The woman, who had shouted, added in a ek voice, embarrassed by her own outburst.
“Um, if I gain confidence in my skills later, may I co back and request a sparring match?”
“Yes. If it’s Jegal Siju-nim, you are always welco.”
As long as she was alive, she could co back to request a sparring match.
In other words, he hoped that she, who had a high chance of dying if the novel’s flow continued, would survive.
‘To think I would be welcod anyti!’
For so reason, she blushed furiously and ran out of the hall without even saying goodbye.
“…Why do all the won 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 she’s 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 days later, Jegal Jin-hee and the Jegal family’s group left Nanchang.
It was due to Jegal-hyeon’s judgnt 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. Occasionally, he gifted Hye-gwan with drinks in exchange for guidance or sparring.
During the dayti, he treated those who ca 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 thods besides rehabilitation exercises.
Additionally, Mak Ji-hyeok and the second-in-command of the Bulgwonmun, Hwang Tae-pyeong, received extra training.
“To think that as a secular disciple, I would be given such an opportunity to learn. I am overwheld 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 sha 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 extre 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 rely preliminary mind techniques to convert the internal energy gathered in the danjeon into thunder energy or extre yang energy.
Even so, it was a level of mind technique that was not previously taught to secular 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.”
“…It’s 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 secular 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 repaynt to the secular sects that have kept their loyalty.”
‘In reality, it was just an excuse because I didn’t want to be stuck here.’
It was a chanism he set up so he could leave as soon as he finished his work here. Giving away two interdiate mind techniques that weren’t even consummate arts didn’t 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 were completed, and the free facilities were opened to the public.
That ant…
“Oh my, Buddha-Handed Novice!”
“Here, my leg hurts! Please take a look, Buddha-Handed Novice!”
In just a few days, Mu-jin’s bizarre nickna, Buddha-Handed Novice, began to spread in Nanchang.
As it beca evident that they were truly running a clinic, the clinic naturally took root in Nanchang.
However, the situation was not entirely satisfactory.
‘Hmm. I can’t seem to catch any leads.’
He still hadn’t found any evidence to prove the connection between Ryu Seol-ho and the hidden forces.
His plan 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 Gang’s answer, who had received the letter from the Cheonryu Sangdan’s 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-jin’s mind.
* * *
Cheonryu Sangdan Nanchang Branch. In the branch master’s office.
Ryu Seol-ho was feeling anxious.
“Damn it. When the hell are those damned Shaolin monks going to leave! It’s already been four months!”
Four months ago, Paedobang, which had been handling Ryu Seol-ho’s dirty work, collapsed.
He had thought that Shaolin would drive them out, but instead, Shaolin ca to Nanchang and destroyed them in just one day.
“At this rate, I won’t be able to catch up to Ryu Seol-ryong’s achievents!”
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.
They competed daily with achievents to secure the position of successor.
The only problem was that, even with the sa achievents, 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 branch’s trade by assassinating, kidnapping, imprisoning, or threatening those who interfered.
In return, Ryu Seol-ho only had to secretly mix the people they captured—kidnapped vagrants—into the trades.
This arrangent resolved complex trade issues at the lowest cost, rapidly boosting the Nanchang branch’s performance.
But that trusted Paedobang had collapsed.
“How did you handle things so poorly that even the authorities caught wind of this?”
Because of a petty sixth-rank official who seed uninterested in the plight of the vagrants.
“…I’m sorry.”
The bodyguard, unable to confront Ryu Seol-ho for the sake of their grand plan, bowed his head, swallowing his pride.
Hearing the sa 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 related to the Cheonryu Sangdan orally, just in case.
“I’m not asking for apologies! I want a solution!”
“New operatives have already been dispatched to Nanchang. They’re just waiting to avoid drawing the attention of Shaolin and Ryang Ga-won.”
“I’m telling you to co 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 had co and left humiliated. Now, high-ranking officials of Nanchang frequented that clinic, and other prestigious factions and large families were just waiting for a legitimate reason to get involved.
Just as Ryu Seol-ho was about to lash out at the bodyguard again, a voice ca from beyond the entrance to the branch master’s 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 a laugh 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-ho’s perspective, it was utterly absurd.
Since when had the Sangdanju cared about the birthdays of family mbers? Ryu Seol-ho had never even expected his own birthday to be celebrated, and even during Yeon Ga-hee’s sixtieth birthday, Ryu Ji-gwang had been working.
“They say the heart softens with age. It seems the Sangdanju is no longer fit to play his role.”
Therefore, he must oust Ryu Ji-gwang and Ryu Seol-ryong and beco the Sangdanju himself.
Perhaps it was because he was thinking that way.
As Ryu Seol-ho finished reading the letter, a plan ford in his mind.
“There are a few other branches connected to that place, aren’t there?”
“Yes, Branch Master.”
“Hmmm. In that case, those who were waiting in Nanchang will go with 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-ho’s intentions and smirked.
“I will contact the organization and send reliable n to Deungbong-hyeon in advance.”
* * *
“Could it be…?”
Mu-jin stared at the letter with a troubled expression.
Yeon Ga-hee’s seventieth birthday party. Up to this point, it wasn’t particularly 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 ti 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 planning to kill everyone at this seventieth birthday party and beco the Sangdanju…?’
In the novel, only Ryu Seol-ho and Ryu Seol-hwa were ntioned.
Mu-jin thought that perhaps Ryu Seol-ho had left Ryu Seol-hwa, who acted as Hong So-hee’s puppet, alive and eliminated the rest.
‘In the novel, the Cheonryu Sangdan is not prominently ntioned until at least 10 years from now. I assud 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 Sangdan’s power.
Ultimately, this ant that Ryu Seol-ryong had also died suddenly, and there was no better opportunity than this seventieth birthday party.
‘There’s no ti to be tracking Ryu Seol-ho’s traces.’
Folding the letter, Mu-jin made his decision.
It was ti to return to Deungbong-hyeon.
* * *
“You say you’re returning in three days?”
Mak Ji-hyuk asked with a perplexed expression at Mu-jin’s words.
“Yes. Now that Munju-nim and Hwang Tae-pyeong Siju-nim can sufficiently emit Thunder and Heat Energy, there’s no need for us to stay here any longer.”
Located in a county seat, Bulgwonmun’s leader Mak Ji-hyuk and his second-in-command 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 treatnts.
“That may be true, but they haven’t fully mastered all the techniques for massage and pressure point treatnts yet, Dongja.”
“They’re at a sufficient level to perform treatnts for now. If you require additional techniques, you can send one of your outstanding disciples or descendants to Shaolin later. 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 the last three days diligently teaching the disciples of Bulgwonmun the treatnt techniques and preparing the clinic.
And three days later.
The Shaolin disciples, having boarded the carriages they had secured in advance, set off on the road back to Deungbong-hyeon.
“…Feels like I’m forgetting sothing?”
Mu-jin glanced back at the receding view of Nanchang, puzzled for a mont.
“Oh. Today was leg day.”
Even on a journey, he couldn’t 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 popular musculoskeletal treatnt clinic, even in the absence of the Shaolin disciples.
“…They’ve 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 ablaze.
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