Genius Martial Arts Trainer

Mu-jin, who had succeeded 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 inhalation and exhalation, 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 place, it seemed to have climbed up to the fourth decimal place 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 circulated 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 wasn’t enough,

‘He, he felt the energy in just one day?’

He noticed that the amount of energy coming in and out through the child’s 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-jin’s 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 pillar of our Thousand-Year Shaolin.’

Among his peers, who were second-class disciples, he was considered the most genius, even more talented than the senior brother Beob Seong (法成).

Of course, since Beob Seong was from a martial family and had already felt energy before entering Shaolin, a direct comparison 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 his last breath and opened his eyes.

It must have been just at dusk when he started the Breath Control Technique, but now the surroundings were completely engulfed in darkness.

“I apologize, Master Uncle. I did not realize it had gotten so late.”

“It’s alright. More importantly, head back to your quarters. It will soon be time for the evening bell. I was worried you might be too late, but fortunately, you’ve woken up just in time.”

“Yes, thank you for your help, Master Uncle!”

Mu-jin, now somewhat accustomed to the unique one-handed Shaolin salute, lifted it towards Beob Gang.

“Hahaha. Now that you’ve 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 don’t I also need to memorize all the acupoints?”

“Wouldn’t you, the son of a doctor, know all the acupoints?”

“Ah… Ah, yes, I do! Hahaha. Just, just a little joke.”

“Hahaha. Quite the playful jest. It’s late, 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 explained the contents of the booklet to the children.

As the Buddha Mind Technique was an introductory martial arts technique, its content was not complex.

It simply involved the sequence of circulating 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 Buddha’s Way in the correct order.

As one progresses to higher levels, the number and sequence of acupoints become more complex, and touching the wrong acupoints could be dangerous.

Conversely, as the number and sequence of acupoints become more complex, 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 places and begin practicing the Buddha Mind Technique. If you have any questions or do not understand something, raise your hand at your place, and I or the second-class disciples will come to assist you,” Master Uncle Hye-jeong concluded his explanation on the Buddha Mind Technique.

After the explanation, Mu-jin and the other children returned to their places.

Mu-yul, who had been practicing the Breath Control Technique at his place, welcomed 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-class 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 light laugh.

“You’ll be able to do it soon too. Keep quiet or we might get scolded, so focus on your breathing for now.”

Mu-jin, while glancing around at the locations of the second-class 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 circulated the Qi mixed within the air according 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 circulating 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 places to three, but even that was a significant improvement compared to the Breath Control Technique.

‘Hehehe. Internal energy. Internal energy!’

Elated 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 was completely 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 play 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 circulating their Qi.

With the disappointment of not being able to play with his friend, Mu-yul reluctantly moved quietly and stealthily opened the door of the quarters.

“Phew.”

Having successfully 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 place 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 collapsed 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 what’s with that body?”

Dragging along what seemed to be a body.

“It’s not a body! It’s 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! It’s Mu-gyeong senior brother! He’s 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 collapsed completely.”

“Hmm. He was already collapsed like this?”

“Yeah.”

“So, why was the senior brother collapsed?”

“Hmm… I’m not really sure.”

After hearing Mu-yul’s 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 didn’t take long for Mu-jin to complete 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-jin’s mind, so he quickly dismissed the concern. Instead, what caught his eye was Mu-yul’s 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 didn’t you say you don’t know, Mu-jin?”

“I might not know but…”

Trailing off, Mu-jin lifted his hand and pointed somewhere with his finger.

“There’s 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, didn’t 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-yul’s pure praise, Mu-jin couldn’t quite feel happy about it.

He wondered if there was anyone who, by Mu-yul’s standards, wasn’t 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 glaring at Mu-jin.

Sigh

Feeling that things were getting unnecessarily complicated, Mu-jin walked over to where Mu-yul and Mu-gung were.

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