A few days later, 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.
“We’re 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, elaborate explanations.
“Then, demonstrate what you have learned.”
Despite his exhaustion from pulling the cart, Mu-gung took his stance at Hye-dam’s command and showcased the martial arts he had mastered.
Bang!
Mu-gung moved with minimal motion and simplicity. However, due to his large build and imnse strength, even his simplest movents produced powerful shockwaves.
As he watched, a faint ripple appeared in Hye-dam’s eyes.
‘His mind has beco much calr.’
In Mu-gung’s movents, 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 beco 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 man’s heart, not even twenty years old, was always wavering.
However, at Wudang, he gained a significant realization.
It wasn’t that he was lacking; 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 could compare to them at Wudang was Qing Shui, who was already famous throughout the Central Plains.
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?
‘Shaolin’s martial arts are not inferior to Wudang’s.’
He, too, was a disciple of Shaolin, which possessed techniques no less formidable than those of Wudang.
Spending ti 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 consud before leaving, Mu-gung’s movents beca faster and stronger.
Naturally, his movents 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 ti to teach Mu-gung the Seventy-two consummate arts.
* * *
He-geol, who had accompanied his disciple Mu-yul to Wudang, was deep in thought inside the pavilion.
This trip to Wudang had been greatly beneficial for his disciple.
Shaolin’s Five Fists, which emulated animal movents, pursued naturalness, resembling Daoist principles more than Buddhist ones.
Wudang’s martial arts, truly embodying Daoist principles, contrasted with the Hwasan Sect, which pursued splendor, and the Jeomchang Sect, which sought swift swordplay.
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 seed 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-yul’s martial arts to a new level.
Despite his disciple’s clear advancent, He-geol was deep in thought in the pavilion.
“Can I truly capture it?”
For a mont, he pondered this unknown worry.
“Hm. There’s no point in worrying; it’s better to take action during this ti.”
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 sowhere to be.”
“Yes, Master.”
Leaving those words with Beob-hyun, his disciple and Mu-jin’s master, Hye-geol leapt away.
And five days later.
Covered in dirt and dust as if he had been training by pulling a cart again, Hye-geol returned to Shaolin.
This ti, he brought along a peculiar pet.
Grrr.
The fierce animal, growling savagely, quieted when Hye-geol stroked its neck.
“Hahaha. Isn’t it cute, Mu-yul?”
He pointed at the now-docile animal, laughing heartily at Mu-yul.
Seeing such an animal for the first ti, Mu-yul’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Seeing this, Hye-geol laughed heartily again and spoke.
“Mu-yul! It’s finally ti to learn the Panther Fist.”
The animal Hye-geol had captured over five days.
It was a leopard.
* * *
anwhile, at the sa ti.
“Have you returned, Master Uncle?”
Mu-gyeong greeted Hye-gwan, who had returned to the secular world after a long ti on a mission.
Hye-gwan’s return from the secular world ant he had eliminated a malicious demon.
Outwardly, he appeared the sa as usual, but having spent two years together, Mu-gyeong knew.
He knew that Hye-gwan’s mood was not entirely cheerful right after returning from the secular world.
Hye-gwan, noticing Mu-gyeong’s 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, let’s see how much you’ve improved.”
Understanding Hye-gwan’s 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-gwan’s kick.
In an instant, he demonstrated the martial arts he had learned through the exchange at Wudang.
“Hahaha! You’ve learned sothing interesting.”
While Hye-gwan laughed heartily, Mu-gyeong took another step forward and launched 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 mont.
So, Hye-gwan made a bold move.
Instead of defending or evading, he folded his left leg, which Mu-gyeong had dodged, and aid his knee at Mu-gyeong’s 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 is completely gone.”
Though he had been going easy, it ant that it was becoming difficult to spar while drinking.
‘To have grown this much already.’
Hiding his satisfaction, Hye-gwan smirked.
“Well then, it’s ti to learn so real martial arts.”
“Real martial arts?”
Mu-gyeong, who had been pushed back by Hye-gwan’s 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 hard.
Instead of answering Mu-gyeong’s 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 movents and words, a golden aura flowed from Hye-gwan’s fists.
After demonstrating a total of twenty-four movents, 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 morized all the forms and key points?”
Mu-gyeong responded in a calm tone to Hye-gwan’s casual display of the Seventy-two Consummate Arts.
“I have morized 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 ti to instruct Mu-gyeong.
“Well then, let’s spar using the Vajra Exorcising Devil Fist.”
“What!? I’ve only just morized the forms and key points…”
“Hehehe. That’s enough. Martial arts are ant to be learned through real combat.”
Hye-gwan intended to teach Mu-gyeong his way.
“Wait a mont…”
“There is no ‘wait a mont’ in real combat!”
As Mu-gyeong cried out in panic, Hye-gwan’s fist, glowing with a golden aura, had already closed in on him.
“How do I generate the fist energy!?”
“If you don’t know, learn while getting hit!”
From Hye-gwan’s pavilion, the sounds of wailing once again echoed.
* * *
While the three mbers of Yunja-bae were engrossed in learning new martial arts, Mu-jin was calmly assessing himself at Hyun-gwang’s place.
‘My strength and Jade Vajra Technique are steadily improving.’
He had entered a temporary plateau 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 accustod to it.
Of course, training to the point of injury was another matter entirely.
The phrase, “What doesn’t 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 occasionally alter the exercise thods.
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 so 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 pri 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 occurred, Mu-jin’s 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 sotis 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?”
“That’s right, Grandfather.”
“There is a Shaolin technique that deeply considers sending qi further.”
At Hyun-gwang’s words, Mu-jin’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“What technique is that?”
Instead of answering imdiately, Hyun-gwang took his stance and slowly punched the air.
At first, nothing seed to happen near Hyun-gwang’s 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.
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