific, looked anxious as he opened his eyes but then saw the familiar face of Cheongsu Dojang and clung to him. Seeing the child clinging to Cheongsu Dojang, who had regained hisposure after traveling back and forth from So-cheongmun, Mu-jins expression hardened as he listened to Mu-jins story. When Mun-hyuk suddenly clung to him, Cheongsu Dojang awkwardly patted his back, caught off guard. Once Mun-hyuk seemed a bit more rxed, the group carefully asked him about what had happened there. The story Mun-hyuk shared was almost identical to what Mu-jin had exined. So it really was that kind of ce Maybe it was just that particr inn? The manager said that So-cheongmun is famous for such things. He might have been lying to save his own skin, Mu-gung. Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong were still confused as they exchanged such words. No wonder! Thats why Ling-ling said those things! Meanwhile, Mu-yul brought up quite an odd story. Ling-ling? What about her? Whenever she met the head of So-cheongmun, Ling-ling would hide behind me, saying he looked like he wanted to eat her. What? You should have told us if something like that happened! Surprised, Mu-jin said, to which Mu-yul tilted his head. But it happened before too. Before? When Mu-jin and Ling-ling first met. Ling-ling hid, saying Mu-jin looked like he wanted to eat her. I thought Ling-ling just had bad judgment about people. Mu-jin, at a loss for words, avoided Mu-yuls innocent gaze. It seemed it was all due to his karma. However, Mu-yul and Ling-lings words seemed to give credibility to the suspicion about So-cheongmun. Especially Cheongsu Dojang, holding Mun-hyuk, had a fierce determination in his eyes. Wait. So why did you suddenly follow Mun-hyuk, Mu-jin? Did you know about So-cheongmun beforehand? At that moment, Mu-gyeong, as perceptive as ever, pointed out sharply. Yes, I knew. Then why didnt you say anything? You told us it was a good ce at first. Because if I had told the truth, you wouldnt have been able to keep a straight face. It was different from pretending to be bandits. Unlike beating up bad guys while dressed as bandits, here they had to act oblivious and moved by the viins. Could the children, who had never worked in society, manage to smile for business while cursing inside? It was something only Mu-jin, worn out by countless troublesome customers, could do. * * * Late at night. Knock, knock, knock! Someone started knocking on the gate of So-cheongmun, where everyone was already asleep. One of the disciples, who woke up, went to check and found that it was the people who had recently been frequenting So-cheongmun. What brings you here at thiste hour? He asked, suppressing his annoyance, but the others were insistent. Forcing their way in, they entered So-cheongmun, and surprisingly, Mun-hyuk, who had been adopted during the day, was with them. Damn. Realizing something was wrong, the disciple tried hard to manage his expression. Due to themotion, the martial artists and children of So-cheongmun woke up and came out to see what was happening. Huh? Mun-hyuk? What are you doing here? The children, who hade out out of curiosity, naturally expressed their confusion upon seeing Mun-hyuk. As everyone gathered, Mu-gyeong, the most logical among Mu-jins group, stepped forward and spoke up. Strangely, Mu-jin was not present. The reason Mun-hyuk is with us is simple. We rescued him. So-cheongmun Master. Rescued him? What do you mean? Despite knowing everything, the So-cheongmun Master pretended to be ignorant and asked. Suppressing his rising anger, Mu-gyeong began to recount what he had heard from Mu-jin and Mun-hyuk. If he hadnt learned patience from Hye-gwan, he might have lost control and killed them all already. As Mu-gyeongs exnation and Mun-hyuks testimonybined, amotion naturally erupted. No way Is it true, Mun-hyuk? The children started looking back and forth between Mun-hyuk and the So-cheongmun Master with confused expressions. During this, the So-cheongmun Master, acting very wronged, spoke up. I had no idea such a terrible thing happened. I apologize to you and Mun-hyuk for not thoroughly investigating Grand Elder. However, I assure you, our So-cheongmun was not involved. It was merely a coincidence. It was not intentional. The shameless answer caused even more confusion on the childrens faces. For at least a few months, or even years, the children had been cared for by the So-cheongmun Master. Naturally, they wanted to believe his words. Mu-gyeong recited Buddhist scriptures inwardly to calm his murderous intent and rebutted the So-cheongmun Masters words to persuade the children. Once again, our So-cheongmun has never intentionallymitted such acts. This is nder! However, the So-cheongmun Master continued to feign ignorance, making their conversation seem like a parallel line. Until Mu-jin appeared. Something unknown to me is found in the Masters quarters? Mu-jin appeared not from the entrance of So-cheongmun but from within, specifically from the direction of the Masters quarters. In his hands were a cloth bundle and a booklet. While the others were distracted, Mu-jin had sneaked in using the Stealth Shadow Technique and Ghost Step Technique to steal these items. Clink. When Mu-jin threw the cloth bundle on the ground, expensive-looking valuables spilled out. How many years have you been doing this? Mu-jin opened the booklet and examined it, revealing a history of selling children over the past few years. Are you trying to frame me with this book you created? Of course, the So-cheongmun Master continued to feign ignorance. Whoosh. Mu-jin abruptly threw the booklet towards Baek Ga-hwan, who was holding Baek Ga-ryeong. Whether its nder or true, Mr. Baek will verify. Check the transaction records before we arrived and see if they match the dates when the children were adopted. Despite his confusion, Baek Ga-hwan reflexively opened the ledger and, after checking, closed his eyes tightly and opened them again, speaking in a voice filled with dread. Kang-hyuk So-hyeops words are correct. Perhaps because of Baek Ga-hwans testimony, the childrens gazes, unsure of whom to believe, were now filled with strong suspicion. Naturally, these looks were directed towards the So-cheongmun Master. Damn it, these bastards are hastening their own deaths! Seeing that pretense was now futile, the So-cheongmun Master finally revealed his true colors. Kill them all. Anyway, Elder Yu ising tomorrow, and we can sell the children to him all at once. Ah, and dont forget that monkey. Yes, Master! The disciples, evidently in collusion, immediately changed their expressions upon hearing the Masters order. But. Whos going to clean up whom? Mu-jin, can we start now? Lets go, Ling-ling! Ook! Ook!! It was actually Mu-jins party who had been holding back their anger. Swish. Swoosh! Without a word, Cheongsu Dojang, who had been silently seething, drew his sword, and a chilling slicing sound filled the air. Curiously, the screams came quitete. Kyahhh!! Ahhh! The scream came from those witnessing the So-cheongmun disciple who had been cut down and killed. And as if that scream was a signal re, Cheongsu Dojang and the Muja Quartet charged at the So-cheongmun Master and his disciples. No, Cheongsu Dojang charged at the So-cheongmun disciples. Swish! Mu-jins party rushed in to stop Cheongsu Dojang. That guy has lost it again! Hold back! The children are watching! Ook! Ook!! The Muja Quartet managed to grab Cheongsu Dojangs limbs, but by then, five So-cheongmun disciples had already lost their lives. The So-cheongmun disciples had learned martial arts but couldnt possibly match one of the top young masters from the orthodox factions. Moreover, with Cheongsu Dojangs eyes aze with rage, he continued his lethal swordsmanship. In three swift thrusts and two shes, he pierced the hearts of two, punctured the throat of another, beheaded one, and bisected thest disciple. With such supernatural and absurd skills, the So-cheongmun disciples lost the will to resist and stared nkly at Cheongsu Dojang. If you dont want to die, drop your weapons and kneel, you bastards! With Mu-jin holding back Cheongsu Dojangs sword, his face flushed, he shouted, causing the So-cheongmun disciples and their Master to hurriedly kneel on the ground. Of course, there was no intention to forgive those who had sold the children. It was just that, with so many children around, they nned to send them away before finishing things to protect their emotional well-being. Damn it. But, with Cheongsu Dojangs rampage, the heavy scent of blood already permeated So-cheongmun. And Cheongsu Dojang, forcibly held by the Muja Quartet, still gazed at Mu-jin with eyes burning with rage. Why are you trying to protect such viins? Hoo. Im not protecting those scumbags; Im protecting the children. As Mu-jin said this and looked at the children around them, Cheongsu Dojangs gaze followed. There, the children who had recently yed with Cheongsu Dojang were standing. . Every child who made eye contact with Cheongsu Dojang averted their gaze or had a frightened expression. The mes in Cheongsu Dojangs eyes gradually extinguished, reced by aplex mix of emotions. Then. Hic. The child whost made eye contact with him. Mun-hyuk, who had called him big brother, had a face filled with fear and was hupping. Cheongsu Dojangs face turned pale. It wasnt from fear. Mu-jin, who was right in front of Cheongsu Dojang, didnt miss the moment when Cheongsu Dojangs Adams apple moved quickly. Cheongsu Dojangs inner demons are more severe than I thought. Mu-jin judged that he was undoubtedly trying to forcibly swallow the blood that was rising up. Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Wise Strategist The southwestern part of Zhejiang Province housed the Xianxialing Mountains. These mountains were a crucial path connecting Zhejiang, Fujian, and Jiangxi Provinces. Given its strategic location, the mountains were home to Fenglin Vige, the stronghold of Chongpyo Paja, a pir of the Green Forest among the Seven Great Pirs. Today, a guest arrived at Fenglin Vige to meet Chongpyo Paja. What brings a filthy merchant to the territory of us mountain men? I am here to deliver a message on behalf of the Hui-ju. Xihu ck Market in Zhejiang Province, thergest ck market in Zhongyuan, was managed by the Hui-ju of the Amcheonhoe. Despite its proximity to Hangzhou, the provincial capital of Zhejiang, and rtively close distance to Beijing, where the imperial court was located, maintaining such arge ck market showcased the undeniable capabilities of the Hui-ju of the Amcheonhoe.The Hui-ju managed this vast ck market by bribing high-ranking officials from all over the continent who visited the famous Xihu, and by providing various illicit pleasures. Of course, Chongpyo Paja, the leader of the Green Forest, held no respect for such a Hui-ju. As expected of a cowardly wretch. Hes afraid of losing his head, so he sends a subordinate instead. Ha! Despite Chongpyo Pajas tant provocation, the Hui-jus representative showed no change in expression. It seems Chongpyo Paja, who is so dull-witted, has forgotten the agreement with Sa-doryeonju. What did you say? It sounds to me like youre asking to have your head cut off because its aching. Even as Chongpyo Paja threatened, reaching for an axe lying nearby, the representative continued speaking without concern. A few days ago, the ck market in Guilin, Guangxi Province, was destroyed by bandits. Have you forgotten the agreement among the Seven Great Pirs not to attack each other? Are you using our Green Forest just because it was bandits? Who else should we suspect? Our Amcheonhoe warriors in the Guilin ck market were annihted. If bandits with such skills arent from the Green Forest, then where are they from? Humph. It might have been some other scoundrels disguised as bandits. Chongpyo Paja snorted, feigning ignorance. In truth, he was unaware of the incident. But the representative, indifferent to Chongpyo Pajas situation, pressed on. Then, may we handle this matter as we see fit? We will investigate the truth and proceed with damage ims through Sa-doryeon. The implication was clear: inte the damages and inflict great losses on the Green Forest. Such maniptive tactics were easy for those managing the ck market. Chongpyo Paja was not someone who wouldply just because of a financial im, but the problem was Sa-doryeonju. Damn. Chongpyo Paja, who outwardly acted as a simple and brave mountain man, was actually shrewd and well-aware of theplications Sa-doryeonjus involvement would bring. Fine. We will personally investigate who dared tomit this act under our name. However. As he epted the demands, Chongpyo Paja abruptly stopped speaking. sh! The axe swung by Chongpyo Paja stopped right in front of the representatives neck. The sharp de left a slight cut on the representatives neck, causing a small trickle of blood. What gives you the confidence to speak so freely in my presence, as a mere representative and not the Hui-ju himself? It was an outburst, but the representative seemed uninterested in responding to such a tantrum. Killing me wont gain you anything. The Hui-ju has promised to send arge sum of money to my family as a reward for handling this matter. And if I die, he will immediately investigate and inform Sa-doryeonju of this incident. Seeing the unwavering gaze of someone unafraid of death, Chongpyo Paja threw his axe aside in frustration. Chuh. Killing a corpse-like person only ruins the taste. Leave now. The representative, unaffected by the threat, offered a polite bow before departing. After he left, fierce energy began to swirl around Chongpyo Paja. Hoo. I dont know who these bastards using our name are, but Ill make them beg for death. With a murderous glint in his eyes, Chongpyo Paja called his subordinates. * * * Mu-jin, aware of the severity of the situation at Cheongsu Dojang, forced himself to focus on more immediate concerns. After fully subduing the surviving disciples of So-cheongmun and the So-cheongmun Master, Mu-jin approached Baek Ga-hwan. I apologize for themotion. No, its fine. Considering my sister and I could have been sold off without knowing anything, the current situation is much better. Have you considered what to do once you leave So-cheongmun? Baek Ga-hwan pondered for a moment before shaking his head. Relieved, Mu-jin spoke again. Then, would you join us? With you all? Yes. We are not from this region. We n to return home soon, and in our homnd, there may be better treatment for your sister. Is that true? Where are you heading? We n to head to Jiangxi Province first. Baek Ga-hwan looked surprised but seemed deeply troubled at the mention of Jiangxi Province. He nced at his sister, Baek Ga-ryeong, who nodded slightly and whispered in a small voice. Mantangjiguk. Saryangchimju. Puzzled by the unfamiliar terms, Mu-jin tilted his head. Baek Ga-hwan, understanding his sisters message, looked at Mu-jin with a determined expression. My sister thinks it would be best to go with you. We will follow you, if you dont mind. Does Mantangjiguk Saryangchimju mean agreement? Mantangjiguk means a situation like the end of the Tang Dynasty, and Saryangchimju is from the story of Xiang Yu, simr to burning ones bridges. What? I was worried if my sister could travel to Jiangxi Province. She sensed my concern and suggested taking a life-risking gamble, as staying here would only lead to ruin like at the end of the Tang Dynasty. I see Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Mu-jin shook his head to clear his thoughts. In any case, they agreed to join. Now, what to do next Taking Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong along wasnt an issue. Mu-jin nced at the others in So-cheongmun. Thirteen children originally from So-cheongmun, including Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong, and seven they rescued from the Guilin ck market. A total of twenty people. Could they manage to escape with such arge group? At first, there was only one carriage, and even if they could find more, it would be impossible not to attract attention with so many children and women traveling together. Furthermore, they had already caused significant trouble with the Yongbongji Conference, the Bukpoong Escort Agency, Geumwang Vige, and the Gyerim ck Market. Even Mu-jin had killed someone in the cannibal inn, iming to be the son of a local noble. They might already be being pursued, and it was certain that they would be chased soon. Therefore, it was crucial to stay as inconspicuous as possible on their journey to Jiangxi Province. However, it wasnt feasible to leave behind everyone except Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong. Sigh. If that were the case, we shouldnt have attacked here in the first ce. The children, now without the protection of the So-cheongmun, wouldnt be able to survive in this hellish territory of the demonic cult. On the other hand, if the So-cheongmun had remained intact, the children could have lived happily here for several months to years. Even if the So-cheongmun were bad people, if they werent going to take responsibility for the children, it would have been better to leave them be. Perhaps noticing Mu-jins concerns. There is a way for all of us to sneak to Jiangxi Province together. As expected of the future strategist, Baek Ga-hwan spoke confidently. What is that method!? In response to Mu-jins question, Baek Ga-hwan looked proudly at his sister before speaking. My sister mentioned Yoo Dae-in, Do-eun-mak-gan. Hearing Baek Ga-hwans words, Mu-jin looked at him as if to say, What nonsense is that? Fortunately, Baek Ga-hwan soon exined the meaning. Yoo Dae-in is someone who was supposed toe here tomorrow, and after looking through the ledger a moment ago, it seems that Yoo Dae-in is a ve trader. Do-eun-mak-gan means to hide rice between barley. If we capture Yoo Dae-in and disguise ourselves as ve traders, we wont attract attention. Mu-jin was rather dumbfounded. How did hee up with such a n from those two words? In the novel, Baek Ga-hwan often praised his sister, but seeing his actions now, even deducing such a n from a few words showed that Baek Ga-hwan wasnt normal either. * * * Mu-jins group decided to follow Baek Ga-ryeong and Baek Ga-hwans n and started to tidy up the So-cheongmun. Anyway, Yoo Dae-in was supposed toe only after sunrise, so they needed to spend time here waiting for him. They calmed the children who hade outside at night, sent them back to their rooms, cleaned up the corpses, and confined the captured So-cheongmun Master and his disciples in a corner. Kids, lets go back inside now! Ooki! Ookikiki! Hmm. Dont worry. Well soon go to a better ce together. The task offorting the children was mainly handled by Mu-yul, Ling-ling, and Baek Ga-hwan. Thanks to Baek Ga-hwan, who had always been like an elder brother to the children, and Mu-yuls innocent, harmless appearance, the children began to calm down a bit. After the children returned to the hall, Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong started cleaning up the corpses, while Mu-gung confined the captured So-cheongmun disciples in a secluded room and guarded them. Lastly, in the case of the Cheongsu Dojang, he was meditating in a secluded ce within the So-cheongmun. To be precise, he was treating the internal injuries caused by a sudden attack of Qi Deviation. However, the Qi Conducting Technique initiated for treating the Qi Deviation naturally led to meditation. Unintentionally, the scene from a few days ago resurfaced in Cheongsu Dojangs mind. The memory that had been sealed away for over a decade. * * * Cheongsu Dojang. No, Cha Sun-il was a simple child growing up in a quiet vige in Qinghai. His father was just an ordinary herbalist, and his mother passed away early. For Cha Sun-il, his daily life consisted of ying with the few other children in the vige during the day and spending time with his father, who returned from work, in the evening. The misfortune that befell the small vige of less than fifty people urred after an outsider visited. The outsider left after resting in the vige for a day, but a few dayster, he returned with a band of marauders. Of course, a rural vige with less than fifty people had no treasures that would attract a band of marauders. Its her!! However, there was a beautiful woman in the vige, more valuable than any treasure. She was six years older than Cha Sun-il and had taken care of him whenever his father went out to work. Heh heh heh. We cant just take one person from here! Kill everyone except those who seem valuable! As soon as the marauder leader gave the order, his men spread out and started killing the vigers. Aaaaah! Sa-save me P-please, at least spare my child!! They began dragging away the women and children who looked even slightly attractive. Cha Sun-ils father hid with him in a corner of their house, but they were eventually discovered by a marauder searching the house. Cha Sun-ils father took out the emergency sword he had kept and fought back to protect his son, but he was no match for a marauder ustomed to plundering. Heh heh heh. You look like you could be sold. Although Cha Sun-il was a boy, his appearance was attractive enough to have market value for those with perverse desires. The marauder grabbed young Cha Sun-il by his left arm and tried to drag him away. Sreung. Witnessing his fathers death directly, Cha Sun-il, with a dazed expression, grabbed the sword his father had held. Heh heh heh. Are you trying to resist? The marauderughed, seemingly enjoying the futile resistance of a child. However, at that moment, Cha Sun-il was overwhelmed by a strange sensation he had never felt before. Though it was the first time he had ever held a sword, it felt like a lifelong friend in his hand. Guh Cha Sun-il, mimicking the marauders sword technique he had seen only once, thrust the sword into the marauders abdomen. The marauder, caught off guard, only realized that the child had stabbed him after the sword was embedded in his belly. The movement was that natural. However, the human body has countless muscles, and for a mere ten-year-old child to pull out a sword embedded in a body was an impossible task. Damn it The marauder, feeling the pain of his intestines spilling out as the sword was removed, clutched his abdomen and soon copsed to the ground. And that was Cha Sun-ilsst memory. Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Sword Demon West of Guangxi Province. A remote mountain hundreds of miles from Haju-hyeon. Th-thats everything I know! A many prostrate on the ground. The man, Kang Il, had a mysterious smile on his face as he hung his blood-stained machete on his side. He hade all the way to Guangxi Province after hearing that a gift meant for him had been stolen by bandits. However, upon arriving in Hajihyeon, he learned that the Bukpoong Escort Agency hadpletely copsed. Using Shinchuns informationwork, he traced the movements of the stolen goods from the Bukpoong Escort Agency. He had circled the Guangxi region multiple times chasing after the remnants of the bandits who sold off the goods, but despite all his efforts, he couldnt find what he was looking for. In the midst of this, he captured a bandit named Kang Il. This bandit, however, knew nothing about the silk garment.So, youre saying those guys were looking for the Gyerim ck Market? Yes, thats correct! He had obtained some intriguing information that kept nagging at him. The Bukpoong Escort Agency and now the Gyerim ck Market? It feels like they are moving to find our forces. Logically, it was a baseless conjecture as their forces were still hidden. *Swoosh!* The man, after slicing the neck of the bandit named Kang Il with his machete, turned towards where Gyerim was located. He was a man who trusted his instincts over logic. * * * After finishing their business, Mu-jin and his group took a brief rest at So-cheongmun. Around noon, a carriage stopped in front of So-cheongmun. Wee, Yoo Dae-in. Hahaha. The So-cheongmun Master greeted the ve trader with a smile, but his true feelings were quite different. Behind him, disguised as disciples of So-cheongmun, were Mu-jin and his group. He fully understood that a single wrong word could cost him his life, a realization made clear from the events of the previous night. Please,e inside. The So-cheongmun Master, who had deceived children for years, skillfully lured the ve trader inside with a wless performance. *Clunk.* As soon as the ve trader entered So-cheongmun, he was quickly subdued by Mu-jin and his group. Leading thepletely restrained ve trader to a secluded spot in So-cheongmun, Mu-jin finally released the acupoints holding the man captive. Wh-what is the meaning of this?! Still thinking of Mu-jin and his group as disciples of So-cheongmun, the ve trader shouted in a rather defiant manner. Of course, there is no one who can withstand physical punishment. *Bam!* Even after this *Bam!* Why are you *Bam!* Do you have anything to *Bam!* Im sorry! Its my fault! What exactly did you do wrong? That that *Bam!* After continuous beatings, the ve trader, with his face swollen like a steamed bun, started to sob and beg for forgiveness. Its all my fault! Please, spare me! Now that he was ready to talk, Mu-jin began questioning the ve trader about various matters. How do you prevent escapes when transporting ves? Are there any inspections during the transport? What routes do you mainly use? The first question was to gather information for their disguise. They needed to know how the ve traders bound and managed the ves to effectively masquerade as them. Additionally, they verified the cities and counties the ve trader frequently visited and the methods used to pass inspections. Having extracted all necessary information from the ve trader, Mu-jin and Baek Ga-hwan discussed their next steps. You mentioned that the destination is Jiangxi Province. Do you have a specific route in mind? I n to move eastward to enter Guangdong Province first. Then, Ill traverse the northern part of Guangdong Province, enter the southern part of Jiangxi Province, and head straight north to reach Nanchang. * * * Mu-jin and his group used both their original carriage and the ve traders carriage to travel, posing as ve traders. They utilized the information obtained from the ve trader to sometimes travel through secret paths instead of the main roads, and asionally bribed officials to pass through cities and counties. While traveling as ve traders for quite some time, they finally stopped the carriage in a low hill after sunset. Alright, lets rest now. Baek Ga-hwan, who stopped the carriage, went inside to release the children from their restraints and prepared for the night. Wouldnt it have been better to rest in the city we passed earlier? Mu-gung asked, looking sympathetically at the children in the carriage. Mu-jin replied with a bitter tone. I would like to, but there are too many eyes there. We cant release their restraints or let them out of the carriage. Thats why they opted to camp out instead. Since Baek So-jeo would have had a harder time than the other children, you take care of her. Ill look after the others. Phew. Amitabha. Before treating Baek Ga-ryeong, Mu-gung closed his eyes and chanted Buddhas name for mental stability. However, the sight of arge man disguised as a ve trader chanting while approaching Baek Ga-ryeong looked menacing. That guy hes not thinking anything weird, right? While taking care of the other children, Mu-jin asionally nced suspiciously at Mu-gung, who was nervously fumbling. Sorry every time Its alright, Baek So-jeo. Calm your mind. Mu-gung replied stiffly, quickly closing his eyes and reciting a chant while envisioning Master Hye-dam. His effort to regainposure gave him an appearance of being deeply focused on treatment. Baek Ga-ryeong, lying down and watching, gently raised her arm in gratitude. She softly ced her palm over the back of Mu-gungs hand, which was on her abdomen. Surprised by the sudden cold sensation on his hand, Mu-gung opened his eyes and shuddered as if having a fit. Ah! For Mu-gung, who had lived as a monk in Shaolin Temple since he was thirteen for six years, it was too stimting a situation. It shattered the mental stability he had cultivated under Hye-dam for four years. S-sorry Startled by Mu-gungs reaction, Baek Ga-ryeong quickly apologized. J-just wait a moment, I-Ill resume t-treatment soon! But with his mental stability broken, Mu-gung was barely conscious. Even the internal energy he managed started to go out of control, making him need immediate Qi Conducting Techniques. Mu-gung hurriedly moved away with a flushed face, whether due to embarrassment or some other reason, prompting Mu-jin to sigh and approach Baek Ga-ryeong. Do not worry, Miss Baek. Handling qi in such a dangerous treatment can be surprising, and he probably got startled when you moved suddenly. Ungratefulness. Bearing thorns and begging for punishment. Uhm. Mu-jin cleared his throat awkwardly as another four-character idiom popped out. While ???? (ungratefulness) was amon phrase, Mu-jin had never heard ???? before. Interpreting the characters roughly, it seemed to mean bearing thorns and begging for punishment, likely indicating a request for a fitting punishment for ones sins. Theres no need for you to apologize. It was hisck of training that caused this, so dont concern yourself. Mu-jin thought it was absurd for someone to fall into Qi Deviation just from a brief touch with a woman. If he meets a skilled woman from the demonic sect or unorthodox faction, hell be in big trouble. Mu-jin imagined Mu-gung suffering from Qi Deviation and meeting the King of the Underworld after being seduced. Shaking his head in frustration, he turned his gaze from Mu-gung, who was diligently practicing his Qi Conducting Technique, to another person struggling with inner demons. Phew. Approaching the person who had been silent in the carriage sincest night, Mu-jin spoke up. Your inner demons seem deep. Is something troubling you? He had no interest in prying into personal matters that the other person did not wish to share. However, their condition appeared so severe recently that he had no choice but to ask. At Mu-jins question, Qing Shui Dojang, who had been brooding with a gloomy expression, stood up with a deep sigh and asked Mu-jin. Mu-jin, could you perhaps spar with me? Mu-jin hesitated at the sudden request. Sparring in a state of inner turmoil could lead to Qi Deviation, but the desperate look in Qing Shui Dojangs eyes made it hard to refuse. Lets move to another ce first. To prevent other children from getting hurt during the spar, Mu-jin and Qing Shui Dojang moved to a distance and faced each other, maintaining a measured distance. Taking their stances, Mu-jin spoke first. Ill begin. Yes. As soon as Qing Shui Dojang responded, Mu-jin charged at him. He did not intend to use his full strength from the start, partly as a means of probing and partly because he knew the other was struggling with inner demons. Yet, for some reason, Ha! Despite not using his full power, Qing Shui Dojang struggled to deflect Mu-jins attacks. Normally, Qing Shui Dojang would smoothly parry most attacks at the Yongbongji Conference, but now his movements seemed stiff, as if making a grating sound. His sword, which should draw a smooth Tai Chi circle, now seemed to form angr edges. The usual serene smile while wielding his sword was nowhere to be seen, reced by a troubled expression as he barely fended off Mu-jins attacks. Mu-jin. Blocking Mu-jins attack, Qing Shui Dojang spoke with difficulty. Do you have something to say? Mu-jin paused his assault and asked. Qing Shui Dojang posed a question. How many martial artists do you think are more skilled than you in the demonic and unorthodox sects? Caught off guard by the question, Mu-jin thought for a moment before replying. Id say there are about dozens. At the very least, there were dozens. At worst, it could be over a hundred. The Demonic Alliance had the Sword Emperor and the King of ughter. The Seven Pirs of Shinchun and In-ju, and possibly even more masters ranked above them. In total, there were likely at least ten masters of King level or higher within the demonic and Shinchun factions alone, not to mention those on par with him, like Hye-gwan or Hye-dam, who numbered in the dozens. Still, being considered a master isnt so bad. Considering the poption of the world, even a hundred ranks wasnt too bad. Mu-jin thought to himself that even among the countless martial artists in the world, his skills were still notable. Still, its not enough. Even though he considered himself somewhat skilled, he felt it was insufficient when thinking about future enemies. While Mu-jin was silently contemting future adversaries, It seems there are more than I thought. Qing Shui Dojang muttered with aplicated expression, and his aura suddenly changed. In that case, this kind of sword wont be enough. With his mind made up, Qing Shui Dojang took the offensive this time. Swooosh! With a sharp slicing sound that seemed to cut through the air, a direct thrust aimed at Mu-jins vital point, as if it were a life-and-death duel. ng! Mu-jin quickly swung his palm to deflect Qing Shui Dojangs thrust, producing a metallic ng. Normally, Qing Shui Dojang would parry Mu-jins attack fluidly, without any noise. ng! ng! However, instead of tracing gentle circles, Qing Shui Dojangs sword nowunched consecutive killing strikes. These were techniques he had observed and learned from various martial artists: the marauders sword techniques, those of the Yongbongji Conferencester generations, mountain bandits, escorts of the Bukpoong Escort Agency, and the ck markets swordsmen. A man who had only practiced Wudangs sword techniques had now synthesized these techniques into his own deadly style, a testament to his genius. ng! Mu-jin parried each murderous strike, speaking as he did so. The this kind of sword you mentioned earlier, does it refer to the Taegeuk Haegum? Qing Shui Dojang hesitated momentarily, as if Mu-jin had struck a nerve, before forcing himself to continue attacking. Understanding his opponents dilemma, Mu-jin continued the conversation. ng! Why do you dismiss the revered sword technique of your sect, considered one of the best in the martial world, as this kind of sword? ng! Taegeuk Haegum is a technique for saving lives. ng! And what is wrong with saving lives that you want to abandon this sword technique? ng!!! After a final, intense sh, Qing Shui Dojang, who had been using a blunt sword, was pushed back by Mu-jins strength. Whether it was due to Mu-jins power or his inner turmoil, Qing Shui Dojang gritted his teeth, catching his breath before speaking. In that case, were they worth saving? Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Sword Demon Though the question was abrupt, Mu-jin seemed to understand who it referred to. And if it were any other monk, they might have said that even such scum should be spared and guided. They were not worth sparing. Mu-jin did not particrly hold high regard for the vow of non-killing. Therefore, I intend to wield another sword in ce of the Taegeuk Haegum. I see. Cheongsu Dojang spoke with a grave expression, but Mu-jin responded with a so what? expression. If you think that is the right path, then do as you wish, Cheongsu Dojang. I dont think killing such trash is a sin. But why are you hesitating and worrying so much?He wanted to kill all the bad guys. So what was the problem? If it were the modern world, thew might prevent him from doing so. No matter how trashy a criminal was, private punishment instead of legal action would be judged by thew. Of course, there werews in this world too, but they hardly applied to the martial artists. In the martial world, justification or power was everything. Then what else could it be? Is it because of the elders and senior brothers of Wudang? Mu-jin asked with a tentative heart, but Cheongsu Dojangs reaction confirmed his suspicion. Yes, it is. Perhaps because his inner thoughts were revealed, Cheongsu Dojang opened up as if confessing. I fear that abandoning the Taegeuk Haegum andmitting acts of killing would hurt the elders of the sect. Hm If thats the reason, is there a need to abandon the Taegeuk Haegum? Didnt I already exin? iming that you would abandon the Taegeuk Haegum because it is a sword for life is just an excuse. Taegeuk Haegum is a renowned technique, and even Yunheo Zhenren, who is called one of the Three Swords of the World, has mastered it, hasnt he? That is Ah! Is it because the progress with the Taegeuk Haegum is slowerpared to a killing sword? Its well-known in the martial world that the Taegeuk Haegum is difficult. But it would probably be much easier for you to be a master through the Taegeuk Haegum than to create your own killing sword and be as skilled as Yunheo Zhenren. Mu-jin was making a realistic deduction, but Cheongsu Dojangs response was entirely different. How can I wield the sects sword whilemitting acts of killing? What nonsense are you talking about? Mu-jin barely suppressed augh. Does he really think that none of the Wudang sects practitioners have ever killed anyone? Mu-jin couldnt help but think that the Wudang sect had raised Cheongsu too naively and gently. In reality, the elders of the Wudang sect had refrained from telling harmful stories to prevent Cheongsu from bing a Sword Demon, but Mu-jin did not know that. Non, nonsense? What do you mean? Of course, its nonsense. With so many viins in the world, how could a righteous martial artist never kill anyone? Our Shaolin also values the vow of non-killing, but there are those who specifically deal with incorrigible viins. Master Uncle Hye-gwan is a prime example. Thinking about it, Mu-jin thought that perhaps it was because of Hye-gwan that the Muja Trio was less naive than Cheongsu. Of course, that was a story limited to Mu-gyeong, who was Hye-gwans disciple. Mu-jin never thought that others had corrupted because of him. There will be no punishment from the Wudang sect for using the Taegeuk Haegum in acts of killing. And even if there is, so what? Maybe theyll make you meditate in the Cave of Repentance for a few days, like in our Shaolin. What if they say they cant forgive me and expel me from Wudang? Mu-jin answered simply to Cheongsu Dojangs worried question. If they dont ept you, then just leave Wudang. Or, you could change Wudang yourself. This was something Mu-jin could say because of his own experiences. When Mu-jin first came to this world, how rigid was the Shaolin sect? Change the sect? Yes. Protecting the weak and drawing the sword to correct wrongs is the true way of a hero, isnt it? Just like the protagonists in the martial arts novels he enjoyed during his school days. And a ce where such heroes gather is the true righteous sect. Unlike the so-called righteous sects that only engaged in tedious fights over principles. And this was also a vow to himself. So instead of worrying about getting scolded by the elders of Wudang, wouldnt it be better to think about how to improve your skills to protect those kids? When he first came to this world. To Mu-jin, the shadowy forces known as Shinchun were just enemies he had to deal with ording to the plot to return to the modern worlda brain-understood enemy. But after experiencing the events in Guangxi Province, his thoughts changed. And to face the strong enemies he would encounter in the future, more than anything else. So, to improve your skills, what you need now is not to ponder over right and wrong. Then, what should I do first? Of course, exercise, isnt it? Pardon? I havent finished my quota for today, so join me, Cheongsu Dojang. Mu-jin thought that building physical strength was necessary. If you push yourself hard, such worries wont evene to mind. It was a solution based on his own experience. * * * After finishing the exercise together, Mu-jin returned to the carriage first. Cheongsu Dojang, who had been sitting nkly and cooling off his sweat, stood up and started walking slowly toward the carriage. There was a slight misunderstanding between Mu-jin and Cheongsu Dojang during their conversation. The ones Cheongsu Dojang had asked Mu-jin about, questioning if they were worth sparing, were not the viins from Guangxi Province. Specifically, it was a question posed while recalling the bandits from his childhood, who turned his vige into a sea of blood. Memories he hadpletely forgottenor rather, sealed awaycame flooding back, reminding him that he had killed at the tender age of ten. It was neither an ident nor a mistake. He harbored a murderous intent toward his opponent, and the first sword he held moved freely like a lifelong friend, piercing the bandits belly. Even in the Gyerim ck Market, where he regained his memory, hemitted a massacre blinded by rage. So, he wondered if he was a born viin. Pretending to know nothing, he stayed in the Wudang sect and learned their sword techniques. Wouldnt the elders of the sect abandon him if his true nature was revealed? If so, wouldnt it be better to abandon Wudangs sword before being abandoned? No. How could killing viins like those bandits be a sin? He only killed those who deserved to die. So, maybe the sect would forgive him? Such self-criticism and self-justification constantly battled in Cheongsu Dojangs mind. But thanks to the conversation with Mu-jin, a slight change urred. The worries didnt disappear. From the beginning, Mu-jins advice was almost like, Do whatever you want. Instead, Cheongsu Dojangs mind was preupied with a question more significant than his current concerns. Hero Someone who willingly draws their sword for what is right, to prevent the suffering of the weak. But what is right? This question, which seemed so easy when he was at Wudang, now felt infinitely difficult. However. Hyung In front of the wagon where he was walking back slowly. When hemitted the massacre at So-cheongmun. The child who looked at him with a terrified expression. Mun-hyuk, in a timid voice, approached him. Do you have something to say? The timid look on his face made Cheongsu Dojangs tone unintentionally cold, as if using him of being a viin. Im sorry For some reason, the child named Mun-hyuk immediately bowed his head and apologized to Cheongsu Dojang. What are you apologizing to me for? Hyung, you were trying to save us. But I got scared without knowing. So Im sorry And thank you. As Cheongsu Dojang watched the timid-faced child speak, he couldnt do anything. Mun-hyuk added more words. So, please y with me again, hyung. Dont avoid me Dont abandon me The sight of the child speaking with tears made Cheongsu Dojang freeze. Ah The child had be an orphan. His appearance during the Qi Deviation ovepped with the childs memories of losing his family. I would never abandon you. Dont worry. Hahaha. Therefore, Cheongsu Dojangughed heartily. Yes. He didnt have time to waste on trivial worries about whether he was a viin or a hero. Although he still didnt know the answer to what was right. Come here. Like this child named Mun-hyuk, like the children he saw in the Gyerim ck Market and So-cheongmun. And his younger self. Like Choi Kang-hyuk. At the very least, he must draw his sword willingly to protect the weak. But, since there were too many strong people in the Evil Sect, it was much more important to focus on training a thousand times more than worrying about trivial concerns, just as Mu-jin said. With that resolution in mind, Cheongsu Dojang gently hugged Mun-hyuk. Feeling the touch of Cheongsu Dojang, Mun-hyuk asked. Hyung? Why is your arm trembling? Today was Mu-jins arm exercise day. * * * The journey of Mu-jin and his party from Guangxi Province to Guangdong Province was quite smooth. Although they were taking a slightly roundabout route, using paths frequented by ve traders, they were already nearing the point of crossing from Guangdong Province into Jiangxi Province in just six days. This was because they limited their daily travel distance to consider the stamina of the children and Baek Ga-ryeong. Initially, the northern ind part of Guangdong Province was very short, while the southern coastal part was very long, so crossing the northern ind part wasnt a long journey. As they passed through Xinfen County in the south of Jiangxi Province and headed north along a mountain path, they encountered unexpected people. Stop there!! At the sound of a very brazen voice, Mu-jins party looked around with puzzled expressions. If the voice hade from government soldiers, they would have been more tense. Why are these bandits so brazen? The ones who stopped them had the appearance of bandits no matter who looked at them. However, whileughing inwardly, Mu-jin spoke with a merchant-like expression. Oh dear, our mountain brothers must be busy, so well quickly finish the transaction and leave. Mu-jin rubbed his hands together and took out a pouch from his bosom. Since they had to hide their identity and return to Nanchang, he intended to give some money to the bandits and leave. In fact, they had encountered simr situations a few times whileing here. The only difference was that most of the bribes had been given to government soldiers rather than bandits. However, even though Mu-jin took out a pouch, the leader of the bandits shook his head with a grim expression. Thank you for your sincerity, but we cant ept it yet! What do you mean? Its an order from Chongpyo Paja! Recently, there are groups causing trouble in our Green Forest territory, imitating our methods. We need to check if youre them before letting you go! At the words of the bandit leader, Mu-jin thought to himself while outwardly pretending to be nonchnt. As expected, they have been tracking us. It wasnt surprising, as he had expected them to be tracked at some point. Please, take your time to check. A few bandits passed by Mu-jin and approached the wagon, pulling back the curtains to look inside. Inside the wagon, women and children were bound with handcuffs, shackles, and ropes, trembling with anxious faces. It was a very natural scene. It would be more strange if women and children captured as ves were smiling or lookingfortable. Hmm. They seem to be traders working with the Amcheonhoe. Seeing the wagon, which looked unmistakably like that of ve traders, the bandit leader nodded. Ook? The sound came from the red monkey in Mu-yuls arms. While it was just a monkey making noise, the bandit leader tilted his head at the sound. A monkey? The sneaky-looking bandit next to him urgently shouted. Boss! They said the group causing trouble was seen with a red monkey that looked like a spiritual beast! For a very brief moment, a strange tension filled the air between the bandits and Mu-jins party. Attack! Attack them!! Simultaneously, both Mu-jin and the bandit leader shouted and charged at each other. ng! Thud!! However, this bandit leader didnt seem to be very high-ranked in the Green Forest, as he couldnt withstand Mu-jins attacks for long and fell. As Mu-jin nced over the battlefield, he saw that the Muja Trio, Ling-ling, and Cheongsu Dojang were already beating up the bandits. Among them, the one who stood out most to Mu-jin was Cheongsu Dojang. Hmm. He seems to have improvedtely and managed to shake off some of it. He wasnt stubbornly sticking to an overly murderous straight sword technique, nor was he obsessively using the Taiji Sword Technique. When protecting the children and women, he moved defensively with the Taiji Sword Technique, and when shing the bandits, he wielded the swift killing sword. Although he seemed to be suffering from Qi Deviation, he looked like he would make rapid progress soon after escaping it. But the reason Cheongsu Dojang stood out the most was not simply because he overcame Qi Deviation. Wow Cheongsu Dojang, who had lost his smile for a while due to Qi Deviation, was now grinning as he alternated between using the killing sword and the Taiji Sword Technique. Its almost It was almost like his old self, when he only knew the sword during their previous bouts. sh! Aagh!! With a smiling face, he was cutting off the limbs and necks of the bandits. This is bad It was the unmistakable appearance of a Sword Demon. Chapter 163: Chapter 163: Pursuit After the initial skirmish with the bandits. Mu-jin and his group moved with Ling-ling hidden securely among the pile of luggage in a corner of the carriage. Ling-ling! This is a game of hide and seek. You must hide very well, understand? Fortunately, Mu-yul managed to trick Ling-ling well, so she stayed nestled quietly among the luggage without making a sound. However, it seemed the bandits were moving in earnest now, as they blocked the path whenever they passed through the mountain roads starting the next day. The order is from Chongpyo Paja! To pass through here, you must first undergo inspection! They managed to get through a couple of times without Ling-ling being discovered, but asionally some madmen thoroughly searched the carriage, even rifling through the luggage. Attack!!Kill them! Each time, Mu-jin and his party had no choice but to engage in battle, and after another day, the insane bandits began to leave the mountains. They were blocking the road in every direction, whether it was open fields, ins, or mountains, not just the main roads. While not all of them searched the inside of the carriage, whenever one of them did, Mu-jins party had to fight. By the time another day had passed. There they are! Now, instead of searching the carriage, bandits appeared who were definitely pursuing Mu-jins group. It felt as if they were trapped in a created by the bandits. Hoo. After quickly dispatching roughly twenty bandits, Mu-jin sighed lightly. It seems like were fighting more frequently. Mu-gyeong muttered as he wiped the blood stters off his face. Mu-jin seemed like a blood-soaked monk from a novel, except he wasnt crazed. No, its impressive that hes not crazed despite fighting so bloodily. Thinking back to Mu-gyeongs childhood, it was indeed a significant improvement. Yes. Its only around 3 to 5 PM, and weve already fought five times. At least the bandits arent very skilled. For now, yes. What do you mean by for now? The bandits were encountering now were already settled around here. Theyre spreading out to find us. Oh So youre saying bandits from farther away will starting? Yes. Plus, since our location is confirmed, the scattered ones will continue to gather here. Those listening to Mu-jins response showed various expressions. Haa. My internal energy wontst. Mu-gung, who was already exhausted from using additional internal energy to treat Baek Ga-ryeong during breaks, looked gaunt. Why are there so many bad bandit uncles? Ook! Ook!! Mu-yul, looking puzzled, tilted his head while facing Ling-ling. So, you disguised as ve traders to avoid this situation. Amitabha. Having somewhat ovee his inner demons, Cheongsu Dojang murmured, finally realizing something. And I understand now why you said we need to improve our skills. If my skills were much better, we wouldnt need to hide our identities and could cut through the bandits and the ck market. He added a rather grimment. Lastly, Baek Ga-hwan, who had been watching the battles, spoke to Mu-jin with a guilty expression. Im sorry, Kang So-hyeop. What do you mean, suddenly? I couldnte up with a better n because of my shorings. And Im sorry that weve put you all in danger. The bandits chasing us have nothing to do with you. To Mu-jins answer, Baek Ga-hwan shook his head. Regardless, the fact that you saved us doesnt change. And even now, if it were just you escaping, you could have used your light footwork to get out of here much faster, couldnt you? Baek Ga-hwan felt a sense of powerlessness as he looked at the battles that had been happening since two days ago. During the skirmishes with the bandits, he couldnt do anything. Instead of helping, whenever a bandit rushed at him or the children in the carriage, one of Mu-jins party had to quickly intervene to protect them. Moreover, their pace was slow because of him and the children, particrly his sister Baek Ga-ryeong, which made him feel even more guilty. They couldnt increase the carriages speed because of Baek Ga-ryeongs poor health. Mu-jin spoke to Baek Ga-hwan, who looked like a criminal. You dont need to think that way. Thanks to the n by you and Baek So-jeo, we managed toe this far to Jiangxi Province without trouble. If we hadnt disguised as ve traders, we would have been pursued by bandits since Guangdong Province. We might not have made it here at all. But still Dont worry. Weve struggled a bit to get here, but if we travel just one more day, well reach Jeongan-hyeon. And there, we have people who will help us. * * * As time passed, the bandits pursuit intensified, so Mu-jins group couldnt rest even at night. They drove the carriage through the night and finally arrived at Jeongan-hyeon around noon the next day. In the process, they had six more skirmishes, and the number of bandits Mu-jins group either maimed or killed exceeded a hundred. Hoo. Im exhausted. Arriving at Jeongan-hyeon, exhausted from continuous fighting without proper rest, they looked at Mu-jin. Where do we go now? At Mu-gyeongs question, Mu-jin looked around before moving to speak to a nearby passerby. Although they had a destination, he didnt know its exact location in Jeongan-hyeon. Eeek I-Im sorry! But as Mu-jin approached, the passersbys faces turned pale. Ah. Come to think of it, his appearance was terrible. Constant fighting while traveling had left his clothes stained with blood everywhere. Something seemed to have caused a misunderstanding, but Mu-jin, pressed for time, had no choice but to ask a frightened passerby for the location of their destination. Lets go quickly. When Mu-jin, having grasped the location, returned to the carriage and shouted, Mu-gung asked, Why? Is there something urgent? No. If we stay on this main street any longer, I feel well soon be dragged away by the patrol guards. Patrol guards? Why? Look at our appearance. At Mu-jins words, they turned their heads to reexamine their state and finally uttered a collective Ah in realization. To avoid being taken to the authorities, they hastily moved the carriage. Despite being scared, the passerby who had given Mu-jin directions had done so quite urately, allowing them to reach their destination without much difficulty. [Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic] The ce Mu-jin sought help from was a branch of the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. This town, Gn-hyeon, was one of therger towns in the central region of Jiangxi Province, housing both a branch of the Cheonryu Sangdan and the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. Who who are you? When the menacing group appeared, the martial artist guarding the entrance of the clinic stuttered and asked. Instead of exining, Mu-jin simply presented a pre-prepared identity token. Please deliver this to the branch chief here. The identity token Mu-jin presented was a fake one prepared by Ryu Seol-hwa. The man guarding the entrance, looking puzzled, took the token inside. Shortly after, a middle-aged man with a shaved head hurriedly rushed out. I am Heo Seok, the master of Beobeumun, a branch of the Shaolin Temple managing this Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. Who is Choi Kang-hyuk? That would be me. Mu-jin answered the urgent question from the man. Though the martial artist guarding the entrance looked surprised at the respectful attitude shown, it couldnt be helped. Ryu Seol-hwa, a precious member of the Cheonryu Sangdan overseeing the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic, had issued instructions to all clinics on the continent. If a person using the identity token with the name Choi Kang-hyuk appeared, they were to fulfill all his requests. Additionally, a detailed confidential report about his visit was to be sent. Though it was unclear who exactly Choi Kang-hyuk was, it was evident from the instructions that he was a highly significant individual. You all seem to have gone through some hardship. Pleasee inside first. Master Heo Seok guided Mu-jin and his group to an empty pavilion. If you need anything, feel free to let us know. I will assist you to the best of my ability. Thank you. We will ask for help if needed. When Heo Seok performed a respectful bow and retreated, the children and women began to alight from the carriage and enter the pavilion, soon falling asleep. They seem very tired. Running all night while being chased by bandits would do that. We did the fighting, but they were constantly tense inside the carriage. Right. It must have been impossible to sleep in such a situation. After briefly conversing while watching the children and women sleep, Mu-jin and his group began discussing their next steps instead of resting. So, whats the n now? How about staying here to hold out? The bandits wont easily infiltrate the town, right? It might be difficult, but the longer we stay, the more bandits will gather around us. Eventually, high-ranking bandits might sneak in at night. Mu-jin countered Mu-gyeongs suggestion, and Baek Ga-hwan, listening nearby, nodded in agreement. This time, Mu-gung supported Mu-gyeongs opinion. But we can request support, cant we? We can ask for help from Shaolin or Cheonryu Sangdan. Thats not a bad idea, but the problem is that the bandits will gather faster than the reinforcements from Shaolin or Cheonryu Sangdan can arrive. In the worst-case scenario, it could lead to a war. War? They dont know who we are yet. Theyre just here to catch us because we caused a disturbance. But if its revealed that were Shaolin disciples, it bes an issue between Shaolin and the bandits. Shaolin disciples? What do you mean? Baek Ga-hwan, who had been listening quietly, asked with a puzzled expression. Mu-jin answered nonchntly. Oh, sorry. I forgot to mention. We are Shaolin disciples. My Dharma name is Mu-jin, and these guys are Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul. This one is a disciple of the Wudang Sects Cheongsu Dojang. Normally, there would be no need to reveal their identity if it was just a one-time encounter, but Mu-jin considered that Baek Ga-hwan, who would be apanying them as a guide, needed to know. However, Baek Ga-hwan felt dizzy upon learning Mu-jins groups true identity. He had suspected they were disciples of a righteous sect due to their mannerisms and intolerance of evildoers. But he had also seen them eating meat and drinking alcohol, leading him to believe they were disciples of a secr family. Ah, by the way, our identity as Shaolin disciples is a secret. Its a sensitive issue. Mu-jin gestured with a finger to his lips, and Baek Ga-hwan, half-dazed, nodded. Indeed, it was a secret that wouldnt be revealed unless he spoke up. Who would guess they were Shaolin disciples based on their behavior? Enough with the introductions. Lets get back to discussing our next move. As I see it, staying here is a bad idea for the reasons mentioned earlier. Mu-jin redirected the conversation. Baek Ga-hwan, recovering from the shocking revtion, asked, So, youre saying the goal is to leave this ce as soon as possible rather than seeking external help? Exactly. Then its simple, isnt it? Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Pursuit Since you five have martial skills superior to ordinary bandits, why dont you leave us here and disguise yourselves to escape from this ce safely? Baek Ga-hwan, feeling guilty about being a burden to Mu-jin and his group while being pursued by the Green Forest bandits, thought it would be better to part ways to help them. However, Mu-jin rejected his suggestion. Thats too dangerous. Those bandits have drawn in several mountain strongholds to capture us, and weve already taken down over a hundred bandits in the past few days. If we try to slip away secretly, they will surelye here to track our movements. If those bandits had tracked them correctly, it would not have been hard to learn that they had visited So-cheongmun. Knowing that they were apanied by several women and children, it would not be difficult for the bandits to gather descriptions of the women and children from the people around So-cheongmun. If we had intended to leave the women and children behind to save ourselves, we wouldnt havee this far together in the first ce. Mu-jins determined words garnered agreement from the others.Of course! Mu-jin is kind! Isnt that right, Ling-ling? Ook-ook! How could I sacrifice those who havent even learned martial arts to save my own life? Amitabha. Even Cheongsu Dojang, who had turned into a serious man after almost falling into Qi Deviation, added his words, leaving Baek Ga-hwan unable to argue further. He was moved by their resolve to take responsibility for them until the end. I need to think of a way. Baek Ga-hwan knew he had toe up with a way to help those who were trying to protect them. If we escape together, well only be a hindrance. Mu-jins group was only five people, while those they had to protect, including Baek Ga-hwan himself, numbered twenty. To be honest, they had only managed so far because the bandits they faced were of low skill. As Mu-jin said, if true experts appeared, it would be difficult to fight them off. However, Mu-jins group was determined to ensure the safe escape of all the women and children. Twenty-five people, most of whom are women and children, how can we sneak out unnoticed? Baek Ga-hwan, deep in thought and finding no solution, unintentionally looked at his younger sister, who was in his arms. To Baek Ga-hwan, his younger sister was his only remaining family in the world and the smartest person he knew. He hoped she might havee up with a clever n, but for some reason, she remained silent. Having lived together for fifteen years, Baek Ga-hwan quickly realized that his sister had indeed thought of a n but was unable to voice it. So, what kind of n had shee up with that she couldnt speak out loud? What n was so difficult for her to mention? Ga-ryeong understands what it means to be considerate. If shes not saying it, its probably because the n would be burdensome for our benefactors. Ah! With that realization, Baek Ga-hwan soon deduced what his sisters n might be. Understanding that the n would inevitably burden Mu-jins group, Baek Ga-hwan, like his sister, kept silent. But Mu-jin didnt miss Baek Ga-hwans exmation. Do you have any ns in mind? No, I dont. Even if its not a good idea, please share it with us. Sometimes discussing various ns can lead to a better solution. Actually, I do have a n, but it would be a significant burden on you all. Hahaha. In that case, feel free to share it. Just because you propose a n doesnt mean we have to follow it. Well make the decision, so please speak freely. At Mu-jins gentle encouragement, Baek Ga-hwan hesitated for a moment before cautiously opening his mouth. * * * A low mountain overlooking Gil-an-hyeon. There, countless men d in various animal hides were gathering. These were the Green Forest bandits, gathered at themand of Chongpyo Paja to capture the ones who dared to exploit their name. However, as expected when so many antisocial individuals such as bandits gathered, disputes were bound to arise. Nheless, the bandits gathered on that low mountain were all maintaining a cautious attitude. This was because the area was filled with dangerous men who ordinary Green Forest bandits wouldnt dare speak to. Among them was a middle-aged man who seemed to be the leader of the hundreds of bandits. He sat alone on a rock in the center of the group. A path opened among the gathered bandits as another middle-aged man, new to the scene, approached the one sitting on the rock. He wore a sword at his side and carried a rare bow on his back. Its been a while, Brother Cheok. Yourete, Old Rat. You must have forgotten what happened to those who dared to call me that. Old Rat. A derogatory nickname given because the mans face resembled a rat, and also to mock his sneaky use of the bow in the martial world. However, those who called him Old Rat usually did not meet good ends. He was the leader of the second strongest mountain stronghold in Jiangxi Province, a vast territory. Yet, despite the deadly re from the man known as Old Rat, the one called Brother Cheok didnt even flinch. He merely curled his lips into a twisted smile, which, due to the scars covering his face, looked grotesque. So, are you nning to put an arrow through my head too? The tone of his voice suggested he was ready to take on any challenge, causing the Old Rat to spit and then speak. Forget it. With Chongpyo Pajasmand, Ill restrain myself for now. Brother Cheok merely snorted at Old Rats excuse. This man was none other than Cheok Gwang, the overall leader and highest-ranking bandit in the Green Forest, and the master of the strongest mountain stronghold in Jiangxi Province, Cheokgang Mountain Stronghold. Ignoring Cheok Gwangs mocking gaze, Old Rat asked. So, where are they now? Why else would we be gathered here? Theyve hidden in Gil-an-hyeon? Cheok Gwang nodded in response to Old Rats question. So, whats the n? Surely, youre not thinking of storming Gil-an-hyeon head-on. Well wait and see. If they donte out by nightfall, well sneak in and cut their throats. Old Rat mentally cursed Cheok Gwang as a brute and turned away. Then, since we have to wait until nightfall, Ill wait over there with my men. After Old Rat left, Cheok Gwang continued sitting on the rock in silence, biding his time. He stared endlessly at Gn-hyeon, where the target was hiding. As time passed and the sky turned a crimson hue. Lets go. Cheok Gwang, who had been silently watching Gn-hyeon, stood up. It was because he saw their carriage leaving Gn-hyeon. * * * Whether fleeing or fighting,cking sleep or food inevitably reduces ones strength, preventing them from performing at their best. Mu-jin and hispanions slept for about two sijin at the musculoskeletal treatment clinic. After an early dinner, they boarded a carriage and left Gn-hyeon. They even used the same carriage and wore simr clothes as when they first entered Gn-hyeon, as if they had no intention of hiding their identities. About one daegyeong after leaving Gn-hyeon. As expected, a band of bandits blocked the main road, waiting for them. Countless bandits were approaching from both sides. Keep driving!! Mu-jin, recalling his past experience training in the Hundred Steps Divine Fist, sent his fist energy towards the bandit blocking the road. Following Mu-jin, the members of Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-gung attacked the bandits with sword energy and palm strikes. However, the carriage was heavy, so the horse couldnt run fast, and naturally, the number of bandits approaching the carriage increased. Eventually, Mu-jins group entrusted the two carriages to the young man they rescued from Baek Ga-hwan and Heukshi, and jumped towards the bandits. Crash!! sh. Naturally, the number of bandits killed by Mu-jins groups martial arts quickly increased. As dozens of bandits fell in an instant, the ones approaching Mu-jins group hesitated. You idiots! Dont you value your lives!! Seeing this as an opportunity, Mu-jin threatened the bandits, but a shout came from afar. Kill them!! The Chongpyo Paja promised great treasures to the one who captures them!! No matter how skilled they are, a stab wound will bring them down!! As expected of bandits, the ones who had initially seemed scared rushed again, their eyes flipped at the mention of money. Tsk. Mu-jin clicked his tongue in disappointment and began crushing the heads and bodies of the approaching bandits again. Meanwhile, Mu-jin asionally jumped into the air. It was to avoid being surrounded by the bandits and to get a broad view of the battlefield. From the air, Mu-jin saw bandits swarming towards them from all directions. Not only were the bandits nearby, but those from far away, visible only with enhanced eyesight through internal energy, were also approaching. As expected, they were watching Gn-hyeon from all directions! They had exited Gn-hyeon from the north. Naturally, the bandits positioned in the east, west, and south were now joining in from those directions. This meant they had to escape before the bandits from the far east, west, and south could join, but the problem was the speed of the carriage. It was moving forward, but at a pace that even an ordinary person could easily chase if they ran hard. The bandits who were originally nearby also thickened their ranks, pressuring Mu-jins group. Just a little more! Although they had only fought for a little over one il-gak, the number of bandits Mu-jins group had taken down had already exceeded three digits. Among the fallen were some skilled fighters, and Mu-jins group was starting to umte small wounds. After about one daegyeong had passed. Clear the way!!! A loud shout, infused with massive internal energy, erupted from behind. Mu-jin, who had jumped into the air to check the battlefield, realized that the one who shouted was the leader. The bandit, whose face was covered in scars, smiled wickedly at Mu-jin and threw something. The projectile flew at Mu-jin with explosive speed, and Mu-jin deflected it, but the rebound force pushed him back in the air. Crazy bastard. Throwing something like this. The projectile was a hand axe, more like a weapon than a throwing star. Mu-jin regained his bnce in the air, crushed the head of a bandit uponnding, and shouted urgently. Mu-gung! Begin! No sooner had Mu-jin given the order than energy began to surge around Mu-gung. Drawing his massive internal energy into his limbs, Mu-gung extended his palms, not towards the approaching leader but towards the front where they were escaping. A giant me,rger than any average man, erupted, scattering the bandits blocking their path like autumn leaves. Hiya!! At that moment, Baek Ga-hwan and the young man driving the carriage urged the horses forward. Surprisingly, the carriages, which had been moving sluggishly, elerated. As the carriages sped up and headed down the path Mu-gung had cleared, Mu-jins group expanded the path, guarding the sides and front to prevent the bandits from blocking them again. Dont let them escape!! Shoot!! Aim for the carriages!! Some desperate bandits threw their weapons or shot arrows. Crash!! However, Mu-jins group showed no intention of protecting the women or children supposedly in the carriages. They only protected themselves, Baek Ga-hwan, the young man driving, and the horses pulling the carriages. This was natural. There were no women or children in the carriages in the first ce. The n devised by Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong. A way to safely evacuate the women and children without hindering Mu-jins groups battle. It was a ssic feint strategy (seongdonggyeokseo). Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Pursuit Immediately after breaking through the bandits encirclement. Mu-jin, who had leaped onto the carriage, turned to look at Baek Ga-hwan, who was driving it. The superficial reasons for Baek Ga-hwan and Ju Kyung-il, a young man in the neighboring carriage, to act as bait in the stratagem were twofold. One was that having Mu-jins group, who were highly skilled in martial arts, drive the carriage was a waste of resources. The other was to make the bait appear more enticing. That was what they said, but However, the biggest reason for Baek Ga-hwan volunteering to be the bait was probably the guilt of havinge up with such a dangerous n. And Baek Ga-hwan, both when discussing the n and now, drove the carriage with a look of resigned determination.Fortunately, until now, everything had proceeded smoothly ording to the n. They had drawn in all the bandits surrounding Gnhyeon, creating the time and opportunity for the women and children to escape. Moreover, they themselves had managed to break through the encirclement sessfully. From now on, its the real deal. Mu-jin turned his head back to see arge number of bandits chasing after the carriage. It was a chaotic sight. Not because of the typical mismatched attire of the bandits. The bandits, numbering in the hundreds, perhaps even over a thousand, were closing in or falling behind depending on their individual lightness skill levels as they pursued Mu-jins group. When the carriage initially broke through the encirclement, the sheer number of bandits had caused them to block each other, creating an immediate distance. But once things settled, it looked as if a massive lightness skillpetition was underway. Among them, Mu-jins attention was drawn to a few bandits who were closing the distance with the carriage at an incredible speed. Although lightness skill does not necessarily corrte with martial prowess, there is some rtionship, so those individuals were likely among the highest-skilled bandits who had formed the encirclement. What should we do? Theyre about to catch up, asked Mu-gyeong, who was sitting beside Mu-jin. Mu-jin responded nonchntly, For now, we stay on the carriage. If those with high-level lightness skills cant catch us, the encirclement will loosen. And while werefortably riding the carriage, those guys are using their full strength in lightness skills, so even if they catch us, fighting them will be easier. As they spoke, a few of the bandits with the best lightness skills closed the distance further. Ha! Believing they had closed in sufficiently, the bandits each threw weapons or stones they had picked up while running. Swish! As expected, the weapons and stones they threw flew with deadly force and struck the back of the carriage. Crash! The violent impact created holes in the back of the carriage, and the weapons even prated through to where Mu-jins group was located. ng! Having been watching the rear, Mu-jins group easily deflected the thrown weapons and stones. See? Its easier for us to defend leisurely on the carriage than for them to throw things while running at full speed, Mu-jin exined calmly. Perhaps realizing the wastefulness of throwing things, the bandits focused more on increasing their speed by concentrating their internal energy on their lightness skills. Soon, the bandits with the best lightness skillspletely caught up with the carriage. Without hesitation, they leaped at those on the carriage. Hehehe Among them, the most noticeable was a fierce-faced man attacking with his bare hands. With a face full of scars and a build evenrger than Mu-gungs, he had started from far behind but was now leading the chase. ng! Blocking the mans punch, Mu-jin quickly shouted, Ill take this one! Judging by his martial skills and aura, this man was likely the leader. While Mu-jin exchanged blows with the bandit leader, hispanions began fighting their respective bandit opponents. But the bandits did not only target Mu-jins martial-skilled group. Some aimed for Baek Ga-hwan and Ju Kyung-il, who were driving the carriage, and others stealthily targeted the horses pulling the carriage. Fortunately, with Mu-jin handling the leader, they were able to fend off most of these attacks. Thunk! Swish! Whinny! With the simultaneous sounds of impact and air being pierced, one of the horses let out a scream. Immediately after, an arrow pierced through the side of the horse. The horse, screaming in pain, copsed, dragging down the other horse and causing the carriage to overturn. As the carriage toppled, Mu-gung quickly leaped out, grabbing Cheongsu Dojang, who was beside Ju Kyung-il. Though Mu-gung and Cheongsu Dojang narrowly escaped the carriage, bandits immediately rushed at them on the ground. We have to stop the carriage! Mu-jin shouted, pushing the bandit leader back with a burst of strength and jumping off the carriage. After dismounting, Mu-jin quickly assessed the situation: there were about fifteen bandits who had sessfully chased the carriage this far. However, numerous bandits were still approaching from the distance. At that moment, the bandit leader spoke with a murderous glint in his eyes, Hehe, I wondered which bold ones had dared to provoke Chongpyo Paja, but it turns out youre just kids. Kids are naturally fearless, dont you think? Mu-jin replied, undaunted by the fierce-faced opponent. Hehe, seems like this fearless brat has lost his mind. No need to fear mere bandits. Without flinching, Mu-jin asked, You seem to be the leader. Whats your name? Whats the use of knowing the name of someone youre about to kill? Well, its only polite to tell King Yeomra who his guide was. Hahaha, youre insane. Fine. My name is Cheok As Cheok Gwang tried to boastfully reveal his name, Mu-jin seized the moment when his breathing was disrupted to attack. However, even with his breathing interrupted, Cheok Gwang managed to block Mu-jins strike with his arm. Ugh! You coward! Its not like you have any right to talk, considering you came with hundreds of men! They exchanged provocative and psychological taunts as they fiercely shed with one another. Perhaps due to their overwhelming presence or their trust in their leader, the bandits did not intervene in their fight. Instead, the bandits charged towards the rest of the group. Mu-jin and hispanions, positioning the civilians Baek Ga-hwan and Ju Kyung-il in the center, formed a defensive circle and faced the dozen or so bandits. Thud! sh! Having honed their skills through numerous battles, they dealt with the charging bandits with ease. However, when three bandits fell dead at their hands, the bandits demeanor changed. They started to circle warily, focusing on containment rather than directbat. Theyre stalling for time! Reinforcements areing! Baek Ga-hwan shouted urgently as he quickly understood their ploy. Im fine, so focus on breaking through the encirclement instead of protecting me. Everyone! At Baek Ga-hwans shout, just as Mu-jins group prepared to attack the surrounding bandits, Swish! The strange arrow that had killed the horse flew towards Baek Ga-hwan. ng! Responding at a simr speed to the sound, it was Cheongsu Dojang who intercepted the arrow with his Songmun Antique Sword. However, blocking one arrow didnt mean he could abandon Baek Ga-hwan and Ju Kyung-il to rush at the bandits, and protecting them both would only lead to being surrounded again. Ill protect the two with my life! The three of you break through! At Cheongsu Dojangs shout, the Muja Trio and Ling-ling hesitated briefly but then charged at the bandits. In that moment, another arrow shot through the gaps between the bandits. ng! Once again, Cheongsu Dojang narrowly deflected the arrow, his eyes meeting those of the rat-faced bandit aiming from afar. Grinning maliciously, the rat-faced bandit shouted with internal energy. Target him! The two behind are untrained, use them as hostages! Perhaps due to this vilemand, as Mu-gung, Mu-yul, and Mu-gyeong fought off bandits, several slipped past to charge at Cheongsu Dojang, aiming for Baek Ga-hwan and Ju Kyung-il behind him. Cheongsu Dojang, using the Taegeuk Haegum, began to defend the two against the bandits attacks and the arrows from the rat-faced bandit. At this crucial moment, rather than aiming to kill, it was vital to protect. Unending circles formed, deflecting all attacks from the encroaching bandits. Even the arrows that flew amidst the chaos were deflected seamlessly. Engrossed in the essence of Taegeuk Haegum, a thought emerged in Cheongsu Dojangs mind. Can I truly protect them by merely blocking? As this realization dawned, a subtle change urred in his swordy. ng! The once soft and silent movements now produced a metallic ring. However, it wasnt from Cheongsu Dojangs sword but from deflecting a bandits de into anothers axe. Guiding multiple attacks to sh with one another, this technique was refined during his training to ovee traps in Shintu. But it still felt insufficient. Swish! In that instant, another arrow flew through the gaps. Utilizing the profound essence of Taegeuk Haegum, Cheongsu Dojang redirected the arrow towards a charging bandit. Ihwajeomok. An exquisite technique likened to grafting a flower onto a tree without damaging it, the arrow, like a flower, embedded itself into the bandit. Thud! Agh! A scream erupted as the bandits shoulder blossomed red. But, dissatisfied with the screams tone, sh! Cheongsu Dojangs sudden strike pierced the bandits throat. This was a killing technique he had used when ensnared by Qi Deviation. Continuing, he used Taegeuk Haegum to guide the bandits attacks against each other, striking the exposed openings with lethal precision. The endlessly circling Wudang swordsmanship, deflecting attacks effortlessly,bined with the straightforward and rapid killing strikes. Despite appearing ipatible like oil and water, Cheongsu Dojang, with a smile on his face, was forcibly merging the two in a state of Muah Ji-kyung. It was the moment when the Sword Demon began crafting his unique Taegeuk Haegum. Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Pursuit (4) While Cheongsu Dojang was immersed in Muah Ji-kyung. Mu-yul, Ling-ling, Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong were pushing through the surrounding bandits to break the encirclement. The bandits, who had chased them faster than the carriage, were elite with considerable skills, but the Muja Trio were no pushovers either. Especially, having exerted themselves using Qinggong to chase the carriage, the bandits were at a significant disadvantagepared to the trio who had rested briefly in the carriage. As the trio and their lonerade dealt with the bandits, Bang! Mu-jin, who had briefly assessed the battlefield, barely blocked Cheok Gwangs fierce punch. Just need to take care of this one, then we can break through the encirclement.In that short time, Mu-jin realized hispanions had dealt with a significant number of bandits. Of course, new bandits kept joining as quickly as the ones hispanions defeated, but Mu-jin didnt mind. Laters meant they were less adept at Qinggong. If they dealt with the initial pursuers and used Qinggong to escape, the slower reinforcements wouldnt be able to keep up. The only problem was, Bang!! This fierce bandit was exceptionally skilled. Youre quiteposed, Thunder Barefoot! The momentary distraction from assessing the battlefield left Mu-jin at a disadvantage. Cheok Gwang, even bigger than Mu-gung, was a natural-born fighter with immense strength. Though his martial arts emphasized the essence of power, his richbat experience made him far more adept than Mu-gung. Hahaha! You make a great punching bag! Mu-jin, relying on his tough body forged by the Jade Vajra Technique and six years of external martial arts training, was just barely holding on. This isnt an opponent to hold back against! To quickly break the encirclement, Mu-jin unleashed the Golden Turtle Technique at full force. As golden qi enveloped his body, Mu-jin ignored defense and charged at Cheok Gwang. Hahaha! Good! Cheok Gwang, seeing his opponent finally unleash a hidden move, brightened his eyes and struck with full force. As their energies shed, creating a loud boom, While their energies were neutralized, Mu-jin closed in and aimed a double-handed strike at Cheok Gwangs weak points. It was the surprise submission move that had always brought Mu-jin victory. Hahaha!! Cheok Gwang responded with a heartyugh. As Mu-jin grabbed his weak points, Cheok Gwang bent his knees, lowering his center of gravity, and pressed down on Mu-jin with his arms and upper body. I didnt expect you to be a junior from my homnd! After securing the superior position, he muttered something incoherent. Cheok Gwang, originally a young nomadic warrior from the northern grasnds of Central ins, had been a promising future leader of his tribe. Captured by the imperial army during their northern campaign, he was sold into very. Eventually ending up at an illegal fighting ring in Guangdong Province, his body and face bore scars from both his capture and the fights. Hehe. Thanks foring to your death willingly. Once a promising young warrior, Cheok Gwang was a master of Mongolian wrestling (Bukh). In his tribe, no one could withstand his wrestling skills, and in the illegal fighting rings, those skills kept him alive. Though he learned some techniques like stepping and striking to lure opponents into his wrestling holds, his mainstay was wrestling. Hmph! Mu-jin, gritting his teeth, twisted and moved his limbs against the grappling Cheok Gwang. Unlike the martial artists Mu-jin had faced in Central ins, Cheok Gwang responded swiftly to the grappling battle. In their body-to-bodybat, Mu-jin whispered as if they were sharing secrets. Since were from the same ce, why not let me go? Hahaha. Id like to, but Chongpyo Paja is very angry with you! Mu-jin, attempting to gain the upper hand as Cheok Gwang spoke, found his efforts futile. The more he moved to improve his position, the more his stance worsened, as if sinking into quicksand. Damn it. Where did this guye from? Realizing Cheok Gwangs superior grappling skills, Mu-jin gritted his teeth. However, he wasnt one to give up just because of a skill gap. If skills fell short, hed rely on strength. Hup! With his body bent backward, caught in an inner leg hook, Mu-jin concentrated all his strength in his muscles, holding his breath. As Cheok Gwang mocked him while pressing down, Mu-jins body, against all odds, began to rise. Hahaha! Lets see how long you can hold out! Cheok Gwang, usually unmatched in sheer strength,ughed at Mu-jins futile resistance. But for some reason, no matter how much Cheok Gwang pressed, Mu-jin didnt fall. In fact, Mu-jins body started to rise, pushing Cheok Gwang back. Lower body and core training is fundamental! With a determined shout, Mu-jin expelled his held breath and stood up fully, not stopping there. While Cheok Gwang was stunned by the unexpected turn, Mu-jin bent his knees, lowered his stance, and grabbed Cheok Gwangs weak points with both hands. Pouring all his strength into lifting the massive Cheok Gwang, who was at least seven inches taller, Mu-jin began to lift him. Despite using the Celestial Weight Technique, Cheok Gwang was surprised to find his enormous body being lifted. But he, too, was a veteran of countless battles, and instinctively adapted. As Mu-jin lifted his legs, Cheok Gwangs cheeks pulled inward momentarily. Ptooey! Cheok Gwang spat, and the saliva flew toward Mu-jins face. Ordinary spit would just be unpleasant, but a high-level martial artist like Cheok Gwang could infuse it with internal energy, turning it into a deadly projectile. However, as soon as Mu-jin noticed Cheok Gwangs cheeks inwardlypress, he activated the Golden Turtle Technique. Chiiing!! The spit produced an eerie sound, but thankfully, it was blocked by Mu-jins golden energy barrier. In the meantime, Cheok Gwangs legs were nowpletely lifted off the ground. Stop, stop this! Cheok Gwang iled his arms and legs in the air like a child clinging to his mother, hitting Mu-jins body. However, in this position, with his legs lifted and his knees held, Cheok Gwangs kicks and punchescked power. Your lower body is weak, you mongrel! With the toughness of his Jade Vajra Technique and the Golden Turtle Technique, Mu-jin endured the attacks and executed the Iron nk Bridge technique. Just like when Cheok Gwang had executed an inner leg hook, Mu-jins upper body bent backward like a bow, but this time the oue was different. As Mu-jin bent backward, Cheok Gwangs body was lifted higher until he was flipped over, with the sky and earth reversing. Crash!! Cheok Gwangs head struck the hard ground with a tremendous crash from a perfect suplex. The result was gruesome, to say the least. Cheok Gwangs already scarred face was now unrecognizable, shattered into a horrifying mess. Hoo. Mu-jin let out a deep sigh, having finally defeated the formidable opponent. He didnt gain any significant new insights about submission techniques from this skilled opponent. If it werent for these damned bandits causing muscle loss. Mu-jinmented not being able to train properly due to being pursued by bandits, thinking his weakened muscles had made the fight more difficult. But this wasnt the time to vent his frustrations on the bandits. Now we just need to break the encirclement and escape with Baek Ga-hwan and Ju Kyung-il. As Mu-jin was formting his next move, a small yet significant change urred on the battlefield. * * * Damn it. From a distance, No-seo, who had been using his subordinates and Cheok Gwang as shields while shooting arrows, muttered a curse. Everything was going wrong. From the moment he aimed at the two civilians and the swordsman, thinking they were weaknesses, things started to go awry. The swordsman, who had initially been preupied with deflecting arrows, soon started grinning maniacally and began redirecting the arrows back at his ownrades. Each time he fired an arrow, it would follow the path of the swordsmans de and fly back at the bandits, hitting their heads, necks, or hearts with terrifying precision. No-seo found the swordsmans eerie smile and the sight of hisrades being struck down deeply unsettling. Eventually, he decided to target the trio and the monkey fighting the other bandits instead of the crazy swordsman. Although they didnt redirect his arrows as the swordsman did, they still managed to block or evade them while fighting the bandits. Though his arrows prevented them from fighting effectively, all it did was dy the inevitable fall of the bandits. Even though more bandits were joining the fray, reinforcing the encirclement, over twenty bandits had already fallen. In a force of nearly a thousand, this might not seem significant, but the bandits present were all considered elite. What the hell is that idiot Cheok Gwang doing? No-seo cursed Cheok Gwang, who was supposed to be in charge of this operation, for the severe losses. Cheok Gwang had been grappling with a young opponent for a while, their bodies closely entwined, preventing No-seo from providing support with his arrows. Trying to ignore it, he focused elsewhere, but the prolonged fight frustrated him, making him nce back. Crash!! What No-seo saw was Cheok Gwangs body being hurled into the ground, and the horrifying sound of his head hitting the earth. Damn fool. No-seo couldnt afford to think that it served Cheok Gwang right. Now that he was dead, No-seo had to take responsibility. They must be exhausted! Push harder!! He ordered his subordinates to press the attack, thinking of using a revolving wheel tactic to wear them down. Naturally, he excluded himself from this sacrifice, nning to continue shooting arrows from a distance. But as he aimed his next arrow at the enemies, he heard a strange noise. sh! Crash! Argh!! The sounds of cutting and crushing, followed by chilling screams, began erupting one after another. No-seo initially thought the sounds wereing from the front, but something didnt match the scene he was seeing. Even as he sensed something was off, the sounds grew closer,ing from behind. When he finally turned to look, he saw A wild-looking man who seemed like one of their kind, Swish!! And a grotesque sword flying towards his face. sh! That was thest sight No-seo ever saw. * * * Argh!! The screams and sounds of cutting and crushing wereing in quick session. Mu-jin and his group, in the midst of fighting the bandits, naturally turned their attention to the source of the noise. What they saw was the head of the archery bandit who had been harassing them, now separated from his body. Wolf King Seeing the wild-looking man wielding a wolf-sword, Mu-jin couldnt help but gulp audibly, swallowing his dry spit. Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Killing Field The sudden appearance of the wild man, wielding a Langdao (a type of curved sword), created a terrifying scene as he ughtered the surrounding bandits with unstoppable force. The encirclement of bandits surrounding Mu-jins group was torn apart like paper, revealing a blood-soaked path created by the wild man through the broken gaps. The sight was truly reminiscent of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. Arghhh Run, run!! With both their leaders dead, the terrified bandits began fleeing in all directions. While Mu-jin was momentarily taken aback by the realization that the wild man was the Wolf King, Baek Ga-hwan misunderstood the situation and, thinking they had been helped, cupped his hands in gratitude. Great warrior! I will not forget this favor.However, the Wolf King didnt respond to Baek Ga-hwans greeting. Instead, he walked leisurely towards Mu-jins group with an irregr gait. Mu-yul, who had been fighting near where the Wolf King appeared, expressed his gratitude with his characteristic bright smile. Thank you for helping us. Hehe. At that moment, Mu-jin, already tense from the Wolf Kings presence, sensed something was wrong and shouted urgently. Get out of the way!! Screech! Mu-jins shout coincided almost simultaneously with Ling-lings scream as she pulled Mu-yul back. A silver thread appeared where Mu-yul had been standing. Whoa! What are you doing!? Both Mu-yul, who had narrowly avoided death, and the rest of the group were shocked and yelled out. But the Wolf King seemed uninterested in their reactions. Ho, it seems to be a real spiritual creature. He showed brief interest in Ling-ling, then cast a lifeless gaze over Mu-jins group. Another wasted effort. He had been looking for a missing iteman artifact hidden within a silk garment that had disappeared during the bandits raid on the Bukpoong Escort Agency. But it was clear none of these people had the silk garment. While the Wolf King was muttering to himself, Mu-jin, pretending not to know who he was dealing with, asked, Who are you, and why are you attacking us suddenly? The Wolf King responded with a crooked smile. Its strange that you dont know who I am after attacking those two ces. Which two ces are you referring to? Feigning ignorance, huh? Not a bad strategy. As Mu-jin sensed the conversation going awry, the Wolf Kings expression turned serious as he added, Lets see how long you can keep pretending. As the words lets see reached Mu-jins ears, the Wolf King had already vanished from sight, swinging his Langdao at Mu-yul. Eek! Mu-yul barely dodged the attack by instinct, a hairs breadth away from being struck. It wasnt a conscious reaction; Mu-yuls animal-like senses warned him of the danger, prompting him to move instinctively. sh! Though he narrowly escaped, the attack still tore through his clothes, drawing a thin line of blood. Ho? As the Wolf King showed a faint interest in Mu-yul for dodging his attack, Mu-jin and Mu-gung, who had btedly caught the Wolf Kings movement, lunged at him. But just as they were about to strike with fists and palms, Mu-jin felt a chilling sensation and urgently shouted, Retreat! sh! Reacting to Mu-jins shout, Mu-gung quickly withdrew his outstretched palm, which was lightly grazed, leaving a faint scar. However, Mu-gungs gaze wasnt on his injured palm. Qi Force. The Langdao didnt have Qi Force before the Wolf King swung it. Realizing the opponent could freely manipte Qi Forcea skill even beyond his master Hye-damMu-gung swallowed hard. As Mu-gung realized the opponent was far more skilled than anticipated, the Wolf King muttered with interest, You brats have good senses for your age. Hahaha. Have you had a lot of realbat experience? The Wolf King didnt intend to kill them immediately. His goal was to interrogate them. The reason Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-jin managed to avoid his attacks was partly due to their good instincts, but also because the Wolf King had only aimed to wound them lightly. Had he targeted their vital points, they would have been easily cut even with a hurried dodge. Lets see how long you canst. With a twisted smile, the Wolf King swung his Langdao through the air. The de moved so fast it was hard to track, scattering dozens of shes in all directions. Ugh. Mu-gung, Mu-jin, Mu-yul, and Ling-ling quickly backed away, either deflecting or dodging the shes. However, as they retreated, Cheongsu Dojangs position, where Baek Ga-hwan and Ju Kyung-il were standing, became closer to the Wolf King. Tap! Without dy, the Wolf King lunged towards Cheongsu Dojang, who was now the closest target. ng!! Ah! Recognizing the absurd skill level of the opponent, Cheongsu Dojang instinctively deployed the Taegeuk Haegum, barely deflecting the initial strike. As the Wolf Kings Langdao shed with Cheongsu Dojangs sword, the Wolf King twisted his wrist, hooking the sawtooth end of his Langdao onto the Songmun Antique Sword, preventing a clean deflection. Barely managing to block the first strike, Cheongsu Dojang faced another swing of the Langdao. In a desperate bid to survive, Cheongsu Dojang pushed his limits, using the Taegeuk Haegum within a state of Muah Ji-kyung, but it was futile. sh!! Unlike the first strike, the Wolf Kings Langdao, now imbued with Qi Force, effortlessly cleaved the Songmun Antique Sword in two. Youre from Wudang! Recognizing Cheongsu Dojangs affiliation in just two exchanges, the Wolf King prepared to strike again when, Haah! Get down! The Muja Quartet nked the Wolf King, each unleashing their respective techniques. Instead of finishing off Cheongsu Dojang, the Wolf King scattered his shes again, nullifying the Muja Quartets attack. We should retreat. It seems like well only be a hindrance. In the meantime, Baek Ga-hwan pulled Ju Kyung-il, who was dazed beside him, and stepped back to give Cheongsu Dojang some space. Haaap! Conversely, Cheongsu Dojang channeled his internal energy into the broken Songmun Antique Sword, recing the shortened de with sword energy, and charged at the Wolf King. In an instant, the battle turned into a five-on-one, or six-on-one if you counted Ling-ling. Mu-yul moved with a unique, bright expression, making strange sound effects with his mouth. Huit! No one could react with their eyes alone. They just sensed and threw their bodies, leaving only gray traces of energy where they had been. Perhaps their body recognized that even a tiny mistake could be fatal. Despite already moving like an animal, Mu-yul now disyed bizarre, seemingly divine movements, narrowly evading the Wolf Kings attacks. Of course, no matter how divine Mu-yuls movements were, it was impossible to evade all of the Wolf Kings assaults. Dodge! When Mu-yul was in danger, Mu-gungs palm, shed by the energy, released a tremendous amount of extreme yang energy. Mu-jin and Ling-ling used that broad shield of yang energy to dive at the Wolf King. However, the Wolf King effortlessly nullified their attempt with a few swipes of his de through the air. The gray sword energy emitted from his de shredded Mu-gungs yang energy and still had strength left over. Mu-jin and Ling-ling, who had been hiding behind the yang energy, quickly raised their energy to deflect the sword energy or threw their bodies to narrowly save their lives. In the meantime, Cheongsu Dojang, wielding the broken Songmun Antique Sword, and Mu-gyeong, eachunching sword energy and fist energy, pressured the Wolf King. ng! But after just two exchanges, both were put on the defensive. Despite their excellent martial instincts, trying to analyze and counter the Wolf Kings martial arts instinctively was futile. sh! Gah! The Wolf Kings martial arts had no particr pattern. It was unclear whether he simply didnt need to use named techniques or had already reached a level beyond forms. As the two held on, receiving small cuts here and there, Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-jinunched their attacks again on the Wolf King. Damn it. Despite aiding each other to ovee crises, the battle situation did not improve. Not even one minute had passed since the fight began, yet everyone was umting wounds. A prolonged battle is self-destructive. On the other hand, the Wolf King remained unscathed. Mu-jin decided against a long-term fight not just because of their current state but because of another reason. Despite being able to manipte energy freely, the Wolf King refrained from recklessly using energy attacks. The sword force with the highest destructive power,pressed from dozens to hundreds of energy des, consumed a vast amount of internal energy. If the Wolf King had recklessly used such energy attacks, Mu-jin might have aimed for a long-term battle despite the risk. However, the Wolf King did not recklessly use such attacks. Hahaha! Youre jumping around like monkeys! Even so, Mu-jins group had to keep dodging every time the Wolf King swung his de. Since the Wolf King could create powerful energy attacks at any moment, they couldnt block his attacks directly. The moment they tried to block, the energy attack would split their bodies in half along with their defenses. Taiji Sword Technique, Tathagata Palm, Shaolin Five Fists, and Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist. I think I know who you are now. The Wolf King smiled wickedly as he fought against Mu-jins group, as if he was just out for a stroll. Heh heh heh. I must hear from your own mouths how Shaolin and Wudang learned about us. Even though they were using hidden named techniques, barely holding on was the best they could do. They were only holding on because the Wolf King intended to interrogate them. I must do something while hes still off guard. Mu-jin also vaguely realized this. If we scatter and run, at least one or two might survive It wasnt about whether he would be one of the survivors or not. Even if he survived, most of the others would be captured, mutted, and interrogated by the Wolf King. Even if it were strangers, hed feel terrible seeing them in such a state. The kids he spent six years with at Shaolin Temple, especially those he considered nephews like Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong, couldnt be left to such a fate. Long-term battles were not an option, and escape was impossible. Thus, there was only one choice left. I dont know if this will work or not. Mu-jin decided to take a gamble with his life while the Wolf King was still off guard. Right after Mu-jin barely dodged the energy de flying at him. As the Wolf King turned his gaze to Cheongsu Dojang on the opposite side. Pop! Mu-jin, who had been focused solely on dodging, suddenly charged at the Wolf King with the extreme Fast Ascent Step and Golden Turtle Technique. However, was even the shift in gaze a trap? Sneer. As Mu-jin charged, the Wolf King swung his de at him with a sinister smile. But Mu-jin, with the mindset of someone riding a tiger, charged directly at the Wolf Kings de. At that moment, as the Wolf King channeled his energy into the de, gray sword energy burst forth from the de. The gray sword energy from the Wolf Kings de shredded Mu-jins Golden Turtle Technique and still had power left to fly towards Mu-jins right arm. However, Mu-jin seemed unconcerned about protecting his arm and continued to charge forward. Seeing this, the Wolf Kings smile grew even wider. Heh heh. I dont necessarily need to cut off limbs to interrogate. Realizing that Mu-jin was willing to sacrifice an arm, the Wolf King altered his des trajectory. The de that was aimed at Mu-jins right arm suddenly swung towards his right side. As the Wolf Kings eyes gleamed with the thought of interrogating someone with their guts and intestines spilling out, golden energy burst from Mu-jins abdomen. Futile resistance, boy! Recognizing the golden energy shield he had just torn through, the Wolf King ignored it and swung his de. Crrreeek!!! As the de touched Mu-jins side, a bizarre noise echoed, like the scream of a woman. Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Killing Field !? What the For a brief moment, it crossed the Wolf Kings mind that his opponent might have been hiding his true abilities. But soon enough, the Wolf King identified the source of the noise: the very thin silver threads visible through the tears in Mu-jins clothes. So, you had it all along!!!! It was the Dragon Scale Thread, an artifact meant to be given to the Wolf King. Mu-jin had infused his internal energy into the Dragon Scale Thread, deploying the Golden Turtle Technique. However, even with the artifacts power, the difference in their levels was insurmountable. The Dragon Scale Thread, which resisted the Wolf Kings Do-gang while emitting a horrific scream, could not hold out for long and was shredded to pieces. You filthy!!!Furious that the artifact meant for him was now destroyed by his own hands, the Wolf King swung his Langdao, and its saw-toothed de bit into Mu-jins side. But Mu-jin never expected the Dragon Scale Thread to block the Do-gangpletely. He only hoped it would buy him a brief moment. Seizing that moment, Mu-jin managed to grab both of the Wolf Kings hands. Even though it cost him having the saw teeth of Langdao embedded in his side, he seeded. Got you. Despite the blood rising from his internal injuries, Mu-jin smiled like a demonic specter. Hmph. Even with his hands caught by Mu-jin, the Wolf King remained calm. Onemon misconception in battle was using ones body like a sheath to bind the opponents weapon. It sounds easy, but its an impractical tactic in realbat. When a person is stabbed in the belly, their strength tends to dissipate. Even if one endures momentarily through sheer willpower, just a small twist of the embedded de can turn the internal organs, sapping all their strength. Yet, why was it different this time? What the!? Despite being stabbed in the belly and his internal organs being stirred, with blood dripping from his mouth, the grip of Mu-jin did not weaken. Was Mu-jins mental fortitude strong enough to suppress his bodys instinctive reaction? However, this was a misconception by the Wolf King. Mu-jins intense training allowed him to maintain enough strength to hold on to the Wolf King even as his grip weakened due to the pain. Nevertheless, Mu-jin was still at a disadvantage. Even though he was holding the Wolf Kings hands, the Wolf King could still channel his energy into the Langdao and create a massive hole in Mu-jins side. The reason Mu-jin resorted to such a risky gamble was Haaat!! Mu-jin!! Unlike the Wolf King, Mu-jin hadrades. The moment Mu-jin grasped the Wolf Kings hands, his allies shouted and unleashed their ultimate techniques on the Wolf King. Bang!!! However, the Wolf King did not fall instantly. He managed to block their attacks with a defensive technique, showcasing his formidable internal energy control. Mu-jin was aware that the Wolf King had trained in defensive techniques, which was why the Dragon Scale Thread was entrusted to him in the first ce. In chaotic battlefield scenarios, the Wolf King relied on his defensive techniques and the power of the Dragon Scale Thread to dominate, ignoring his defense while wielding his destructive swordsmanship. But the Wolf Kings defensive techniques were not perfected, and more importantly, the Dragon Scale Thread had already been destroyed by his own Do-gang. With his defensive techniques failing and internal injuries worsening, the Wolf King coughed up blood. Seizing the moment when the Wolf Kings strength faltered, Mu-jin pushed his arms away. Ugh As the saw-toothed de of Langdao withdrew from his side, Mu-jin let out an involuntary groan. But the Wolf King had no chance to attack Mu-jin. Enemies surrounded him from all sides, bombarding him with their ultimate techniques, forcing the Wolf King to pour his internal energy into his defensive techniques just to survive. Kill, kill, kill!!! The Wolf Kings eyes turned red with rage. He wanted to tear these brats apart, even if it cost him his life. Thus, he decided to use hisst resort, a forbidden technique that would explode his remaining energy in exchange for his life. However, activating this technique required a specific maniption of acupoints. Damn you!! His arms, necessary for the technique, were still held by Mu-jin. I will kill you all!!! The Wolf King screamed in fury, coughing up blood while barely maintaining his defensive techniques against the onught of attacks. Shut up, you bastard!! Despite the excruciating pain making him dizzy, Mu-jin, fueled by his own rage, forcibly gathered his strength. Pulling the Wolf Kings body with all his might, Mu-jin leaned back and headbutted the Wolf Kings nose as it drew closer. Bang!!! In that unexpected moment, the Wolf Kings consciousness wavered. sh! Crash!! Finally, the attacks from Mu-jins allies broke through the Wolf Kings defenses, piercing his body. The Wolf King, suspected to be a member of the Seven Great Masters, likely holding vital information about Shinchun, was now dead. Ideally, he should have been captured for interrogation, but they had no other choice. Haaat!! Seizing the opportunity, the members of Cheongsu Dojang and the Muja Trio unleashed their sword and fist techniques in quick session, battering the Wolf Kings body. Thud Soon enough, the lifeless body of the Wolf King copsed to the ground. Though they had won a fight against a master capable of freely wielding powerful energy, there was no time to rejoice. Mu-jin!! Mu-jin had also copsed to the ground alongside the Wolf King. We need to find a physician in the nearestrge vige immediately!! In response to Baek Ga-hwans urgent cry, those in a panic quickly sprang into action. Baek Ga-hwan and Ju Kyung-il hurried to the carriage to check on Mu-jins condition. One of the carriages waspletely destroyed, but fortunately, the other carriage had intact floors and wheels. Although the walls shielding them from the wind were all damaged, it was still usable for travel. However, There are no horses! The bandits seem to have killed them all! Its alright, get on the carriage immediately! Mu-gung shouted to the group and approached the spot where the horses should have been, stopping there. As the group loaded Mu-jin onto the carriage and prepared to leave, he started to drive the carriage himself, just like he had practiced with Mu-jin during their journeys to and from Wudang in the past. Despite these efforts, Mu-jinsplexion was growing increasingly pale. Ugh The pain from his side wasnt the main issue. Whether due to internal injuries or blood loss, a pain and chill like a severe flu enveloped his entire body. At that moment, Mu-gyeong, who had climbed onto the carriage with him, tore a piece of his clothing and wrapped it around Mu-jins abdomen like a bandage, then ced his palm over it. Phew. As Mu-gyeong began to infuse internal energy into Mu-jins wound, Mu-jins shivering body began to calm down slightly. Meanwhile, as Cheongsu Dojang and Mu-yul were at a loss for what to do, Baek Ga-hwan urgently shouted, You two should start the Qi Conducting Technique right away. How can we conduct Qi in this situation?! What will we do if something happens to Mu-jin?! Thats exactly why you need to conduct Qi! Mu-gyeong So-hyeop and Mu-gung So-hyeop also expended their internal energy during the battle. You need to recover your internal energy to take turns with them! Regaining their senses at Baek Ga-hwans words, Mu-yul and Cheongsu Dojang sat cross-legged on the carriage and began the Qi Conducting Technique. Despite their anxiety over Mu-jins uncertain fate, they risked entering Qi Deviation due to their unstable mental state during the Qi Conducting Technique. Having instructed Mu-yul and Cheongsu Dojang to conduct Qi, Baek Ga-hwan urgently stood up on the carriage. Whats the matter? Ju Kyung-il asked. We need herbs. Not just for Mu-jin So-hyeop, but everyone has minor wounds that need at least hemostatic medicine and disinfectant water. If you get off the carriage now, it will be hard to catch up with it again. While Ju Kyung-il was responding to Baek Ga-hwan, Ling-ling suddenly cried out. Ook! Ook! Ling-ling pointed at herself with her hand, making Baek Ga-hwan think, Right, Ling-ling is a spiritual creature, so maybe she can understand what Im saying! Considering Ling-ling had understood Mu-yuls words, it seemed possible. Baek Ga-hwan urgently exined the characteristics and appearance of herbs with hemostatic effects to Ling-ling. Ook! After listening to the exnation, Ling-ling jumped off the carriage and ran into the bushes. After about fifteen minutes, she returned to the carriage with a bundle of herbs in her hand. Finding the moving carriage with precision was a testament to Ling-lings incredible sense of smell. Baek Ga-hwan crushed the herbs Ling-ling brought and applied them to the minor wounds of Muja Trio and Cheongsu Dojang. Meanwhile, Mu-jin was struggling between life and death. At one moment, his body was burning hot, causing his mind to blur, and at another moment, he was shivering uncontrobly with chills and body aches. In the midst of his delirium, he asionally saw Mu-gyeong cing his palm on his abdomen, Mu-yuls face, and even Mu-gungs face appearing vaguely. Mu-jin So-hyeop!! You must not fall asleep!! Were almost at the vige!! Please, stay awake! Whenever he felt like closing his eyes and sumbing to the darkness, he faintly heard Baek Ga-hwans voice and saw his blurry face. In the sensation of endlessly sinking as if underwater, he couldnt tell how much time had passed. Were at the vige!! We need a doctor!! A doctor!! With Baek Ga-hwans voice fading away, Mu-jinpletely lost consciousness. * * * How much time had passed? When Mu-jin awoke from a deep sleep, he saw an unfamiliar ceiling. Where am I? His memory was fuzzy after witnessing the fall of the Wolf King. As Mu-jin was still gathering his thoughts, frowning at the ceiling, an unexpected person appeared. Mu-jin Seunim!! Tears welled up in her eyes; it was Ryu Seol-hwa. Why is Ryu Seol-hwa here? While Mu-jin pondered this, he heard the door creak open, and hispanions started to appear one by one. Mu-jin tried to sit up to grasp the situation, but Ryu Seol-hwa reacted sharply. No! Youre not fully recovered yet! You must lie down!! Dont move, Mu-jin. Please, stay lying down. Okay? Mu-jin Daou-nim needs rest. Amitabha. With everyone, including Ryu Seol-hwa, pleading urgently, Mu-jin had no choice but to remain lying down and turned his head slightly to look at them. Ahem. So, where are we? His throat felt parched and cracked as he spoke, as if it were a dry desert. Were in Nanchang. Ryu Seol-hwa replied, carefully pouring water into a teacup and gently letting it flow into Mu-jins mouth. Even in his still-groggy state, Mu-jin felt a sense of confusion. From Giran-hyeon to Nanchang, it would take two days of non-stop carriage travel, right? Realizing this, Mu-jin asked anxiously, Then, how long have I been unconscious? Thepanions counted the days briefly and answered. Its been exactly fifteen days today. Mu-jins face turned rapidly pale at this sinct answer. Why, why are you like this, Mu-jin?! Whats wrong? Are you not feeling well? Despite hispanions urgent cries, Mu-jin, his face pale, started to feel his own body. I, I I have muscle loss And with that, he rolled his eyes back and fainted again. Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Exchange Clearing his throat, the divine healer Yang Dong-myeong said, Hmm, hmm. Both pulse and breathing are normal. He just briefly woke up and then fell asleep again because his body hasnt fully recovered yet, so dont worry. Yang Dong-myeong, the divine healer who examined Mu-jin, spoke lightly. As soon as Mu-jin fainted, hispanions, who practically dragged Yang Dong-myeong from the adjacent hall where he was resting, and Ryu Seol-hwa, let out a sigh of mixed relief and disbelief. Who falls asleep like that? Sigh, that crazy muscle freak. Divine healer, does this mean the major crisis has passed? The fact that he regained consciousness is a significant improvement. He will probably continue to wake up and fall asleep repeatedly for the next few days, gradually increasing the time he spends awake. After Yang Dong-myeong left. Thank you for taking care of Mu-jin, Shiju-nim Ryu Seol-hwa. Mu-jinspanions also thanked Ryu Seol-hwa and cautiously left the room. From the start, it wasnt decided that Ryu Seol-hwa would be the one to care for Mu-jin. The divine healer had restricted the number of caregivers to one, and after some subtlepetition, Ryu Seol-hwa was the one who ultimately took the role. Originally, they had nned to take turns nursing him, but Ryu Seol-hwa did not leave the room except when she needed to bathe to keep her body clean. And as usual, right after the others left. To prevent bedsores from forming on Mu-jins body, which remained motionless, she carefully wiped him with a clean cloth, looking at him with worried eyes as he slept like he was unconscious. While preparing to open a guesthouse business in Sichuan using the Sichuan-style cheese dish Mu-jin had created, she received an urgent letter from Gn-hyeon. The letter stated that Mu-jin and hispanions were being pursued by forest bandits and nned to head to Nanchang. Upon reading the letter, she quickly made her way to Nanchang, receiving another terrible letter on the way. The letter stated that although Mu-jin and hispanions had reached Nanchang, Mu-jin was on the brink of death. As she was passing through Hubei Province to get from Sichuan to Nanchang, she found Yang Family Clinic in Danfeng-hyeon, Hubei Province. The clinic was well-known, called Danfeng Yang Clinic, and had many patients lining up for treatment. She promised arge sum of money to Yang Dong-myeong, the divine healer, and seeded in bringing him along. However, the divine healer was not a man who moved just for money. Initially, Yang Dong-myeong refused, but upon learning that the patient was Mu-jin, he readily agreed to apany her. When they arrived in Nanchang with Yang Dong-myeong. Seeing Mu-jin in a half-dead state, Ryu Seol-hwa copsed on the spot. But that was over ten days ago, and now Mu-jin was showing signs of recovery, which filled Ryu Seol-hwa with mixed emotions. The next day. Following Yang Dong-myeongs words, Mu-jin slept deeply for over six hours and awoke in the morning. The first thing he saw was an unfamiliar old man sitting next to him, checking his pulse. Who are you, sir? I am the doctor who treated you. Yang Dong-myeong answered nonchntly, and Ryu Seol-hwa added an exnation. He is the head of the Yang Family Clinic in Danfeng, a man renowned as a divine healer even in the Central ins. Ha ha ha. Its just an exaggerated nickname. Hearing their conversation, Mu-jin, still lying down, managed to form a fist with his hand in a gesture of respect. Thank you foring all this way to treat me. Its no big deal for a doctor toe to a sick patient. Besides, Miss Ryu Seol-hwa here has generouslypensated me for the trouble, so dont worry. Mu-jin carefully asked Yang Dong-myeong, who answered nonchntly. Uh, then, how long until I fully recover? It will take at least a month and a half to fully recover. Mu-jin looked like he had received a death sentence and asked, hopeful. Then, is it possible to start training before full recovery? Hmm. If you want to see your intestines spill out of your side, be my guest. Tsk. Martial artists, cant even rest for a day? What do you think I feel when a patient I treated bes crippled and returns to me within five days? Um that its pointless to treat someone whos going to be crippled again? If you know that, why ask? Having experienced much frustration treating martial artists, Yang Dong-myeong wore a displeased expression. Looking at your body, it seems only I can treat you properly. Do you think Id want to treat you frequently? I already have people lining up daily at my clinic entrance just to receive my treatment. I will restrain myself. But, what do you mean only you can treat me? Mu-jin asked with a puzzled look, and Yang Dong-myeong immediately pulled out a long needle and aimed it at Mu-jins acupuncture point. Although the action seemed highly dangerous, the result was rather strange. Ting! The needle, making a metallic sound, bounced off, its tip blunt and deformed. To prate skin that has reached the level of invulnerability, the doctor must also have some level of martial arts proficiency. Saying so, Yang Dong-myeong infused qi into a newly drawn needle, causing a sword-like energy to emanate from it. It could be called needle qi. Yang Dong-myeong inserted the needles into Mu-jins acupuncture points with the aura surrounding them and spoke. Ah, just because you infuse internal energy into a needle and insert it into an acupuncture point doesnt mean it will work. Its only possible because our familys secret internal energy technique supports the acupuncture points. If someone else tries it, the acupuncture points could twist or be destroyed instead of being treated. Despite speaking leisurely, Yang Dong-myeongs swift needle insertion skills justified his nickname as a divine healer. After quickly finishing the acupuncture, Yang Dong-myeong examined the wound area, reced the bandages with clean ones, and left the room. Even after Yang Dong-myeong left, Mu-jin looked regretful, and Ryu Seol-hwa spoke cautiously. Its unfortunate that you cant train, but how about using this opportunity to practice the Qi Conducting Technique instead? This decoction was specially prepared by the divine healer. It will greatly help in building internal energy. Saying so, she carefully fed Mu-jin the decoction spoon by spoon. She only called it a special decoction, but it was far more than that. Each dose of the decoction cost dozens of gold coins, and without Yang Dong-myeongs permission, even carrying a load of money wouldnt get you any. It was difficult to make and contained highly expensive ingredients, so only a few doses were made each year. Thanks to Ryu Seol-hwas financial power, Mu-jin was drinking the decoction three times a day. He had been unconscious for fifteen days, so he didnt even realize he had been drinking it. Thank you for your care, Shiju-nim Ryu Seol-hwa. I will never forget this kindness. At Mu-jins words, Ryu Seol-hwa, who looked like she was about to cry, replied with a determined expression. Yes, you must never forget. Pardon? You dont intend to avoid repaying a debt to a merchant, do you? Of course, I must repay it. Yes. Mu-jin answered with an awkward tone, feeling something different about her attitude. Right after receiving treatment from Yang Dong-myeong, Mu-jin fell asleep immediately after drinking the decoction. His body still needed recovery, and staying awake for long periods wasnt beneficial, so it felt like his body was putting on the brakes. After waking up a few hourster, Ryu Seol-hwa, who was always by his side, would feed him the decoction or Yang Dong-myeong would use qi to insert the needles. As the time he stayed awake gradually increased, Mu-jin began following Ryu Seol-hwas advice after each treatment. Indeed, it feels like a lot of energy is umting in my body. Mu-jin, who had mastered the active cultivation technique, used the Great Vehicle Mind Technique to circte the energy from the decoction throughout his body and umted it in his danjeon without having to sit in a lotus position. While it wasnt like taking a Lesser Restoration Pill or a Great Restoration Pill, which could instantly increase decades of internal energy, it was far more effective than practicing the Qi Conducting Technique without any aids. Each session of Qi Conducting Technique noticeably increased his internal energy. Mu-jin spent the following days sleeping, drinking decoction, practicing the Qi Conducting Technique, and receiving acupuncture, until he eventually sumbed to an intense desire. Cant I at least eat some meat? Or at least have a protein supplement? It was maddening enough to be unable to exercise for a month and a half, but for the past few days, Mu-jin had been consuming only decoction and water, without any solid food. At this rate, his already serious muscle loss could elerate further. Every day, during the brief moments he woke up, he would move his arms to check his muscles and could feel them rapidly shrinking. Yang Dong-myeong sighed as he looked at Mu-jin, who was showing severe signs of anxiety. Your intestines arent fully healed yet. If you eat meat, it could spill out through the holes in your intestines, causing the rest of your intestines to rot. Well, if you want to die, I wont stop you. Arent all martial artists like that? They ignore advice, train recklessly until they break their limbs, and even when told to rest, they persist in practicing the Qi Conducting Technique until they fall into Qi Deviation. Isnt that right? Yang Dong-myeong immediately suppressed Mu-jins nonsense and asked as he continued treating his body. What is this protein supplement? Its something like that. Oh, it must be another secret of your family. My family, you say? Mu-jin asked with a puzzled expression, and Yang Dong-myeong shrugged and replied. Ive heard some things about your family from Miss Ryu Seol-hwa. Mu-jin, who was confused for a moment as he was half-asleep, soon understood what he meant. In this world, he was known as the descendant of the Righteous n, which had been annihted by the Demonic Alliance. And one of the reasons Yang Dong-myeong hade all the way from his home in Danfeng, Hubei Province, and had been taking care of Mu-jin for several days was rted to that. Fifteen days had passed since Mu-jin first opened his eyes. During that time, as his body gradually recovered, the time he spent awake continued to increase. Mu-jin, how are you feeling today? Amitabha. I wish you a swift recovery. The faces of those who watched over Mu-jin changed daily, depending on the time of day. However, there was one person who never changed. Are you alright, Shiju-nim Ryu Seol-hwa? Over the past fifteen days, during which he had repeatedly fallen asleep and awakened, Ryu Seol-hwa had never left his side. If it had been only once or twice, it could have been a coincidence, but by now, Mu-jin could clearly see that she was tirelessly taking care of him without a break. Naturally, he couldnt help but worry. Constantly nursing him all day might harm her health, and more importantly, she was not the person she used to be. Dont worry about my body; Im fine. Its not just your body. Dont you have responsibilities? Doesnt the head of the Cheonryu Sangdan have any objections? She wasnt just the precious daughter of the Cheonryu Sangdan, but a merchant in charge of overseeing the medical business. She shouldnt be spending so much time on him. Understanding Mu-jins concern, Ryu Seol-hwa smiled faintly and showed him a bundle of letters she had gathered. I have instructed that all correspondence rted to my business be sent here. Im handling my work from here, so theres no need to worry. This was half-true and half-false. During the first few days after arriving here, when Mu-jin was at deaths door, she couldnt focus on any work and dedicated herself solely to nursing him. Her devotion was almost reverent, and no one could bring themselves to stop her. Mu-jin looked at her with aplicated expression. Dont worry about it. Do you think I wouldnt care about the health of the nurse? Yang Dong-myeong reassured Mu-jin as he unwrapped the bandages on his abdomen, disinfected the wound, and reced the medicine. Then, with a look of incredulity, he added. Your body is quite remarkable. Its already healing this fast. Am I much better now? At this rate, you should be able to move and eat properly in about fifteen days. Initially, he had said it would take about a month and a half, so it was good news that the recovery time had shortened by about fifteen days. Mu-jin let out a sigh of relief internally, knowing he would soon be able to supplement his protein and resume exercising. However, just because you can move or eat in fifteen days doesnt mean you can train intensively or eat meat right away. After not eating solid food for over a month, youll need to start with porridge and gradually adapt, or youll suffer immediate consequences. Hmm. Im aware of that much. Thats a relief to hear. Mu-jin tried to ignore Yang Dong-myeongs skeptical gaze. Yang Dong-myeong, who looked suspiciously at Mu-jin, soon finished the treatment and left the room. After a moment of awkward silence. Ryu Seol-hwa, who seemed to be contemting something with aplex expression, finally spoke in a resolute tone. Monk Mu-jin. Yes, Shiju-nim Ryu Seol-hwa? About today, and everything weve done to help you so far, do you understand? I have it engraved in my heart, so dont worry. No, Im worried, so Im telling you now. If I dont say it now, I might miss the chance and never be able to tell you. What on earth is she trying to say? While Mu-jin looked puzzled, Ryu Seol-hwa took a deep breath and began to speak. Can you please stop now? Stop? What do you mean? I know that you are aware of things we dont know. You knew about the situation with our family, in Sichuan, and you even predicted something would happen with the Jegal family. And now, this incident. I wont ask how you know things others dont. But, cant you stop now? Why, why do you keep doing this to yourself Her emotions seemed to rise as she continued speaking, causing her to pause and catch her breath before speaking again. So, please, lets return to Shaolin. If Shaolin assigns you another task like this, you can entrust yourself to our Sangdan. So, please, lets go back. Okay? Chapter 170: Chapter 170: Exchange Despite her earnest plea, Mu-jin, who had been lying down, shook his head without hesitation. It seems impossible, Seol-hwa Shiju-nim. It wasnt simply because he had to see the end of the novel in order to escape from this cursed martial arts world. While that was the initial reason, six years had already passed since he started living here. The rtionships he had formed here were precious to him, and he had adapted to life in this world to some extent. The uncertainty of what would happen if he were to die here was enough to give him pause. However, the reason he so firmly rejected her request was: I cannot ignore the existence of children like me. This was due to his experiences in Guangxi Province. The ve markets, So-cheongmun, and cannibalistic inns. Above all, his deep-seated anger and disgust towards Shinchun, who led a human trafficking operation under the guise of rescuing children with special constitutions. He understood better than anyone how terrible and sorrowful it was to be left alone at a young age.However, what was important to Ryu Seol-hwa was Mu-jins safety. What if you die? This time you survived purely out of luck. What will you do if something like this happens again? She yelled, something quite unlike her. Though she seemed desperate rather than harsh, Mu-jin couldnt grant her request. To prevent such things from happening, I must dedicate myself even more to training. Considering the level of enemies he would face in the future, he was still far from ready. This was made clear in his recent fight with the Wolf King. Had the Wolf King not been careless, had he not had the Dragon Scale Thread, or if the Wolf King hadnte alone, Mu-jin would have surely died. Seeing Mu-jins firm stance, she steeled her heart. I cannot let you go. She, too, had changed. She was no longer the timid and fearful girl of the past. Mu-jin Saja-nim, you know, dont you? You already owe a lot. She was establishing herself as a merchant, even earning the moniker Golden Lily. So, as a merchant. So that Mu-jin Saja-nim can trust and rely on me. If something like today happens and you die, I wont be able to collect the debt. So stay by my side until all the debts are repaid. I will protect you, no matter what. She considered her confident stance to be a result of her experience. However, tears welled up in her eyes, and her body subtly trembled. The tears that were on the verge of spilling from her eyes fell as soon as Mu-jin responded. Im sorry. She stood in a daze, realizing toote that tears were streaming down her face. Hastily, she got up. You need to rest, and I made you ufortable. Ill go wash up for a moment, so please rest. After she left the room, Mu-jin let out a deep sigh. Even Mu-jin couldnt help but notice in such an obvious situation. He realized that Ryu Seol-hwas kindness was not just the goodwill towards a benefactor or teacher, but a romantic affection. He wondered if it made sense for her to like a monk like him, but her words made it clear. Leaving Shaolin and entrusting himself to Cheonryu Sangdan, her offer to protect him if he stayed by her side. Sigh However, Mu-jin could not ept her feelings. It wasnt that he disliked her. It wasnt even about her once plump figure that came to mind. The fact that she had achieved her beauty through her own efforts made her story even more appealing to Mu-jin, who was a fitness enthusiast. He simply couldnt ask her to wait indefinitely when he didnt know when he might die. Even if he survived and seeded in eliminating Shinchun. If I see the ending and return as Choi Kang-hyuk, what then? He didnt want to start a love he couldnt take responsibility for. When he considered this world as just a fictional setting, he might have entertained such thoughts, but not anymore. * * * Perhaps because she had established herself as a merchant, Ryu Seol-hwa treated Mu-jin as if nothing had happened, even after the incident. Thanks to her, Mu-jin, who had felt awkward for a few days, could now act as if nothing had happened. About five dayster, with more waking hours than sleeping, Mu-jin had a sudden thought and spoke up. Oh! Seol-hwa Shiju-nim, do you know what happened to the children sent from Gan-yang-hyeon? The children and women are allfortably settled here, so you neednt worry. Thats a relief. Ah, have you also checked on a girl named Baek Ga-ryeong? Shes quite frail Baek Ga-hwan, who might y a crucial role in the future, was on his mind. As the only blood rtive of Baek Ga-hwan, who was possibly smarter than him, Mu-jin was quite concerned. It was Yang Dong-myung who responded instead of Ryu Seol-hwa. It reminds me of when I first came here. Hearing about a critically ill person, I rushed over only to find one person half-dead, with another critically ill beside him. You mean Miss Baek Ga-ryeong? Who else would be the critically ill one? Did you also examine her? Yang Dong-myung nodded at Mu-jins question. She has a Seven Yin Terminating Pulse. Ah. Mu-jin had suspected such a condition from her symptoms, but hearing it confirmed by a divine healer made him feel odd. At least it wasnt the Nine Yin Terminating Pulse. Had it been, she wouldve died several years ago. But even the Seven Yin Terminating Pulse doesnt give her much longer to live. She needs a special elixir or to master a martial art that harnesses Extreme Yang Energy to live a normal life. Even with an elixir or special martial arts, she would barely live like an average person. Some might see it as a poor return on investment, but Mu-jin thought differently. Seol-hwa Shiju-nim, could you teach the children and women about the work of Cheonryu Sangdan? Especially Miss Baek and her brother, Baek Ga-hwan. They could be of great help in the future. If her body could be treated to a normal level, her exceptional talent would be immensely valuable. It wasnt just for such calctive reasons that he wanted to save her, though. Hmm. Its true that those with conditions like the Seven Yin Terminating Pulse often have exceptionally developed talents. But is there a way to treat her? As a healer, I must admit we dont have any elixirs with Extreme Yang Energy suitable for her. The Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinics heat therapy can help soothe her Yin energy. And with the secr world now permitting the practice of Extreme Yang Energy techniques, it wont be a problem for her to learn it through the clinic. Mentioning the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic made Yang Dong-myungs eyes sparkle. Ryu Seol-hwa, who had been listening, epted the request without much change in her expression. If thats what Mu-jin Saja-nim wants, then I will proceed with that n. Ryu Seol-hwa agreed readily, a change of heart influencing her decision. If stopping Mu-jin was impossible, it was better to support his endeavors, helping himplete them safely and efficiently with the help of Cheonryu Sangdan. To further harness the power of Cheonryu Sangdan, she was even willing to consider taking on the position of Sangdanju. * * * It had been roughly a month and a half since Mu-jin copsed. About a month had passed since the day he first woke up. Indeed. It seems your internal organs are fully recovered and your wounds are all healed. You have an incredible body. Yang Dong-myung muttered with shining eyes after examining Mu-jin thoroughly. His expression was so reminiscent of a mad scientist dreaming of human experiments that it sent chills down Mu-jins spine. Jin forced himself to ignore the intimidating gaze and expressed his gratitude. Thank you for taking care of me all this time, Shin Elder and Seol-hwa Shiju-nim. Mu-jin, who had managed to get out of bed after a month and a half, headed to the bathhouse to wash himself for the first time in a long while. Wait a minute. Now that I think about it, who has been washing my body all this time? Surely, he hadnt been left alone for a month and a half. Someone must have been washing his body to prevent bedsores from forming. As this thought crossed his mind, the image of a particr woman naturally came to Mu-jins mind. No way Given that she had been caring for him all the time, it must have been her who washed his body. So she saw everything and acted like nothing happened!? Until now, Mu-jin had thought of Ryu Seol-hwa as innocent, but with recent events, she increasingly seemed to embody a merchants shrewdness. Barely managing to suppress his blushing face, Mu-jin arrived at the bathhouse, only to face a crisis of inner demons. What, what, what is this!? This is me!? Mu-jins eyes widened, bloodshot and red, as he saw his reflection in the bath water. He was literally half the man he used to be. A month and a half without exercise shouldnt have reduced his muscles this drastically. However, the problem was that he had suffered severe internal injuries and couldnt eat. Without consuming any protein or fat, his body had massively reduced the muscles he hadnt used for over a month. You damn Wolf King!!!! Staring at his reflection, Mu-jin cursed the Wolf King, who was already likely in hell after meeting with the king of the underworld. It was all because of that bastard. One stab from his knife had turned six years of muscle training into a mirage. Of course, on the flip side, focusing on internal energy cultivation and taking medicinal decoctions had given him immense internal power equivalent to half a years worth in just a month. No, no! Surely, six years worth didnt just vanish! To Mu-jin, his muscles were more important than his internal power. Yeah, thats right! Even athletes who take a few months off can quickly return to form once they start training again. I should be able to get back to normal in a few months of effort. Mu-jin resolved to start muscle rehabilitation immediately. He thought about dealing with a few more branches of the Shinchun forces, but muscle rehabilitation took priority now. Mu-jins martial arts relied heavily on his overwhelming strength, so in his current state, it would be suicidal to confront Shinchun branches. * * * After confirming his condition in the bathhouse, Mu-jin began his rehabilitation in earnest. However, as his internal organs had just healed and he had only started eating again, consuming meat or protein immediately was impossible. Therefore, Mu-jin had no choice but to start with thin gruel, then move on to rice porridge, vegetable porridge, and egg porridge to gradually strengthen his stomach while consuming food. During the five days he spent strengthening his stomach, Mu-jin also began gentle training to loosen up his stiff body, focusing mainly on bodyweight exercises. He wanted to start weight training right away, but he knew that lifting weights without protein intake was just muscle abuse. After five days, when he could finally consume some meat and protein supplements, Whew. Mu-jin took his ce in front of his beloved weights. Lets not overdo it. I need to check my condition first. Fighting off the impatience gnawing at him, Mu-jin began with squats using an empty bar. Warming up with a few repetitions, Mu-jin realized the empty bar was more manageable than he expected and started gradually adding weight tes to the bar. Whew. When he felt his body could take no more, Mu-jin set the barbell back on the rack and sighed deeply. For now, 190 geun (114kg) is my limit for squats. It seemed like a lot for someone who had been bedridden for a month and a half, but to Mu-jin, it was an insufficient number. After testing his limits with the other two major lifts, he found that hisbined total was barely 500 geun. In modern terms, about 300kg was his limit. And that was only a single repetition maximum. Just before leaving Shaolin for the Yongbongji Conference, hisst measured total was over 1,200 geun for a single repetition. Even with a focus on endurance over muscle size for fighting purposes, his 12-repetition max was about 1,000 geun. Realizing his strength had fallen below half, Mu-jin felt he might sumb to inner demons but forced himself to think positively. Considering how emaciated I am, I still lift quite a bit. Mu-jin soon understood why. Ah! Its because of the Golden Turtle Technique. The Golden Turtle Technique fortified his skin and bones whilepressing his muscles. The problem was that the techniques proficiency remained unchanged while his muscles had shrunk, resulting in his skinpressing his muscles even more. In other words, he still had more muscle left than appeared. At least Im not starting from scratch. With a clear assessment of his current state, Mu-jin swiftly nned his future regimen. Since I need to rebuild muscle first, lets go with a bulking diet. Mu-jin ate six meals a day, every half-hour or so, meticulously following a diet designed to absorb protein and build muscle continuously. Are you really a Shaolin disciple? The attending physician, Yang Dong-myeong, couldnt help butugh as he observed Mu-jins protein-rich diet. Eating well will help me recover faster. Mu-jin replied, stuffing meat into his mouth, and asked Yang Dong-myeong with a disgruntled expression, By the way, arent you going back despite having so many patients to attend to? It might have been rude to speak bluntly to the man who healed him, but Mu-jin felt ufortable. The doctors eyes had been watching him like a test subject, whether Mu-jin was eating or training. Yang Dong-myeongs incessant gaze made Mu-jin wonder if the doctor was in love with him instead of Ryu Seol-hwa. In response to Mu-jins barely concealed expulsion request, Yang Dong-myeong chuckled and began to speak. Hehehe. The real reason I came here isnt just because of the money Cheonryu Sangdan gave me. What do you mean? I heard from Miss Ryu Seol-hwa. The patient I had to treat was none other than Mu-jin, a disciple of Shaolin. So you came here because the patient was me? Exactly. Did you know me beforehand? Hahaha. How could I not know your name? Ive heard it before. The nickname Immortal Child. Yang Dong-myeongs response struck Mu-jin as strange. His current nickname in the martial world was Shaolin Dragon. The nickname Immortal Child was from three to four years ago when he was active in a clinic specializing in muscle and bone treatment. Chapter 171: Exchange (3) Hengshan Mountain, located slightly south of the center of Hunan Province. This famous mountain once held a position among the Nine Great Schools. Until about twenty years ago, it was known as the home of the Hengshan Sect, one of the strongest orthodox sects besides the Nine Great Schools. Right beneath this famous mountain, in a wide open space,y the Sa-doryeon. The existence of Sa-doryeon right in front of the prestigious Hengshan might seem contradictory, but it was an inevitable reality. Fifteen years ago, the Hengshan Sect experienced annihtion. It was solely by the power of Hyeok Jin-gang, the leader of Sa-doryeon and the foremost figure of the demonic sects. After that day, Hyeok Jin-gang, known as the Breaker of Swords in Fujian Province, became known as the Ten Great Experts and earned the title of the King of Destroying Swords. Hyeok Jin-gang called the day he single-handedly destroyed the Hengshan Sect the beginning of Sa-doryeon and started to block the forces of the orthodox sects from Hengshan.To subdue Hyeok Jin-gang and Sa-doryeon, Namgung Muguk, known as the Sword Emperor of the World, visited Sa-doryeon. However, even after a day-long battle, the two could not reach a conclusion. From this life-and-death duel, Hyeok Jin-gang earned the moniker Sword Emperor of Destruction, and the current structure of the Three Swords of the World was established. Around the time Mu-jin was repeatedly waking up and falling asleep. In the grand hall situated in the center of Sa-doryeon, Hyeok Jin-gang was lost in thought with a stern expression after receiving a report from his subordinate. But the subordinate bowing before him was not one of Sa-doryeons. Specifically, he was from Shinchun, working within Sa-doryeon. So, the ones who killed Chil Dae-ju are those orthodox sect brats, is that right? Yes, Dae-ju-nim. Foolish idiot. He seemed to have taken the world too lightly just because he became a Dae-ju. ording to the report analyzing the battlefield traces, it seems the Shaolin Dragon used the Dragon Scale Thread to bind the Wolf Kings attack with his body. Thats just an excuse. He should have considered the worst-case scenario from the start. This is why selecting Dae-ju based solely on martial skills is not right. Unlike Chil Dae-ju, Hyeok Jin-gang had been active in the martial world before perfecting his martial arts. During that time, he expanded his influence in Fujian Province and was called the Breaker of Swords. After perfecting his martial arts, he created Sa-doryeon and seized the top position among the demonic sects. From Hyeok Jin-gangs perspective, Chil Dae-ju, who was nurtured like a flower in a greenhouse, was an unreliable figure. This incident proved his thoughts were not wrong. However, criticizing Chil Dae-jus ipetence was not the priority now. So, should we send assassins to Nanchang to eliminate the Shaolin and Wudang juniors? It seems the Shaolin Dragons injuries are severe, so it shouldnt be difficult. Chil Dae-ju, instead of dying, left numerous traces on the battlefield. The traces of Shaolin and Wudang martial arts left all over the battlefield and on Chil Dae-jus body. The shattered remains of the Dragon Scale Thread and the blood sttered everywhere. Although Shinchuns subordinates arrived at the battlefield only after the Wolf King had died, they could easily deduce the course of the battle based on these clues. The tracks of the carriage heading north from the battlefield. The situation where someone severely injured in the abdomen sought a doctor. Moreover, the ages and martial arts of the injured and those around them. Compiling these various pieces of information led to an astonishing conclusion. The ones who wiped out from the Divine Thief cave to Bukpoong Escort Agency and the Gyerim ck Market were the Shaolin Dragon and the disciples of Shaolin and Cheongsu Dojang from Wudang. The news that the juniors caused significant damage meant they should be killed immediately, considering the damage inflicted. Hyeok Jin-gang, however, was thinking it would be a pity. Killing them wont undo the damage. Moreover, they said the Shaolin Dragon also obtained the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. Killing him as is would be a loss. In Hyeok Jin-gangs mind, the identities of the culprits and the current situation and rtions among the forces in the martial world began to intertwine intricately. And after much contemtion, Hyeok Jin-gang reached a surprising conclusion. Leave them be. !!! The subordinate, who dared not speak back to the Dae-ju, couldnt manage his shocked expression. Instead, start leaking some information we found from Boncheon to Sa-doryeon bit by bit. Exclude the information about Chil Dae-ju and the juniors recovering in Nanchang. Are you suggesting we make it seem like Shaolin and Wudang orchestrated this? Yes. One of the main reasons Hyeok Jin-gang made this decision was to consolidate Sa-doryeon. Although Sa-doryeon was an alliance, the Seven Evils of Sa-doryeon, excluding Hyeok Jin-gang, were busy checking each other. But if it became known that the ones who wreaked havoc were the disciples of Shaolin and Wudang, part of the Nine Great Schools? They could use the justification that the orthodox sects attacked their territory first to unite the Seven Evils of Sa-doryeon, who were moving for different purposes. Then, after spreading the information within Sa-doryeon, I will personally send a letter to the Murim Alliance. Demanding the heads of the Shaolin and Wudang juniors. Will theyply with that demand? It doesnt matter. The letter is not meant to be epted. I apologize for my inexperience; I still dont understand Dae-ju-nims intentions. Tsk. Shaolin and Wudang, and recently even the Sichuan Tang Family, are known to be nning an alliance. If we bring up this incident, the orthodox sects will split into three factions. The alliance of Shaolin, Wudang, and the Sichuan Tang Family, trying to protect the Shaolin monks and Cheongsu Dojang. The opposing faction, who either held grudges against those three sects or wished for their weakening. And finally, the neutral faction aiming for an advantage in the turmoil. Just as the demonic sects have confidence in their forces, Shinchuns influence subtly permeates the orthodox sects. If the orthodox sects split, it would make it much easier for them to operate. An overt conflict between the orthodox and demonic sects, with the orthodox sects divided into factions. This was indeed the most beneficial scenario for Shinchuns grand n. The subordinate, who finally understood the grand scheme Hyeok Jin-gang painted, bowed and asked one remaining question. Then, should we leave the Shaolin Dragon alone? Considering his actions, he might have some leads on us. Since he took the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, if he survives this time, he will be our pawn instead. Those hidden within the Murim Alliance and orthodox sects could utilize the Yin-Yang Gu imnted in the Shaolin Dragons upper dantian. So, if he somehow knows about us, we can uncover it through brainwashing then. Hyeok Jin-gang wasnt worried about the Yin-Yang Gu being exposed. Even masters at the level of the Seven Kings outside the sect fell for it. * * * Were you familiar with me as a child, Elder Healer? How could I not be? I heard tales of a child not yet even in their teens seeding in what my predecessor couldnt. Mu-jin looked puzzled at his words. What do you mean? Thirty-eight years ago. When I was still a novice healer, my father was invited to Songshan by Shaolin. The mention of thirty-eight years ago sparked a memory in Mu-jin. Was it for the treatment of Elder Hyeon-gwang? Mu-jin asked, and Yang Dong-myung nodded. Indeed. My father, renowned for his exceptional medical skills across the continent, was invited to treat Elder Hyeon-gwang, known as the Sage Monk. But, the damage to his dantian and meridians was too severe for a full recovery. Even if Hua Tuo came back to life, he couldnt have healed those injuries. Indeed, Hyeon-gwang still had a ruined dantian. He was just an ordinary old man without internal energy. That is, in terms of his body. My father managed to fix some twisted meridians with acupuncture, but there was no way to restore the damaged dantian. But Shaolin understood that. The problem was not the dantian or meridians but the state of his body. He couldnt walk on his own and needed at least normal life functioning. When I first met him, he was like that too. So, did youe to see me because you couldnt fix his body then? Yang Dong-myung looked slightly offended at Mu-jins question. Dont underestimate my fathers medical skills. He made the Sage Monk able to walk and move with acupuncture and decoction. It was just a temporary fix. To ensure a normal life, my father would have had to stay with him in Shaolin forever, but as the head of the Danfeng Yang Clinic, with numerous patients, he had to leave Songshan. Mu-jin seemed to understand now. Even in modern times, many people visit oriental clinics for back or joint pain. Mu-jin himself had visited oriental clinics several times to fix his broken body after being forcibly discharged. But, acupuncture and decoctions alone have their limits. Even if acupuncture, cupping, and decoctions temporarily improved the body, the pain would return if the posture wasnt corrected or the muscles supporting the joints and ligaments werent built. Even after that, my father often regretted not being able to fix itpletely. Then, over thirty years passed, and he forgot about it until he heard the news. That a child called the Handless Boy healed the Sage Monk. After hearing Yang Dong-myungs story, Mu-jin asked. So, you came to see me because of the rumor that I seeded where your father failed? Haha. Dont worry. Its not for revenge or jealousy. Just curiosity as a healer. Thats why I was visiting the bone and muscle treatment clinic to observe their treatments whenever I wasnt treating you. Hearing this, Mu-jin, who was chewing on his food, looked at him in disbelief. So, you came to steal the techniques? He wondered how someone could say that so confidently. But considering he owed his life to Yang Dong-myung, he couldnt criticize him. Hmm. So, whats your impression? Mu-jin asked with a probing tone. He wanted to know how much this so-called divine healer had understood about physical therapy and rehabilitation principles. Haha. It was quite fascinating. Really? Most healers, including myself, focus on treating the patients pain and illness. But this ce seemed to focus on prevention to avoid recurrence. Perhaps this is the difference in medical perspectives between our Danfeng Yang Clinic and your family. This difference likely led to the sess in treating the Sage Monk. Not just treating the illness but eliminating its cause. Yang Dong-myung stroked his beard with interest, but Mu-jin wasnt too pleased. This meant the techniques of the bone and muscle treatment clinic had been partially revealed. Instead of losing the techniques bit by bit, wouldnt it be better to get something in return? Mu-jin, thinking this, opened his mouth. Hmm. Your praise is too much. Even if we prevent illness, our treatment skills, such as acupuncture, are notparable to yours, Elder Healer. Hahaha. Even if its just ttery, its good to hear. I mean it sincerely. How about this? Lets exchange medical knowledge. Exchange medical knowledge? Yes, Elder. We will share our rehabilitation exercise methods and treatment principles with you, and in return, Danfeng Yang Clinic shares your acupuncture and decoction knowledge with us. Hoho. You mean to fill in each others gaps together. Yang Dong-myung showed interest, and Mu-jin, satisfied, nodded while ncing at Ryu Seol-hwa next to him. Understanding Mu-jins intention, Ryu Seol-hwa, a true merchant, quickly calcted the potential benefits. Hmm. The rehabilitation exercises and treatment methods taught by Mu-jin are currently exclusively contracted to our Cheonryu Sangdans bone and muscle treatment clinic. But for the Danfeng Yang Clinic, it wouldnt be bad to exchange the techniques we each have. Saying so, Ryu Seol-hwa nced at Mu-jin. The meaning in her eyes was clear. Which technique should we aim to obtain from Danfeng Yang Clinic? C The decoction Ive been drinking for a month. I want the recipe for that decoction. Over a month of drinking that decoction, his internal energy had increased by half a gajang. If he could learn the recipe, he could further enhance the internal energy of himself and the Shaolin disciples. While listening to Mu-jins telepathic message, Ryu Seol-hwa continued conversing with Yang Dong-myung without showing any sign. Hmmm. What interests me most is the thermal and electrical treatments. It was intriguing that applying heat and electricity could heal muscles. And the various rehabilitation exercises were interesting too. Im curious about their exact principles. Is that so? But thermal and electrical treatments are very important techniques for our bone and muscle treatment clinic. They are said to have taken over thirty years to develop in Mu-jins family. Moreover At some point, the conversation turned into Ryu Seol-hwa speaking while Yang Dong-myung responded with Is that so? Until now, Ryu Seol-hwa had treated Yang Dong-myung as an esteemed guest and the guardian of a patient. But at this moment, she started treating him as a merchant to merchant. There are many seniors whoe to us just for thermal and electrical treatments. Considering the monthly fees they pay us, the value of these two techniques exceeds a hundred gold coins per month. Furthermore, if we monopolize these techniques, the annual profit could be As her relentless attacks continued, Yang Dong-myungs forehead was drenched in cold sweat. Heh. Trying to steal others techniques for free? Mu-jin watched the scene contentedly while consuming the protein on the table. Chapter 172: Exchange Yang Dong-myeong, whose face had quickly be gaunt, hurriedly left after promising to exchange various decoction recipes and musculoskeletal treatment techniques from the Danfeng Yang Clinic. The fear that acupuncture would be next after the decoction recipespelled him to leave. After Yang Dong-myeong had vacated his seat, Ryu Seol-hwa, who had been gleefully tormenting him, turned to Mu-jin and asked, Did you make that suggestion to the divine elder on purpose to help me? Even if the decoction recipes from the Danfeng Yang Clinic could further enhance the inner strength of Shaolin disciples, the one who would benefit most directly from the exchange of musculoskeletal treatment techniques with the Danfeng Yang Clinic was obviously Ryu Seol-hwa. Well, isnt it just nice to do good things? Mu-jin deflected, aware of her feelings but not ready to reciprocate. If you did it because of the debt I mentioned before, you didnt need to go that far. Despite saying that it wasnt necessary, it seemed as if he had done his best to extract as much as possible from the Danfeng Yang Clinic.Mu-jin, instead of pointing this out, responded with an embarrassed expression. This is just a small token of appreciation for the debt I owe. Please dont worry about it. * * * Aside from the medical exchange with Yang Dong-myeong, Mu-jin began to busy himself day by day with rehabilitation. In addition to consuming protein diligently six times a day, he repeatedly lifted weights ording to a meticulously nned schedule. Hup! Haat! However, those fierce shouts did note from Mu-jins mouth. Did they eat something wrong? As Mu-jin pondered this, he looked at the Muja Trio and the members of Cheongsu Dojang, who were sweating profusely and repeating their weightlifting exercises. Although they were renowned sects junior disciples who trained consistently, it was clear that their training intensity was much higher than Mu-jin remembered. * * * When Mu-jin first opened his eyes after receiving treatment from Yang Dong-myeong, the Muja Trio and the members of Cheongsu Dojang, who had left the hall after Mu-jin copsed from muscle loss, had relieved expressions. However, their relief was short-lived. Mu-gyeong, with a bitter expression, spoke up. To be honest, I didnt like being treated like a child by my junior brother Mu-jin, but I now understand why he did it. Everyone seemed to share Mu-gyeongs sentiment. They had lived a life of training in the mountains from a young age. They had never realized that so many viins lived in the world, nor that there were many masters among these viins. Although they had heard stories about demonic sects and viins from their elders, these stories had never felt real to them. As you all know, my master, Monk Hye-gwan, is renowned for exterminating demons and viins. I will likely follow that path. Ive realized that I might encounter opponents as formidable as the master who injured Mu-jin. Why are you suddenly bringing this up, Brother Mu-gyeong? Mu-gung, who had been quietly listening, asked. Mu-gyeong replied with a determined expression. Now that Mu-jins condition is improving, I think it would be better to focus on our training instead of worrying about him. Hisment pointed out that they had spent the past few days doing nothing but hovering around the hall, worrying about Mu-jin. Cheongsu Dojang nodded in agreement. Indeed, youre right. Ive also realized that my sword skills are far from being able to protect anyone. Cheongsu Dojangs sword had been broken in two within just two exchanges against a sudden opponent. If Mu-jin hadnt risked his life to bind the opponent, it would have been impossible to protect Baek Ga-hwan or Ju Kyung-il. Hmph. Instead of just waiting, its better to train, which is what Mu-jin would want. Mu-gung also agreed with them, and thus the Muja Trio and Cheongsu Dojang began their earnest training. Hup! Haat! Day and night, they lifted weights much heavier than those they had used before the Yongbongji Conference, training their external skills and sparring to hone their martial arts. Cheongsu Dojang, may I ask for a lesson? Haha! I am always up for sparring. Amitabha. Like street ruffians starting a fight just by making eye contact, Mu-gyeong and Cheongsu Dojang assumed their stances at a distance. Here Ie! Mu-gyeong was the first to charge at Cheongsu Dojang. Swoosh! In the air, Mu-gyeong disyed various martial arts he had learned or stolen, while Cheongsu Dojang naturally deflected these techniques with the new sword provided by the Cheonryu Sangdan. Mu-gyeong. He had one unresolved worry that he hadnt shared with anyone. To be precise, he hade to a significant realization during this journey. Although he said he would naturally seed Hye-gwan, there was a w in that statement. There was no strict rule in Shaolin that one must belong to the same sect as their master or senior. Nevertheless, Mu-gyeong made such a statement because he had realized something important during this incident. He could never be an ordinary monk. When he learned about the atrocitiesmitted by the mountain bandits, the So-cheongmun, and the human traffickers at the ck market, a deep-seated murderous intent would arise from within his mind. Moreover, during the process of killing those dreadful viins in Guangxi Province, Mu-gyeong felt a peculiar thrill. It might be that his innate nature was something he couldnt change. Haat! Swish! During the sparring, when these moments shed in Mu-gyeongs mind, the image of Hye-gwan naturally came to him. I dont feel grateful, but I understand now, Master. Whenever murderous intent and pleasure welled up within him, the voice of Hye-gwan echoed in his mind, and the phantom pain from Hye-gwans beatings would bring his senses back to normal. Also, after experiencing the surge of murderous intent and thrill from killing, he would feel a strange sense of calm. Indeed, his destined path seemed to lead him to a life of battling evil spirits. If I have to live a life of killing, then Id rather walk the path of a demon yer, seeking out and destroying viins. During the sparring, Mu-gyeong resolved to mix killing techniques into his martial arts. For Mu-gyeong, sparring was a way to control himself, prevent himself from falling into murderous madness, and train to eradicate evil. Just as he had learned from his master, Hye-gwan. Mu-gyeongs killing techniques in the sparring match, which were more akin to a real life-or-death struggle than a friendly duel, made Cheongsu Dojang burst into a cheerfulugh. Hahaha! This is excellent! Cheongsu Dojang, who simply enjoyed the art of the sword, had seen the world alongside Mu-jin, just as Yunheo Zhenren had hoped. However, the world he witnessed was closer to ugliness than beauty. As Cheongsu Dojangs sword, which had been deflecting Mu-gyeongs lethal strikes in a circr motion, suddenly moved in a straight line towards Mu-gyeongs heart. Swish! A killing strike filled with clear murderous intent. Cheongsu Dojang thought that while protecting the weak was important, eliminating those who preyed on the weak was necessary to prevent recurrence. That was the conclusion Cheongsu Dojang came to after witnessing the world. * * * About fifteen days passed after they began their rigorous training following Mu-gyeongs suggestion. During this time, Mu-gung found himself troubled with one particr thought. The ones showing the greatest progress in their training were Cheongsu Dojang and Mu-gyeong. Although both had natural talents, Mu-gung felt the main differencey elsewhere. What path should I take During breaks between training sessions and after sparring, Cheongsu Dojang and Mu-gyeong often discussed such matters. Mu-gyeong aimed to master martial arts to eradicate demonic sects, while Cheongsu Dojang sought to protect the weak from viins. Unlike these two, who were advancing their martial arts with clear direction, Mu-gung was merely repeating the martial arts he had learned in Shaolin. Feeling the limitations of finding answers on his own, Mu-gung asked them, Ahem. How did you bothe to be so sure that your chosen paths are the right ones? However, Mu-gyeongs answer was rather enigmatic for Mu-gung toprehend. I simply decided to ept my destiny, Brother Mu-gung. Destiny? Something like that. Mu-gyeong couldnt bring himself to admit that he was born with the fate of a killer, so he chose to speak vaguely. I just chose the most positive direction while epting my destiny. Next, Cheongsu Dojang spoke, but his words didnt resonate much with Mu-gung either. I simply find joy in training with the sword, Brother Mu-gung. Mu-gung had rarely thought of training as enjoyable. He had trained with the desire to be a master and make a name for himself in the martial arts world. If you simply enjoy the sword, theres no need to choose that path, Cheongsu Dojang. While I enjoy training with the sword, I found protecting the weak more enjoyable than killing someone. Hahaha. Indeed the more enjoyable path is usually more appealing. Mu-gyeong agreed with a peculiar expression to Cheongsu Dojangs words. While Cheongsu Dojang found more joy in protecting, Mu-gyeong found more joy in killing. Enjoyment After the conversation with the two, Mu-gung pondered. What had brought him joy? In this contemtion, another fifteen days passed, and Mu-gung reached his own conclusion. Its Mu-gung. Lady Baek Ga-ryeong. Thank you again today, Monk Mu-gung. Baek Ga-hwan greeted him as he opened the halls door. In the center of the room, Baek So-ryeong was lying down. After his morning training. And after his afternoon training. Treating Baek So-ryeong twice a day had be part of Mu-gungs routine. But it wasnt just about infusing her with Yang energy anymore. Did you manage to practice circting your energy? Lady Baek Ga-ryeong. Baek So-ryeong nodded slightly in response to Mu-gungs question. Baek Ga-hwan, who had been watching the situation, approached to help Baek So-ryeong sit in a lotus position. Once Baek So-ryeong managed to sit in the lotus position, Mu-gung sat behind her and ced his palm on her back. I will begin. Yes. After hearing her faint response, Mu-gung channeled his inner energy through his palm into her back. Mu-gungs inner energy began circting through her body in a specific pattern, battling the Yin energy that had taken over her meridians. True Qi Guiding Technique. Following the form of Yang Energy Art, one of Shaolins inner energy cultivation techniques, Mu-gung was guiding his inner energy through her meridians. As his hot inner energy warmed her cold, stagnant meridians, a small amount of energy began moving from her dantian. It was a tiny amount of inner energy she had umted over the past few days. While still keeping his palm on her back, Mu-gung observed the movement of her inner energy. He wasnt worried about her misdirecting her inner energy. Herprehension level was unparalleled by anyone Mu-gung had encountered. She had fully understood and memorized the form of Yang Energy Art, which had taken Mu-gung several days to grasp, after hearing it just once. Yet, Mu-gung was observing her condition for a particr reason. Hup! Just like now, when her meridians were overpowered by Yin energy again. Her feeble inner energy couldnt break through. Each time, Mu-gung would reheat her meridians with his inner energy. After guiding her through two cycles of small celestial cirction following the form of Yang Energy Art, Baek So-ryeong let out a warm breath and stabilized her breathing. When she finished circting her energy, she turned her somewhat relieved body to face Mu-gung. Brazen. Eunuchs of the Ten Regr Attendants. She feels like a shameless eunuch from the Ten Regr Attendants of the Later Han Dynasty, constantly receiving your help, Monk Mu-gung, despite you being busy with your training, Baek Ga-hwan interpreted. Mu-gung smiled gently and responded. How could youpare yourself to those people, Lady Baek? They forcibly took from others, but I help you because I want to. Amitabha. This was the truth. Treating her and teaching her the Yang Energy Art wasnt something Mu-gung had to do. The Yang Energy Art he was teaching her wasnt one of the seventy-two supreme arts. And to provide heat therapy for musculoskeletal treatment, Shaolin allowedy disciples to learn the Yang Energy Art. In other words,y disciples could have taken care of her, but Mu-gung chose to do it himself. Burden. Apologies. Theres no need to feel burdened. Im doing it because it brings me joy. Mu-gung was a somewhat typical junior disciple from a renowned sect who dreamed of bing a famous martial artist. During this journey, he had experienced various heroic deeds, such as stealing from the Divine Thief Pavilion and fighting bandits and human traffickers. But strangely, treating her brought him more fulfillment than fighting or exploring ces of fortuitous encounters. He realized the joy of helping others. Perhaps Mu-gungs sincerity had reached her. Thank you. When she expressed her gratitude with a sincere smile, Mu-gungs face also lit up with a pleased smile. Chapter 173: Exchange After several days of rigorous rehabilitation therapy: Huup! Ha-at! Mu-jin sighed deeply as he watched hispanions undergo even more intense training than before. Take it easy, will you? he said. Huh? What are you talking about? You need to take it easy with your exercise. Your bodies need time to recover. What youre doing is just self-torture, Mu-jin exined.Although Mu-jin also had a tight schedule, he trained his muscles scientifically by dividing his exercises by body part and taking at least one rest day every seven days. Hispanions, however, had not taken a single day off. Even while he was bedridden for a month, they continued training without pause. As a trainer, Mu-jin found their brute force training methods exasperating. Are you really one to talk? one of hispanions retorted. This from the guy who was worried about muscle loss even with a hole in his side? Despite their incredulity, Mu-jin remained confident. I rested for a long time. The hole in my side is just thata hole. Muscles are muscles, he replied. Mu-jin valued his muscles more than the hole in his side. Even if his insides were not damaged, he would still exercise. He only refrained from exercising because his internal injuries prevented him from eating, which would damage his muscles further. From now on, Ill set up your training schedules. Todays thest day for your brute force methods. Faced with being called brute force exercise addicts by Mu-jin, the group could only shake their heads in silence. * * * While Mu-jin and his group were engrossed in their training: Inside the Abbots quarters at Shaolin Temple, What do you intend to do about this matter, Abbot? The Abbot and Shaolin elders gathered withplex expressions. In the center of their discussion was a letter, the cause of the tense atmosphere. The letter was from none other than Wi Ji-hak, the leader of the Murim Alliance. However, it was not the sender but the content that was even more serious. The letter was straightforward. It stated that the Sa-doryeonju had sent a letter to the Murim Alliance iming that the Shaolin monk, known to be at Shaolin Temple, and the Cheongsu Dojang had massacred the Green Forest bandits and destroyed the Amcheonhoes legitimate market. Furthermore, the Sa-doryeonju demanded the heads of the Shaolin monk and Cheongsu Dojang, waiting for responses from Shaolin and Wudang. When they fled in the night, I had my concerns, but I never imagined they would cause such a serious incident Abbot, this is no trivial matter. If handled poorly, it could lead to a major conflict. Amitabha. The elders, appearing deeply troubled, prompted Master Hyun-hyeon to stroke his beard thoughtfully before responding. Are you suggesting we should hand over the heads of the four students as the Sa-doryeonju demands? What what do you mean, Abbot? That wasnt my intention at all. I was merely worried that our disciples might cause unnecessary bloodshed and chaos in the world. Amitabha. After hearing the elders concerns, Master Hyun-hyeon nodded several times before speaking. The most important thing now is to bring the four students back to the main temple. Their words were not wrong. In the past, Master Hyun-hyeon might have agreed with them. As Shaolin monks, who had severed ties with the secr world, causing chaos and bloodshed was uneptable. But the reason to bring the students back is neither to punish them nor to settle this incident. However, Master Hyun-hyeon had changed. Shaolin needed to change too. Instead of cowering on a mountain, Shaolin must now be a powerful force that actively saves suffering beings in the world. How can eliminating bandits who torment civilians and exterminating malicious merchants dealing in drugs and stolen goods be considered a crime? It was time for Shaolin to be reborn as a strong entity that actively saves the suffering in the world. The reason we must bring the students back is to protect them from the Sa-doryeonjus minions who might be pursuing them even now. Master Hyun-hyeon decided that abandoning Mu-jin and his friends, whoid the foundation and would further open the path, was the worst possible conclusion. Seeing the usually gentle Master Hyun-hyeons resolute expression, the elders also epted his decision. We will follow the Abbots decision. Amitabha. Amitabha. At that moment, one elder posed an important question. Then, what should we tell the Murim Alliance, Abbot? He was essentially asking if they would dere war on the Sa-doryeonju. Master Hyun-hyeon, who had been so serious, suddenly smiled a peculiar smile. It was a response that the inflexible old Shaolin could never have thought of. Tell them that the Sa-doryeonju has falsely used us. F-falsely used? Of course, its a false usation. How could a Shaolin monk, currently in seclusion after the Yongbongji Conference, be causing trouble in Guangxi Province? Amitabha. His shameless answer and smile strangely resembled Mu-jins. * * * Meanwhile, the atmosphere at Wudang was just as serious as at Shaolin. This matter must be addressed with Shaolin!! What were they thinking dragging Cheongsu into such a dangerous situation? They say Cheongsu massacred the Green Forest bandits and Amcheonhoe merchants! If he turns into a demon If one were topare the atmospheres, Wudangs was far graver. Witnessing the chaos among the elders, the sect leader Yun Song Zhenren could only sigh inwardly with a tired expression. Unable to bear the elders nonsense any longer, Taiji Sword Immortal Yunheo Zhenren spoke up with a voice filled with authority. What nonsense are you all spouting? Nonsense, Yunheo Senior! This is a serious matter! If its not nonsense, are you saying that killing bandits and corrupt merchants is a crime? How can you use a child who hasmitted no crime? With Yunheo Zhenrens reprimand, the elders of Wudang could only cough awkwardly. At that moment, Yun Song Zhenren spoke up to calm the overheated atmosphere. Hmm. Calm down, Yunheo. I apologize, Sect Leader. No need to apologize. It seems you are right. However, the other elders are not questioning Cheongsus actions but are concerned he might stray down the wrong path. Yun Song Zhenrens words reminded Yunheo Zhenren of a conversation he had a month ago with Hyun-gwang. I understand that concern, Sect Leader. But if a disciple does stray, its our job to correct them. We cannot keep them sheltered forever. After hearing Yunheos words, Yun Song Zhenren nodded, organizing his thoughts before speaking calmly. As you said, we will decide on Cheongsus matter after bringing him back to the main temple. For now, finding Cheongsu is our priority. I will increase the number of disciples searching for Cheongsu, as he might be pursued by the Demonic Alliance. Sect Leader. Do that. And lets hold off on responding to the Murim Alliance. We should first hear Shaolins decision since it seems were in the same boat. I will follow your instructions. Amitabha. Amitabha. * * * Fifteen days into Mu-jins rehabilitation, Master Mu-jin. Ryu Seol-hwa appeared with a serious expression and sought out Mu-jin. Is there something wrong? I dont know if its appropriate to tell you this while youre still recovering. But I think you should know. Ryu Seol-hwa then shared the current state of the martial world. She spoke about the letter from the Demonic Alliance and the reactions of Wudang and Shaolin. She also mentioned that the Sichuan Tang n sided with Shaolin and Wudang, which prompted the Qingcheng Sect, the Emei Sect, the Jegal Family, and the Mount Hua Sect to criticize them. Moreover, the Murim Alliance and the remainingrge sects and families were neutral, either undecided or hesitating about choosing sides. After hearing everything, Mu-jins mind was abuzz with thoughts. So, they did find out my identity. Since being trapped by the Green Forest bandits inescapable, he had no opportunity to hide his martial arts, so he had anticipated this might happen. If he had abandoned the women and children at Gyerim ck Market or So-cheongmun, he would have already escaped the area, but he had no regrets about that. Instead of dwelling on past decisions, Mu-jin preferred to prepare for future actions. So, is there a chance of an imminent battle? The Demonic Alliance is pressuring the Murim Alliance with letters, but theres no sign of immediate military mobilization or war preparations. What about the orthodox sects? Both Shaolin and the opposing factions are trying to attract more allies rather than engaging in immediate conflict. Mu-jin pondered her answer. So the factions are splittingpletely. Whether this is good or bad remains to be seen. In the original story, the orthodox sects were divided regionally, causing internal strife. In Sichuan, the Sichuan Tang n, Emei Sect, and Qingcheng Sect. In Hubei, Wudang and the Jegal Family. In Shaanxi, Mount Hua and Zhongnan. Other sects and families fought simrly, with hidden forces supporting one side and infiltrating the orthodox factions. But now, it seemed the factions were clearly dividing into two, with the neutral factions deciding which side to support. Given the situation, its best to draw as many allies as possible, especially those not associated with the hidden forces. With this thought in mind, Mu-jin asked Ryu Seol-hwa an important question. Has the Cheonryu Sangdan decided which side to support? We have many business dealings with Shaolin, Wudang, and the Sichuan Tang n, so we cant easily withdraw our support without damaging our trust. Then, do you know which side the Daegum Sangdan and Eunha Sangdan are leaning towards? Ryu Seol-hwa, tilting her head, shared what she knew. The Daegum Sangdan has been trading frequently with the Mount Hua Sect, so naturally, theyre with the anti-Shaolin faction. The Eunha Sangdan remains neutral, mostly dealing with the Murim Alliance. As expected. As expected? I learned on this journey that those who caused trouble for the Cheonryu Sangdan are now allied with the Daegum Sangdan and Eunha Sangdan. Ah! So, theyre supporting both the anti-Shaolin and neutral factions? Doesnt that put Shaolin at a disadvantage? Not everyone in the neutral faction is aligned with them. We need to find those among the neutral sects and families who arent associated with them and extend our hand. Ryu Seol-hwas face darkened slightly, perhaps due to the increasing difficulty of the task for the future of the Sangdan. To reassure her and bolster the Shaolin alliance, Mu-jin shared a critical piece of information. First, reach out to the Zhongnan Sect. The Zhongnan Sect? Ryu Seol-hwa tilted her head at Mu-jins suggestion. The Zhongnan Sect, a part of the Nine Great Sects alongside Mount Hua in Shaanxi, would, in about seven years: Dao Yuetian would drive out the Amcheonhoe and be a new powerhouse in the Demonic Alliance,peting with Hyeok Jin-gang for dominance. They would fall to the Mount Hua Sect, reduced to a minor sect, partly due to financial and strategic support from Shinchun. Therefore, they needed to ally with them before they foolishly remained neutral and fell. However, since Mu-jin couldnt reveal future events, he exined his prepared reasoning. Yes. Theyre close to Mount Hua, which is anti-Shaolin. Just presenting the obvious future should be enough to persuade them. Obvious future? Emei and Qingcheng sided against Shaolin due to their grudge against the Sichuan Tang n. The Jegal Family also holds a grudge but mainly due to their proximity to Wudang in Hubei. So, what does Mount Hua stand to gain? Ah! If we lose, Emei, Qingcheng, and the Jegal Family will support Mount Hua in pushing out the Zhongnan Sect! Mu-jin nodded at her realization. Hmm. Baek Ga-ryeong would have simply called it a strategy of distant alliances and near attacks. Thinking about the lengthy exnation, Mu-jin naturally thought of Baek Ga-ryeong. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to utilize Baek Ga-ryeong and Baek Ga-hwan. Exin the situation to them, and they mighte up with a good strategy to persuade the Zhongnan Sect. Arent youing with us, Master Mu-jin? I will move if a war seems imminent, but for now, I need to focus on my recovery. Though he said that, Mu-jin could easily continue his rehabilitation at Shaolin. Mu-jin decided to stay because he anticipated being tied down at Shaolin for several years upon his return. Its good to train there, but theres onest thing I must settle. Mu-jin recalled one final task he needed toplete. Chapter 174: Twisted Fate After finishing their conversation, the two quickly went to visit Baek Ga-ryeong and Baek Ga-hwan. After Ryu Seol-hwa exined the entire situation, Mu-jin shared his n. How about using both the carrot and the stick? Ive never heard that expression before. Mu-jin almost showed a surprised expression when Baek Ga-hwan, who was known for his intelligence, said it was a new expression for him. Is the carrot and stick a Western proverb? Mu-jin wondered how to exin this, but it turned out Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong didnt need an exnation. But I think I understand what it means.p (Eun-wi-byeong-haeng). Their response left Mu-jin needing to ask a question. What does p mean? It means to show both grace and majesty together. Ah! Thats exactly the approach I was thinking of. If they dont join the alliance, we pressure them by saying that the Zhongnan Sect will fall due to the alliance between Hwasan Sect and anti-Shaolin forces, while simultaneously promising a sweet future. Exactly, Baek Gong-ja. If they join the alliance, we could promise to give all the wealth and privileges of the Hwasan Sect to the Zhongnan Sect once we win the war. Though its amon wartime strategy, it is effective. After defeating the enemy, we split the spoils together. Seeing the two exchange ideas so quickly as if they had nned it beforehand, Ryu Seol-hwa was amazed. The idea of using both appeasement and hardline tactics wasnt extraordinary to her; it was amon method used by merchants. Buting up with a solution immediately after hearing the situation wasnt easy. How did they think of the same solution as Mu-jin right after hearing the exnation? It wasnt an easy feat toe up with such an idea so quickly. But most surprising was: How did Mu-jin find such people? It was incredible that Mu-jin found such talents hidden in obscurity. The famous Liu Bei went to recruit Kongming three times, but at least Zhuge Liang was somewhat known as the sleeping dragon. But her amazement was a bit premature. Inadequate. Predictable. It does seem like the other side might anticipate such a move, as Ga-ryeong said. Before Mu-jin could even praise his n, they pointed out its ws. Hmm. They might anticipate it, but what could Hwasan do about it? They might offer a sweet bait just like us. They could form an alliance with those nearby to secure their rear, defeat the Shaolin side together, and split the gains. Would Zhongnan, who doesnt get along well with Hwasan, believe that? Even if they dont trust it, they might still be swayed by greed. What do you mean? After defeating the Shaolin side and splitting the gains, they might consider turning against each other. Ah While Mu-jin was eximing in admiration, Baek Ga-ryeong and Baek Ga-hwan continued speaking. CO (Gi-bul-ga-seol). CO means that we cannot create the enemys actions at will. Peoples psychology is so varied that if Zhongnan people are greedy or Hwasans temptation is strong, they might fall for it. What do you suggest then? It would be good to add a scheme to Mu-jins n. A scheme? Yes. Ideally, a scheme that makes them mortal enemies, or at least makes them distrust each other. That way, even if Zhongnan joins their side, they would keep forces at Zhongnan Mountain out of distrust. After hearing Baek Ga-hwans exnation, Mu-jin fell into thought. A half-hearted scheme wont be helpful. Even if Zhongnan and Hwasan distrust each other, if Zhongnan joins the other side, it would be a failure for Mu-jin. Mu-jins true enemy wasnt the anti-Shaolin alliance but the shadowy forces behind them. He didnt want to see Shaolin warriors dying like puppets fighting against orthodox martial artists. So what he needed was clear. A bait that would turn Hwasan and Zhongnan into mortal enemies In the original story, Zhongnan and Hwasan were destined to be mortal enemies a few yearster. For now, they were just unpleasant neighbors, but in a few years, Hwasan would plunder Zhongnans treasures and kill their disciples, bing ruthless bandits. Telling them this would happen in the future wouldnt work Wait? Such future events wouldnt happen without some signs, right? As Mu-jin thought this far, his mind began retrieving deeply buried memories. The event that marked the beginning of Zhongnans downfall. Andter revealed to be a scheme by Hwasan and the shadowy forces. It might not have happened yet, but Wouldnt they already be preparing for it by now? If he could just find that evidence! Seol-hwa Shiju-nim, could you investigate the Mansang Gate in Shaanxi Province? Mansang Gate? Yes. There might be copies of Zhongnan Sword Manuals. Zhongnan Sword Manuals? What are they? They are manuals that describe the features and vulnerabilities of Zhongnan Sects sword techniques. !!! Martial arts are the foundation of a sect. Manuals detailing the techniques and their weaknesses exist solely to annihte the sect. While true masters transcend specific techniques, the number of such experts is limited even in renowned sects. Naturally, from a certain point, Zhongnan disciples started dying rapidly in battles. Later, it was revealed that these manuals were distributed by Mansang Gate, and Zhongnan Sect destroyed them, but by then, the manuals were too widespread. The Hwasan Sect dealt the final blow to the already weakening Zhongnan Sect. It waster revealed that Hwasan and the shadowy forces had been analyzing Zhongnans techniques and creating those manuals together. Mansang Gate was also a subordinate of the shadowy forces. Does that manual have anything to do with Hwasan Sect? Specifically, its rted to Hwasan and the shadowy forces I mentioned before. Then, just finding that manual through Mansang Gate is as good as securing Zhongnan Sect in our alliance! Baek Ga-hwan eximed in amazement but then realized something and asked Mu-jin. But how do you know such a great secret, Mu-jin Sunim? Mu-jin, quickly thinking on his feet, came up with a reasonable answer. I discovered it in a confidential document while tracking their traces in Guangxi Province. Everyone knew about the havoc he caused in Guangxi, so this exnation would be believable. I should use this more often. This was indeed a lifesaver for Mu-jin, who had been struggling to exin the information he knew from the novel. * * * About two months after Mu-jin began muscle rehabilitation. Are you leaving now? Ryu Seol-hwa asked Mu-jin, who was preparing to depart. My preparations arent perfect, but I cant dy any longer, so I must leave now. He had spent fifteen days unconscious and another month lying down for treatment. He lost a significant amount of muscle mass from not exercising and barely eating for a month and a half. It was nearly impossible to regain all the muscle mass in just two months, but his body remembered enough to partially recover. Ill have topensate for theck of strength with the internal energy Ive gained. As Mu-jin thought this, Ryu Seol-hwa spoke to him. Then I must prepare to return to Henan Province. With the negotiations with Zhongnan Sect nearingpletion, Ill go with Miss Baek and Baek Gong-ja. After Mu-jin provided the information, Cheonryu Sangdan managed to find the Zhongnan Sword Manuals at Mansang Gate in a month and a half. The efforts of Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong were significant. They analyzed the opponents moves based on reports from people on the ground and freely applied both hardline and appeasement tactics to Zhongnan Sect while pulling a tug-of-war with Hwasan Sect. But half of this was a deception to attract the enemys attention while investigating Mansang Gate and employing the strategy of attacking in different directions. Additionally, they usedplex tactics to retrieve the Zhongnan Sword Manuals from Mansang Gate. Im d I found Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong. Without them, Mu-jin would have had to run around Shaanxi himself. If that had happened, his ns might have been dyed, causing problems. But this sess wasnt solely due to those two. Thank you for your hard work. Without you, Seol-hwa Shiju-nim, it wouldnt have been resolved so easily. Ryu Seol-hwa was the second most instrumental person after them. She managed the flow of information between the field, Baek Ga-ryeong, and Baek Ga-hwan, ensuring swiftmunication. In fact, without Cheonryu Sangdans informationwork and financial power, none of this would have been possible. As Mu-jin and the leader of Cheonryu Sangdan expressed their gratitude, Ryu Seol-hwa smiled softly and replied. I should introduce Miss Baek and Baek Gong-ja to my father and the elders of each sect. They all think Im a genius, believing I came up with everything. Mu-jin smiled lightly at her final joke before parting. He knew she received such misunderstandings to keep Mu-jins presence hidden even from the Shaolin side. Ill finish onest task and then head back to Henan Province. Mu-jin had multiple tasks nned when he left Shaolin. Like visiting Baek Yangmun and several strongholds of the shadowy forces mentioned in the novel. ces where children were brainwashed and taught martial arts, ces like Paedobang where children were kidnapped, and ces like Bukpoong Escort Agency used for storing and transporting items. His n was to raid such ces, but his injuries cost him nearly four months, so he intended to finish thest task he had postponed. As Mu-jin thought of the unfinished tasks, he suddenly remembered something and asked Ryu Seol-hwa. Oh, and has there been any message from Jegal Family? Jegal Family? Do you mean Jegal Jin-hees letter? Yes. There hasnt been any. And since the Jegal Family has openly sided against us, it would be difficult for her to send a letter, wouldnt it? It might be difficult, but if her letter arrives, it could be an opportunity to bring the Jegal Family to our side. If Jegal Jin-hee were alive, it would mean the Jegal Family hadnt yet fallen to the shadowy forces. In other words, the Jegal Family stood against Shaolin and Wudang only due to past grudges, not because of the shadowy forces. With the shadowy forces already a formidable opponent, it would be advantageous to ally with such families if possible. But this was from Mu-jins perspective, knowing the future from the novel. Ryu Seol-hwa seemed less convinced. Understanding Mu-jins request, Ryu Seol-hwa agreed. Understood. If Jegal Jin-hees letter arrives, Ill make sure to get it to you immediately. But shouldnt I know where youre going first? When Ryu Seol-hwa asked about his destination, Mu-jin answered with a faint smile. Its a ce called Cheon Seom Moon in Gojang-hyeon, Hubei Province. Mu-jins final task was to change Dao Yuetians future. Chapter 175: Twisted Fate Guizhou Province, Gozhang County. Gozhang County was geographically close to Yuanling County, which had developed due to its geographical advantages, but unlike Yuanling County, Gozhang County had a rather rxed atmosphere. Of course, it was considered close only by continental standards. In reality, it was about 300 li away. In this rxed atmosphere of Gozhang County, Dao Yuetians sect and family, Cheon Seom Moon, were located. Cheon Seom Moons estate was modestpared to arge family. At the center of its grand training ground, Dao Yuetian was relentlessly wielding his de. Huup! And it was only one technique he practiced.The First Stroke of Cheon Seom Moons martial arts, which was on the verge of being inherited by the head of the family, was the Quick Spirit sh. Dao Yuetian had already repeated this technique dozens of times. But it wasnt without any changes. At first, Dao Yuetian performed the stroke slowly, observing his posture, muscles, and the flow of his internal energy, but gradually, he increased the speed. Whoosh! And after the hundredth time, With the speed of light, his de emitted a sharp energy, sessfully slicing through a wooden target a distance away. However, as if not satisfied with this, Dao Yuetian retrieved his de and prepared to strike again. p! p! p! Wow! At that moment, Dao Yuetians concentration was broken by a sudden sound from the side. He knew exactly who it was. As expected of the young master. It seems there will soon be no sect in Gozhang County that can rival our Cheon Seom Moon. Hahaha. Looking at the dozen or so disciples of Cheon Seom Moon approaching with pleased smiles, Dao Yuetian put on a sheepish expression. I still have a long way to go. What do you mean? Even the head of the family said that youve already surpassed him in the Quick Spirit sh technique. At the words of one disciple, the others nodded in agreement. To the disciples of Cheon Seom Moon, Dao Yuetian was a very proud young master. Born in this small vige, he had reached the finals of the Yongbongji Conference, raising the name of their sect! Although the young master said he only made it to the first round of the finals, they heard that his opponent was Namgung Jin-cheon, who had taken the runner-up position. Thus, they thought if the draw had been favorable, the young master might have gone up to the third round at least. And recently, the young masters skills have improved greatly, so perhaps now you could have a rematch with Namgung Jin-cheon. Hahaha! Namgung Gongja must also be focused on training, so it might still be difficult. From what we see, the only w of our brilliant young master is ack of confidence. Young master, please have more confidence! Thats right! Youve almost perfected the Quick Spirit sh, so why not start training in other techniques as well? Be confident in your abilities! Dao Yuetian sighed inwardly at their words. He knew their words were not ttery, and because of that, he wished it were mere ttery. They are like frogs in a well. This was the difference between Dao Yuetian, who had met true geniuses from all over the continent at the Yongbongji Conference, and them. However, he knew from his six months of experience that exining the world to those who hadnt seen it was like talking to a wall. Thank you for your words, but Cheon Seom Moon cannot be stronger with just my strength alone. So now, everyone, start training with me. Hmm. Yes, we should do that. Thus, Dao Yuetian led the disciples, who clearly did not want to train, and began to instruct them. Now, I will go to continue my training. Please repeat the training weve done so far. Yes, young master. Knowing they would ck off as soon as he left, Dao Yuetian couldnt help but leave the training ground. While it was good to take care of them, his own training was also important. On his way to the small training ground for personal practice, he met a middle-aged man approaching from the opposite direction and quickly greeted him with a respectful gesture. Good work today, my son. It was my duty, Father. After a brief conversation, the father and son exchanged a knowing nce. Fortunately for Dao Yuetian, his father, Dao Ji-hwan, was not like the disciples. In fact, it was Dao Ji-hwan who had sent him to the Yongbongji Conference to see the world. I am at a loss as to how to lead the disciples, Father. They were all born and raised here. Besides, being young and full ofpetitive spirit, it is natural for them to be unaware of the worlds dangers. Moreover, they are not entirely wrong. My son. They are not wrong? It may be frustrating for you, but even at their level, they are capable enough to handle themselves in Gozhang County. One of the reasons why the disciples werent deeply focused on training. They already had enough skills to get by in Gozhang County, so they were eager to experience realbat rather than just staying in the sect for training. However, it is dangerous to remain like this, Father. Its not certain yet, so do not worry too much. I fear you might fall into qi deviation. Dao Yuetian sighed softly at his fathers words. The warnings and help he received from Mu-jin were kept secret following Dao Ji-hwans advice. Firstly, they did not want to create anxiety over something that might not happen. Secondly, they did not want to stir up unnecessary excitement among the alreadypetitive disciples. Lastly, if there were actually preparations for an attack, showing their readiness would not be beneficial. Therefore, Dao Yuetian tried to set an example for the disciples by showing his dedication to training. If they saw him giving his best, he hoped they would be inspired. The effect was only temporary. Instead, they were indulging in the fantasy of dominating Gozhang County, led by Dao Yuetian. It was pathetic to see them as frogs in a well, but they were also his senior and junior brothers, with whom he had spent more than ten years together. While he wanted to improve their skills and ovee challenges together, if that was not possible Father, I will now continue my training. Dao Yuetian resolved to protect Cheon Seom Moon by improving his skills if necessary. * * * Dao Yuetian, who repeatedly trained the Quick Spirit sh untilte at night, stopped training only at the hour of the rat and returned to his room. After meditating and recovering his internal energy for about one sijin, he finally went to sleep. In the early dawn, about an hour had passed. A faint scream pierced through Dao Yuetians sleep. Dao Yuetian grabbed the sword beside him and quickly exited the hall. Upon seeing the figures d in ck near the wall, he infused his voice with internal energy and shouted. Who are you!!! His shout was not only to ask for their identities but also to warn and awaken others who were asleep. As intended, the disciples of Cheon Seom Moon started rushing out from various ces upon hearing Dao Yuetians shout. Despite the failure of their ambush, the ck-d figures remained calm. When one of them pointed at the mansion of Cheon Seom Moon, the rest of the ck-d figures charged towards the disciples. Do they believe they can kill us all? Meanwhile, several ck-d figures stayed by the wall. Only about ten ck-d figures rushed towards the disciples, with one guarding each side of the wall. It seemed they were constructing a siege to ensure no one escaped. Dao Yuetian, instead of being enraged by their underestimation, saw it as an opportunity. If they could reduce the number of ck-d figures while they were careless! Ugh! Argh! But that was a miscalction. Most of the young disciples of Cheon Seom Mooncked the skill to fight against the ck-d figures. Gather and form the Samjae Formation! Just then, the sect leader of Cheon Seom Moon, Dao Ji-hwan, appeared, blocking an attack from one of the ck-d figures and shouted urgently. In the meantime, Dao Yuetian also charged at a ck-d figure to protect the disciples. The ck-d figure, who covered the lower part of his face with a cloth, had a sneering glint in his eyes. This arrogance was his downfall. Dao Yuetian, having consumed two Lesser Restoration Pills and trained madly for six months, unleashed his Quick de Strike, faster than sound, aimed at the figures neck. ng!! The ck-d figure, who was quite skilled, managed to block the first strike. Swish! However, Dao Yuetians second Quick de Strike prated the figures side as his stance broke. Ugh Swish! And while he groaned, Dao Yuetians third Quick de Strike decapitated him. Dont let your guard down! The leader of the ck-d figures shouted as Dao Yuetian swiftly killed one of them. Following the leaders order, a new ck-d figure approached Dao Yuetian. But this one was different. He neither underestimated Dao Yuetian nor rushed to kill him. ng! Instead, he employed a defensive sword technique, binding Dao Yuetian in ce. Crash! Argh! Meanwhile, the people of Cheon Seom Moon were dying one by one. The young disciples, even when forming the Samjae Formation, were no match for the ck-d figures. Dao Yuetians father, Dao Ji-hwan, was gaining the upper hand against one ck-d figure. Lord! You must escape ugh The deputy leader and the elder disciples, who were taught martial arts by Dao Ji-hwans father, were also falling one by one to the ck-d figures. Realizing that everyone would die at this rate, Dao Ji-hwan recalled a n he had considered when his son spoke of a troubling future. C Yuetian! I will clear a path, so do not miss the moment to escape! His ultimate n was to sacrifice himself to save his son. C How can you tell me to abandon the sect and flee as the head of the young disciples! C We must save your mother and Yueying! Hearing his fathers follow-up, Dao Yuetian gritted his teeth. They didnt know, but this was a future altered by Mu-jins intervention. Originally, Dao Yuetian was supposed to escape alone with the sacrifice of his family and the disciples. However, due to Dao Yuetians remarkable progress in martial arts, Dao Ji-hwan decided to entrust his son with the safety of his wife and daughter as well. Just as Dao Ji-hwan prepared to sacrifice himself to make a way, a change urred on the battlefield. Boom!! With a violent noise, a section of the Cheon Seom Moons wall exploded, and new figures appeared. Naturally, the intense battlefield fell silent for a moment, but the new arrivals paid no mind to the atmosphere. Phew what impable timing. Timing? What do you mean? Its a thing. Dont try to understand. Youll get hurt. Seeing these iprehensible figures, Dao Ji-hwan felt dizzy, but his face brightened at his sons shout. Mu-jin Monk!! Oh! Thank goodness youre alive! Dao Yuetian Shiju-nim! If its Mu-jin Monk, hes the Shaolin Dragon who gave Yue-tian the pills and warned him of the ambush! The best young warrior of the orthodox sect who won the Yongbongji Conference. Not only that, but he also caused a stir in Guangxi Province recently, earning the ire of the Green Forest and Amcheonhoe. Despite his age, he was already a well-known master in the martial arts world. I must ask them to save Yueying and my wife. Before Dao Ji-hwan could speak, the Shaolin Dragon and his party moved first. Hold on a bit longer! Lets go, guys! The Shaolin Dragon shouted and immediately flew at incredible speed towards the leader of the ck-d figures by the front wall. Boom!! With a loud crash, the Shaolin Dragon and the leader of the ck-d figures began a fierce battle. Meanwhile, a young swordsman in a robe waded into the midst of the young disciples of Cheon Seom Moon, defending them from the ck-d figures attacks. Swish. No, not just defending, he was creating fatal wounds in their throats and hearts at the slightest opening. What From Dao Ji-hwans perspective, the skill to swiftly and precisely stab with a sword into what seemed like no openings was ghostly. Die!! Elsewhere, a young man was ughtering ck-d figures with the Striking Bone Technique. Hmph! Arge young man was breathing fire from his hands, driving back the ck-d figures. But the highlight was A monkey? A young man, fighting alongside a monkey, was beating the ck-d figures. Is is he human? No, the way he moved, it seemed like there were two monkeys, not a human and a monkey. The ck-d figures, who had been overwhelming them, were suddenly at a disadvantage. The ck-d figures even abandoned their siege, with the three who had been blocking the left and right rear joining the fray. Crash! But they too were no match for the skills of the Shaolin Dragons party. As most of the ck-d figures were dealt with. Mu-jin, is it over? The Shaolin Dragon returned, his clothes in tatters, after attacking the leader of the ck-d figures. Seemed stronger than you thought? Seeing the Shaolin Dragons state, therge young man asked, to which the Shaolin Dragon spat like amon thug. Damn muscle loss. He muttered something iprehensible. Chapter 176: Twisted Fate Dao Ji-hwan, who was flustered by the sudden appearance and unexpected actions, btedly bowed to Mu-jin. I am Dao Ji-hwan, the master of Cheon Seom Moon. Thank you for saving our sect. If I hade half a moment earlier, I could have protected the disciples. I apologize for beingte. There are many questions I have, and many things I need to hear, but could we have a conversation after we tidy up the manor first? We will help as well. After quickly exchanging words, the two began giving instructions to their disciples andpanions to start cleaning up Cheon Seom Moon. They checked if there were any surviving ck-d men, gathered the corpses of the ck-d men and the Cheon Seom Moon disciples, and cleaned up the blood and entrails. Dao Ji-hwan, who had aplicated expression on his face at the sight of the disciples who had turned into corpses overnight, steadied his mind and spoke to Mu-jin.Since the immediate danger has passed, how about we go inside and have a conversation? Lets do that. Wolcheon, youe along too. Yes, Father. Ill be back after a conversation, so you all finish up the cleanup with the disciples here. Mu-jin, having entrusted the cleanup to hispanions, followed Dao Ji-hwans lead, heading to the masters hall with them. Upon arriving at the masters hall, Mu-jin recalled the expression he had seen on Dao Ji-hwans face a little while ago and took a seat. If I hade a bit earlier, the damage could have been reduced. I apologize for beingte. Amitabha. Thank you for the help. Despite warning us through Wolcheon, we could not properly defend ourselves and now have no face to meet the Shaolin Dragon. The masters hall fell silent, perhaps due to the deaths of the disciples within a single day. Not wanting to seem ungrateful to his benefactor, Dao Ji-hwan forced himself to speak. Ah, and thank you for helping my Wolcheon on top of the warning. Dao Yuetian Shiju-nim must have put in a lot of effort. From what I saw earlier, Dao Yuetian Shiju-nims skills have significantly improved since the Yongbongji Conference. Its still insufficient, Mu-jin Seonim. At Mu-jins praise, Dao Yuetian hung his head lower. Despite his improvement, he had failed to protect the disciples. If Mu-jin and his group hadnte to help, they would have been annihted, just as Mu-jin had foretold. Seeing his dejected appearance made Mu-jin feel a bit bitter. After all, Dao Yuetian had been Mu-jins idol during his school days. He was the epitome of perseverance, oveing ack of talent with relentless effort. And realistically, it was unreasonable to expect that a mere six months of training could fend off this attack. Dont be too disheartened, Dao Yuetian Shiju-nim. To achieve such growth in just six months is something only a handful across the continent could aplish. Eventually, Dao Yuetian, who would seed in his revenge after repeated efforts and opportunities, would take five more years to reach that level. Expecting him to achieve in six months what would take five years was unreasonable. Perhaps finding some sce in Mu-jins words, Dao Yuetian asked a question he had been curious about. Since Mu-jin Seonim can see my fate, may I ask if you know the identity of those who attacked us today? Simply reading Dao Yuetian Shiju-nims fate does not reveal that. Feeling awkward as he recalled how he had pretended to be a fortune teller to Dao Yuetian, Mu-jin gave a hesitant answer, and Dao Yuetian couldnt hide his disappointment. However, his expression quickly changed with Mu-jins next words. But by tracking another fate, I have been able to roughly identify their identities. What are their identities? They operate under the name Shinchun, an organization lurking in the shadows of the martial world. They have infiltrated even the righteous sects and are also hidden among the demonic forces. Ah! So thats why the Shaolin Dragon, who had supposedly returned to Shaolin, was rampaging in Guangxi Province? Dao Ji-hwan, who had wondered why the Shaolin Dragon had been active in Guangxi Province, finally understood and eximed. Yes, thats correct. Additionally, I discovered the reason Shinchun attacked Cheon Seom Moon. And what is that reason? They came for Cheon Seom Moons treasured sword, the Cheon Seom Do. A sword sharing the name of the highest martial art of the sect. Shinchuns operatives had moved to seize it. They came for the Cheon Seom Do? Yes. Though it holds great significance for our sect, it does not seem like a weapon that those operating throughout the martial world would target. Could you bring the Cheon Seom Do here? If you do, I will reveal the reason to you. Without much suspicion, Dao Ji-hwan took out the Cheon Seom Do, which was hidden in a corner of the masters hall. Our first master and founder left instructions for future generations. He permitted the use of the Cheon Seom Do only after mastering the Cheon Seom Do technique, instructing the master to keep it safe until then. Handing over the Cheon Seom Do, Dao Ji-hwan exined its unique appearance. As you can see, it looks like an ordinary sword, but in fact, it does not match our sects martial arts. Cheon Seom Moons sword techniques emphasized speed. However, the treasured Cheon Seom Do had a blunt and thick form, suitable for techniques focusing on power. Receiving the Cheon Seom Do from Dao Ji-hwan, Mu-jin gathered his internal energy just like when he had found the Dragon Scale Thread. Naturally, immense energy gathered in Mu-jins hands, radiating golden light. Hyaah! Mu-jin swung his fist, wrapped in qi, with all his might, striking the de of the Cheon Seom Do. *ng!* The treasured Cheon Seom Do of Cheon Seom Moon shattered into pieces. * * * What what have you done?! Mu-jin Seonim, why would you do such a thing?! The father and son stared at Mu-jin in shock. Had he not been their benefactor, they would have drawn their swords immediately. Ignoring their reactions, Mu-jin tilted the broken sword to the side and showed it to them. Look closely. What am I supposed to see?! Its not broken. What do you mean?! Just before Dao Ji-hwan could shout, Nonsense!, Dao Yuetian realized something and eximed. Father! Theres something inside. Sure enough, as his son pointed out, a ck object was visible inside the shattered de. This is the secret hidden within the Cheon Seom Do. Mu-jin, having said that, once again wrapped his fist in qi and struck the surface of the Cheon Seom Do with all his might. *ng!* Each time he struck, there was the sound of metal shattering, and fragments of the Cheon Seom Do flew off. Please, stop it, Mu-jin Seonim! If you keep doing that, youll destroy whats inside as well. Despite their warnings, Mu-jin smiled faintly and continued to pound on the Cheon Seom Do. The reason for his smile was simple. Dont worry. Even if I hit it with all my strength, the contents inside will remain unscathed. With these words, he repeatedly struck the sword until finally, the outer metal shell of the Cheon Seom Do waspletely peeled away. Revealed within was a ck sword that seemed to absorb all light, thin and sharp, fitting the style of Cheon Seom Moons quick sword technique. The Cheon Seom Do is actually made from the legendary Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron. What?! Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron? Is that really true? To Dao Ji-hwans astonished question, Mu-jin nodded. Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron is renowned as the toughest metal, impervious to being cut by sword or de. Only those who have mastered their qi to a high degree can break it. However, the true secret of this ck sword wasnt just its material. Both of you, use your inner energy to enhance your eyesight and examine the de closely. Dao Ji-hwan and Dao Yuetian, who had been staring at the sword in a daze, enhanced their eyesight with inner energy as instructed. Ah!! It looks like theres something written on it, Mu-jin Seonim! As they said, tiny inscriptions were barely visible on the de when viewed with enhanced vision. Reading the inscriptions with their focused eyesight, Dao Yuetian and Dao Ji-hwan soon noticed something peculiar. Father, the inscriptions on the de seem to resemble Yes, they look very simr to the mnemonics of our familys Cheon Seom Dao technique. But the content seems slightly different, Father. Mu-jin, observing their conversation, spoke to clear their doubts. The mnemonics inscribed on this ck sword are the true Cheon Seom Dao technique. To be precise, it is the Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique. A technique meant to slice through the heavens, paired with a swift de made of Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron. This was an arrangement by an ancient master, whose name is lost, to pass down his martial arts to future generations. A high-level master had intricately inscribed these mnemonics so finely that they could only be seen with enhanced vision. Why did our ancestor hide such a treasure so thoroughly? Dao Yuetian, unable to understand the current situation, asked his father, but Dao Ji-hwan also could notprehend it. Thus, Mu-jin spoke on behalf of Dao Ji-hwan. Probably to protect both the ck sword and future generations. To protect us and this sword? Yes. Simply possessing such a powerful weapon would make one a target for masters. Just like the attack earlier. Ah Then why did the ancestor leave this technique hidden and pass down the current Cheon Seom Dao technique? Forgive me for saying this, but perhaps the first mastercked the skill to fully master the technique. What do you mean? He may have obtained the ck sword and the Cheon Seom Dao technique by chance but failed to fully master it. Like powerful weapons, supreme techniques also attract many who covet them, so he left behind only what he couldprehend. Finding Mu-jins exnation usible, Dao Ji-hwan and Dao Yuetian nodded in agreement. Its strange to exin to Dao Yuetian something he deduced in the novel, Mu-jin thought. In truth, Mu-jin could not be sure if his exnation was the actual truth. The novel never explicitly mentioned the secret of the ck sword. It was merely a deduction made by Dao Yuetian and Baek Ga-hwan through their conversation in the novel. The main basis for their deduction was the level of Cheon Seom Moons martial arts and the fact that only the Cheon Seom Dao technique was inscribed on the ck sword. Despite being a technique that could be called supreme, the internal energy techniques, stepping techniques, and movement techniques of Cheon Seom Moon were only at the level of first-rate martial arts. Far from being supreme techniques, they were not even worthy of being called ascending martial arts. The second basis for their deduction was the ancestral message left by the founder of Cheon Seom Moon. Thats probably why he left such a message. He required someone with the talent to fully master the half-formed technique he left behind in order to truly learn the technique inscribed on the ck sword. Then shouldnt he have left a message to break the sword once it was mastered? Leaving such a message could have tempted someone to break the sword out of curiosity or prompted someone to steal it out of suspicion. Ah Besides, the metal shell around the Cheon Seom Do wasnt very sturdy. It means that once someone skilled enough to break it appeared, the true secret of the ck sword would be revealed. Perhaps it was a n to create a twist by revealing the ck sword in a critical moment. This was the exact scenario that Dao Yuetian experienced when he discovered the secret of the ck sword. Afterpleting five years of secluded training and setting out for revenge, Dao Yuetian found and avenged the traitor who had destroyed Cheon Seom Moon. He then traced the shadowy forces, attacking bases like the Bukpoong Escort Agency. After plundering several bases, he finally reimed the Cheon Seom Do. However, until then, the Cheon Seom Do retained its original form. Even the shadowy forces that had attacked Cheon Seom Moon to steal the sword were unaware that the true form of the Cheon Seom Do would be revealed only when it was broken. Afterward, Dao Yuetian continued to demolish various ces such as Baekyangmun, So-cheongmun, and Paedobang, eventually reaching the Cheonryu Sangdan. The Cheonryu Sangdan, true to its reputation as one of the top five merchants in the world, had hundreds of first-rate or higher warriors, despitecking supreme masters. In the midst of a massacre, when Dao Yuetians internal energy was depleted, the outer shell of the Cheon Seom Do began to break, revealing the true ck sword and saving Dao Yuetian at his limit. Of course, the important thing now was not how the secret of the ck sword was revealed. Therefore, Dao Yuetian Shiju-nim, it would be wise to start learning the technique inscribed on this ck sword from now on. In the second part of the novel, Legend of the Evil Emperor, Dao Yuetian is the protagonist. After mastering the technique inscribed on this sword, he truly begins to disy the might of an emperor. Chapter 177: A Reversed Fate Dao Yuetian. After five years of seclusion, he achieved remarkable martial prowess, but that did not mean he had reached the pinnacle of martial arts when he ended his seclusion. He grows significantly three times in the novel. The first is after experiencing the cmity of his ns annihtion. The second growth urs after he unlocks the secrets of the ck Path. However, Dao Yuetian, with his average talent, did not immediately be powerful just because he acquired the divine techniques of the ck Path. After toppling Cheonryu Sangdan, he went into seclusion again for a year before he could resume his quest for revenge. It was only possible for him to emerge in a year because he had perfected the Swift Lightning One sh, the first technique of the Celestial sh Sword Art. Dao Yuetian, recognizing his own limitations, chose to master only the Swift Lightning One sh from the Celestial sh Sword Art written in the ck Path before descending the mountain again.Even so, since he acquired it four and a half years earlier this time, wont his skill progress faster? Mu-jin wondered, yet Dao Yuetians expression appeared ratherplicated. This sword technique, you say? Dao Yuetian, with a troubled look, nced at his father. The head of the n was Dao Ji-hwan, and he believed that his father should be the one to learn the technique first. It aligned with the eras sense of duty. If things go that way, Dao Yuetian might never master the sword technique, even after many years. At over forty years old, Dao Ji-hwan had not yet perfected even a half-baked imitation of the Celestial sh Sword Art. How long would it take for him to master the real thing? Luckily, for Mu-jin, Dao Ji-hwan shook his head at his sons gaze. If the words of our ancestors and Master Mu-jins story are true, then the martial art written in this ck Path can only be learned by those who have already mastered the original Celestial sh Sword Art. Even if I start learning now, when would I everplete it? Father, the same applies to me. I am still struggling with just the Swift Lightning One sh due to my inadequacies. Master Mu-jin seems to have considered that point and advised you to learn this martial art. Indeed, the wisdom of age could not be underestimated. Dao Ji-hwan disyed a keen insight. You said Master Mu-jin advised you to focus solely on the Swift Lightning One sh. Given that our Celestial sh Sword Art and the martial art written in this ck Path are connected, it seems Master Mu-jin believes you can at leastplete the first technique written here. Mu-jin added a confirming statement to Dao Ji-hwans urate deduction. If Dao Yuetian undergoes grueling training, he can transcend the first technique and reach a level beyond the sword art itself. This certainty came from reading the novel. Perhaps because Dao Ji-hwan and Mu-jin both showed confident gazes, Dao Yuetian took the ck Path with a resolute face. Though I am stillcking, I will undergo grueling training to meet your expectations. Seeing the image of Dao Yuetian he had imagined while reading the novel, Mu-jin smiled contentedly. It was a smile that bore a resemnce to the one his father, Dao Ji-hwan, often wore. For a moment, the warm atmosphere lingered. Dao Ji-hwan then asked Mu-jin an important question. Master Mu-jin, when do you n to leave? I intended to discuss this. If it is agreeable to you all, I propose we go to Shaolin Temple together. Together to Shaolin Temple? Now that the Celestial sh Swords true nature has been revealed, many will target Cheon Seom Moon. For your safety, it would be best to go together. Couldnt we simply transcribe the essential points of the martial art and encase the Celestial sh Sword in iron again? The ones who attacked us will not give up after one failed attempt. They will return with stronger forces. Hmm Dao Ji-hwan fell silent at Mu-jins exnation. For generations, they had lived in Jeongan-hyeon under the name Cheon Seom Moon. Leaving thend their ancestors had cultivated and fleeing was an understandablyplicated decision. Fortunately, Dao Ji-hwans deliberation did notst long. Master Mu-jin, I have one request. Please, tell me. Is it possible for the disciples of our n to apany us in the move to Deungbong-hyeon, where Shaolin Temple is located? Originally, Dao Ji-hwan would have refused such a proposal. However, having witnessed the death of his disciples, he realized the lives of those who trusted and followed him were more important than the ns location. Mu-jin had no intention of ignoring his desire to save his disciples. Any disciple wishing toe is wee to join. Not knowing when another attack might ur, I will exin the situation to the disciples and prepare to leave immediately. Having fought through thete hours of the night, you must rest first. It will be difficult for them to mount another assault within a day or two. Very well. * * * Mu-jin and hispanions slept in the residence provided by Dao Ji-hwan. The following morning, Dao Ji-hwan briefly held a funeral for the fallen disciples and exined the situation to the remaining n members. As a result, about two-thirds of the survivors decided to follow Dao Ji-hwan to Deungbong-hyeon. Since we have about a days time, those with family in Jeongan-hyeon should take this opportunity to say their goodbyes. We will depart for Deungbong-hyeon this evening. Following Dao Ji-hwans instructions, the members of Cheon Seom Moon dispersed. As Cheon Seom Moon emptied, Mu-jin spoke to Dao Yuetian. Dao Yuetian, would you be able to demonstrate the Swift Lightning One sh? It could be seen as impolite to ask a member of another sect to disy their martial art. However, Dao Yuetian, without any suspicion of Mu-jin trying to steal or counter his technique, readily agreed. Its time for my training. Lets go to the training ground. Following Dao Yuetians guidance, Mu-jin arrived at the private training ground used only by the head and the young master. In the center of the training ground, Dao Yuetian began his usual training, seemingly unaffected by Mu-jins presence. With deep breaths, he slowly moved his body and de, practicing the Swift Lightning One sh. Observing his internal energy and muscle movements, he gradually increased the speed of the Swift Lightning One sh in a painfully methodical training regimen. After hundreds of swings, the sound of Dao Yuetians de finally began to outpace the air. After a few more swings Hoo. Afterpleting one session, Dao Yuetian collected his energy with a deep breath. Thest technique you demonstrated, was it the fastest Quicker-Than-Light sh that Shiju-nim could execute? Yes, Mu-jin. Mu-jin nodded thoughtfully at Dao Yuetians response. Indeed. Its fast, but not quite there yet. Dao Yuetians speed had begun to surpass sound, but this only applied to the speed of his final strikes. For masters beyond his level, they could easily evade or block his moves by anticipating his stance and muscle movements. Confirming Dao Yuetians current level, Mu-jin addressed him. Have you examined the true Quicker-Than-Light sh technique described in the Cheon Seom Moon manual? I havent read it in detail yet. Thats good. It would be better to master the Quicker-Than-Light sh from the Cheon Seom Moon manual after moving to Deungbong-hyeon. Wouldnt it be better to start training as soon as possible? Or is it because my current Quicker-Than-Light sh isnt adequate? Dao Yuetians question made Mu-jin shake his head. Mu-jin wasnt aware of the Quicker-Than-Light shs specifics, nor could he ascertain how perfectly Dao Yuetian had mastered it. However, he did know how Dao Yuetian trained and the issues he encountered in the novel. The Cheon Seom Moon sword technique is said to be a half-interpretation, but that pertains to the internal energy method. There shouldnt be significant differences in the forms of each move. As far as I can tell, Dao Yuetian Shiju-nim has reached an advanced level in the form of the Quicker-Than-Light sh. So why should I avoid learning the Quicker-Than-Light sh from the Cheon Seom Moon manual? As I mentioned, the form is the same, but the internal energy method is different. Youre currently well-versed with your version of the Quicker-Than-Light sh. Are you confident you can distinguish and use them urately, especially in a real fight? Dao Yuetiancked the exceptional talent of someone like Mu-gyeong, who could replicate an opponents technique after a few observations. The Quicker-Than-Light sh required handling the essence of speed. To execute it perfectly, one needed to bypass thought and rely solely on ingrained movements. Learning a new technique with different internal energy methods but simr stances could slow down his movements or, in severe cases, cause internal energy conflicts leading to serious injuries. In the novel, Dao Yuetian realized this issue and chose to retreat for intense training. During his year-long seclusion, he focused on forgetting his old internal energy methods and ingraining the new ones. He could only descend the mountain once his body instinctively followed the new internal energy methods whenever he decided to strike. While heading to Deungbong-hyeon, there might be unexpected attacks. Until you can fully concentrate on your training environment, forget the Quicker-Than-Light sh from the Cheon Seom Moon manual. I will do as you advise. Dao Yuetian epted Mu-jins advice willingly, finding it reasonable. Then, could you put down your sword and mimic my posture for a moment? Theres something I need to check. Mu-jin asked Dao Yuetian to perform various postures: standing at attention, bending to touch the floor, bncing on one leg, and walking ten steps. Dao Yuetian, who had grown to trust Mu-jin significantly, followed these instructions without question. Observing Dao Yuetian, Mu-jin noted, As I thought Your bodys bnce hasntpletely deteriorated yet. Mu-jin recalled the novels description of Dao Yuetians body as almost grotesquely twisted from repeated Quicker-Than-Light sh training. His body had be specialized for the technique, losing its natural bnce and appearing abnormal. To achieve such speed, one had to transform their body into a vessel that executed the Quicker-Than-Light sh as naturally as breathing, with no visible prelude to the strike. This was why even knowing the move wouldnt help opponents counter it. For Dao Yuetian to reach this level, he needed to continue his extreme training, warping his body to an inhuman state. This notion deeply conflicted with Mu-jin, who had studied physical health and rehabilitation. Yet, for the impending battle with Shinchun, Dao Yuetians strength was indispensable, especially after confirming that Hyeok Jin-gang wasnt the main antagonist behind the hidden forces. Despite his reservations, Mu-jin focused on what he could do. Have you felt any difort in your shoulders, waist, or wrists during training? Compared to the grief of losing family and brothers, such pain is insignificant. Dao Yuetians response, recalling his lost brothers, was heavy with sorrow. Mu-jin sat on the ground, stretching his legs, and said, Though it cantpare, you need not endure all the pain. Follow my lead. Mu-jin demonstrated various stretching exercises to Dao Yuetian. Perform these stretches before and after training to alleviate some pain. Mu-jin couldnt stop Dao Yuetians grueling training but hoped to ease his pain during the process. * * * Several hourster, as the members of Cheon Seom Moon returned and prepared to depart for Deungbong-hyeon Thump! Thump! Thump! Is anyone here? Wevee from Cheonryu Sangdan! A visitor arrived unexpectedly at Cheon Seom Moon. A disciple near the entrance opened the door to find a middle-aged man hurriedly looking around the hall. Is Kang-hyuk here? I am Choi Kang-hyuk. Has something happened to Cheonryu Sangdan? Mu-jin sensed the urgency and asked with concern. The response, however, was slightly tangential. This is a letter from Miss Jegal Jin-hee, asking for it to be delivered urgently! The middle-aged man handed over a letter from Jegal Jin-hee. Chapter 178: Twisted Fate Jegal Family in Yongjoongsan, Hubei Province At a special fortress created by oveying human wisdom onto nature, protected by various formations, Jegal Jin-hee was once again engrossed in her training. She had been defeated by Namgung Jin-cheon instead of meeting Mu-jin in the finals of the Yongbongji Conference. Furthermore, Mu-jin had defeated Namgung Jin-cheon in just one move. Realizing the gap between her and Mu-jin had widened, she resolved to train even harder instead of giving up. However, aside from herpetitive spirit, her intense training also stemmed from other influences. To avoid the bacsh from mingling freely with the Shaolin during the Yongbongji Conference, she had chosen to keep a low profile. To avoid the jealousy and schemes of her peers within the Jegal family. And most importantly, for her father, Jegal Goong, who was one of the heirs fiercelypeting for the current family heads favor.Thus, she ignored the rumors she heard during her training. Rumors about Mu-jin causing havoc in Guangxi Province and bing a target of the unorthodox factions, about the orthodox factions splintering as a result, and even the horrifying news that her own Jegal family had sided against the Shaolin. She thought of the phrase sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall, waiting for her opportunity. Haa But the mind and heart are separate. Although she acted rationally, her heart was uneasy. Eventually, while performing her fan dance, she stopped, letting out a deep sigh. But it wasnt just herplicated feelings that made her stop the dance. Looks like youre deep in thought. Someone hade to the training ground where she was practicing. Greetings, Elder Jegal-hyeon. What brings you to this humble ce? She asked Elder Jegal-hyeon, who had suddenly appeared and interrupted her training, in a respectful tone. They had often crossed paths in the past, but recently Jegal-hyeon had been very busy. As an elder of the external affairs, he frequently left the family to coordinate opinions with those in the anti-Shaolin alliance. In other words, he was the one most actively moving to pit the Jegal family against the Shaolin. As an elder of the family, isnt it only natural to visit the child who represents the future of our family? So, what made our great-granddaughter sigh so deeply? I was just a bit anxious because my martial arts progress seems slow, Elder. Jegal Jin-hee adeptly hid her true feelings and replied to Jegal-hyeon. Hahaha. Among your peers in the family, theres no one who can match you. Why are you so impatient? Jegal-hyeon, despite his words, gazed at her intently as if trying to read her thoughts. Through the Yongbongji Conference, I realized I was like a frog in a well. When Jegal Jin-hee maintained her expressionless face, Jegal-hyeon eventually spoke up with a curious remark. Hahaha. Perhaps youve reached the limits of the ck and White Fan Technique youre practicing. Have you ever thought about learning a new martial art? Isnt the ck and White Fan Technique the best among those permitted to me? Among the familys martial arts, yes. Does he mean he obtained a technique better than the ck and White Fan Technique from outside? As Jegal Jin-hee tried to grasp Jegal-hyeons intentions, his voice reached her ears. If such a martial art existed, would you be willing to learn it? Instead of the familys martial arts? Jegal Jin-hee pondered his question for a moment. In the past, she would have answered affirmatively without hesitation, but now it was different. Mu-jin, who had defeated Namgung Jin-cheon, who had mastered the divine Emperors Sword Form, was surprisingly forging his own path instead of mastering divine techniques. It wasnt the level of the martial art that mattered but who mastered it. Understanding this, she had focused on elevating her ck and White Fan Technique instead of coveting the familys divine techniques and resenting the familys policies. However, If I can obtain it, I will do my best to master it, Elder. She gave an answer contrary to her true feelings. Then, why are you suddenly showing me this favor? To understand Jegal-hyeons intentions, she asked. Hahaha. Its just a pity. You possess talent unmatched among your peers in the family, yet you cannot aim higher simply because youre a woman. Are you suggesting I learn a superior martial art and aim higher? Yes. Jegal-hyeon stroked his beard and nodded at Jegal Jin-hees question. Since I understand your intentions, I will see if I can find such a martial art. Saying that Jegal-hyeon left the training ground, iming he had urgent business. Was Elder Jegal-hyeon always this kind? Watching Jegal-hyeons departing figure, Jegal Jin-hee felt an inexplicable strangeness. * * * After that encounter, Jegal Jin-hee rarely saw Jegal-hyeon, let alone spoke with him. He was busy traveling in and out of the family, dealing with matters rted to the anti-Shaolin alliance, so it was natural. Thus, Jegal Jin-hee also pushed the conversation to the back of her mind. Until one day. Miss Jin-hee, Elder Jegal-hyeon has a gift for you. A member of the Hyun Sword Squad visited Jegal Jin-hee to deliver Jegal-hyeons message. At thiste hour? It was alreadyte at night, so Jegal Jin-hee was bewildered. Elder Jegal-hyeon returned to the family just now due to his busy schedule. He asked to convey his apologies. Then I suppose it cant be helped. Where is the gift? The Elder wishes to speak with you directly to present the gift. An invitationte at night. Though she considered herself a martial artist rather than a woman, she couldnt shake off a sense of unease. Still, she epted the invitation. Lead the way. It was the strangeness she felt during theirst conversation. To understand Jegal-hyeons true intentions, she willingly headed to his pavilion. There, in addition to Jegal-hyeon, was a middle-aged man of unknown identity. Come in. Even as Jegal-hyeon greeted her, the middle-aged man sat silently in a chair. Greetings, Elder. Despite her confusion, she greeted Jegal-hyeon with a nonchnt tone. This man helped procure the gift Im giving you, so dont mind his presence. Understood. As Jegal Jin-hee answered indifferently, Jegal-hyeon stroked his beard and took out a book from his robe. This book contains the martial art I mentioned before. Naturally, Jegal Jin-hees eyes turned to the book. [Moonlight Fan Dance] The name did not seem like a martial art. While she was momentarily distracted by the title, Jegal-hyeon spoke to her. I heard youve been focused on training recently, but you must have heard about the current state of the martial world while living in the family. Yes, Elder. Then, what do you think about the current situation in the martial world? It seems that we are at a critical crossroads in history where the rise and fall of various martial sects can be determined. Exactly right. Thend of Zhongyuan is vast, and there are many forces that rival our Jegal family. Now, a few third-generation disciples from Shaolin and Wudang are causing a situation where the fate of many sects hangs in the bnce. What on earth is Jegal-hyeon trying to say? Jegal Jin-hee wondered as she waited silently for his next words. As a wise person, one must think about controlling the entire big picture. Why then, do they ce restrictions on a talented child of the family, hindering their growth? It was a rather peculiar statement. Subtly, he was criticizing the very practices of the Jegal family. She wasnt the only one facing discrimination within the family. Just as her path to advancement was blocked because she was a woman, Jegal-hyeon was only able to hold the position of elder because he was not of the main lineage. He was not even eligible to participate in the session battle. Moreover, those restrictions also applied to the direct male heirs. Unlike other families where prominent figures like Tang-gak or Namgung Mu-guk had stepped down and retreated, Jegal Mun, who was of the same generation as them, was still the head of the family. Even though Jegal Mun was close to eighty years old and could die at any moment, there was still no designated sessor. The family head Jegal Mun had merely divided the key principles of the familys martial artssuch as Hyeonwon Jeondan Divine Art, Chil-hyeon Mu-hyeong Sword, and Cheongi Miliboamong his four sons. He didnt give each one aplete martial art. He tore the principles apart, promising to reveal the rest only to the one chosen as the next head. Naturally, the four sessors began to engage in checks and schemes against each other, and the elders and side branches aligned themselves with different sessors. This wasnt just Jegal Muns method. It was a long-standing harmful tradition in the Jegal family. As is often the case with those who are overly confident in their own strategies, they didnt trust others. Those who constantly devise schemes in their minds do not want to be subjected to schemes themselves. They feared giving power to their children prematurely, lest they be discarded or killed by them. In essence, Jegal-hyeon was denying the very customs of the Jegal family. Are you suggesting that someone suitable for the current situation should lead the family? It was the mindset of a rebel dreaming of a coup. Perhaps because she grasped the meaning behind his words, Jegal-hyeon spoke more bluntly. Hahaha. Does a kings lineage matter? But was he probing her with that statement? His sharp eyes watched her, despite his heartyughter. Jegal Jin-hees response was unexpected and bold. In that case, I could be the next family head. After all, lineage doesnt matter. Jegal-hyeonsughter was loud and hearty, as if he was pleased with her unexpected response. Hahaha. It seems our family has produced a heroine. Satisfied with her boldness, Jegal-hyeonughed heartily. Sensing her act had seeded, Jegal Jin-hee subtly inquired. Then, when do you n to start the operation? And the response she received was far beyond her expectations. It will begin in one ke. In one ke. That meant the rebellion would start very soon. Jegal Jin-hee suppressed her surprise and asked. What role should I y? You dont have to do anything. But if you want to earn merit, you can help attack the heirs or assassinate the young masters. Wouldnt you feel no reluctance, given they have always been wary of you? Then, I will target Jegal Hwan. Jegal Jin-hee left Jegal-hyeons quarters after naming the young master who had always envied her the most. * * * After Jegal Jin-hee left. Is there really a need to recruit her? A middle-aged man beside Jegal-hyeon asked. She seemspetent among the younger generation, but not significant enough to greatly aid the operation. Hahaha. Its not about receiving help for the operation. Even if the family head changes, it wont be the Jegal family without a member of the Jegal n. Jegal-hyeon implied he called her to prevent her from getting herself killed while trying to protect the family head during the coup. As the middle-aged man pointed out, the forces Jegal-hyeon had allied with were formidable. He didnt need to recruit people like Jegal Jin-hee specifically. Also, just as Jegal-hyeon was recruiting her, several others throughout the family were secretly recruiting skilled individuals who shared his vision. However, his factionprised only about 20-30% of the entire Jegal family. Borrowing the strength of outsiders to kill 70% of the family would leave him with nothing even after victory. If it turns out that way, I would end up being dragged along, tethered by those outsiders. That cannot happen. Therefore, Jegal-hyeon aimed to quickly annihte the main lineage, including the family head, using external forces and his faction at the beginning of the operation. His goal was to disy overwhelming power, forcing others to surrender voluntarily. If more than half can be saved, the person I trust will reform the Jegal family. Having faced numerous discriminations as a side branch member, Jegal-hyeon believed that the head of his faction would abolish these harmful practices. If that happened, the Jegal family could rise higher. And then, the forces he sought help from today could be sufficiently repelled. Do as you please. The middle-aged man, aware of his intentions, said nothing more. He found it amusing that, like all those who borrowed external strength, Jegal-hyeon believed he would be different. Chapter 179: Twisted Fate Unlike the confident manner in which she had left Jegal-hyeons quarters, Jegal Jin-hees mind was swirling withplicated thoughts. Jegal-hyeon Elder is not a foolish man. But what means does he have to incite a rebellion? Currently, the Jegal family was divided into factions under the overwhelming power of Jegal Mun, the head of the family, and four heirs. Even if one faction were to be drawn in, it would be difficult to seed in a coup. Moreover, Jegal-hyeon himself had dered his intention to be the family head. In other words, the heirs would not side with him. Then who remains? People like me. Those who are angry at the familys discriminatory practices.However, those who have suffered severe discrimination havent mastered the ascending martial arts deeply, so their skills are not very high. Thus, instead of plotting a rebellion, they wait for the crumbs to fall by aligning with the heirs. Jegal-hyeon wouldnt be nning a rebellion with no chance of sess. As she pondered deeply, a very important piece of information emerged in her mind. Moreover, Jegal-hyeon has been frequently away from the family, presiding over the Anti-Shaolin Alliance meetings. But how could he have had time to gather people within the family and prepare for a rebellion Could it be ? Is he trying to draw power from outside the family? As her thoughts reached this point, theplex tangle in her mind naturally began to unravel. Even the warrior beside the elder was someone Id never seen before. The martial arts as well. If he could procure martial arts equivalent to those right before the family head, it wouldnt matter if his own disappeared! And if he gets help from external forces capable of providing such martial arts, a rebellion would be no problem! Finishing her reasoning, her face turned pale. Fortunately, when she reached this conclusion, there was no one around her. If she had shown her pale face, Jegal-hyeon would have been suspicious. I must stop this somehow. In a way, it was quite a subtle decision. She, too, was a victim of the discriminatory practices. Yet, the reason for her decision was simple. She could not forsake her familial bonds. Though she was sick of the discrimination and the heirs who restrained her within the family, there were still precious people within the family. Among them was her father. Jegal-hyeon, in the process of rebellion, would try to kill all direct descendants without exception. Jegal Jin-hee could never participate in such a n. Theres no time. Now there was less than half a ke before the rebellion began. It was impossible to stop the rebellion, but she resolved to at least protect her precious ones. Determined, she hurried to the quarters where her father, Jegal Gung, and her mother, Jamihwa, resided. Why have youe at thiste hour? The moment her father asked his daughter about her sudden visit. Boom. A heavy, unknown noise resounded. Beep! Beep! Ahhhh! Whistles and screams began erupting from the outer edges of the Jegal family estate. The rebellion had begun. Although the Jegal family was protected by various formations created over generations by wise men, they were still vulnerable to betrayal from within. In the chaos, Jegal Jin-hee urgently spoke to her stunned father. Elder Jegal-hyeon has initiated a rebellion! You must flee immediately! What do you mean? There is no time to think. Father! Mother! Jegal Jin-hee grabbed the hands of Jegal Gung and Jamihwa, pulling them along. After a brief moment of hesitation, the couple, realizing the urgency of her words, collected themselves and followed her. Naturally, those assigned to guard Jegal Gung also followed behind. Additionally, those elders and branch family members who sided with Jegal Gung in the struggle for session began to join them one by one. Jegal Gung, sir! We will join you! However, due to internal betrayal. Warriors who had just crossed the main gate soon appeared before them. There is no time to waste! We must break through! Jegal Jin-hee drew her two fans and the others pulled out their weapons to fight the warriors. Hmph! Despite half a years further training since the Yongbongji Conference, it was not easy for her to deal with even one of these warriors. The external forces aiding the rebellion consisted of high-level warriors. Swish! After dozens of intense exchanges, she managed to take down one warrior, but several of herrades had already lost their lives. Fortunately, there arent many of them. It seemed that most of the forces were aimed at Jegal Mun, the head of the family. While she was thinking this. Ha! A sudden attack from an elder who had sworn to guard Jegal Gung. Not only that, but warriors following that elder also began attacking theirrades. The elder had been swayed by Jegal-hyeon, dreaming of a world dominated by branch families rather than crumbs from heirs. Damn! How dare you! Though Jegal Gung and those nearby swiftly dealt with the elder, another attacker soon targeted Jegal Gung. Ha! This time, Jegal Jin-hee, having just defeated a warrior, was able to block the ambush with ease. Whew. Though the battle involved only about a dozen warriors, nearly half of their group had perished. The high level of the attacking warriors and the surprise attacks by traitors caused significant losses. Barely finishing the fight, Jegal Jin-hee urgently spoke to her father. We must flee to Changgyeongjeon! Why there? Its the farthest from the family heads quarters. Elder Jegal-hyeon initiated the rebellion to be the head. Therefore, his first target is the family head, followed by all direct male descendants. The farther we are from the family heads quarters, the safer we will be. Realizing her point, Jegal Gung epted her suggestion. They headed towards Changgyeongjeon, the farthest from the family heads quarters, but they didnt move in a direct path. They detoured to the quarters where her two younger brothers, Jegal Gung and Jamihwas sons, resided. Changwon! Father!! Surrounded by traitors, Jegal Changwon and Jegal Su, who were fighting alongside their bodyguards, narrowly survived thanks to their reinforcements. Even after that, as they made their way to Chang-gyeong Hall, they were asionally joined by others, and sometimes encountered attacks from external warriors wandering around the family grounds. During these moments, some of those who had joined them would suddenly turn traitor andunch surprise attacks. Move faster! Jegal Jin-hee, who was fighting at the front with her hair disheveled and her clothes and face covered in blood, shouted urgently. Hurry, before Gaju Hall copses!! The moment Gaju Hall copsed, the external warriors and the traitors recruited by Jegal-hyeon would spread throughout the family grounds. If that happened, it would be almost impossible for her direct male rtives, her father and younger brothers, to escape. If only we had headed straight for Chang-gyeong Hall, we would have had more time. Naturally, the time she spent rescuing her younger brothers felt painfully regrettable. She wasnt very close with her younger brothers. Most of the children she was close to and interacted with were girls like her. As someone aiming for the position of the family head, most boys her age avoided or ignored her. Despite this, the reason she rescued her younger brothers instead of her close female friends was for her parents. After all, Jegal-hyeons goal is to be the family head. As long as we dont interfere, he wont touch the coteral branches. Women unrted to the family headship were not Jegal-hyeons targets. Pleasestay safe until I return. Thinking of the few younger sisters who followed her, Jegal Jin-hee forged a path with her fan. After a fierce struggle, they finally reached Chang-gyeong Hall. Boom!! With a heavy rumble that shook the earth, Gaju Hall began to copse. * * * In the heart of the Jegal Familys estate, at Gaju Hall. Jegal-hyeon, you bastard!!! In the center of Gaju Hall, an elderly man with a face full of wrinkles shouted in rage. Havent you had enough? Its time to step down, dont you think? Jegal-hyeon was sneering at the family head, Jegal Mun, but he was notfortable inside. It wasnt because he was reluctant to kill Jegal Mun. Damn it. He really didnt trust anyone. There was a hidden formation near Gaju Hall that only the family head knew about. Jegal-hyeon had broken all the formations of the family to bring in external warriors and attack here directly, but they were blocked in front of Gaju Hall. Fifty external warriors and dozens of Jegal Family warriors who chose to join the revolution were all stuck here because of that damn formation. The longer they dyed, the more family members would die. If the number of followers decreased when he became the family head, it would be a problem, and Jegal-hyeon was anxious. At that moment, a middle-aged man watching the situation stepped forward. Pull back the family warriors. Despite his confusion, Jegal-hyeon followed the middle-aged mans words. As soon as the Jegal Family warriors retreated, the middle-aged man spoke again. Time is short, so we will break through with force from now on. Yes, sir! At the middle-aged mansmand, the warriors of Shinchun raised their energy simultaneously. The middle-aged man also raised his energy, condensing it into his sword. Initially starting with sword energy, the energy condensed into multipleyers, turning into a red cluster of stars. When the middle-aged man swung his sword, creating sword steel, Boom!!! Following this, fifty warriors used their respective techniques to attack the formation. Boom!!! Cracks began to form in the Gaju Halls formation, which had been shaking slightly. And when the middle-aged man condensed his energy again and struck with his sword steel, Boom!!! With a different kind of heavy sound, Gaju Hall began to copse. Team One, go inside and finish off Jegal Mun. Bring his head! The rest of you, spread out and eliminate all the targets! Yes, sir! At themand of the middle-aged man who had destroyed Gaju Hall, his subordinates scattered. Following them, Jegal-hyeon also gave orders to the family warriors. After some time, Jegal-hyeon received horrifying news. It seems that the prince Jegal-gung, his two sons, and some of their followers have escaped the family! What!? For the rebellion to seed perfectly, there must be no surviving direct line members. Jegal-hyeon, furious at the report, quickly thought of a n. Is anyone chasing them? Yes! Lord Dam, could you assign some of your subordinates to pursue the prince? Without waiting for a reply, Jegal-hyeon asked the middle-aged man. Of course, as part of the agreement to eliminate all direct line members. Nodding at the middle-aged mans answer, Jegal-hyeon gave orders to his subordinates. Chase them with these men and finish them off. Also, spread the rumor that all direct line members have been dealt with. Apart from those who escaped with the prince, all direct male rtives heads had been cut off. By the time they eliminated the prince, they would control internal affairs and block external rumors. But didnt you say you would disy the heads of the direct line members? Tsk. Are you not aware of the stories about the Dragon Descendants? Ah! Make masks resembling the prince and his sons, attach them to other bodies heads. No one will notice if you mix them with the other heads. Yes, sir! After receiving the order, the subordinate left. Jegal-hyeon, sensing someone approaching from behind, turned his head and quickly bowed. Greetings, Family Head. * * * A few days had passed since the rebellion in the Jegal Family. During that time, Jegal Jin-hee had cleverly led the group, repeatedly evading pursuit. Are you suggesting we go to Eunsi? There is a hidden safe house of the Jegal Family in the Grand Canyon of Eunsi. At her fathers exnation, Jegal Jin-hee decided to ept the proposal. Thus, they left Jungjoong Mountain and headed to Eunsi while shaking off their pursuers. Wait, I will be gone for about one quarter of an hour. Continue westward. Where are you going? At her fathers question, she looked at therge city in the distance and replied. I am thinking of contacting those who might help us. The city she was looking at was Yichang, one of the most prominent cities in Hubei Province. Most importantly, it housed a branch of the Cheonryu Sangdan and a musculoskeletal treatment clinic. Chapter 180: Twisted Fate Mu-jins expression changed constantly as he read the contents of the letter sent by Jegal Jin-hee. Since the letters size was limited, Jegal Jin-hees exnation was brief. But it was enough. Mu-jin knew what the future held for the Jegal family. As expected, it was a rebellion. Having anticipated it to some extent, he felt a tinge of regret. If only Jegal Jin-hee had noticed before the rebellion began. But he also thought she must have had her reasons. And if they could resolve the current situation, it wouldnt be too bad. A rebellion and the only heir. And now the only heirs daughter and her close aide were seeking help.If he could solve this problem, he could immediately turn the Jegal family, who had sided with the rebels, into allies. Additionally, he could deal with the forces from Shinchun that hade to assist the Jegal family. Having sorted out his thoughts, Mu-jin looked at the middle-aged man who had delivered the letter. Do you know how many days ago Miss Jegal Jin-hee sent this letter? Miss Jegal Jin-hee stopped by Yichang to deliver the letter. I ran nonstop for two days to get here. Thanks to Miss Ryu Seol-hwa informing me that if Jegal Jin-hee sought Kang So-hyeop, he shoulde to Cheon Seom Moon here in Gojang-hyeon. Mu-jin sighed in relief at the middle-aged mans answer. I owe her another one. Thanks to Ryu Seol-hwas preparations, they had saved time. If Jegal Jin-hees letter had had to stop by Hunan Province beforeing here, the situation might have been over by then. But if only two days had passed, they might still be holding on. Realizing the urgency of the situation, Mu-jin spoke up. Sorry, but could you ask for some help from the Cheonryu Sangdan in my name? What Im asking is for them to safely escort the disciples of Cheon Seom Moon to Deungbong-hyeon. Miss Ryu Seol-hwa instructed us to assist Kang So-hyeop as much as possible. I will send a message to the nearby branch immediately for assistance. Thank you. Mu-jin bowed respectfully to the middle-aged man and then turned to Do Ji-hwan. We seem to have an urgent matter to attend to and wont be able to go together. I apologize for not being able to keep the promise of apanying you to Deungbong-hyeon. No worries. If its that urgent, it must be serious. Were grateful enough that you arranged an escort. Assuming Kang So-hyeop was Mu-jins real name, Do Ji-hwan pushed his son, Dao Yuetian, towards Mu-jin. Instead, how about taking my son with you? Though hes not as capable as Mu-jin, hes recently made some progress and might be of some help. If Mr. Dao Yuetian doesnt mind, we will dly ept. As Mu-jin and Do Ji-hwan looked at him, Dao Yuetian, after a moments hesitation, stood next to Mu-jin. Ill help as much as I can. Since time is of the essence, well depart immediately. Thus, Mu-jins group departed for Enshi Grand Canyon in Hubei Province without properly saying goodbye to the disciples of Cheon Seom Moon. * * * The distance from Gojang-hyeon in the northwest of Hunan Province to Enshi Grand Canyon in the southwest of Hubei Province wasnt too farby continental standards. Using their qinggong techniques, Mu-jins group managed to reach Enshi Grand Canyon in just a day. However, the problem remained. Its damn huge. True to its name, the grand canyon had vast mountains and valleys. They needed to find where Jegal Jin-hee and her group were hiding. Do we have to search all of this? Even if we split up, itll take at least half a month. Can we find them in time? While Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Dao Yuetian expressed their doubts. Wow. This reminds me of when we first met. Right, Ling-ling? Ook! Ook! Mu-yul and Ling-ling were chattering cheerfully as usual. Hmm? But as Mu-jin listened to their chatter, a strange thought urred to him. Thinking back, it was Ling-ling who had found the hidden elixir in the mountain where they first met. Of course, this ce was different from that mountain, so it might be hard for Ling-ling to find Jegal Jin-hees group. What are you doing, Mu-jin? When Mu-jin suddenly rummaged through his backpack, the group asked curiously. This is protein supplement, this is liquor, this is money. Ignoring their questions, Mu-jin finally found what he was looking for after a while. Mu-yul, can you let Ling-ling smell this? What Mu-jin handed over was the letter from Jegal Jin-hee. In modern times, one of the main ways to find lost people was using trained dogs with highly developed senses of smell. Though Ling-ling wasnt a dog. Hes better than a dog, really. Given Ling-lings extraordinary sense of smell demonstrated multiple times, Mu-jin had a hunch. Ook! Ook! As Ling-ling began sniffing the letter, Mu-jin added. Ling-ling, besides my scent and the man who brought the letter, do you smell anyone else? Realizing Mu-jins intent, the rest of the group looked at Ling-ling with hopeful eyes. Ling-ling barked loudly, nodding his head. Ook! Ook! He says he smells someone else too! It seems like a womans scent. Tell him to search for that scent in this canyon! At Mu-jins words, Ling-ling moved the letter aside and started sniffing around like a meerkat. Ook! Ook! Then, having caught a scent, Ling-ling dashed off in a certain direction. Lets follow him! The group followed Ling-ling, pushing through the underbrush. How long had they been moving through the pathless canyon? Ling-ling suddenly stopped and made a gesture to cover his mouth. ??? While the group was puzzled by Ling-lings strange behavior, Mu-yul, who understood Ling-ling through gestures, transmitted his thoughts. C There are many people gathered ahead. The scent ising from further inside. Realizing this, Mu-jin moved the children back and cautiously advanced using his stealth techniques. Indeed, after pushing through the bushes a bit further, he saw dozens of martial artists gathered ahead. Just by rough estimation, there were more than forty. However, something more noteworthy caught his eye. What are they doing? Over forty martial artists were surrounding something, and three of them were cautiously throwing stones and branches at the bushes in front of them. Ah! Its a formation! It was no surprise since the Jegal family was famous for their formations. If the heir had escaped to such a ce, it made sense for a formation to be set up. Thanks to the formation, Jegal Jin-hee and her group had been able to hold out for a few days. Having grasped the situation, Mu-jin retreated and informed the group of his findings. So what are you going to do now? Are we just going to charge in like in Guangxi Province? Mu-gung and Mu-gyeongs questions made Mu-jin ponder for a moment. The simplest method was to sweep away the surrounding formation as Mu-gung suggested, but it wasnt going to be easy. The rebels sent these people to capture thest heir. They wouldnt have sent amateurs. The possibility was high that only skilled individuals had been sent. Moreover, there was no guarantee that these were all the enemies present, unlike dealing with bandits or ck market merchants in Guangxi Province. Additionally, there was another problem. If they tried to face the group with just the six of them, even if they gained the upper hand, a few enemies might escape. Due to the significant difference in numbers. If that happened, their involvement would soon be known to the Jegal family,plicating the situation further. If only we could get help from inside to attack from both sides, it would be doable But charging in blindly, hoping for Jegal Jin-hees response without knowing the internal situation was a bad move. So. We need tomunicate with the inside! Having settled his thoughts, Mu-jin looked at Ling-ling once more. Earlier, you said you smelled something from inside those people. Can you find a way in? Ook! Ook! Ling-ling confidently patted his chest as if to say, Leave it to me. Alright. Ill go in with Ling-ling. You guys stay back. If were detected, escape the canyon. Huh? How will you find us again? With this guy around, why worry? Mu-jin pointed to Ling-ling, causing the group to exim, Ah! Sending the group back, Mu-jin moved with Ling-ling. Can we go around the people gathered there and take another path? At Mu-jins question, Ling-ling nodded enthusiastically and started through the underbrush. Passing through dense undergrowth and cliffs fitting the canyons name, using internal energy to climb the cliffs, traveling through terrain almost impassable for humans. After a while, Ling-ling pointed to the side and changed course. Following Ling-ling in puzzlement, Mu-jin spotted a hidden human figure far away in the direction they had been heading. Ling-ling had likely detected the hiding persons scent and had avoided them. It was good not to eat him back then, really. Mu-jin hadnt anticipated Ling-ling to be this helpful initially. Under Ling-lings guidance, they avoided hidden warriors and moved on. After a long while, Ling-ling indicated arge underbrush, jumping up and down excitedly. It seemed Jegal Jin-hee was inside. Is this the opposite side of what I saw earlier? Mu-jin thought as he and Ling-ling entered the underbrush. Ling-ling confidently led the way straight ahead. After some time passed, and then more time. Ook? Ling-ling tilted his head, puzzled. Mu-jin realized instinctively. Damn. I should have made monkey soup back then! He was trapped in a formation. Apparently, this formation could even confuse sense of smell. Sigh. Mu-jin sighed deeply and began gathering his immense internal energy from his danjeon. Havinge to this, he decided to break through the formation with sheer force. He couldnt stay trapped forever. As he gathered his energy and prepared to use the Golden Turtle Technique to st through the forest. Mu-jin!? Jegal Jin-hee appeared from within the underbrush. Chapter 181: The Reversed Fate Upon receiving a report that a young man and a monkey were trapped in the formation in the rear, Jegal Jin-hee moved with several warriors to deal with them. This was because, two days prior, a few people had attempted to infiltrate through that very route to reach the safe house. However, upon arriving at the scene, she was met with a man whose face was all too familiar. You really came. Jegal Jin-hee spoke to Mu-jin with a face mixed with various emotions. As I said before, if anything happens to the Jegal Family, I will help you, Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nim. I appreciate your intentions, Mu-jin Sunim, but our current situation is so unfavorable that you might also be put in danger. It would be safer for you to leave now. Although she had urgently sought Mu-jins help, she felt guilty now that he was here.But Mu-jin had no intention of leaving. For Jegal Jin-hee, and to bring the Jegal Family to their side. Dont worry. Im not alone. I can call for reinforcements. I came here secretly just to grasp the situation. Oh So first, could I meet with Jegal Gung Gongja-nim? I need to understand the situation. Ill take you inside. Follow me closely. If you take even one wrong step, you might get trapped in the formation again. With those words, Jegal Jin-hee led the way, followed closely by Mu-jin and Ling-ling. To their surprise, people who werent visible before appeared. These were the warriors who hade with Jegal Jin-hee to deal with the intruders. Is this the power of the formation? While marveling inwardly at this first-hand mystical experience, they soon managed to escape the formation. They werent visible just a moment ago. As they exited the formation, a pavilion came into view. In the front yard of the pavilion, several warriors were resting, their bodies wrapped in bandages. It seemed these were the ones who had been injured while escaping. Barely twenty people in total As Mu-jin assessed the situation around him, the people there looked at him and Jegal Jin-hee with curiosity. He hase to help us. Ill talk to my father first and then exin everything to you. With that brief exnation, Jegal Jin-hee led Mu-jin inside the pavilion. Father, Mother, someone hase to help us. As soon as she finished speaking, the door swung open, revealing a middle-aged couple. Instead of expressing doubt at seeing Mu-jin, who hade alone to help, they warmly weed him. I am Jegal Gung of the Jegal Family. Thank you so much foring all this way to help us. I am Jamihwa, his wife. Thank you so much, So-hyeop. Surrounded by dozens of elite warriors of the rebels, a young man hade alone to help. It was enough to feel disappointed, but the couple did not show any such sentiment, proving their dignity. I am Mu-jin, one of the three great disciples of Shaolin. Amitabha. So you are the Shaolin Dragon that our daughter has praised so much. Mother? Jegal Jin-hee shot her mother a look as if to say, When did I ever say that? but Jamihwa paid no mind. Please,e inside. Thus, Jegal Gung, Lady Jamihwa, Mu-jin, and Jegal Jin-hee entered the pavilion. The situation is urgent, so please forgive ourck of formalities. Can you tell us in detail about the current situation? At Mu-jins question, the three exined the events of the day of the rebellion and the circumstances before and after it. After hearing their story, Mu-jins impression was rather simple. No wonder there was a rebellion. Discrimination against coteral branches and women, and the fact that the family head couldnt trust even his children and had not designated a sessor even at the age of eighty. Even if Mu-jin had been from the Jegal Family, he would have left the family or started a rebellion out of disgust and frustration. It was rather surprising that Jegal Jin-hee, despite her exceptional talent, managed to resist such temptations, save her father, and escape. While Mu-jin was contemting these thoughts, a peculiar conversation reached his ears. Sigh. I never thought Elder Jegal Hyun would harbor such ambitions. Father, please hold on a little longer. Mu-jin Sunim said he could bring reinforcements, so we should be able to reim the family from Jegal Hyun soon. Reim the family from Jegal Hyun? What do you mean? Jegal Hyun must be the new family head, so we need to take the family back from him. Jegal Hyun is the family head? The family head of the Jegal Family that Mu-jin knew from the story was not Jegal Hyun. * * * Deep within the Jegal Family. In the center of the pavilion now used as the family heads residence, recing the copsed main house, an elderly man sat. How is the atmosphere within the family? Since five days have already passed, everyone ising to terms with the current situation. It seems executing the heads of the direct line had a significant effect. Jegal Hyun, who had yed a crucial role in this coup, lowered his head and reported to the old man. Didnt you leave the heads on disy for only one watch? Arent there still suspicions? Because they hadnt managed to kill Jegal Gung and his two sons, they had to use fake heads for disy. Naturally, to avoid being discovered, they could only disy the heads for one watch and then burn them. However, Jegal Hyun thought that was sufficient. Due to the family heads strong reputation, even that short disy had a considerable effect. Since all the direct lineage had left the family, and there were hardly any among the coteral branches who didnt trust the current family head. The family head nodded in satisfaction and asked. How is the situation in the Eunsi Grand Canyon? They have surrounded the ce where the rebels are hiding and are dismantling the formation. The family head clicked his tongue lightly at Jegal Hyuns answer. If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have kept Jegal Mun alive for a while. He never imagined that the cunning Jegal Mun would reveal a safe house to his heirs. Regretting this, he thought again, but even if the same situation arose, he wouldnt have kept Jegal Mun alive. If the family head were alive, there would always be a chance for someone to rescue him and plot a counter-rebellion. There are only about twenty of them hiding there, so they wont be able to escape the encirclement. Given enough time, they are as good as dead. Approximately seventy martial artists, including those who assisted in the treason and those from the Jegal Family, were dispatched there. Among them, about a dozen went missing after first entering the formation, but nearly sixty individuals still surrounded the area. Jegal-hyeon believed that they would ultimately meet their fate, whether they starved to death in the safe house, perished when the formation was dismantled, or died trying to escape. * * * Has the future changed? Mu-jin felt bewildered as a name different from the one he knew for the family head came up. However, upon reflection, these individuals had fled the family right after the rebellion, so they wouldnt have had the time to confirm who became the new family head. Mu-jin asked cautiously, just in case. Why do you believe Jegal-hyeon is the new family head? Well, he led the rebellion and discussed the tale of Jin Sheng with me, didnt he? Jin Sheng was a figure who led an uprising at the end of the Qin Dynasty, gaining popr support with his statement, Are the sons of kings and nobles born differently? However. Even though he spoke of kings and nobles, he didnt say he would be a king himself, did he? Isnt that usually the implication? Usually, yes. But from what Ive heard, Jegal-hyeon didnt have that much influence within the family, did he? Even if his influence grew somewhat due to recent alliances, it would have been difficult for him to rally the familys people to rebel with external forces. Now that you mention it it is indeed strange that an Elder responsible for external affairs managed to rally internal members of the family. Jegal-gung, realizing Mu-jins point, fell into deep thought, sensing something was off. However, contemting in this remote ce would not reveal the truth. Eventually, Mu-jin subtly mentioned the name of the family head he had read about in the novel. Do you know of someone named Jegal Gi-hwan? Are you referring to Elder Jegal Gi-hwan? Yes. Could you tell me about him? Suppressing his surprise at the revtion, Mu-jin asked, and Jegal-gung, wondering why this was being asked, responded. Elder Jegal Gi-hwan is, as his title suggests, the head of the elders of the Jegal Family. Most of the branch family members hold elder positions, so you could say hes the leader of the branch families Wait, could it be!? Just as Jegal-gung was astonished, Jegal Jin-hee and Lady Jamihwa also wore surprised expressions. Since Jegal-hyeon had been prominently active, they had not considered Jegal Gi-hwan immediately. But Mu-jin was more concerned with Jegal-gungs exnation than their reactions. If he was the leader of the branch families, did he have strong support from them? In our familys structure, even as the head elder, he didnt wield much power. However, he served as a bridge between the main and branch families, conveying orders from the main family to the branches and soothing their grievances. Mu-jin sighed deeply as the expected information came out. Why the sigh, Mu-jin? After hearing this, it seems that reiming the family will be quite difficult. That much was anticipated. After all, they chased us here and formed a siege around us. Mu-jin shook his head at Jegal-gungs words. Escaping from here is not the difficult part. Also, destroying the Jegal Family is feasible. What I meant is that reiming it will be difficult. What do you mean by that? How can it be easy to destroy but hard to reim? Five days have passed since the rebellion started. Considering that Elder Jegal Gi-hwan has strong support from the branch families, they might already see him as the new family head. How can they consider him the head when the rightful heir is still alive? If having a rightful heir was enough to maintain order, rebellions and new dynasties would never ur, would they? In this era, ss hierarchy was explicit. Thus, as a direct descendant, Jegal-gung naturally believed that his bloodline alone was a valid justification, but Mu-jin did not. And history was filled with countless events proving this point. Many people endure under a rebellion out of fear of dying, but few will reject a new leader promising a better future. While its possible to purge the external forces and rebels with aid from allies, if the entire Jegal Family sides with Jegal Gi-hwan, wed have to annihte everyone. That would be exceedingly difficult and even if sessful, could we still call it the Jegal Family after everyone is dead? Jegal-gung fell silent at Mu-jins words. However, Mu-jin, who had just revealed the truth to Jegal-gung, also felt equally troubled. We need a justification. A justification that will make the members of the Jegal Family support Jegal-gung as the family head instead of Jegal Gi-hwan, even the branch families who have faced discrimination. Damn. Should we rescue Jegal-gung and wait a few years? Eventually, with time, the family members would realize something was wrong. In the era when Dao Yuetian was active, the Jegal Family was Jegal only in name, practically bing Shinchuns subordinates. It might be possible to persuade them then, but there was still a problem. Even if we rescue Jegal-gung, it will be problematic if its discovered that we are protecting him. Damn. We cant show the future to the Jegal Family members Wait. The future? From the tangled thoughts, Mu-jin discovered a clue and urgently called for Jegal Jin-hee. Shiju-nim Jegal Jin-hee, do you still have the martial arts manual you mentioned earlier? Yes. I brought it here after receiving it from Elder Jegal-hyeon just before escaping. Hearing her response, Mu-jin thought, This is it, and spoke up. If we analyze that martial arts manual, we might be able to gain a justification. This manual? Both Jegal Jin-hee, Jegal-gung, and Lady Jamihwa looked at Mu-jin, wondering what he meant. Didnt Shiju-nim Jegal Jin-hee mention that they likely acquired martial arts externally to rece the family heads martial arts? Thats my guess, but how does that rte to our current situation? Oh, do you mean to use it as evidence that its not the family heads martial arts? Since Master Jegal-gung hasnt mastered the family heads martial arts either, it cant serve as justification. What I mean is, the fact that these martial arts were obtained through external forces aiding the rebellion. Having read the novel, Mu-jin knew. As Jegal Jin-hee predicted, they obtained some advanced martial arts and secret techniques through Shinchun. However, this would eventually be a trap constraining the Jegal Family. Chapter 182: Twisted Fate I guarantee that those who assisted the rebellion did not approach Jegal Gi-hwan with pure intentions. Therefore, the martial arts they taught must contain a trap. For example, they could have subtly altered the mnemonics to cause Qi Deviation the deeper one delves into the technique. In reality, the main members of the new Jegal family, who faced the crisis of Qi Deviation, had to voluntarily be the dogs of Shinchun to survive. Just to obtain even a clue to solve the Qi Deviation. Elder Jegal Gi-hwan is not such a foolish man. He wouldnt have carelessly mastered a martial art that contains a trap, right? Thats exactly the trap. Those who consider themselves smart often believe that their opponents cannot deceive them. Just like this rebellion. !!! How did Jegal Mun, who couldnt even trust his children due to his intense paranoia, lose his life overnight? The three who understood Mu-jins words had serious expressions.So, Monk Mu-jin, you are saying we should uncover the trap hidden in this martial arts manual and reveal that the external forces that assisted the rebellion intend to swallow the Jegal family? In addition, if we can portray Jegal Gi-hwans group, who initiated the rebellion by bringing in such untrustworthy people, as fools who sold out the family, we will have achieved our goal. If the opponents justification is Lets remove the despicable main branch obsessed with power, then we can paint them as traitors! That was Mu-jins logic. However, after hearing all the stories, the three still had somewhat puzzled expressions. There remains one problem. Can we find the trap that even Elder Jegal Gi-hwan couldnt? Jegal Jin-hee pointed out the biggest w in the n, but Mu-jin smiled lightly instead. Theres no need to worry. Theres someone outside who can solve that problem. Outside the formation, there was a martial arts genius waiting. A remarkable individual who could steal any martial art just by watching it without needing the manual. Perhaps it was due to Mu-jins confident attitude. Eventually, Jegal Jin-hee and Jegal Gung decided to ept his proposal. However, even so, a problem still remained. Then we must now find a way to escape this ce and return to the family. In response to Jegal Jin-hees words, Mu-jin discussed a strategy he had thought of since entering this hideout. How about conducting a feint operation? There was no suitable expression in the East, so he called it a feint operation. The strategy Mu-jin thought of was the famous hammer and anvil tactic he had learned from a military history book during his service in the army. * * * Around the hideout where Jegal Gung and his group were hiding, there were a little over fifty martial artists stationed. Among them, about forty were dismantling the formation from the front, waiting for their opponents to either break out or destroy the formation. The remaining nearly twenty martial artists were spread out in a circle, watching for anyone trying to sneak out, these were the ones Mu-jin and Ling-ling nearly encountered while sneaking in. When will we be able to dismantle the formation? Asked a man in ck attire, gritting his teeth. It was a blow to his pride as a member of the Jegal family. Damn it. But ignoring his feelings, the man in ck urged him again. We need a definite answer to prepare ourselves. Ahem. Its almost dismantled. It seems to be a formation created by one of the previous heads of the family. Its an old method, so it took a while to get used to it. Even though they helped with the rebellion, the Jegal familys martial artists were getting sick of these outsiders acting like they were in charge. Damn it. I havent even found a clue, let alone a solution. Unable to reveal his inner thoughts due to his pride, the Jegal family martial artist pretended to work by throwing a stone at the formation. Ziiiing. For some reason, the stone caused a ripple. Why, why is this working!? He solved the problem but didnt know why, resembling a modern-day programmer. Oh! Truly remarkable, Jegal family! Unaware of the internal struggle, the man in ck was merely pleased. In the meantime, the ripples in the formation grewrger. Soon enough. Uuuuung!! With a heavy sound, a structure that was previously invisible appeared before their eyes. A building in the midst of small bushes and trees. It could be a trap! We should proceed cautiously! Despite the caution from the Jegal family martial artist who dismantled the formation, the man in ck, fed up with the caution, gave an order. Send one person inside! If theres no problem, everyone will charge! Yes, sir! At his order, one of his subordinates boldly moved towards the building. As he made his fearless charge, a change urred. A man dressed in the Jegal familys uniform appeared to block the Shinchun martial artist. Haaat! ng! The two men shed at the entrance of the hideout for a moment. Send another one! Thinking it might still be a trap, the leader of the ck-d men sent another subordinate into the formation. But no additional enemies appeared, and the lone man barely held off the two attackers. It seems that fellow is just a sacrificial pawn to buy time. Whistle! With his words, a red signal re and a whistle sounded from the back cliff of the hideout. It was the signal the watchers around the hideout had prepared, to be used if Jegal Gungs group tried to escape. They are starting to flee! If we dont hurry, we might lose them! But it could still be a trap Damn it! Ignoring the caution of the Jegal family member, the leader of the ck-d men made a quick decision. Everyone charge inside! If nothing happens inside, well all storm in! Yes, sir! At hismand, the ck-d men rushed towards the formation, and the hesitant Jegal family martial artists had no choice but to follow. As most of the martial artists stepped into the formations location. Ziiiing. The formation, which they thought had been dismantled, reactivated. Damn it. Stay on the path! Fortunately or unfortunately, a single path leading to the hideout remained open. And at the sole exit, a lone man stood tenaciously blocking the path. There was only one way out, and the path was so narrow that at most one or two martial artists could fight against him. As a result, about forty martial artists found themselves blocked by just one man. But fortunately, the most skilled leader of the men in ck had entered the formation third. Move aside! He grabbed one of his subordinates who was fighting in front of him, threw him behind, and stepped forward. Haat! With the intention of quickly killing the man blocking the path and moving past, the leader unleashed his technique. Swoosh! Indeed, unable to withstand the force, the opponents sword was instantly cut in two. ng! Amazingly, the opponent blocked the technique, which had even split the weapon, with his bare fist. To be precise, with the golden energy enveloping his bare fist. Was there a master among Jegal Gungs bodyguards who could handle energy? Even though the leader of the men in ck was puzzled, he continued to swing his sword, but the opponent effortlessly blocked his attacks with his fists. Realizing that they would lose the enemies slipping away behind them, the leader urgently shouted. Go around the formation! We cant waste time here! Though the path had narrowed due to the formation, the entrance they hade through remained. It was an order to bypass the formation and support from behind, even if it took some time. Thunk! Swoosh! Argh! For some reason, screams began to be heard from the back of the formation. What is going on!? While the leader of the men in ck was wondering about the inexplicable situation. It seems theyve finally arrived. The man who had been barely holding off his sword strikes suddenly muttered. Whirr. Suddenly, the golden energy that had been concentrated only on his fists began to envelop his entire body. S-Shaolin Dragon!? Why was he here? And wearing Jegal Gungs uniform? There was no time to voice his doubts. The Shaolin Dragon, now fully enveloped in energy, charged at the leader of the men in ck, abandoning his previously defensive stance. Even as a subordinate swung a de imbued with energy from the side, he paid no attention. In fact, the subordinates de was blocked by the Shaolin Dragons energy, yielding no result. In the meantime, the Shaolin Dragons punch flew towards the leader of the men in ck. ng! Ugh! The man barely blocked the first strike, but the relentless offensive left him unable to keep his wits. Thunk! Before long, the Shaolin Dragons fist pierced through the mans abdomen. * * * Whew. Mu-jin, having dealt with the reasonably skilled man, let out a light sigh. In the hammer and anvil strategy, Mu-jin himself was the anvil. Using the formation to create a narrow passage, they trapped the enemies there. Mu-jin held off the enemies at the front, while reinforcements attacked from behind. If the forty men had been allowed to scatter, it would have been impossible for Mu-jin to hold them all off alone, but with the power of the formation, it was not difficult. Thanks to his internal energy having increased by half a rank, he could now fully utilize the Golden Turtle Technique for an extended period. However, even with the increased internal energy, Mu-jin wore a regretful expression. Once this is over, I need to rebuild my body. He was thinking about the lost muscle mass. Had his muscles been as they were in his prime, he would have subdued the man much more quickly. While Mu-jin was lost in these thoughts. Die, you monster! The man in ck, whom Mu-jin had been ignoring, swung his de again. ng! The de strike was once again blocked by the Golden Turtle Technique, producing a futile metallic sound. Wheres that mosquito buzzing from? Muttering irritably, Mu-jin shook off his thoughts about muscle loss and attacked the man. After quickly subduing the man, Mu-jin dealt with a few more enemies blocking his path. As his view cleared, he saw the reinforcements attacking the enemies at the entrance of the formation. Hyah! Haap! Die!! They were Ling-ling, Mu-yul, and Mu-gyeong. For the hammer and anvil strategy, Mu-jin had entrusted Ling-ling with a letter to be delivered outside the formation the night before. Even when entering the formation, Ling-ling had used her extraordinary sense of smell to avoid the encirclement, so he judged it wouldnt be difficult for her to deliver the letter. As Mu-jin had hoped, Ling-ling had sessfully delivered the letter to their allies. Thus, three people and one animal managed to create a bizarre battle scenario where they overwhelmed forty enemies. By the time they had dealt with about half of them. Mu-jin, well help you! Jegal Jin-hee and herpanions, who had been ying the role of disruptors, joined them to help. Among them were Mu-gung, Dao Yuetian, and the members of Cheongsu Dojang. The hammer and anvil strategy was being used in two ces simultaneously. Just as Mu-jin yed the role of the anvil alone, Jegal Jin-hee and Jegal Gungs bodyguards pretended to retreat, luring the enemies. Behind them, Mu-gung, Dao Yuetian, and the members of Cheongsu Dojangunched a surprise attack. From the beginning, Mu-jin had divided the reinforcements into two groups, intending to narrow the path with the formation. Mu-gyeong, Mu-yul, and Ling-ling, who fought well in narrow spaces, were with Mu-jin. The other three, who were eitherrger or used weapons, were with Jegal Jin-hee. Chapter 183: Twisted Fate After clearing the rear, Jegal Jin-hees party, along with Mu-gung, Cheongsu Dojang, and Dao Yuetian, managed to eliminate the remaining enemies in no time. Due to the narrow path, they couldnt all fight at once. Instead, they took turns, swapping out whenever their internal energy depleted, gradually wearing down their foes. Immediately after the battle, Jegal Jin-hee gazed at Mu-jins group with aplex expression. Everyones skills have improved absurdly. While it was expected that Mu-jin, who won the Yongbongji Conference, had improved, the others were also iparable to their previous selves. This must be the difference made by realbat experience Jegal Jin-hee was aware that they had caused havoc in Guangxi Province, fighting numerous unorthodox martial artists. As a martial artist before a woman, her emotions were understandably mixed.But who is that man? In the midst of this, her gaze shifted to Dao Yuetian. Although Dao Yuetian had participated in the Yongbongji Conference, Jegal Jin-hee did not remember him. It wasnt that her memory was poor. He simply wasnt worth her attention because he was defeated by Namgung Jin-cheon in a single move. Ah, could he be the one Mu-jin mentioned would uncover the trap in the martial arts manual? Jegal Jin-hee thought, but she was mistaken. Mu-gyeong, have you read the manual? At Mu-jins question, all eyes turned to Mu-gyeong. Last night, Mu-jin had sent the Moonlight Immortal Dance manual along with a letter to Ling-ling. Sigh. Do you think deciphering a martial arts manual is that easy? Mu-gyeong, who had spent the entire night examining the manual, let out a deep sigh. Naturally, Jegal Gung and Jegal Jin-hee, who had high expectations for Mu-gyeong, thought, As expected. So, you couldnt find the problem? Im not certain, but I found some potentially problematic sections. As Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong continued their discussion, Jegal Gung and Jegal Jin-hees eyes widened. They had also read the manual. To find something they couldnt in just one night What is the issue? At Jegal Gungs urgent question, Mu-gyeong scratched his head awkwardly. Its not certain, but based on Mu-jins letter, which mentioned a hidden trap that could lead to Qi Deviation, I found some mnemonics that might pose such a risk. What parts exactly? When Jegal Jin-hee asked again, Mu-gyeong opened the manual and spoke. Here, this part, and also here. Some of the internal energy mnemonics guide the energy to pass through the Baihui point to amplify the flow. Theoretically, it makes perfect sense, but the human body doesnt always function perfectly ording to theory. So, does using this technique damage the Baihui point? At first, its not an issue. However, in theter stages, using advanced techniques while the internal energy is amplified could cause micro-damage to the Baihui point. As this damage umtes, it could lead to Qi Deviation. Ah Jegal Gung and Jegal Jin-hee both sighed deeply. The phrase, Theoretically, it makes perfect sense, seemed to sharply point out the reality of the Jegal family. When they read the manual, it made perfect sense to them, so they didnt find it strange. So, was this martial art created to intentionally cause Qi Deviation? Jegal Jin-hee asked, but Mu-gyeong shook his head. I dont think so. If it were intentionally altered, it would be noticeable. It seems more like a contradiction caused by the absence of aplementary internal energy method. What do you mean? The name Moonlight Immortal Dance implies that it is based on Yin energy. If one utilizes Yin energy while practicing this technique, the cold energy might cool the Baihui point, preventing Qi Deviation even with high internal energy. After his long exnation, Mu-gyeong, feeling embarrassed by their stares, added, But I could be wrong. Those around him could only gape at him, looking at him as if he were a monster. Of course, Mu-jin, already aware of Mu-gyeongs incredible talent, didnt pay it much mind. Now that this problem is resolved, we should move quickly to the Jegal family. Although they had sessfully defeated the encircling formation, they didnt have much time. The Jegal family might be suspicious of theck ofmunication, or someone left behind might still be hiding. Do you n to seek help from Shaolin? Jegal Gung asked, but Mu-jin shook his head. Shaolin is too far from here. Its not easy to hold out here until they arrive, and by the time Shaolin responds, the Jegal family would be informed. Besides, the Jegal family is currently aligned against Shaolin, which could lead to arge-scale war. Then, where do you have in mind? Wudang. A sect close to the Jegal family. Moreover, a sect Mu-jin had previously shown favor to. He had extended a favor to prevent future conflicts with the Jegal family, and now it was time to collect that favor. However, Jegal Gung tilted his head at Mu-jins words. But Wudang is also allied with Shaolin, so wouldnt it still lead to arge-scale war? Thats why a swift resolution is necessary. While Shaolin or the Sichuan Tang n would take time to mobilize and potentially cause a war, Wudang could act swiftly and finish the matter before the information spreads. Then, once you seize control of the Jegal family, you can dere their stance. In any case, speed is of the essence. Exactly. Also, since Wudang is close to the Jegal family, we must be careful not to alert them of our approach. How about this? You, Shaolin Dragon, head to Wudang separately while we move towards the Jegal family from a different direction. Are you suggesting a diversion tactic? Yes. The enemies attention will naturally be on us, reducing the risk of you getting caught while recruiting Wudang. Even in urgent situations, Jegal Gung, as the heir of the Jegal family, devised a n. It might be better if I go alone, but it would be more effective if Cheongsu Dojang apanies me. Indeed, Wudang values Master Cheongpung of Cheongsu Dojang greatly, so it would aid in persuasion. Having set the distribution of personnel and the overall strategy, they quickly agreed on the details such as when and where to regroup before getting up. * * * Following the n, Mu-jin parted ways with the group and headed towards Mount Wudang with Cheongsu Dojang. While he was persuading the Wudang Sect, if Jegal Gungs side were to fall to the enemies, everything would be meaningless. No, it would be worse than meaningless because hisrades were with them. Ha! Therefore, Mu-jin and Cheongsu Dojang had to use their qinggong continuously. In just one day, they covered the distance from the Eunshi Grand Canyon to Mount Wudang. Cheongsu Dojang, who moved with Mu-jin, looked up at the very familiar mountain with aplex expression. Are you ready? But thatsted only for a moment. At Mu-jins question, Cheongsu Dojang nodded resolutely. Yes, Mu-jin. The two quickly started climbing Mount Wudang with their qinggong and soon reached Haegeomji, the entrance to Wudang. However, the disciples guarding Haegeomji did not ask them to surrender their weapons. Instead, the two disciples guarding the entrance shouted in surprise. Cheongsu! You finally returned! They weed Cheongsu Dojang back after half a year. Meanwhile, they asionally red at Mu-jin. Clearing his throat Mu-jin knew why they were reacting that way and could only cough awkwardly. After all, their havoc in Guangxi Province was well known throughout the martial world. From Wudangs perspective, hearing that their well-nurtured disciple risked his life in the unorthodox territories would be infuriating. There were some unfair points from Mu-jins perspective. Cheongsu Dojang wasnt dragged in by him; he had followed on his own ord. Even so, Mu-jin had to endure their fierce res because: Hopefully, they wont notice that hes gone berserk Cheongsu Dojang had be a murderous sword demon who smiled while killing, after taking Mu-jins advice. Of course, he only went berserk against viins, but Wudang wouldnt ept that exnation. Therefore, they had to lead them quickly to help the Jegal family before Cheongsus change was noticed. Lets go inside first. Shaolin Dragon, you shoulde in as well. I will. Ignoring the sharp gazes from Wudangs disciples, Mu-jin passed through Haegeomji with them. Hmm? As he walked through Wudang, Mu-jin noticed something strange. There are significantly fewer disciples. In the past, Mu-jin had visited Wudang to teach their Taoists wrist exercises under the name of martial exchange with Shaolin. But there were far fewer disciples nowpared to then. As Mu-jin pondered over this, Cheongsu! Wudangs Taoists, who had received the news, came rushing towards them. Among them, the most noticeable was Yunheo Zhenren, who moved as if stepping on clouds, fitting his name. Wow hes like a real Taoist. Despite moving from the farthest ce, Yunheo Zhenren descended before all the disciples by walking through the air. Cheongsu. Wudangs third disciple, Cheongsu. I greet you, Taesajo-nim. So, how was your half-year journey? As you advised, I broadened my horizons and learned about the world. At Cheongsu Dojangs answer, Yunheo Zhenren suddenly drew his Songmun Antique Sword. Cheongsu. Yes, Taesajo-nim. Then, can you show me the world you saw during the past half-year? I will. Do theymunicate through swords? At Yunheo Zhenrens words, Cheongsu Dojang drew his sword from his side and saluted. Boundless Blessings. After saluting, Cheongsu Dojang took a stance, and Yunheo Zhenren naturally lowered his sword. Watching this, Mu-jin thought, Even standing leisurely, theres no opening. In the past, when he watched Yunheo Zhenren and Hyeon-gwang spar, Mu-jins impression was simple. A monstrous battle. It felt like a fight between beings that were not human. However, now that his skills had improved, his feelings were a bit different from the vague ones he had back then. Instead, the enormous gap between him and Yunheo Zhenren felt more tangible. As Cheongsu Dojangs sword began to draw a circle towards Yunheo Zhenren, Yunheo Zhenren also responded by drawing a simr circle with his sword. As the two masters danced in a sword battle for a brief moment, Whats this? Theres no differencepared to before you left Wudang. Yunheo Zhenren softly deflected Cheongsu Dojangs sword and questioned him as if scolding. Did you perhaps lose interest in wielding the sword after seeing the world? His question stemmed from Cheongsu Dojangs expression. Cheongsu Dojang, who always seemed overjoyed to sh swords with strong opponents, was now wielding his sword with a serious face. At this question, while dancing in a sword battle with Yunheo Zhenren, Cheongsu Dojang nced at Mu-jin. Wielding a sword willingly for the right cause, for the weak. Isnt that what being a chivalrous hero is about? And more than anything, To achieve this, I must either abandon the sect or change it with my own hands. How could he convince and change the elders of the sect while hiding what he felt and realized? Forgive me, Taesajo-nim. From now on, I will show you the world I saw. Boundless Blessings. As he said this, Cheongsu Dojang began to draw another circle in the air. It seemed no different from before, but Ting. When Cheongsu Dojangs sword and Yunheo Zhenrens Songmun Antique Sword shed, a tiny sound urred. Swoosh! Cheongsu Dojangs sword, drawing a circle, suddenly twisted at a strange angle, and a sharp killing blow aimed at Yunheo Zhenrens vital point. No! Thats not it, Cheongsu! Mu-jin, who came to persuade Wudang, instinctively realized. He had failed. Chapter 184: The Fox Borrows the Tigers Might Said its killing intent!? What is this!? As expected by Mu-jin, the Wudang elders and disciples watching the match went into an uproar. *Ping!* From then on, every time the swords of Cheongsu Dojang and Yunheo Zhenren shed, which danced in circles, and every time a slight change urred in the circle *Swoosh!* Without fail, the killing intent of Cheongsu Dojangs sword moved straight towards Yunheo Zhenren to kill him. Hahaha!Even bursting into the sameughter that he showed back in his days as a sword genius, as if he was having the time of his life. Each time this happened, the number of Wudang Sect elders suspiciously looking at Mu-jin increased. This is bad Mu-jin thought it might be better to give up and join Jegal Gung alone now. However, regardless of Mu-jins thoughts, Yunheo Zhenren, who had deflected all of Cheongsu Dojangs killing intent swords, suddenly sheathed his sword. This is enough. When Yunheo Zhenren stepped back, Cheongsu Dojang reluctantly sheathed his sword as well. Is that sword a result of what youve seen and felt of the world? Yes, Grand Elder. Why did you make such a decision? In response to Yunheo Zhenrens question, Cheongsu Dojang began to recount what he had seen in Guangxi Province. Bandits killing and extorting goods from passersby. ve traders kidnapping and selling people. The cannibalistic inn Mu-jin had told him about, and the incidents at So-cheongmun. Also, thanks to the experience in Guangxi Province, I was able to regain forgotten memories. Hoo At Cheongsu Dojangsst words, several elders sighed deeply. Yunheo Zhenren also felt bitter but managed his expression and asked. So, do you want to kill them all? Yes. At the moment of Cheongsu Dojangs answer, a deep sigh emanated from the elders. Mu-jin also sighed deeply. Regardless of the surrounding reactions, Cheongsu Dojang continued speaking without care. But, its not a sword meant only for that. Then, what is it for? Its a sword to protect the weak. A sword to protect the weak? Yet, it is so filled with killing intent. Why is that? Because I have only one body. When Yunheo Zhenren showed a puzzled expression at Cheongsu Dojangs answer, he exined further. There are too many like the bandits and ve traders, and the weak I can protect are only those within my reach. Eventually, even if I save them now, they will be in danger again once I leave. So, I realized I need to eliminate the evildoers who torment the weak when I protect them. To protect the weak, you eliminate evildoers. Thats the conclusion you reached after seeing the world. Yes, Grand Elder. Upon hearing Cheongsu Dojangs answer, Yunheo Zhenren chanted Amitabha and closed his eyes. Naturally, a profound silence fell over the Wudang Sect, and as Mu-jin was beginning to consider secretly running away Finally, Yunheo Zhenren opened his eyes. But for some reason, when he opened his eyes, Yunheo Zhenrens gaze was not directed at Cheongsu but at Mu-jin. Naturally, Mu-jins throat bobbed violently under Yunheo Zhenrens gaze. Could it be that hes going to make me pay for my sins? Mu-jin, who had just barely survived fighting against the low-ranking Wolf King, with the help of hispanions and the artifact Dragon Scale Thread. And now the Yunheo Zhenren, one of the Three Swords of the World, was targeting him? It was as good as being dead already. But Yunheo Zhenrens thoughts were entirely different from Mu-jins assumptions. Amitabha. Thanks to that kid, Cheongsu hasnt gonepletely astray. Yunheo Zhenren wasnt a fool. It wasnt possible to keep Cheongsu locked up in Wudang, only showing him a beautiful world. As someone dedicated to the sword, he was bound to witness the worlds ugliness someday. As his grand elder, it was sad that the boy had realized the worlds evil too early. To protect the weak, eliminate the evil At least, such a mindset could be embraced by the Wudang Sect. Moreover, it was fortunate that he didnt turn into a sword demon despite regaining his forgotten memories. And presumably, it was thanks to that child named Mu-jin that he didnt be a sword demon. After organizing his thoughts to that point, Yunheo Zhenren turned his gaze to Cheongsu Dojang and spoke. If thats your intention, then follow that path. Senior Brother! What are you saying!? Naturally, the Wudang elders behind him were in an uproar, but Yunheo Zhenren didnt mind. I confirmed with my sword that your intent was not blinded by the desire to kill. If it was a sword meant only for killing, it would have been different earlier, wouldnt it? Yes, Grand Elder. Perhaps because Yunheo Zhenren understood his heart, Cheongsu Dojang responded with a bright expression, taking a fist-to-palm salute as he did when wielding his sword. If your intention is to protect the weak, how could I me you? But, from what I see, your sword still seemscking to fulfill your dream. Yes, Grand Elder. I n to return to the school for a while to hone my swordsmanship. Do so. After this matter is resolved. After saying that, Yunheo Zhenren immediately turned his gaze to Mu-jin standing alone behind Cheongsu. Since you came here with our Cheongsu, there must be a reason. Tell us your story. Was the intuition of an elder something that couldnt be ignored? Should I say it or not? The reactions of the Wudang Sect disciples behind him were not favorable, but Yunheo Zhenren seemed to have epted Cheongsus change to some extent. Well, nothing to lose by trying. He had already incurred a debt to Wudang, so they wouldnt kill him. Eventually, Mu-jin exined the current situation of the Jegal family and the n they had devised. And after listening to all of Mu-jins exnation, Yunheo Zhenren stroked his beard. I did not realize such things were happening right under the Jegal familys nose. However, currently, only about half of our Wudang disciples are here. The rest are scattered across the Central ins searching for Cheongsu. Mu-jin interpreted Yunheo Zhenrens words as a gentle refusal. Hence, he contemted bringing up the debt he had previously incurred. Well, lets do this. Since weck disciples, only two from Wudang will join. Cheongsu and myself. !!! Mu-jin was stunned by Yunheo Zhenrens following words. I thought they might send a few dozen disciples at best. Having Yunheo Zhenren, one of the Three Swords of the World, personally move was unimaginable. Mu-jin, who intended to rely on the prestige of Wudangs disciples, now found himself riding not a tiger but a dragon. As Mu-jin rejoiced over gaining unexpectedly strong reinforcements, Yunheo Zhenren, curious about the spar earlier, questioned Cheongsu. Cheongsu. Yes, Grand Elder. By the way, where is your Songmun Antique Sword? I see you wield a sword Ive never seen before. That it broke. Cheongsu spoke with a hint of regret, feeling apologetic for breaking the gift from the sect, but Yunheo Zhenren didnt mind that part. It broke while you were wielding it? He focused more on the fact that Cheongsus sword had broken. Though they live enjoying nature in the mountains, the Wudang Sect is known as the current greatest sect in the world. The Songmun Antique Sword they use, though not a divine weapon, is strong enough to be considered a famous sword. Even more so, it broke while being wielded by Cheongsu, who had mastered the Taegeuk Haegum. My skills were insufficient. It broke in just this match. Could it be that you encountered one of the leaders of the Seven Pirs in Guangxi Province? I didnt hear his name, but he wielded Langdao. Langdao? Yes. He was skilled enough to control his qi freely, but his name waspletely unknown in the martial world. If not for Do-wolcheon stabbing him in the abdomen to hold him down, we would never have survived. Huh At Cheongsu Dojangs response, the surrounding Wudang sword masters all looked at Mu-jin withplex expressions. While they were grateful that Mu-jin had saved Cheongsu Dojang at the risk of his own life, they also knew the situation wouldnt have arisen if Mu-jin hadnt taken him to such a dangerous ce. However, Yunheo Zhenren and a few of the elders focused on more significant issues than that minor detail. Though there are many extraordinary figures in the martial world, its rare for someone of such skill to bepletely unknown. To control qi freely meant he was a grandmaster, and it would have been even more unusual for his name to remain unknown while reaching such heights. But instead of immediately exining about the Wolf King, Mu-jin urged Yunheo Zhenren. For now, the Jegal familys situation is urgent, so if it is eptable to you, Master of the Taiji Sword, I would like to depart immediately. Hmm. Rather than standing here and talking, saving peoplees first. Lead the way. Thus, Mu-jin, Cheongsu, and Yunheo Zhenren departed from Wudang. * * * While traveling to the meeting ce using lightness techniques, Mu-jin exined the Wolf King and the organization Shinchun to Yunheo Zhenren. He had chosen to discuss it after leaving Wudang to maintain urgency and in case of unexpected situations. Many sects, including the Cheonryu Sangdan, Sichuan Tang n, and Jegal family, had confirmed that spies were lurking among them. Even if Wudang hadnt fallen to Shinchun, there was likely at least one or two spies hidden within. Of course, Mu-jin didnt tell Yunheo Zhenren everything from the novel. He appropriately mixed in the incidents they experienced in Guangxi Province and Sichuan Province to provide partial but shocking information about them. Even that was enough to shock Yunheo Zhenren. Huh The Seven Pirs. Among the Ten Great Experts known as the Seven Kings and the Three Swords of the World, one of the Seven Kings was barely defeated by the Dark King in Sichuan Province, and another was miraculously killed by Mu-jins group and Cheongsu using a relic. Despite this, five of the Seven Pirs still remained, and one of them was likely Hyeok Jin-gang, one of the Three Swords of the World. Moreover, from what he heard, even Hyeok Jin-gang didnt seem to be the leader. However, the most concerning part for Yunheo Zhenren wasnt the number of strong enemies. It was the stories of spies infiltrating many major sects and the various plots they were scheming that struck fear into Yunheo Zhenren the most. The entire martial world was being manipted by them. Even while having such conversations, the three traveled swiftly using their lightness techniques. After traveling for two hours, they arrived at the agreed location, Xiangfan County. Xiangfan County was about a hundred li away from Zhongshan, where the Jegal family was located, close enough for a martial artist to reach Zhongshan in half an hour. However, they seemed to have moved too hastily. At the agreed meeting ce, the Mu-yang Inn in Xiangfan County, Jegal Gungs group had not yet arrived. Did something happen to them on the way? The n was devised with the assumption that the Jegal family would be informed of the breach of the encirclement at the Eunshi Grand Canyon and that they would need time to rebuild their defenses. The reason they chose Xiangfan County, near the Jegal family, was to maintain the element of surprise and consider realistic travel distances. Unlike Mu-jin and Cheongsu Dojang, who stopped by Wudang, some members of Jegal Gungs group were less skilled in lightness techniques. Considering their speed, Xiangfan County was the ce where Mu-jin and Cheongsu Dojang could stop by Wudang and still arrive at a simr time. Damn martial arts world. At times like this, Mu-jin longed for modernmunication devices like walkie-talkies or cell phones. It was impossible to carry out a coordinated operation without any means ofmunication. Whew. As Mu-jin was anxiously pacing, worrying that something might have happened to Jegal Gungs group, the door of the inn creaked open. Mu-jin! Phew. Seeing Mu-yul and Ling-ling cheerfully entering first, Mu-jin couldnt help but let out a sigh of relief. Chapter 185: Fox Borrows the Tigers Might Following Mu-yul and Ling-ling, Mu-gyeong, Mu-gung, Dao Yuetian, and the members of the Jegal family began entering the guesthouse one by one. !!! Some of those who entered the guesthouse widened their eyes upon spotting Yunheo Zhenren. Having met him in person before, they recognized him instantly. We greet the Taiji Sword Immortal. We greet the Taiji Sword Immortal. As they cupped their fists and bowed, Yunheo Zhenren waved his hand to stop them. Now is not the time for formalities. We can observe them after the task at hand ispleted.Thank you for your consideration. Shall we depart immediately, then? Lets do so. Yunheo Zhenrens leisurely response, as if suggesting a casual stroll, made the people in the guesthouse look at him in admiration. Thebination of the Jegal familys warriors and Mu-jins group had already seeded in breaking the siege at the Eunshi Grand Canyon. And now, with the addition of the Taiji Sword Immortal, one of the Three Swords of the World, there was no need to worry. Of course, the Jegal family was renowned not just for their martial prowess but for the formidable formations that surrounded them like an impregnable fortress. With us here, theres no need to worry about those formations. After all, they were the rightful owners of the family. Now, it was just a matter of driving out the bandits upying their home. * * * Deep within the Jegal familys residence. A heavy atmosphere lingered. The siege at the Eunshi Grand Canyon has been broken? Yes, Master. The elderly head of the family, Jegal Gi-hwan, asked, and Jegal-hyeon bowed his head in response. Jegal-hyeon, who yed a key role in the rebellion, now had to acknowledge that the final execution of his ns had been wed. They couldnt have broken the siege with their strength alone. Do you know what happened? ording to reports from our hidden observers, they discovered the Shaolin Dragon along with Shaolin monks, Cheongsu Dojang members, and a young unidentified swordsman. Jegal-hyeons report made the expressions of those present turnplex. All but one. The middle-aged man, leader of the warriors sent by Shinchun, had already been briefed on the situation through Shinchun. If they have saved Jegal Gung, they likely took him to Shaolin. Should we seek help from our allies? The man, Yeom Do-cheol, asked the head of the Jegal family. Do you mean Emei, Qingcheng, and Hwasan? Yes. Since they are interfering with the Jegal familys internal affairs, we should unite with our allies to drive out Shaolins interference. They hadnt yet involved Shaolin, but it was the only choice left. The strategists of the Jegal family were aware of this as well. Yet, none of them easily spoke up for a simple reason. Weve only recently borrowed power from them, and now we need to seek external help again. Relying on them meant inviting more interference from Emei, Qingcheng, and Hwasan. As the head of the family and the new core members of the Jegal family pondered in silence. Heh heh heh. The foolish Shaolin Dragon is helping us. Yeom Do-cheol sneered internally. Thanks to the cunning of the First Daeju, the orthodox factions had split into three. And now, the Shaolin Dragon had caused such amotion. If the orthodox factions waged war against each other, it would indeed be a windfall for them. As they were lost in their thoughts, a sudden report shattered the silence in the hall. Urgent news! What is it? A group of about twenty, including Jegal Gung, is approaching the family! What?! As if rehearsed, those in the hall eximed in unison. Even Yeom Do-cheol, who had been mocking the Shaolin Dragons foolishness, was surprised. * * * Leaving behind Jegal Gungs wife, Jamihwa, and a few otherscking martial skills at the Mukyang Guesthouse in Yangfan County, Mu-jins group headed straight for Yongjung Mountain. Utilizing their qinggong, they reached Yongjung Mountain, and after ascending a bit, they spotted a huge building in the distance. From here on, follow our movements carefully. Jegal Gung instructed Yunheo Zhenren and Mu-jins group, then started walking in a peculiar manner along with the Jegal familys warriors. This must be the Jegal familys formation! Mu-jin, following Jegal Gung through the formation, asionally nced back at Dao Yuetian. This feels quite strange. In the novel, Dao Yuetian had single-handedly brought down the Jegal family. Now, Mu-jin was leading him to the Jegal family. Things are quite different from the novel. Instead of bringing down the Jegal family, he was helping the rightful heir, Jegal Gung. Besides. In the novel, I simply smashed through these formations with brute force. These formations were not something to be easily passed through. As they followed the Jegal family members through the formations. Jegal Jin-hee, who was leading, suddenly stopped and spoke to Jegal Gung. Father, it seems they have slightly altered the formation. Hmm. It hasnt been long, so they couldnt have made significant changes. Jegal Gung, stepping forward, surveyed the surroundings and confidently took a step. This is indeed the cunning of the Jegal family. Contrary to his previous fugitive state, Jegal Gungs demeanor in dismantling the formation was quite reliable. This is thest one. Jegal Gung said, leading the group through the final formation. Who goes there?! They were greeted by the sight of Jegal family warriors pointing weapons at them from the familys walls. How dare you call me, Jegal Gung, the heir of the Jegal family, a mere who?! Had he forgotten his fugitive state? Or was it his trust in Yunheo Zhenren standing with them? Jegal Gungs voice was confident and firm. But the response he received was nothing short of ridicule. The supposedly dead Jegal Gung has returned alive? What a ridiculous lie. You knave! The elderly man in the center of the warriors shouted, and Jegal Gung replied angrily. Jegal Gi-hwan, you scoundrel! So you are the mastermind behind this! Only then did Mu-jin recognize the old man as Jegal Gi-hwan from the novel. Meanwhile, Jegal Gi-hwan shouted again. What are you all doing? Do you believe these impostors over your own eyes that saw Jegal Gung and his sons heads? Understanding Jegal Gi-hwans words, Mu-jins group realized his meaning. Are you all deceived by Jegal Jin-hee, that treacherous woman?! She couldnt hide her ambition for the head position, so she created a fake with a mask resembling her fathers face! Dont be fooled by his lies! I am the rightful heir, Jegal Gung! As they alternated shouts, confusion spread among the Jegal familys warriors. What does it matter if he is Jegal Gung or not? Do you want to live under the oppression of the main line again?! Jegal Gi-hwans words instantly changed the atmosphere. Eventually, whether Jegal Gung was alive or dead didnt matter. Jegal Gi-hwan had already used Jegal Gung of being an impostor. If everyone in the family sided with Jegal Gi-hwan, that im would be the truth. From the perspective of those who had been discriminated against as coteral branches, this was a very tempting proposition. However, Jegal Gung was not flustered because, thanks to Mu-jin, he had anticipated this situation. Are you really going to trust those who are trying to sell out our family to foreign forces? How dare you say we sold out the family! If not, who are those people who helped you? Moreover, the legitimacy of the Murim Familyes from martial arts! Because of you, our familys secret arts like the Hyunwon Jeondan Divine Technique, Seven-string Invisible Sword, and Cheongimi Relocation Step have been lost. How will you atone for this? Jegal Gi-hwan sneered at Jegal Gungs usation. Hmph! Isnt that just proof of your own wickedness? You used your bloodline as an excuse to forbid the transmission of martial arts, hindering the familys progress. You are the parasites of the family! Thats why I am rectifying the family! Instead of your so-called superior martial arts, I will teach everyone the new divine techniques I have created! Ohhh!! The martial artists of the Jegal family, who had been listening to their conversation, burst into exmations of admiration at Jegal Gi-hwans confident words. He imed to have created new divine techniques to rece the old ones made by the direct line! And he promised to teach these techniques to the coteral branches! As the familys martial artists reacted vehemently, Jegal Gi-hwan smirked inwardly. This was the very reason he had engaged in this debate. He intended to use this opportunity to emphasize the resentment against the direct line and solidify his position as the undisputed head of the family. But Jegal Gi-hwans words were exactly what Jegal Gung had been waiting for. Are you trying to deceive the family with lies? If you truly created new divine techniques on your own, what do you call this martial arts manual? With that, Jegal Gung took out the martial arts manual of the Moonlight Fan Dance he had brought with him. This manual was obtained by the martial artists over there and given to Jin-hee under the guise of new divine techniques. As soon as Jegal Gung finished speaking, Jegal Jin-hee stepped forward, holding two fans. And then her fan dance began. Her movements were ever-changing and elegant, and the soft fan energy flowed from her fans. But contrary to her graceful movements, the energy felt sharp and sinister. The martial arts she disyed were far superior to the ck and White Fan Technique she had been practicing. It truly embodied the phrase new divine techniques. Ugh. Suddenly, she stopped her dance and coughed up blood. With a pale face, she spoke. The mnemonics of this manual are theoretically correct, but there is a hidden trap. The more you master it, the more it strains the Baihui acupoint, leading to Qi Deviation! And the martial arts you received from Jegal Gi-hwan must also have such traps! You might not have discovered them yet! Jegal Gi-hwans expression changed dramatically at the sessive words from Jegal Jin-hee and Jegal Gung. I couldnt find the trap hidden in the manual? Something those bastards discovered in just a few days? Jegal Gi-hwan, who prided himself on his talent surpassing the direct line, could not tolerate a greater humiliation. Hmph! Its only because youcked the talent to master it properly. I know there is no w in those martial arts! Jegal Gi-hwans prideful response was met with a change in Jegal Gungs expression, who now looked like a predator who had spotted its prey. Hahaha. Howughable! If you really created the techniques yourself and didnt receive them from outsiders, you should have denied knowing anything about such techniques! How could you im there are no ws in these techniques! !!! Jegal Gi-hwan realized he had made a grave mistake. But even as this realization dawned on him, Jegal Gung continued speaking. Look! This is the true nature of Jegal Gi-hwan! He brought in external forces to incite rebellion and tried to turn borrowed martial arts into our familys secret techniques! He couldnt even find the hidden traps in those techniques! Do you really want to entrust the family to such an ipetent person? Jegal Gungs words were like a signal re, causing confusion among the Jegal family members. On one side was the legitimate sessor who had always practiced discrimination but was still the rightful heir. On the other side was the rebel who promised to overturn this discrimination but might end up giving the entire family to external forces. Mu-jin watched the Jegal family members, who were now confused about whom to support, with a peculiar feeling. This feels like watching a presidential election. It was like watching the negative campaigns and framing tactics he often saw during election periods in South Korea. Well, I did orchestrate this situation. As he thought this, he subtly sent a voice transmission to the pale-faced Jegal Jin-hee. C Thank you for your hard work. Take a rest and treat your internal injuries for now. The trap in the Moonlight Fan Dance martial arts manual only activated if one mastered and frequently performed the technique. Despite mastering the technique within a day and spitting blood, it was not due to the trap but was a ploy for the current situation. It was not an internal injury caused by the trap but an injury from forcing herself to perform the iplete technique. This was all for a visual effect. People are more shocked by what they see with their own eyes than by what they hear with their ears. This is what they call seeing is believing. Thinking of an idiom that was somewhat correct but not quite, Mu-jin stepped forward. Now that the coteral martial artists of the Jegal family were confused, it was time to quickly wrap up the situation! As Jegal Gi-hwan, having quickly regained hisposure, hurriedly tried to speak, Hmph! You too brought in external forces, didnt you? Shut up! We have no interest in the Jegal family! Our goal is to stop you, who are pretending to help and trying to take over the family! Jegal Gi-hwan looked at the young man who suddenly interrupted the conversation with a bewildered expression. At that moment, Jegal-hyeon, who had been watching the situation, hastily sent a voice transmission to him. C That man is the Shaolin Dragon, Patriarch. That guy is a monk? Jegal Gi-hwan was about to shout in disbelief. You must be the famous Shaolin Dragon! But how could a Shaolin Shut up! !!! You are a scum whomitted the heinous crime of murdering your kin, a crime unimaginable for a human! You are a coward who borrowed the strength of others, using the guise of a cause! Such a lowlife deserves no courtesy! A monk talking back? And with curses and personal attacks? Jegal Gi-hwan was too stunned to regain his senses. Chapter 186: Fox Pretends to Be the Tiger Mu-jin did not simply interrupt Jegal Gi-hwans words and vilify him. We are just the cleaners here to remove the shameless trash who murdered their kin blinded by a thirst for power, and sold out the people of the family! Therefore, anyone who tries to stop us from now on will be considered an aplice of that trash! Mu-jins words were nothing less than a deration of war. A deration of war against hundreds of Jegal family warriors, with merely about twenty men. But such a disparity in numbers was meaningless. For behind him stood one of the Three Swords of the World. Master! Responding to Mu-jins call, Yunheo Zhenren, who had been hiding his face with a mask, revealed himself. As Mu-jin So-hyeop said, do not block my way. I do not wish to stain this sword with the blood of fellow righteous people.As Yunheo Zhenren stepped forward and drew his sword with a natural gait, a smile tugged at the corners of Mu-jins mouth. Ah, this is the thrill. Although relying on a tiger while acting like a fox felt despicable, actually being the fox in this scenario was a delight. However, it wouldnt do to let the tiger destroy everything. C Please keep the side warriors from moving with your words. Mu-jin quickly sent a telepathic message to Jegal Jin-hee and Jegal Gung, who then began to shout. This is to remove the shameless scum who tried to sell out the family! As valuable members of the family, you should not interfere and risk shedding blood! Shaolin and Wudang have pledged their names! They will only deal with Jegal Gi-hwan and Jegal Hyun, who came to seize the family, and then leave! While they were shouting to calm the side warriors, Yunheo Zhenren had already climbed to the main gate of the Jegal family and was performing a sword dance, approaching Jegal Gi-hwan. Stop him! Of course, there were those who stepped forward to save Jegal Gi-hwan. Swish! But regardless of who they were, they were neatly cut down by Yunheo Zhenrens sword dance. As the distance between Yunheo Zhenren and Jegal Gi-hwan rapidly closed. Bzzz! Suddenly, an immense energy began to concentrate somewhere, with qi waves overflowing. Swish. Hmph. Looking towards the source of the qi waves after slicing down another warrior, Yunheo Zhenren saw a middle-aged swordsman creating a red star formation. Yeom Do-cheol, who created the sword formation, quicklyunched a powerful attack at Yunheo Zhenren. Whiiish. But following Yunheo Zhenrens Taiji movements, the red star formation scattered like a mirage. However, Yeom Do-cheol did not expect his attack tond. His opponent was the Taiji Sword Immortal. Dy him, even if it means sacrificing yourselves! Understood! While Yeom Do-cheol briefly dyed Yunheo Zhenren with his sword formation, dozens of warriors surrounded Yunheo Zhenren. Master! Follow me! At the same time, Yeom Do-cheol forcibly dragged Jegal Gi-hwan and started to flee. What are you doing! Jegal Gi-hwan shouted, taken aback by Yeom Do-cheols sudden action. C We must survive to fight another day! I have a n for such an eventuality, follow me Ugh! Yeom Do-cheol, who was sending a telepathic message to persuade Jegal Gi-hwan, groaned in pain. His left arm had been cut off. This was the result of Yunheo Zhenrens quick reaction. As soon as Yeom Do-cheol started fleeing with Jegal Gi-hwan, Yunheo Zhenren sent a sword flying using his Qi Control Sword Technique. Do you not value your lives? Originally aiming for the heart, the trajectory shifted slightly due to a few warriors throwing themselves in the way, resulting in the arm being severed instead. Well assist! Yunheo Zhenren, please chase after those two! Though Mu-jin had intended to merely act superior, he couldnt let those two escape, so he quickly joined the fight. Following him, the Muja Trio, Cheongsu Dojang, Dao Yuetian, and some Jegal family warriors joined in. Even as Yunheo Zhenren swiftly dealt with over a dozen opponents blocking his way, he soared through the air in pursuit of the two fleeing men using his Heavenly Ascension Technique. Watching the awe-inspiring sight of the celestial being flying through the air, Mu-jin couldnt help but mutter. I should have asked him to deal with a few more enemies before leaving. At least fifty more enemies remained. * * * Hoo. Mu-jin sighed deeply after dealing with thest enemy. It was somewhat fortunate. With the two leaders of the opposing forces fleeing, the battle had been easier than expected. No, I was supposed to just sit back and rx. It was more urate to say the battle was harder than expected. While Mu-jin was lost in trivial thoughts, he noticed a figure covered in blood approaching from afar. Soon, Yunheo Zhenren arrived where Mu-jins party was. What happened to Jegal Gi-hwan and that swordsman? Mu-jin asked, expecting Yunheo Zhenren to have captured them, but surprisingly, the answer was negative. Im sorry. There were warriors waiting on their escape route. Those determined men threw themselves in the way, and I lost them. Mu-jin was speechless. Not because Yunheo Zhenren failed, but because of the sheer number of men waiting to impede even Yunheo Zhenrens pursuit. If Taiji Sword Immortal hadnte with us, we might have been in danger. Yunheo Zhenren nodded at Mu-jins words. It was wise toe myself instead of sending my disciples. Had theye, many would have perished meaninglessly. And I also confirmed the truth in your words. What do you mean by my words? C About the shadowy forces called Shinchun. Despite having trained so many warriors, theyrepletely unknown in Murim. They are indeed a dangerous presence. Yunheo Zhenren sent a telepathic message, considering the possibility of hidden Shinchun spies in the Jegal family. C Yes. But we inflicted significant damage on their warriors this time. While it was unfortunate that Jegal Gi-hwan escaped, they had dealt a considerable blow to Shinchun. Additionally, they had rescued the Jegal family from Shinchun without major losses, which was a significant gain. Meanwhile, Jegal Gung was taking charge, organizing the situation. As the new head, I promise to reduce the injustices between the side branches and women! Also, there will be no punishment for those who did not directly participate in the rebellion! Therefore, my first order as the head is to clean up the corpses of those who defiled the family and prepare for the new beginning of the Jegal family! Jegal Gungs derations prompted the hesitant Jegal family members to start moving. Finally realizing the family was returning to its original state, Jegal Jin-hee sighed in relief. In the end, we owe Mu-jin So-hyeop a great debt. Naturally, her gaze turned to Mu-jin. As she thought about repaying his kindness, a contradiction struck her. She had been too preupied to notice before, but something peculiar stood out. Does this mean Mu-jin So-hyeop knew such a thing would happen in our family? She had sought Mu-jins help out of desperation, not because of his promise. After all, she interpreted Mu-jins promise to mean he would help if she was cast out by the family, not to prevent a rebellion. But now it seemed like he knew a rebellion wasing. Feeling puzzled, she asked Mu-jin. Did you know this would happen in our family? I didnt know exactly when or how, but I thought it might happen. How did you know? While Mu-jin pondered how to answer, an unexpected reply came from an unexpected source. Isnt it obvious? He read the future! The source of this nonsensical im was Dao Yuetian. The future? Jegal Jin-hee, bewildered, asked again. Dao Yuetian exined his experiences. Mu-jin approached him at the Yongbongji Conference, warned him about Cheon Seom Moons fate, and helped him. Dao Yuetian spoke passionately, as if he were a cult leader promoting Mu-jin. Those listening had various reactions. Mu-jin, the subject of this deification, was flustered. This is going downhill. He worried about his past schemes being exposed. However, to his surprise. Indeed. Thats why. Jegal Jin-hee seemed deeply moved by the Prophetic Legend of the Shaolin Dragon. Wow!! Woohoo!! Hahaha, as expected of Mu-jin. Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-yul, and Ling-ling showed interest as if listening to a fairy tale. On the other hand, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong, who had spent six years with Mu-jin at Shaolin, were dumbfounded. Is he really that devout? The idea that the rebellious monk, who defied Shaolins monks, enjoyed meat and alcohol, was devout wasughable. They had even seen him throw aside sutras in boredom while studying Shaolins martial arts texts. But even they were confused. Come to think of it, he did know a lot of peculiar things, like the miraculous elixir we found on the mountain. And at Shaolin, nothing went wrong following his advice. Thats why the elders eventually started trusting him. As everyone began to believe Dao Yuetians words. Whats happening? Mu-jin was more bewildered. Why are they believing such nonsense? Though he had sold the idea to Dao Yuetian, seeing others believe it was astonishing. Beyond that. Should I have just imed to have divine powers from the start? It felt foolish to have concocted stories for his information sources. No, if I had done that, they would have thought I was crazy. This was likely the reaction due to his previous achievements. Mu-jin decided to think so. Otherwise, his past efforts would feel in vain. But while Mu-jin was thinking this. Even this sword was found by Mu-jin So-hyeop! Dao Yuetian continued his praise, now brandishing the Cheon Seom Sword. He spoke earnestly. Fearing this would never end, Mu-jin quickly interrupted. Ahem. Anyway, now that its over, lets discuss the future rather than the past. Understood. Dao Yuetian, looking disappointed, sheathed his sword. Was he always like this? The disparity between the novels Dao Yuetian and the current one seemed to be growing. * * * Meanwhile, Yeom Do-cheol and Jegal Gi-hwan, who had escaped Yunheo Zhenrens pursuit, were running towards an unknown destination with troubled faces. So, what is your secret n? Jegal Gi-hwan, who didnt even know their destination, was being half-dragged by Yeom Do-cheol. Since Wudang and Shaolin have intervened in the Jegal family, we need more allies. If Emei and Qingcheng intervene, Tang family will move. If Mount Hua moves, Zhongnan and Shaolin will follow. Without the family, we cant reim it. Im not talking about Emei, Qingcheng, or Mount Hua. After Zhongnan Sects defeat, Shinchun had been trying to recruit various forces against the Shaolin alliance. Among them was a family with a slight grudge against Shaolin from the Yongbongji Conference. A family that ruled a city alone with authorityparable to kings. We will seek help from the Namgung family. The best sword family in the world. Their n was to drag the Namgung family into this mess. Chapter 187: Omnipotence of Weight Training Two days had passed since the rebellion of the Jegal family was suppressed. Jegal Gung quickly erased the traces of the rebellion and battle, directing the warriors and household members from the front. Was it because he personally helped clean up the blood and bodies, leading by example, even though he was about to be the family head? Despite only two days passing, his trust among the family members had grown significantly. In the midst of this, Jegal Gung summoned the warriors and household members to the grand training hall. Is he now dering himself the head of the family? This was themon thought among those gathered in the grand training hall. Having finished the aftermath, it was time to announce a new beginning. As expected by those gathered, Jegal Gung proimed himself as the master of the Jegal family.I am Jegal Gung, who will ascend to the position of the 28th head of the great Jegal family. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for our Jegal family. However, calling everyone together wasnt just for that announcement. History has always been a mirror that reflects the future. As the head of the family, I believe it is necessary to look back on the past to make a fresh start. With Jegal Gungs words, a tense atmosphere spread through the grand training hall. He must be nning to punish those who participated in the rebellion! The promise to bury the rebellion was just a lie to get through that moment! Those who reached that conclusion began to sweat coldly. While most of those who actively participated in Jegal Gi-hwans rebellion had lost their lives in the battle, many who remained neutral or passively supported Jegal Gi-hwan after the rebellions sess were still alive. As people started preparing to flee or gazing tearfully at the sky, expecting a bloodbath purge, Jegal Gungs voice pierced their ears. I have endlessly pondered why such a horrifying event of blood rtives killing each other urred. The conclusion was simple. It was because we couldnt trust each other and kept each other in check despite being blood rtives. His words were entirely different from what they expected, and naturally, those in the grand training hall were drawn to Jegal Gungs story. If we continue in the same way as myte father, it is clear that our family will once again experience such a bloody wind. Therefore, our family must change, and I, as the head of the family, will bring about that change. Instead of purging all those who participated in the rebellion, he would bring about change in the family. So how exactly was the new head nning to change the family? Those gathered in the grand training hall all had this question in mind as they looked at Jegal Gung, who slowly began to speak. First of all, from now on, martial arts training will not be hindered by bloodline! Instead, training will be provided ording to the level each person has reached! At Jegal Gungs deration, the eyes of those in the grand training hall widened like pumpkins. It wasnt a look of gratitude. Rather, it was a look of disbelief. Since martial arts were the foundation of the martial families, learning superior martial arts was a symbol of power within the family. Jegal Gung had dered an abandonment of the superiority of direct lineage, advocating for a merit-based system of skills and talent. Before the shock could subside, Jegal Gung continued speaking. Jin-hee, step forward! At his call, Jegal Jin-hee, who was standing in the front, climbed onto the tform with a stoic face. But that was only her outward expression. Why is Father calling me? She had not heard that she would be called in todays speech, so she was quite perplexed inwardly. However, Jegal Gungs next deration broke even her meticulously crafted stoic expression. Furthermore, to prevent any meaninglesspetition for session that causes internal strife and schemes, I will announce today that Jegal Jin-hee will be the new minor head of the great Jegal family! * * * After Jegal Gungs groundbreaking deration. Jegal Jin-hee was still in a daze. Although she dreamed of bing the head of the family, she never expected to get so close to that dream in this way. Although she had saved her father during the rebellion, she had not done so with this purpose in mind. Especially since she also rescued her younger brothers during that process, she naturally thought that one of them would be the minor head. Knowing that baseless expectations only lead to disappointment and discord, she had not expected anything from the beginning. In a surreal state, as she wandered in front of her pavilion, Mu-jin came to find her. Monk Mu-jin, what brings you here? I heard that Miss Jegal Jin-hee has be the minor head and came to congratte you. From now on, I should call you Minor Head Jegal Jin-hee. Hahaha. Jegal Jin-hee replied with a faint smile at Mu-jins jest. The title seems too long and inconvenient. And Im still not used to being called minor head. You will get used to it soon. Amitabha. I wonder if I can? For some reason, Jegal Jin-hee asked with aplex expression. But it felt more like she was asking herself than Mu-jin. Why do you think that? After pondering for a moment, she began to speak slowly. Since childhood, my dream was to be the head of the family. But I realized that I couldnt because I was a woman. Mu-jin simply nodded, listening silently to her words. So, as a child, I seemed to live with only resentment towards the world. Sometimes I resented the familys rigid ways, and other times I resented being born as a woman. Thus, she had hidden her feelings and pretended to be a genius. Then she met Mu-jin. He showed me how small my abilities were. At a younger age, he had mocked Jegal-hyeon, an elder of the Jegal family, with his words and defeated her, who was called the prodigy of the Jegal family, in martial arts. He showed her how small the Jegal family, which was once her whole world, really was. After that, her goal remained to be the head of the family, but her approach changed. She wanted the recognition of the world, not just the elders of the family. If everyone in the martial world regarded her as the best warrior of the Jegal family, no one in the family could look down on her. Thus, she changed. Instead of trying to please the elders to learn the familys martial arts, she honed herself. However, she couldnt bring herself to tell Mu-jin this story. She felt it was too blunt and embarrassing. Ahem. Then I changed my mind. I thought it would be better to hone myself than to try to please the family members. Amendable thought. She blushed slightly at Mu-jins praise but quickly returned to her usual expression. Thank you. But because I changed my mind, the position of minor head feels burdensome. Since the family is going through tough times, my role will be important, but I feel unsure about what to do. Mu-jin nodded understandingly at her words. In simple terms, she has matured. Instead of thinking about obtaining a position and power, she was first thinking about the responsibilities and tasks that came with it. Just from these thoughts, Mu-jin felt she would perform much better than those who only desired power. Miss Jegal Jin-hee, I believe you will do well. Jegal Jin-hee, smiling faintly at Mu-jins encouragement, suddenly asked as if she had thought of something. If Monk Mu-jin were in my position, what would you do first? She asked, hoping he might offer great advice, as he was the person who had changed her and helped her greatly this time, and even possessed the mysterious ability to foresee the future. Mu-jin, receiving her question, fell into thought for a moment. If I were the minor head? His thoughts naturally drifted back to his days as a novice monk. Hmm. First, wouldnt I teach weight training to the family members? Mu-jin had concluded that there was nothing better than weight training. Weight training? First of all, as the minor head of a martial family, shouldnt you enhance the familys martial prowess? As Miss Jegal Jin-hee now knows, external energy is also very important in martial arts. I know that now. But as a minor head, shouldnt unifying the family memberse before martial prowess? You are right. Thats why you should teach weight training. Excuse me? Seeing her puzzled expression, Mu-jin began to exin his omnipotence of weight training theory. People tend to bond with others who share the same hobbies. Just imagine. The family members all doing weight training together, engaging in friendlypetition byparing their weights. Wouldnt that rather provokepetition and cause fights? At her question, Mu-jin shook his head seriously. People who like weight training are never bad people. Excuse me? Unlike martial arts, weight training is a static exercise. Its apetition with oneself. Those who have enjoyed such exercise for years know how to control their anger. And if youre still worried, Miss Jegal Jin-hee can step in. Me? With a slightly dazed look, she asked, and Mu-jin nodded. Yes. Since Miss Jegal Jin-hee currently has the best fitness skills, you can show kindness to others. Teach them the best postures for building muscles, inform them about diets and proteinI mean, protein supplements, and share your daily workout routines. You mean to lead by example? Yes. Additionally, during the workout, when someone reaches their limit, help them with the weights, or when they want to give up, encourage them with Just one more rep! That would be perfect. Mu-jins eyes looked distant as he spoke. Ah, how I miss my gym. What Mu-jin was envisioning was the scene of a modern gym. Fitness enthusiasts working together, sharing information, and dreaming of a better tomorrow. When they reached their limits in their personal battles, they encouraged each other, forming strong bonds of camaraderie. Seeing this beautiful gym scene filled Mu-jins vision. Of course, such scenes would be impossible in gyms where member-to-member teaching was prohibited, but the Strongist Gym, which Mu-jin ran, was different. There are arguments that member-to-member teaching causes a significant decrease in personal training memberships, but Mu-jin disagreed. To be precise, he believed that as long as certain conditions were met, such issues wouldnt arise. First, is the trainers ability exceptional? Second, is the gym famous? And third, is there ack of overzealous fitness enthusiasts? Every year, every month, every day, beginnerse to the gym with a resolution to exercise. Naturally, if the gym is famous, countless beginners would flock to it. With an exceptional trainer, a few initial OT sessions can easily draw these beginners into the world of personal training. The benefits of working with a trainer far outweigh those of beginners helping each other with superficial knowledge. Moreover, when beginners identify mistakes during their workouts, even if they are not personal training members, if they kindly point out and correct those mistakes, it often leads to a personal training membership. They are grateful for the help they received and realize how problematic it can be to train alone or with other beginners. While excessive meddling fitness enthusiasts can be an issue, this too isnt a major problem. True fitness enthusiasts, those who fear muscle loss more than incontinence, prioritize their own muscle growth over teaching others. Therefore, such enthusiasts can only spend an hour or two teaching others at most. The real issue is unemployed fitness enthusiasts who spend over six hours a day at the gym. And Mu-jin had a simple solution for dealing with them. If they are unemployed fitness enthusiasts, I would just hire them as trainers. He had hired many talented individuals as trainers for the Strongist Gym in this way. While working hard to grow the gym, he sessfully opened seven branches. Who am I, and where am I? How did he end up bing Mu-jin instead of Choi Kang-hyuk? As Mu-jin was lost in thought, looking far away, Jegal Jin-hee felt a chill run down her spine seeing Mu-jins distant gaze. It wasnt a chill of disdain. Could he be reading the future of our family with his divine powers!? If so, by following Mu-jins advice, by spreading weight training, wouldnt the family thrive! Jegal Jin-hee thought. It was a strange scene with no one fishing, but everyone getting hooked. Chapter 188: The Theory of Perfected Weight Training On the night Mu-jin received crucial advice, Jegal Gung, now the head of the family, visited Jegal Jin-hee following Mu-jins departure. Greetings, Head of the Family. Hahaha. When its just the two of us, you can still call me Father. Jegal Gung, waving off Jegal Jin-hees formal greeting, smiled gently. Does the sudden appointment as the Young Master feel burdensome? Recalling the conversation with Mu-jin, Jegal Jin-hee smiled softly. At first, I was a bit confused, but now Im fine with it, Father. Good.Jegal Gung, smiling proudly at his daughters mature response, soon adopted a serious expression. Since youve calmed your mind, I must assign you an important task as the Young Master. Please, tell me. This is a very crucial task, so listen carefully. Your first duty as Young Master is to research martial arts. Martial arts research? Isnt that something our family has been steadily doing? Yes, but our family lost many advanced martial arts techniques. Therefore, we need to restore or recreate techniques like the Hyeonwon Jeondanshingong, Chilhyun Mu-hyung Sword, and Cheongi Milibo using the remaining manuals and historical records. Are you saying I should recreate them? Jegal Jin-hee, who had been determined, looked bewildered. Creating new martial arts techniques is not as simple as naming a dog. Seeing her incredulous expression, Jegal Gung cleared his throat and continued. Ahem. I dont mean for you to do it alone. I have heard some mnemonics from our ancestors that can help. Moreover, you should select talented individuals from our family to join in this research. After speaking, Jegal Gung nced sideways and added, And have you heard when the Shaolin monks n to return to their temple? Surprised by her fathers sudden question, Jegal Jin-hee shared what she had learned from Mu-jin. They said they would leave once our family stabilizes, as they stayed only because Jegal Gi-hwan escaped. Jegal Gung spoke urgently at her response. Can you keep them here for a few more days? The monks? Yes. Jegal Jin-hee didnt ask why. She already connected the current conversation with their earlier one. Ah! You mean to get their help in researching martial arts. Exactly. It was an embarrassing request, which made Jegal Gung, as the head of the family, blush. But it was something he had to achieve, even if it meant losing face. Especially, Mu-gyeong! We must retain that monk! Jegal Gung was utterly fascinated by Mu-gyeongs extraordinary talent. Identifying the trap in the Moonlight Sage Dance manual, which even he and Jegal Jin-hee couldnt find, was just the beginning. While Mu-jin and Cheongsu Dojang visited Wudang, Jegal Gung and his group, along with Mu-jins team, headed to Yangbeon-hyeon. During that time, Jegal Jin-hee had only one day to master the Moonlight Sage Dance. And Mu-gyeongs remarkable talent shone brightly during this period. He deciphered the mnemonics in the martial arts manual after just a few readings, exining it to Jegal Jin-hee. Jegal Jin-hee, who had to learn the basics of Moonlight Sage Dance in just one day, managed to do so partly because she was already skilled in martial arts, but mainly due to Mu-gyeongs precise interpretation. Watching this, Jegal Gung was convinced. With that monk, recreating new divine techniques isnt just a dream!! Mu-jins talent was also impressive, but his potential was more suited to leading a family, not aligned with the Jegal family. In contrast, Mu-gyeong was the perfect match for the Jegal family, dedicated to martial arts and tactical research. However, this was merely Jegal Gungs opinion. Indeed! Mu-jin must have foreseen this! Combining Mu-jins external training methods with the Jegal familys techniques to create a harmonious new martial art could lead to the familys resurgence. Father must have finally realized Mu-jins value! For Jegal Jin-hee, this was excellent news. Yet, a problem remained. Father, I can try to keep him here, but how can we rely on another sects disciple to develop our martial arts? Surprisingly, Jegal Gung had a ready answer, as if he had anticipated this question. We dont need him as an outsider. We can make him part of our family. Part of our family? Ahem. Since Shaolin is primarily a Buddhist order, a monk would need to renounce his vows for marriage. Ah! He was suggesting making Mu-gyeong part of their family through marriage. The fact that he was discussing this with her implied, Father is allowing me to be with Mu-jin! With the familys support, there would be noparison to Ryu Seol-hwa. I will do my utmost toplete this first task as the Young Master. Jegal Jin-hee, with a determined expression, responded with a respectful bow, making Jegal Gung nod with relief. Thank goodness. Her quick eptance suggests she might have had some feelings for Mu-gyeong. Hahaha. Jegal Gungs mind started picturing a scene. Mu-gyeong, brought in as Jegal Jin-hees husband, coborating with the Jegal familys martial artists to create new divine techniques. If Jin-hee, as Young Master, can bring Mu-gyeong as a son-inw!! The resurgence of the Jegal family would no longer be a dream! His imagination was ame with joy. **The Next Afternoon** Mu-jin headed to the Jegal familys grand training hall upon Jegal Jin-hees invitation. What is the reason you called me here? After careful considerationst night, I decided to follow your advice. A wise decision. Amitabha. Mu-jin smiled contentedly at the prospect of another weight training partner. Feeling reassured by his smile, Jegal Jin-hee continued with a lighthearted grin. And the reason I called you here is rted to that. While its good for me to train our familys martial artists, I thought it would be better for them to initially learn from a more skilled master. Are you asking me to teach the familys martial artists? Yes. This was Jegal Jin-hees n to keep Mu-jin tied down and to spread his exercise methods within the Jegal family. Of course, she couldnt ask for such a favor without offering something in return. After all, Mu-jin was not yet a part of the Jegal family, meaning he wasnt her husband. Luckily, she had a good idea of what Mu-jin liked. In return, we will make sure you canfortably do weight training while staying at the Jegal family estate. !!! Mu-jins eyes widened in surprise, and Jegal Jin-hee pointed to a corner of the grand training hall with satisfaction. Its a bitcking now, but Ive already ced arge order for additional equipment. Specifically, Ive ordered extra-heavy weights just for you. This was true. After receiving formal orders from her father to seduce Mu-jin, she immediately issued her firstmand as the Young Master. Under the banner of by order of the Head of the Family, she had ordered the workshop to mass-produce weight training tools. Sincest night, the workshop had been working around the clock, and additional equipment had been ced in the hall along with what Jegal Jin-hee had already been using. Mu-jin couldnt help but swallow his dry saliva at the sight of the enticing new weight equipment. Furthermore, while borrowing your expertise, we wont end it there. We also n to share our familys knowledge with the Shaolin Temple. Since Songshan is also a sacred mountain, how about creating a formation technique utilizing its terrain? For the sake of solidifying the alliance between our families, there couldnt be a better approach. Half-swayed by the news of the weight equipment, Mu-jin was fully convinced by her words. Surely, the elders of Shaolin will understand this? With the promise of gaining the Jegal familys formation techniques, a few days dy wouldnt matter. Mu-jin started rationalizing his curiosity about the ultra-heavy weights they had prepared for him. A short whileter, Hmm? Were you summoned too? Huh. What does the Young Master want to tell us that she called so many of us here? About half of the Jegal family members had gathered in the grand training hall. Seeing that enough people had gathered, Jegal Jin-hee spoke with internal energy. The reason Ive gathered you all here is that, for a while, Master Mu-jin will be teaching you external energy training methods. Some members looked puzzled, but no one voiced their doubts. Jegal Jin-hee was now the official Young Master of the family, and they had just quelled a rebellion recently. While they might grumble behind her back, no one dared to openly oppose her. Thus, Mu-jin couldfortably teach over a hundred people about exercise. When doing this movement, do it slowly. Focus on the biceps, not the entire arm. Since it was arm day, Mu-jin exined the methods of isting muscle groups one by one. However, the Jegal family members ability to attentively follow Mu-jins instructions was limited. Master Mu-jin, isnt this enough arm exercise for now? As their arms grew tired, the family members started to falter. Their muscles, untrained in external energy techniques, were rtively weakpared to other martial artists. How about teaching us exercises for other muscles now? One practitioner, struggling with a dumbbell, pleaded, and Mu-jin approached with a gentle smile. When it bes difficult, its good to help each other. Ill assist you; try lifting it ten more times. Mu-jin ced his hand under the practitioners arm holding the dumbbell and applied just enough force to help them lift it. With each tremor of the arm, Mu-jin slightly increased the support, making it barely possible for the practitioner to lift the weight. From now on, you will form pairs and assist each other. We will repeat the six exercises weve done so far, four more sets. !? Y-You want us to do it again!? Jegal family members, already cramping, asked in shock, and Mu-jin nodded. The human body strengthens as it heals from injuries. The pain you feel when lifting weights is the sound of your muscles growing stronger. Dont be deceived by the pain; enjoy the sensation. So now, every time you lift a weight, you will shout together, I am happy! Despite feeling deceived, the Jegal family members couldnt disobey and began chanting I am happy! as they lifted the weights. Oh! The voice is too soft! Once again! I am happy! Mu-jins stern voice echoed through the grand training hall like a cheer from a sports team. I am!!! Happy!!! Their desperate shouts somehow fit well with the cheer. Chapter 189: Theory of Iron Training After half a Sijin, the arm exercises ended. Mu-jin taught a few techniques of Close-Range Spear Technique to rx the muscles in their arms, which had be tense, tight, and injured. When the days arm exercises were finally over, Mu-jin spoke. This concludes todays training. Does anyone have any questions? One of the martial artists from the Jegal family, whose arms were shaking every time he moved, managed to raise his hand with great difficulty. Why did we only repeat arm exercises so intensely? The question carried an undertone suggesting that alternating between different body parts might have prevented such extreme fatigue. Thats an excellent question! For some reason, Mu-jin seemed very pleased with the question.As I mentioned earlier, the human body bes stronger through the process of injury and recovery. However, this only applies to injuries that are within a recoverable range. Additionally, the human body needs time to heal. Overworked muscles need at least two to three days of rest. Therefore, its essential to divide and overwork different muscle groups during training. Upon Mu-jins exnation, some of the more perceptive individuals felt an inexplicable sense of dread. Are you saying that we will train different body parts with this intensity every day? Exactly. The problem with full-body workouts is that you need to rest for two or three days after a single session. However, by dividing the workout, you dont need to rest at all. Today, we made our arms happy; tomorrow, well make our legs happy. Looking at Mu-jins face, which seemed to be asking if they were enjoying themselves, the people of the Jegal family thought, Hes a demon! The young lord has unleashed a demon upon us!! They had realized toote what the Shaolin disciples had known for years. * * * After learning that the same agony awaited them the next day, the Jegal familys martial artists left. Not long after, another group of martial artists of simr numbers arrived at the grand training hall. As the Jegal family belonged to the Five Noble Families,bining the direct and coteral lines, as well as the external branch, their number exceeded four hundred. Of course, during the recent rebellion and suppression, about one-third of them had been lost, but there were still nearly three hundred left. Therefore, Jegal Jin-hee divided them into two groups for training. Once again, the grand training hall of the Jegal family resounded with the cheers of a baseball team. After finishing a days training, Is everyone gathered? Jegal Jin-hee summoned a few people to a certain hall located in the heart of the Jegal familys residence. These were the geniuses of the Jegal family, summoned by Jegal Jin-hee to carry out Jegal Gungs orders. They had gathered to create a new divine technique. However, even though they had gathered at her call, they faced a significant problem. It wasnt that theycked the talent to create a new divine technique. To research martial arts, they naturally had to write andbine mnemonics on paper. Young lord, my hands are trembling so much that I cant write. They, too, had received training from Mu-jin today and couldnt even hold a brush properly. However, being geniuses of the Jegal family, they came up with a n to take advantage of this situation. Young lord, although such strenuous training may benefit our martial arts, we have a mission to create new techniques. To properly focus on this task, we should take a break from training Thats not possible. However, their trick was rejected before they could even finish speaking. Rather, those of you who are developing martial arts must participate in the training. What do you mean? They were already short on time to develop martial arts; why should they waste it on such intense external energy training? Their eyes conveyed this sentiment. Seeing their expressions, Jegal Jin-hee exined her n to them. She exined why they couldnt skip training. The clue to the new divine technique that the family head and I are considering lies in Master Mu-jins external energy training. What? You remember what Master Mu-jin exined today. The main feature of Master Mu-jins external energy training is that the training methods are detailedly divided for each muscle group. Some of them made faces that said, So what? while others had expressions of realization. Jegal Jin-hee continued to exin, noting those who had shown realization. In other words, bybining different training methods for each martial art, we can create the most suitable body for performing that martial art. With this exnation, everyone present understood her meaning. Youre suggesting we not only create the mnemonics for martial arts but alsobine them with external energy training methods to create a suitable vessel for mastering them! Combining external energy training methods to create a vessel capable of performing theoretically possible mnemonics! With this method, we could definitely create new martial arts, young lord! As expected of the Jegal familys geniuses, they envisioned a future where the Jegal family ascended even higher through the creation of new divine techniques. However, their joyous smiles didntst long. Yes. Therefore, you must participate in Master Mu-jins training without missing a single session. You need to master his training methodspletely tobine them properly, dont you think? Seeing her smiling lips amidst her stern eyes, the geniuses who had been dreaming of a brilliant future quickly wore looks of despair. * * * Two days after Jegal Jin-hee began mandating external energy training for everyone in the family and pushing the geniuses to their limits, Jegal Gung summoned her to the family heads hall. Greetings, father. You may call me father when were alone. Yes, father. Jegal Jin-hee, already mature, seemed even more grown-up as the young lord in just two days. After making eye contact with his daughter for a moment, Jegal Gung carefully began to speak. Ahem. The reason I suddenly called you here is that I have something to ask. Please, ask me, father. Ive heard rumors from the family recently. Ive heard that you mentioned my name while ordering arge quantity of strange metal objects from the workshop and that youre forcing everyone in the family to undergo intense external energy training every day. Jegal Jin-hee tilted her head at Jegal Gungs words. I did those things to carry out your orders. All those actions were to advance the family and keep Mu-jin from leaving. To carry out my orders? Yes. Didnt you instruct me to prevent the Shaolin disciples from leaving? Ah Jegal Gung let out a light exmation at her words. Realizing that keeping the Shaolin Dragon meant keeping Mu-gyeong as well. If it was for that reason, theres nothing to be done. Ahem. But, Jin-hee. Yes, father. Keeping the Shaolin Dragon is good, but shouldnt we also start preparing to create new martial arts? We are already doing so, father. Already doing so? Yes. While training with Master Mu-jins external energy training methods, we are researching how to integrate those methods into new martial arts. What do you mean by that? Why did the Shaolin Dragons external energy training methodse up instead of developing new martial arts? Jegal Gung couldnt understand Jegal Jin-hees words. ? Didnt you instruct me to do this, father? What do you mean? I clearly instructed you to keep Master Mu-gyeong and develop new martial arts with his help. What? Not Master Mu-jin? Why are you suddenly bringing up Master Mu-jin? ? ? The two looked at each other with puzzled faces, unable to grasp the situation for a moment. Haah. Finally understanding what had happened, Jegal Gung let out a deep sigh. . Jegal Jin-hee, her face rarely flushed bright red, lowered her head deeply. * * * Despite the realization of their misunderstanding, Mu-jins lessons continued. This was the first task Jegal Jin-hee undertook as the young lord. If the family head stopped it after only two days, her authority as the young lord would be undermined. Moreover, Jegal Jin-hee strongly argued that the family could also progress with Mu-jins training methods, so Jegal Gung decided to trust her for the time being. Hmm. If we have a connection with Master Mu-jin, there will be an opportunity to involve Master Mu-gyeong as well. That didnt mean Jegal Gung had given up on Mu-gyeong. As a result, every morning at the Jegal familys grand training hall, the slogan I am happy! echoed continuously. A slight change urred: the outsiders who were resting in the family after the rebellions suppression, such as the Muja Trio, Dao Yuetian, and even those from Cheongsu Dojang, joined the training. Hahaha. What an interesting fellow. Moreover, Yunheo Zhenren, who asionally watched the young lords external energy training while stroking his beard from the top of the wall, was frequently observed. Thus, two more days passed, and on the third day of training, a suddenmotion arose from outside the grand training hall. Whats happening! In response to Jegal Jin-hees question, a warrior who had run in from outside the grand training hall urgently shouted. Young lord! Jegal Gi-hwan has returned!! It had been six days since he fled. Now, he was returning to the family. Jegal Jin-hee, assuming he wouldnt return alone, asked, Who did hee with? That the old man with him introduced himself as Namgung Mu-geuk! !!! Startled by the report, Jegal Jin-hee quickly headed toward the familys main gate. Those who had been listening to the conversation also followed her without hesitation. Of course, this included Mu-jin and hispanions, as well as Yunheo Zhenren. No wonder he fled without any regrets. Mu-jin had not expected that the Namgung family would be involved. And certainly not that Namgung Mu-geuk, one of the Three Swords of the World, would move personally. Theres already one of the Three Swords of the World here, so it must be to bnce the scales. While heading towards the main gate of the Jegal family, Mu-jin recalled the information he had about Namgung Mu-geuk. In fact, the Namgung Sword Emperor, as he was known, did not directly appear in the novel. However, his name and title appeared quite frequently. Originally, the titles of the Three Swords of the World and the Seven Kings were established because of that man. ording to the novel, about twenty years ago, Namgung Mu-geuk, then in his mid-thirties, had handed over the position of family head to his young son and frequently left the family to engage in duels and life-and-death battles with masters across the continent. During this process, Namgung Mu-geuk, who fought evenly with Yunheo Zhenren and Hyeok Jin-gang, collectively earned the title of Three Swords of the World. Those who lost to Namgung Mu-geuk, such as the Plum Blossom Sword Saint of the Hwasan Sect and the head of the Hebei Peng Family, received the titles of Sword King and de King. The Plum Blossom Sword Saints rival, Tang-gak, was given the title of Dark King, and Wi Ji-hak, who fought evenly with the head of the Peng Family, received the title of Fist King. Fifteen years ago, after a life-and-death duel with Hyeok Jin-gang, he supposedly stayed confined in the Namgung family. But why is this old man, who was quiet in the novel, suddenly appearing here? Moreover, the problem wasnt just Namgung Mu-geuk. If even the elder moved, the Namgung family must have invested considerable force. Adding the forces of Shinchun, could the Jegal family handle it alone? Damn. Can the Jegal family face this alone? Worrying about this, Mu-jin used his Qinggong technique to climb onto the wall. And seeing the enemys forces beyond the wall, Mu-jins eyes filled with astonishment. He came alone? There were no martial artists from Shinchun or even the Namgung family. Only Jegal Gi-hwan, who had fled the previous night, the one-armed swordsman, and an old swordsman standing alone confidently before them. Chapter 190: Supreme Sword of the World A day ago. The capital of Anhui Province, Hefei. In Hefei, there stood a grand mansion with a que inscribed with the words Supreme Sword of the World Family in a bold, powerful script. This was quite unusual. Typically, such ques would disy the name of the sect or family, but this family had chosen to unt an arrogant title instead. Oddly enough, this que perfectly represented the nature of the family. Past the grand que, in the heart of the mansion, there was a hall named Sky Pavilion where the head of the family resided. The middle-aged head of the family read a letter on the table with an indifferent expression for a moment.Come in. He spoke upon sensing a familiar presence outside the hall. Greetings, Master. What brings you here? The master asked without any concern for formalities. Jegal Gi-hwan and the one-armed guest Yeom Do-cheol, who were resting in the outer hall, have disappeared. You came here just to report that? He wasnt questioning why they had bothered toe; rather, he was asking if this trivial matter was worth interrupting his work. A few days ago, Jegal Gi-hwan and the one-armed guest Yeom Do-cheol had visited. They reported that the Wudang Sect had interfered in the Jegal Familys struggle for the head position. However, this wasnt of much importance to the head of the Supreme Sword of the World Family. In fact, he already knew that it wasnt a merepetition for the head position but a rebellion initiated by Jegal Gi-hwan. Yet, this wasnt significant either. People often grouped them with the Jegal Family and referred to them as part of the Five Noble Families, but they didnt care about the Jegal Family. Public perception was meaningless. What mattered was their own mindset. They prided themselves as kings, so the worlds evaluation didnt sway them. Being a warrior of the Supreme Sword of the World Family, the subordinate was aware of the masters thoughts. He knew the master wouldnt care about such trivial news. Nevertheless, he hade to report in person for a reason. Moreover, the Supreme Elder has also been missing since this morning. It was because the Supreme Elder had disappeared along with the two. Father? The head of the family, Namgung Chang-hwi, fell into brief contemtion. Why had his father disappeared with them? He soon realized the reason. Leave it be. But if the Supreme Elder is involved, other forces might swarm like ants to a honey jar The subordinate started to express his concerns but was cut off by the masters cold tone. Can you stop my father? How could I dare to stop him? I was merely worried that he might go alone into a potential battlefield. Thats even more absurd. Who would dare guard him? The subordinate hastily bowed and replied to the masters icy remark. I spoke out of turn. Please punish me. Its fine. You may go. Understood. After the subordinate left, the master nced back at the letter on the table and then at the que hanging above the entrance. Amusingly, it bore the same inscription as the main que: Supreme Sword of the World Family. The difference was that this que was inscribed by the Supreme Elder himself when he became the head of the family. Back then, the current master, Namgung Chang-hwi, had asked his father a question. C Father, our Namgung Family is the greatest in the world. Why do we have a que that says Supreme Sword of the World Family instead of Supreme Family of the World? To this, his father, Namgung Muguk, who is now one of the Three Swords of the World, replied. C The sword is the king of all weapons. Supreme Sword of the World Family means we are the greatest family in the world. It was a fitting answer from the head of the Namgung Family, and the young Chang-hwi epted it. C So, is that que a reminder of this fact? However, Namgung Muguk shook his head. C My goal is to cut that que. He then covered part of the que with his hand, revealing only the words: [Supreme Sword of the World] C Do you see? C Yes, Father. C Supreme is enough. Anything that follows is a condition added by those whock confidence. Recalling this childhood memory, Namgung Chang-hwi muttered in a cold tone. Are you trying to fulfill your dream? He perfectly understood why his father had involved himself in the Jegal Familys affairs. * * * Yongjung Mountain in Hubei Province. Jegal Family. A lone old swordsman stood before the grand mansion of the Jegal Family. Behind the old swordsman stood Jegal Gi-hwan and the one-armed guest, Yeom Do-cheol, with nervous expressions. However, the old swordsmans overwhelming presence overshadowed them. The old swordsman, Namgung Muguk, spoke, his voice resonating powerfully. Yunheo! How could you, who imed to cultivate in the mountains, interfere in another familys affairs? To prevent those who go against the way of the world! Why are you, Namgung Senior, trying to hand over the Jegal Family to these unknown people? Jegal Gi-hwan quickly interjected, trying to clear the misunderstanding. Its a misunderstanding! Namgung Sword Emperor, sir! Silence! Namgung Muguks roar silenced him instantly. In the martial world, right and wrong are determined by strength. There is no need for further discussion. Namgung Muguk drew his sword with a natural movement. Yunheo! I will now attack the Jegal Family. Decide if you will stop me or return to Wudang. With this unyielding deration, Yunheo Zhenren sighed lightly. An old mans folly. Before Mu-jin could react to this shocking statement, Yunheo Zhenren approached Namgung Muguk with light steps. Expending your internal energy for such light steps before a life-and-death battle. You seem quite confident. Not as much as you,ing straight here from Hefei and immediately requesting a duel. Hahaha! Excellent! With a heartyugh, Namgung Muguk swung his sword. It wasnt the fastest sword swing, but Mu-jin instinctively realized something. Crazy. At his level, he couldnt evade that sword. Namgung Muguks sword was slow, but its aura covered all directions, rendering any escape impossible. As the sword neared, Yunheo Zhenren finally moved. Wooong! Yunheo Zhenrens Taiji technique countered Namgung Muguks sword, deflecting and dispersing its power. However, Yunheo Zhenrens sword technique couldnt entirely block the force of Namgung Muguks sword. Boom! sh! The dispersed sword aura from Namgung Muguks attack devastated the surroundings. After several exchanges of attack and defense, Namgung Muguk spoke. Your skills havent diminished! Your sword has grown heavier! You must have indulged in good food! Whats wrong with a king enjoying tributes! me yourself for hiding in the mountains, ying the Daoist. Youll only cure your kings disease once you ascend to heaven! Though their words were harsh, the power of their swordsmanship was anything but friendly. Boom! The force of their techniques turned the surrounding area into a battlefield. Thats enough warming up. After devastating the natural surroundings, Namgung Muguk leisurely raised his sword to the sky. Emperors Sword Form!! Mu-jin could predict Namgung Muguks technique easily, having seen Namgung Jin-cheon perform it at the Yongbongji Conference. However, the power was on apletely different level. Ugh Most of those watching the duel from the wall groaned under the immense pressure. Namgung Muguks Emperors Sword Form dominated the entire area, unlike Namgung Jin-cheons which targeted a single person. This is insane Even the formation around the Jegal Family was affected, distorting the scenery. If this pressure is so intense here, how strong is it at the center? While Mu-jin pondered, Namgung Muguks sword emitted immense energy. As expected of one of the Three Swords of the World, stars formed around his sword, but Namgung Muguk didnt swing it immediately. Instead, he kept gathering more energy, creating an explosion of pure energy. It was a Sword Ring. But while Namgung Muguk was forming the Sword Ring, Yunheo Zhenren wasnt idle. Cheongsu! Yunheo Zhenren reached out, and Cheongsus sword flew to him, tracing a Taiji pattern towards Namgung Muguk. Yunheo Zhenren also started forming a Taiji pattern with the Songmun Antique Sword in his hand. With two Taiji patterns, he faced Namgung Muguks Sword Ring. Sss But even the two Taiji patterns couldntpletely withstand the force of the Sword Ring. The Taiji patterns were crushed and shattered, forcing Yunheo Zhenren to retreat with each impact, constantly redrawing the Taiji patterns. After several steps back, Yunheo Zhenren, disheveled and tattered, finally managed topletely disperse Namgung Muguks Sword Ring. Is this enough? Its just the beginning. Instead of troubling an old man, why not go after Sa-doryeonju who harms themon people? Humph. I have no interest in such riffraff. Namgung Muguk snorted and began gathering energy for the Emperors Sword Form again. As Mu-jin watched their duel, he noticed something odd. That old man doesnt seem to care about the Jegal Family. Namgung Muguk had been looking for Yunheo Zhenren from the beginning, threatening to attack the Jegal Family if he didnt fight. Could it be Recalling Namgung Muguks history mentioned in the novel, Mu-jin formted a hypothesis. He used the Golden Turtle Technique to push away the oppressive energy and shouted. Is the Namgung Sword Emperor here to prove himself as the Supreme Sword of the World? In the past, he had sought out masters for duels, earning the title of one of the Three Swords of the World. Perhaps he wasnt satisfied with just that title. Namgung Muguk ignored Mu-jin, continuing to form the Sword Ring. But Mu-jins next words caught his attention. Defeating Taiji Sword Immortal would be meaningless. The current Supreme Sword of the World is in Shaolin! Chapter 191: The Greatest Under Heaven Namgung Muguk reacted to Mu-jins words, but it wasnt out of curiosity. A brazen fool dares to speak of being the greatest under heaven! Before Mu-jin could respond to the anger and ridicule in Namgung Muguks voice, Yunheo Zhenren, who had been facing Namgung Muguk, spoke first. What the child says is true, Namgung Senior. You are not as you used to be. Are you mocking me with ridiculous lies to avoid a fight? Have you not heard the rumor that Hyun-gwang of Shaolin has regained his health? What difference does it make if the man who has been bedridden for over thirty years has regained his health? As if there was no need for further conversation, Namgung Muguk began to summon his sword energy again. However, Yunheo Zhenren, retrieving his two swords, spoke once more.I was already defeated by him two years ago. By Hyun-gwang, who had been bedridden for over thirty years. Having long lost interest in the title of the greatest under heaven, Yunheo Zhenren spoke as if there was no reason to continue the fight. Namgung Muguk red at Yunheo Zhenren with suspicion for a moment. If what you say is a lie, Wudang will pay for deceiving me. In the end, Namgung Muguk, whose interest had waned, also retrieved his sword. The abrupt end of the fierce battle left everyone who had been watching in a state of astonishment, but one person was particrly desperate. Namgung Sword Emperor Senior! How can you believe their words?! The desperate cry came from Jegal Gi-hwan, who had returned, relying solely on Namgung Muguk. But Namgung Muguks response was cold. A worm that betrayed his own family dares to wag his tongue at me? As Mu-jin had anticipated, Namgung Muguks purpose was solely a life-and-death battle with Yunheo Zhenren. He had no interest in the Jegal Familys matters, and Jegal Gi-hwan, who had invited foreign forces for power, was the type of person Namgung Muguk despised. Swish. Namgung Muguk swung his sword at Jegal Gi-hwan, who screamed in agony. Aaagh!! Ive cut his legs so he cant run. You deal with the rest. Jegal Gi-hwan, writhing on the ground with his legs severed, looked like a worm. Realizing the situation was turning dire, the one-armed swordsman, Yeom Do-cheol, moved quickly. However Theres no need to keep that one alive. Swish! Namgung Muguks sword energy tore Yeom Do-cheols body apart. Silence descended on the scene. The people of the Jegal Family watching from the wall felt dizzy. A man who had stormed in, threatening to kill everyone, suddenly crippled Jegal Gi-hwan and killed the swordsman at the mention of the greatest under heaven is in Shaolin. For the logical and rational people of the Jegal Family, Namgung Muguks actions were utterly unpredictable. Meanwhile, Mu-jin had a different thought. No, you shouldnt have killed that guy, you reckless old man! The man seemed to have valuable information, not at the level of the Seven Great Lords but still useful. Capturing and interrogating him, or feeding him the Simnyeong Pill through the Tang n, could have been highly beneficial. As Mu-jin was lost in such thoughts, Namgung Muguk, who had dealt with Yeom Do-cheol, looked at Mu-jin and spoke. What are you doing? Yes? You said the greatest under heaven is in Shaolin. Shouldnt you guide me to that greatest under heaven? Right now? A true man acts on his thoughts immediately. Or do you have a reason to dy? Mu-jin felt momentarily speechless. He also believed in acting rather than overthinking, but this kind of abruptness was new to him. If I dy, hell probably draw his sword, using me of mocking him with lies. Given what he had done to Jegal Gi-hwan and the one-armed swordsman, Mu-jin knew the old man wouldnt hesitate. He was an unfathomable being far beyond Mu-jins capabilities. I will say my brief farewells and leave immediately. Could you grant me the time of one quarter of an hour? Tch. How troublesome. Namgung Muguk clicked his tongue but seemed willing to allow that short time. With limited time, Mu-jin first addressed Yunheo Zhenren. Whats your n, Grand Master Taeguk Sword? With Jegal Gi-hwan dead, this ce should be safe for a while. I will return to Cheongsu and Wudang. Yunheo Zhenren looked towards Cheongsu Dojang. Cheongsu, lets go. Yes, Grand Master! Cheongsu jumped down from the wall, stood by Yunheo Zhenrens side, and saluted Mu-jin. I wille to see you again when I have confidence in my sword, Mu-jin Dowu. I look forward to seeing you again, Cheongsu Dojang. Cheongsu Dojang left quickly with Yunheo Zhenren without any further hesitation. In the meantime, Jegal Gung and Jegal Jin-hee approached Mu-jin. I didnt expect to leave so abruptly, Mu-jin Sohyeop. Given the circumstances, it cant be helped. I will send word through the abbot when I arrive at Shaolin. Well discuss the details then. Jegal Gung, looking disappointed, added, But do we all need to leave together? Jegal Gung nced at Mu-gyeong, and Jegal Jin-hee quickly nudged her father with her elbow. Before he could say anything more, she addressed Mu-jin. I hope you return safely to Shaolin, Mu-jin Sunim. Given Namgung Sword Emperors behavior, it seems we will be safe at least until we reach Shaolin. However, I regret not being able to teach you properly. Mu-jin looked towards the direction of the Jegal Familys grand martial arts training hall. I havent even touched the heavy iron weights. Damn. Mu-jin regretted not being able to use the exercise equipment she had promised. I n to visit Shaolin soon to set up the formation as promised. You can teach me the additional training methods then, cant you? Of course. And if possible, could you bring those iron weights? Mu-jin, scratching his head awkwardly, asked, and Jegal Jin-hee smiled faintly and replied. Ill make sure to bring them. Relieved by her answer, Mu-jin bade a hearty farewell. Then I shall see youter, Master Jegal and Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nim. After a brief farewell, Mu-jin had no choice but to return to Shaolin, as if in a sh. With a crazy old man in tow. * * * Traveling with Namgung Muguk to Shaolin for a day. Throughout the journey, a dreadful silence hung between Mu-jins party and Namgung Muguk. Namgung Muguk wasnt one to talk unnecessarily, and since he kept silent, Mu-jins party followed suit. However, maintaining this awkward silence for over a day was excruciating. While Mu-jin himself didnt mind, hispanions kept giving him desperate looks to do something. Eventually, Mu-jin reluctantly spoke to Namgung Muguk. Namgung Old Senior. Namgung Muguk looked at Mu-jin without a word. Are you displeased to be traveling with me? Are you referring to the Yongbongji Conference? Yes. At the Yongbongji Conference, Namgung Jin-cheon, Namgung Muguks grandson, had been defeated by Mu-jin. Mu-jins question was about whether there were any hard feelings from that incident. Of course, Mu-gyeong and Mu-gung red at Mu-jin, thinking, Why ask that now? while Mu-jin returned their gaze with, What else should I talk about? But Namgung Muguk seemed indifferent. Victory and defeat aremon in warfare. Why should I be displeased? What matters is who stands on top in the end. Your defeat of my grandson only spurred him on. He will win in the end anyway. Mu-jin was inwardly impressed by Namgung Muguks answer. I thought he was just a senile old man, but he has his own principles? Of course, voicing such thoughts would mean immediate decapitation. Intrigued by Namgung Muguks response, Mu-yul asked innocently, So, did you ever lose, Grandpa Namgung? Ooo~? Everyone tensed at the rude question, but Namgung Muguk didnt seem to mind. Ive never been defeated in a direct fight, but I did meet a few superior masters in my youth. Namgung Muguk stroked his white beard as if reminiscing. Yes, thirty-eight years ago. The Heavenly Demon of Xinjiangs Demonic Sect during their invasion of the central ins was one such person. He was undeniably the greatest under heaven. Speaking as if recalling his first love, Namgung Muguk tilted his head. Come to think of it, it was strange. The Demonic Sects special forces attacking Shaolin and crippling Hyun-gwang didnt fit the Heavenly Demons style. Perhaps because Hyun-gwang was mentioned, Mu-jin asked actively, What do you mean it didnt fit the Heavenly Demon? He was truly a man worthy of being the greatest under heaven. Although we say the Demonic Sect invaded the central ins, he always fought head-on. We should have driven them out the same way. We should have trained and defeated him in a direct confrontation, even if it took years. Namgung Muguks voice was filled with regret. This was understandable. To Namgung Muguk, then a young heir of the Namgung Family, the Heavenly Demon was the one who showed him what it meant to be an unparalleled master. But true to the Namgung Familys lineage, Namgung Muguk didnt feel humiliation or jealousy; instead, he aimed to surpass the Heavenly Demon with his own sword. However, that goal was never realized. To resist the Demonic Sects invasion, the orthodox sects formed an alliance, and in the final battle Hundreds of retired masters and reclusive experts ambushed and killed the Heavenly Demon. Many of these masters were ughtered, but Namgung Muguk was dissatisfied with the result. Even though his father, the previous Namgung family head, also died in that final battle, his regret wasnt over his fathers death. He believed he could have surpassed the Heavenly Demon given enough time. Unable to fight the Heavenly Demon one-on-one, Namgung Muguk changed his goal. Seeding his father as the family head, he aspired to be the greatest under heaven. Even while fulfilling his duties as the family head, he spent every night recalling the Heavenly Demons techniques, sparring against an imaginary opponent. After nearly twenty years, when he felt his skills matched the Heavenly Demons, he dly handed over the family headship to his son, Namgung Chang-hwi, and set out on a journey to prove he was the greatest under heaven. He even created the Emperors Sword Form to surpass the familys supreme technique, inspired by the Heavenly Demon. It was a martial art developed from nightly recollections of the Heavenly Demon Suppression Steps, which had overwhelmed hundreds of orthodox masters. * * * After sharing his tale about the Heavenly Demon, Namgung Muguk fell silent, seemingly lost in thought, as he continued his journey. Thus, Mu-jins group had to endure the awkward silence once more as they hastened their steps. Before long, the familiar sight of a mountain came into view for Mu-jins party. It feels likeing home. After about seven months, Mu-jins group was finally returning to Mount Song. Chapter 192: Best Under Heaven Even after returning after seven months, the mountainous terrain of Songshan was very familiar to Mu-jin. However, there was no time to enjoy the scenery. It was because of the overwhelming presence of Namgung Muguk that could be felt from behind. Since the conversation about the Heavenly Demon, Namgung Muguk had not uttered a single word. Reflecting now, Mu-jin thought that the reason for his silence might have been to focus and prepare for the impending duel with Hyun-gwang. As they climbed Songshan and got closer to Shaolin, an unresistable heavy presence emanated from Namgung Muguk, who was positioned behind them. In the end, Mu-jins group had to climb Songshan quickly without uttering a word.As they were growing weary of the dreadful and heavy silence, Mu-jins group finally reached the entrance to Shaolin. Finally, youve returned!! Just as at the Haegum Hall of Wudang, the Shaolin disciples who were at the gate tried to greet Mu-jins group warmly. However, because of the heavy presence felt from behind Mu-jins group, their gazes naturally turned to the elderly man standing there. Who is this gentleman, that he is intimidating our Shaolin disciples? The disciple guarding the gate barely managed to control his rising internal energy as he asked. But it was not the elderly man who answered; it was Mu-jin. This is Elder Namgung Muguk, the Sword Emperor. We havee to Shaolin for his duel with Grandmaster Hyun-gwang. !!! A wave of shock spread through the eyes of the gatekeeper. One of the three strongest individuals in the world had suddenlye to Shaolin. Though it would be reasonable to demand proof of identity or question the truth of the matter. There is no room for doubt. If someone exudes such an overwhelming presence just by standing still, its enough to be considered one of the Three Great Swords. However, regardless of how great Namgung Muguk might be, as a gatekeeper, he had to fulfill his duties. I will report to the Abbot. Please wait for a moment. No one could enter Shaolin without permission. Namgung Muguk, who had been silent until then, looked at the gatekeeper of the second rank who dared to stop him. As Mu-jins group anxiously raised their internal energy to prepare for any unforeseen situation, Namgung Muguk spoke in a controlled tone. I will give you the time of one incense stick. At his answer, Mu-jins group sighed in relief internally. Meanwhile, the gatekeeper bowed to Namgung Muguk and hurriedly went inside Shaolin. Despite his efforts to hide it, his body was already drenched in cold sweat. Guarding the gate requires more courage than I thought. Mu-jin was amazed by the courage of the gatekeeper who stood his ground despite knowing the gap in their abilities. After the gatekeeper left, a heavy silence fell over the entrance. Namgung Muguk just crossed his arms and silently stared at the gate. As Mu-jin, who was watching him, began to feel his mouth dry out, Namgung Muguk uncrossed his arms and muttered. Theyre here. A few seconds after his words, several monks appeared at the gate with a bustling noise. Among them were the Abbot Hyun Cheon, several head monks, and even Hye-dam, the leader of the 108 Arhats who protect Shaolin. But Namgung Muguks gaze did not turn towards them. He looked at the elderly man who was slowly approaching from behind them and spoke. Its been a long time. Hohoho. Its been over forty years since west met, truly a long time, Namgung. Even in front of Namgung Muguks overwhelming presence, Hyun-gwang remainedposed. Hyun-gwang greeted Namgung Muguk and then looked leisurely at Mu-jin. Mu-jin, you have worked harding here with Namgung. Unworthy disciple. I have just returned to Shaolin afterpleting my task. We have some matters to discuss, so lets have our reunion afterward. I will be waiting. When Mu-jin bowed, Hyun-gwang nodded and turned his attention back to Namgung Muguk. Observing all this, Namgung Muguk felt a strange sensation. He could not sense any martial aura from Hyun-gwang, who was behaving sofortably in front of him. To be precise, he could sense a human presence but no martial artists aura. It felt as if he was dealing with an ordinary person. A moment ago, the only reason Namgung Muguk had found Hyun-gwang was because of this strange sensation. All those who came rushing out of the gate were martial experts, yet only Hyun-gwangs presence stood out separately. In such cases, there could only be two possibilities. Either the opponent was truly an ordinary person with no martial skills, Or what Yunheo said might be true. Or they were such an overwhelmingly superior master that even he couldnt sense their presence. Since abandoning his family duties to pursue martial challenges, Namgung Muguk had never encountered such a situation. However, he was not foolish enough to deny this fact. Nor was he a coward who would flee just because the opponent was strong. Have you heard why I came? I heard you desire a duel with me. Your answer? I assume you wouldnt ept a refusal, so theres no choice. Hohoho. However, if we duel here, Shaolins walls might copse. How about moving to another ce? Fine. With Namgung Muguks answer, Hyun-gwang turned and led the way. Following him were the Shaolin monks who hade out to greet them and Mu-jins group, with Namgung Muguk bringing up the rear. The ce they soon arrived at was somewhat familiar to Mu-jin. It was the broad clearing where Hyun-gwang had once dueled with Yunheo Zhenren. Abbot. Yes, Brother Hyun-gwang. Please have the disciples wait here. They might get caught in the crossfire. I understand. Having said that to Hyun Cheon, Hyun-gwang sent a mental transmission to Mu-jin before stepping into the clearing. Observe this duel well. While Mu-jin was puzzled by the transmission, After stopping the Shaolin disciples at the edge of the clearing, Hyun-gwang moved to the center, and Namgung Muguk followed him without a word. Facing Hyun-gwang in the clearing for a brief moment, Namgung Muguk boldlyunched the first attack. It was a strike embodying the essence of the Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship he had shown in his duel with Yunheo Zhenren. As the massive sword pressed forward, the Shaolin disciples could only swallow their breath. They were all racking their brains trying to think of ways to counter that sword strike. But Hyun-gwang, who faced the sword, continued to smile serenely. Then, the wind began to blow. The wind seemed to envelop Namgung Muguks sword, but his sword tore through the wind as if rejecting thews of nature. Naturally, the wind, as it was torn, emitted an eerie sound akin to a ghosts wail. Namgung Muguks sword continued to create ghostly wails as it advanced, but by the time it reached Hyun-gwang, the power within the sword had already dissipated. Hyun-gwang leisurely stepped back and calmly swung his right arm. In ordance with his will, the natural energy began to create a strange phenomenon. Whoosh! The fire energy gathered around Namgung Muguk as if to incinerate him. Hmm! Namgung Muguk quickly formed a sword barrier to block the fire energy and then swung his sword again towards Hyun-gwang. Each time, Hyun-gwang borrowed the power of the wind or created energy barriers to block Namgung Muguks attacks. Each time, natures eerie cries echoed in the clearing, and with every light gesture from Hyun-gwang, strange natural phenomena urred towards Namgung Muguk like a butterfly effect. Lightning struck, mes erupted, and a biting cold wind swept through. Yet Namgung Muguk somehow managed to block or evade these strange attacks and tenaciously chased after Hyun-gwang with his sword. Mu-jin watched the astonishing battle in silence. Following Hyun-gwangs mental transmission, Mu-jin tried to observe and learn something from the duel, but it didnt seem like a duel to him. It was more like a battle between Buddha and the Monkey King within Buddhas palm. What can I gain from this? The techniques Hyun-gwang used were so distant that Mu-jins focus kept shifting to Namgung Muguk. He thought it more feasible to aim for the martial arts demonstrated by Namgung Muguk rather than the lofty heights of Hyun-gwangs skills. Namgung Muguk, who was fighting against nature like a foolish human, finally spoke with his disheveled hair. Its like youre performing sorcery. Hohoho. How could a mere humanprehend the world? Are you implying youre not human? Instead of answering immediately, Hyun-gwang gave a gentle smile. I am merely borrowing a bit of the natural force. I did note here to exchange trivial philosophical arguments with you. Namgung Muguk readied his sword once more. If you keep evading with such strange techniques, I will simply ensure you cant escape. As he finished speaking, Namgung Muguk assumed a stance. He turned his body diagonally, stepping forward with his left foot and back with his right. Holding his sword in his right hand, he pulled it back with his elbow half-bent, as if preparing to thrust. The Fourth Stance of the Emperors Sword Form: The Emperors Sky-Piercing Stance. An immense wave of energy began to emanate from Namgung Muguk, who was at the center of the stance. The energy suppressed all living things around him. Even human energy is ultimately part of the world. At the center of this, Hyun-gwang moved as if he was free from all these phenomena. Hyun-gwang moved leisurely and prepared for the most basic stance of Shaolin martial arts: the straight punch. Gulp. Seeing Hyun-gwangs stance, several Shaolin experts involuntarily swallowed their dry saliva. They instinctively realized that this was the most perfect and natural straight punch stance. Meanwhile, Namgung Muguk was gathering massive internal energy into his sword, creating a sword illusion. In contrast, since Hyun-gwang did not possess internal energy, the immense natural energy began to converge into his fist. As soon as Namgung Muguk, who hadpleted his preparations, thrust his sword, sending the sword illusion forward, Hyun-gwang matched it with his straight punch, unleashing a golden radiance towards Namgung Muguk. The two powerful forces shed at the center, yet there was no sound. Huh Namgung Muguks sword illusion simply dissolved into nothingness upon contact with the golden radiance. Chapter 193: Blood Sessor Despite the sword attack, known as the most destructive sword strike, vanishing like a mirage, Namgung Muguk neither panicked nor hesitated. As if it were a rehearsal, he was already assuming his next stance, creating another sword strike. However, every time Namgung Muguks sword strike encountered the golden aura simr to that of Buddha, it vanished into nothingness. Hoo From a certain point, deep breaths began to escape from Namgung Muguks mouth. The sword strike, condensed with Gang-gi, was nothing short of a monster that devoured internal energy. Having used it more than ten times, his internal energy was depleted. This was only possible because Namgung Muguk had reached an elevated state and consumed numerous miraculous elixirs. Ordinary people couldnt even reach the state to create a sword strike, and even if they did, they couldnt produce it multiple times.But no matter how much internal energy a person holds, it cannotpare to the countless qi flowing in the world. Are you satisfied with this? At Hyun-gwangs question, confirming his opponents exhaustion, Namgung Muguk frowned for the first time. This is absurd. How is this different from swinging a sword in the air alone? It wasnt just because Hyun-gwangs technique borrowed the power of nature. Everything he had created throughout his life couldnt reach his opponent. But what frustrated him even more was that despite such a significant gap, his body hadnt even sustained a scratch. It felt like a master guiding a novice, engaging just enough not to get injured. For a swordmaster vying for the title of the best in the world, there could be no more humiliating defeat. However, Namgung Muguk wasnt a man who prioritized pride over life. Thanks to you, I realized once again that there is always a higher sky. Saying so, Namgung Muguk sheathed his sword, his eyes burning with apetitive spirit. I will refine what I learned in this duel and return in five years. He was not a foolish man who would throw away his life for pride but one who polished himself for revenge. But he didnt know that Hyun-gwang didnt have five years left. And Hyun-gwang didnt bother to tell him that fact. The main reason he epted this duel was not to prove he was the best in the world. It was simply to show this duel to Mu-jin. I wonder if Mu-jin has grasped the clue Hiding such thoughts, Hyun-gwang asked Namgung Muguk, Why is it that you, Namgung senior, are so obsessed with being the best in the world? At Hyun-gwangs question, the old swordsman, whose hair had already turned white, answered with a face that looked like he had heard a ridiculous question. Isnt it natural for a man to dream of being the best? Leaving only that one answer, the old swordsman turned his back without hesitation and descended Mount Song. * * * Even after Namgung Muguk left, silence lingered in the area as if a typhoon had just passed. It was due to the presence of Namgung Muguk and the waves of enlightenment that came from watching a high-level duel. Mu-jin was also lost in such contemtion. What exactly is Grandfather trying to teach me? Hyun-gwang, as Mu-jin knew him, was not one to speak meaningless words. By telling him to watch the duel carefully, it meant that there was something for him to gain from it. But the techniques Hyun-gwang disyed were too distant and abstract. As those who watched the duel were deep in their thoughts, Hahaha. Hyun-gwangs softughter awakened their minds. Grandfather! Mu-jin, regaining his senses, ran straight to Hyun-gwang in the center of the open space. Hahaha. I waste in greeting you because I was dealing with a persistent old man. Come back quickly. Youre truly amazing! To defeat the Namgung Sword Emperor so easily! As Hyun-gwang and Mu-jin were about to share a warm reunion, a voice suddenly interrupted their conversation. Hmm, Senior Brother Hyun-gwang. Excuse me for saying this, but before reuniting with Mu-jin, isnt there something you need to do? Knowing what Hyun-cheon was talking about, Hyun-gwang nodded. Then let us first move to the Abbots chamber, Abbot. Led by Hyun-cheon and Hyun-gwang, everyone in the open space returned to the Shaolin Temple. Some returned to their quarters, while a few, including Hyun-cheon, Hyun-gwang, some Hyun-mun members, and Mu-jin, entered the Abbots chamber. The reason why only a few people gathered here. Mu-jin. Yes, Abbot. Its about time you exin why you left Shaolin. It was to interrogate Mu-jin. Although the Muja Quartet also participated in the escape, everyone in Shaolin knew that Mu-jin led the escape. Receiving the gazes of the Shaolin elders, Mu-jin confidently opened his mouth. In the past, I encountered some clues about certain shadowy forces while dealing with Cheonryu Sangdan. Mu-jin started, weaving a story bybining what he had read in novels with his own experiences. After exining his seven-month journey, Huh Everyone in the Abbots chamber hadplicated expressions. An organization operating in the shadows of Murim. If another disciple had said this, they would have scolded him for talking nonsense. However, Considering the current state of Murim, it seems usible. Abbot. Who would have thought that the reason the Demonic Alliance and the orthodox sects were trying to confront us was because of those shadowy forces. Since Mu-jin conveyed the story and it matched the current situation, they couldnt help but believe it. Seeing that the Shaolin elders epted his story, Mu-jin quickly added, So now, it seems important to increase our alliances and eliminate the branches of those shadowy forces I mentioned. And in the process of increasing alliances, its crucial to be careful not to mix with people rted to those shadowy forces. Easier said than done. How can we easily resolve such significant matters? It may not be easy with just our Shaolins strength, but we have allies. We must utilize the wealth, power, and intelligence of Cheonryu Sangdan, Wudang Sect, Sichuan Tang n, and now the Jegal Family. And importantly, we should employ Baek Ga-ryeong and Baek Ga-hwan, who are currently entrusted with Cheonryu Sangdan. Their wisdom and intelligence are remarkable and will undoubtedly be a great help. It was a different kind of story from Mu-jin, who used to take matters into his own hands. The primary reason Mu-jin had been directly involved was that he had no way to persuade Shaolin. Convincing the elders of the Shaolin with something seen in a novel was out of the question. However, the numerous incidents that urred during their trip to Guangxi Province lent credence to Mu-jins words. Now, I dont have to run around blindly by myself anymore! Mu-jins words seemed convincing, as even Hyun-cheon, the head monk, and several other old monks were nodding in agreement. Indeed, Mu-jin. As you said, now is the time to unite to dispel the shadow over the Central ins. Yes, Bang-jang Sunim! Then, lets proceed as Mu-jin suggested for now. We should discuss the next matter. The next matter? Mu-jin looked at Hyun-cheon with a puzzled expression. Hyun-cheon smiled gently, meeting Mu-jins gaze directly. Now that we know why you fled in the middle of the night, we must decide your punishment. Pardon? Mu-jin asked in disbelief, but Hyun-cheon didnt exin further and instead looked at Hyun-gong, the head of the Jurisdiction Department. In my opinion, a fifteen-day meditation in the Cave of Repentance would be appropriate. What do you think, Hyun-gong? It might be a light punishment for fleeing at night, but considering the valuable information he brought, that should suffice. Amitabha. Mu-jin shot a pleading look at Hyun-gwang, but Hyun-gwang merelyughed heartily. * * * Shortly after Mu-jin was taken away by the disciples of the Jurisdiction Department Im sorry, Hyun-gwang Sunbae. Hyun-cheon bowed his head to Hyun-gwang. Its alright, Bang-jang Sunim. Hyun-gwang wasnt concerned. He knew why Hyun-cheon had sent Mu-jin to the Cave of Repentance. Mu-jin is still only a third-ss disciple. It would be dangerous for him to make more enemies now. I understand, so dont worry. The reason the head monk put Mu-jin in the Cave of Repentance was to prevent him from causing more trouble in the martial world. Already, the Demonic Alliance was targeting Mu-jin. If he were to provoke the shadowy forces known as Shinchun, even stronger enemies mighte after him. Moreover, it was said that Mu-jin had nearly been killed by a thiefparable to the King of Thieves. Understanding all this, Hyun-gwang didnt stop Mu-jin from being confined to the Cave of Repentance. Take this opportunity to rest in the Cave of Repentance and solve the task I gave you, Mu-jin. As Hyun-gwang pondered this, Hyun-cheon addressed the monks of the Hyun-mun faction with a solemn face. During the fifteen days Mu-jin is in the Cave of Repentance, we need to quickly handle the matters he mentioned. Yes. We will contact the Wudang Sect and Cheonryu Sangdan, as well as the Tang n and Jegal Family, with whom we have ties. Send letters urgently, ensuring that only the heads of each family and sect can read them. ording to Mu-jins information, the spies of the shadowy forces seem to be widespread among various sects. Shaolin will also ensure that the details are kept within the Hyun-mun faction to avoid any leaks. The old monks of the Hyun-mun faction quickly left the head monks office to attend to their tasks. Left alone in the office, Hyun-cheon wore a deeply troubled expression, unlike theposed demeanor he had shown earlier. Bloodshed will soone to the Central ins To dispel his unease and worry, he chanted a Buddhist prayer. Amitabha. He hoped fervently that they could safely weather theing storm. Amitabha. He wished for the safety of Shaolin, its associates, and the countless people living in the Central ins. Amitabha. Lastly, he prayed that Mu-jin, who had amassed such heavy karma despite being just a third-ss disciple, could rest peacefully in the Cave of Repentance. Amitabha. * * * Damn it. How did he end up here? Mu-jin had nned to leave everything to the elders and enjoy weightlifting to restore his muscle mass once he joined Shaolin. But I cant even lift weights here!! Would he have to be satisfied with just bodyweight exercises? As Mu-jin, looking aggrieved, pondered this Why am I here too? Hehe. This ce is fascinating, right, Ling-ling? Ook! Ookiki! Mu-gung mumbled resentfully, while Mu-yul and Ling-ling seemed to be enjoying their adventure in the Cave of Repentance. Meanwhile, Mu-gyeong looked around with a peculiar expression. Sensing something was off, Mu-gung asked, Whats wrong, Mu-gyeong Sahyung? Ah Being in the Cave of Repentance reminds me of stories my master told me. Master Uncle Hye-gwan? Yes. What kind of stories? About the evil and demonic people imprisoned in the Cave of Repentance. My master often talked about the demons he had locked up himself. Strictly speaking, Master Uncle Hye-gwan used to scare Mu-gyeong with stories about the horrifying demons imprisoned there, as a warning for him to behave. As a child, those stories were terrifying, but as he grew up, Mu-gyeong had begun to take them lightly. However, now that he was actually confined here, the stories came back to him. Finding the story intriguing, Mu-gung asked again. Who are the ones imprisoned here? The story thates to mind is about a man called the Blood Demon. Just by his title, he sounds like a nasty piece of work. Indeed. He used a martial art called the Bloody Rain Divine Demon Technique, which, as the name suggests, involved raining down a torrent of blood-red energy. Bloody Rain Divine Demon Technique? It wasnt Mu-gung who repeated the name of the technique. Mu-jin, who had been muttering to himself about his frustration with not being able to lift weights, suddenly joined the conversation. Did you say that the Blood Demon used the Bloody Rain Divine Demon Technique? Mu-jins expression wasplicated as he asked. And with good reason. So, it was in the Cave of Repentance The Bloody Rain Divine Demon Technique. That martial art was used by the Blood Sessor in the first part of the novel. Chapter 194: Blood Sessor In the first part of the novel *Record of the Heavenly Demons Return*, the Blood Sessor primarily used abination of two martial arts. One was Buddhist martial arts, while the other was the Blood Rain Demon Technique, as mentioned by Mu-gyeong. The protagonist of the first part faced this Blood Sessor, specting that he might have gone mad due to Qi Deviation from practicing a mix of Buddhist martial arts and demonic arts. However, Mu-jin, who had spent over six years with Mu-gyeong, now understood. Mu-gyeong exined that the Blood Sessor wasnt insane because he practiced both martial arts but because he was inherently a madman. Combining the opposing martial arts might have been a trigger, but fundamentally, he was always ready to go mad. And if this Mu-gyeongs talent is true, he wouldnt fall into Qi Deviation just frombining the two. Though all the techniques were Buddhist martial arts, Mu-gyeong had already mastered more than a hundred Shaolin techniques.Among them, he had only mastered three of the Seventy-Two Consummate Arts, but even that was enough to drive most people insane. In addition, he had learned techniques from the Wudang Sect, the opponents he faced at the Yongbongji Conference, and those he met in Guangxi Province. Despite stealing and learning all these techniques, he remained sane. It was an unbelievable feat. Maybe hes immune to madness because hes already a bit crazy? As Mu-jin pondered this while looking at Mu-gyeong, Mu-gyeong looked back at him as if he were a mad dog and asked, Why? Whats with the sudden anxious look? With both Hye-gwan and Mu-jin often causing trouble, Mu-gyeong had learned to avoid crazy people. They stared at each other like madmen for a moment. A strange thought crossed Mu-jins mind. Wait. If we could obtain the Blood Rain Demon Technique here, we wouldnt need to take a roundabout route, would we? In a year or two, the protagonist of the first part, who would be the future Heavenly Demon, was set to graduate as the top student of the Demonic Path Institute. After graduation, he would be assigned to thebat unit of the Heavenly Demon Cult. From then on, hell be ruthlessly driven. Caught in the internal power struggle of the Heavenly Demon Cult, this talented but illegitimate son would be repeatedly thrown into life-and-death battles. But his overwhelming talent would see him grow explosively through each crisis. With a protagonists sense of weight and presence, he would eventually lead thebat unit, bing its de facto leader. After years of surviving the frontlines with his unit, he would return to the Heavenly Demon Cult, cleanse the cult, and ascend to the position of the Heavenly Demon. Thus, the first part of the novel was titled *Record of the Heavenly Demons Return*. However, Mu-jins interference had created a significant issue. When the protagonist, as a new recruit of thebat unit, faced countless life-and-death situations over a year and became the de facto leader of the unit, a new order would be given to head to a new battlefield. On the way to this new battlefield, a crucial event would ur when he encountered the Blood Sessor during a massacre in a vige. This encounter would not happen now. This event was important for a simple reason. The future Heavenly Demon and the Blood Sessor would engage in a titanic battle, through which the Heavenly Demon would gain further enlightenment and grow. Without this enlightenment, the Heavenly Demon would face insurmountable challenges in the next battlefield. In short, if the future Heavenly Demon headed to the next battlefield without fighting the Blood Sessor, he would die. Therefore, Mu-jin had been contemting various ways since realizing Mu-gyeong was the Blood Sessor. If Mu-gyeong obtains that technique here, we wont have to worry about such trivial things! Apparently, Mu-gyeong caused some trouble and was confined in the Cave of Repentance in the novel. After obtaining the Blood Rain Demon Technique from the Blood Demon, he escaped from Shaolin and operated as the Blood Sessor. But now was not the time to deduce the Blood Sessors past, which was not described in the novel. So, who exactly is this Blood Demon? Mu-jin asked Mu-gyeong, who still looked at him as if he were crazy, to confirm if the Blood Rain Demon Technique he knew was the same. They said he was a blood-crazed murderer. He had mastered a strange technique called the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique, a type of Blood-Sucking Technique, which allowed him to absorb his opponents blood and inner power. Thanks to that, he had an absurd amount of inner power. !!! The Celestial Blood Absorption Technique too! This was also a technique the Blood Sessor in the novel had mastered. Using this technique, the Blood Sessor possessed an absurd amount of inner power for his age. A blood-crazed murderer, indeed. There was no longer any doubt. So, that Blood Demon is locked up here? Yes. ording to Master Uncle, it took forty-eight elders of Shaolin using three formations of the Eighteen Arhats Formation to capture him. Even then, over ten elders died or were injured. He was an incredibly formidable master. Mu-gung shuddered at Mu-gyeongs exnation. Meanwhile, Mu-jin noticed something odd. Over ten elders died or were injured, but why didnt we know about it? That was twenty years ago. Master Uncle Hye-gwan captured the Blood Demon when he was a second-ss disciple. So, hes already dead? Mu-jin asked with a sense of foreboding, but Mu-gyeong shook his head. Thest time Master Uncle mentioned him was about a year ago. So, he was alive until then. Alright. Lets go! Go where? Where else? To find that Blood Demon. Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong both sighed deeply at Mu-jins absurd outburst. Why on earth do we need to find him? We need to get that Blood Rain Demon Technique. Why do we need that technique? If were stuck here anyway, wouldnt it be good to learn the martial arts of the viins here? Even if we cant, you can. Do we really need the martial arts of these viins? You stole martial arts from bandits and shady merchants in Guangxi Province, so whats the big deal now? That was just to find a way to counter them. I dont want to learn demonic arts Only then did Mu-jin realize that Mu-gyeong had no reason or desire to learn demonic arts. Considering how to persuade him, Mu-jin came up with a good idea. Think about it. We leave here in fifteen days. Where will we go after that? Well return to our respective halls. Right? Then wont Master Uncle Hye-gwan be there? What are you getting at? Do you think hell let us go after we left without permission and returned after seven months? You told me toe with you!! Mu-gyeong shouted in frustration, but Mu-jin just shrugged. Still, we did it together. After spending fifteen days in the Cave of Repentance, wont he let it go? Do you think Master Uncle Hye-gwan will let it slide? Mu-gyeong couldnt deny Mu-jins words. Hye-gwan would definitely be itching to give him another dose of love and care. So, whats your n? You said the Blood Rain Demon Technique was so powerful that even Master Uncle Hye-gwan and the other elders struggled to handle it. If you master it, wont you be able to stand up to Master Uncle Hye-gwan? !!! A scene naturally formed in Mu-gyeongs mind. A scene where he mastered the Blood Rain Demon Technique and fought against Master Uncle Hye-gwan. Of course, Mu-gyeong didnt want to torment or kill Master Uncle Hye-gwan. He had realized during his experiences in Guangxi Province why Hye-gwan had been so harsh on him. It was just that Maybe its time to fight back after taking so many beatings? Having been beaten thousands, no, tens of thousands of times over the past four years, Mu-gyeong just wanted to retaliate once. Though inclined to learn the demonic arts by seeking the Blood Demon, Mu-gyeong hesitated. Isnt it dangerous to learn demonic arts? Why? I might fall into Qi Deviation or suffer from madness. Mu-gyeong couldnt trust himself. He knew he was different from others. Being born with such a peculiar constitution, learning demonic arts might turn him into a mad killer. Mu-gyeong feared this. Realizing what Mu-gyeong was worried about, Mu-jin felt a bit touched. He had been so preupied with his worries. The boy, who had always seemed childish and on the brink of madness, seemed to have matured. So, Mu-jin spoke with conviction. I understand your concern, but dont worry. You wont have any problems mastering the Blood Rain Demon Technique. The Blood Sessor in the novel might have gone mad due to the demonic arts, or he might have been inherently mad. But Mu-gyeong wasnt the Blood Sessor. A truly mad person believes theyre normal. Just worrying about going mad means youre halfway there. Besides, didnt you find the trap in the Secret Techniques of Moonlight Sword Dance? You can fix the mnemonics of the Blood Rain Demon Technique if theres a problem. Mu-gyeong still had aplicated expression, so Mu-jin reassured him with a confident smile. You can do it. Are you sure? Absolutely. Perhaps it was Mu-jins confidence that eased Mu-gyeongs worries. Though Mu-jin often caused trouble, his suggestions rarely led to failure. So, this time too, Mu-gyeong decided to trust Mu-jin. Fine. Ill try to learn it. But if theres any problem, Ill stop immediately. Sure. If you fall into Qi Deviation or madness, Ill take care of it. How will you take care of it? Ill tie you up and beat you until you snap out of it. If needed, Ill bring Master Uncle Hye-gwan. Oh like that? Mu-gyeong couldnt help butugh at Mu-jins bold n. Seeing Mu-gyeongugh, Mu-jin smiled lightly. With the atmosphere rxed, Mu-jin led the way. We havent even met the Blood Demon yet, so lets not get ahead of ourselves and go inside. Kimchi soup? Whats that? Is it delicious? Its a dish from a far eastern country. Just know its not from here. Mu-jins nonsensical exnation was followed by a reluctant Mu-gung and a cheerful Mu-yul and Ling-ling. Mu-gyeong, watching them, recalled Mu-jins words. Worrying about going mad means youre halfway there But his thoughts were interrupted by Mu-jin calling him. What are you doing? Come on. Iming. With a faint smile, Mu-gyeong joined Mu-jin, suddenly asking, Mu-jin. Yes? Do you think youre normal? Of course. Whos more rational than me? At Mu-jins confident reply, Mu-gyeong simply nodded. A madman always believes hes normal. Indeed, even a madman could speak some truths. Chapter 195: Blood Sessor The Cave of Repentance was quite arge space. Initially, Mu-jin and his group were only supposed to train by facing the wall at the entrance of the cave, but they continued to venture deeper into the cave in search of the Blood Demon. After walking a certain distance, the sight that unfolded made them realize that this ce was truly a prison. Throughout the cave, there were spaces that seemed either artificially dug or naturally formed. Each of these spaces was barred with iron bars, and inside these bars were people with shackles on their limbs. Though their appearances were simr, their reactions varied widely. You bastards! Let me out of here!! I will never forgive you! Once I get out of here, I will kill every single one of you Shaolin bastards! Some madmen were yelling and provoking Mu-jin and his group.Heh heh heh. What brings young monks here? Hahaha. Arent you tired of ying monk? If you get me out of here, I will gift you gold and silver. You poor souls who dont know the pleasures of the world. Come closer if youre interested, and Ill teach you about the joys of carnal pleasure. There were also those who tried to entice Mu-jins group with trivial words. Every time Mu-jin encountered these prisoners, he approached the bars. He wasnt trying to fight the prisoners inside. The ones locked up here had their danjeon destroyed and their limb meridians partially ruined, making them only barely able to live normally. The result of a fight was obvious. Nevertheless, Mu-jin approached the prisoners for a reason: to find the Blood Demon. Could you please tell me your nickname when you were active in the Jianghu? Heh heh heh. It seems youre interested in carnal pleasures. I was known as the Absolute Lustful Demon. But the old men Mu-jin talked to were never the Blood Demon. After hearing their nicknames, Mu-jin clicked his tongue and stepped back. What a waste. A nobody. Nobody!? Are you insane and want to die? Try killing me if you can. Whether the deranged prisoner yelled or not, Mu-jin dug his little finger into his ear and responded. The ones who really troubled Mu-jin werent the prisoners who shouted like that. Damn, another dead end. As they wandered through the Cave of Repentance, they often saw such prisoners. Those whoy there withpletely vacant faces, almost like corpses. Alive but no different from the dead. Elder? These people didnt respond at all, even when Mu-jin approached the bars and called out to them. Damn it. Could that old man be the Blood Demon? Every time Mu-jin encountered such people, he worried that the Blood Demon might have already given up on life and be like them. Phew. Lets move on to the next one. But Mu-jin decided to check every person thoroughly before drawing any conclusions. If they found nothing even after inspecting the innermost parts. Then it means one of these lifeless ones is the Blood Demon. There was the problem of persuading someone who was practically a vegetative state to teach martial arts, but Mu-jin decided to check the sane ones first. As Mu-jin and his group moved deeper into the Cave of Repentance, Mu-gung spoke as he looked ahead. This seems to be thest one. At the end of the long passage inside the Cave of Repentance was thest cell with a prisoner inside. And within the iron bars, there was an old prisoner with shackles on his limbs, just like before. Tsk. Despite their voices, the old prisoner, who sat on the floor with his eyes closed, looked no different from those who had given up on life. Mu-jin, staring at the old prisoner for a moment, slowly approached the bars. Since they would have to start persuading such people from now on anyway, he thought it wouldnt hurt to try. Could you tell me your nickname, Elder? At Mu-jins question, the old man, who had been sitting like a corpse with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes. The sight of the old man opening his eyes was truly fitting of the onomatopoeia sparkle. While he had appeared like a corpse with his eyes closed, the moment he opened them, a sharp aura emanated from the old man. He should have lost his internal energy due to his danjeon being destroyed, though? As Mu-jin harbored such doubts, the old prisoner asked. Why does a Shaolin disciple ask about this old mans nickname? Perhaps due to not speaking for a long time, the old mans voice was mixed with a sharpness akin to scraping metal. We are disciples of Shaolin who havemitted sins and were imprisoned in the Cave of Repentance. To the old mans question, Mu-jin responded with words he had thought of since hearing about the Blood Demon. He had pondered how to persuade the Blood Demon to teach them martial arts and naturally, his thoughts turned to the Blood Sessor from the novel. How did the Blood Sessor manage to learn martial arts from the Blood Demon? And Mu-jins conclusion was this. But we dont believe it was a sin. Therefore, we just want to learn the excellent martial arts of the elders here and seek revenge on the Shaolin masters who imprisoned us. What could be the greatest revenge on those who imprisoned them? Killing those masters by their own disciples would be the ultimate revenge. Mu-jin deduced that the Blood Demon might have passed on martial arts to Mu-gyeong for a simr reason in the novel. Hahahaha!! Did Mu-jins prediction work? Suddenly, the old man burst into loud, raspyughter. You want to learn the martial arts of the prisoners here to take revenge on Shaolin? Yes. Ha ha ha. How absurd. How do you intend to take revenge on Shaolin with the martial arts of those who were defeated and imprisoned by Shaolin? I heard that forty-eight Shaolin masters gathered and barely managed to capture an incredible expert known as the Blood Demon, who is imprisoned here. If we learn the martial arts of this Blood Demon and engage in guerri warfare, revenge wont be just a dream. To verify if the man was indeed the Blood Demon, Mu-jin probed cautiously. The answer that came back was quite astonishing. Oh? So youve heard about this old man? Those words confirmed that the old prisoner was indeed the Blood Demon. However, his reaction was somewhat unexpected. So, you want to learn my martial arts to take revenge on the sect? As the Blood Demon asked this, a tremendous killing intent emanated from his eyes. Although he was an old man who had lost his martial arts, the killing intent was real. In terms of the concentration of killing intent alone, it wasparable to the Wolf King. Damn. Did he see through the lie? It was not an easy thing to ept. How many years had Mu-jin worked as a fitness trainer? Being a fitness trainer is also a kind of service job. A service job where you have to face clients one-on-one for an hour in each session. Mu-jin had reached the point where he could wear a smile on his face while cursing inwardly. Did the kids fail to manage their expressions? Naturally, Mu-jins thoughts turned to the kids who were watching the situation from behind. Although he had exined the n to the kids in advance, it seemed they couldnt fool the old manpletely. However, Mu-jin did not give up. After all, he had one final method in mind. Isnt it beneficial for you as well, Blood Demon Elder? As Mu-jin endured the Blood Demons killing intent and spoke, the Blood Demon showed interest, maintaining that sticky killing intent. Its not a bad idea for me? Senior, you cant escape from here anyway, can you? So why not take onest gamble on us? Instead of rotting away here and letting your unparalleled martial arts vanish, why not ce a final bet? The Blood Demon silently stared at Mu-jin for a moment. Then, as if it had never existed, the killing intent emanating from the Blood Demon vanished. He had decided to ept Mu-jins proposal. But that didnt mean he trusted the young monks words. Theres a saying that a tiger leaves its skin when it dies, and a man leaves his name. As a warrior who once made a name for himself in the Jianghu, the Blood Demon wanted to leave his nickname and martial arts to the world. Being imprisoned here for life, he had given up on thatst dream, and this was an opportunity to achieve it. However, that didnt mean he would pass on his martial arts to just anyone. Lets see if youre capable of learning my Blood Rain Demon Technique. He wanted someone who could pass his test, someone who could master the Blood Rain Demon Technique and spread his martial arts and name throughout the martial arts world. He didnt care what they intended to do with his martial arts. His only concern was the talent andprehension of these young monks. What is the test? asked Mu-jin. The Blood Demon opened his mouth but didnt exin the test. For a moment, he uttered a series of iprehensible metaphysical expressions. What I just recited is the mnemonic of the first move of the Blood Rain Demon Technique. Only those who can learn and sessfully perform it within three days will be taught the Blood Rain Demon Technique. Im sorry, but could you repeat the mnemonic? Its too long to memorize Hmph. If you cant memorize the mnemonic of the first move, you dont even qualify to learn my martial arts. At the Blood Demons scoff, Mu-jin almost showed a vein on his forehead. Damn it. Acting so high and mighty even though hes lost his martial arts and is imprisoned here. Considering the fact that anyone imprisoned here must have lived a pretty trashy life, respecting the elderly didnt cross Mu-jins mind. If it werent for the Blood Rain Demon Technique, I would have punched him. As Mu-jin pondered how to coax the old man into repeating the mnemonic, he realized it was unnecessary. When he turned around, he saw that Mu-gyeong had already closed his eyes and entered deep meditation. Despite the mnemonic being as long as a few pages of a book, Mu-gyeong had memorized it all in one go. Perhaps because Mu-jin and the others gaze was fixed on the meditating Mu-gyeong, the Blood Demon also looked at him with interest. Hmm. That boy seems to be somewhat capable. The fact that Mu-gyeong had memorized a mnemonic the length of several book pages in one go meant he had met at least the minimum requirements. The problem now was to interpret the essence of that mnemonic, which, when fully understood, could fill an entire book. Could that young monk solve thatplex interpretation within three days? As the Blood Demon watched Mu-gyeong, who was meditating with his eyes closed, Mu-gyeong suddenly opened his eyes and took a specific stance. !!! While the Blood Demon made a surprised expression for the first time, Hoo. Mu-gyeong, who took a deep breath and exhaled, began to manipte his internal energy. A portion of the internal energy flowing through his body was emitted through several acupoints, including his palms. Whiiing. In the air, tiny drops resembling raindrops began to form. The Blood Rain Demon Technique. First move. Blood Rain Formation. The initial move of the Blood Rain Demon Technique, which used internal energy to create blood rain. The subsequent moves described how to use the created blood rain for various attacks and how to manipte the energy to do so. Ultimately, if one couldnt freely perform the first move, learning the other moves was pointless. In that sense, although Mu-gyeong could create only one drop, that wasnt the important part. To think he seeded in this in less than a day after hearing the exnation only once! The Blood Demon, suppressing his astonishment, spoke. Thats enough. Withdraw your energy. That color doesnt suit Blood Rain. The drop Mu-gyeong created was golden. It was because his internal energy originated from Shaolin. It will naturally turn red after mastering the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique. After organizing his thoughts, the Blood Demon asked Mu-gyeong. Why did you assume that stance to perform the move even though I didnt teach you the preparatory posture? Unlike his interaction with Mu-jin, the Blood Demon asked in a softer tone. However, there was a hint of suspicion in his question. No one should have known the correct preparatory posture for the Blood Rain Demon Technique unless taught. Could this boy be someone Shaolin prepared in advance to steal my martial arts? Such doubts arose in the Blood Demons mind. But Mu-gyeongs response was far beyond the Blood Demons expectations. From interpreting the mnemonic, it seemed like the most appropriate stance to perform the move. The most appropriate stance? Yes. Once I be proficient, I can perform it in any stance, but since it was my first time, I prepared thoroughly. Huh To deduce the most suitable stance just from hearing the mnemonic if true, that was Theres no other word for it. Hes a monster. Moreover, this monster wanted to learn his martial arts. Of course, that answer might have been prepared by Shaolin, but it would be revealed during the process of teaching the other moves. Thus, the Blood Demon decided to pass on his martial arts to Mu-gyeong. If it were that boy, he could master his martial arts. No, more than that. That boy could surpass me! He could spread the name of the Blood Rain Demon Technique and the title of Blood Demon throughout the world. After that thought, the Blood Demon felt his heart, which had been cold and hardened for twenty years, beat rapidly once again. Chapter 196: Blood Sessor Around the time Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong were undergoing Blood Demons trial, Ha! Dao Yuetian was wielding a ck sword at one side of the Shaolin training ground. Dao Yuetian hade to Songshan through the Jegal family with Mu-jin, but he was left in a state of confusion when Mu-jin was suddenly confined in the Cave of Repentance. Fortunately, the Cheon Seom Moon family and senior disciples had arrived first at Deungbong-hyeon. However, Dao Yuetian chose not to descend Songshan to meet them. Now is the time toplete my martial arts. The bloodshed at Cheon Seom Moon was still engraved in Dao Yuetians mind.Knowing his inadequacies, he pushed himself relentlessly. Especially now, training in Shaolin safely, he was dedicating himself to mastering the true essence of the Swift Shadow Strike technique used in the ck sword. Swinging the ck sword slowly, he repeatedly performed the new mnemonics for the Swift Shadow Strike, forgetting the old ones. Phew. Ignoring the screams from his overworked body, Dao Yuetian steadied his breath. He had exhausted his internal energy from pushing himself to his limits. As he prepared to start training again, recovering his internal energy with the Qi Conducting Technique, Hehehe. A softugh reached his ears, one he hadnt sensed. Turning his head quickly, Dao Yuetian saw Hyun-gwang, Mu-jins great grandmaster. Greetings, Master Hyun-gwang. Dao Yuetian quickly bowed with a fist-palm salute, and Hyun-gwang smiled gently. Hehehe. I heard you came to Shaolin with Mu-jin? Yes, Master. Please, speak freely. Mu-jin is a benefactor to my family and me. Thus, you are also a benefactor to us. Hehehe. Very well. As they say, Courtesy is proportional to respect. Treat this humble monk as you would a grandfather. Hyun-gwangs soft words left Dao Yuetian momentarily conflicted, but he eventually agreed. I will do so. After observing Dao Yuetians face for a moment, Hyun-gwang spoke with a somewhat sorrowful tone. Hehehe. I was curious about what kind of young hero Mu-jin brought, and it seems you too have a destiny as extraordinary as his. Can you read destiny too, Master Hyun-gwang? Oh, of course, you are Mu-jins great grandmaster, so it makes sense. Dao Yuetians response made Hyun-gwang tilt his head slightly. Master Hyun-gwang too? So, someone else could read destiny? And judging by his words, Mu-jin seemed to believe in destiny reading as well. However, there was no need to rify here that Mu-jincked such an ability. Hyun-gwang continued with his intended conversation. It seems you have many trials ahead in your destiny. If you dont mind, I could offer some help. Did you say, Master Hyun-gwang?! Dao Yuetian asked with a surprised face. Understandably so, as he had climbed Songshan with Mu-jins party, directly witnessing the match between Namgung Muguk and Hyun-gwang. Receiving help from such a master, one who seemed to touch the heavens, was an opportunity he wished to seize even if he had to beg. But instead of feeling grateful, Dao Yuetian felt guilty. I have not yet repaid Mu-jins kindness. How can I ept more from you, Master Hyun-gwang? Hehehe. Rtionships are mysterious. I offer help knowing you will aid our Mu-jin in the future. Then, I will shamelessly seek your guidance. I will repay Mu-jins kindness with your teachings. Dao Yuetians answer made Hyun-gwang smile gently. Could you show me the martial arts you are practicing? Im sorry, Master Hyun-gwang. I have exhausted my internal energy and need to recover it through Qi Conducting Technique. Hehehe. Theres no need to use internal energy. Just demonstrate the form and mnemonics. Indeed, a master like him could understand everything from a simple demonstration. While Dao Yuetian processed this marvel, Hyun-gwang added, And Ive already seen your sword technique. Just exin the stepping techniques and other skills. Following Hyun-gwangs instructions, Dao Yuetian demonstrated and exined the forms and mnemonics of his martial arts. From the basic stepping techniques and body techniques of Cheon Seom Moon to the Golden Locking Hand technique. After listening to all of Dao Yuetians demonstrations and exnations, Hyun-gwang asked, Onest question. I noticed you repeatedly practiced a single technique earlier. Is there a reason for this? Its due to myck of talent and understanding. Dao Yuetian exined further, detailing the advice and help he had received from Mu-jin. After hearing his story, Hyun-gwang tilted his head again. Huh Mu-jin cant read destiny, so how did he know of the misfortunes awaiting this child? Even Hyun-gwang, at his high level, could only read the broad flow of destiny, not specific events. It reaffirmed to him the mysterious nature of his great grand disciple. However, Hyun-gwang chose to focus on the matter at hand. Now, I understand your situation. Let me make some adjustments to your martial arts. With those words, Hyun-gwang moved his body slowly, demonstrating a step. His movements resembled Dao Yuetians family stepping technique, Hundred Shadows Step, yet differed in subtle ways. After the demonstration and mnemonic exnation, Hyun-gwang spoke, I have condensed your Hundred Shadows Step technique to fit the Swift Shadow Strikes principle of speed over unnecessary changes. It wont be too difficult to learn since there are no major alterations. Dao Yuetian, stunned by this exnation, stood with his mouth agape, unable to recognize his own rudeness. Adjusting martial arts with just a single demonstration and exnation? Had he not witnessed Hyun-gwangs match with Namgung Muguk, he might have thought him a fraud. Learning multiple techniques simultaneously can be harmful. For now, focus on practicing this stepping technique. At Hyun-gwangs continued guidance, Dao Yuetian quickly closed his gaping mouth and bowed. Thank you for your grace, Master Hyun-gwang. After that, Dao Yuetian continued training with Hyun-gwang. Hyun-gwang not only showed the form and mnemonics once but corrected Dao Yuetian each time he made a mistake. Amitabha Watching Dao Yuetian train with a gentle expression, Hyun-gwang inwardly sighed. A child with talents and understanding, burdened by a fate almost impossible to ovee. Thus, Hyun-gwang understood Mu-jins advice to Dao Yuetian immediately. Bing part of the technique itself This child was not learning martial arts but bing part of them. Ugh. At that moment, Dao Yuetian, practicing the new stepping technique, lost his bnce and fell. Im sorry, Master Hyun-gwang. Dao Yuetian apologized for his shorings, but Hyun-gwang shook his head gently. The stepping technique he taught naturally caused initial falls. In fact, the technique was designed to disrupt bnce. When Dao Yuetians body deformed to align with the Swift Shadow Strike, the technique would feel natural. It was a method to elerate the deformation of Dao Yuetians body. Hyun-gwang also nned to embed simr traps in the other techniques he wouldter teach. To ensure Mu-jins arrangement was realized. And to help this child burdened with a great fate to ovee it. I wonder if Mu-jin is doing well. While teaching Dao Yuetian, Hyun-gwangs thoughts drifted to his great grand disciple solving his task in the Cave of Repentance. * * * After Mu-gyeong began training with Blood Demon, Mu-jin sat cross-legged in a corner of the Cave of Repentance, lost in thought. Since he was confined there, he decided to solve Hyun-gwangs task, reflecting on the match between Namgung Muguk and Hyun-gwang. Beside him, Mu-gung, believing himself the only sane one, sat cross-legged too. That brat dragged me here, but at least hell behave, right? Mu-gung thought inwardly, unable to voice it. Traveling the martial world with Mu-jin had its fun moments, but the escting incidents left Mu-gung craving rest. Thus, Mu-gung felt relieved seeing Mu-jin sitting quietly. We cant just waste time thinking! Mu-jin suddenly stood up, causing Mu-gung to sigh deeply. What do you n to do here? We can think while exercising! Get up, man. Youll lose muscle mass. How are we supposed to exercise here? Mu-gung looked around the barren Cave of Repentance skeptically. I was thinking about that! Mu-yul! Yeah? Why~? Hang on here. Mu-jin held out his arm like offering a banana to a monkey, and Mu-yul swung himself onto Mu-jins arm. Youre exercising too. Hold on tight. With that, Mu-jin began flexing his arm, lifting and lowering Mu-yul as if he were a dumbbell. Hehehe. Mu-yulughed happily, clinging to Mu-jins arm. Ha Why is he so cheerful? While Mu-gung sighed, Mu-yul called out, Wow! Ling-ling,e join us! Ook! Ook-ook!! Good, adding weight. After fifteen reps with Mu-yul, Mu-jin added Ling-ling to his arm exercises. Mu-yul, youre training too! Use the Celestial Weight technique to add more weight. Okay! Ugh! Haha! Ook! Watching the trios antics, Mu-gung shook his head. After finishing his arm exercises, Mu-jin approached Mu-gung. Your turn. You want me to hang from your arm? How could I lift a big guy like you with my arm? Then? Mu-jin pointed his thumb at his shoulder. Hang on here. Mu-jin intended to do heavy squats with Mu-gung on his back. Having been forced into years of weight training by Mu-jin, Mu-gung understood immediately. But understanding didnt mean he wanted to participate in such madness. No. Mu-gungs curt refusal made Mu-jin tilt his head in confusion. Ah! With an expression of realization, Mu-jin approached Mu-gung. What are you doing? Mu-gung asked incredulously as Mu-jin climbed onto his shoulders. Didnt you want to go first? Usually, saying no means wanting to skip the workout, right? How did he interpret it as wanting to go first? This guy doesnt have the concept of disliking or skipping workouts, does he? Realizing that no wouldnt work, Mu-gung pondered how to stop Mu-jins madness. Then he found the solution. Hey, you said it yourself. Working out without proper nutrition is muscle abuse. We cant get protein or anything here, so we shouldnt exercise. Although confined, they werent denied food. Otherwise, Blood Demon wouldnt have survived twenty years here. However, the daily provision from a Jurisdiction Department disciple was just a bit of water, vegetables, and grainsno protein. Mu-gungs sharp argument made Mu-jin nod appreciatively. Smart guy. You were worried about that. Mu-jin, squirming on Mu-gungs shoulders, pulled something from his clothes and handed it to him. Here. What is this? Protein supplement. Why is this here? I brought it for times like this, obviously. His face seemed to say it was the most natural thing in the world, leaving Mu-gung speechless. Chapter 197: Blood Sessor It had been five days since Mu-jin and his party were confined to the Cave of Repentance. While Mu-jin spent his time exercising with hispanions or sitting and pondering the homework given by Hyun-gwang, Mu-gyeong was practicing the Blood Rain Demon Technique. Indeed. His speed is absurd. The Blood Demon observed the young monk who was absorbing his martial arts at an astonishing rate. In just five days, that child had alreadypletely understood the first half of the Blood Rain Demon Technique. He had even be proficient enough to instantly create about twenty drops of blood rain. Of course, during his prime, the Blood Demon could create hundreds of blood drops simultaneously, literally causing a downpour of blood rain. Considering the fact that it had only been five days, his growth rate was truly extraordinary.However, that didnt mean there were no issues. Its time for you to learn the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique along with the Blood Rain Demon Technique. Must I really learn that technique? Mu-gyeong asked, not hiding his reluctance. The method of absorbing an opponents blood to increase internal energy seemed to have many potential side effects. But the Blood Demon replied firmly to Mu-gyeongs question. From the start, the Blood Rain Demon Technique ispleted through the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique. The Blood Rain Demon Technique, which creates countless drops of blood rain, requires enormous internal energy. The Celestial Blood Absorption Technique is essential for rapidly increasing internal energy. However Additionally, the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique can be used duringbat. You injure your opponent with the Blood Rain Demon Technique and recover internal energy through their blood. What could be a more perfectbination? Moreover, if one mastered both the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique and the Blood Rain Demon Technique, they could absorb an opponents blood even through the blood rain. The blood rain would wound the opponents body, and the blood rain within them would absorb their blood and convert it into internal energy. When that time came, it would mean having virtually unlimited internal energy. When the Blood Demon emphasized the necessity of learning the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique, Mu-gyeong pondered for a moment before responding. Itste today, so I will return and consider it. Ill give you my answer tomorrow. Very well, do as you wish. The Blood Demon lightly clicked his tongue as he thought. The child, who could easily grasp such aplicated technique like the Blood Rain Demon Technique, was still so indecisive. * * * Mu-jin and his party headed back to the entrance of the Cave of Repentance. The ce where the Blood Demon was confined was the deepest part of the cave, while the ce originally assigned to Mu-jins party was near the entrance. Every morning, a disciple from the Jurisdiction Department would visit to deliver food, so they would return to the entrance at night to sleep. After collecting the food delivered by the Jurisdiction Department disciple, they would head back to the Blood Demons prison. As soon as they reached the entrance of the Cave of Repentance. Mu-jin, who continued to exercise even near the Blood Demons prison, didnt stop exercising upon returning. Mu-gyeong approached the exercise addict and started talking. Mu-jin. Only afterpleting his twelfth high-weight squat and putting down Mu-gung did Mu-jin catch his breath and respond. What? You seem to be focusing only on external training today? While it was nothing new for Mu-jin to be doing strength training, there was a reason for Mu-gyeong pointing this out. For the first few days after being confined to the Cave of Repentance, Mu-jin had alternated between exercising and meditating, as if he was contemting something. But today, for some reason, he had been repeating only exercises and rest all day without any meditation. Mu-jin shrugged lightly and answered Mu-gyeongs question. I realized Im not like Grandpa Hyun-gwang or you. It was the conclusion he had reached after contemting Hyun-gwangs assignment for the past five days. No matter how many times he reviewed the duel between Hyun-gwang and Namgung Muguk, he couldnt suddenly achieve a miraculous realization and be a master. That didnt mean he had given up. It was just that. Unlike you, I find it easier to deal with things physically. He had found his own answer. Whether it was the answer Hyun-gwang wanted was unknown. Mu-jin, who had answered Mu-gyeongs question, then asked Mu-gyeong in return. You seem to be troubled by something? Mu-gyeong told Mu-jin about what had happened today. It seems like he wont teach me the next techniques unless I learn the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique. Hmm. Mu-jin pondered for a moment. Indeed. The Blood Rain Demon Technique aside, the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique does seem quite dangerous. The method of absorbing an opponents blood to increase internal energy felt like a technique with many risks. It seemed like Mu-gyeong could truly be a Blood Sessor like in the novels if he learned it incorrectly. Then why not just learn the mnemonics for now? As long as you dont use it, it shouldnt matter even if you know the mnemonics, right? What if the Blood Demon insists on me trying it? Theres no one here to use it on, right? The Blood Demon isnt going to wound himself to feed you. What if he tells me to drink your blood? Mu-jin immediately extended his arm. Want to take a bite? Mu-gyeong briefly considered biting into Mu-jins menacingly bulging biceps, but he could already see his teeth breaking against it. Not to mention the muscle, Mu-jins skin had reached a level of imperviousness. Tell him that you cant drink our blood. And if he tells you to kill the prisoners here and drink their blood, tell him that would get you exposed in Shaolin. If he still insists on trying the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique, just stop there. Anyway, youve already learned up to the seventh form of the first half, right? After contemting Mu-jins advice for a moment, Mu-gyeong eventually nodded. * * * The next day. Mu-gyeong went to the Blood Demon and began learning the mnemonics of the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique. The mnemonics were quite lengthy andplex, but it didnt take Mu-gyeong long to memorize and understand them all. After understanding all the mnemonics, Mu-gyeong was convinced. This is a nefarious technique that can only lead to madness if used frequently. Having identified the trap within the secret manual of the Moonlight Dancing Technique and having consistently checked for issues while learning the Blood Rain Demon Technique, he quickly found the problem. The theory in the mnemonics seemed fairly clean. Themon issue with most absorption techniques was the risk of internal injury and Qi deviation due to absorbing various different energies, which was mitigated by using blood as a medium. However, this was only safe if absorbed slowly and steadily. The Blood Demon had clearly mentioned that it could be used to absorb an opponents blood duringbat to quickly recover internal energy. Mu-gyeong believed that was where the trapy. While it was rtively safe to absorb slowly, getting ustomed to blood absorption itself was dangerous. Habits are terrifying. If things turned unfavorable, one might unconsciously resort to such sinister methods. While Mu-gyeong resolved never to use the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique, the Blood Demon spoke to him. Now that youvepletely mastered the mnemonics, you should practice it. I will practice it after leaving the Cave of Repentance. We cannot practice here anyway, can we? The Blood Demon frowned at Mu-gyeongs response. Why not practice it on those guys? The Blood Demon pointed at Mu-jins party, who were exercising nearby, but Mu-gyeong shook his head. I would lose. You mean to say you cant win? The Blood Demon found it hard to believe that a child with such incredible talent and aptitude couldnt win. Mu-jin over there is the current number one prodigy known as the Shaolin Dragon. He even won the Yongbongji Conference a few months ago. Him? The fool who couldnt even memorize the first mnemonic of the Blood Rain Demon Technique? Had the orthodox sects declined so much? The Blood Demons question was filled with disbelief. While Mu-jins understanding of Qi is a bitcking, he is mastering absurd external martial arts. That bizarre training is rted to that external martial art? Looking at Mu-jin, who was lifting and lowering Mu-yul and Mu-gung as part of his muscle training, the Blood Demon asked. Embarrassed by his disciples (who didnt even treat him as a senior) disy, Mu-gyeong scratched his head and answered. For now, yes. Haha. It must be frustrating, losing to someone inferior to you. But dont worry. Once you master the seventh star of the Blood Rain Demon Technique and the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique, that child will be no match for you. Mu-gyeong had never felt frustrated about being weaker than Mu-jin, so he simply shrugged. Instead, he decided to ask the question he had always been curious about. Dont you feel any reluctance in teaching me? Honestly, Mu-gyeong had been doubtful if the Blood Demon would really teach him properly. So every time the Blood Demon taught him a new technique, he would crazily review and analyze the mnemonics. In case there were hidden traps. But to his surprise, there were no traps in the Blood Rain Demon Technique. The only trap was in the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique. Even that was due to the nature of the technique, not because he intended to deceive me. It felt like the technique was inherently wed rather than something the Blood Demon had tampered with. The Blood Demon smiled a sly smile at Mu-gyeongs question. That childs words should answer your question. The child the Blood Demon pointed at was Mu-jin. Isnt it enough that I can pass on my perfected martial arts? Why are you thinking about such useless things? Dont you resent the main sect for imprisoning you here? Hmph. The world is naturally a survival of the fittest, and in the martial world, strength isw. If I resent anything, its my youthful overconfidence that led me to directly challenge Shaolin. I should have been more cautious and killed those bald-headed monks after mastering my techniques. Tsk. Mu-gyeong felt chills at the sight of the Blood Demon openly saying he should have killed all the Shaolin monks. But strangely, along with the chills, a certain curiosity arose. Youre fine with passing on your precious martial arts to a Shaolin disciple you wish to kill? On the contrary, isnt it enough that I am passing them on to a Shaolin disciple? Do you expect me to wreak havoc on Shaolin with the Blood Rain Demon Technique? I already know you dont intend to avenge your sect. It meant that Mu-jins lie hadnt fooled the Blood Demon. So why was this old man teaching his martial arts to the disciple of his enemies? Before Mu-gyeong could ask, the Blood Demon read the question on his face. You still dont understand. Yes. Foolish child. A Shaolin disciple chose my martial arts over Shaolins. The more you make a name for yourself with my martial arts, the more it proves that my techniques are superior to Shaolins. From the look on the Blood Demons face, Mu-gyeong felt a sense of dj vu. Its simr to Namgung Sword Emperors expression. Even at eighty years old, dreaming of bing the greatest in the world, the face he showed when he challenged Hyun-gwang. The Blood Demon had a simr face. But. Is this the difference between the righteous and the demonic? Now, Mu-gyeong could easily see the significant difference between the two. The Namgung Sword Emperor pursued legitimate duels and personal growth, while the demonic used any means necessary, even blood absorption, to be stronger. There was an insurmountable gap between them. I will never be tainted by darkness. Recalling the madness lurking deep within his mind, Mu-gyeong made that resolution. * * * Another seven days passed. Having learned the first seven forms of the Blood Rain Demon Technique and the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique from the Blood Demon in six days, Mu-gyeong spent the next seven days learning the remaining five forms. However, theter forms required immense internal energy and were directly or indirectly linked to the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique, making it difficult to perform despite understanding the mnemonics. So, after leaving this ce, you should absorb internal energy using the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique and convert the Buddhist internal energy you possess into the energy of the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique. Thus, the Blood Demon advised Mu-gyeong. In order to master the Blood Rain Demon Technique, he would eventually need to use the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique. He advised that thetter forms of the Blood Rain Demon Technique should be memorized for now and practiced after leaving the cave and mastering the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique. However, Mu-gyeong did not want to follow his advice. Even if he had a natural inclination towards madness, or rather because he had that madness. He didnt want to be consumed by it. So, Mu-gyeong delved deep into his mental world for the remaining two days. In that mental world, Mu-gyeong practiced thetter forms of the Blood Rain Demon Technique. However, he didnt follow the mnemonics given by the Blood Demon exactly. He removed the parts that could only be performed with the blood energy of the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique and reced them with the mnemonics of countless martial arts he knew. He searched for the most natural sequence of mnemonics, identified the awkward parts caused by the reced mnemonics, and used his intelligence to smooth and modify them. Each time, the drops of rain created by Mu-gyeong in his mental world would glow golden, then turn red, and sometimes exhibit a strange mix of both colors. The process required extreme concentration, wearing down Mu-gyeongs mental state. Naturally, the word give up would start to grow in his mental world. You can do it. But the words Mu-jin had spoken a few days ago pushed away the growing give up in his mental world. Thus, Mu-gyeong spent two days without eating or drinking, fully immersed in martial arts. Finally, after a long time of perseverance, when Mu-gyeong opened his eyes after exiting his mental world. Pop! Dozens of golden drops of water formed around Mu-gyeong, decorating the air. Whoosh!! They began to sweep through the area violently, like a golden storm. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 198: Great Talent It has been fifteen days since Mu-jin and his group were confined in the Cave of Repentance. Before Mu-gyeong left the Cave of Repentance, he went to see the Blood Demon onest time. It wasnt to learn more martial arts from him, as the transmission of the Blood Rain Demon Technique had already concluded two days ago. The transmission isplete. What brings you here today? When the Blood Demon saw Mu-gyeong, who had remained secluded for the past two days after finishing the transmission, he asked in a curious tone. The Blood Demon didnt resent Mu-gyeong for abandoning him immediately after learning the martial arts. He never had such expectations to begin with. All he wanted was for Mu-gyeong to spread his martial arts and name widely. That was enough. I will soon be leaving the Cave of Repentance as the agreed time hase. We will likely never meet again, so I came to bid my final farewell.Tsk. Its a pointless act. It would be more beneficial for both of us if you used that time to train in the new technique I taught you. Despite the Blood Demons dismissive tone, Mu-gyeong nonchntly took the preparatory stance. It was the preparatory stance for the first form of the second half, Storm Only Leaves Blood. Since it was a technique from the second half, it naturally required the energy of the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique. He must have mastered the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique in the past two days, the Blood Demon thought, with a sinister smile. But the result was beyond his expectations. The fifty drops of rain formed around Mu-gyeong were still golden in color. Then, as the fifty golden drops of rain fiercely whirled around like a storm, theyshed out violently at the surroundings. The only difference was the color of the rain. It was a perfect execution of Storm Only Leaves Blood. What kind of sorcery is this? When the bewildered Blood Demon asked, Mu-gyeong, who had regained his breath, answered. I merely altered the technique you taught me so that it can be executed without relying on the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique. Is that truly possible? It was possible. Did you alter the remaining forms of the Blood Rain Demon Technique as well? I have only altered the first form so far, but I intend to recreate the remaining four forms. And, from now on, this martial art will no longer be called the Blood Rain Demon Technique. What do you mean by that? I will call it the Golden Rain Divine Technique () from now on. At Mu-gyeongs response, a fierce murderous intent shed in the Blood Demons eyes. Are you saying you dare to steal my martial arts and change its name? I didnt steal it. You taught it to me. Hmph. Typical of a sneaky monk. But things wont go as you think. My fame still remains in the martial world. Even if you im its the Golden Rain Divine Technique in Shaolin, everyone will associate it with my Blood Rain Demon Technique! R??¦? The intense killing intent and rough aura from the Blood Demon, who was supposedly stripped of his martial power, pressed down on Mu-gyeong. However, Mu-gyeong, unfazed, shook his head with a calm expression. I am not stealing it. I have no intention of hiding your name. So, please tell me your name. You know my alias well enough and yet you ask? I am not asking for your alias. I want your name. The world should know this martial art not as the Blood Rain Demon Technique, but under your name and as the Golden Rain Divine Technique. At this, the Blood Demons expression turned bizarre as he began to understand what Mu-gyeong was implying. The expression that started with anger turned into confusion, and eventually into aplex mix of emotions. It was a face that didnt seem to fit the alias Blood Demon. After a considerable silence, the Blood Demon spoke in a low voice. My name is Gwak Gae (). I understand. Elder Gwak Gae. Mu-gyeong replied, then bowed deeply toward the Blood Demon. It seemed like a bow one would give to their master, but Mu-gyeong rose after just one bow. As I am a Shaolin monk, I cannot offer the full ceremonial bows. However, I will carry on the martial arts and spirit of the warrior Gwak Gae. I hope you live the rest of your life in repentance, remembering the sins you umted as the Blood Demon. With that, Mu-gyeong turned away without hesitation. * * * The Blood Demon, with aplex expression, watched his sessor walk away without looking back even once. To carry on the martial arts and spirit of the warrior Gwak Gae For some reason, the more he thought about those words, the more his mind wandered back to the past. Back to the time when he first started learning martial arts. Back then, he wanted to be strong. He wanted to be the best. The reason was simple. The world was a ce of survival of the fittest, and nowhere was this truer than in the martial world. Even those who imed to be righteous used force to resolve everything despite their lofty principles. So, he did whatever it took. If everything was resolved by strength, he saw no difference between himself and the so-called righteous factions. In fact, he felt superior when he mocked and killed those righteous people and absorbed their inner power through their blood. Thus, the warrior Gwak Gae eventually became the Blood Demon. He had forgotten his own name and took pride in being called the Blood Demon. But now, someone said they would carry on the spirit of the warrior Gwak Gae. Was I, as the Blood Demon, wrong? That couldnt be true. If it was about getting stronger, the means didnt matter. He had to practice the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique to perfect the Blood Rain Demon Technique. Did I really have to practice the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique? That boy was perfecting the Blood Rain Demon Technique without it. Perhaps he had just made excuses. Abandoning his pride as a warrior and choosing the easier path. The Blood Demons gaze fell to his withered body, emaciated from spending twenty years in the Cave of Repentance. He had lost his body and inner power as a warrior. The martial arts and spirit he once took pride in were now carried away by his unseen young sessor. All he had left were the countless evil deeds hemitted while living as the Blood Demon. Hehehe The memories of countless evil acts he had ignored as the right of the strong filled his vision. Hehehe Deep within the Cave of Repentance, the weakughter of an old man echoed softly. Hehe Haha Theughter sounded like groans of suppressed pain. * * * Mu-jin and his group left the Cave of Repentance, led by a disciple from the Jurisdiction Department. After exchanging brief greetings with his group, Mu-jin headed to Hyun-gwangs ce. As Hyun-gwang, who was sitting on the veranda of the hall with his eyes closed, opened them the moment Mu-jin entered. Wee, Mu-jin. Hyun-gwangs gentle smile and tone brought a smile to Mu-jins face as well. I can finally greet you properly. Grandfather, I have returned afterpleting everything. Youve done well. After a brief meeting without Namgung Muguk or any other person, just the two of them, Hyun-gwang asked Mu-jin. Was your time in the Cave of Repentance worthwhile? The Cave of Repentance. A ce where those who have sinned meditate and repent for their sins. But Hyun-gwang was not asking if Mu-jin had repented. Mu-jin understood his intent. I was able to organize my thoughts somewhat during the fifteen days of contemtion. Haha. Then, can you tell me what you have realized? In response to Hyun-gwangs question, Mu-jin bowed his head first. I am sorry, Grandfather. Despite my contemtion, I was unable to understand your martial arts. As a grandson and disciple, it might have been a disappointing answer, but Hyun-gwang continued to smile gently. Does that mean youve given up on learning my martial arts? I have realized that no matter what I do, it is impossible for me to learn it at my current level. Haha. Isnt it regrettable that you cannot learn it? It would be a lie to say it isnt, but there is nothing I can do about it. In response to Hyun-gwangs question, Mu-jin shrugged. Just as a sparrow cannot follow a stork, Hyun-gwangs martial arts were something he could not follow at his current level. Instead of feeling disappointed, Hyun-gwang seemed pleased with Mu-jins decisive answer. After all, Hyun-gwangs martial arts were not conventional. It was merely power obtained by understanding the principles of the world. Moreover, while these principles could be exined in words, their true essence fades once they are expressed. Nevertheless, anyone with a desire for martial arts would wish to learn Hyun-gwangs techniques, especially Mu-jin, who was practically his immediate disciple. Thus, instead of exining it directly, Hyun-gwang showed it through a match and gave him a task. So that Mu-jin could understand on his own and relinquish his desire. Fortunately, the disciple he chose hade to him after finding the right path on his own. But giving up desire and not making an effort are different matters. Have you given up on everything? In response to Hyun-gwangs question, Mu-jin shook his head. Just as sparrows have their way and storks have theirs, Mu-jin realized this thanks to Namgung Muguk. Namgung Muguks martial arts were like a towering structure, feeling both incredibly distant and significant. While Hyun-gwangs martial arts were like the sky, inherently unreachable unless one sprouted wings. People naturally believed they couldnt reach it, but Namgung Muguk did not. Instead of hoping for wings that didnt exist, he decided to build a tower so tall that it would reach the sky. Some mightugh at the foolishness of challenging nature, but Mu-jin didnt. However, he didnt n to follow Namgung Muguks method either. With my current understanding, I cannot grasp your martial arts. Instead, I will create thergest and most perfect vessel in the world to contain it. The greatest vessel in martial arts terms is the body that performs martial arts. Mu-jin decided to create the most perfect body in the world. Instead of enlightenment, Mu-jin dreamed of a transformation through rigorous physical training. Chapter 199: Great Talent As Mu-jin returned to Hyun-gwangs residence, Mu-gyeong also headed to the ce where Hye-gwan was staying. Master? Hye-gwan, who often left the Shaolin Temple to kill the heretics, made Mu-gyeong speak cautiously as he entered the hall. But fortunately or unfortunately, Hye-gwan was still at the Shaolin Temple. With a drunken face, he sat on the hall floor, blowing on a bottle of alcohol. Its been a while, disciple. I greet you, Master. As Mu-gyeong hastily bowed to show respect, Hye-gwan took another sip of his drink and smirked.Did you gain much experience in the martial world? Ivee to understand your grand intentions. Mu-gyeong had clearly realized why Hye-gwan had beaten him so relentlessly, thanks to his experiences in Guangxi Province. Grand intentions, my foot. Despite his words, Hye-gwans face twisted into a crooked smile. Still chuckling, Hye-gwan ced the bottle to his lips, took thest sip, and tossed the bottle behind him. Anyway, for a third-generation disciple to be causing such trouble already, it seems some punishment is in order. Isnt the punishment I received at the Cave of Repentance enough? Hahaha. Youve grown bold, talking back now that youve been to the martial world. Just as he said youve grown bold, Hye-gwan, who had been sitting on the floor, was suddenly right in front of Mu-gyeong. Despite the illusion that Hye-gwan was still sitting on the floor, Mu-gyeong knew better. Hye-gwan was using the mysterious art of Yeontae Gupum. But Mu-gyeong was not the same as he used to be. Expecting this oue, Mu-gyeong calmly avoided the first strike by also utilizing Yeontae Gupum. It wont be the same as before! Shouting this, Mu-gyeong boldly disyed Shaolins martial arts. Hoo~? After exchanging a few moves with Hye-gwan, who seemed intrigued, Mu-gyeong realized something. Indeed, Shaolins martial arts alone wont suffice. Even for Mu-gyeong, it was a challenge topete with Hye-gwan, who had at least thirty years more experience with Shaolins martial arts. So, Mu-gyeong devised a n. Master! Now, I will show you what I learned outside Shaolin. Hahaha. Sure, give it a try. As soon as Hye-gwan gave his permission, Mu-gyeong began to unleash a series of martial arts moves he had learned and stolen from the Yongbongji Conference, Sichuan, Guangxi Province, and the Jegal family. ????B? Hahaha! Youve stolen quite a bit! You have a knack for being a great thief! Though it was unclear whether it was apliment or an insult, the direction of the duel began to shift. Due to the variety of techniques Mu-gyeong disyed, Hye-gwan could no longer easily overwhelm him. As expected, Master is different. The more Mu-gyeong fought Hye-gwan, the harder it was to hide his amazement. Even when using techniques Hye-gwan could not have anticipated, Hye-gwan adapted and neutralized or dodged them all with exceptional skill. As the leader of the Demon Extermination Squad, Hye-gwans prowess, with the most extensivebat experience in Shaolin, was evident. However, amusingly, Mu-gyeong saw hope in this evenly matched duel. If I can manage this now, what if I use that! Soon enough, an opportunity arose. Hah! When Mu-gyeong used a stick technique from the Beggar Sect he had seen at the Yongbongji Conference, Hye-gwan retreated to avoid the attack. Haap! Not missing the moment, Mu-gyeong scattered his energy into Sa-ji-baek-hae. Golden energy, like steam, started forming countless golden droplets in the air around Mu-gyeong. Try avoiding this, Master! As Mu-gyeong confidently shouted, the dozens of golden droplets in the air flew towards Hye-gwan. Where did you learn this strange technique! Hye-gwan shouted as he narrowly dodged the golden rain. Just a bit more! Mu-gyeongs face brightened with a smile as he saw Hye-gwan struggling to dodge the attack. Here I go!! Golden energy spread wider around Mu-gyeong, and even more golden rain began to pour down. Unlike before, the golden rain, initially falling from above, now swirled in all directions like a storm. Mu-gyeong didnt intend to kill Hye-gwan. He just wanted tond a single hit on him. Just get hit once!! Having been beaten like a dog on a hot day so many times, he wanted to return the favor just once. You really want to beat me, dont you!! Hye-gwan, leaping around the hall like a madman, dodged the downpour of golden rain and shouted angrily, while Mu-gyeong giggled and replied. Surpassing the master is the greatest fortune for a disciple, Master! Fully excited, Mu-gyeong pressed on, driving Hye-gwan into a corner. But Hye-gwan, with his extensivebat experience, did not fall into a dead end, even while dodging all the golden rain. After fighting for what felt like an eternity. Huff, huff. Mu-gyeong, who had poured out his inner energy wildly in his excitement, began to breathe heavily. Although he had learned to use the Blood Rain Demon Technique without the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique, the problem of insufficient inner energy remained unsolved. As Mu-gyeongs breathing grew rough, Hye-gwans lips curled into a sinister smile. Hehehehe. As if all his previous dodging was a performance, Hye-gwan began to approach Mu-gyeong leisurely. Indeed, it had been a performance. Although Hye-gwan didnt recognize Mu-gyeongs martial arts at first, he soon identified the Blood Rain Demon Technique. Twenty years ago, Hye-gwan had also been involved in capturing the Blood Demon, then the second disciple. Though he entered the Cave of Repentance, I didnt expect him to learn that mans techniques. For a Shaolin disciple to learn demonic techniques was unexpected even for Hye-gwan. However, Hye-gwan didnt point this out. With his vastbat experience, he understood that tools were just tools. As long as he doesnt fall into the demonic nature, its fine. Moreover, unlike the Blood Demons techniques, Mu-gyeongs carried a Buddhist energy, indicating no significant problem. And if Mu-gyeong ever fell into the demonic nature? He would beat him back to his senses. Hehehehe. As Hye-gwan approached with a smile, it felt to Mu-gyeong like the grin of a grim reaper. Ma-master, Ive shown you what Ive learned in the martial world. So, how about ending the duel here? Hahaha. What a funny thing to say. You started it, so I should finish it, dont you think? You started it too!! Mu-gyeong couldnt finish his sentence. Hye-gwan, once again using Yeontae Gupum, aimed his fist at Mu-gyeongs sr plexus. Uwaaah!! After seven months, Mu-gyeongs scream echoed from Hye-gwans residence. * * * While Mu-gyeongs scream resonated through one part of Shaolin Temple. Im back~! Ooki! Ookiki! Had he forgotten he had run away at night? Mu-yul cheerfully entered the hall, greeted by Hye-geol and Beob-hyun. Mu-yul, whats with that monkey? Hehe. This is my friend, Ling-ling! Ooki! Ooki! As Mu-yul lifted Ling-ling to introduce him, the monkey waved its arms at them. Hahaha. A friend, you say. Yes! Ling-ling is so kind. Right, Ling-ling? Ooki! Ooki!! Hye-geol and Beob-hyun were at a loss for words at the sight. Judging by its behavior, it seems to understand Mu-yuls words Could it be a spiritual creature? I always knew Mu-yul was closer to animals than humans. And this child, closer to animals than humans, was their disciple. Haha. Haha. Its good to make friends. Yes! We also beat up many bad people! Hahaha. With that monkey? Yes! When Mu-yul confidently assumed the stance of the Crane Fist. Ooki! Surprisingly, the monkey also took the same stance. And thus began the bizarre synchronized martial arts of a human and a monkey. Hye-geol and Beob-hyun watched in a daze. Not just because it was ridiculous, but also because it was awe-inspiring. A monkey using the Shaolin Five Fists! However, upon closer inspection, it wasnt perfect. Hmm. That was impressive. But I noticed some ws in Ling-lings technique. Ooki? Ling-ling tilted its head in confusion at the mention of ws. Because it hasnt learned the mnemonics, it seems like its just imitating the form. Ooki? Ookiki? Ling-ling is asking what mnemonics are! As Mu-yul tranted for Ling-l ing, Hye-geol and Beob-hyun were taken aback again. Mu-yul, can you understand Ling-lings words? Yes. Were friends, so of course! Of course. Hahaha Why could he understand the monkey but not his master? Oh, because they werent friends. Or maybe, because he wasnt a monkey, Mu-yul couldnt understand him. No, this isnt right. Momentarily lost in useless thoughts, Hye-geol collected himself and exined. Mnemonics are the method of moving inner energy when performing martial arts. Ooki! Ookiki! Ling-ling is asking if it can learn too! Since Ling-ling was a spiritual creature with inner energy, it seemed possible. Ooki! Ooki! Then teach me too! Mu-yuls request made Hye-geol ponder for a moment. A monkey wanting to learn the Shaolin Five Fists mnemonics He could teach it, but the problem was the acupuncture points. Since a monkeys and a humans acupuncture points differed, teaching Ling-ling as he would a human wouldnt be effective. However, another thought came to mind. If that monkey learns the Shaolin Five Fists mnemonics and performs synchronized techniques with Mu-yul? It might create a formidable synchronized attack that would overwhelm ordinary opponents. Hmm. I can teach you. But since the acupuncture points of humans and monkeys differ, we need to adjust the mnemonics to suit Ling-ling. Ooki! Ookiki! Wow! Ling-ling is so smart. Why suddenly say smart? Mu-yul replied with a bright smile. Ling-ling said it understood! And? Whats so smart about that? Masters exnation was too long for me to understand, but Ling-ling understood it! Hehe. Hye-geol, feeling a headacheing on for the first time in a while, watched his disciple dere he was dumber than a monkey. At that moment, Shaolins second disciple entered Hye-geols residence with a letter. After reading the letters contents, Hye-geol stood up immediately. Mu-yul. Yes, Master. Will youe on a trip with me? Sure! As Mu-yul and Ling-ling followed Hye-geol, Beob-hyun, who had been watching, asked. Who is the letter from that youre leaving in such haste? Its from a famous hunter in Henan Province. A hunter? A look of confusion on his face, Beob-hyun questioned, but Hye-geol answered as if he had an epiphany. Now that Mu-yul is back, its time to catch it. Catch what? A tiger, of course. Chapter 200: The Grand Instrument When Mu-yul set out on the tiger hunt with Hye-geol. Did you return? Mu-gung was also greeting his master, Hye-dam. Yes, Master. His master was always stern and taciturn. Havingmitted the crime of running away in the middle of the night, Mu-gung couldnt imagine what kind of punishment awaited him. However, Hye-dam did not scold Mu-gung. Nor did he have any affectionate words for him. Come inside.He simply let Mu-gung into the room as if nothing had happened. Mu-gung swallowed nervously and asked, Are you not going to hold me ountable for my crime? Didnt you already receive punishment from the Jurisdiction Department? Hye-dams response implied there was no need for him to intervene further since the proper institution had already dealt with it. Mu-gungs lips curled slightly at the thought that his masters response was very characteristic of him. As Hye-dam entered the room with Mu-gung, he looked at him and asked, Did you gain anything from your martial journey? I found joy in helping others. Thats good to hear. Hye-dam merely spoke those words and looked at Mu-gung in silence. After a moment of contemtion, Mu-gung spoke first. In fact, this has given me something to ponder. Speak. With Hye-dams permission, Mu-gung slowly recounted his experiences and concerns from his martial journey. While others like Mu-gyeong and those at Cheongsu Dojang develop their martial arts based on their experiences, I feel like I am merely repeating the same things. Hye-dam nodded heavily and replied, Do not worry. Repeating what you have done is enough. ? Seeing Mu-gungs puzzled expression, Hye-dam uncharacteristically borated, The Tathagata Palm you are learning is immensely powerful. The more you practice, the stronger it bes. There is no need to look for other paths; just delve deeper into this one. Hye-dams words carried a sense of pride in the martial arts he had mastered. So, do not be hasty. Slow and steady, continue to build it up. Thank you for your guidance, Master. It was a truly heartwarming exchange, embodying the quintessential Shaolin rtionship between master and disciple. * * * While the Muja Group children were reuniting with their masters. Mu-jin, after finishing his conversation with Hyun-gwang, headed towards the iron weights to pursue hismitment. Transformation Standing before the iron weights, Mu-jin pondered the term. Transformation. In literature and everyday usage, it positively describes someone who has undergone a significant change. However, in martial arts novels, it often carries a different meaning. It refers to a state where ones bones and muscles are transformed into an ideal body for martial arts, often achieved after a protagonist survives a perilous battle, finds a miraculous elixir, and uses the enlightenment from the battle and the elixirs energy to transform. The protagonist of the first part returned to his sect and became the Heavenly Demon after achieving transformation. Mu-jin realized that despite being written by the same author, the protagonists of the first and second parts, Dao Yuetian, followed very different paths. The first protagonist, with his exceptional talent, mastered various martial arts and reached transformation to use them perfectly. Dao Yuetian, with less talent, twisted his body to perfect a single martial art. So, what about himself? Mu-jin was attempting to reach the level of transformation by twisting his body without enlightenment, just like Dao Yuetian. What path would the original Mu-jin have taken? This question briefly crossed Mu-jins mind, but he quickly dismissed it. It was a moot point now, as knowing the original Mu-jins path would not change anything for him. Achieving transformation through enlightenment was impossible for him anyway. Huuh. Mu-jin focused his breathing, concentrating solely on the iron weights before him and his own muscles. The path he was about to take was one he understood only theoretically and had not yet achieved in practice. First, train the muscles to their limits. Mu-jins n was quite simple. To reach the peak of human strength. He aimed to reach the level of the Worlds Strongest Manpetitors, who were renowned for their immense strength. However, none of thosepetitors were skilled fighters due to their overlyrge muscles, which hindered everyday life. The challenge is to see how far the Jade Vajra Technique can support. Building enormous muscles capable of reaching human strength limits while alsopressing them to maintain a fighters physique. Thetest championsbined lift total was about 1,200 kg. Mu-jin nned to reach that weight and simultaneously train the Jade Vajra Technique to maintain his physique. Though it sounded simple, it was a preposterous goal. If anyone could achieve it easily, the record wouldnt be the worlds best. Moreover, he needed to maintain flexibility suitable for martial arts despite the massive strength. Additionally, humans couldnt survive below a certain body fat percentage. So, Mu-jin had to grow muscles and maintain an appropriate level of fat. Moreover, excessive strength could destroy his own bones. Along with musclepression, the Jade Vajra Technique also fortifies the bones, which is fortunate. The only issue was not knowing the extent of this fortification. In the end, Mu-jins uing process was akin to conducting an experiment on his own body. Combining extensive exercise knowledge acquired over a decade with the Jade Vajra Technique learned in this world, Mu-jin embarked on this insane experiment. To begin this absurd experiment, Hup! Mu-jin decisively lifted the iron weights stacked with numerous tes. * * * About fifteen days passed with Mu-jin spending his time rigorously training his muscles, eating like a madman, and recovering. During this time, a visitor arrived at Shaolin Temple. Its been a while, Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nim! Ha ha ha, its been a while. Its been a while, Mu-jin Sunim. Master Hyun-gwang. As Mu-jin and Hyun-gwang, who were taking a break from training, weed Jegal Jin-hee, she also greeted them with a faint smile. But what brings you to Shaolin despite being busy as the young leader? I came to keep a promise. A promise? When Mu-jin asked curiously, Jegal Jin-hee looked behind her instead of answering immediately. At that moment, they heard someone struggling, and the sound gradually got closer to Hyun-gwangs ce. Ugh. Soon, martial artists from the Jegal family, carrying heavy iron weights, began entering Hyun-gwangs ce one by one. Didnt I promise to make high-weight iron tools for you, Mu-jin Sunim? !!! Mu-jins eyes widened at her words. Are you saying all of these are for me? The iron weights the Jegal family members brought in were at least 1.5 timesrger than what Mu-jin had been using. No wonder they were struggling to carry them, even using their internal energy. Yes. I wanted to bring them sooner, but I needed the abbots permission since they are iron weights. Phew. Young leader! Is it alright to ce them here? While Jegal Jin-hee exined the weights to Mu-jin, one of the Jegal family members, catching his breath, asked. Yes, please ce them in the wide yard over there. Upon Jegal Jin-hees instruction, they carefully ced the heavy iron weights on the ground, worried they might bend under their weight. Thunk. Even though they ced them down carefully, the heavy thud indicated their substantial weight. The continuous thuds from cing the iron weights sounded like music to Mu-jins ears. I needed new tools to move to the next level, and now I have them right away! Mu-jin was eager to start training with the new iron weights immediately. Thank you for such a grand gift. The help you provided to our family is beyondparison. Also, we will stay in Shaolin for a while as promised, to set up a new formation around Shaolin. Jegal Jin-hee had arrived at Shaolin about a day earlier. She had been discussing the formation and the iron weights with Abbot Hyun Cheon, causing a slight dy. Upon her exnation, Mu-jin finally remembered the promise and bowed respectfully. Thank you for considering us. Amitabha. Its only natural. Oh, and since we will be staying here while setting up the formation, I have one request. Anything you need, just ask! Having received the new training tools, Mu-jin was willing to do anything within his power. At his words, Jegal Jin-hee briefly thought of a personal request. Now is not the time for that! Recalling her role as the young leader, sheposed herself and spoke. Could you teach us some external training methods while we stay here? External training methods? Yes, about the weight training you always talk about. Specifically, how to use those iron weights and the benefits of each exercise. This was her official purpose for visiting. Most of the people who had apanied her to deliver the iron weights were talented members of the Jegal family, chosen to create new martial arts techniques with her. They hade to learn weight training from Mu-jin, bringing the iron weights along. After a brief contemtion, Mu-jin replied. I cannot teach you every day, but I can show you during my breaks. He couldnt train all day long; rest was necessary for muscle recovery. Thanks to Jegal Jin-hees gift, more efficient weight training was possible with the heavier tools, so Mu-jin felt he could spare some time. Thank you, Mu-jin Sunim. Ha ha ha. The pleasure is mine. As Mu-jin and Jegal Jin-hee exchanged respectful bows, a second-ss disciple of Shaolin arrived at Hyun-gwangs ce. Greetings, Master Hyun-gwang. Ha ha ha. What brings you here? The abbot has summoned Mu-jin. Me? Mu-jin looked puzzled at the second-ss disciples words, then bid farewell to Hyun-gwang and Jegal Jin-hee before leaving. As he headed to the abbots room, Mu-jin asked the second-ss disciple, but he did not know the reason either. Is there a problem? I havent been informed of the reason. Eventually, Mu-jin arrived at the abbots room with growing curiosity. Upon entering, he found Abbot Hyun Cheon waiting alone. Third-ss disciple Mu-jin. I greet the abbot. Ha ha ha. Sitfortably. Once Mu-jin was seated, Hyun Cheon began to speak. Did you have a good conversation with the young leader of the Jegal family? Yes. I heard she promised to set up a formation. Ha ha ha. Indeed. Thanks to you, our alliance with the Jegal family is also smoothly maintained. After a brief summary of recent events, Hyun Cheon continued. I realized once again through these events how significant your contributions have been. Suddenly, Hyun Cheon praised Mu-jin, who naturally suspected his motives. Just a month ago, he confined me to the Cave of Repentance, and now hes praising me? Despite Mu-jins suspicious gaze, Hyun Cheon continued as if unaware or deliberately ignoring it. So, I am considering appointing you as the chief disciple of the Muja Group. The chief disciple of the Muja Group? Yes. And in the future, when the Muja Group bes the core of Shaolin, the chief disciple will take the position of abbot. So, you want me to be the chief disciple of the Muja Group and eventually the abbot of Shaolin? Hyun Cheon gently nodded with a kind smile at Mu-jins question. Looking at Hyun Cheons benevolent face, Mu-jin thought. Why me? Why should I take on such a bothersome role? Chapter 201: Human Experiment To be the Grand Disciple of a prestigious sect, then the next in line to be the Master, and eventually the Grand Master itself. In a martial arts novel, this would be someones life goal, but not for Mu-jin. It wasnt because he had an aversion to being a leader. If he had such an aversion, he wouldnt have be the owner of arge health club. The reason why Mu-jin was reluctant to take on the role of Shaolins Grand Disciple. Live as a monk for the rest of my life? Thats insane! It was because of his aversion to a monks life. He couldnt get married. He had to abstain from meat. He couldnt drink alcohol.Of course, in modern times, Mu-jin avoided alcohol for the sake of his muscles, but that was different in this world. He could expel the intoxication with his internal energy. No, I could just change the rules once I be the Abbot, right? That thought crossed his mind briefly, but Mu-jin soon shook his head. From what he had observed, the Abbot couldnt unterally decide the major affairs of Shaolin. No, it went beyond that. Even if I became the Abbot, it would take at least thirty years. Theres no guarantee Ill be here that long. In the plot of the novel, the story of the Ga-gyeong Trilogy would conclude within ten years at thetest. And after that, he might return to the modern world. If he stayed in this world after resolving all the incidents? Then Id get married and live happily. Not as a monk. It was bad enough to be trapped in a medieval martial arts world, but to live as a monk? That was uneptable. In short, he couldnt take on the role of the Abbot. Of course, he could ept the position of Grand Disciple temporarily and see through the end of the story. If he returned to the modern world, he would disappear anyway. If not, he could just escape from Shaolin. By then, Grandfather Hyun-gwang wouldnt be around either. Furthermore, the shadowy forces he needed to confront with Shaolins help would no longer be a threat, so he could escape without hesitation. However, the reason Mu-jin couldnt ept the position of Grand Disciple was clear. If I be the Grand Disciple, it would be difficult to leave Shaolin. He still had some tasks toplete. Some of these tasks could be done as the Grand Disciple of Shaolin, but others could not. After finishing my training with Grandfather Hyun-gwang, I have to meet that person. Especially since Mu-jin had to contact the current Heavenly Demons illegitimate child and the future Heavenly Demon, he couldnt take on the position of Grand Disciple. ? However, he couldnt tell the Abbot that he needed to meet the Heavenly Demons illegitimate child. Mu-jin decided to decline indirectly. Im sorry. I dont think the position of Grand Disciple suits me. Ha ha ha. Well thought What did you say? The Abbots smile froze at Mu-jins unexpected refusal. I said I dont think I can take on the position of Grand Disciple. Why do you think that way? Is it because of your rank in the Muja Group? Mu-jins rank in the Muja Group was about average. He was the youngest in his intake, but there were seniors who joined before him and juniors who came after. However, Mu-jins answer was different from what the Abbot expected. The position of Grand Disciple itself doesnt suit me. I would rather handle external affairs than internal matters of Shaolin. I hope to join either the External Affairs Department or the Demon Extermination Squad as a disciple. Seeing the Abbots expression, Mu-jin quickly added more. The Abbot seemed determined to force him into the position, so he decided to divert the conversation. Ah. By the way, Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nim asked me to teach her my external energy training method. From the Jegal Family? Yes. I epted her request as I had promised to receive something from her. Why not use this opportunity to leave a record of my training method in Shaolin as well? The Abbots interest naturally shifted to that topic. There was no doubt about the effectiveness of Mu-jins external energy training method. Many Shaolin disciples, including Mu-jin, had experienced its benefits. However, like everything passed down orally, there was always a risk of it being lost or altered. It would be good to leave a manual of your training method. Ill instruct the martial monks in the Sutra Repository to research it with the Jegal Family. Yes. Then Ill take my leave. Mu-jin tried to leave quickly before the Abbot could change his mind, but just before he reached the door, the Abbot spoke again. Alright. Think carefully about the position of Grand Disciple once more. I understand. Mu-jin gave a vague reply and left the Abbots office. * * * The next day, after rejecting the Abbots unproductive proposal. This feels like Im a zoo monkey. Mu-jin thought as he stood in front of a pile of weights. Ready, Mu-jin? Were ready too, so start whenever yourefortable. There were about a dozen people watching him closely. Half of them were from the Jegal Family, following Jegal Jin-hee, and the other half were Shaolin martial monks. They hade to study Mu-jins external energy training methodweightlifting. However, Mu-jin wasnt teaching a ss. If he were, they would be holding weights instead of brushes and paper. Mu-jin had promised to exin the theory of weightlifting after his workout. But it was problematic to demonstrate exercises after exhausting his muscles, so an alternative method was devised. While Mu-jin did his workout, the Jegal Family and Shaolin martial monks would draw illustrations of his movements. After the workout, Mu-jin would exin each exercise, and they would annotate their drawings with his exnations. They hade to draw Mu-jins workout. Thinking of it this way, Im not a zoo monkey but a model. Feeling morefortable with this thought, Mu-jin approached a much sturdier power rack than he used before and spread his legs shoulder-width apart. Today, he nned to warm up with light weights for his lower body workout. Hoo. However, even warm-up exercises required serious effort. From warm-ups to the main workout, he had to stay focused to control and observe his muscles movements. The human body has durability limits, so the time and amount of exercise one can do in a day are fixed. Exceeding that would turn exercise into self-harm. To achieve goals quickly, one must maintain high efficiency within the set time and exercise volume. As fitness enthusiasts often say, Today, my workout isnt working. I cant get a pump today. To avoid wasting time, one must be sincere in every exercise, from stretching to warm-ups, to maintain high efficiency. * * * Immersed in his workout, Mu-jin seemed to forget the dozen people observing him. He focused all his attention on his muscles and weights, lifting and lowering repeatedly with rhythmic breathing. Therefore, in the courtyard of Hyun-gwangs residence, only the sound of Mu-jins breathing and the faint noise of the Jegal Family and Shaolin martial monks drawing could be heard. They had formed arge circle around Mu-jin, drawing from eight different angles. This way, they could capture his posture and muscle movements from the front, diagonal, and back for each exercise. Hoo. As Mu-jin finished hisst warm-up set and took a deep breath, a martial artist from the Jegal Family, standing behind him, raised his hand. Mu-jin, I have a request. Yes. What is it? Could you roll up your pants a bit? The movements of your quadriceps are obscured by your clothes. Following the brave mans words, the Shaolin martial monks also spoke up. Hmm. Mu-jin, we were actually a bit ufortable with that too. To see the exact muscle movements, the muscles need to be exposed, right? As the Shaolin martial monks agreed, Mu-jin willingly took off his shirt. He couldnt take off his pants, so he cut them to a short length, like shorts. Now it really feels like a body profile shoot. With a faint smile at the reminiscent thought, Mu-jin shook off his distractions and focused on his workout again. Initially, he had worn clothes because others were present, but when he worked out alone or with the Muja Group kids, he often went shirtless, feeling morefortable this way. Hoo. As Mu-jin immersed himself in his workout again, the same faint sounds echoed in the hall. However, among those sounds, different noises asionally mixed in. Wow. How does he have such muscles? Maybe because he had started his main workout shirtless, his ferocious muscles twitched violently with every lift, visible to everyone. Some couldnt hide their admiration as they watched Mu-jins muscles ripple with each lift. Shaolin, already influenced by Mu-jin, was beyond words, and even the Jegal Family members who recently trained with him began to understand. How long and consistently one must endure the pain and monotony of training to build such muscles. How powerful must martial arts be with that body? Truly a body made for martial arts! Its beautiful beyond words! Amidst these admiring thoughts, asional sounds of swallowing could be heard. Gulp. One of the Jegal Family members drawing Mu-jins figure turned his head towards the source of the sound. Young Master? There, Jegal Jin-hee had stopped drawing and was staring nkly, swallowing hard as if she had found water in a desert. Noticing the curious gaze of the Jegal Family member, Jegal Jin-hee quickly regained herposure, blushing slightly. She used her unique ability to turn her blushing face pale and spoke in her usual cold tone. Isnt it amazing? Ah, yes. It is. Were learning how to build a body like that. And through that, well create divine techniques. Its only natural to be impressed. Dont you think? Feeling the intimidating aura that seemed to threaten him if he disagreed, the Jegal Family member quickly nodded. Yes, absolutely. As Jegal Jin-hee continued to stare coldly, the Jegal Family member finally figured out why. Gulp. As he swallowed hard, Jegal Jin-hee turned her head back with a satisfied expression. * * * Mu-jin was happy every day. To be able to focus solely on building muscles was a joy. He lifted the high-weight dumbbells Jegal Jin-hee gifted him every day, exhausting his muscles. He nourished his body with various foods provided by Jegal Jin-hee and Hyun-gwang. And except for workout and meal times, he instructed the Shaolin martial monks and Jegal Family members on the effectiveness and caution of each exercise based on their drawings. When doing this exercise, it may look like youre using your arms, but you shouldnt. When pulling the weight, focus on your chest muscles, and when pushing, focus on the infraspinatus near the shoulder des. As he solely focused on weightlifting and protein intake, his body grew stronger day by day. Lost in the euphoria of working out, Mu-jin looked at his muscles in the mirror one day and realized something was off. Whats with this muscle-bound pig? Mu-jins muscle development had outpaced thepletion of the Jade Vajra Technique. Chapter 202: Human Experiment After finishing his workout as usual, Choi Kang-hyuk momentarily indulged in the pleasure of admiring his muscles in the mirror in Tokyo. He was simply delighted with the growth of his muscles, but soon returned to being Mu-jin, not Choi Kang-hyuk. What caught his eye was a man in the early stages of transforming into a muscle-bound freak with square-shaped muscles. As a muscle enthusiast, this was still not enough, but he was a martial artist before a muscle enthusiast. Barely regaining his senses, Mu-jin raised his arm and reached behind his back with a feeling of concern. It was amon pose to scratch his own back, but he felt his shoulders deltoid and his arms bicep hindering the motion. Fortunately, he could barely touch his back with his fingertips, despite the ufortable sensation. Phew, that was close.If even such a movement was obstructed by his muscles, executing martial arts would be an arduous task. I almost ended up like Mu-gung. Recalling Mu-gung, the epitome of stiffness, Mu-jin decided to revise his future ns. For now, I need to focus on Jade Vajra Technique for a while. He decided to prioritizepressing his muscles and additionally focus a bit more on flexibility. However, he had no intention ofpletely stopping weight training. After all, how could he abandon the muscles he had painstakingly built? * * * The next day. Uh? Seeing Mu-jin stop his weight training earlier than usual, those who were watching his workout simultaneously eximed in surprise. Typically, Mu-jin would train for a full two hours, but for some reason, he started putting away the weights about 30 minutes early. Are you already stopping your workout? Jegal Jin-hee asked, unable to hide her disappointment as Mu-jin started to put his shirt back on. I seem to have overbuilt my muscles, so I am considering taking a break. Are you nning to reduce your muscles? Mu-jin replied with a startled expression. Muscle loss? What a dreadful thing to say. Then, what are you nning to do? Feeling embarrassed by Mu-jins response, Jegal Jin-hee asked. Ahem. I n to maintain my muscles while increasing my proficiency in Jade Vajra Technique topress them. For a while, Ill reduce the time spent on weight training and increase my time practicing the Jade Vajra Technique. Oh, I see. Jegal Jin-hee smacked her lips in disappointment. It wasnt just because she would see less of his muscles. To be precise, it wasnt solely because of that. Although Mu-jin had openly practiced external martial arts techniques, he did not train the Jade Vajra Technique in front of others. Since it was a martial art taught by Hyun-gwang, he had no intention of revealing it carelessly. In other words, saying he would practice the Jade Vajra Technique was akin to issuing an order to those present to leave. But since he didnt mean they had to leave immediately, Jegal Jin-hee swallowed her disappointment and asked a public question. So, the training you did today was solely to maintain your current state? Thats right. Then, could you exin the maintenance routinester? This was an important issue. Unless Mu-jin revealed the Jade Vajra Technique, most martial artists would find maintaining rather than growing more important at a certain point. Once ones physique and muscle quality were optimized for their martial arts, changes in muscle could be detrimental. Hmmm. Its actually a matter of experiential intuition. If muscles be overly developed, one should reduce the intensity of training a bit, and if they are insufficient, gradually increase the intensity to create the most appropriate routine. So, trial and error are inevitable? Yes. Im going through the same process, arent I? Jegal Jin-hee lightly eximed in realization at Mu-jins answer. Ah. Then, it might be a good idea to also research the method for determining the appropriate routines during this opportunity. I dont mind, but it will take quite some time. No need to worry about the time. We n to stay at Shaolin for a year to observe the seasonal changes affecting the formations. Half was truth, half was a lie. Given that the formations utilized nature, subtle issues could arise from the seasonal climate changes. However, the Jegal familys formations were designed to ount for that. It was just an excuse to stay by pointing out the slight chance of failure. Of course, Mu-jin, who was almost ignorant about formations, simply epted it as such. * * * That evening. After finishing his Jade Vajra Technique practice and Close-Range Spear Technique training, Mu-jin, taking a break, happened to encounter Mu-gung within the Shaolin Temple grounds. Since returning to Shaolin, Mu-jin and the other members of the Muja Quartet had been busy training, leading to rare meetings. Seeing Mu-jin after a long time, Mu-gung was quite surprised. This lunatic has grown even more muscle? Well, given how obsessed he was with muscles, it would be strange if he didnt grow them. But why? After looking Mu-jin up and down, Mu-gung felt him muttering something strange before leaving. Wow. I almost ended up like that. Like that? What do you mean by that? Huh? Mu-gung, feeling inexplicably annoyed, asked back, but Mu-jin hurried away as if fearing he might catch an illness. Watching Mu-jins retreating figure with a dumbfounded expression, Mu-gung soon stopped caring. It was a waste of life to pay attention to the antics of a madman every time. However, sometimes that madman did show behaviors worth learning from. Hmm. Should I grow more muscle too? Mu-gung thought of Mu-jin, who seemed to be catching up to him. Yes! Master said that its important for my martial arts to build up endlessly rather than learning new things! Then, what if I add muscle strength to the depth of my internal energy and Tathagata Palm? In any case, finesse or elegance didnt suit him. Thus, Mu-gung headed to the training ground filled with weights. * * * Another month passed. To maintain his muscle strength while increasing his proficiency in the Jade Vajra Technique, Mu-jin had seeded in achieving some level of aplishment in the Jade Vajra Technique. Since then, Mu-jin carefully bnced the ratio between practicing the Jade Vajra Technique and weight training, adjusting his workout whenever he started to turn into a muscle-bound freak, gradually increasing his strength little by little. * * * One day, after some time had passed. Mu-jin, who happened to run into Mu-gung, asked with a bewildered expression. Mu-gung. Did you eat something wrong? Eating something wrong? Why? I mean, unless you ate something really weird, how could a guy whos already ridiculously big get even bigger? Although Mu-jin hadnt noticed during their asional encounters, today Mu-gungs body suddenly caught his eye. However, contrary to Mu-jins confusion, Mu-gung responded with a triumphant face. Looks like you finally noticed. Hehehe. But why do you seem thinner than thest time I saw you? There couldnt be a more provocative remark for a workout addict. Veins popped out on Mu-jins forehead. Ipressed my muscles on purpose. But why did you, who havent learned the Jade Vajra Technique, grow your muscles even more? Hmph. Instead of answering directly, Mu-gung snorted and assumed the Tathagata Palm posture. And the moment Mu-gung extended his palm. Whoosh! A me of much stronger intensity than before erupted. How about that? Mu-gung spoke in a very triumphant tone after demonstrating, but Mu-jin stood in front of him, sighing deeply. Then he raised his left hand to make it align with Mu-gungs right hand, as if holding a pad in boxing training. Try hitting this palm with the Tathagata Palm without using internal energy. Extend your right hand straight. Although puzzled, Mu-gung still performed the Tathagata Palms first move. But the result left Mu-gung eximing, Huh? He thought he had extended his hand straight, but his palm barely touched the edge of Mu-jins left palm. Did you move your hand? Hey, you fool. With those oversized biceps and pectoral muscles, how can your arm go straight? Of course, your muscles will push your arm sideways. Calling me Mu-yul, thats too harsh! Didnt I tell you? If you keep growing your muscles from there, just maintain them and focus on Close-Range Spear Technique. If you cant remember my advice, how are you different from Mu-yul? Speechless at Mu-jins criticism, Mu-gung blushed and retorted. Hmph! I did it with a n! Saying so, Mu-gung slightly turned his body and extended the Tathagata Palm towards Mu-jins palm. Hepensated for his arm going sideways by twisting his body the other way. How about this? Its okay, right? Would you do that in a real fight too? When your opponent is right in front of you, would you twist your body just to use the Tathagata Palm? Are you a flounder? At Mu-jins relentless barrage, Mu-gung eventually hung his head in defeat. Damn it How can I bepared to Mu-yul. Seeing Mu-gungs dejected look, Mu-jin sighed and gave him advice. For a while, ease up on the weights and focus on Close-Range Spear Technique training. Use the extra time to increase your internal energy through meditation. If you continue training the Tathagata Palm in your current state, youll really end up like a flounder. After giving Mu-gung advice that would help him, Mu-jin went back to his quarters for the days training. After finishing his muscle-punishing weight training, Mu-jin was writing in his exercise journal, also known as his research on external martial arts techniques, when Jegal Jin-hee smiled and asked. Looks like youve found some bnce now? Unlike his stern demeanor with Mu-gung, Mu-jin responded with a heartyugh. Hahaha. It was a bit tricky at first, but I think Ive got the hang of it now. Initially, it had been quite a struggle to bnce the progress of the Jade Vajra Technique and muscle development, but recently, he seemed to have found a good bnce. Yesterday, he had felt his muscles were slightly overdeveloped, but today, he maintained a perfectly bnced physique. Maybe yesterday, my muscles looked pumped because it was right after a workout? Mu-jin thought optimistically. * * * The next morning. Mu-jin, who invariably checked his body in the mirror every morning, froze in ce. Whether it was his imagination or not, he felt a bit leaner than yesterday. The conversation he had with Mu-gung floated back into his mind. Damn it. Was it because I talked about muscle loss yesterday? Could he be experiencing muscle loss as a result of suggesting it to someone else? Or did Mu-gung curse me somehow? Although the thought was superstitious, Mu-jin soon shook his head. Come on, even in martial arts, a curse? Its probably just my imagination. He might just look a bit leaner in the morning. The difference wasnt significant enough to be ring. Repeating to himself that it was just his imagination, he focused on his training for several days. * * * Its not just my imagination!! No matter how he looked at it now, his body was definitely leaner than the day he met Mu-gung. Grit. Grit. Gnawing his nails like someone tormented by paranoia, Mu-jin fell into deep thought. Why? Why am I losing weight? Is it just weight loss? Could it be muscle loss? Pacing around the room so intensely that even the onlookers felt anxious, he finally had a sh of insight. Could it be? Though not certain, it was the most usible reason considering his current condition and recent lifestyle. Based on Mu-jins knowledge and experience in exercise physiology, it was the likeliest exnation. Sadly, this issue was not something he could easily resolve on his own. Mu-jin sat down abruptly, ground some ink, and began scribbling something on a piece of paper. Chapter 203: Human Experimentation While puzzled by Mu-jins sudden visit, Jegal Jin-hee cautiously asked, Ah Um. Are you alright? The reason for asking was not just because of the sudden visit. Recently, Mu-jin had seemed a bit off. Every day, it felt as if his body was slowly wasting away, and the once always confident Mu-jin showed signs of anxiety for some reason. I am not alright. But I believe I can be. Jegal Jin-hee looked worried at Mu-jins incoherent response. Could one fall into Qi Deviation or a simr state just by external training? Was Mu-jins training really that dangerous? How can you be alright?I need Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nims help. My help? In response to Jegal Jin-hees question, Mu-jin handed her a letter instead of exining further. Can you get the things written in this letter for me every day? As Mu-jin asked, Jegal Jin-hee read through the hastily scribbled phrases in the letter. After reading it all, she couldnt hide her bewildered expression. If If I get these things, youll be alright? The content of the letter was a list of various foods, mostly dishes using meat or fish. It was unusual for a Shaolin monk suffering from anxiety to request meat, making it suspicious whether the monk had gone mad. But Jegal Jin-hee wasnt surprised for that reason. She had been providing food for Mu-jin to help with his muscle development. What surprised her was the number of dishes and the request to obtain them every day. Are you saying you will eat these instead of what you currently eat? Mu-jin shook his head at her question. I n to add these to what I originally eat. You will eat all of this? Every day? Can a person eat all this in one day? Jegal Jin-hee couldnt help but wonder. The amount Mu-jin already ate was enormous, and the food listed in the letter was enough for at least two meals for an average person. Watching Jegal Jin-hees dumbfounded expression, Mu-jin began to exin his situation. In fact, I believe the reason Ive been losing weight recently is because of my diet. Oh. Isnt it because you have achieved ahead in your Jade Vajra Technique? It is because of the Jade Vajra Technique, but not because the achievement has increased. ?? Seeing Jegal Jin-hees puzzled face, Mu-jin borated. As muscles grow and physical ability develops, the amount of food needed to maintain the muscles increases. Anyone who has done a bit of exercise knows that increased muscle leads to higher basal metabolic rate. Moreover, with the increased muscle, Mu-jins exercise intensity also increased, burning an immense amount of calories daily. If he ate only three meals a day like others, he would actually start losing weight. Recently, his physical abilities and muscles increased even more, but, Damn it. Because of the Jade Vajra Technique, I couldnt urately assess my condition. This was the biggest problem. Due to the Jade Vajra Techniquepressing his muscles, he couldnt gauge his condition by the size of his muscles. He could only estimate it by the weight of the metal he could lift during training. So, despite a significant increase in muscle mass, maintaining the same diet due to the Jade Vajra Technique caused him to start losing weight. He had mistaken the musclepression from the Jade Vajra Technique as the sole reason for the muscles density increase, unaware of the muscle loss. I hope its just some weight loss. Hopefully, I havent lost muscle mass too. The thought of losing muscle after all that grueling training because of a poor diet was a terrifying idea. * * * Chewing and chewing. Mu-jin was aggressively shoveling food into his mouth. Seeing this scene for the third time, Jegal Jin-hee was continually amazed. He eats that much every two hours. Mu-jin ate once every two hours, nearly eight meals a day. Each meal consisted of the equivalent of one to two servings of a normal diet. This was a desperate measure to ensure continuous protein absorption, but Jegal Jin-hee, unaware of the circumstances, found it astonishing. Even the wealthiest families or sects would struggle to afford Mu-jins food expenses. However, despite the seemingly happy act of eating, Mu-jin wasnt enjoying it. Ha. It feels like my stomach is about to burst. Eating every two hours meant the food from the previous meal hadnt even digested before the next meal came in and piled up in his stomach. Even during his bulk-up phase in the modern era, he had never eaten this much. Since he was younger and more physically capable than in his previous life as Choi Kang-hyuk, the amount of food he needed was much greater. Does the food suit your taste? Jegal Jin-hee cautiously asked Mu-jin, who was devouring the food. Mu-jin nodded. Im just grateful youre amodating my unreasonable request. Thankfully, Mu-jin wasnt just mindlessly consuming protein. Given the need for calories to support his exercise, it was impossible to consume only protein. Moreover, there was a limit to how much protein the human body could absorb at once, making excessive protein intake pointless. Additionally, being in a martial arts world and a skilled master allowed him to push out toxins with internal energy, enabling him to eat spicy food that would be difficult to consume otherwise. Despite Mu-jins seemingly gluttonous diet, the foodid out in front of him was nothing short of a feast. However, no matter how delicious the food, its tough to eat when youre full. Thank you for securing such good food. Ugh. As he expressed his gratitude, Mu-jin quickly covered his mouth as the food threatened toe back up. Damn it. I just need to endure until my stomach stretches. Humans are creatures of adaptation! Despite feeling on the verge of vomiting, he knew that if he didnt eat all this, he might lose muscle. Battling this fear, Mu-jin felt a sudden rity in his mind and looked at Hyun-gwang, who was quietly eating beside him. Grandfather! Hahaha. Whats the matter, Mu-jin? Is there any martial art that can increase the size of the stomach? Mu-jin treated Hyun-gwang like a multi-functional martial arts pouch from Doraemon. However, Hyun-gwang, even in the face of such an absurd request, provided an answer. Hahaha. Theres no martial art for that, but there is a technique that might help you. At Hyun-gwangs gentle reply, Mu-jin, who was devouring food, looked at him with pleading eyes. He feared that if he kept eating this much every day, his stomach might burst. What is it? There is no martial art to erge the stomach, but we do have a technique in Shaolin that strengthens the stomach. It was originally created to maintain the health of monks who often fast during their meditation. Its more of a medical technique than a martial art. So, you are saying to learn this technique to protect my internal organs while eating? Hahaha. Seeing how you eat, Im worried you might damage your stomach. As Hyun-gwang stroked his beard and spoke, Mu-jin bowed his head deeply. It seemed there was no way to avoid this torturous eating regimen. Well, at least if I learn that technique, I wont risk tearing my stomach or dying from overeating. Trying to console himself, Mu-jin asked Hyun-gwang about the technique. Then, Ill learn that technique first. Hahaha. I will teach it to you. The technique is called Hwal-seung-gong (Active Monk Technique). With that, Hyun-gwang began to exin the essentials of the technique. Given that it was designed for the health of those devoted to Buddhism, the essentials were not particrlyplicated. After understanding the technique, Mu-jin picked up his chopsticks again and resumed eating the food remaining on the table. Watching him, Hyun-gwang murmured to himself with a lightugh. I thought fasting was the only form of asceticism, but it seems that overeating can also be a form of self-imposed hardship. Indeed, all things in the world are interconnected. Amitabha. Hyun-gwang was having an epiphany in an unusual ce. * * * One day, while Mu-jin was struggling with the pain of overeating, visitors arrived at Shaolin. Its been a while, Mu-jin Sunim. Sorry for visiting sote, Mu-jin Sunim. Ryu Seol-hwa Shiju-nim, Baek Ga-hwan Gongja, Baek Ga-ryeong Sojeo. Its been a while. Hahaha. The three people who had parted ways with Mu-jin in Jiangxi Province hade to see him after several months. After warmly greeting Mu-jin, Ryu Seol-hwa nced at the person seated next to him. As expected, you were here. Did you know? With only a smile on their lips, Ryu Seol-hwa and Jegal Jin-hee exchanged sharp nces. For some reason, the two had never gotten along well, something Mu-jin knew. So, he stepped forward. Ah. Ryu Seol-hwa Shiju-nim, Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nim, you havent met each other, right? This is Jegal Jin-hee Shiju-nim, the young master of the Jegal family. And these are Baek Ga-hwan Gongja and Baek Ga-ryeong Sojeo, whom I met in Guangxi Province. Greetings to the young master of the Jegal family. Greetings to the young master of the Jegal family. As Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong politely greeted Jegal Jin-hee, she responded in her typically indifferent but courteous manner. Ive heard a lot about you two. Theres no need to be formal; please speakfortably. Did you know about us? I heard from the head of our family. Weve had frequent meetings with the Cheonryu Sangdan regarding the alliance, and I heard there were siblings in the Cheonryu Sangdan who were like the reincarnation of the great Kongming. For someone from the Jegal family, who imed descent from Zhuge Liang, this was the highestpliment they could give. Hahaha. I didnt do anything. It was all thanks to my sister, Ga-ryeong. Indeed, Baek Ga-hwan, who was always proud of his sister,ughed brightly and praised Baek Ga-ryeong. Blushing slightly at thepliment, Baek Ga-ryeong responded. Its an overpraise. It was only possible because of the intelligence from the various sects and the Cheonryu Sangdan. In fact, I felt quite humbled by the head of the Jegal familys strategy. The young people, responsible for the future of the allied forces, were fostering camaraderie and praising each other, creating a warm scene. Watching them, Mu-jin soon noticed something odd. Baek Ga-ryeong is blushing? And speaking so long-windedly? Baek Sojeo. Is it alright for you to speak that long? Startled, Mu-jin asked, and Baek Ga-ryeong smiled faintly as she replied. Thanks to the technique taught by Mu-gung Sunim, I can manage this much now. Oh So, it wasnt that you always spoke in proverbs? I had to speak that way because I would get short of breath if I spoke too long. Didnt my brother exin that to you back then? At her answer, Mu-jinughed awkwardly. I thought it was just her style. Mu-jin, who had misunderstood her condition, tried to hide his embarrassment. Ahem. It was thanks to Mu-gung. Yes. And since we came to Shaolin today, I n to meet Mu-gung Sunim. Baek Ga-ryeong blushed again as she smiled. Knowing the reason for Baek Ga-ryeongs visit, Mu-jin turned to Ryu Seol-hwa. By the way, Ryu Seol-hwa Shiju-nim, what brings you here? Is there a problem with the Cheonryu Sangdan? No. I just wanted to inform you about the events outside and see how you were doing, so I came. As you can see, Im doing well. How is the alliance going? The tension continues. Sometimes we see movements from the shadowy forcesing up from Dongting Lake, and we, along with Wudang, are blocking them. asionally, there are disturbances in Sichuan or Shaanxi. Is the damage severe? Its still minor skirmishes, so there are asional injuries, but nothing serious. You dont need to worry. Mu-jin sighed lightly at her answer. Its a relief that there havent been any major issues. Its all thanks to the Jegal family and these two here, Baek Ga-hwan Gongja and Baek Ga-ryeong Sojeo. Oh, and thanks to them, our forces might increase. Do you mean the alliance has new members? Its still uncertain, but we are having positive talks with the Beggar Sect. The Beggar Sect, huh. That sounds like a good choice. The Beggar Sect is a group of beggars, known for having thergestwork. Naturally, due to their simple conditions, many of Shinchuns spies must have infiltrated. However, fortunately, most key figures in the Beggar Sect, including the Eight Elder and the Chief, were righteous people who wouldnt easily fall for Shinchuns tricks. Being beggars, they had little desire for power or money. Come to think of it, Shinchun seems to have a hard time recruiting people with no greed. This applied not only to Shaolin but also to Wudang and the Beggar Sect. Those who couldnt be tempted by bribes were tough targets for Shinchun to prate deeply. Chapter 204: Human Experimentation Following the Zhongnan Sect, even the Beggar Sect is now in our favor. The war situation is turning advantageous for us, said Mu-jin. At Mu-jins words, Ryu Seol-hwa shook her head with a regretful expression. Not entirely. The Jeomchang Sect has sided with the anti-Shaolin faction. We still havent figured out what conditions they offered to make them switch so quickly. As expected they wont just sit back and take it. Yes. Fortunately, although they reached out to the Namgung Family as well, their progress has been sluggish. Thats typical for the Namgung Family. They were not the kind of people to submit or form alliances easily. It would be more usible for someone to bow to the Namgung Family rather than the other way around. Listening to their conversation, Jegal Jin-hee also nodded in agreement.Thats true. During the Yongbongji Conference, the negotiations for the Family Alliance broke down because of the Namgung Family. Jegal Jin-hee recalled how Jegal-hyeon had been troubled by the Namgung Familys insistence that they should lead the Family Alliance, causing the negotiations to stall and eventually fail. Was Jegal-hyeon preparing for a rebellion even amidst all that? As Jegal Jin-hee pondered this, Ryu Seol-hwa seized the moment to address her. Yes. Multiple factions are entangled at the base of the mountain, making things quite busy. If the head of the Jegal Family hadnt joined, we would have struggled to manage on our own. By the way, isnt it about time for you, young master of the Jegal Family, to return and assist? Though she smiled, Ryu Seol-hwas eyes did not reflect her amusement. Ryu Seol-hwas true reason for visiting Shaolin was to monitor Jegal Jin-hee, who had been staying there for several months. Unable to leave a quiet cat on the stove, so to speak. However, Jegal Jin-hee remained confident under Ryu Seol-hwas scrutinizing gaze. I also want to help, but it cant be helped. Im here on official business. Surprisingly, Ryu Seol-hwa didnt pick at her words but instead agreed. Oh, I heard from the head of the Jegal Family. Youre here to set up formations in Shaolin and study external energy training methods with Mu-jin. Yes, thats correct. Hmm. But I heard you have another official duty as well? ??? As Jegal Jin-hee looked puzzled, Ryu Seol-hwa spoke with a triumphant expression. Have you been meeting often with Mu-gyeong? What are you talking about? Oh? Didnt you know? The head of your family mentioned something between you and Mu-gyeong Feigning ignorance, Ryu Seol-hwa began to speak, but Jegal Jin-hee quickly cut her off. Cough! Lets discuss that matterter. Jegal Jin-hee was certain. Her father, Jegal Gung, the head of the Jegal Family, had evidently not given up on Mu-gyeong. Is there an issue with Mu-gyeong? asked Mu-jin, unaware of the situation. Its nothing, Mu-jin. Dont worry about it, replied Jegal Jin-hee hurriedly. Ryu Seol-hwa watched Jegal Jin-hee with a leisurely expression. Somehow, Jegal Jin-hee understood the implied threat in her gaze: she wouldnt let her off easily if she did anything suspicious. After a brief moment of their silent confrontation, Mu-jin turned his attention to Baek Ga-hwan. Ah, Baek Ga-hwan. If its alright, theres someone Id like to introduce you to today. Me? Yes. Though puzzled, Baek Ga-hwan followed Mu-jin, leaving behind his sister, Baek Ga-ryeong. Go ahead, brother. Since its rted to you, Ill go greet Mu-gung. Sure. Be careful. Trusting Shaolin and Mu-gung, Baek Ga-hwan let his sister go without much worry. After Baek Ga-ryeong headed to Hye-dams ce where Mu-gung was staying, Mu-jin, Baek Ga-hwan, Ryu Seol-hwa, and Jegal Jin-hee went somewhere together. They arrived at a training ground in Shaolin. Hup! There, Dao Yuetian was practicing his swordsmanship. The person Mu-jin intended to introduce to Baek Ga-hwan was Dao Yuetian. How interesting that they meet like this. Dao Yuetian, the protagonist of the novels second part, and Baek Ga-hwan. In the original novel, they would have met in a different time and manner. Mu-jin thought it might be better this way. In the novel, they had met after both had suffered the great loss of their families. Hup! Engrossed in training, Dao Yuetian didnt notice the visitors until he finished and sensed their presence. Mu-jin? Panting from exertion, Dao Yuetian looked at Mu-jin and the others with a puzzled expression. He had seen Jegal Jin-hee a few times but was meeting Ryu Seol-hwa and Baek Ga-hwan for the first time. I hope we didnt interrupt your training. No, I apologize for not noticing the guests. Its my fault. Haha. Its not rude when we showed up unannounced. Ah, this is Ryu Seol-hwa of Cheonryu Sangdan, and this is Baek Ga-hwan. Hello, Im Ryu Seol-hwa. Nice to meet you, Im Baek Ga-hwan. Im Dao Yuetian of Cheon Seom Moon. After exchanging greetings, Mu-jin exined why he had brought them here. I wanted to introduce Baek Ga-hwan to Dao Yuetian. Dao Yuetian and Baek Ga-hwan exchanged curious nces. They wondered why Mu-jin would introduce them, but trusted he had a reason. I look forward to working with you. Likewise. By the way, how old are you this year, Baek Ga-hwan? Im twenty-one. Im neen. Thanks to Mu-jin, weve met, so if its not rude, Id like to call you brother. Then Ill call you younger brother if its alright. Haha. Please do, Dao brother. Alright, Baek brother. Perhaps it was the trust they had in Mu-jin, or their intertwined fates, but they quickly warmed to each other despite just meeting. As Mu-jin watched the bond forming between two of his favorite characters, he joined their conversation. Actually, I introduced you because I have a task for you in the future. If its from you, Mu-jin, Ill do my best. Anything you need, just let us know. With both men agreeing without hesitation, Mu-jin exined their mission. In two or three years, once Dao Yuetian has perfected his martial arts, I want you two to establish a new faction in Guangxi Province. Creating a righteous faction in Guangxi will require a lot of preparation, noted Baek Ga-hwan. Mu-jin shook his head. It wont be a righteous faction. You will create a demonic faction. Mu-jin nned to assign them the roles they originally yed in the novel: as agents infiltrating the demonic sect. Knowing how they rose to power in the demonic sect in the novel, I can guide them. In the original timeline, they didnt easily trust others, having fallen to rock bottom. The inhumane plots of the demonic sect wouldnt easily deceive them. But these were just Mu-jins thoughts. Mu-jin expected them to question the strange mission, but instead: Understood. You can count on us. Both men epted the task without hesitation. What? They should have asked why, but instead, they epted it as if it was natural, surprising Mu-jin. Ah because I prevented those tragedies. Without those tragedies, both had be more docilepared to their novel counterparts. I hope they dont get exposed by the demonic sect. Despite his worries, Mu-jin had to delegate this task. With so much at stake, he couldnt handle everything alone. Alright. As you all know, our main enemy isnt the demonic sect or the anti-Shaolin alliance. Its the organization known as Shinchun. Yes. Weve heard. The problem is, because of Shinchun, were in conflict with both the righteous and demonic sects. If we keep taking hits like this, well be at a disadvantage. Ah! So you want us to create a demonic faction in Guangxi to cause internal strife within the demonic sects? Exactly. The demonic alliance formed to oppose the righteous sects, so the Seven Pirs often sh when not fighting the righteous sects. I want you to exploit those conflicts and grow your influence. It was a dangerous mission with a high chance of failure, but the two men felt honored by the trust Mu-jin ced in them. To be entrusted with such an important task. Ill give it my all, even at the cost of my life. Mu-jin doubted their simplicity but misunderstood them. Despite being saved by Mu-jin, they had faced enough crises to be cautious and mistrustful, except towards Mu-j in, their savior. Knowing it was an honorable request from their benefactor, they couldnt refuse and felt a sense of duty. Mu-jin, are you really entrusting them with such an important task? Jegal Jin-hee asked with concern. She wasnt underestimating them, but infiltrating the demonic faction and disrupting the Demonic Alliance required exceptional skills, at least on par with the Seven Pirs. We need more support and people. More people mean a higher chance of exposure to Shinchun. The same goes for support. Contact increases the risk of being discovered. Besides, Mu-jin paused, then continued with conviction, Once Dao Yuetian masters his martial arts, hell be on par with the Seven Pirs. While Dao Yuetian was touched by this absolute trust, Jegal Jin-hee was shocked. She knew Mu-jin cared for him but didnt realize he trusted him this much. Feeling apetitive spirit, Jegal Jin-hee stepped forward. Can I verify his capabilities? What do you mean? I want to spar with Dao Yuetian. Jegal Jin-hee revealed two fans hidden within her clothes. Chapter 205: Transcendence In response to the sudden challenge for a duel, Dao Yuetian hesitated briefly before speaking. To have a duel with the young master of the Jegal family is a great honor for me. However, Ive just finished my training and need some time for Qi Conducting. Could you allow me some time for that? Of course. As soon as Jegal Jin-hee answered, Dao Yuetian sat down on the ground of the training field and began his Qi Conducting. A little whileter, having somewhat recovered his energy, Dao Yuetian stood up. Since this is a duel, I will use a wooden sword. Are you mocking me? Jegal Jin-hees forehead slightly furrowed at Dao Yuetians words, but he shook his head and presented the Celestial sh Sword.This sword is a divine weapon made from Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron. It wouldnt be fair to use it in a duel, even if its a matter of life and death. I dont mind. With Jegal Jin-hees firm stance, Dao Yuetian sighed inwardly and took a defensive stance. Understood. Let me formally introduce myself again. I am Dao Yuetian of Cheon Seom Moon. I am Jegal Jin-hee of the Jegal family. Following the etiquette of a duel, the two exchanged formalities and took their stances. For a brief moment, they engaged in a staring contest. Dao Yuetian moved first. Or rather, the moment Jegal Jin-hee sensed him moving, Dao Yuetians ck de was already in front of her face. After several months of rigorous training at Shaolin, Dao Yuetian had perfectly mastered the mnemonics of the Swift Shadow Strike. Additionally, thanks to Hyun-gwangs assistance, his body had also started to slightly transform, enhancing his speed. His swift de had no match, at least among those Jegal Jin-hee had faced directly. However, Jegal Jin-hee had also experienced life-and-death situations due to the rebellion. And even at Shaolin, she hadnt just been idly following Mu-jin around. Predicting his target through Dao Yuetians stance, she narrowly blocked his first strike with her iron fan. Or so she thought. Slice!! !!! Jegal Jin-hee had not expected her iron fan, reinforced with sword energy, to be cut in one strike by the ck de. Surprised by this, Jegal Jin-hee alternately looked at the broken iron fan and Dao Yuetians ck de with an uncharacteristically bewildered expression. ? Knowing howpetitive she could be, Mu-jin softly intervened to avoid provoking her. As you can see, Dao Yuetians ck de is an unmatched divine weapon. Moreover, Dao Yuetians swift sword will be even faster in the future. At that time, it will be challenging for anyone, even a master of the Seven Kings level, to block his ck de. I think I now understand why Master Mu-jin gave Dao Yuetian such a difficult task. Despite losing due to the difference in their weapons, Jegal Jin-hee responded in a bitter tone. Dao Yuetian, noticing her demeanor, spoke to her. It was the power of the weapon that won. Didnt you block my first strike? Next time, how about we duel with wooden swords? Would that be alright? Training alone at Shaolin was getting lonely. Id wee a duel anytime to assess my martial arts level. Jegal Jin-hees previously disheartened expression returned to its usual self at Dao Yuetians words. I also wee any duel with a master. As they say, The night is long, and dreams are many, (Yajangmongda), could we duel again now? Her desire to refine her skills through dueling was pure, not driven by a refusal to lose or stubbornness. Seeing the pure desire for improvement in her eyes, Dao Yuetian agreed to her challenge with equal sincerity. While Jegal Jin-hee briefly went to fetch another fan to rece the broken one, Mu-jin spoke to Dao Yuetian. How is your body holding up, Dao Yuetian? Thanks to the techniques Master Mu-jin taught me, I feel much better. Thank you for your concern, Master Mu-jin. I apologize for not being able to help more despite giving you such a difficult task. Saving me and my family is more than enough grace. Im rather embarrassed to have received so much help. He was thankful for the dangerous mission Mu-jin had entrusted him with, feeling that it justified the help he had received. While Mu-jin and Dao Yuetian conversed, Jegal Jin-hee returned with a new fan. Dao Yuetian picked up a wooden sword from the training ground and faced Jegal Jin-hee again. Having already exchanged formalities once, they skipped the greetings and took their stances. Once again, Dao Yuetians de, moving faster than sound, flew towards Jegal Jin-hee. Jegal Jin-hee managed to barely block the strike this time as well. Since Dao Yuetian wasnt using the Celestial sh Sword, her fan didnt break in one strike this time. ng! Dao Yuetian continued to use the same Swift Shadow Strike, targeting different areas with each quick attack. ng!! Each time, Jegal Jin-hee narrowly blocked or slightly dodged the attacks, utilizing her stepping techniques to the fullest to defend against the impossibly fast consecutive strikes. Her hair was already disheveled, and her clothes were turning to rags. It seemed like Jegal Jin-hee could lose at any moment. Hoo. Slowly, Hoo. Dao Yuetians strikes began to slow down. Hoo. Additionally, with each strike, white breath escaped from Dao Yuetians mouth. He wasnt exhausted, but rather ng!! Is that Ice Technique? Dao Yuetian asked as he stepped back, noticing the cold energy umting with each sh against Jegal Jin-hees fan. Its a technique called Moonlight Dance. Moonlight Dance was a technique that could cause Qi Deviation if not performed with Yin energy. When performed with Yin energy, it had effects simr to Ice Techniques. Fortunately, as the Jegal family was dedicated to martial arts research, they had internal energy techniques to handle Yin energy. For the past few months, Jegal Jin-hee had been training in Moonlight Dance by drawing Yin energy from her internal energy using this technique. Apart from the time spent studying Mu-jins external training methods. Its a shame the internal energy technique isnt advanced enough to be called an ascending martial art. It was a remaining challenge for her, having acquired a divine technique butcking an advanced internal energy technique to support it. Seeing the two catching their breaths from a distance, Mu-jin intervened. If this continues, one of you might get seriously injured. How about ending the duel here for today? Since there will be more opportunities, that seems wise. I agree. It wasnt a life-and-death duel anyway. Both Dao Yuetian and Jegal Jin-hee dly epted Mu-jins proposal to end the duel in a draw. Prolonged exposure to ice energy could be dangerous, and Jegal Jin-hee risked Qi Deviation due to her weaker internal energy technique. Jegal Jin-hee, who now recognized Dao Yuetians abilities, spoke. Your skills are remarkable, even without considering the ck de. Thanks to Master Mu-jin. Im sorry I still havent met Master Mu-jins expectations. Oh, are you talking about what you mentionedst time? Recalling the story Dao Yuetian had shared while suppressing the rebellion in the Jegal family, Jegal Jin-hee asked. Baek Ga-hwan, who had been watching the duel, joined the conversation. Thanks to Master Mu-jin? What do you mean by that, Dao brother? Haha. Its a long story. Laughing heartily, Dao Yuetian started to talk about the help he received from Mu-jin, from their first meeting at the Yongbongji Conference, saving Cheon Seom Moon, and revealing the secrets of the Celestial sh Sword. Master Mu-jin is indeed different. Master Mu-jin has always been that way. Jegal Jin-hee, perhaps inspired by Dao Yuetians story, spoke up. The first time I met Master Mu-jin was in Jiangxi Province. She shared how Mu-jin had outwitted Jegal-hyeon with his eloquence when he was just a child. Who would have thought that a child, barely old enough to be called a schr, would toy with an elder of the Five Noble Families with his sharp tongue. She also talked about losing a duel to Mu-jin, Mu-jins victory at the Yongbongji Conference, and how he saved the Jegal family. After Jegal Jin-hees story, Baek Ga-hwan shared his experiences. I heard he left Jiangxi Province and went to the Jegal family and Jeongan-hyeon, but hearing it in detail, Master Mu-jin indeed seems extraordinary. Baek Ga-hwan spoke about the events at So-cheongmun, being chased by bandits, and the fight against a master of Langdao. He defeated a master of the Seven Kings level! Master Mu-jin is amazing! His bold decisions are truly admirable. But I value his spirit of sacrifice the most. With such a mindset, its no wonder he saved us. As the three shared their stories about Mu-jin, Ryu Seol-hwa couldnt help but join in. The first time I met Master Mu-jin was about five years ago. Starting with the story of Mu-jin, known as the Buddha-Handed Novice, leading a musculoskeletal treatment clinic and treating the elderly in Deungbong-hyeon at the age of fourteen, she talked about how Mu-jin captured Hong So-hee, a spy who had been tormenting her. She shared stories about visiting Jiangxi Province to form a branch, suppressing a rebellion at Yeon Ga-hees seventieth birthday with Hyun-gwang, and more. Combining all their stories, it was as if they were recounting Mu-jins entire life. Listening to all these stories was Mu-jin, who tried to intervene but couldnt stop them. Um could you stop, please? Ah, those things did happen, but Mu-jin, unable to stop the stories and having to listen, felt embarrassed and a shiver ran down his spine. This feels like some kind of cult To Mu-jin, it seemed like a confession session in a cult. * * * Even after Ryu Seol-hwa and the Baek siblings left, Jegal Jin-hee and Dao Yuetian continued their duels. Mu-jin also asionally watched their duels during his break times from training. Actually, it was more about monitoring Dao Yuetian. Mu-jin felt the need to divert Dao Yuetians attention since he kept trying to proselytize. After watching several duels between the two, who were fairly evenly matched without using the Celestial sh Sword, Mu-jin spoke up. While your duels are beneficial to each other, constantly fighting the same opponent might be less effective. How about sparring with the Shaolin disciples as well? Both Jegal Jin-hee and Dao Yuetian were intrigued by Mu-jins suggestion. As guests, they couldnt easily request duels with the Shaolin disciples, but both were eager for more duels. Could you arrange that for us? Of course. Confidently replying, Mu-jin waited for Jegal Jin-hee and Dao Yuetian to recover their internal energy through Qi Conducting before leading them somewhere. Thud! Guueeek! Upon arriving at the hall, they heard a pig-like scream. Is Shaolin ughtering pigs? While Jegal Jin-hee and Dao Yuetian wondered, Mu-jin nonchntly knocked on the door. Master Uncle Hye-gwan, this is the third-ss disciple Mu-jin. Hearing the pig-like scream confirmed Hye-gwans presence, and soon the door opened, revealing Hye-gwan gulping down a bottle of alcohol in broad daylight. Behind himy Mu-gyeong, sprawled out on the floor. Haha. Have youe to steal a drink? That will be for another time. Today, Ive brought sparring partners for Mu-gyeong. As Mu-jin stepped aside, Hye-gwan looked at the two standing behind him. As if assessing their skills and Qi. Hmm. They seem suitable opponents for our disciple. Throwing away the empty bottle, which uratelynded on Mu-gyeongs head, Hye-gwan addressed him. Have you rested well, disciple? Yes, Master Uncle. Despite the blow, Mu-gyeong swiftly got up and responded. Watching the casual exchange between the two made Jegal Jin-hee and Dao Yuetian feel a bit dizzy. Chapter 206: Transcendence Was Master Mu-gyeong always like this? Jegal Jin-hee, who had personally experienced his extraordinary talents during the suppression of the Jegal familys rebellion, felt a profound sense of dissonance. However, regardless of the astonishment of the two onlookers, Hye-gwan and Mu-gyeong conversed in their usual tones. Youve heard everything, havent you? Who will you spar with first? Do I have to spar with both of you today? If you dont want to, you can spar with me again. Haha. Then, Ill first spar with Jegal Jin-hee, who is standing in front. Mu-gyeong looked at Jegal Jin-hee with a smile, but for some reason, she sensed a strange emotion in that smile.Why does it seem like hes asking me to spare his life? While feeling a peculiar sensation, Jegal Jin-hee awkwardly approached Mu-gyeong. Hye-gwan spoke to Mu-gyeong. If you approach this spar with the insolent mindset of holding back your strength to prolong the fight, I will personally join the spar and fix your attitude. Haha. Theres no way I wouldmit such a discourtesy. Once again, Mu-gyeongs true intentions were seen through by his master, and he inwardly grumbled as he took his stance. I am Mu-gyeong, one of Shaolins three great disciples. I am Jegal Jin-hee, the young master of the Jegal family. After exchanging formalities and taking their initial positions, Wheeeee. Golden energy began to spread from Mu-gyeongs body, creating raindrops in the air. Hmm? Watching this, Mu-jin tilted his head. The number of golden raindrops Mu-gyeong created had decreasedpared to before he left the Cave of Repentance. Is he holding back his strength? If he did, Hye-gwan would surely punish him. The doubt was soon resolved. Haah! Following Hye-gwans teaching that the first strike wins, Mu-gyeong charged at Jegal Jin-hee with the Yeontae Gupum technique. Thud! Simultaneously with Mu-gyeongs first punch at Jegal Jin-hee, the surrounding golden raindrops flew toward her back. He demonstrated the skill of simultaneously using the Golden Rain Technique and fist techniques with his body. He hadnt stolen the Liangyi Divine Technique from Wudang. It was merely a technique based on his extraordinary talent, using internal energy flowing through his body and external energy at the same time. It was a skill Mu-jin couldnt replicate even if he spent his entire life training. While Mu-jin had been strengthening his body for the past few months, Mu-gyeong seemed to have devised his own method of fully utilizing the Golden Rain Technique. However, the most astonishing aspect wasnt theplexity of the technique itself. Mu-jin was familiar with such techniques from his own experience. The blood sessor in novels performed simrly. Though the blood sessors energy was crimson rather than golden. Unlike the blood sessor, who utilized the blood energy from the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique to execute the Blood Rain Demon Technique and Shaolins martial arts, Mu-gyeong used Shaolins internal techniques to perform Shaolins martial arts along with the Blood Rain Demon Technique. Watching the spar between Mu-gyeong and Jegal Jin-hee, Mu-jin thought about how he would handle the situation. Hmm. It seems Im not a good match against him. If it were Mu-jin, he would likely use the Golden Turtle Technique to ignore the golden raindrops and charge at Mu-gyeong recklessly. But that was only possible for someone with special protective qi techniques like himself. For others, the attack would be disorienting and overwhelming. Hmph! Indeed, Jegal Jin-hee, struggling to fend off Mu-gyeongs relentless attacks, swung her fans desperately to deflect or block the iing strikes. After about ten exchanges, Mu-gyeong suddenly retreated a step back. Youve mastered that secret technique. Of course, you noticed. Yes. Although its my first time facing ice techniques, they do seem quite tricky. Despite his words, Mu-gyeong had already devised a solution. Thats why he deliberately stepped back. If the cold prates my body every time we sh, Ill just avoid direct contact! Taking his stance again, a significantlyrger amount of qi surged from Mu-gyeongs body into the air. Instead ofbining it with martial arts, Mu-gyeong decided to focus entirely on the Golden Rain Technique. In an instant, fifty golden raindrops materialized in the air, surrounding Jegal Jin-hee and attacking fiercely. Hah! Jegal Jin-hee, aiming to fend off the numerous raindrops targeting her entire body, executed a technique from the Moonlit Dance manual. As she spun gracefully, the fans in her hands created a defensive barrier that froze the raindrops approaching from all directions. And as shepleted her technique, Pop! A raindrop hidden behind the others, which had been unnoticed, struck her back. Sessfully targeting Jegal Jin-hees acupoints with the raindrop, Mu-gyeong released her from the acupoint restraint and bowed in courtesy. Amitabha. Since I had also read that secret technique, I anticipated your move. Thank you. Thanks to you, Master Mu-gyeong, I discovered this techniques weakness. I, too, realized how formidable ice techniques are. Exchanging their martial arts knowledge and polishing their skills, it was a truly heartwarming scene fitting the essence of a spar. Dao Yuetian Shiju-nim, if its alright, can I take a moment to conduct Qi and blood cirction before we spar? Having used significant internal energy during his final attack on Jegal Jin-hee, Mu-gyeong made this request, to which Dao Yuetian readily agreed. Mu-gyeong sat in the lotus position and began the Qi Conducting Technique. As one cycle passed, Disciple, isnt it time to get up? Hye-gwan, who had somehow started drinking a new bottle of liquor, asked while preparing to throw the empty bottle. Before Hye-gwans words even finished, Mu-gyeongs eyes snapped open, and he stood up. Ahem. I was just about to get up. The banter between the two disciples left Mu-jin feeling a strange sadness. He wasnt like this before. Except for when he was seized by madness, Mu-gyeong was always timid and introverted. How did he end up like this? When Mu-jin turned his gaze toward the culprit, the culprit, now holding another new bottle, said, Why? Do you want a drink too? Im currently focusing on strengthening my body, so Ill refrain. Hahaha. What a pity. Theres nothing better than watching a fight as a snack. At that moment, the heartwarming sparring among noble martial artists was downgraded to a street brawl. Soon, Hye-gwans new entertainment, the spar between Mu-gyeong and Dao Yuetian, began. After bowing to each other and taking their initial stances, Pop! In an instant, Dao Yuetians saber strike flew towards Mu-gyeong. Hmph! The tremendous speed of the strike surprised Mu-gyeong, causing a slight tear in his monks robe at his chest. Seizing the initiative with his first strike, Dao Yuetianunched a series of rapid saber attacks, pushing Mu-gyeong back. Mu-gyeong narrowly dodged the attacks using the Yeontae Gupum technique while simultaneously deploying the Golden Rain Technique. As the golden raindrops in the air shot towards Dao Yuetian, he sliced through them with his swift saber, but Hah! In that moment, Mu-gyeong, having regained hisposure, began his counterattack. He executed abination of various striking techniques while using the Golden Rain Technique tounchplex and relentless attacks from all directions. Dao Yuetian, desperately fending off the raindrops with his Swift Shadow Strike and asionally attempting to counterattack, found himself gradually being driven into a defensive position. Eventually, Mu-gyeong managed to sneak his finger into Dao Yuetians side and sessfully strike his acupoint. After watching the second spar, Mu-jin hummed in interest. Hmm~ the matchups are quite intriguing. Honestly, if Dao Yuetian used the Celestial sh Sword Art, even Mu-jin couldnt guarantee victory. Dao Yuetians Swift Shadow Strike with the Celestial sh Sword Art was capable of piercing through both the Golden Turtle Technique and the Jade Vajra Technique. Additionally, though not yet perfected, Dao Yuetians saber skills had be even more formidable. Even Mu-jin couldnt confidently say he could avoid and counter all of those swift saber strikes. However, Mu-jin found it difficult to guarantee victory against Mu-gyeong. Even if Dao Yuetian used the Celestial sh Sword Art, it would be hard for him to win. The Celestial sh Sword Art boasted an absurd level of strength and sharpness. Still, it was challenging to leverage its advantages effectively against suchplex attacks from all directions. While Mu-jin was contemting this, the two who had finished sparring exchanged greetings. Ive learned a lot. I didnt realize the subtlety of speed could be so threatening. Amitabha. Would it be alright if I requested another spar in the future? Although the question came from Dao Yuetian, Jegal Jin-hee, watching from behind, also looked at Mu-gyeong with the same expression. Under the intense gaze of both, Mu-gyeong nced at Hye-gwan before responding. Youre always wee to spar. Mu-gyeong thought it would be better to spar with these two than with Hye-gwan. But Hye-gwan wasnt one to let things slide. Sparring should be once every five days. For the remaining four days, you should refine what youve learned from the spar. Engaging in sparring without organizing your insights is not beneficial. Then why do you engage in sparring, or rather, beat me up ten times a day, Master? Hehehe. Isnt sparring different from teaching? So, disciple, now its time to organize what youve learned from the spar and receive my teaching. Unable to outwit Hye-gwan in words, Mu-gyeong looked at Mu-jin with a face that seemed on the verge of tears. Ahem. Then Ill return in five days, Master Uncle. Mu-jin, deliberately avoiding Mu-gyeongs gaze, bid farewell to Hye-gwan. * * * The next day. Dao Yuetian and Jegal Jin-hee once again set out in search of a new sparring partner, guided by Mu-jin. Arriving at a different hall than the day before, they felt puzzled again. Why is there a tiger in the temple? Was it some sort of sacred beast raised by the Shaolin Temple? As they pondered this, two people and a tiger engaged in performance art in the yard greeted them. Mu-jin~!! Ook! Ookiki! Haha. What brings you here with guests? I came to arrange a sparring match for Mu-yul, Master Uncle Hye-geol. A spar! Thats a splendid idea. Haha! Hye-geol readily epted Mu-jins proposal with great enthusiasm. Perhaps it was thanks to his generous nature that he could endure a disciple like Mu-yul. Or maybe his generosity grew because of Mu-yul, Mu-jin thought, choosing to ignore the sad possibility. Just like with Mu-gyeong, the spar between Mu-yul and Dao Yuetian began, but Yikes! Hiya! Heeyah! It was more like a game of tag than a spar. Mu-yul, relying on his innate animal instincts and movements, narrowly dodged Dao Yuetians swift saber attacks but could barely counterattack. Surely hisck of talent makes his progress slow. As the spar continued, the difference in their levels became apparent. Mu-yul was barely hanging on with his animalistic movements and instincts. After barely holding on for the first quarter-hour, Mu-yul finally took a hit from Dao Yuetians swift saber. Ouch Mu-yul, who had been struck on the head with the t of the de, rubbed the bump on his head and let out a small groan. Hehe! It was really fast and fun! How do you swing your sword so quickly? With a bright smile, Mu-yul asked Dao Yuetian,pletely devoid of anypetitive spirit. Seeing his disciples demeanor, Hye-geol, looking like an enlightened monk, interjected between them. Dao Yuetian So-hyeop, if you dont mind, would you spar with Mu-yul again? This time, including Ling-ling here. Including that spirit beast? In response to Dao Yuetians question, Hye-geol replied confidently. Haha. You can look forward to it. The cooperative techniques of these two are among the best in the martial world. Experiencing their cooperative techniques could be beneficial as well. Dao Yuetian readily epted Hye-geols proposal. To aplish what Mu-jin intended, Dao Yuetian needed to be ustomed to fighting multiple opponents. Expecting a fair one-on-one spar in a fight with shadowy forces was a foolish thought. Thus began the peculiar one-versus-two spar between Dao Yuetian, Mu-yul, and Ling-ling. Heehee! Ook! Moving together and making monkey noises, Mu-yul and Ling-ling showcased their uncanny cooperative techniques. It wasnt merely a matter of one covering the front while the other covered the back. When Mu-yul took a stance with the Crane Fist and aimed low like a snake, Ling-ling, perched on his head, attacked from above with the Monkey Fist. Heheh! Ookiki! As Dao Yuetians saber aimed for Mu-yuls head, Ling-ling pulled Mu-yul away to dodge, then used centrifugal force to spin Mu-yul and throw him at Dao Yuetian, while Ling-ling hid in Mu-yuls shadow to target Dao Yuetians legs with the Snake Fist. It doesnt look like a trained cooperative technique but more like theyre just doing whatever they want. Yet why did they work so well together? Perhaps because of their absurd cooperative techniques, Dao Yuetian found himself increasingly disoriented as the spar continued. However, what surprised Mu-jin the most wasnt their synchronization. He had already known about the peculiar harmony between Ling-ling and Mu-yul. More than that Ling-lings movements have improved significantly. Previously, it felt like Ling-ling was merely mimicking Mu-yuls actions, but now it truly seemed like he was performing martial arts. And soon, Mu-jin realized it wasnt just his imagination. Master Uncle Hye-geol, did you teach martial arts to Ling-ling? Haha. You guessed it right. Although he has only mastered the Snake Fist so far, when he reaches Mu-yuls level in the future, their cooperative techniques will be even more extraordinary! Hye-geol responded confidently to Mu-jins question. Not only did he teach martial arts to a monkey-like person, but he also taught martial arts to an actual monkey. Mu-jin felt more pity than surprise. What path are you trying to take, Master Uncle Hye-geol? Chapter 207: Transcendence Despite feeling sorry for Hye-geol, the sparring match between Dao Yuetian, Mu-yul, and Ling-ling continued. Dao Yuetian, increasingly disoriented by their strange coordination, ultimately allowed Mu-yul tond a blow. Stop! Since it was a sparring match, not a life-or-death duel, Hye-geol called an end to the fight. Hehe! Well done! Mu-yul, who won the sparring, smiled brightly. If it had been anyone else, it might have looked like the victors sneer, but not with Mu-yul. He even smiled like that when he was the one getting hit. After the sparring, Mu-yul, Ling-ling, and Dao Yuetian began conducting their Qi.A monkey in the lotus position? Watching the bizarre scene in disbelief for a moment, he saw the two humans and one monkey stand up after finishing their Qi cirction. Its my turn now. Jegal Jin-hee stepped forward. The sparring match started simrly to Dao Yuetians. Mu-yul and Ling-ling continued their peculiar and intricate attacks, while Jegal Jin-hee barely managed to hold out by waving her fan defensively. However, some unnoticed signs built up, leading to a sudden change. Brrr, its cold! Oo-oo-oo! Mu-yul and Ling-ling, who had been attacking Jegal Jin-hee fiercely, suddenly slowed down, their breaths turning frosty. Jegal Jin-hee, who had been focused solely on defense, seized the opportunity. Whoosh! In an instant, Jegal Jin-hees fan stopped right in front of the sluggish Mu-yul and Ling-ling. Hye-geol, addressing the victorious Jegal Jin-hee, said, Your ice techniques are quite impressive. Its a martial art called Wolha Seonmu, Hye-geol Sunim. Hahaha. Experiencing such ice techniques will be a great learning experience for Mu-yul. For me as well, it was a valuable lesson on dealing with cooperative techniques. Though Hye-geol tried to have a warm conversation with Jegal Jin-hee as an elder, Mu-yul and Ling-ling, unable topletely dispel the cold, shivered and called out. Im s-s-so cold, Master! Oo-oo-oo Hye-geol hurriedly approached them, cing his palms on their backs. I will perform the True Qi Guidance, so remember this well! Watching the scene, which suddenly turned into an emergency aid situation, Mu-jin thought, It seems ice techniques are extremely effective against the less intelligent. * * * The next day, Mu-jin introduced the final sparring opponent to Jegal Jin-hee and Dao Yuetian. Greetings, Master Uncle Hye-dam. Hmm. A middle-aged man with an imposing presence, who responded with just a nod to Mu-jins greeting. Beside him was Mu-gung, the final sparring opponent. At least he understands whats being said. Mu-gung appeared slightly less muscr than before, but he still had a formidable build. Ivee to arrange a sparring match with Mu-gung for these two. Proceed. With Hye-dams curt approval, Mu-gung stepped forward. Ill go first. Dao Yuetian drew his wooden sword calmly for the sparring. After exchanging formalities, the match began. Whoosh! Dao Yuetians quick sword sliced through the air towards Mu-gung, who remained unperturbed by the speed. Mu-gung, who had experienced many real battles with Mu-jin, was also the second-ss disciple of the Jeomchang Sect, known for its swift swords. However, while he wasnt caught off guard, he wasnt exactlyfortable either. Faster than the Sa-il Sword Technique from Il-hwi Dojang! In terms of sheer speed, it felt even faster than the attack from the swordsman who had wounded Mu-jin. Instead of attempting a reckless counterattack, Mu-gung focused on the minimal movements required to evade Dao Yuetians sword. Slice! Slice! Each time, his robe got cut and shallow wounds appeared on his skin, but Mu-gung, in deep concentration, focused solely on Dao Yuetians movements. Hmm. Hye-dam, watching the sparring with his arms crossed, nodded slightly in approval of Mu-gungs strategy. After over twenty strikes, with shallow wounds umting, Mu-gung had a revtion. Here! Predicting Dao Yuetians next move, Mu-gung prepared to strike. However, with his opponent being faster, it was difficult to attack first. Ill overpower him with strength! Mu-gung unleashed his Tathagata Palm towards the anticipated point. Whoosh! Dao Yuetian, unable to change his trajectory mid-strike, drove his wooden sword into Mu-gungs palm. Crash! As expected, Mu-gungs Tathagata Palm shattered Dao Yuetians sword. However, Dao Yuetian immediately withdrew the broken sword and swung it at Mu-gungs exposed side. Tap. Ive won. This is unfair As Mu-gung tried to argue his victory, Hye-dam, who had been silently watching, shouted. Enough! Ugh Startled, Mu-gung turned to see Hye-dams stern expression. Though it looked indifferent to others, Mu-gung, who had lived with him for years, knew he was quite angry. Have you not yet mastered the Immovable Heart Technique? No, Master. Then why did you let your guard down at the end? I apologize. Seeing his master speak at length, Mu-gung decided to admit his fault. Mu-jin, watching the scene, intervened. Yes, sparring is practice for realbat. If this were a real battle, youd be dead. You should subdue the opponent, not break their weapon. Mu-gungs forehead veins bulged as Mu-jins words added to his masters scolding. Hey! But Hye-dam, noticing the subtle change in Mu-gungs expression, scolded him again. Mu-jin clicked his tongue lightly at the sight of Mu-gungs defeated look. He hadnt intervened just to tease Mu-gung. Its dangerous to always rely on your hands in closebat. If Dao Yuetian had been using the Celestial sh Sword Art, Mu-gungs hand could have been cut off instead of breaking the sword. Mu-jin wanted Mu-gung to be more cautious after imagining such a scenario. After being scolded by Hye-geol, Mu-gung, with a more serious expression, began sparring with Jegal Jin-hee. Unlike previous matches, Jegal Jin-hee took the initiative, having noticed that Mu-gungs movements were slowerpared to others. Ha! Her graceful movements, coupled with her elegant face, created a scene more like a dance than a sparring match. Whoosh! Despite her smooth movements, the fan in her hand emitted a chilling energy. Bang! However, Mu-gung easily deflected or countered her attacks, as they were slower than Dao Yuetians. Considering the effectiveness of her ice techniques, simply shing with her palm should have given her an advantage, but Mu-gungs Tathagata Palm dispelled the cold easily. As Mu-gung continued to defend calmly, he found an opening and unleashed a fire-infused handprint towards Jegal Jin-hee. Boom! When the fire-infused handprint shed with her fan, steam began to rise. As the steam cleared, Jegal Jin-hee, with a slight frown, appeared to be contemting something. She sighed lightly and acknowledged her defeat. I learned a lot. She had suffered a minor internal injury from the recent sh. Fortunately, as long as she conducted her Qi immediately, it wasnt serious. Since it was a sparring match, continuing despite the internal injury would be foolish. I could have held out if I had more internal energy. It was inevitable to feel a bit of regret. She realized she needed to find a special elixir or improve her internal energy technique. * * * After Mu-jin arranged the sparring matches with the Muja Trio, Dao Yuetian, and Jegal Jin-hee, they often sparred alternately. Since the sparring provided entertainment, Dao Yuetians proselytizing activities seemed to have decreased a bit. Meanwhile, Mu-jins passive body transformation continued. He entered a bulking phase due to increased diet,pressed muscles through the Jade Vajra Technique, and repeated this process, resulting in weight loss due to increased muscle mass and activity. Initially, he made a few mistakes, but Mu-jin, an expert in physical training for over a decade, used his knowledge and experience to stabilize his progress. A year into his training, Are you returning to your family now? Yes, thank you for everything. The agreed period ended, and it was time for the Jegal family members to return home. Im the one who should be thankful. You provided equipment, food, and even kept a journal. Jegal Jin-hee recorded not only muscle training methods but also Mu-jins daily physical changes, diet, and activities. Thanks to her journal and Mu-jins training knowledge, he was able to develop his body without issues. I made a copy of this just in case you need it. She handed Mu-jin a three-volume book titled Record of Hardship to Build a Diamond Body, reflecting how she saw Mu-jins training. As Mu-jin received the gift , Hyun-gwang, observing, stepped forward and handed Jegal Jin-hee a book. Haha. I cant let you leave with only a gift. This will help you gather cold energy. It was a gift Hyun-gwang prepared for her, whose internal energy techniquegged behind her martial arts. Jegal Jin-hee, usually reserved except around Mu-jin, expressed deep gratitude to Hyun-gwang. Thank you, Master Hyun-gwang. I will never forget this favor and will repay it. No need to repay me. Just stand for Shaolin in the future. The Jegal family will never betray Shaolin. At Jegal Jin-hees firm response, Hyun-gwang nodded with a gentle smile. After exchanging final gifts, Jegal Jin-hee and her family left Shaolin. Watching their departing figures, Hyun-gwang turned to his great-grandson. Its been a year already, Mu-jin. Yes, Grandfather. Are you ready to learn from me now? I havent perfected my body, but Ive achieved a minimum level. After a year of focusing solely on muscle training and the Jade Vajra Technique, Mu-jin surpassed his prime fighting days in physical capability alone. With a physique resembling a mixed martial artist and strength exceeding 900kg in weightlifting, he wanted to reach 2000kg, but it was time to start martial arts training again. Ive grasped the process, so I canbine martial arts and muscle training now. And I cant dy any longer. With these thoughts, Mu-jin looked at Hyun-gwang, concealing his bittersweet emotions. Having spent years together, Mu-jin began to sense that Hyun-gwang didnt have much time left. Chapter 208: Transcendence Hyun-gwang spoke. Mu-jin, what you need to learn from now on is how to concentrate your power on a single point. Is this what you mean? Mu-jin lightly took a striking stance, circting his qi from his toes and amplifying his energy. The internal energy starting from his danjeon flowed through the Yongcheon acupoint at the sole of his foot, moved through his lower body, waist, shoulders, and finally converged in his fist. Following the flow of qi, Mu-jin twisted his body from the tip of his foot, adding centrifugal force. When the immensely amplified energy converged in his fist, he struck with a single punch. Watching the powerful strike, Hyun-gwang nodded slightly and said, Overall, its the same principle, but you need to refine it a bit more.Seeing Mu-jin still not fully understanding, Hyun-gwang asked, Mu-jin, your danjeon already contains more internal energy than your peers. So, Mu-jin, can you focus all that energy into a single punch? Finally understanding what Hyun-gwang was getting at, Mu-jin softly eximed, Ah Its impossible, Grandfather. Hahaha, from now on, Ill teach you how to do it. Hearing this, Mu-jin thought, As expected of Grandfather. The martial arts Mu-jin had learned so far were mostly specialized for dealing with multiple opponents who were simr to or weaker than him. His skin, which had reached the point of being imprable by swords, his strength beyond human limits, his internal energy exceeding a full cycle, and the Golden Turtle Technique for self-defense. In prolonged battles, no one in the Central ins could match Mu-jins ability to single-handedly defeat dozens or even hundreds of average martial artists. However, against a master who could easily prate the Golden Turtle Technique or the Jade Vajra Technique, it was useless. In such cases, Mu-gyeong or Mu-yul might be more effective against such masters. Its because they have a way to counteract strong energy or divine weapons. If that were the case, he wouldnt have been overwhelmed like in the fight with the Wolf King. Hyun-gwang smiled gently at the awestruck Mu-jin and slowly took a striking stance. Lets start with a basic punch. Hyun-gwang then exined the flow of internal energy while taking a basic punching stance. It wasnt mnemonics derived from Buddhist scriptures, but an exnation purely about the flow of internal energy. What Hyun-gwang was teaching wasnt a specific Shaolin martial art, but the method of handling internal energy itself. Naturally, the exnation was far more extensive than thosepressed into mnemonics. After a long-winded exnation, Hyun-gwangs movement stopped at a slight twist of his heel. In other words, all the internal energy maniption exined so far had to bepleted in the time it took to twist a heel. It seemed unrealistic, but it was quite feasible. Hyun-gwang had exined how to manipte qi through all the meridians from the danjeon to the foot in the time it took to twist a heel. When actually performing the movement, since the qi had to be manipted simultaneously through all the meridians, it was possible to master it in a short time. Hyun-gwang continued his detailed exnation, describing the movements from the foot through the lower body to the pelvis before rxing his stance. Lets end here for today. During Hyun-gwangs exnation, Mu-jin, with a dazed look, realized an important fact. Im screwed. After a half-sijin of continuous exnation, Mu-jins mind was nk. However, knowing Mu-jins limited memory, Hyun-gwangughed it off. Dont worry. I just showed you the sequence. Ill teach you step by step from now on. Thus, on the first day, Mu-jin endlessly repeated the motion of twisting his heel from the punching stance. He did it slowly, implementing the detailed andplex internal energy maniption Hyun-gwang taught repeatedly. Despite multiple repetitions of the same exnation, Hyun-gwang showed no sign of irritation. Instead, it was Mu-jins expression that subtly twisted in frustration. Damn it. Advanced martial arts are ridiculouslyplex. Eventually, Mu-jin asked Hyun-gwang tentatively, Grandfather, is there a simpler, more physical martial art? Hahaha, what youre learning now is precisely that. ??? Mu-jin, how do you think strong energy is created? Isnt it bypressing qi dozens or hundreds of times? Exactly. So, do you know how topress it dozens or hundreds of times? I dont know. Martial artists have pondered for ages on how to amplify the power of their techniques by focusing internal energy on a single point. However, when masters release massive amounts of internal energy at once, it inevitably causes damage to the blood vessels, muscles, bones, and internal organs. Saying this, Hyun-gwang extended his right hand, palm up, which had been behind his back. Then, natural qi began to gather on Hyun-gwangs palm. In the meantime, some masters realized a method topress qi externally. By continuously sending qi to the initially released qi, maintaining and furtherpressing it. Depending on the form of the medium that maintains andpresses the qi, it became strong energy or sword energy. Hyun-gwangs palm was now swirling with highly condensed qi. Furthermore, some enlightened individuals managed to achieve this maintenance andpression instantaneously. However, reaching that level requires multiple great realizations. With that exnation, Hyun-gwang shook his palm, dissipating the condensed qi back into the natural environment. Lets return to the beginning. Do you remember why this method was adopted? If one releases too much internal energy at once, it causes damage to the body Ah! Mu-jin eximed as he realized. It felt like being struck by a hammer. So, only I can train this way? Thats right. Instead of continuously releasing and maintaining qi externally, youre manipting massive amounts of qi within your body and releasing it at once. Only you, who has mastered the Jade Vajra Technique to the extreme, strengthening your muscles, bones, and skin, and fortified your internal organs with the Jade Ascension Technique, can do this. And this method, though it damages the body, is much simpler in theory. Mu-jin was shocked for two reasons. First, the Jade Ascension Technique was not just to help him eat more. Second, This is the simpler method? He wondered howplicated themon method for creating strong energy was if this was the simpler one. And from his shock, Mu-jin realized, If I cant master this, I wont advance any further. It was alreadyplicated enough to make his head explode, so there was no way he could seed with a moreplex method. * * * From that day onward, Mu-jin began to seriously learn the punching technique from Hyun-gwang. Hyun-gwang was only teaching him how to manipte internal energy, so it was an unnamed punching technique. In addition, to further enhance his physical level, Mu-jin had tobine weight training and the Jade Vajra Technique with meals thatsted for an entire sijin. What Hyun-gwang was teaching was a method that disregarded side effects and solely pursued great power. As my physicalpletion improves, Ill be able to release more internal energy at once. To master the punch Hyun-gwang was teaching and to reach the inhuman level of three thousand jin, Mu-jin couldnt stop training. However, that didnt mean he devoted every single day solely to training and exercise. Every night after finishing his training, How is this ce? Hahaha, its refreshing. Mu-jin would massage Hyun-gwangs body while they conversed. Although Hyun-gwang had reached a heavenly state and regained his health through Mu-jins rehabilitation techniques over the past few years, Mu-jin didnt begrudge the time spent massaging him. And Hyun-gwang didnt refuse Mu-jins dedicated care, not insisting he focus on training. They conversed like a real grandfather and grandson. So, what was Shaolin like when you were young, Grandfather? Hahaha, back then, it was much more boring than now. The only fun was watching the disciples make mistakes asionally. Speaking of which, there was an incident around when the Abbot was eighteen Hyun-gwang would tell Mu-jin stories about his past that he didnt know. Can you tell me about your grandfather, Mu-jin? He was a good man. Im sorry I couldnt repay his kindness before we parted so soon Mu-jin would also talk about his past life as Choi Kang-hyuk to Hyun-gwang. Of course, he couldnt mention being in a novel or modern life. Instead, he adapted stories about his real grandfather and grandmother to fit this era and shared them with Hyun-gwang. Thus, Mu-jin spent time with Hyun-gwang. By day, as master and disciple, and as an elder and a young man, Mu-jin learned martial arts and various wisdoms of life from Hyun-gwang. And during breaks from training, Mu-jin would carry Hyun-gwang around Shaolin or to sunny spots on the mountain, just like a grandson caring for his grandfather. Filling in the gaps of what he couldnt do while away from Shaolin. Perhaps preparing for their farewell. Time passed like this. At first, Mu-jin wondered if he could master the challenging punching technique, but thanks to Hyun-gwangspassionate teaching, he slowly improved. And one day, about a yearter. I did it!! Grandfather !! I really did it! Mu-jin finally seeded in the punching technique. However, the speed was still exceedingly slow. Though powerful, it was impractical in realbat. Hahaha, it seems youve memorized and understood all of my exnations. Now, train to use it naturally. Following Hyun-gwangs advice, Mu-jin continued to practice the punch. Initially, it took over ten seconds to perform the punch, but as time passed, the duration gradually shortened. Like sand running out in an hourss. Another half-year passed. Hoo. Taking a deep breath to stabilize his mind and body, Mu-jin assumed the punching stance. After a year and a half of training only this technique, the stance felt more natural despite appearing simr. The following movements were just as natural. It wasnt just the physical movements. The countless exnations from Hyun-gwang and the flow of internal energy contained in them. Every bit of qi flowing through the numerous meridians in his body moved naturally at every moment. Because the flow of qi and the movement of muscles and bones were natural. The actions flowed without hesitation, finishing at a speed deserving the term momentary. Mu-jin, who had taken the stance, was now in the position of delivering a right punch. Whooosh!! From Mu-jins right punch, golden starlight burst forth. It was a scene reminiscent of Hyun-gwangs punch that nullified Namgung Sword Emperors sword energy two and a half years ago. Chapter 209: End and Beginning Its not as great as Grandfathers. Mu-jin took a deep breath and corrected his stance as he watched the starlight he had created. Striking with internal energy equivalent to one cycle in a single punch brought an odd sense of fatigue throughout his body. In fact, it was not just about internal energy but also the aftereffects of using internal energy without prioritizing stability. As expected, the limit for stable execution is around one cycle? Exceeding one cycle would likely result in significant aftereffects. If he were to use more than two cycles, utilizing all his internal energy, it would probably cause serious damage to his bones, muscles, and internal organs. This is the limit for increasing power.Even while training with Hyun-gwang, Mu-jin didnt stop weight training and maintaining his diet. Thanks to this, he had reached the inhuman level of three thousand jin, which was his initial goal. Anyone who has done weight training knows that repeating weight training doesnt automatically increase weight capacity for everyone. Muscles have their own talent, and from Choi Kang-hyuks perspective, the body of the novels protagonist Mu-jin was exceptionally talented. A body with the talent not undeservedly called Heavenly Martial Constitution, meticulously developed over years by an experts touch. Conversely, this meant that even maintaining his current level required relentless effort. However, this didnt mean further growth was impossible. Now, like other martial artists, he needed to gain a special realization to advance to a higher state, or there existed another method. While Mu-jin was thinking about the future, Hahaha, excellent. Hyun-gwang, who had been watching Mu-jins punch, smiled warmly. Mu-jinposed himself and bowed to Hyun-gwang. Its all thanks to your teaching, Grandfather. Hahaha, it seems you have mastered the punch. Now, Mu-jin, what remains for you is to incorporate what youve learned into other movements. Mu-jin was momentarily speechless at Hyun-gwangs words. The way he thought about bing stronger was in line with what Hyun-gwang mentioned. It would be difficult to gain realizations now like others with his current talent. Mu-jin, silently staring at himself, was prompted by Hyun-gwangs gentle gaze. Has the year and a half spent with this old monk been tiresome? Mu-jin shook his head. Im grateful and happy. Just being with Hyun-gwang washed away something deeply entrenched in Mu-jins heart. He had been like an orphan in the world, raised by his grandfather and grandmother. In high school, he couldnt do anything as his grandfather passed away. At that time, he thought he had no choice because he was a student. As a soldier, he couldnt return home due to training and missed his grandmothers passing. Back then, he believed that earning money to support his grandmother was the best he could do. Not being there for their final moments and not being able to take care of them It remained a deep-seated regret within him. Mu-jin knew that Hyun-gwang wasnt his real grandfather. It was just a form of vicarious satisfaction. But after losing his real grandparents, Mu-jin had no elder to guide him. He had to survive on his own. For someone like Mu-jin, Hyun-gwang was the first elder he met after losing his real grandparents, someone who could embrace him. And above all, Grandfather and Grandmother would want me to be at peace. Perhaps because some of his regret had been washed away, Mu-jin started to naturally have such thoughts. Hyun-gwang, looking at Mu-jins much more rxed facepared to when they first met as a disciple,ughed warmly. Hahaha, thank you for considering this poor monk as your grandfather. Now, can this poor monk leave onest request with you? Anything. Please take care of Shaolin. As long as I am alive, Shaolin will not fall. Mu-jin didnt want to lie to Hyun-gwang, so he said that. After the end of the novel, he couldnt be sure what would happen. But for some reason, Hyun-gwang shook his head at Mu-jins response. To this poor monk, you are also Shaolin. So, Mu-jin, you too must stay safe. I will do so. This response seemed to please him, as Hyun-gwang nodded with a kind smile. Then Hyun-gwang closed his eyes, rolled the prayer beads in his hand, and started to chant softly. Namu Amitabha. Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. As Hyun-gwang chanted, natural qi gently gathered around him like a soft breeze. The qi surrounded Hyun-gwang, emitting a gentle golden glow. With a thud. Mu-jin slowly began to bow deeply to Hyun-gwang. It wasnt a Buddhist bow. Farewell, Grandfather. It was a bow of gratitude for the teaching and nurturing he received, which he couldnt give to his real grandparents. * * * After finishing his heartfelt bow, Mu-jin rose to his feet. Hyun-gwangs figure was no longer there. Only the faint golden glow he had created and the kasa he had worn, along with the relics (sarira), remained to indicate he had been there. As Mu-jin stared nkly at the remnants, he heard the sound of small footsteps approaching. When he turned around, he saw the elders of Shaolin. They seemed to have rushed over upon seeing the glow Hyun-gwang had created, their appearances uncharacteristically disheveled for high monks. Did something happen to Master Hyun-gwang? At the question from the head abbot standing at the forefront, Mu-jin calmly replied. He has achieved nirvana. At Mu-jins response, some sighed deeply, while others quietly chanted. Master has finally seeded in letting go of all worldly attachments. Yes, Abbot. Hyun-cheon could somewhat guess what had happened. If he had heard someone else had achieved nirvana, he might have thought they had just died. Although monks dream of nirvana and daoists dream of ascension, it was merely a dream for most. Most people considered achieving nirvana or ascension to be poetic expressions for the death of someone with high virtue. However, Hyun-gwang had already oncee close to achieving nirvana in the past. He had practically proven that achieving nirvana was indeed possible. Did Master leave peacefully? Hisst words were to ask me to take care of Shaolin. He left with a serene expression. We must have been holding Master back. Amitabha. Saying this, Master Hyun-cheon fell silent for a moment topose himself. Then, opening his eyes wide, Master Hyun-cheon spoke. Master has achieved nirvana, the dream of all Buddhists. If we mourn on such a blessed day, how sad would it make Master who trusted us and left? Believing Master Hyun-cheons words to be correct, the monks of the Hyun faction, who had been looking somber, took deep breaths to calm themselves. Indeed, you are right, Abbot. Amitabha. Since a new Buddha has been born today, let us prepare thenterns. Abbot. The monks began to busily prepare for thentern festival. To hold a modest celebration and farewell ceremony befitting Shaolin. * * * Shaolin did not intend to loudly proim Hyun-gwangs nirvana throughout the continent. It was nned to be handled modestly within Shaolin. However, they did inform those who had some connection with Hyun-gwang. The first to visit Shaolin were Ryu Ji-gwang, the head of the Cheonryu Sangdan, his mother Yeon Ga-hee, and the Ryu siblings, Ryu Seol-hwa and Ryu Seol-ryong. Mu-jin guided them to Hyun-gwangs ce where he resided, and a new pagoda that wasnt there before had been erected. There, Beob-geon, Mu-jins nominal master and Hyun-gwangs disciple, weed them. Beob-geon had been managing affairs at the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic in Deungbong-hyeon in Mu-jins stead and had returned to Shaolin upon hearing the news of Hyun-gwang. The pagoda contains the kasa and relics Master was wearing when he achieved nirvana. The head abbot named it the Pagoda of the Compassionate Buddha. Facing the pagoda named for the Compassionate Buddha, the Ryu family began to chant and bow. Ryu Ji-gwang and the two siblings finished their simple bows and stood up, but Yeon Ga-hee continued to bow slowly and steadily as if she had a set number in mind. Watching her for a moment, Ryu Ji-gwang spoke to Mu-jin. We have some matters to discuss with the abbot, could you look after my mother until then? I will. Then, I will guide you to the abbots office. The Ryu family, along with Beob-geon, headed to the abbots office. They returned only after Yeon Ga-hee had finished her one hundred and eight bows. Did you have a good conversation? Yes. We will return with what we agreed upon with the abbotter. ? Mu-jin didnt understand Ryu Ji-gwangs words but replied that he understood and finished with a bow. Just before they left, Ryu Seol-hwa handed Mu-jin a letter. Its about what you asked me to find out. Thank you, Seol-hwa Shiju-nim. She looked at Mu-jin for a moment, then shook off her regret and left with her family. Knowing today wasnt a day to have a conversation with Mu-jin. Watching them leave, Beob-geon spoke to Mu-jin. Mu-jin, I heard you have inherited Masters teachings. I will stay here and keep watch, so you may go train for a while. How can I leave for training on such a day? Master would have been pleased, so dont worry. Also, I wish to spend some time alone with Master. Perhaps unable to be there for the moment when Hyun-gwang achieved nirvana, Beob-geon seemed to be suppressing his emotions, prompting Mu-jin to eventually leave the ce. Knowing the sorrow of not being able to be with his grandparents when they passed, Mu-jin decided to give him space. Leaving the ce, Mu-jin opened and read the letter from Ryu Seol-hwa. So, theres about half a year left? The letter contained the information Mu-jin had asked Ryu Seol-hwa to find. The most crucial information was about the future Heavenly Demon. Since the time for him to leave the Demonic Path Institute had passed, he had asked Ryu Seol-hwa to gather information about him. Although it was difficult to gather information about someone active outside the mainstream, it seemed there was nothing impossible for the Five Great Merchant Unions. Considering the distance, the information here would be from at least half a month to a month ago. I should meet him within five months at thetest. Conversely, it meant that he had roughly five months left. It should be enough time to set out after thentern festival for Grandfather. Mu-jin thought it was more important to finish his farewell with Hyun-gwang first. Aside from the information about the future Heavenly Demon, the letter contained various pieces of information. The recent movements of opposing forces and how Shaolin or allied sects were responding. While most of the information was not particrly noteworthy, one thing caught Mu-jins attention. There have been many injuries in the Zhongnan Sect recently? The Zhongnan Sect was originally destined to be taken over by the Hwasan Sect. However, Mu-jin believed he had altered that fate by dealing with the Ten-Thousand Hall and the Zhongnan Sword Pavilion through Ryu Seol-hwa and the Baek siblings. Why does it feel like the plot is following the novel? At this rate, Shaanxi Province would end up in the hands of the Hwasan Sect, which was practically a pawn of Xinchen. Over the past two and a half years, while Mu-jin had been focusing solely on training at Shaolin, it seemed the winds of change had begun to blow. Chapter 210: End and Beginning Thentern festival celebrating Hyun-gwangs enlightenment continued for some time. During this period, Yeon Ga-hee visited Shaolin every day. Please do not feel resentful that the Sangdanju and the children could not visit, Yeon Ga-hee said, facing the Zabul Tower. Mu-jin, replying on behalf of Hyun-gwang, responded, They must be busy with the affairs of the Sangdanju and the alliance. We are grateful that you took the time to visit. And grandfather is not one to be upset about such matters, is he? Yeon Ga-hee chuckled, Hohoho, thats true. After a brief conversation with Mu-jin, Yeon Ga-hee performed 108 prostrations towards the Zabul Tower as she did every day and then left. A few dayster, a new guest visited the Zabul Tower. Greetings to Yunheo Zhenren. Its been a while.Unlike a master of his rank, Yunheo Zhenrens expression was disturbed. The wretched one has gone far, thought Yunheo Zhenren, gazing at the Zabul Tower that housed thest vestiges of Hyun-gwang. He was the only non-disciple who was a friend, starting as a rival but bing the only one who understood him. Now, he had gone to a ce where they could no longer meet. Would Hyun-gwang truly achieve transcendence Yunheo Zhenren understood that Hyun-gwangs enlightenment did not merely mean death. Even in the afterlife, they would not meet again. Realizing the reason why Hyun-gwang stayed forcibly in the mortal world, Yunheo Zhenren nced aside. He must have trusted this young monk, allowing him to leave. Realizing that the young monk had eased Hyun-gwangs concerns and lingering attachments, Yunheo Zhenren thought, It feels like our era is ending. Naturally, Yunheo Zhenrens mind turned to the Wudang Sects genius, Cheongsu. I dont know if Ill see you again, but I will leave this world prepared, like you. Remembering Hyun-gwangs will as he looked at the Zabul Tower for thest time, Yunheo Zhenren bade his farewell to his friend and left Shaolin. * * * Although Shaolin did not announce Hyun-gwangs enlightenment widely, the news spread across the Central ins. For those unfamiliar with the inner workings of the martial world, it might have been insignificant, but not for a few individuals. In the Taesang Gaju Hall, deep in the Sichuan Tang n. Tsk, tsk, the young one has left early, said Tang-jak, an elderly man over eighty known as the Dark King, in a harsh tone, though his feelings wereplex. ?? About three years ago, Tang-jaks body had been damaged in a duel with the Head of Unhyangwon, making him incapable of living as a martial artist. Only the n leader and the medicine hall head of the Sichuan Tang n knew this secret. How futile, how futile. Thus, Tang-jak felt a sense of shared fate upon hearing the news. The warriors of his generation, who once found the vast Central ins too small, were leaving one by one. And he felt his own departure wasnt far off. Elsewhere, within the Shinchun, an elderly man known as In-ju stroked his white beard and asked his subordinate, Hyun-gwang has enlightened? Yes, he has. Hahaha, the heavens are aiding us. Recently, Shaolin, Wudang, and other orthodox factions had begun to hinder them, causing headaches. And now, the man who lived as a cripple for most of his life and suddenly revived a few years ago, Hyun-gwang, had disappeared from this world. It was strange enough that a man in such a state could live normally. Shaolin called it enlightenment, but In-ju believed such notions were nonsense. He thought Hyun-gwang had simply died. The greatest under the heavens has left so quietly. It will make future ns much easier. When he first heard of Hyun-gwangs revival, In-ju considered Hyun-gwang as dangerous as the Three Swords of the World. But two and a half years ago, there was an incident where Namgung Muguk abruptly stopped a duel with Yunheo Zhenren to visit Shaolin. Though the oue of the duel remained a secret, it wasnt hard to infer from Namgung Muguks subsequent reclusive training. Now, the duels participant and Namgung Muguk, who had entered closed training. What did you say? Hyun-gwang Dasa has enlightened, Taesang Gaju. Namgung Muguk, who had been dedicating himself to the sword for a rematch with Hyun-gwang, heard the newste. The moment he heard the shocking news, the back of Namgung Muguks hand holding the sword turned white. His grip was so tight that the blood wasnt circting. After the Heavenly Demon, Hyun-gwang too. Someone once said that its not the strong who survive but the survivors who are strong. Now that Hyun-gwang was gone, maybe he was the strongest under the heavens. But Namgung Muguk did not seek such a victory. To Namgung Muguk, martial arts were about honing the soul, building it up throughout life. A duel was a contest of what one had built. It wasnt about winning in such a way. But now, Hyun-gwang was no longer in this world. So how would he measure his soul against Hyun-gwangs? Its no different from the Heavenly Demon. Namgung Muguk easily found the answer. When his sword reached thest One Fist that Hyun-gwang had shown, he would prove himself to the world again. Just as he had done twenty years ago. Thus, Hyun-gwangs enlightenment marked the end of an era for the veteran warriors. And the old warriors epted this fact in their ways. Some thought of the children who would live the next generation. Somemented the end of their era. Some dreamed of controlling the future. Some sought to prove that their era had not ended yet. * * * Thentern festivalsted for a month. Meanwhile, it wasnt just external guests visiting the Zabul Tower. In fact, Shaolin disciples visited the Zabul Tower more frequently than outsiders. Abbot Hyun Cheon, along with the elderly monks of Shaolin who had memories of Hyun-gwang, visited the Zabul Tower once a day to pay respects. Among the first-ss disciples, some had deep connections with Hyun-gwang. Dont you pay respects? Mu-jin asked Hye-gwan, who smiled with a twisted expression. It wasnt the usual sardonic smile but one mixed with various emotions. How could I offer respects to Hyun-gwang Sabek with my blood-stained hands? Hye-gwan simply ced a bottle of wine before the Zabul Tower. Others continued to visit Hyun-gwang, and the modest but lengthyntern festival concluded after about a month. As the Shaolin disciples cleared thenterns that had illuminated the temple for a month, they sorted their emotions about Hyun-gwang. And just as they finished clearing thenterns, Shaolins gates became noisy. Although puzzled, Mu-jin continued to guard Hyun-gwangs residence, but the noise gradually moved towards his location. Soon, the source of themotion reached Hyun-gwangs residence. Crazy. Seeing the enormous golden statue resembling Hyun-gwangs face, Mu-jin involuntarily uttered a profanity. It wasnt hard to guess whose handiwork the statue was. So thats why Sangdanju met the Abbot that day. On the first day of thentern festival, while Yeon Ga-hee was performing 108 prostrations, Sangdanju Ryu Ji-gwang had left to meet the Abbot. The culprit was undoubtedly the Sangdanju. How did he persuade him? Though Abbot Hyun Cheon had recently shown a bit of worldly interest, he wasnt one to ept such a golden statue. One could only wonder how Sangdanju managed to persuade him. However, it was just a surprising disy of wealth. At least, I wont forget grandfathers face. Mu-jin didnt entirely dislike the statue resembling Hyun-gwang. * * * The day after the enormous golden statue appeared alongside the Zabul Tower in Hyun-gwangs residence. As Mu-jin was cleaning up the residence, new visitors arrived at Shaolin. However, Mu-jin did not need to greet them. Thentern festival had already ended, and they werent particrly connected to Hyun-gwang. They must be in a difficult situation. Mu-jin thought about the visitors today. They were Taoists from the Zhongnan Sect. Given the recent surge in injuries, Mu-jin suspected they were here to request reinforcements from Shaolin. Before long, a second-ss disciple arrived from the Abbots room. Mu-jin, the guests wish to see you. Naturally, Mu-jin wondered. Are they specifically requesting me as reinforcements? Why me? Though he was called the greatest genius under the heavens, the focus was on genius, not greatest. While Mu-jin had surpassed the level of a genius, the world still saw him as a promising junior. In thepetition between the Nine Great Sects, what difference would one promising junior make? It doesnt harm me. Mu-jin was already considering leaving Sha olin. About four months remained until the future Heavenly Demon would meet the Blood Sessor. And if Zhongnan invited him, there was another advantage. I was contemting sneaking out, but this provides a good excuse. Since Mu-jin and the Muja Trio returned to Shaolin, they had been under surveince. It was to prevent another midnight escape. But with this legitimate reason, there was no need for another escape. Since itse to this, I might as well take those guys. Mu-jin decided to take the Muja Trio along, as it was a legitimate external mission. Especially, he had to take Mu-gyeong to maintain the narrative of the novel. So, Mu-jin willingly headed to the Abbots room with the second-ss disciple. Near the Abbots room, a few Taoists from the Zhongnan Sect were waiting in their martial robes. They watched Mu-jin enter the Abbots room with various expressions, but Mu-jin didnt pay attention. Inside, Abbot Hyun Cheon and the Taoist elder Baekam Zhenren were waiting. Wee. This is Baekam Zhenren, the external elder of the Zhongnan Sect. Greetings to Baekam Zhenren. Its a pleasure to meet the greatest genius under the heavens. After a brief exchange of greetings, Mu-jin stared nkly at Abbot Hyun Cheon and Baekam Zhenren. Clearing his throat, Baekam Zhenren cautiously spoke, Have you heard of the Zhongnan Sword Technique? It was a ridiculous question. Mu-jin was the first to mention the Zhongnan Sword Technique. Ah, I didnt reveal I said it. It seemed that Ryu Seol-hwa and the Baek siblings had handled matters properly. Ive heard of it, but wasnt that matter settled in advance? Weve dealt with the one at Mandangmun, but it seems it hasnt been fully resolved. Baekam Zhenren exined their situation in detail, but it was quite simple. Since a few months ago, many Zhongnan Sect disciples who ventured out had been getting injured. Those who injured the Zhongnan disciples were mostly from minor sects or not from Shaanxi Province. The Zhongnan Sect suspected that Hwasan had brought in external forces for a power struggle in Shaanxi, but they had no concrete evidence. Moreover, while there were many injuries, there were no fatalities, making it difficult for the Zhongnan Sect tounch a full-scale retaliation. As a result, the increasing injuries led to a disadvantage in the power struggle. But the biggest problem was the cause of these injuries. It seems Hwasan has widely spread the form and characteristics of our Zhongnan swordsmanship. Disciples often lost to opponents of simr skill or even slightly inferior ones. While the Zhongnan Sect knew Hwasans swordsmanship well, the opponents were not Hwasan disciples. Their enemies knew their techniques well while they did not know their enemies techniques, leaving them at a disadvantage unless their skill levels were significantly higher. So, are you asking Shaolin to send warriors, including myself, just as they brought in external forces? Mu-jin asked, already considering the solution, but Baekam Zhenren shook his head. Chapter 211: End and Beginning That is only a temporary measure. The true solution lies in developing our martial arts themselves to ovee the well-known weaknesses. However, developing martial arts is not something that can be achieved in a day or two. While pondering how to develop martial arts, Mu-jin heard such a story by chance. I heard that the Jegal family is creating martial arts based on your external training method. Mu-jin realized what Baekam Zhenren was implying. As the weaknesses of Zhongnan Sects martial arts had be known, they wanted to supplement these weaknesses through Mu-jins external training method. And for Mu-jin, who intended to leave Shaolin, it was a request that he had no particr reason to refuse. Since Zhongnan is keeping Huashan in check, theres no harm in helping them. Though Mu-jin had organized his thoughts this way, the answer that came out of his mouth was slightly different.What will Zhongnan give in return? Even if there was a justification for leaving Shaolin, he couldnt give away that precious knowledge for free. No matter how strong the alliance, giving everything unconditionally was foolish. No, the more solid the alliance, the more precise the calctions needed to be. In that sense, the Jegal family had installed formations for Shaolin and gifted various training tools to Mu-jin. So, what should he receive from Zhongnan? Hmm. What do you wish to gain? Mu-jin smiled lightly at Baekam Zhenrens counter-question. The greatest advantage of being in a dominant position in a transaction was this: Since Zhongnan Sects desires are clear, wouldnt you have already thought about the correspondingpensation? Please offer it first. It was that he could demand an initial offer. That too, until the other party proposed a condition that he found enticing. After a brief silent stare-down with Mu-jin, Baekam Zhenren spoke up. We cant give you a formation like the Jegal family. Nor can we teach our martial arts. The most we can offer right now is money and miraculous elixirs. R That would be sufficient. If the price was right. Understanding Mu-jins implicit meaning, Baekam Zhenren proposed a figure he had in mind. First, well provide you with five hundred taels of gold. This alone is equivalent to our Zhongnan Sects annual operating budget. Additionally, if your external training method sessfully supplements the weaknesses of our martial arts, we will provide another five hundred taels of gold over three years, along with a Heavenly Heart Pill. The Heavenly Heart Pill was Zhongnan Sects top elixir, akin to Wudang Sects Taecheongdan or Shaolins Great Restoration Pills. Like the Taecheongdan or the Great Restoration Pills, it was made from a special herb that grew in a unique location in Zhongnan Mountain, producing one pill every ten years or so. Although its value was slightly lower than Taecheongdan or the Great Restoration Pills, it was still iparable to most elixirs. However, despite these generous terms, Mu-jin shook his head. Promisingpensation after sess is only applicable when proof is needed. But my external training method has already been proven by Shaolin, Wudang, and the Jegal family. He refused to ept post-payment. Peoples minds are fickle indeed. Sess-basedpensation was quite subtle. The other party could insist on unreasonable terms. They could grow stronger using Mu-jins external training method and then im it was due to their own skills, not the training method. Baekam Zhenren, seeking help, looked at Abbot Hyun Cheon. Hmm. However, Hyun Cheon only cleared his throat and subtly looked away. Hoo. Baekam Zhenren took a deep breath and calmly organized his thoughts. If things continue like this, our Zhongnan has no future. They were gradually being overshadowed by Huashan in the power struggle in Shaanxi Province. They could sustain themselves through support from allied forces. But was the gained power truly theirs? Without the strength to protect themselves, they were bound to be taken over by someone else eventually. In that case, taking a gamble, even grabbing at straws, wasnt a bad option. Moreover, the external training method of this young monk was guaranteed by Shaolin, Wudang, and the Jegal family, making it not too risky a gamble. Hoo. The most we can raise right now is five hundred taels of gold. So, well first give you the five hundred taels of gold and the Heavenly Heart Pill as promised. And the remaining five hundred taels of gold will be provided unconditionally, not as post-payment, and lets draw up the document now. An excellent decision. Mu-jin smiled at Baekam Zhenrens decision. * * * After concluding the deal with Baekam Zhenren, Mu-jin promised to leave for Zhongnan Sect the next day. Baekam Zhenren wanted him to depart immediately, but Mu-jin took a days time, citing the need to make arrangements. Leaving the abbots office, Mu-jin headed straight to a guest house where Dao Yuetian was staying. Dao Yuetian, are you here? Mu-jin, what brings you here today? Unlike usual, Mu-jin answered Dao Yuetian, who always weed him warmly, in a serious tone. I came to entrust you with the matter I mentionedst time. The matter Mu-jin spoke of was creating the Demonic Alliance in Guangxi Province and shaking the organization from within. An outrageous request, but Dao Yuetian epted it calmly. I will seed, even at the cost of my life. Calm, yet with a confidence that shone through. Looking at the dignified Dao Yuetian, Mu-jin felt aplex mix of emotions. His body is now clearly out of bnce. The height difference between his shoulders was noticeable. His pelvis was also misaligned. Even in a simple standing posture, he looked as if he was ready to wield a sword at any moment. Of course, whether he had truly reached the level of Dao Yuetian from the novel was unknown. The novel merely described his body as twisted like an adult with a deformity. There were no illustrations or photos. However, Mu-jin, who recently witnessed his swordsmanship firsthand, could be sure of one thing. Most people would find it difficult even to react to the swing of his sword. He couldnt help but feel bitter when thinking about the pain Dao Yuetian must have endured to reach his current level. It wasnt just a metaphorical pain as if cutting through bones, but literal pain. However, it was toote to stop now. Mu-jin handed a letter he had brought to Dao Yuetian. You will find Baek Ga-hwan of the Cheonryu Sangdan. Hand this letter to him and settle in Guangxi Province together. The letter contained the strategies Dao Yuetian and Baek Ga-hwan originally used in the novel. Of course, the situations in the novel and now were different, so it wasnt the same content. It was just advice on how things would go more smoothly using these methods. Lets meet again with good results. Take care. After bidding farewell to Mu-jin, Dao Yuetian left Shaolin, taking only the letter Mu-jin had given him and the Celestial sh Sword Art. * * * The next morning. Around twenty people had gathered in front of the Shaolin Mountain Gate. Among them, about a dozen were from the Zhongnan Sect who hade to visit Shaolin, and the remaining ten or so were monks from Shaolin, including Mu-jin. And among them, naturally, were Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong as well. I thought you wouldnt be able toe out, but Master Uncle Hye-dam unexpectedly gave permission? To Mu-jins question, Mu-gung sighed deeply and answered. Its because you sweet-talked the Abbot. Master Uncle doesnt meddle in decisions made by the higher-ups. In fact, leaving Shaolin was a wee thing for Mu-gung as well. He had been confined to Shaolin for the past two and a half years, repeatedly training. Nevertheless, the reason Mu-gung sighed deeply was simple. Its good to go out, but with this guy involved, it doesnt seem like it will end well. Indeed, Mu-gung had an oddly good intuition for hisrge build. Mu-gung then turned to look at Mu-gyeong, who was walking leisurely beside him. How about you, Junior Brother Mu-gyeong? Im anxious too, since it involves Mu-jin. Arent you excited to leave the mountain gate after a long time? Master Uncle Hye-gwan said that after this mission, Id have to go with him to hunt down more demons. In other words, even if it wasnt for this mission, Mu-gyeong would be frequently leaving Shaolin from now on. There was a big problem of having to travel with Hye-gwan. You must be having a hard time too. Were in the same boat, arent we? Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong, who were looking at each other with pity, sighed deeply in unison without saying who did it first. As for thest person, Mu-yul. Hahaha. Be careful going down, Mu-yul. Hehe. I enjoy moving around like this, Master Uncle! Mu-yul, who was the nominal leader of this journey to Zhongnan, was chatting cheerfully with Hye-geol while climbing a tree. The reason for climbing trees instead of walking on the proper path was unknown to anyone but Mu-yul and Ling-ling. Despite Mu-jins considerable achievements and maturity, the reason he was still apanied by Shaolin disciples, including Hye-geol, was simple. They were, in fact, surveince. They were not there to monitor if the Zhongnan Sect would harm Mu-jin and his party. They were there to watch if Mu-jin would cause trouble again or attempt a midnight escape. Come to think of it, wasnt it also Master Uncle Hye-geol who apanied you when you visited the Wudang Sect before? At Mu-gyeongs question, who was watching the scene, Mu-gung nodded. Naturally, memories of visiting the Wudang Sect in the past started to resurface in Mu-gungs mind. Could it be? Suddenly, an uneasy future began to form in Mu-gungs mind. And as always, an ominous premonition never misses. As soon as they came down from Song Mountain and arrived at Deungbong-hyeon, what awaited them were carts loaded with countless pieces of iron. Again? Of course, there were only carts and no horses anywhere to be seen. * * * After several days of pulling carts loaded with iron, Mu-jin and his party finally arrived at Mount Zhongnan. The number of carts and iron pieces had even increasedpared to when they headed to the Wudang Sect. When they headed to Wudang, they only carried what the Shaolin disciples would use, but this time, they also had to bring what the Zhongnan Sect disciples would use. In addition, it included the ultra-heavy iron pieces exclusively for Mu-jin, making the weight far beyondmon sense. Fortunately, the ultra-heavy cart loaded with iron pieces for Mu-jin was pulled by Mu-jin himself. As soon as they arrived at the Zhongnan Sect, pulling the carts. Hmm? Mu-jin felt something strange. Its quiet. Despite the presence of hundreds of disciples in the Zhongnan Sect, an inexplicable silence filled the air. It wasnt just because they were Daoist priests. The atmosphere was different from that of a simr Daoist sect, Wudang. Though Zhongnan has always had a different atmosphere from Wudang. Zhongnan, like Wudang, was known for its defensive swordsmanship as a Daoist sect. While Wudang used the subtlety of flow to divert attacks, Zhongnan used a robust martial art that defended against all directions and counterattacked with re-bouncing force. In line with such martial arts, the disciples of Zhongnan, who Mu-jin had seen at the Yongbongji Conference, had a somewhat heavy atmosphere, unlike typical Daoists. In the novel, though they didnt directly involve themselves with Dao Yuetian, they were depicted as a sect where the brothers fought to the end against the collusion of Hwasan Sect and Shinchun. Stubborn and rigid, but with a firm resolve. At least, thats how Mu-jin viewed Zhongnan. But the current atmosphere was something else. It feels like a gathering of defeated soldiers? A bleakness typical of those steeped in defeatism pervaded the ce. About half of the disciples practicing their swords in the training yard had this air, and most of those with bandages on their bodies did too. Are those the ones who went down the mountain and returned after being defeated? It seemed they were the injured ones Master Baekam Zhenren had mentioned. Disheartened by the futile breaking of the swordsmanship they had trained for ten or twenty years. On the way to meet the head of Zhongnan Sect to pass on the training method as agreed with Baekam Zhenren. This wont do. Mu-jin thought as he surveyed the atmosphere of Zhongnan Sect. Before training, Ill have to fortify their spirits. And Mu-jin knew a very sure method for fortifying spirits. Whether the counterpart wanted it or not was not Mu-jins concern. Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Mental Training Passing through Zhongnan Sects training grounds, Mu-jin soon arrived at the gate of the Sect Leaders hall. Mu-jin, the third-ss disciple of Shaolin, greets the Sect Leader of Zhongnan. Mu-jin bowed and observed the Sect Leader of Zhongnan. While the Sect Leader of Wudang, Yun-song Zhenren, had a serene presence simr to Hyun-gwang, the Sect Leader of Zhongnan was an elderly man with a stern aura. He seems a bit simr to Master Uncle Hye-dam? Though he didnt boast an enormous build like Hye-dam, the feeling was simr. The Sect Leader, who received Mu-jins greeting, responded in a calm tone. I am Baek-un, the Sect Leader of Zhongnan. Thank you for responding to our request, Shaolin Dragon. So, will the trainingmence from tomorrow?Yes, we n to start the training tomorrow, but there is one condition. A condition? At Mu-jins bold request, Baek-un Zhenrens white eyebrows twitched. Yes. For at least three months, until my training settles, I need a promise that there will be no interference in my training methods. Mu-jin intended to first fix the spirits of the Zhongnan disciples, who were like defeated soldiers. To do this, it was necessary to prevent interference from the elders of Zhongnan in advance. Baek-un Zhenren, who locked eyes with Mu-jin as if in a staring contest for a moment, soon nodded. So be it. From the moment we called you here, it was already entrusted to you. Thank you for your decision. Mu-jin bowed again, thinking that the minimal preparations were nowplete. * * * Early the next morning. Third-ss and second-ss disciples of Zhongnan Sect gathered at the Grand Training Ground. They had already been informed that from today, they would be taught external energy training methods by the Shaolin Dragon. Regarding this, the Zhongnan disciples had various thoughts. A few were purely delighted to receive special training from the greatest talent in the world. Another few questioned the necessity of learning Shaolin Dragons training methods as fellow disciples of the Nine Great Sects. The majority, however, exuded a highly negative atmosphere. Doubts that the swordsmanship they had been training in was fundamentally weak, and a sense of futility as if they had wasted their time. On top of that, the reality of having to pay Shaolin to learn external energy training methods now. Once a negative thought took root, it spread rapidly, expanding the defeatist mindset for various reasons. Before these Zhongnan disciples, Mu-jin appeared. He had a ck headscarf tied around his head. Greetings! I am Mu-jin, the third-ss disciple of Shaolin, here to teach you external energy training methods starting today. From now on, I will lead the training. So from this moment, please refer to me not by my dharma name or nickname, but as Instructor. Thats right. Mu-jins method for fixing the rotten mental state was And those wearing red headscarves beside me should be called Assistant Instructors from now on. It was military-style training. Go to the assistant instructors now and receive the numbered tags prepared for training convenience. Not just any training, but a mix of special forces induction tests and guerri training. In their daze, the Zhongnan disciples received numbered tops from the Shaolin disciples, or rather, the assistant instructors, and put them on. Even excluding the injured, thebined number of second-ss and third-ss disciples of Zhongnan was close to two hundred. As they moved, the Grand Training Ground naturally became bustling. When everyone had put on their numbered tops, Mu-jin spoke in a stern voice. Before we begin training, I have one more thing to say. I came here with joy at the thought of seeing the disciples of the great Zhongnan Sect. But yesterday and today Pausing his speech and taking a deep breath, Mu-jin continued. I am disappointed. Mu-jin, performing one of the most important duties of a military leader C expressing disappointment. As the Zhongnan disciples stood bewildered, failing to grasp the situation, Mu-jin continued speaking. Yesterday, I saw you looking like defeated soldiers! And just now, your movements were not befitting of the disciples of a prestigious sect! I am disappointed! So from today, we will first correct those rotten mental states. Understood? As Mu-jins shocking remarks caused a stir among the Zhongnan disciples, some nced at the Zhongnan elders present. Their eyes questioned if this situation was eptable. Even Baek-un Zhenren, who had been watching Mu-jins shocking statements, had turned red in the face. However, he did not intervene. Partly because of his agreement with Mu-jin, and partly because it wasnt Mu-jins remarks that had reddened his face with shame. Mu-jin wasnt insulting Zhongnan but reprimanding its disciples who were not acting like Daoist practitioners. Since the Zhongnan elders did not intervene, one of the second-ss disciples of Zhongnan finally spoke up. Are you daring to insult our Zhongnan Sect? The insult is what you are doing right now! And if you think my words are wrong, prove it from now on! Retorting to the challenge, Mu-jin suddenly brought forward a gong. Anyone who finds it impossible to endure the training I conduct from now,e forward and strike this gong! Those unworthy of being in the great Zhongnan Sect should step forward, strike the gong, and leave! Understood? Mu-jin continued to provoke the Zhongnan disciples. As Mu-jins words progressed, the previously gloomy atmosphere of the Zhongnan disciples began to change. They started ring at Mu-jin with burning eyes, as if facing an enemy. Seeing this angry reaction, Mu-jin smiled and added, But if anyone endures my training to the end, I will personally apologize to them. With this brief speech concluded, Mu-jinmenced the actual training. Since the training from now on is external energy training, the use of internal energy is prohibited!! Anyone who uses internal energy because they cannot endure the training is admitting they are worms! Understood? Understood! Hmph! Youre just saying that to set up training that you cant evenplete yourself, arent you? At the messy responses from all around, Mu-jin slightly frowned and shouted. To set an example, I will also participate in the training. And from now on, the only response during training will be Yes! Once training starts, no questions will be epted! Understood? Understood! From the start of the training, you must respond with Yes! Dont the great Zhongnan Sect disciples understand such simple instructions? Once again, do you understand? Yes! Is this the best the great Zhongnan Sect disciples can muster in their voices? Do you understand? Yes! Mu-jin quickly took control of the Zhongnan Sect disciples, now trainees, and continued the training. The beginning was simr to PT exercises. However, Mu-jin modified a few PT exercises he learned in the military into bodyweight exercises that were good for muscle training. After all, it was external energy training, so they should perform exercises beneficial for muscle development. Of course, there were some exercises he did not modify. Notably, Prepare for exercise number eight! Yes! We will repeat exercise number eight fifteen times! No one is to call out the final count! If anyone does, we will start over from the beginning! Understood? Yes! Exercise number eight, fifteen repetitions! How many repetitions? Fifteen repetitions! Thirteen repetitions! Begin! With faces full of determination, the Zhongnan Sect disciples repeated exercise number eight. Even as Mu-jin demonstrated the exercise, he kept his head up, watching the trainees movements. As they approached the thirteenth repetition, Thirteen! Someone, inevitably, called out the final count. Trainee number fifty-seven! Fall out! Yes! We will now start exercise number eight again! At Mu-jinsmand, some Zhongnan Sect disciples nced at the fallen trainee number fifty-seven. Do not look away! Are you, the great Zhongnan Sect disciples, going to me your senior brothers like vile scoundrels? It is the path of disciples from prestigious sects to embrace and ovee even the mistakes of senior brothers, isnt it? Yes! We will start exercise number eight again! This time its twenty repetitions! How many repetitions? Twenty repetitions! Twenty-two repetitions! Begin! How long did the grueling training continue? No matter how much martial arts they had learned, since they focused more on internal energy than external, as the training continued, fatigue and muscle strain set in. Whenever someones movements faltered, Mu-jins harsh reprimands followed without fail. Is this the extent of the great Zhongnan Sect disciples abilities? The skill and perseverance of those who im to have trained in Zhongnan for decades! Is this all you have? Those who cannot endure this should step forward and strike the gong, admitting they are worms! Understood? The mixture of personal insults and provocations from Mu-jin ignited the fire in the eyes of trainees who were on the verge of giving up. When the trainees had barely endured the grueling two-hour training, they were all left trembling like corpses. We will resume the afternoon training after lunch. Mu-gung, who had been watching Mu-jin conclude the training, suddenly began scratching his arm. Does it itch somewhere? Mu-gyeong, who was also ying the role of assistant instructor, asked, and Mu-gung shook his head. No. I got goosebumps. Goosebumps? Yes. That guy, now I see he was going easy on us? Ah Only then did Mu-gyeong realize this and get goosebumps all over his body. There were times when Mu-jin had shown such an appearance in Shaolin, but he had never hurled such curses and insults. As the saying goes, speaking of the tiger brings it, Mu-jin approached them while they were talking about him. What are you doing? What do you mean? If you only do cardio, youll lose muscle. Now we need to start exercising too. What? Mu-gung asked with an incredulous face, but it didnt work on Mu-jin. Although he had exercised with the Zhongnan Sect disciples for two hours, that level of bodyweight exercise was just cardio for Mu-jin. Exercises that consumed calories without building muscle were harmful unless one aimed to lose weight. Give me some water. Uh, here? While Mu-gung, still dazed, handed over a water bottle, Mu-jin poured protein powder, obtained with the help of the Sichuan Tang n, into it and drank it. Ah, it tastes awful no matter when I drink it. Leaving Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong wondering then why do you drink it, Mu-jin began intense weight training. * * * Meanwhile. Among the Zhongnan Sect disciples, who were in tatters after the two-hour grueling training, one of them. Second-ss disciple Byeok-hwan turned his head unconsciously while moving for lunch. Perhaps it was out of anger towards Mu-jin, thinking What is that bastard doing now? And what he saw was Mu-jin lifting a massive piece of iron in the center of the Grand Training Ground. After undergoing that hellish training for two hours with them, he was now lifting such a monstrous piece of iron alone? Crazy. The uncharacteristically non-Daoist exmation was not Byeok-hwans. It was just the exmation of one of those who, like him, turned back without much thought. Maybe because of his voice, more people turned to look at Mu-jin. Isnt it just that it looks big on the outside? There were suspicious voices, but those suspicions were soon shattered. Boom! Even though Mu-jin ced the iron down gently, a heavy thud resonated. Mu-jin kept lifting and cing down the massive iron pieces. At some point, the Zhongnan Sect disciples stopped walking and just watched. As the watching continued for a while. Mu-jin, who finished lifting, suddenly took a stance for a punch. And when Mu-jin thrust his fist out. Boom! Something destructive burst from his fist. How can he show such a technique to the disciples of another sect so casually. Such a thought came to Byeok-hwans mind for a moment before he shook his head. It wasnt that he showed it casually. It was the mindset that it didnt matter if he showed it. Its the confidence that even if they know, they cant stop it! So what should a Zhongnan Sect disciple like himself do? Zhongnan Sects martial arts are now known and thus ineffective? If they know it, I just need to make it imprable. Realizing how pathetic he had been, just as Mu-jin had said, Byeok-hwan vowed to change. Chapter 213: Mental Training After the first day, the atmosphere among the Zhongnan Sect disciples began to change slightly. It might have been because they saw Mu-jin training alone even after that grueling practice. Of course, Mu-jin had somewhat intended to show them such a scene. Originally, an instructor should not be underestimated by their trainees. And on the early morning of the fourth day. Before training began, trainee number eighteen, Byeok-hwan, raised his hand high. Mu-jin, who allowed questions before training, turned his gaze toward Byeok-hwan. Trainee number eighteen, ask your question.Instructor! I want to know why we have to answer with Aak once training starts! Mu-jin nodded with satisfaction at Byeok-hwans question. The reason is, because training is tough, and Aak embodies enduring with guts. Byeok-hwan was deeply moved by Mu-jins answer, but he still had doubts. What does guts mean, Instructor! Byeok-hwan knew the word Aak but was unfamiliar with guts. Mu-jin pointed to the gong beside him. What is this? A gong! Why is it a gong? Because it looks like one and thats what we call it, right? Thats correct. A gong is just a gong. And guts are just guts. Do you understand? ??? While Byeok-hwan was confused by Mu-jins profound teaching. Thats enough questions! Everyone! Prepare for posture number fourteen! Aak!!! As Byeok-hwans unnecessary question took away their brief break, the disciples resentful gazes fell upon him. But Byeok-hwan didnt mind. Now!! Who are the trash ming their fellow disciples!! Once a disciple, always a disciple! Prepare for thirty reps of posture number fourteen! Aaah!!! They knew that ming their senior brothers would result in harsher punishment. Thanks to Mu-jins teachings, Byeok-hwan no longer harbored any resentment towards his senior brothers. Naturally, he was confident that soon, his senior brothers would not resent him either. And the training that began was even more brutal than before. It wasnt because of Byeok-hwans question. Having adapted somewhat to the training over the past four days, Mu-jin had simply increased the difficulty. ? Prepare for thirty reps of posture number eight!! Aaah!! Even with limbs already worn out, the hellish posture number eight began again. Initially, they managed one or two reps, but as the count increased, their bodies lost strength, and their heads and legs fell to the ground. Aaah!! But Byeok-hwan, like a man who had given up counting, just kept yelling and forcibly lifted his legs with his arms to repeat the rounds. When Byeok-hwan finallypleted thest round. Mu-jin, who had approached without being noticed, was looking down at him with a pleased expression. Well done. That is exactly Aak and guts. Do you understand? Aak!! If it doesnt work, you keep at it until it does. That is Aak and guts. With Aak and guts, nothing is impossible. Aak!! As Byeok-hwan smiled contentedly at being acknowledged by Mu-jin, Mu-jin called out to the trainees. You all endure with Aak and guts! Do you understand! Aaak!!! Good!! Mu-jin couldnt hide his smile at the unified response of the Zhongnan Sect trainees. Since someone yelled during thest round, well do posture number eight again!! Prepare for twenty-five reps!! He was indeed a devil instructor. * * * On the eighth day of Mu-jins training of the Zhongnan Sect disciples, there was a change in the training method. Todays training is mountain marching. Mu-jin pointed to a pile of sandbags as he spoke. Each of you will tie a sandbag to each limb and, without using internal energy, climb from the base to the peak of Zhongnan Mountain. You must reach the peak within two hours. At Mu-jins exnation, one of the disciples raised his hand and asked. It seems simr to light body skill training, but why is the use of internal energy prohibited? Thats a good question. When you have to fight against the Demonic Cult or the unorthodox sects, or those bandits who love flowers from the neighboring house, the first thing you need to do is to get to the battlefield. Would you use your light body skill to get there? Of course, we should, right? If you use up your internal energy getting there and a fight breaks out as soon as you arrive, what will you do? !!! As some trainees were startled by Mu-jins question, he continued. And if you are sent on a reconnaissance mission by your sect to gather intelligence on the enemy, and you have to return to report this information! If you used all your internal energy during the escape, would you just get captured and die? Even when your senior brothers and sect elders are waiting for the information you brought back, would you give up and die? Unable to argue against Mu-jins exnation, the trainees epted the training. Most military training has valid reasons. The problem lies in training for situations that are unlikely to happen. Ultimately, the Zhongnan Sect trainees, swayed by Mu-jins rhetoric, tied sandbags to their limbs and headed down Zhongnan Mountain. If any trainee is caught using internal energy! They will acknowledge themselves as trash and leave the mountain! As Mu-jin blew the whistle, the Zhongnan Sect trainees all ran towards the peak. Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples also ran with them to monitor for the use of internal energy. Of course, they were using internal energy themselves. Huff, huff. At the forefront, running with Mu-jin, Byeok-hwan endured with Aak and guts, even as he tasted iron in his mouth, and followed Mu-jin. After running for more than an hour, Byeok-hwan finally reached the peak first. Phew, phew. Panting heavily in agony, feeling like he was about to vomit, Byeok-hwan felt a strange sense of pride in having not lost Mu-jin and being the first to reach the peak. Trainee number eighteen!! To his surprise, Mu-jins return was a roar of disapproval. Aak! Trainee number eighteen, are you a lone wolf? ??? Trainee number eighteen. Aak! Did you leave your senior brothers behind? Do you only care about your own survival? Are you nning to leave your senior brothers to die ande back alone from the battlefield? Byeok-hwan, who gained great insight from Mu-jins rebuke, answered with a startled face. No!! Then what are you doing! Go back and bring them up immediately! Aak!! Seeing Byeok-hwan, who had responded loudly, run down from the mountain peak with great difficulty, Mu-jin smiled contentedly. Indeed, those who do well should be pushed even harder. That was the essence of military-style education. * * * For the next seven days and nights, Mu-jin continued with bizarre training sessions. At times, the training involved carrying a wooden boat with a team of six up the mountain, a peculiar exercise reminiscent of the saying, Too many sailors make the boat go to the mountains. Mu-jin always used specific wartime scenarios as examples, making it seem like this training was absolutely necessary. Each time such training took ce, just as he had with Byeok-hwan on the first day, Mu-jin continually emphasized teamwork. While the first week of training was about experiencing individual physical limits, the second week was about caring forrades even under physical limitations. By the end of the second week of training, the morale of the Zhongnan Sect disciples had transformed once again. Senior brother! Hahaha! Just call me brotherfortably! Those who trained together now boasted a sticky camaraderie, almost like real brothers. In the early stages of the second weeks training, those who were affected by stragglers would get angry, but thanks to Mu-jin ying the role of the viin and pushing them, they soon became tightly united. People who go through dirty, difficult situations together tend to bond quickly. Moreover, these were people who had already spent decades together as fellow disciples. And finally, the third andst week of Mu-jins nned training began. Originally, this training is spread over five weeks, but we dont have that kind of time. Mu-jin had condensed the training, knowing that he couldnt afford to spend five weeks on it while also needing to teach weight training to the Zhongnan Sect. And so, the first training of the third week began. For the next four days, you will enter training assuming you are stranded in enemy territory. The instructors and I will search for you. From now on, you must survive while hiding all over Zhongnan Mountain without any pre-prepared food. This was known as survival training in the Korean military. Upon hearing the exnation, the Zhongnan Sect trainees thought it would be easier than expected. They each moved to different parts of Zhongnan Mountain and hid. But it only took a day for them to realize how terrible it was to go without any food. Eventually, unable to endure the hunger, some trainees revealed themselves while searching for food, only to be caught by Mu-jin or the Shaolin disciples. Trainee number one hundred seventy-two! Prepare for posture number fourteen! Aak!! Having not eaten for over a day, they had to endure more than an hour of torturous punishment. Of course, while the trainees were struggling, Mu-jin was secretly having his meals during this survival training. I cant skip meals, no matter what. Absolutely. Even with intense exercise and eating properly, maintaining his physique was tough. Skipping meals could lead to muscle loss, and who would be responsible for that? Three days passed, and on the fourth and final day. Everyone gather at the Grand Martial Hall! There will be no punishment! Thest training session of the survival training will be conducted together! Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples roamed around Zhongnan Mountain, calling the trainees to the Grand Martial Hall. And once all the trainees had gathered, the true meaning of torture began. Munch, munch. In front of the Zhongnan Sect disciples, who had been starving or barely eating grass for three days, Mu-jin was devouring a hearty meal. Now, if you give up, it will be easier. If you strike the gong next to me while shouting, I am a worthless worm unworthy of the Great Zhongnan Sect, I will share this food with you. As Mu-jin spoke, he picked up a piece of Dongpo pork with his chopsticks and fanned its aroma, appearing to be the devil incarnate. Hes ruthless. To think he is my junior. Even the Shaolin disciples looked away, unable to bear the sight. Mu-jins actions were so naturally wicked that no one questioned him openly eating meat despite being a monk. However, even Mu-jin wasnt entirelyfortable enjoying his feast alone. Ah, the effect is weak when I do this alone. He needed someone to help provoke the trainees. But the tender-hearted Shaolin disciples werent suited for such roles. Moreover, excluding the Muja Trio, the other monks abstained from meat, making it impossible to tempt anyone properly. What good would it do to tempt them with grass? Even the Muja Trio couldnt eat meat in front of the other Shaolin disciples. While pondering who could join him, a suitable person came to Mu-jins mind. Mu-yul! Come and eat with me! Huh? Can I eat too? Of course! Awesome! Then can Ling-ling eat too? Eat as much as you want. With Mu-jins permission, Mu-yul and Ling-ling, without much thought, sat at the table with bright faces. As Mu-yul and Ling-ling began devouring the food ravenously, the sound of swallowing echoed from all over the Grand Martial Hall. While Mu-jin seemed to be eating to provoke, Mu-yul and Ling-ling were genuinely savoring the food. Bringing in Mu-yul and Ling-ling proved highly effective. Damn it!! Unable to endure any longer, one of the trainees stood up swearing. Driven by hunger, he wanted to hit the gong and eat, even if it meant being called a worm. But. What are the trainees doing now! Are you going to leave yourrade to be captured by the enemy! Do you only care about saving yourselves! Is that what Zhongnan Sect disciples would do! Without fail, Mu-jins furious rebuke came out, prompting the quick-witted trainees to act swiftly. Hold on, junior! Smack! Just endure one more day, senior! Smack! Overwhelmed by hunger, they beat up their senior to stop him from hitting the gong, disying their fiery camaraderie. But strangely, their eyes, while beating theirrade, were focused not on theirrade but on Mu-jin, Mu-yul, and Ling-ling enjoying the food. Their beautiful camaraderie was expressed in the form of venting their anger towards those three through their fellowrades. Chapter 214: Mental Training After exchanging heartfelt camaraderie, not a single trainee dropped out until the end of the survival training. After the four-day survival training, on the fifth day, normal meals were resumed. But it wasnt just meals; somehow, the training returned to the first days regimen after meals. Prepare for posture number fourteen!! Aak!! After breakfast, they rolled their bodies, after lunch, they rolled their bodies, and after dinner. It was time to take a brief rest and go to sleep. Everyone, please gather at the Grand Martial Hall!For some reason, despite thete hour, Mu-jin called all the trainees together. Starting today, we will begin the final wartime training for three days. If you endure this training, I will apologize for what I said on the first day. After that, I will begin teaching you the External Energy Training Method in earnest. Even though it was a dark hour, the trainees eyes lit up at Mu-jins words. Now, only three days of this hellish training remained. However, reflecting on the previous training, the trainees knew that the next three days would not be easy. Mu-jin nced at the trainees, who had mixed feelings of worry and anticipation, and exined the final training. In wartime situations, it is not strange for anything to happen! You must never let your guard down! For the next three days, you will repeat the training you have done so far without sleeping. Thest training was what ismonly known as Extreme Training Week in the Korean military. Upon hearing Mu-jins exnation, most of the trainees sighed in relief inwardly. The final training seemed easier than expected. Although Mu-jin knew they were feeling relieved, he didnt add any more words. He merely disyed a faint, unhidden smile. Most of the Zhongnan Sect disciples, who had been solely focused on training and rarely stayed up all night, did not know how terrible it was to be deprived of sleep. Now, we will begin the night march! Starting a night march after having eaten three full meals and undergone morning and afternoon training. After instructing the trainees to march, Mu-jin headed straight for the Zhongnan Sects main hall. There was no special reason. Going down the mountain, reaching the peak, and returning to Zhongnan will take over two hours. He intended to sleep for two hours. Muscles grow and strengthen when they recover from being torn through exercise. And to recover, one must sleep. In other words, not sleeping means muscle loss. * * * The Zhongnan Sect disciples were given rest after the night march. However, sleep was not permitted. Despite their bodies feeling like a thousand weights from the insane training they endured since morning, they were not allowed to sleep while resting. It didnt take long for them to realize how terrible this punishment was. Looking at the trainees with reddened, bloodshot eyes trying to fight their drooping eyelids, Mu-jin yawned loudly. Yaaawn. You can sleep if you want. If you want to get killed by a sword to your head while leisurely sleeping in a wartime situation, go ahead and sleep, idiots. If those on guard duty fall asleep during their mission, causing the enemy to seed in a night raid, all your senior brothers will die en masse. Those who sleep now are no different frommitting the crime of family annihtion. If you dont care if your senior brothers die and just want to sleep because youre so tired, step forward and ring the bell to announce that youre a piece of trash, then lie down and sleep. Mu-jins alternating provocation and temptation made the already drowsy trainees struggle to stay awake. Thus, the hellish night passed, and the morning sun rose. Alright. Lets go have breakfast now. After breakfast, training resumed. Physical training after staying awake for an entire day was on apletely different level than before. Although the difficulty was the same, their bodies screamed in agony. Ironically, this pain actually awakened their minds. While the post-meal drowsiness made them feel like going insane, the physical pain woke them up from sleep. The trainees began to think that if this wasnt torture, what was. In this way, the second day passed with both body and mind being worn down. On the third and final day. Today, you can just sit and rest in the training hall. Mu-jin, who had leisurely slept to avoid muscle loss, appeared yawning widely. However, any trainee who falls asleep will be considered a worm and expelled from the mountain. Having not slept for two days and pushed to their physical limits, the trainees knew how incredibly hard it was to stay awake while just sitting. Naturally, one by one, the trainees eyelids began to droop. This was not a matter of willpower but a basic survival instinct of the body. And whenever that happened, Mu-jins harsh reprimands erupted. Will you let yourrade fall asleep in the middle of the enemy camp! Are you going to let them be captured, tortured, and killed! At Mu-jins shout, the trainees nearby would begin to violently shake the sleeping ones. Wake up! You must not sleep, senior brother! Those who had fallen into the sweet slumber of a moment let out harsh groans as they woke up to sudden pain. Aaaagh. Hey! Whos making such a loud noise in the enemy camp! The awakened trainees snapped out of it at Mu-jins scolding and looked around with fierce eyes. Just let one of them get caught! They couldnt just be the ones to get hit and end it. Thus, a beautiful camaraderie unfolded in the Grand Martial Hall once more. Wake up! Smack! Senior brother! You must not die! Aaargh! I wasnt sleeping! I wasnt sleeping, I swear!! Hey! Whos being so loud in the enemy camp! Thanks to Mu-jins continuous reprimands, a fierce battle of wits began in the Grand Martial Hall. The Zhongnan Sect disciples, whose eyes were bloodshot fromck of sleep, looked around, hoping to catch someone, anyone. And then, in the blink of an eye. Smack! Ugh!! A punch came out of nowhere, striking their cheeks, sides, and the back of their heads. Experiencing a sweet moment of sleep and then waking up to harsh pain, the trainee would retaliate by hitting the person next to them, creating a beautiful cycle of vengeance. Mu-jin watched the chaos unfold with a satisfied smile. Yes. This is true camaraderie. Rtionships between people are not built on just fondness. Rtionships formed solely on fondness are at risk of breaking at the slightest upset. But rtionships built on both fondness and resentment rarely break. * * * In the survival and extreme training, the Zhongnan Sect trainees endured and shared beautiful camaraderie. Not a single trainee dropped out. Mu-jin sent the Zhongnan Sect disciples back to their dormitories just as the hour of the Rat (11 PM C 1 AM) was turning into the hour of the Ox (1 AM C 3 AM). It was the announcement that the hellish final training had ended. The Zhongnan Sect disciples, who had endured three days without sleep, copsed into deep slumber the moment they entered their dormitories. The next day, around noon, Mu-jin, who had allowed them to skip the morning training to sleep, gathered the Zhongnan Sect disciples in the Grand Martial Hall. The trainees gathered in the training hall all bore bruises on their faces and bodies. Of course, these were the marks of the scuffles they had during the extreme training. Despite their ridiculous appearance, the eyes of the Zhongnan Sect disciples were sharp and full of energy. Standing on the tform and facing the sharp-eyed disciples, Mu-jin and the ss leader bowed their heads. I apologize for saying on the first day that you were unworthy of the Great Zhongnan Sect. Having driven them like dogs for the past three weeks, bowing once wasnt a difficult thing to do. Raising his head, Mu-jin continued with a satisfied face. I am moved by your perseverance. Those who endured the hellish training are undoubtedly worthy to be called swordsmen of the Great Zhongnan Sect. At Mu-jins words, pride spread across the faces of the sharp-eyed Zhongnan Sect disciples. The training had been insane, but now that it was over, they felt a sense of aplishment. Who else could have endured the training they went through? Having endured such hardships, they felt there was nothing they couldnt do, as their faces showed. Their faces radiated pride and confidence, and Mu-jin added. What moved me the most wasnt each of you individually! It was that, true to the name of the Great Zhongnan Sect, you aplished this without a single dropout! This achievement was not something you could have done alone! It was because of the senior brothers andrades you trained with! At Mu-jins shout, the Zhongnan Sect disciples looked around at theirrades. Mu-jin was right. When their bodies reached their limits, they pushed and pulled each other, and when their patience reached its limits, they punched each other to stay awake. If they had been alone, they wouldnt have endured. Even if it was difficult alone, with theserades and senior brothers, nothing seemed impossible. Their sharp eyes, straightened shoulders, upright necks, and expressions all showed pride and confidence. And the intense camaraderie for their fellowrades. They truly embodied the spirit of soldiers. Mental training seems sufficient. Looking at the Zhongnan Sect disciples, Mu-jin nodded to himself. * * * That evening. Five Zhongnan Sect disciples visited Mu-jins quarters. What brings you all here? Mu-jin wondered, as the mental training was over and he had instructed everyone to rest. They had no reason toe looking for him. Could they be here for revenge? It was possible they hade for revenge for all the torment he had put them through now that the training was over. As Mu-jin prepared himself, one of the five disciples stepped forward. It was Byeok-hwan, who had participated the most enthusiastically in Mu-jins training. Actually, since we have a day of rest today, we five were thinking of having a small drinking party in Janganhyeon, and we thought it would be nice if the instructor could join us. Theres no need to call me instructor anymore since the training is over. But a drinking party? At Mu-jins question, Byeok-hwanughed heartily and answered. Hahaha. In Zhongnan, we are allowed to drink and eat meat on special asions. And the end of three weeks of grueling training is certainly a special asion, isnt it? He even exined that they had obtained permission from Baekun Zhenren, the sect leader. Since it would be a problem if nearly two hundred disciples went down in groups, they were allowed to go first for the celebration. Hearing this, Mu-jin couldnt help but feel his fists tremble. Damn Shaolin!! How wonderful it is to be in harmony with the mundane world! Shaolin should learn from them. Despite hisints about Shaolin, it was a very tempting offer. I was getting tired of eating just what was provided in Zhongnan. Even though Zhongnan allowed minimal meat consumption, the basics were still vegetarian. As a result, he had to rely on that nauseating protein supplement to get enough protein every day. Hahaha. A drinking party with the heroes of Zhongnan? I have no reason to refuse. Mu-jin dly epted Byeok-hwans invitation. But Ill stay cautious just in case. There was always the chance they might try to get revenge by getting him drunk first. Chapter 215: Reunion Mu-jins worries were merely a figment of his imagination. How was Senior Brother Byeok-hwan? I thought I was going to die during the training period. Is that so? Hahaha! But to be honest, the second week was more challenging yet rewarding for me. Instructor Mu-jin told me something profound. He said, Whats the point of seeding alone after abandoning yourrades? That moved me deeply, and I ended up training twice as hard to help my juniors and brothers. Hahaha! I was really grateful for that, Senior Brother! On the way to Jeongan-hyeon, the nearest town from Mount Zhongnan after leaving the Zhongnan Sect. The disciples of the Zhongnan Sect chatted incessantly about their three weeks of training. They seemed to be bursting with pride. Come to think of it, I was like that when I was twenty too.Recalling the time he passed the special forces entrance exam, Mu-jin watched the conversation of the Zhongnan Sect disciples with a sense of endearment. As they descended the mountain,ughing and chatting, and wandered through the marketce of Jeongan-hyeon. Oh my, Senior Brother Byeok-hwan! Suddenly, some men started greeting the Zhongnan Sect disciples. Judging by their martial outfits and the weapons at their sides, they were also martial artists. Are you feeling better? Hahaha. I was worried I might have gone too hard on you back then. Though his words seemed to express concern for Byeok-hwans injury, his tone and eyes carried a different message. Byeok-hwans expression also turned sour at the mans words. Mu-jin remembered hearing about the situation at the Zhongnan Sect. Oh. I heard that recently Zhongnan Sect disciples have been returning injured from outside. Mostly, the duels were legitimate, and while there were injured, there were no deaths or crippling injuries. Moreover, because they were in constant conflict with the Huashan Sect, the Zhongnan Sect found it difficult to act recklessly. ? Especially in the regions bordering Huashan, like Xian, the capital of Shaanxi, the major fighters of the Zhongnan Sect were concentrated there due to the ongoing conflicts. In such a situation, it seemed there were people picking fights with Zhongnan Sect disciples in areas closer to Mount Zhongnan. Did that guy beat Byeok-hwan before? In other words, the mansment was not expressing concern but rather taunting, asking if he was back to get beaten again. It was possible that the legitimate duels were incited by subtly provoking the Zhongnan Sect disciples into challenging them. Should I help? As Mu-jin pondered whether he should intervene, the situation took an unexpected turn. Thanks to another Zhongnan Sect disciple standing nearby. What the hell did you just say, you little worm? The atmosphere froze momentarily at his crudenguage, unbefitting of a Taoist disciple. But the shock was brief. The mans face turned red as he replied. Are you really a disciple of the prestigious Zhongnan Sect? What did you just say? Why does a maggot have such a long tongue? How dare you talk to the pir of the orthodox sect like that, you son of a bitch? What? I called you a son of a bitch, you piece of shit!! Are you insulting us now? The man who first spoke to Byeok-hwan shouted, his face flushed red, but another Zhongnan Sect disciple replied with an equally twisted expression. You insulted Senior Brother Byeok-hwan first! Insulting him is an insult to all of us, you worm! His eyes radiated a strong camaraderie, expressing We are brothers! to the core. Its nice to see such camaraderie, but where did these Taoist disciples learn such foulnguage? Mu-jin briefly wondered before realizing. Oh. These are all the curses I used during training. It was all his karma. ng! Eventually, the man who first picked the fight couldnt stand the taunting and drew his sword. The Zhongnan Sect disciples also prepared to respond to the provocation with determined expressions. Stop! Finally, Byeok-hwan, the person involved, stepped forward. I will handle this grudge personally. But Senior Brother! Having lost to this man a few months ago, the Zhongnan Sect disciples tried to stop Byeok-hwan, but he was resolute. Dont worry! The me of today is different from the me of back then! Have you already forgotten what kind of training we endured? !!! Encouraged by Byeok-hwans confident words, the Zhongnan Sect disciples looked at him with moved expressions. The disciples rxed their hands, which had been reaching for their swords, and looked at Byeok-hwans back with trust-filled eyes. In a way, it was an absurdly dramatic flow. Although Mu-jin had drilled them hard for three weeks, their skills hadnt significantly improved. The purpose of the three weeks of training was merely to endure with mental strength and camaraderie in extreme physical conditions. Their mental strength might have increased, but their actual skill level had not risen at all. However, knowing this reality, Mu-jin chose not to intervene. The reason was simple. They are on the same level. Mu-jin, who had reached a higher level than both, could immediately gauge their abilities. The reason Byeok-hwan lost before was probably because the Zhongnan Sects swordsmanship had been leaked. But if this is the second duel, Byeok-hwan must have prepared some countermeasures. With some knowledge of each others skills, the conditions were not much different. Thus, the greatest determining factor for victory or defeat would be the difference in mental strength. As the two men stood off against each other, the man who had drawn his sword moved first. Be careful not to get hurt likest time! Recalling the memory of defeating him before, the first strike aimed at triggering a specific response from Byeok-hwan seemed to be blocked effortlessly. But the initial attack was merely a setup to lure the opponent into using certain moves. The swordsmanunched a series of attacks against the Zhongnan Sect disciple who focused on defensive swordsmanship. With each sessive attack, Byeok-hwans stance began to falter slightly. The awkward points between moves. These were attacks designed to exploit the moments when a disciple who had not yet reached a higher level would naturally falter. The swordsman, who had used a simr tactic to defeat Byeok-hwan before, felt something strange. Why isnt he losing his bnce? It had only been two months since theirst duel. His skills didnt seem to have improved. The duel was progressing as he had intended. Yet, somehow, Byeok-hwan managed to block his attacks without losing his stance. But that was just the surface of the situation. Argh!! Byeok-hwans muscles and blood vessels screamed in pain as he blocked the sword strikes with awkwardly connected moves. However. This kind of pain is nothingpared to what Instructor Mu-jin put me through!! Byeok-hwan suppressed the intense pain with sheer willpower and continued to block the attacks. And the moment he fully grasped his opponents moves. Haa! Predicting his opponents next move, Byeok-hwan responded with a different technique than before and shed swords. The awkwardly connected move. The unbnced stance put immense strain on his fingers gripping the sword. If he kept this up, he would either drop the sword or break his fingers. Like hell I will!!! Byeok-hwan ignored the fear and pain of possibly breaking his fingers and pushed forward with his sword. Ahhh!! Just like in training, Byeok-hwan let out a desperate yell and managed to push his opponents sword away. Caught off guard by his opponents brute force tactic, the swordsmans stance copsed. Byeok-hwan seized the opportunity to close in on his opponent. The swordsman raised his sword diagonally to block, but Byeok-hwans strike was a feint. Thunk! Like a back-alley thug, Byeok-hwan kicked the swordsman in the stomach. Wow He learns well? That kick was also a technique Mu-jin had shown during training. Ugh. As the swordsman clutched his stomach in pain, Byeok-hwan followed up with a punch to his face. You coward!! Seeing theirrade under attack, the swordsmanspanions charged at Byeok-hwan, but the Zhongnan Sect disciples wouldnt stand idle. How dare you interfere in an honorable duel!? Kill them!! What began as a one-on-one duel quickly escted into a brawl. With the fight growing more intense, Mu-jin wondered if he should join in, but soon stopped moving. Wow They fight well. The Zhongnan Sect disciples fought fiercely with determined eyes. They abandoned any unnecessary pretensions and focused solely on taking down their opponents. Even when cut by the enemies weapons, they boldly pushed forward. I will handle this, Senior Brother! I leave my back to you! Their camaraderie was so strong that they would take blows to protect each other, swinging their swords with determination. Run, run! Eventually, one of the enemies, overwhelmed by fear, began to retreat, and the others quickly followed suit. Of course, the Zhongnan Sect disciples were not left unscathed from the fight. However. Hahaha! This is the spirit of the Zhongnan Sect! You maggots! Their morale was sky-high. * * * Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, though everyone had minor wounds. Mu-jin thought they should return to the Zhongnan Sect, but. Instructor! We need to cool our heated blood with some drinks. Shouldnt you treat your wounds first? What are you saying, Instructor! We must ovee such minor injuries with grit and guts! Lets go to Cheongpung Inn! Today, wepleted Instructors special training and avenged Senior Brother Byeok-hwan, so lets drink until we drop! The spirited Zhongnan Sect disciples seemed to have no intention of tending to their wounds. It seems the training effect is a bit too strong? Realizing that it would be pointless to try to stop them, Mu-jin decided to join them at Cheongpung Inn. Mu-jin enjoyed meat-heavy dishes to avoid muscle loss, while the Zhongnan Sect disciples focused more on drinking. Even as the drinks kept flowing, the disciples chatted non-stop. Hahaha. I was saved earlier thanks to Senior Brother. If you hadnt blocked that sword, I wouldve had a hole in my stomach! Do you think you were the only one! If you hadnt helped me, Id be dead by now! They talked endlessly about the brawl and the training they had received from Mu-jin. Their loud exchanges of heroic tales felt oddly familiar. To the Zhongnan Sect!! Cheers! Are we! Brothers!! The seemingly intoxicated Zhongnan Sect disciples. With his face turning red, Mu-jin wanted to discreetly move away to avoid being associated with them, but. Instructor Mu-jin!! Where are you going! Please give us a word on this joyous asion! He couldnt escape his karma. Chapter 216: Reunion The day after the intense drinking session, injuries began to ur frequently among the Zhongnan Sect disciples. Take it easy, you madmen Mu-jin, the root cause of this chaos, unknowingly shook his head. The reason for the surge in injuries was simple. The Zhongnan Sect disciples, after returning from their drunken revelry, boasted to their rades by exaggerating their experiences several times over. Those who were particrly affected were those like Byeok-hwan, who had lost in duels and sustained injuries before Mu-jins arrival. Their eyes turned red with determination. They, like Byeok-hwan, went out of the Zhongnan Sect seeking revenge, and the disciples, fueled by radeship, shouted, We are brothers! and joined them. In short, the constant brawls were causing the injuries.The mental education Mu-jin had provided had only been meant to lift their spirits a little. Now, they had turned into maniacs itching for fights. As Mu-jin pondered what to do about this, Hye-geol came to see him. Mu-jin. The head of Zhongnan Sect wants to see you. The head? Mu-jin instinctively realized he was doomed. Given the surge of injuries among the disciples, it seemed he was being summoned to be held ountable. Its probably best to feign ignorance, right? Determined to ignore the karma he had umted, Mu-jin headed to the Sect Masters hall with aposed expression. As he faced Baekun Zhenren, the head of the Zhongnan Sect, Mu-jin was about to speak. Hmm, the recent peculiar behavior of the disciples has nothing to do with my training I am very grateful to you, Young Hero Mu-jin. Baekun Zhenren spoke first. Pardon? Caught off guard by the unexpected words, Mu-jin was bewildered. Baekun Zhenren continued. I said, I am grateful. Until recently, I was distressed by the disciples dejected demeanor, buttely, they are full of enthusiasm, are they not? They certainly are enthusiastic. Yes, hahaha To an excessive degree, indeed. But arent you troubled by the injured disciples? Hahaha. We are not only Taoists but also martial artists who train in martial arts. How can one grow as a martial artist without ever being injured? Our concern was never with physical injuries but with the injuries of the heart. Bing ustomed to defeat, losing the pride of being a member of Zhongnan Sect C those were the real issues. How could such minor injuries be a problem? Speaking calmly, Baekun Zhenren took a sip of tea and then asked. By the way, you were about to say something, werent you? About your training Its more than enough! Of course! It was all part of the n from the beginning. Hahaha. Hahaha, I see. Baekun Zhenrenughed softly, stroking his white beard as he spoke. Actually, for the first few days, I was unsure about your training methods. I wondered if I should intervene or let it be. But now I am certain that not intervening was the right choice. Baekun Zhenren put down his teacup, reached into his sleeve, and handed Mu-jin a small box. Though your external training method was different, the three weeks of training you conducted have brought us great benefits. Thank you. Mu-jin graciously epted the box from Baekun Zhenren. It contains the Heavenly Heart Pill, a treasure of the Zhongnan Sect. Take it back to your quarters and consume it. Mu-jin had received the promised miraculous elixir in advance. Baekun Zhenren continued. If its alright with you, I have one more request. Please feel free to ask. If you dont mind, I would like you to periodically conduct the training you did here at the Zhongnan Sect. That training? Yes. It seemed very effective not only in strengthening the disciples mental fortitude but also in fostering a strong sense of unity under the name of Zhongnan. Upon hearing Baekun Zhenrens words, Mu-jin imagined a scene. Disciples, after undergoing rigorous training, bing deeply loyal to Zhongnan Sect. During chance encounters in the martial world, they might ask each other, Which batch are you? and reply, Loyalty! 28th batch! saluting each other. For a moment, Mu-jin wondered if he might be giving the Zhongnan Sect a terrible gift. Come to think of it, its not much different, is it? Martial sects always operated in such a manner. Disciples were bound together with strong pride in their sect, maintaining strict hierarchical order regardless of whether they were secr or formal disciples. The military and the martial world are quite simr. The Korean military was divided into many branches, including special forces. Various special forces veterans would often boast that their unit was the toughest. The martial world in the novels was no different. Each person felt immense pride in their sect, and if their sect was insulted, they would fight to the death. Maybe thats why I was drawn to a career in the military. Mu-jin finally realized why he was attracted to the special forces after enjoying martial arts novels in his school days. In hindsight, many of the senior officers, sergeants, and master sergeants during his military days had a particr fondness for martial arts novels, dramas, and movies. Even here, after conducting special forces-style training, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. Maybe I should start a Marine Corps camp? Mu-jin considered that it might be a lucrative business. * * * After parting with Baekun Zhenren, Mu-jin returned to his assigned quarters. Locking the door, Mu-jin sat cross-legged and took out the Heavenly Heart Pill from the box. Though he had mastered active cultivation, it was easier to absorb the elixirs energy while concentrating in a cross-legged position. Once ready, Mu-jin swallowed the Heavenly Heart Pill without hesitation. Having already consumed the Lesser Restoration Pill, Great Restoration Pill, and the remnants of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng purified from the Yin-Yang Gu, Mu-jin absorbed the Heavenly Heart Pills energy with ease. As expected of the Zhongnan Sects greatest elixir, it contained substantial energy, though slightly less than the Great Restoration Pill. In the past, it would have been difficult to absorb even half of it. Naturally, the shadow of Hyeon-gwang came to mind. Absorbing the energy of the elixirs was all thanks to Hyeon-gwangs assistance. But now that Mu-jin had reached a certain level, he could handle the energy of the Heavenly Heart Pill on his own. Whew. After several hours of Qi cirction, Mu-jin opened his eyes. If I gather a little more, I could use it three times. Mu-jin had umted nearly three Jia (about one thousand years) worth of internal energy in his Danjeon. At just twenty-three, an age still considered ate bloomer in the martial world, Mu-jin had amassed more internal energy than most elders of prestigious sects. * * * From the next day, Mu-jin began teaching serious weight training. He was initially sent to teach weight training and to prevent the energetic Zhongnan Sect disciples from getting into more brawls. To improve their skills and exhaust their energy in the right direction, Mu-jin led them through rigorous weight training. However, it was impractical for nearly two hundred people to train with weights simultaneously. As with the Jegal family, the training was divided into two groups, each training for an hour. The training method was simr, but the atmosphere was subtly different from that of the Jegal family. The Jegal family reluctantly followed Mu-jinsmands, shouting, I am happy! under his almost brainwashing-like orders, but the Zhongnan Sect disciples participated voluntarily. Hup! Ack! They infused their weight training with a bit of bravado. This is nothingpared to thest training. Indeed, Senior Brother! Hahaha! This is a piece of cake for the great Zhongnan Sect disciples! As a result, it wasnt difficult to get them to train. Ugh! Theres no need to lift weights that are too heavy! We can do it with grit and guts! Mu-jin found himself busy trying to stop them from lifting weights they couldnt handle out of excessive enthusiasm. Grit and guts are enough forbat training! When training your body and martial arts, you need to progress gradually ording to your level, or you might suffer from Qi Deviation or simr issues! He was worried they might end up with acute hypertension or rhabdomyolysis. In any case, unlike mental education, an hour of weight training was sufficient. Naturally, the Zhongnan Sect disciples spent the remaining time practicing their sects martial arts. Mu-jin assigned Mu-gyeong to infiltrate and study the Zhongnan Sects martial arts techniques. Then, he devised weight training suited to their style. Teaching weight training was beneficial, but it was essential to teach the type of training that best suited the sects martial arts. Fortunately, Mu-gyeong had already infiltrated the Yongbongji Conference and stolen some knowledge of the Thirty-Six Swords of the World, making the process easier. Hmm. It would be best to shape them to be like Mu-gung. After several days of research with Mu-gyeong, Mu-jin reached a conclusion. Unlike Wudang, which emphasized flexibility, the Zhongnan Sects swordsmanship involved a bnce of offense and defense, requiring the ability to withstand and counter the opponents strength. Thus, they needed the physical strength to overpower their opponents during shes. Of course, to deal with various attacks, it was also necessary to cultivate a reasonable degree of flexibility and agility. * * * Mu-jin devised a training schedule suited to the Zhongnan Sects swordsmanship and led the training ordingly. After spending about two months at the Zhongnan Sect, Mu-jin received two letters. One was from the Jegal family, and the other from the Cheonryu Sangdan. First, Mu-jin opened the letter from the Jegal family, and his expression turned peculiar. The contents of the letter were simple. They had heard about the training Mu-jin conducted at the Zhongnan Sect. They were willing to pay to receive the same mental education. Does Jegal Jin-hee have a masochistic streak? Despite his cold appearance, he was often on the receiving end rather than inflicting pain. At first, Mu-jin felt sorry for him, but now he wondered if it was his preference all along. Regardless of his suspicions, it was an interesting proposal. I might really make a fortune running a Marine Corps camp. Mu-jin wrote a reply saying he would visit the Jegal family again if he had time and then opened the letter from the Cheonryu Sangdan. His expression changed from the one he had when reading the letter from the Jegal family. He now had the eyes of a predator who had spotted prey. Hmmm. While the Huashan Sect and Shinchun were causing trouble, the Shaolin Sect was not idle. The Zhongnan Sects martial arts techniques had been leaked, leading to their less skilled disciples getting beaten. Finding out who leaked the Zhongnan Sects techniques at this point would be difficult. Thus, Mu-jin decided to change his approach. The culprits were obvious; they were simply denying it. So, instead of chasing the culprits and looking for evidence, he decided to retaliate in kind. This is the location? The letter contained a map. A map of a hideout where key figures from the Huashan Sect and Shinchun frequently met with people from the Daegum Sangdan. Chapter 217: Chaos However, just because he had obtained a rough map did not mean he could immediately barge in there. Sneaking out is fine, but there could be problems when Ie back. Hye-geol, along with a few Shaolin disciples, was practically serving as a watchdog to prevent Mu-jins escape. In other words, if he sneaked out and came back this time, the surveince would intensify. With only about a month left before he had to escape to meet the future Heavenly Demon, this was a bad move for Mu-jin in many ways. Of course, that did not mean there were no methods avable. Lets head out for now. Mu-jin, carrying only the rough map from the Cheonryu Sangdan, began moving somewhere.* * * Mu-jin went to see Hye-geol with the rough map in hand. The simplest way to seed in something others tell you not to do is to make the person who should stop you an aplice. This method doesnt work on people as stiff as a stone like Hye-dam, but most would reluctantly join when they are at risk of beingbeled an aplice. So, youre saying the location on this map is one of the bases of the Hwasan sect and Daegum Sangdan? Yes, Master Uncle. Then why are you telling me this? Obviously, we should attack this ce. What wrong have they done to warrant an attack? They are threatening the Zhongnan sect by leaking Zhongnan Swordy through Hwasan and Daegum Sangdan. Theres no proof they did it. As expected of a Shaolin disciple, Hye-geol seemed a bit stuck in his thinking. Hey. Do you need to eat poop to know its poop? You can tell just by looking. Ahem. Thats an excessive analogy. How could youpare a respectable sect to poop? Isnt poop better? At least you can avoid it because its obviously poop. These guys pretend to be noble while acting like gold on the outside. Hmph. I know that, but attacking without justification could cause trouble. They alsocked justification. We just couldnt catch the evidence. We can do the same. So, youre saying we attack without leaving evidence? Yes, Master Uncle. Thats why I need your help. ??? Seeing that Hye-geol still didnt understand, Mu-jin borated further. Disguising our faces and attire with transformations and masks is enough. In Murim, the biggest evidence is the traces of martial arts used. Only those capable of hiding their Shaolin martial arts while attacking the enemys base can join this mission. ? Hye-geol, true to his nickname Invincible Fist of Shaolin, was one of the top ten martial artists in Shaolin. He was skilled enough to defeat most high-level opponents without using the Shaolin Five Fists, relying only on basic striking and grappling techniques. So, youre suggesting just the two of us go? Im thinking of bringing one more person. There was one person who fought even better than Hye-geol under the condition of hiding Shaolin martial arts. Hmmm As Hye-geol continued to ponder, Mu-jin made his final move. Master Uncle. Continuously reacting to their attacks wont improve our situation. Theres a saying that the best defense is a good offense. Hoo. Fine. It seems youre right about this. Mu-jin finally seeded in making him an aplice. * * * Late evening. Three shadows slipped out of Zhongnan Mountain and started moving northeast. One was Mu-jin, another was Hye-geol, and thest one was Mu-gyeong. Mu-gyeong, who had stolen and mastered dozens of martial arts apart from Shaolin martial arts, was specialized in such tasks. Though Zhongnan and Hwasan were close in terms of the vastnd of the Central ins, they were still about 160 kilometers apart. However, all three had reached quite a high level, and they seeded in covering the long distance within one hour. They arrived at Huaeum County, located right in front of the Hwasan sect. Upon arriving in Huaeum County, Mu-jin checked the map and headed to the designated location. C There it is. Mu-jin sent a telepathic message while pointing to a grand mansion situated in a bustling area of Huaeum County. Receiving the message, Hye-geol and Mu-gyeong looked at the mansion Mu-jin pointed to. [Daegum Sangdan] Indeed, their target was not a hidden hideout. The branch of Daegum Sangdan in Huaeum County, known for its close ties with Hwasan, was Mu-jins destination. There were two main reasons why Mu-jin needed the map. One was to avoid getting lost in unfamiliar Huaeum County. The other was to know the roles of each hall in the vast mansion. C When I send the message, jump over the right wall and draw attention with Mu-gyeong. Despite his curiosity, Hye-geol moved towards the right wall as instructed by Mu-jin. C Now! As soon as Mu-jins message came, Hye-geol and Mu-gyeong jumped over the right wall and infiltrated the mansion. Who are you?! How dare you target our Daegum Sangdan! d in ck with ck masks covering their faces, Hye-geol and Mu-gyeong looked like either thieves or assassins. Except for one problem: they were overwhelmingly strong. You dare! ng! Perhaps due to themotion, men dressed in uniforms with plum blossom patterns began to appear. Seeing them, Hye-geols eyes filled with astonishment beneath his mask. They are stationed here despite just dealing with them. They even have Plum Blossom Swordsmen. Being the Head of External Affairs of Shaolin, Hye-geol instantly recognized the leader among them as a first-ss disciple of the Hwasan sect, Cho-yoon, one of the twenty-four Plum Blossom Swordsmen. The presence of Cho-yoon indicated how close Daegum Sangdan and Hwasan were. But Hye-geol, being a seasoned martial artist, did not lose his focus in battle. Show them the might of Hwasans swords! Attack! At Cho-yoonsmand, about twenty Hwasan disciples simultaneously rushed towards Hye-geol and Mu-gyeong. Faced with the disciples of another prestigious sect and needing to hide their Shaolin martial arts, Hye-geol still easily evaded their attacks and counterattacked. Surprisingly, Hye-geol had mastered another martial art besides the Shaolin Five Fists. Its definitely demonic martial arts! What a strange movement! As the Hwasan disciples fell to Hye-geols unpredictable movements, they cried out in bewilderment. However, regardless of their cries, Hye-geol continued using his self-created martial arts to push back the Hwasan disciples. Oo-kee! Apanied by strange monkey-like cries. Thats right. Hye-geol was using Monkey Fist. While teaching martial arts to Mu-yul and Ling-ling, Hye-geol discovered that Mu-yul mimicked Ling-lings movements. He then developed an internal energy technique suitable for Mu-yuls mimicry of Ling-lings movements. Through this process, Hye-geol naturally became proficient in Monkey Fist himself. Oo-kee! However, perhaps too immersed in his teaching, Hye-geol unintentionally let out monkey cries as his kiap while using Monkey Fist. A monkey?! Senior brother! He must be a thief from the Southern Barbarians! They say the Namman Beast Pces martial arts mimic animal movements! Thanks to the Hwasan disciples misunderstanding, Hye-geol sighed in relief under his mask. Not because he had hidden his identity as a Shaolin disciple. Oo-kee! But because they didnt realize it was him pretending to be a monkey. Thinking this, Hye-geol still made monkey cries while taking down another Hwasan disciple. This was due to his exceptional Monkey Fist, but also due to other reasons. Firstly, the Hwasan disciples skills were surprisingly subpar. As expected, most of the masters have been sent elsewhere, just like at Zhongnan. Apart from the leader, Cho-yoon, they were all second-ss disciples. Secondly, Smack! Ugh. Crash! Ahhh!! There was the presence of Mu-gyeong, who was creating a cacophony of hits and screams beside him. Though I knew he was talented I didnt expect this level. Mu-gyeong was fully unleashing his martial arts without using any Shaolin techniques. As Mu-gyeong and Hye-geol quickly subdued about ten Hwasan disciples, Cho-yoon drew his sword. Do you intend to disgrace Hwasan?! With that shout, Cho-yoon, one of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, charged towards Mu-gyeong, who was thrashing the disciples. Matching his title, Cho-yoons sword bloomed with red plum blossoms. However, Mu-gyeong, who had endured Hye-gwans rigorous training, blocked or evaded all of Cho-yoons attacks effortlessly. Thanks to Mu-gyeong taking on multiple Hwasan disciples and even Cho-yoon, Hye-geols situation became much easier. When ites to hiding Shaolin martial arts, hes actually better than me. It was aplex feeling. A first-ss disciple and a third-ss disciple separated by two ranks. Even considering the time spent learning martial arts, there was a difference of at least thirty years. Come to think of it, they say Hye-gwans ce has been quiet recently. Initially, he thought it was because Hye-gwan was going easy on him, but now it seemed Mu-gyeong had equaled Hye-gwan in their spars. When listing the strongest first-ss disciples of Shaolin, two names came up first: Hye-dam and Hye-gwan. Hye-dam, who had umted martial arts within Shaolin for decades, and Hye-gwan, who had gained extensive realbat experience. Although Hye-dams level was higher, many considered Hye-gwan superior due to his practical experience. Following closely was Hye-geol himself. To think that a third-ss disciple, not even a second-ss, had surpassed him. However, since both he and the disciple were from Shaolin, Shaolins prosperity knows no bounds. Hahaha. Rather than feeling jealous, Hye-geol felt happy to celebrate the juniors growth. In that sense, Shaolins prosperity included one more person. The one recognized by all as the greatest talent of Shaolin, and perhaps the greatest in the world. Speaking of which, what is that boy doing after sending us here? Just as Hye-geol had that bted thought, Boom! A massive explosion came from the opposite side of the mansion. * * * While Hye-geol and Mu-gyeong drew attention by jumping over the right wall, Mu-jin used Ghost Steps and Shadow Technique to sneak into a secluded part of the mansion. Avoiding the gazes of others, Mu-jin eventually reached the warehouse he had targeted from the start. This warehouse stored the main supplies of the Daegum Sangdans Huaeum County branch. The key to war is supply. One of Mu-jins main goals was to rob Daegum Sangdan of their money. An alliance between a sect and a tradingpany inevitably involved financial ties. For Hwasan to continue receiving sufficient funds, a significant amount of money must have umted in the Huaeum County branch. Robbing this money could disrupt their alliance and was also perfect for concealing his identity. Perfect for ying the role of a thief. They couldnt possibly use Zhongnan or Shaolin of being robbed by thieves. Mu-jin wondered how much gold and treasures were hidden in that warehouse. With such expectations, Mu-jin opened the door of the warehouse. !!! Dozens of red plum blossoms formed by sword qi flew towards Mu-jin. But the one who was truly surprised was not Mu-jin. The middle-aged swordsman of Hwasan, who had used the sword technique, stared in shock as the man in ck easily deflected his attack with a few casual gestures. In contrast, Mu-jin, who had effortlessly blocked the sudden ambush, let out a light hum. Hmm~? I didnt expect to see him here today. The swordsman who ambushed Mu-jin was someone he had seen before. Maehyangchuigeom Hwa Sun-gyeong. One of the elders of the Hwasan sect, and the person who tried to form an alliance with Shaolin, Wudang, and Emei during the Martial Arts Tournament. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 218: Chaos It seems that this thief is not ordinary. Please, branch leader, step back. Hwa Sun-gyeong spoke to the middle-aged man with a sly mustache standing beside him. This man was the branch leader of the Daegum Sangdans Huayin branch. It was an unlucky day. Tomorrow was the agreed day for the Hwasan Sect to receive money from the Daegum Sangdan, and Hwa Sun-gyeong hade to the branch to verify the iing money and protect it, just in case. Seeing the branch leader retreat, Hwa Sun-gyeong readied himself and confronted the man in ck. Even though the man in ck had easily blocked his Plum Blossom Sword Technique, Hwa Sun-gyeong was not worried about losing. He believed that as a Hwasan Sect elder, he would not lose if he fought seriously. However, this overconfidence was his downfall. While Hwa Sun-gyeong was leisurely preparing, Mu-jin had already circted his internal energy and prepared for battle. Just as Hwa Sun-gyeong swung his sword to draw a plum blossom, Boom!With a loud thud, Mu-jin, having circted his internal energy throughout his body, created an illusion and thrust his fist towards Hwa Sun-gyeong. Although Hwa Sun-gyeong, being an elder of the Hwasan Sect, quickly turned his sword to block the fist of the man in ck, ng! The problem was the immense strength behind Mu-jins punch. Unable to withstand the massive impact, Hwa Sun-gyeong was pushed back at an incredible speed. He flew past the branch leader, who had stepped back, and crashed into the back wall of the warehouse. Crash! Despite the enormous impact, Hwa Sun-gyeongs body continued to tumble across the floor, eventually breaking through the back wall of the warehouse and copsing in a heap. Even though he had sustained internal injuries and was bleeding from his mouth, Hwa Sun-gyeong clung to his sword, a testament to his dedication as a swordsman. Mu-jin briefly admired this sight before turning his attention to the branch leader, who stood dazed. Hey. Yes, yes, warrior! What do you need? The branch leader, calling the masked man warrior, pleased Mu-jin, who smiled beneath his mask. Pack the smallest and most valuable items here. Y-yes, of course! If you y tricks and get caught, you can guess what will happen, right? The branch leader nced at Hwa Sun-gyeong, whoy unconscious, and swallowed hard. Firming his resolve, the branch leader began to pack the items in the warehouse into the bag Mu-jin handed him, moving with the agility of a martial artist. ? Once the bag was filled, Mu-jin tied it and slung it over his shoulder, then looked at the branch leader. Now, lets finish this. Finish what? What do you mean? If you look fine after being robbed, wont you be suspected? Oh In the brief moment the branch leader expressed his understanding, Mu-jins hand moved like lightning. Thud! A few teeth and blood spewed from the branch leaders mouth as he copsed to the floor. Although Mu-jin had controlled his strength, it would take days for the swelling on the branch leaders face to subside. Just as Mu-jin was about to leave the warehouse with the bag on his shoulder, Who goes there! Kill him!! People started gathering, alerted by the noise Hwa Sun-gyeong had made when he crashed through the warehouse. But these were not warriors of the Nine Great Sects. They were guards working for a small branch of the Daegum Sangdan, and stopping Mu-jin was impossible for them. Mu-jin easily defeated the guards and blew a whistle he had prepared in advance. Tweet! Shortly after his whistle, a whistle echoed from the opposite direction. Seems like they made it out. Before entering the warehouse, Mu-jin had arranged a signal. When he whistled, Mu-gyeong and Hye-geol were to escape and head to the rendezvous point without looking back. Despite hearing their whistles, Mu-jin stayed behind, fighting the guards. Just as Mu-gyeong and Hye-geol had been bait when they first approached the warehouse, Mu-jin yed the bait during their escape. It would be risky to leave it to them. Even if they hid their martial arts and appearances, traces leading back to Zhongnan would eventually be found. Thus, Mu-jin willingly chose to be the final bait. After distracting the martial artists for a while and confirming that more guards were joining, Mu-jin moved. This should be enough. Determining that the guards had given up chasing Mu-gyeong and Hye-geol to catch him, Mu-jin sprang into action. With a single internal energy-fueled step, he soared above the encircling guards, and by his second step, he was already on the wall, and by the third, he was out of the Daegum Sangdan branch. Catch him! Ha! The guards tried to catch Mu-jin with all their might, but the distance between them grewrger over time. When the distance was finally sufficient, Mu-jin used his shadow technique to hide in the darkness. Using the alleys of Huayin County to his advantage, Mu-jin moved in the opposite direction of his initial escape route. He had originally moved in the opposite direction to draw enemies away from Zhongnan Mountain. * * * Upon reaching the rendezvous point, Mu-jin reunited with Mu-gyeong and Hye-geol. Are you alright? Didnt expect to see Hwasan Sect disciples, but its nothing serious. While Mu-jin took down Hwa Sun-gyeong and looted the warehouse, Hye-geol and Mu-gyeong had dealt with the Hwasan Sect disciples. They didnt kill them but left them injured, simr to what happened to the Zhongnan Sect. Killing when the other side hadnt crossed the line would be problematic. Moreover, leaving the disciples injured rather than dead would be more beneficial, as Hwasan Sect would be preupied with tending to their wounded. Confirming that their n had gone rtively smoothly, Mu-jin, Hye-geol, and Mu-gyeong headed back to Zhongnan Mountain. Unlike when they hade, they took precautions to leave no traces and only used full-speed martial arts when they were sure they wouldnt leave any signs. They returned to Zhongnan Mountain within three hours of their departure. * * * The robbery of the Daegum Sangdan branch near the Hwasan Sect caused an uproar. Despite the presence of Hwa Sun-gyeong and one of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, Cho-yoon, the branch was ransacked. Hwa Sun-gyeong suffered severe internal injuries, and Cho-yoon was left beaten and bedridden. Naturally, this caused chaos in Huayin County and the Hwasan Sect, but Mu-jin was unperturbed. Alright, lets do fifteen more sets! Argh! Oh no! Mu-jin continued his routine, training the Zhongnan Sect disciples in strength training in the morning and his own exercises in the afternoon. asionally, he received updates on Huayin County and Hwasan Sects situation through messages from the Cheonryu Sangdan. Hmm. Whats with this confidence? Despite their chaos in Huayin County, Hwasan Sect had not withdrawn their main forces from Zhongnan Mountain and other strategic locations. Instead, they sent more second and third-ss disciples to Huayin County. It seems they need a lesson. A lesson about the consequences of not properly guarding their valuables. * * * About ten days after the Daegum Sangdan robbery, As evening approached, Mu-jin, Mu-gyeong, and Hye-geol left Zhongnan Mountain again. But this time, they headed to Daeryeo County, not Huayin County. Daeryeo County, located slightly farther from Zhongnan Mountain, was still rtively close to the Hwasan Sect and under its influence. Lets start with that ce. Mu-jin pointed to a brothel in Daeryeo Countys market. ording to information from the Cheonryu Sangdan and Beggar Sect, this brothel was actually run by the Hwasan Sect. Sure enough, upon approaching, they saw the Plum Blossom emblem of the Hwasan Sect and a few Hwasan Sect disciples guarding the entrance. Attackingmoners isnt ideal, even if the ce is run by the Hwasan Sect. Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong nodded in agreement with Hye-geols statement, who looked like a typical thief or assassin. Of course, we wont touchmoners. Just beat up the Hwasan Sect disciples and make the guests flee from the fight. Since the disciples were clearly marked with their sect uniforms, there was no risk of mistakenly attackingmoners. Lets begin! The trio stormed the brothel, taking down the Hwasan Sect disciples and looting the brothel owners room of the money intended for the Hwasan Sect. Not satisfied with just one target, they hit two more Hwasan Sect businesses in Daeryeo County before leaving. This should draw their disciples back to Hwasan Sect. With the main forces withdrawn to Hwasan Sect, Zhongnan Mountain would be more manageable. However, a few dayster, news from Cheonryu Sangdan contradicted Mu-jins expectations. They sent more disciples to Huayin County and Daeryeo County? Instead of pulling back disciples from the conflict with Zhongnan Sect, Hwasan Sect had sent more of their remaining disciples to the two counties. Analyzing the information and what he knew, Mu-jin realized something odd. So, how many are left in Hwasan Sect? Even conservatively, less than a hundred disciples should remain at Hwasan Sect, and around forty of them were injured from the previous raids. If the Cheonryu Sangdans information was urate, Hwasan Sect was nearly unguarded. Could it be they trust in that person? Indeed, if that person was in Hwasan Sect, they wouldnt fear attacks from ordinary people. Then, I guess its time to visit Hwasan Sect. For some reason, a sinister smile spread across Mu-jins face. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 219: Plum Blossom Swordsman A few days ago, in the depths of the Mount Hua Sect, within the Jahe Pce. In the hall that serves the same function as the main hall of other sects, two men were having a private conversation. The one seated in the ce of honor was an old man withpletely white hair, and the other was a middle-aged man transitioning into old age, with his hair starting to turn white. The brothels in Daeryeo County were attacked? Yes, Sir. The middle-aged man responded nervously to the old mans question. Despite the obvious hierarchy between them, the old man addressed the middle-aged man with a title that didnt match their rtionship. What do you think, as the Sect Leader, who could be behind this?Indeed, the middle-aged man, bowing his head and yielding the seat of honor to the old man, was none other than the leader of the Mount Hua Sect, Huamyeonggyun Zhenren. Even though he was the head of one of the Nine Great Sects, he answered cautiously, like a student being scrutinized by his teacher. They make it seem like its unrted bandits, but given the incident at the Daegumsangdan branch, its clear they are targeting us, Sir. Hm. There were talks of someone using martial arts mimicking a monkey, suggesting they might be bandits from the Soutnds? I believe thats also a trap to deceive us. Only one of them used such techniques, while the other two used entirely different martial arts, so its unlikely they are from the Soutnds. Then, who do you suspect the most? The most suspicious would naturally be Zhongnan, but they dont have the capability to carry out something like this. So, its most likely Shaolin, Wudang, Beggar Sect, or Sichuan Tang n. Especially since some Shaolin disciples recently visited Zhongnan, they seem the most likely. You are indeed wise. The old man, called Sir, nodded, and the Sect Leader sighed in relief internally. Even at over fifty years old, he could not escape the shackles. Since entering Mount Hua at the age of ten and enduring over forty years of torment, he could not break free. The countless sufferings he endured when he failed to answer the old mans questions correctly. As the top disciple of the Huazhe faction, he naturally followed the oppression ingrained in his mind. Even though he was now the Sect Leader and could potentially suppress others with his authority, reality was different. It was the old man who made Huamyeonggyun Zhenren the Sect Leader of Mount Hua. The old man, despite not being the Sect Leader, enjoyed absolute power within Mount Hua. He stroked his beard and asked, So, what do you think we should do? Having had simr experiences before as the Sect Leader, Huamyeonggyun Zhenren instinctively realized that this question was a trap. I am still foolish and cannot make an easy judgment. Please grant me your wisdom to lead Mount Hua correctly as the Sect Leader. Hahaha. What a pity. The leader of the great Mount Hua Sect has such a weak will. Though his words were critical, a satisfied smile yed on the old mans lips. The old man wanted Huamyeonggyun Zhenren to remain his puppet forever. Its obvious what their motive is. Like we did, they think its enough if theres no evidence. So, we just need to catch even the smallest piece of evidence. Evidence, Sir? Yes. Contrary to before, the old man answered in a soft tone, addressing him formally as if speaking to the Sect Leader. Send out more disciples. Theres no need to capture them, just track their traces. Already, numerous disciples had been sent to the frontline with Zhongnan. Sending more disciples to Daeryeo County and Huayin County would weaken Mount Huas defenses. But Huamyeonggyun Zhenren didnt dare to mention that, knowing well what the old mans response would be. Do you not trust this Sect, Sect Leader? This question would carry two implications. First, does the Sect Leader suspect the old man might target him if disciples were sent out? Second, does the Sect Leader not trust the old mans capabilities? In truth, the first implication had nothing to do with Huamyeonggyun Zhenrens intentions. He didnt doubt the old man. Huamyeonggyun Zhenren understood that the old man saw more benefit in controlling him as a puppet than in killing him to be the Sect Leader. The issue was the old mans potential suspicion that Huamyeonggyun Zhenren might be doubting him. Simrly, the second question was also unnecessary, as there was no doubt in Huamyeonggyun Zhenrens mind. As long as the old man existed, Mount Hua would be safe even if disciples were sent out. Once his master, who became the old man after Huamyeonggyun Zhenren was chosen as the top disciple of the Huazhe faction, making him the disciple of the previous Sect Leader. No matter what others said, the old man, Huamyeonggyun Zhenrens master, was the best swordsman of Mount Hua. No, he was the best swordsman in Shaanxi Province. One of the current Seven Kings, known as the Sword King, with the nickname Plum Blossom Sword Immortal. That was his master, Yunsun Zhenren. * * * About ten days after the attack on Daeryeo County. Three men left Zhongnan Mountain as usual and headed for Mount Hua. A tense atmosphere different from before surrounded the three as they approached Mount Hua. They were going to attack one of the Nine Great Sects. Moreover, they had to conceal their Shaolin martial arts while doing so with only three people. Naturally, Hye-geol tried to stop Mu-jin, but it was futile. Mu-jin insisted that Mount Hua was practically defenseless and added a near-threatening remark. If its too difficult, I can go alone. When Hye-geol heard that, he felt his mind go nk. The main reason was that he realized he couldnt stop Mu-jin if he decided to go alone. After two chaotic incidents with Mu-jin, Hye-geol realized it. Mu-jin had be stronger than him. So, Hye-geol eventually decided to apany Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong. If stopping him was useless, he thought it better to apany them and, if necessary, sacrifice himself to protect the two future pirs of Shaolin. In this tense atmosphere, they traveled for a while. Eventually, they reached Seoak, which boasted rugged mountains resembling a sword, and arrived at Mount Hua. But no matter how rugged the mountains, they were no obstacle for the three who had reached a certain level. They quickly climbed Mount Hua. As they began to see the high towers of the Mount Hua Sect in the distance, Mu-jin signaled. Pat. Receiving the signal, Mu-gyeong moved alone in a different direction. Dont make any mistakes, Mu-gyeong. In a way, Mu-gyeong had a role just as crucial as Mu-jins in this mission to Mount Hua. Originally, Mu-jin had no intention ofing directly to the Mount Hua. At first, when he caused amotion in Huayin County, his goal was merely revenge against the Zhongnan Sect. His n was to injure a few disciples of Mount Hua and force the sect to pull back their front line to defend against thieves. However, they never recalled their disciples to Huayin County; instead, they repeatedly sent more disciples from their main mountain. An opportunity like this wonte again. Thus, now was the perfect chance to shake the Mount Hua. Nevertheless, Mu-jin didnt intend to massacre the Mount Hua disciples or rob them as he had done at the Daegum Sangdan branch. Mu-jins n was simply to release a poison that would disturb the Mount Hua. And that poison was currently asleep in Mu-gyeongs possession, who had moved separately. Mu-jin and Hye-geols roles were to distract the Mount Hua Taoists so that Mu-gyeong could release the poison without interruption. To ensure Mu-gyeongs sess, they needed to attract as much attention as possible. As soon as they saw the gate of the Mount Hua and the two Taoists guarding it in the distance, Receive your guest! Mu-jin shouted, channeling his internal energy, and charged at the two Taoists. Its an attack! Stop them! The two Taoists, startled by the sudden situation, drew their swords, but Mu-jin was already upon them, throwing punches. Knocking down the two Mount Hua disciples instantly, Mu-jin then directed his internal energy towards the closed gate of the Mount Hua and struck. Dae-do Mu-mun! Boom! To a great thief, a gate is as good as nonexistent. True to his reputation, Mu-jin boldly smashed the gate to maintain his guise as a great thief. Though the term Dae-do Mu-mun originally had no rtion to him, Mu-jin didnt care. Who dares? How dare you attack Mount Hua! Kill those viins! The immediate response to the gate being smashed down was fierce. Shouts erupted from all around as swordsmen in robes adorned with plum blossoms rushed towards the entrance. The term rushed might not be quite urate, as it was more like they appeared sporadically. Dozens of swordsmen quickly appeared, charging towards the entrance, and additional Mount Hua Taoists began appearing one by one between the halls in the distance. Due to the vastness of the Mount Hua, their numbers seemed particrly sparse. Still, it seems the information wasnt wrong. If all the Mount Hua Taoists were present, hundreds would have swarmed them. However, ording to the information from the Cheonryu Sangdan, many Mount Hua disciples seemed to have left the sect. If they had been deceived, they were ready to flee immediately, but the uracy of the information removed any hesitation. Mu-jin didnt dy and charged at the Taoists trying to surround him. Hye-geol followed closely behind. The simplest way to avoid being surrounded is to break through a single point. Stop them! Ha! The Mount Hua Taoists swung their swords at the rapidly approaching Mu-jin, but he countered them without a hint of defense, swinging his arms and legs wildly. His fists, wrapped in golden energy, not only deflected the swords but also sent the Mount Hua disciples flying far away. Just as he had knocked away Elder Hwa Sun-gyeong not long ago, the Mount Hua disciples couldnt get up after colliding with Mu-jin. This was due to both Mu-jins overwhelming strength and the low skill level of the disciples. The current head of Mount Hua, Hua-ja-bae, was considerably younger than the leaders of other prestigious sects like Shaolin or Wudang. With the previous head, Yun-ja-bae, passing away early, Hua-ja-bae assumed control of the Mount Hua at a rtively young age. As Hua-ja-bae was young, so were the first and second-generation disciples, and most of the third-generation disciples were still teenagers. Furthermore, most of the skilled first-generation disciples and elders had left Mount Hua. Therefore, there were hardly any experts among the remaining young disciples who could withstand Mu-jins attacks. Mu-jin led the charge, with Hye-geol cleaning up those attacking from the sides or behind. In no time, over twenty Mount Hua disciples were downed. Stand back! Finally, elderly Taoists withpletely white hair began to appear. They were not the current head of Mount Hua, Hua-ja-bae. They were the elders of the previous generation, the retired elders of Yun-ja-bae. Though their number was only about twelve, they were vastly different from the young Taoists faced earlier. As the young Taoists stepped back at the elders shout, The elders swung their swords, and red sword energy formed plum blossoms in the air. The plum blossoms moved as if caught in a gust of wind, flying towards Mu-jin and Hye-geol. Thebined petals created by the twelve elders numbered over a hundred, a scene reminiscent of a thousand blossoms. Haah! Hup! Back to back, Mu-jin and Hye-geol swung their limbs like madmen, managing to tear apart the approaching flowers. Meanwhile, the elders didnt remain idle. After stopping Mu-jin and Hye-geol with their first attack, they quickly approached and surrounded them,unching abined assault. The elders were highly skilled, and Hye-geol, who couldnt reveal his true martial arts, naturally struggled. Despite this, Hye-geol managed to hold on, thanks to Mu-jin. The 23-year-old youth fought ferociously as if he had experienced countless real battles. Mu-jin wasnt distracted by the plum blossoms created by the elders. He only blocked those aiming for vital points. sh! His ck robe was torn and blood sprayed, but, Boom! In exchange for taking injuries, he closed in on an elder and delivered a powerful punch, knocking him down. These are just hollow shells with a lot of internal energy! Having already taken down three elders, Mu-jin shouted with his internal energy, even as blood stained his clothes. Despite their considerable internal energy, the elders external martial arts were poor. It was expected that the elders, given their age, would have weaker physical bodies, but their condition was worse than anticipated. No wonder these greedy bastards dont bother training at their age. With that thought, Mu-jin aimed for his next target. One of the elders, furious, shouted, To use such murderous techniques! You must be a wicked demonic practitioner! All the elders Mu-jin had dealt with had gaping holes in their abdomens or hearts. This was a stark contrast to the minor injuries Mu-jin and Hye-geol had inflicted on the Mount Hua disciples earlier. But Mu-jin only gave a sly smile at the elders provocation. Who in this world could be more wicked than you lot? Mu-jin knew. The current heads of Mount Hua, Hua-ja-bae, and the surviving Yun-ja-bae hadmitted crimes that deserved the utmost condemnation. Chapter 220: Plum Blossom Sword Saint Thanks to Mu-jin taking care of the three attackers, Hye-geol felt the battle be somewhat easier. However, this didnt mean he had the luxury to deal with the attackers leisurely. He had only progressed from being desperate to defend and evade to being able to handle it reasonably well. When Mu-jin struck another attacker in the head while getting a wound on his side, a powerful voice imbued with immense inner energy erupted: How dare you set your filthy foot in the Great Mount Hua! Though they were too busy fighting to identify the source of the voice, others helpfully identified it for them. Great Elder! Senior Brother!! The figure who was both the senior brother of the attackers and the person the Mount Hua disciples referred to as the Great Elder was none other than the first martial artist of Shaanxi, Plum Blossom Sword Saint Yunsun. Though it was a shameful situation for Hye-geol as a senior monk of Shaolin, his attention naturally turned to Mu-jin upon hearing about Yunsuns arrival.When Mu-jin first suggested attacking Mount Hua, Hye-geol had argued that despite many disciples leaving, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint would still be there. The answer Mu-jin gave was: I know. Even knowing that the Plum Blossom Sword Saint was present, Mu-jin still intended to attack Mount Hua. To temper what seemed like excessive confidence, Hye-geol had asked: Are you saying your skills surpass those of a master of the Seven Kings? Mu-jin had shook his head at the ridiculous notion. I dont im to surpass the masters of the Seven Kings. But I do know the weakness of the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. With such confident eyes, Hye-geol had decided to trust Mu-jin, given his previous actions. And now, Mu-jin, who had confidently imed he could handle the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, was busy creating another hole in an attackers abdomen. Tch. Have these old men lived suchfortable lives that theyve lost all sense of realbat? However, Mu-jins actions provoked the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. You rascal! With his roar, an unseen barrage of sword energy shot towards Mu-jin. Without hesitation, Mu-jin used the attackers body he had just killed as a shield. Squelch! The body was sliced into pieces, further enraging the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. Step back! I will personally tear this wretch apart! Unable to refuse his order, the Mount Hua disciples and the surviving attackers swiftly distanced themselves from Mu-jin and Hye-geol. With the area clear, Mu-jin finally got a good look at the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. A tough-looking old man. Next to the stern old man was a middle-aged to elderly man. He must be the headmaster. While the Plum Blossom Sword Saint wore the distinctive attire of the Mount Hua, the other mans attire was noticeably different, marking him as the headmaster. You wont leave here alive. Though the Plum Blossom Sword Saint approached with sharp, de-like aura, Mu-jin was thinking about something else. The Great Elders, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, and the headmaster are all here. There must be no one significant left inside. Having concluded his assessment, Mu-jin signaled to Hye-geol. Whoosh! Upon receiving the signal, Hye-geol immediately started fleeing over the Mount Huas wall. Showing your back, huh! The Plum Blossom Sword Saint swung his sword, but the sword energy was blocked by Mu-jins fist energy. Whoosh! Mu-jin also leaped towards the wall after blocking the attack directed at Hye-geol. Do you think you can escape alive!? Capture them! The Plum Blossom Sword Saint, furious from witnessing the grotesque scene of his disciples body being used as a shield, chased them, leading the pursuit himself. His speed was so great that he quickly outpaced the Mount Hua disciples and the attackers following him. Although it could be a diversion tactic, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint was unconcerned. This was their territory, and it was impossible for traps to be set here. Confident in his ability, he believed he wouldnt lose to these two masked men. As he closed the distance to them, they were already halfway down the Mount Hua mountain. The journey was short, as the three of them had considerable speed. Die! The Plum Blossom Sword Saint swung his sword again, sending dozens of red sword energies towards the masked men. The masked men dodged and blocked some of the attacks without significant injury, but this was merely to stall them. Landing silently on the fallen leaves, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint aimed his sword at the masked men. Once more, the lead masked man showed his back, continuing to flee. Tch. With a swing of his sword, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint sent a different kind of energy. Instead of the usual red streaks, he unleashed a starlit plum blossom aimed at the masked mans back. Anticipating this, Mu-jin signaled to Hye-geol while preparing an attack. From his danjeon, immense inner energy circted through his meridians, concentrating powerfully. The technique he had learned from Hyunhwang, named Muah Divine Fist, was unleashed. Boom! As Mu-jins star-like energy shed with the Plum Blossom Sword Saints sword energy, a massive explosion ensued. Through the dust and debris, Hye-geol could be seen continuing to escape unscathed. Although confirming that his Muah Divine Fist could counter sword energy, Mu-jin felt dissatisfied. Damn it. The energy exchange rate is poor. The Muah Divine Fist had consumed half a ga-ja worth of inner energy in one strike. Experts who could freely wield energy could typically unleash it a dozen times. Yet Mu-jins technique, which brute-forced energy, was inefficient. If I could put in one ga-ja of inner energy, I could overpower sword energy, but The inner energy consumption was extreme, making it a one-hit kill technique in crucial situations. Meanwhile, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint frowned as his sword energy was countered by Mu-jins technique. Fist energy. Publicly, the only known expert who could wield fist energy freely was Wi Ji-hak, the Fist King. But that was over ten years ago. Perhaps Huangbo Familys head had reached that level, but they had no reason to attack Mount Hua. For a brief moment, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint recalled some information he had heard a few months ago. You must be Hyunhwang of Shaolin. Hyunhwang was officially said to have achieved nirvana, but the Plum Blossom Sword Saint assumed this was a ruse by Shaolin for this mission. Years ago, it was said Hyunhwang had regained his past martial prowess, so it wasnt surprising he could wield fist energy. Hearing this absurd assumption, Mu-jinughed scornfully. If Hyunhwang were here, Mount Hua would have fallen long ago, you foolish old man. Yet voicing this would reveal his identity, so Mu-jin chose different words to conceal it. Youre seeking the wrong person if you think youll find him. Whether its Hyunhwang or not, Ill know once I unmask you. The Plum Blossom Sword Saint pointed his sword at Mu-jin, who assumed a defensive stance rather than fleeing. Seeing this, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint smirked. Do you think everyone who can wield energy is of the same caliber? He was right. Mu-jin had only recently learned to wield energy andcked proficiency. His battle with a master of the Seven Kings level hinged on a single powerful strike. But that was against masters other than the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. Youll need to use Zihashin Technique to catch me. The moment Mu-jin mentioned Zihashin Technique, the Plum Blossom Sword Saints face turned cold. How dare you speak of Mount Huas ultimate technique! Deeming words unnecessary, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint attacked with his sword, but Mu-jin dodged the energy instead of confronting it head-on. Only three more uses left. Having already expended almost a ga-ja of inner energy causing havoc in Mount Hua, and another half-ga-ja with his Muah Divine Fist, Mu-jin couldnt use it recklessly anymore. But Mu-jin had experience fighting top-tier masters, so evading the Plum Blossom Sword Saints strikes wasnt too challenging. Hahaha! Without Zihashin Technique, you cant catch me! Dodging narrowly, Mu-jin taunted, appearing to be at ease. Provoked, the Plum Blossom Sword Saints strikes became fiercer. Mu-jin continued to evade, asionally countering with a half-ga-ja Muah Divine Fist to neutralize the energy strikes. Two more times. Keeping a mental count amidst the chaos, Mu-jins mouth didnt stop moving. Why hide Zihashin Technique? Hahaha! Feeling embarrassed now? Youve killed your senior to acquire it! Show it proudly! Thesest words seemed to hit a nerve. The Plum Blossom Sword Saint, who had been silently attacking, hesitated. How do you know? Zihashin Technique. The ultimate skill representing the Mount Hua, and more importantly, Are you asking how I know you, not the headmaster, mastered Zihashin Technique? Only the headmaster of Mount Hua was allowed to learn this special technique. Yet the Plum Blossom Sword Saint had mastered it despite not being the headmaster. Or are you asking if I know you killed your senior headmaster to obtain it? A heinous crime unthinkable in a martial sect. But as they say, the heavens is wide, but nothing escapes it. Perhaps due to this grave sin, Zihashin Technique had be the Plum Blossom Sword Saints weakness. * * * While a battle raged at the entrance of the Mount Hua, Mu-gyeong had infiltrated the rear using Shadow Step and Ghost Step techniques. As the one who had taught Mu-jin these techniques, Mu-gyeong had also mastered them. Following the map provided by Mu-jin, Mu-gyeong soon reached his destination. Carefully entering a pavilion named [Zihagung], Mu-gyeong took out a letter he had prepared. Is this the poison meant for Mount Hua? Though Mu-gyeong held the letter, he didnt fully understand Mu-jins instructions. Is the letter coated with poison? With such doubts, Mu-gyeong discreetly ced the letter in the specified location and then exited Zihagung. Chapter 221: Plum Blossom Sword Saint All the evil began more than twenty years ago. He was Yunsun, known as the best sword in Hwasan even from his days as the first disciple and the senior brother to Yunja-bae. However, it was an absurdity that Yunja-bae was chosen as the head of the sect instead of Yunsun. But Yunsun didnt mind. He thought that making a name as the best sword of Hwasan was meaningful, and he considered delving into martial arts and managing the sect to be different matters. No, at least he lived convincing himself so. Until that incident. Hahaha. Were you so resentful about losing to Namgung Sword Emperor that you would kill your junior brother?Shortly after the former head of the sect died and Yunja-bae became the master of Hwasan, Namgung Muguk, who had passed on the family head position to Namgung Chang-hwi, began his journey in the martial world. And when Namgung Muguk came to Hwasan and challenged for a duel, the Plum Blossom Swordsman (Mae-hyang-chui-geom) was defeated. People gave Yunsun the nickname Sword King for his duel that day, but the defeat created a small crack in Yunsuns heart. Wouldnt I have won if I had mastered the Jaha Divine Technique? A tiny suspicion. Why did a junior brother who was not as skilled be the head of the sect and get taught the Jaha Divine Technique? And that tiny crack gradually grew bigger. When Unheo of Wudang achieved equal skill with Namgung Muguk and earned the nickname Two Swords of the World. When the head of Peng n, who became the retired grand patriarch, was treated as Yunsuns equal and earned the nickname Sword Emperor. When Tang-gak of Sichuan Tang n, who only used hidden weapons and poison, managed to draw a tie. When a swordsman from the shadowy forces, inferior to bugs, tied with Namgung Muguk and earned the nickname Three Swords of the World. The crack in his heart kept growing. Then one day, he heard something that fueled his inner turmoil. Both Tang n and Namgung n are like that. They wield more power than the family heads as the retired grand patriarchs. Although it was meant to tter Yunsun, who didnt get along with them, it resonated differently with him. Right. One doesnt have to be the head of the sect to gain power. If he were to push his junior brother aside and be the head, it would undoubtedly create a significant rift within the Hwasan Sect. But what if his junior brother faced an unfortunate ident and Yunja-bae became the head? And if that head was his disciple? From that moment, Yunsun embarked on a long ten-year preparation. He subtly pressured his junior brother while guiding his disciple to be the first disciple. Though the sect leader became the head by the will of our predecessors, shouldnt skill be prioritized for the next generation? Whenever he said that, his junior brother, who wasnt fit to be the head, would gently smile. Through great effort, his disciple, Huamyeonggyun, eventually became the first disciple. And on the day Huamyeonggyun received the full transmission of the Jaha Divine Technique from the sect leader, Yunsun executed the n he had prepared for ten years. He stabbed his junior brother, who weed him with a smile and talked about the future of Hwasan. For the future of Hwasan, you are not fit to be the head. Whether the junior brother, with a sword in his heart and blood pouring from his mouth, understood those words was something even Yunsun didnt know. Meanwhile, a few of Yunja-bae and Huaja-baes disciples, who had pledged allegiance to him, dealt with those who showed absolute support for the sect leader. And thest words he said to the sect leader became a self-hypnosis he repeated to himself. He didnt want to admit that he did it out of greed for the Jaha Divine Technique. He wanted to im that the strong should lead the martial arts sects. He wanted to lead Hwasan to greatness. He had to make Hwasan the best in the world. Only by iming such reasons could he turn a blind eye to his heinous crime. So he worked to make Hwasan the best. He didnt refuse any dirty work that Daegum Sangdan requested and demanded vast sums of money from them. But why? Ah. Perhaps, its not that you dont use the Jaha Divine Technique but that you cant? Despite all his efforts to obtain the Jaha Divine Technique, it became a poison. The Jaha Divine Technique, worthy of its name, no, even that name was too modest for its overwhelming power. However, there was one minor issue that contradicted its tremendous power. An issue known only to the heads of Hwasan. Indeed, for a greedy person who would kill his junior brother, the Jaha Divine Technique must have been too difficult. Hahaha! The Jaha Divine Technique, which creates immense power, induces an internal energy disruption to produce tremendous explosive power. Therefore, a deep state of mind akin to still water was required to perform it. Surprisingly for a destructive martial art, it suited someone with the temperament of an immortal who had abandoned all greed. But Yunsun, blinded by greed, eagerly mastered the Jaha Divine Technique. Even after the former head told him about its w, the reason he couldnt be the head. He arrogantly believed that with his high level, he could ovee such a trivial w. And although he tried to ignore it, the Jaha Divine Technique was the strongest poison for Yunsun, who was already deep in the state of demonic obsession. The more he practiced the Jaha Divine Technique, the deeper his obsession became, and periodically, he fell into Qi Deviation. He was just hiding it from everyone. And now, at this moment. Shut up!!!! Unable to endure Mu-jins continued provocation, Yunsun unleashed the Jaha Divine Technique he had been hiding, creating an explosive purple sword aura and swung it at Mu-jin. Hup!!! Despite therge movement of his opponent, Mu-jin didnt dodge but countered with the Musang Divine Fist. Bang!!! The sh of the two massive energies caused a huge explosion and a cloud of dust. When the dust cleared. C Blood flowed incessantly from Yunsuns mouth as he knelt on one knee. It wasnt an internal injury from the recent sh. To be precise, it was just a spark thrown into his dantian, which was like a powder keg. The umted demonic obsession was stimted by Mu-jins words, and the forced internal energy surged, causing a sudden Qi Deviation. Seeing Yunsuns pale face spitting blood, Mu-jin thought. Just like in the novel. In the original plot, after Hwasanpletely drove out the Zhongnan Sect with the help of Shinchun. Soon after, Hwasan fell to the point of bing no different from a dog to Shinchun. Because the Plum Blossom Swordsman, the core strength and pir of Hwasan, died pitifully from Qi Deviation. No, just like what Mu-jin did now, Shinchun had incited his Qi Deviation. Moreover, they used the terrible crime of killing the former head as leverage. Mu-jin didnt know all the events and changes of heart Yunsun had gone through. In the original second part of the novel, Dao Yuetian and Hwasan didnt have much interaction. It was just information obtained while preparing for the fight against Hyeok Jin-gang by raiding the subordinate organizations of Shinchun. A few major incidents tied to Yunsuns greed for the Jaha Divine Technique. And the information that Shinchun used his demonic obsession to bring down Zhongnan and take over Hwasan. Catch him! At that moment, voices of Hwasans disciples came from afar. Mu-jin, who was watching the half-dead Yunsun, turned and used Qinggong to flee in the opposite direction instead of finishing him off. I dont have much internal energy left. To induce Yunsuns internal injury, he used almost a whole cap of internal energy for the Musang Divine Fist. Even after using that much, they ended up in a draw, proving that the Jaha Divine Technique was indeed a divine technique. And it wasnt a big deal that he couldnt kill him now. He had spread poison in Hwasan for such a situation. * * * Mu-jin, having escaped from Hwasan, soon met with Hye-geol and Mu-gyeong at the rendezvous point. Are you alright? Ive stopped the bleeding, so dont worry. Isnt your injury more severe? Mu-jin had fought without holding back against Hwasans elders. He even refrained from using the Golden Turtle Technique to hide his skills, taking the sword energy with his bare body. Moreover, he faced Yunsun alone, so his condition should have been worse. But in response to Hye-geols question, Mu-jin shrugged and showed his wounded area. Its just a scratch. Indeed, as Mu-jin said, his wounds from the sword energy were merely superficial. None of the wounds were deep enough to split muscles or reveal bones. This was thanks to the significant improvement of his Jade Vajra Technique. Mu-jins body had reached a level where even sword and saber energy wouldnt easily prate. Of course, it would if they were to scratch persistently like sawing. Amazing. Toe out unscathed against that Plum Blossom Swordsman. I knew his weakness. Ive been curious about that. Now that the matter is settled, wont you tell me? What was his weakness? The Jaha Divine Technique. Jaha Divine Technique? Seeing Hye-geols puzzled face, Mu-jin exined the secret history of Hwasan he knew. How How do you know such a secret? I found out while raiding Shinchuns branch in Guangxi Province. Daegum Sangdan is connected to Shinchun, and Shinchun was preparing to take over Hwasan using that secret. Of course, he fabricated the source of the information. If it were Dao Yuetian, he would im to have learned it through divine power, but that wouldnt work on Hye-geol. But knowing that the longer this conversation went on, the riskier it would be, Mu-jin changed the subject. Mu-gyeong, did you ce it properly? I did as you said, but whats in that letter? You said its poison. Did you smear poison on the letter? Mu-gyeongs straightforward thinking made Mu-jinugh. I did. A poison that a lifelong ve would inevitably drink. * * * While Mu-jin and hispanions were erasing their traces and returning to Zhongnan Mountain, the Hwasan Sect was in a chaotic situation that matched their peaceful atmosphere. Not only had Hwasan been attacked and lost five elders, but the best swordsman, Yunsun, had suffered severe internal injuries. In the midst of this, the number of remaining disciples in Hwasan didnt even reach a hundred, and more than half of them were injured. Eventually, the remaining disciples focused on cleaning up the sect rather than chasing the attackers. They removed the corpses, washed away the blood and entrails, and sent the injured to the medicine hall for treatment. Among those being treated, the top priority was, of course, Yunsun, the de facto power of Hwasan. Yunsun was receiving solo intensive treatment from the head of the medicine hall, and the head, Huamyeonggyun, was waiting outside with aposed expression. After waiting through asional groans and mutterings from Yunsun, the head of the medicine hall finally emerged. How is my senior brother? He has survived the crisis, but due to the severe internal injuries, the treatment will take quite some time. The news of his master surviving should have been good, but Huamyeonggyuns expression remainedplex. After all, the head of the medicine hall was more aligned with Yunsun than with him. He couldnt reveal his true feelings. Youve worked hard. We must ensure that my senior brother survives. Of course. After greeting the head of the medicine hall with a forced expression, Huamyeonggyun returned to his quarters. A ce that was his, yet not his. It would have been better if he had passed away. Harboring thoughts he could never reveal to anyone, Huamyeonggyun entered. And as usual, he was about toy out his bedding when. Hmm? He discovered a letter stuck between the folded bedding. To leave a letter in the residence of the sect leader amidst this chaos. However, it was just a letter, not a poisoned needle or weapon. Still, wary of the possibility of poison on the letter, he raised his qi and opened it. !!! Seeing the words on the letter, Huamyeonggyuns eyes widened. The letter contained just four characters. (Once in a Lifetime Opportunity) To him, who had lived his life as a ve, those words had a different meaning. Now was the chance, perhaps the only one in his life, to regain his freedom. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 222: Chapter 222: The Greatest Genius Under the Heavens Several days after shing with the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. Information reached the Zhongnan Sect that the Taoists of the Hwasan Sect had started to return towards Hwasan. Upon receiving this news, Mu-jin immediately sought out the head of the Zhongnan Sect. It wasnt to inform them that he had ambushed the Hwasan Sect and severely injured the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. Rather, he hade to advise them to exercise caution. Master. It may be presumptuous for an outsider to meddle, but as one who hase to assist with training, I must say this: Now is the time to fortify your internal structure rather than expand your territory. Hmm. Why do you think that? Baekun Zhenren asked, stroking his white beard with aposed expression.The main reason is due to training. Training, you say The external training Im conducting cannot yield significant results in just one or two months. It will take at least three months to see any meaningful changes, and a minimum of six months to achieve noticeable oues. Hmm. So, while the second and third-ss disciples continue their training here, couldnt the first-ss disciples and elders outside eradicate the remnants of the Hwasan Sect? There are two problems with that. Not just one, but two? Im very curious. First, the Hwasan Sects retreat could be a trap. Sending disciples too close to their territory could result in a devastating ambush. Mu-jin was the only one aware of the severe injury inflicted on the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. Even Hye-geol and Mu-gyeong, who had apanied him, hadnt directly witnessed the fight, so they only knew that Mu-jin had escaped safely. And the second reason is due to the Zhongnan Sword Manual. Expanding our front lines too close to Hwasan would extend the supply lines from Zhongnan, even if you dont intend to send the second or third-ss disciples. For logistics, someone will inevitably need to go out. And if they do, they might suffer injuries likest time? Exactly. In response to Mu-jins answer, Baekun Zhenren stroked his beard in silence, as if testing him. After a brief but tense silence. Dont worry. I had no intention of sending disciples out or attacking Hwasan in the first ce. Taking a sip of tea, Baekun Zhenren added. This conflict began because the Hwasan Sect attacked us. The Zhongnan Sects sword is for defense, not for seizing others possessions. His words were calm but filled with conviction. Mu-jin nodded in agreement. Then, could you restrain the disciples a bit? Restrain the disciples? Instead of further exining, Mu-jin led the sect leader to the Zhongnan Sects main training ground. There, they witnessed. Lets sweep away those Hwasan Sect scum who dared to challenge our mighty Zhongnan Sect! Thats right, Senior Brother! For the Zhongnan Sect! For victory!!! Young and reckless disciples, drunk on the thrill of brawling, were running wild. Mu-jin had reluctantly intervened in the affairs of another sect after witnessing this scene. After all, he couldnt let the students he had trained die in vain. Baekun Zhenren, who had followed Mu-jin to the training ground, uncharacteristically raised his voice, veins bulging on his forehead. You insolent brats!!! He was furious at their attitude of treating war like a game. New recruits are always like this. After enduring rigorous training a few times, they often became eager for realbat, not realizing their lives would be on the line. Fortunately, the sect leader of Zhongnan is a sensible person. Since it seemed the sect leader would handle the situation, Mu-jin quietly stepped away. Mu-jins intervention aimed to save as many Zhongnan Sect disciples as possible, but there was a contradiction in his actions. He was hiding the fact that the Plum Blossom Sword Saint, the core of Hwasans power, was severely injured. If the Zhongnan Sect attacked Hwasan now, they could likely achieve victory despite some losses. However Ultimately, the real enemy is Shinchun. If we deplete our forces fighting Hwasan, well be ying right into Shinchuns hands. To prepare for the future war, it was better to conserve strength and improve internal capabilities. Moreover, Hwasan was likely to decline on its own if left alone. In the novel, Hwasan had overthrown Zhongnan and the Plum Blossom Sword Saint was killed by Shinchun. But now, the situation was different. Zhongnan was still intact, and soon a major conflict would arise within Hwasan. Even though the Plum Blossom Sword Saint was severely injured but still alive, the sect leader of Hwasan would wish for his death. Originally, the influence of the Plum Blossom Sword Saint would have been overwhelming within Hwasan, but now, Huamyeonggyun might be able to seize power. Naturally, this would lead to internal strife within Hwasan. They probably recalled their disciples to Hwasan for this reason. * * * Deep within the Hwasan Sect. Is it true that the sect leader hase in person today? A middle-aged man visiting the Hwasan Sect asked Huamyeonggyun with a curious expression. Huamyeonggyun answered expressionlessly. The Elder is a bit unwell. I see. The middle-aged man, seemingly unbothered, continued. But is there a problem? I didnt expect you to contact us again so soon. I heard you even pulled back the front lines against the Zhongnan Sect. Although his tone was mild, Huamyeonggyun felt a hint of reproach. Despite spreading the Zhongnan Sword Manual to external forces to shake the Zhongnan Sect, they had failed to push the front lines forward and were instead forced to retreat. These were the same people who had supported all these efforts, so it felt like they were criticizing the current situation. As I said, the Elder is unwell. We pulled back the front lines temporarily because of that. Hmm Even the great Plum Blossom Sword Saint couldnt escape the ravages of time. Hahaha. Hell recover soon enough. Actually, the reason I invited you here was for that very issue. With the Elders condition, weve had to recall the disciples to the main sect, making it difficult to keep the Zhongnan Sect in check. Moreover, the Shaolin Temple has recently begun aiding Zhongnan, leaving us shorthanded. After a few rounds of exchanging veiled conversations. When Huamyeonggyun finally broached the main topic, the middle-aged man pondered briefly before speaking. Hmm. Since theyve formed an alliance, we should do the same. The Qingcheng Sect and the Emei Sect are upied with their issues with the Sichuan Tang n, so Ill reach out to the Jeomchang Sect. Thank you. Hahaha. Were already in this together, so its only natural. I wish the Plum Blossom Sword Saint a swift recovery. Hiding his true feelings, the middle-aged man responded, and Huamyeonggyun forced a smile in return. Our sect hopes for the same. Until then, well have to take the lead. After promising reinforcements, the middle-aged man departed. They might have already noticed. Despite his best efforts to conceal it, they might have sensed the internal turmoil within the Hwasan Sect. Their approach through the Daegum Sangdan and sudden alliance with the Jeomchang Sect were also telling signs. Huamyeonggyun believed their informationwork surpassed theirs. Yet, despite knowing their insidious intentions, the Plum Blossom Sword Saint epted their proposal. They harbored ambitions to consume the Hwasan Sect after exploiting it to strengthen their own power. Now, Huamyeonggyun Zhenren found himself in a simr situation. With the Plum Blossom Sword Saint incapacitated, they needed their help to withstand the Zhongnan Sect and its allies. While contemting the future, Huamyeonggyun Zhenren headed somewhere. Greetings, Sect Leader. Greetings, Sect Leader. On his way to his destination, Hwasan Sect disciples greeted Huamyeonggyun Zhenren. These disciples had been recalled from the front lines to guard this path. These were the few disciples who followed Huamyeonggyun Zhenren rather than the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. He arrived at the medicinal hall, passing by these disciples. Greetings, Sect Leader. The head of the medicinal hall, busy with his work, greeted Huamyeonggyun Zhenren. However, his demeanor had changed; he no longer treated the Plum Blossom Sword Saints safety as paramount. He now looked at Huamyeonggyun Zhenren like a frightened prey. It was inevitable. Huamyeonggyun Zhenren had ced dozens of his disciples around the medicinal hall under the pretext of guarding the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. He held both the pretext and the power tomand in the medicinal hall. How is Senior Brother? He woke up a short while ago. Is that so? Nodding at the heads report, Huamyeonggyun Zhenren entered the room where the Plum Blossom Sword Saint was being treated, locking the door behind him. You scoundrel what have you done to me? What do you mean? Ive only tried to save you, Senior Brother. This is this what you call being alive? Seeing his senior brothers enraged face, Huamyeonggyun Zhenren revealed a sincere smile for the first time. Senior Brother, you were in extreme Qi Deviation. I had no choice but to do this to save you. Huamyeonggyun Zhenrens instruction to the head of the medicinal hall had been simple: destroy the Plum Blossom Sword Saints Danjeon, ensuring he could never gather internal energy or practice martial arts again. It was the most horrific punishment for a martial artist, justified under the guise of treatment. Is this what you call living? Cough The Plum Blossom Sword Saint, shouting in fury, coughed up blood. Huamyeonggyun Zhenren leaned in close to his senior brother, whispering softly. I have also lived like this, so now its your turn to live such a life. A life as a puppet without free will, merely following orders. So please calm down, Senior Brother. You must live a long life. With a gentle smile, as if he were a devoted disciple, Huamyeonggyun Zhenren wiped away the blood the Plum Blossom Sword Saint had coughed up. * * * Meanwhile, How dare you block my path! Im sorry, Supreme Elder. It is the Sect Leaders order. Regardless of the Sect Leaders order, how can a disciple of the main branch block a Supreme Elders path? This is all for your safety, Supreme Elder. Argh! Supreme Elders heading to the medicinal hall where the Plum Blossom Sword Saint was lying were stopped by disciples of the Plum Blossom Sword Sect. This repeated scene had been going on for several days now, and the Supreme Elders had figured out the situation. We shouldnt have epted the proposal to withdraw our disciples. With the Plum Blossom Sword Saint incapacitated, they had epted the Sect Leaders proposal to avoid another attack from the trio. But who knew he would allocate personnel like this? Lets retreat for now. A Supreme Elder leading the way tried to calm down his enraged senior brother. While they retreated physically, their determination did not waver. Are you really going to give up, Senior Brother? Of course not. I only suggested retreating because causing a scene here undermines our cause. Then what will you do? Since the Sect Leader has drawn his sword first, we must prepare ourselves too. We need to get the Great Elder out. Five of their senior brothers had died in thest attack, leaving only seven of them. Hence, they needed thorough preparations. The Supreme Elder, who sent a telepathic message to his junior brother, turned to look back at the medicinal hall with eyes full of murderous intent. * * * While a tense atmosphere filled with hostility was brewing within the Hwasan Sect, Mu-jin, the one who had spread the deadliest poison in the sect, was moving cautiously. In the dead of night, he was not nning another attack on the Hwasan Sect. Instead, Mu-jin, along with Mu-yul and Mu-gung, was preparing to leave. Are we really going to slip out like this? Dont worry, Ive taught them everything they need to know. Master Uncle Hye-geol and the other uncles can handle the rest. The Shaolin disciples had been practicing Mu-jins external training methods for years. With the training framework established, they could train the Zhongnan disciples sufficiently. However, Mu-gungs concern was different. I mean, is it really okay to run away like this again? I told you, theres a more significant task. Were going to capture the sessor of the Heavenly Demon! No one will scold us for this. Well, thats true The reason the Muja Trio had followed Mu-jin again waspelling: capturing the sessor of the Heavenly Demon! It was an inherently exciting mission. However, they did not ept the mission thoughtlessly. Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong had asked why they werent bringing other Shaolin elders along. To deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your allies! Moving in arge group might let the enemy escape! Mu-jins logical exnation left them without a rebuttal. Nheless, they couldnt help but worry. Are Master Uncle Hye-geol and the others okay? They couldnt help but worry about the elders who might get scolded because of them. In this regard, Is Mu-yul okay? It was rather unusual for Mu-yul, Hye-geols disciple, to participate in this nighttime escape. Hehe? Seeing Mu-yuls carefree smile, Mu-gung realized his concern was unnecessary. Chapter 223: The Next Morning The urgent voice of the Second-ss Disciple woke Hye-geol from his sleep. Sa Sa-baek-nim, we have a big problem! What could be so urgent this early in the morning? The Muja Trio has disappeared! With the Second-ss Disciples follow-up words, Hye-geols remaining drowsiness waspletely washed away. Could it be that they just went out for a walk? Having secretly visited the nearby Hwasan Sect several times with Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong, this was a hopeful thought. However, the Second-ss Disciple cruelly shattered Hye-geols hope.Here, this is a letter left by the Muja Trio. Upon confirming the letter handed to him by the Second-ss Disciple, Hye-geol felt as if the world was going dark. There wasnt much written in the letter. It was simply a training schedule detailing what exercises should be taught to the Zhongnan Sect disciples going forward. In other words, it was a request for Hye-geol and the Shaolin disciples to take over the remaining training. Though he had doubts, he never imagined they would really run away in the middle of the night again. But before he could recover from the shock, Hye-geol realized something was amiss. What about Mu-yul? What happened to Mu-yul? As his own disciple, Mu-yul should have stayed behind out of respect for him. However, the Second-ss Disciple merely avoided Hye-geols desperate gaze. Hahaha Watching Hye-geol, who seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, the Second-ss Disciple cautiously delivered one more piece of information he had yet to share. And some of the training equipment has disappeared as well. Training equipment? Yes. Upon inspection, it seems the items Mu-jin used and a cart are missing. Haha Hahaha Hye-geol could onlyugh helplessly at the Second-ss Disciples exnation. How could they carry such heavy things away without anyone noticing? At this point, he wouldnt be able to argue even if he were punished for neglect of duty. Mu-jin, who had dumped the training onto Hye-geol and the Shaolin disciples, continued moving westward with hispanions, pulling the cart. Of course, pulling the cart didnt mean driving horses. They took turns dragging the cart in shifts, and asionally stopped to do strength training. How could I neglect my body after all the effort put into it? I cant afford to lose muscle! Even for Mu-jin, carrying such heavy items was quite a gamble. However, his body, which had already reached human limits, would lose muscle if neglected even a little. ? While it wouldnt be a drastic loss of muscle each day, even a slight decrease was enough to make Mu-jin frantic. Although the constant pulling of the cart could strain his muscles, Mu-jin used a trick. By using his internal energy during strenuous activities like cart pulling, he could reduce the effort needed to just jogging lightly. But maintaining muscles requires more than just exercise. To sustain hispressed muscles, he needed an extraordinary amount of calories and protein. As a result, the cart they used was always stocked with food. Whenever they arrived at a vige or town, they would load up on a massive amount of food, and Mu-jin would constantly munch on something. Mu-jin! This is delicious too! Ook! Ook! Thanks to this, the group also enjoyed bountiful meals every day. Watching the Muja Trio devour meat with greasy hands, Mu-jin smiled contentedly. Who would think they are monks? Hahaha. There was no need to hide their monk status anymore. Enjoying delicious meals daily seemed to make the Quartet forget any worries about their night escape as they continued westward. Looking at a ce hed never seen before in his life, Mu-gung asked, So, is this where the Heavenly Demons sessor is? More precisely, he is expected toe here soon. Is it true that this sessor ns to attack Pot Pce? The ce they arrived at was Tibet, famous for the Pot Pce, a location often referred to as outernds in the martial world. But Mu-jin shook his head at Mu-gungs question. This is just a waypoint for them. Their destination is Nanyue. And in the journey to Nanyue, the future Heavenly Demon would sh with the Blood Monk. So, Mu-jin nned to wait at the ce where this battle was described in the novel, intending to orchestrate a fight between Mu-gyeong and the future Heavenly Demon. What? Why? Seeing the sinister look in Mu-jins eyes, Mu-gyeong stepped back, covering himself with his hands. Anyone would think Im about to attack him, you crazy idiot. By the way, crazy idiot wasnt an insult, at least not to Mu-gyeong. It was simply a statement of fact. Hmm. So, do you know where they will pass through? Ignoring Mu-gyeong, Mu-gung asked, and Mu-jin nodded lightly. Linzhi. Theres no better route to Nanyue from Tibet than through there. Of course, this was just based on what he had read in the novel. Linzhi bordered Arunachal Pradesh in Nanyue, with a towering mountain range between the two regions. The worldsrgest mountain range, the Everest range. However, the mountain range between Linzhi and Arunachal Pradesh was the tail end of the Everest range, with a height and terrain manageable for skilled martial artists. So those who couldnt freely enter and exit Zhongyuan would pass through Linzhi to reach Nanyue instead of taking the route through Yunnan. In the first part of the novel, the Blood Monk caused havoc in the Linzhi area. It would be quite peaceful here now, thanks to this guy. Thinking this, Mu-jin looked at Mu-gyeong with satisfaction. Originally, he would have been a mad killer who ughtered vigers and drank their blood. But after meeting Mu-jin, he had reformed, though still crazy, at least not a blood-drinking killer anymore. A significant improvement indeed. Was there any greater achievement? Why are you looking at me like that again? As Mu-gyeong stepped back again, covering himself with his hands, Mu-jins pleased smile turned into a frown. Is that Linzhi? It seems so. After a long journey pulling the cart, Mu-jin and his group finally reached their destination. But something was off. Though he expected Linzhi to be peaceful, the locals gazes were filled with hostility. Is it because they are a rural vige and wary of outsiders? However, the intensity of their hostility and suspicion was too strong for that to be the reason. Whats wrong with them? Its because of you. To Mu-jins mumbling, Mu-gyeong responded. Me? Why? Because you made me look like this. Isnt it natural for them to be scared? Mu-jin ignored Mu-gyeongsint about his bruised eyes. Who told him to treat people like weirdos? Since there was no use in specting alone, Mu-jin headed to the inn. After securing a room and ordering food, he discreetly handed the innkeeper some money and asked if there were any problems in the vige. The answer was rather predictable. Theres a group of bandits or mountain bandits called the ck Wolf Brigade causing trouble. Expecting peace due to the absence of the Blood Monk was naive. Evil men were everywhere. Without the Blood Monk, the small fry were running rampant. Or maybe the Blood Monk devoured them and settled here. In fact, the Linzhi area had conditions favorable for viins. There was the Pot Pce, a Buddhist sect simr to the Shaolin or Emei of Zhongyuan. But the pce was hundreds of li away, and the Blood Monk often pretended to be a monk from Pot Pce to deceive people. But why are they called bandits or mountain bandits? They ride into the vige on horses, but when a monk from Pot Pce came to capture them, they hid in the mountains. So, its hard to catch them. Mu-jin nodded at the innkeepers exnation. The Blood Monk had shown simr behavior, attacking in groups and then fleeing to the mountains. The difference was that the bandits merely fled, while the Blood Monk lured his enemies into the mountains for individual fights. Its possible that the Blood Monk devoured those bandits and settled here. Given the simr behavior, it seemed likely. After hearing the innkeepers exnation, Mu-gung spoke to Mu-jin. Shouldnt we deal with those bandits? Mu-yul and Ling-ling nodded in agreement. Many vigers had suffered, and dozens had been killed or kidnapped by them, making them deserving of death. Of course. But even as Mu-jin answered, he had other thoughts. This might actually be a good opportunity. I was wondering how to draw out the Heavenly Demon. In martial arts novels, demon cults often appeared, usually falling into three categories. First, as pure evil antagonists, depicted as bloodthirsty madmen like Mu-gyeong. Second, as supporting characters helping the protagonist or even the protagonist being a member of the demon cult, often misunderstood as evil by the Imperial Court or the Nine Great Sects. Third, as groups driven by the logic of power, where the protagonist would cleanse them. In the first part of the Ga-gyeong trilogy, Record of the Heavenly Demons Return, the demon cult was more like the third type. Initially leaning towards the first, it eventually got cleansed by the Heavenly Demon. In this world, the demon cult valued strength, learning fast-growing demon techniques. And these demon techniques fell into two categories: those that grew stronger by absorbing others blood or essence, like the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique used by the Blood Monk, and those that grew quickly butcked stability, prone to causing Qi deviation and madness. The novels Heavenly Demon despised the first type of techniques and viewed sumbing to Qi deviation as pathetic. He valued strong willpower to master unstable demon techniques without losing oneself, believing it to be the true warriors spirit. Hence, he detested warriors who harassed civilians, earning the moniker Demon Hero. Such a man wouldnt tolerate bandits on his way. Even if hispanions tried to stop him, he wouldnt relent. Just like in the novel. As a member of the demon cults forces, he asked hisrades to go ahead to Nanyue, while he stayed back to track the Blood Monk. This time, Mu-jin nned to use the bandits instead of the Blood Monk. Chapter 224: The Greatest Prodigy in the World After spending a day resting in Limji to shake off their fatigue, Mu-jin and his party purchased two horses before heading towards the mountains. Why did we buy horses? To make it easier to move around in the mountains, I suppose, Mu-gung replied. Come on, knowing him, hed probably prefer the uphill walk for the muscle benefits, Mu-gyeong scoffed. Riding the horses made the journey morefortable, prompting Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong to exchange idle chatter. Of course, we bought them to attract bandits. We dont even know where those bastards are hiding, Mu-jin exined. Oh! Because bandits go crazy over horses? Thats part of it, but if we push the cart without horses, wouldnt they suspect were experts? Especially on such a steep mountain?Mu-jin handed over some cloth and wooden poles he had prepared the night before at the inn to Mu-gung. Whats this? With a puzzled look, Mu-gung unfolded the cloth, revealing the character [L] (Western Wind) written on it. If were going to lure them, we might as well do it properly, right? From now on, were the Western Wind Caravan. Got it? Understanding Mu-jins n, Mu-gung nodded and attached the wooden poles to the side of the cart, tying the cloth to them. Arge cart with two horses pulling it. With the g waving, they looked like a small trading caravan. They leisurely made their way up the mountain with the cart. Hohoho. As the figures rapidly approached from the mountain, a sinister smile crept onto Mu-jins face. Weve got them. About a dozen rough-looking men on horseback were charging towards them. Without a doubt, they were the infamous ck Wolf Brigade. When they got close enough that even ordinary people could clearly see them, Mu-jin stopped the cart abruptly. Feigning panic, he tried to turn the cart around. Hahaha! Its toote for that! Hand over all your goods quietly, and well spare your lives! By the time Mu-jin had managed to turn the cart halfway, the bandits had already surrounded them. P-please, just spare our lives! Ignoring the puzzled looks from hispanions, Mu-jin put on a show, causing the bandits to smile even more wickedly. Hahaha! Looks like this idiot values his life after all! The banditsughed at Mu-jin and began dismounting one by one. Tch. Some of them are cautious. Still, about half of them remained on their horses. Mu-jins feigned panic and begging for life were all tactics to make them stop. If the mounted bandits scattered, some might escape. Still, with half dismounted, we should be able to handle them. Mu-jin signaled to hispanions, indicating which of the mounted bandits each should target. As soon as everything was set, Mu-jin sprang into action. Hahaha! If you value your life Before the bandit could finish, Mu-jins fist smashed into his face. Just subdue them, dont kill! As Mu-jin issued hismand and leapt forward, his target was the furthest bandit who had yet to dismount. The bandit tried to spur his horse, but Mu-jin reached him before it could gain speed. Bam! Another bandit was down before he even knew what hit him. Looking back, Mu-jin saw the rest of the mounted bandits were also subdued by the Muja Trio. The remaining bandits who had dismounted to approach the cart turned pale, staring at Mu-jins party. * * * What did you say earlier? That only a fool would beg for his life? Im sorry!! At Mu-jins question, the bandit, now groveling on the ground, shouted in a panic. Hmm. Seems like you didnt value your life much, huh? Please, spare me! The bandit, still groveling, grabbed Mu-jins pants. Who told you to stand up? Bam! But Mu-jin was not in the mood to be lenient. Please, please spare me! The bandit, kicked away by Mu-jin, crawled back and clutched his pants again. What should we do with him? I feel like killing them all. As soon as Mu-jin finished speaking, the other bandits, still groveling, quickly stomped on their fellow bandit and forced him back into a groveling position. They resumed their original positions, faces pressed to the ground. Meanwhile, watching Mu-jin harass the bandits, Mu-gyeong asked. Whats up, Mu-jin? What do you mean? Arent you going to kill them? Dont say that. If you say it, it sounds serious. I was serious You heartless fool. Why are you so quick to kill? Mu-jins response made Mu-gyeong clutch his head in frustration. Undoubtedly, Mu-jin had killed twice as many people in their martial exploitspared to him. Listening to the conversation, cold sweat ran down the bandits backs. Hmm. Looks like weve scared them enough. Mu-jin wasnt nning to just scare and let them go. They were to be used as bait. Everyone, up! Everyone, up!! Their response was thunderous. Now, guide us to your main camp. O-our main camp? What? Do I need to start over? No, sir! The bandits eagerly led Mu-jin and his group somewhere. Indeed, the usual lot respond well to beatings. Only the brainwashed ones from Shinchun were exceptions. The bandits guided them to theirir. Once Mu-jin spotted the hideout from a distance, he dashed forward using his martial arts. Iing! Crash! Sounds of breaking, squeals, and screams mingled for a moment. Peace descended on the ck Wolf Brigades hideout. Having swiftly dealt with the bandits, Mu-jin addressed the groveling bandits. From now on, this ce is under our control. He pointed to Mu-gung. And this man is your new leader. With a resigned look, Mu-gung sighed. Is it me again? * * * Could it be that experience really is something that cant be ignored? Contrary to his initial whining, Mu-gung began to take control of the bandits in various ways. Hahaha! You idiots! How do you expect to defend this camp if the constablese knocking? W-were bandits, so this isnt really a camp Did you just talk back to your leader? From this moment, youre the lowest rank. At Mu-gungs signal, the other bandits started stomping on the newly demoted bandit. In no time, Mu-gung had dominated the bandits and began directing them to improve the camp. Mu-gung, shouldnt you have chosen a different career? thought Mu-jin,ughing incredulously at the absurd scene. Mu-jin approached Mu-gung and said, Im going to take about ten men and head back to Limji, Leader. Hohoho. Do as you wish, Deputy Leader. Mu-jin shook his head at Mu-gungs pleasure in being called the leader and headed to Limji with some of the ck Wolf Brigade bandits. Mu-jin didnt intend to hand the bandits over to the authorities. Hahaha! Hand over your goods, and well spare your lives! Surprisingly, Mu-jin was engaging in banditry with the bandits. He hadnt truly be a bandit, though. He simply wanted to spread the word that the ck Wolf Brigade was still active in Limji. C Anyone who harms civilians will face the same fate upon return. Mu-jin instructed them to only destroy property and take a small amount of money. Of course, he nned topensate for the damages afterward. Dayster, a group of about ten people arrived in Limji. Just as Mu-jin and his group had noticed the eerie atmosphere when they first arrived, this new group sensed the same. One man in his early to mid-twenties stepped forward after sending a message to the middle-aged man at the front. C Ill go investigate, Leader. The man, with strong features and handsome looks, approached a vige woman and asked, Miss, is there a problem here? His deep, resonant voice and striking appearance made the woman blush as she exined the situation. After hearing the details, the man reported back to the middle-aged leader. Bandits, huh Though the existence of bandits bothering civilians was troubling, it wasnt their concern. They were on their way to southernnds under orders from their sect, so they couldnt afford to get involved in trivial matters. As the middle-aged leader thought this, he saw the determined look on the younger mans face. Though outwardly stoic, he could sense the anger the young man was holding back. C Do you want to eradicate the bandits? C Yes, Leader. C This is not Cheonghae, its Western Tibet. If you draw the attention of Podp Pce, it could getplicated. C If I act alone and quickly handle them, news wont reach Podp Pce. C It sounds like youre saying youll handle it alone, even if I refuse. C Its better to handle despicable bandits alone. If many of us go, theyll hide. The leader didnt bother to say it was dangerous for him to go alone. Could this man really fall to mere bandits? It was unthinkable. They were members of the Red Tiger Squad, one of the powerful groups of the Heavenly Demon Cult. They wouldnt lose tomon bandits. Moreover, this man was the most skilled among the Red Tiger Squad members, even surpassing the leader himself. An extraordinary talent. Not just in martial arts, but in all aspects, this mans skills had been vital in ensuring the squads survival through numerous battles over the past two years. He had grown at an incredible pace, bing far stronger than when he first joined. Blood doesnt lie. Yet, it was because of this mans lineage that the middle-aged leader remained in charge. With his mixed heritage, the young man faced jealousy and envy, so he acted as the leader in name only to protect him. Given his abilities, handling the bandits and rejoining the group within three days shouldnt be difficult. C Ill give you three days. We will move ahead to the rendezvous point and join the others. You must catch up within that time. C Thank you for your consideration, Leader. Their conversation was transmitted silently, so there was no need for formal bows. The young warrior, inheritor of the Heavenly Demons blood, quietly parted ways with his group and began tracking the bandits. * * * After several days of causing havoc in the vige with the bandits, Mu-jin wondered when his target would appear. When will hee? Growing impatient, Mu-jin continued to harass the bandits and train with weights. Then, the lookout at the ck Wolf Brigades hideout shouted urgently. Who goes there? Turning his gaze, Mu-jin saw a man standing alone. Just as they say, speak of the tiger and it will appear. The man was unmistakably the one Mu-jin had been waiting for. The protagonist of the first part of the novel. The greatest prodigy in the world. The future Heavenly Demon. Ou-yang Pae (Gyng Pi). Finally, Mu-jin was meeting the protagonist of the first part of the novel, following his encounter with the protagonist of the second part, Dao Yuetian. However, Mu-jins expression wasnt entirely pleased. For the same reason he recognized Ou-yang Pae immediately. Wow. Damn, hes insanely handsome. Seeing him in reality, he was a strikingly handsome man who could outshine movie stars, with a full head of thick hair, making Mu-jin feel a strange sense of inferiority. Chapter 225: The Greatest Genius in the World The sense of deprivation was not felt by Mu-jin alone. Whos that guy? A really unlucky guy just showed up. Some of the bandits frowned when they recognized Ou-yang Paes face. Especially the bald ones reacted particrly violently. Well, with more than twenty bandits, it was natural that some showed normal reactions. Hehe, his face is quite handsome. If we sell him in the ve market, we could make quite a bit of money. This was a typical reaction by bandit standards.However, regardless of what the bandits were saying, Ou-yang Pae merely scanned the area with an emotionless face. Ou-yang Pae quickly assessed the number of enemies, the state of the battlefield, and potential trap locations, and then he moved. Hehe, before we sell him in the ve market, maybe once Swish! It started with the bandit who was about to say something filthy near Ou-yang Pae. Before he could finish his sentence, the bandits head was separated from his neck. Swish! Swish! Argh! A bloodbath began in the banditsir. Watching from behind, Mu-gyeong asked Mu-jin. Are you not going to move? I should. Mu-jin replied to Mu-gyeong and headed not towards Ou-yang Pae, who was massacring the bandits. Help us, leader! Whos your leader? Crack! Mu-jin instantly crushed the head of a bandit who had been with them for the past few days. Mu-jin had already heard all about the heinous crimes these bandits hadmitted in Linzhi. He didnt think that just a few days of suffering could pay for their sins, nor did he believe that they would turn over a new leaf. Thanks to Mu-jin and his party joining the fray, it took less than one Daegyeong for the twenty or so bandits to be wiped out. After shaking the blood off his sword, Ou-yang Pae looked at Mu-jins group. Whatever he does, he looks like the protagonist of a movie. It was amon action performed by other swordsmen, but when he did it, it looked like a scene from a martial arts movie. As Mu-jin entertained these random thoughts, Ou-yang Pae spoke. Who are you? It was natural to assume they were with the bandits, given they were together. But they suddenly started attacking the bandits the moment he appeared. If they had been captives, they wouldnt have been captured by these low-level bandits in the first ce. It was a suspicious situation in many ways. However, in response to Ou-yang Paes question, the man in the center cleaned his ear with a casual demeanor and spoke. Phew. Its polite to introduce yourself first when asking someone elses identity, isnt it? Thats true. I am Ou-yang Pae. Now, who are you? Mu-jin, now certain of his identity after hearing his name, nodded. He was confident enough about the circumstances, but hearing the name removed any doubt. We are from Shaolin. Are you really from the righteous faction? Ou-yang Paes aura became noticeably more hostile. Ow-ki! As Ling-ling cried out in surprise at the threatening atmosphere, Mu-yul patted Ling-lings head. Dont worry. We have no hobby of ganging up on one person. Mu-jin, who had spoken to Ou-yang Pae, looked at Mu-gyeong. Me? When Mu-gyeong pointed to himself, Mu-jin nodded and sent him a message through telepathy. C Thats the guy. The sessor of the Heavenly Demon I told you about. Mu-gyeongs expression changed upon hearing Mu-jins telepathy. No matter what anyone said, he was a disciple of the Anti-Demon Monk Hye-gwan and had pledged to kill demons, not ordinary people. If the opponent was ackey of the Demonic Cult, there was no reason to hold back. As expected of dogs of the righteous faction, you are extremely arrogant. As Mu-gyeong stepped forward alone, a murderous intent flickered in Ou-yang Paes eyes. And without anyone needing to signal, the two men shed. Whoosh! Although it seemed like random swings, Ou-yang Paes sword, imbued with a high level of skill, radiated sword energy. ng! The one who met that sword energy was Mu-gyeong with his Vajra Divine General technique. While the gold-colored raindrops created by Mu-gyeongs technique blocked the sword energy, Mu-gyeongs palm, undergoing a series of mysterious changes, targeted Ou-yang Paes dantian. Hah! However, as if he could read all the mysterious changes, Ou-yang Pae easily blocked or deflected Mu-gyeongs attacks and even counterattacked. Wow. Watching from what could be called a front-row seat, Mu-jin couldnt help but let out an exmation. A fight between a blood sessor and the Heavenly Demon he had seen in novels. Seeing it in real life was an emotional experience. The two exchanged more than a dozen moves in an instant, but the number of shes was just about that much. The essence and will contained in each of their techniques and swords changed rapidly with every moment. Mu-gyeong was applying various martial arts he had learned from Shaolin, numerous practical experiences, and the martial arts learned at the Yongbongji Conference. ? Ou-yang Pae also employed numerous martial arts he had learned from the Demonic Path Institute. Furthermore, he disyed countless martial arts he had mastered during thest two years on the battlefield. It was a highly intense and bnced life-and-death struggle, truly deserving of the term match between two equally skilled opponents. Oh, its dizzying. With his average martial talent, Mu-jin felt nauseated just watching theplex battle. However, despite his average talent, Mu-jins excellent intuition allowed him to easily read the direction of the fight. Mu-gyeong is slightly ahead. The biggest difference wasing from the Vajra Divine General technique. It must have been difficult for Ou-yang Pae to stay focused with the golden rain flying in from all directions while his fists and swords shed. ng! Barely deflecting Mu-gyeongs onught, Ou-yang Pae took a step back and spoke. Are you really from Shaolin? Can you not believe it even though the demonic energy is shaken by the power of Buddhism? At Mu-gyeongs counter-question, Ou-yang Pae grimaced and responded. Then what is this demonic technique you are using? Indeed, after a few shes, Ou-yang Pae had noticed the true nature of the Vajra Divine General technique as a demonic technique. It was possible because he had the talent to perfectly steal martial arts and divine techniques just by seeing them a few times. Martial arts are just tools. Even if they are created with demonic techniques, if they are transformed into Buddhist techniques, they are just Buddhist techniques. Mu-gyeong answered and then activated the Vajra Divine General technique once again. But why was that? At Mu-gyeongs words, Ou-yang Paes alreadyrge and intense eyes widened. Mu-jin, who had read the first part of the novel, realized what the symptom was. Ha. A freaking talented monster. It was clear that Ou-yang Pae had gained an epiphany from Mu-gyeongs words. Indeed, the moment Mu-gyeongunched the golden energy towards Ou-yang Pae, Bam! A ck aura emanated from Ou-yang Paes fist, which had already assumed the stance for a direct punch. Although it was a martial art derived from demonic energy, Mu-gung stammered as he observed the form of the emitted energy. Isnt that the Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist? Mu-jin nodded at Mu-gungs words. Anyone could see it was one of the Seventy-two Consummate Arts of Shaolin that Mu-gyeong had used during the life-and-death battle: the Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist. How can you use the Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist, which possesses the nature of exorcism, with demonic energy? To that question, Ou-yang Pae responded nonchntly. Didnt you say that martial arts are merely tools? The nature of exorcism means it has an opposing attribute. I merely reversed the flow of demonic energy to perform what you disyed with Buddhist power. At his answer, Mu-gyeong nodded, realizing the truth. And then they both fell silent and began to engage in a serious fight again. Watching their duel, Mu-gung muttered to himself. Is that even possible? Mu-gung, who had rarely cursed while pretending to be a monk, couldnt hold back his anger and cursed. To reverse demonic energy to perform Buddhist martial arts? It was easier said than done. Anyone else would have ended up in Qi Deviation and taken an express trip to Yama. Although he had been cultivating his mind, it had been a long time since he felt this miserable about his average talent. Hehe. Ow-ki? Next to him, Mu-yul, who didnt understand their conversation at all, simply smiled brightly. Meanwhile, the two continued their life-and-death battle. No, it seemed less like a life-and-death struggle and more like a sparring session to elevate each others level. At some point, Ou-yang Pae began stealing Mu-gyeongs martial arts and performing Shaolins techniques with demonic energy. Mixing them with the demonic techniques he originally used. Mu-gyeong did the same. He stole Ou-yang Paes demonic techniques and the martial arts he had learned in actualbat over the past two years and performed them with Buddhist power. It was a spectacle of madness by madmen. Although it was an absurd sight, Mu-jins face was filled with a mix of anticipation. This part is just like the novel. In the novel, the blood sessor used Buddhist martial arts with Blood Demon Qi. Ou-yang Pae had also seeded in stealing the Buddhist martial arts used by the blood sessor after gaining an epiphany from that. However, Ou-yang Paes enlightenment did not end there. In reality, their fight had only just be even. Ou-yang Pae was not yet overwhelmingly dominant. While Mu-jin was lost in such thoughts, As he exchangedplex hand movements with Mu-gyeong, a thread of realization was waving in the back of Ou-yang Paes mind. His talent, bestowed by the heavens, seemed to be telling him that this was not the end. I can now perform righteous faction martial arts with demonic energy. So, what is still missing? As he questioned himself as if solving a riddle, exchanging moves with Mu-gyeong several times, Hah! Hup! A powerful explosion urred again as golden energy mixed with Buddhist power and ck sword energy made from demonic power shed. Simultaneously, a sh of enlightenment exploded in Ou-yang Paes mind. When opposing energies collide, they cause an extraordinary explosion. Cant I artificially make these two energies collide? Ou-yang Pae, blessed with talent from the heavens, began to search for the answer to his question. A portion of the immense demonic energy coiled in his dantian started to reverse its original flow. As if following the pure flow of a righteous factions internal energy technique. Meanwhile, the remaining part continued to operate ording to its original demonic flow. As the purified energy and the demonic energy began to mix through Ou-yang Paes palm, Crackle. Gray lightning began to surge through Ou-yang Paes sword. Mu-jins eyes widened as if struck by lightning upon witnessing the scene. The Primordial Chaos Divine Art! He was witnessing the beginning of the invincible divine art that wouldter lead Ou-yang Pae to the position of Heavenly Demon. The divine art involved operating two opposing internal energies and making them collide at precisely the necessary point to create an explosive force. Naturally, handling two opposing energies simultaneously was theoretically possible but practically unfeasible. Furthermore, it wasnt just storing demonic and Buddhist energy separately in the body, but also reversing demonic energy to create Buddhist energy on the spot. This was a true divine art that only the worlds greatest genius, Ou-yang Pae, couldprehend and perform. And Ou-yang Pae realized the beginning of the Primordial Chaos Divine Art during his life-and-death struggle with the blood sessor. The emergence of that gray lightning indicated that he had indeed gained the same enlightenment as in the novel. Phew. But now was not the time to simply be pleased. No matter how skilled Mu-gyeong was, he couldnt block that attack. Moreover, letting Mu-gyeong die like in the novel was not an option. At the moment when Ou-yang Pae swung the gray lightning,bining demonic and Buddhist energy, towards Mu-gyeong, Bam! Golden energy burst forth from Mu-jins right fist, which had already assumed the stance for a direct punch. Mu-jin, using all his internal energy,unched the Invincible Divine Fist to save Mu-gyeong, and it collided with Ou-yang Paes gray lightning. Crackle! The gray lightning, which wouldter be the beginning of the Primordial Chaos Divine Art, crumbled with a thunderous sound as if screaming. Boom. Even after destroying the gray lightning, the energy of the Invincible Divine Fist continued towards Ou-yang Pae. In that moment, Ou-yang Pae hurriedly raised his sword to block the golden energy. Bang!!! When the dust settled after a massive explosion, This is bad. Ou-yang Pae was seen lying on the ground, coughing up blood. Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Small Pce Why did Mu-jin insist on dragging Mu-gyeong to find Ou-yang Pae? It was because he needed to gain enlightenment from the match with Mu-gyeong to ovee the impending crisis when they went to the Southern Barbarians. Cough. However, if he was in such a half-dead state, enlightenment or not, the moment they went to the Southern Barbarians, a journey to the afterlife was guaranteed. Damn. I unknowingly thought of him as the Heavenly Demon. Meeting the blood sessor was supposed to be around the middle of the storyline. He was not yet the fully realized Heavenly Demon. Even his invincible Primordial Chaos Divine Art was only in its nascent stage, yet Mu-jin, shocked alone, had used his full strength to unleash the Invincible Divine Fist. But regret aside, saving him was the priority.Get a grip! As Mu-jin hurriedly approached him and shouted, Ou-yang Pae, spitting blood, responded in a solemn tone. Kill me. Kill you? What nonsense. There was no way to overturn the novels plot. If you die, who will purify the Demon Cult? Are you, a warrior of your caliber, trying to mock me? Kill me cleanly, like a true warrior. Cough. Stop talking nonsense, you crazy bastard. Im not going to kill you. You must have some internal injury medicine! Where is it? Huh? After rummaging through Ou-yang Paes clothes, Mu-jin managed to find a pill. Is this for internal injuries? Seeing the Shaolin monk trying to save him, Ou-yang Pae looked at Mu-jin with a confused expression. From Mu-jins perspective, he was desperate to save him as soon as possible. Damn it! Is it the right medicine? If it is, take it! Take it first and then decide whether to die or live. In response to Mu-jins urgent words, Ou-yang Pae, seemingly wanting to live, epted and swallowed the medicine. Mu-jin supported Ou-yang Pae, helping him sit in a position conducive to conducting Qi. Whether it was the efficacy of the internal medicine or the quick Qi cirction, color gradually returned to Ou-yang Paes pale face. Mu-jin, what are you doing? Meanwhile, the rest of the group, who had witnessed the whole scene, were puzzled. He had turned the sessor of the Heavenly Demon into a half-dead state, and now he was trying to save him. Arent you going to kill him? Isnt he the sessor of the Heavenly Demon? At Mu-gyeongs words, the face of Ou-yang Pae, who was stably conducting Qi, suddenly turned pale. You, a disciple of Buddhism, why are you talking about killing everyone? Arent you a disciple of Buddhism? Thats why Im trying to save him. I bet the number of people youve killed would be in the triple digits. Eh, they were all people who deserved to die. And he doesnt? As Mu-jin argued with Mu-gyeong and Mu-gung over whether to kill or save him, Ou-yang Paes face alternated between red and pale as he conducted Qi. Theres now saying that just because someone is from the Demon Cult, they are a bad person. Considering he came here and killed the bandits, he might actually be a good guy. Then why did you tell me to fight him? Though it was to give Ou-yang Pae enlightenment, Mu-jin couldnt say that directly. Well, since hes from the Demon Cult, I thought itd be safer to subdue him first and then talk. As Mu-jin continued to spout sophistry, Mu-gyeong and Mu-gung sighed and gave up trying to persuade him. They assumed there must be some reason behind his actions. How long had the Muja Quartet and Ling-ling been silently watching Ou-yang Paes Qi cirction? Whew. With a deep sigh, Ou-yang Pae opened his eyes and spoke. Whether you kill me or save me, please make a decision. Despite his severe internal injuries, he was conducting Qi with reckless demonic arts. In a situation requiring absolute stability, the constant talk of killing or saving him nearby was a miracle that he hadnt fallen into Qi Deviation. No, it was because he was Ou-yang Pae that he hadnt fallen into Qi Deviation. Any other demonic practitioner would have died a hundred times from Qi Deviation in this situation. Of course, Mu-jin was unperturbed. See? I saved you. Whew. Realizing that it was impossible to have a normal conversation with this man, Ou-yang Pae sighed deeply. Thank you for your mercy. If I ever meet a Shaolin monk in the future, I promise never to draw my sword first. As Ou-yang Pae made a vow with a sped fist, Mu-jin nodded and looked at hispanions. See? He looks like a decent guy to me. What if hes lying? Mu-jin made a disappointed face at Mu-gyeongs question. Mu-gyeong, since when did you be so mistrustful of people? Always suspecting first is a bad habit. Mu-gyeong felt a headacheing on. Was this the same guy they worried about for being too naive in Guangxi Province? Surprisingly, Ou-yang Pae stepped in for Mu-gyeong. I swear on my name. I, Ou-yang Pae, would rather die than deceive someone to save myself. Mu-gyeong asked. How can we trust the words of a demon practitioner? Did you not say that martial arts are just tools? Are you condemning me as a demon just because I practice demonic arts? I learned demonic arts to be stronger, but I have never lost my sanity to demonic energy, nor have I oppressed the innocent. I thought you, who exchanged techniques with me, would understand. Indeed, after experiencing Ou-yang Paes exceptional talent through a life-and-death match, Mu-gyeong couldnt easily refute. However, Mu-gung, who had been watching, couldnt ept it and questioned back. Thats sophistry. Mu-gyeong modified the demonic arts to suit Buddhist martial arts, so there are no side effects. But demonic arts inherently have side effects, dont they? He might be fine now, but who knows when hell be consumed by demonic energy? Thats the real sophistry. If you punish people for the potential to be murderers, are you nning to kill every human in this world? Also, whether you believe it or not, I despise those who are consumed by demonic energy. Those who mortgage their soul to a tool dont deserve to be called warriors. When even Mu-gung had no retort, surprisingly, Mu-jin countered Ou-yang Paes words. Stop the nonsense. Even though he had just been helping to save Ou-yang Pae. * * * Thats something only you and Mu-gyeong, being geniuses, can say. Damn it. If only one out of ten thousand survives and the rest die, its not a miraculous elixir but poison. For Mu-jin, the second protagonist Dao Yuetian and the first protagonist Ou-yang Pae approached him differently. When he first encountered wuxia novels as a middle schooler, Ou-yang Pae was the embodiment of romance. Born as an illegitimate child, suffering all sorts of persecution and assassination attempts, he overcame all obstacles with innate talent and seized the throne. However, meeting him in his mid-thirties left a different impression. Honestly, hes just a privileged guy, right? Despite all the discrimination, his ridiculous talent itself was a privilege. Although he faced countless assassination attempts and hardships, in the end, he lost nothing. Unlike Dao Yuetian, who lost his entire family and grew stronger by enduring hardships for revenge. It felt like Reading an autobiography cum self-help book written by someone with an IQ over 150, who, despite being from a poor family, worked hard to enter Seoul National University and then continued to seed and be a billionaire. Of course, while reading it as a novel, one might think, Wow, I wish I were like that too. But meeting him in person, if he started saying, I was also unhappy, but I overcame it with effort!, youd just want to punch him in the face. Damn it. Hes even good-looking. It was definitely not because of his movie-star looks. Definitely not. So, have you decided to kill me? Ou-yang Pae asked, with a face that showed no shame, as if saying, Kill me if you can; Im confident. Is this guy filming a movie? Despite the cringe-worthy lines and expressions, when he did it, it felt like a scene from a film. Kill you? What nonsense. Just change your thinking. Stop thinking that those who cant do what you did are trash. Youre smart, right? Fix the side effects of demonic arts and teach them to your subordinates? Huh? Teach safer martial arts to those who seem likely to lose their minds. Do you understand? So, you mean my thoughts were arrogant. Ill do as you say for those under my influence. Realizing that he understood his words, Mu-jin nodded and asked, Anyway, where are you nning to go now? Why do you ask about my destination? To escort you. Youre not fully recovered yet. If you die while traveling alone, it would seem like we killed you. Inflicting severe internal injuries, helping him with Qi cirction, Criticizing him just moments ago, and suddenly showing kindness. Due to Mu-jins inconsistent attitude, Ou-yang Pae began to understand why demonic practitioners get consumed by demonic arts. He felt that if this continued, he too might fall into Qi Deviation. * * * Somehow, Mu-jin managed to persuade the group and Ou-yang Pae, and they crossed the mountains with him in a carriage. Before long, they arrived at Zangnan (Arunachal Pradesh), but the members of the Red Tiger Group were not there. It seems they have already left. The ce they had promised to meet was not Zangnan. Moreover, the Red Tiger Group was not a small group of just a dozen people. Originally consisting of fifty members, they were divided into four groups, each using different methods to illegally enter the Southern Barbarians for safety. Naturally, the rendezvous point was much further south, and the group leader had given three days, meaning they should head there if they couldnt join at Zangnan. From now on, Ill travel alone. Ou-yang Pae, indicating he couldnt owe them any more, said this, but Mu-jin refused to ept it. Ou-yang Pae had suffered severe internal injuries. Although emergency treatment was done with internal injury medicine and Qi cirction, he needed at least a few more days to recover enough to perform martial arts normally. Sending him off alone in this state could lead to his death, causing all sorts of trouble. Well escort you until you reunite with yourrades, so just shut up and focus on recovering. Thus, Mu-jin and his groups unintended journey to the Southern Barbarians began. I never got to travel Southeast Asia even in modern times, and now Im doing it here. Thenguage, culture, and of course, the food were different. The only fortunate thing was that Ou-yang Pae knew the Southern Barbariannguage to some extent. I studied it for this mission. How long? About a day. Damn it. How can an ordinary person live like this? After just a day of studying, he had memorized most of the Southern Barbarian characters andnguage. Although his conversation and pronunciation were awkward without practice with the natives, it was still something. Of course, Ou-yang Pae was dumbfounded by the constant scolding. Ordinary person? Considering the one who broke his martial arts and turned him into a half-dead state called himself ordinary, what did that make him? A martial arts idiot? However, knowing that conversing with this person could lead to Qi Deviation, Ou-yang Pae kept silent. In any case, for this reason, Mu-jins group used Ou-yang Pae as an interpreter to find their way, order food and drink, and continue their journey. On the second day of crossing the Southern Barbarians. #@$! Some savage-looking individuals, with red-painted faces and apanied by beasts, blocked Mu-jins group. What are they saying? Theyre telling us to stop. Mu-jin, with a puzzled expression, said, Ask them why they stopped us. Ou-yang Pae, now serving as an interpreter, sighed and tranted Mu-jins words. @#$@#$#!$# !!@#$#$%#$^ After exchanging a few awkward sentences with the savage, Ou-yang Pae frowned. Whats wrong? They said, How dare you try to steal our friend. Friend? What nonsense? Ou-yang Pae moderately softened Mu-jins words and ryed them. What friend are you talking about? Are you pretending not to know when its right there in in sight? The savage, with a furious face, pointed somewhere with his finger. Although he couldnt understand the Southern Barbariannguage, Mu-jin understood the situation thanks to the gesture. Woong? The savage was pointing at Ling-ling, who was ying on Mu-yuls shoulder. Seeing that they called Ling-ling friend, it wasnt hard to guess their identity. This must be the territory of the Southern Barbarian Beast Pce Mu-jin felt things getting increasinglyplicated. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!