Chapter 6:

Chapter 6:

It’s been completely shattered, hasn’t it?

“Mu-gung and Mu-jin, come 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 glanced at Mu-jin with a complex 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 doesn’t seem like he is making excuses to avoid training.’

The young lad seemed to have his own unique method of training.

But even so, it was not something that could be completely forgiven. Even if he had his own training method, how could he dare compare it to that of the Thousand-Year Shaolin?

‘I hope that through this opportunity, you will come to recognize that Shaolin’s 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.Fôll0w current novÊls o/n n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(c/o/m)

Having concluded his thoughts, Hye-jeong then turned to look at Mu-gung.

‘With Mu-gung, correcting that child’s erroneous thoughts should be more than achievable. Hmm.’

He was the one who had shown the most remarkable progress among the seventy or so newcomers.

Despite being just basic martial arts, the young child had an exceptional understanding of the complex 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-jeong’s expectant gaze, Mu-gung’s heart was racing.

‘Master Uncle Hye-jeong is watching me!’

His dream was to become 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.

‘I’m 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 relaxed, Mu-jin asked Hye-jeong in an easygoing tone, “Are we ready to start now?”

Mu-gung’s forehead vein bulged at the calm demeanor.

‘Hmph. He’s just putting on a front!’

Even though that was what he was thinking, the still young Mu-gung was unwittingly becoming more tense.

“Begin!”

Was it due to his anger?

Mu-gung’s judgment was somewhat clouded, and as the ever-relaxed Mu-jin rushed in at the start of the sparring, Mu-gung’s 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-jeong’s hope, the Revolving Fist Technique performed by Mu-gung boasted a level of completion that was incomparable 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 uncommon 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-gung’s movements, the attack was predictable to the point that he could dodge it without even looking.

Right before Mu-gung’s fist could make impact with his face, Mu-jin dodged at the last 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-gung’s balance was off. He used his shoulder to press down on Mu-gung’s abdomen and simultaneously pulled at Mu-gung’s 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?!”

“What’s 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 carefully laid Mu-gung down, making sure the young boy’s 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-class disciples, who had regained their senses, threw out their unsolicited advice, though they knew it amounted to nothing.

The second-class disciples, who outwardly appeared much older, started to argue unreasonably against Mu-jin’s 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?”

“That’s 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, today’s sparring victory rightfully belongs to you, Mu-jin.”

The second-class 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-class disciples’ objections and validated Mu-jin’s 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-class 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-class disciples, inexperienced in societal interactions due to their focus on training, failed to read the mood, Hye-jeong, a first-class 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-jin’s 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-jeong’s command, two of the quicker-witted second-class disciples understood his intent and rushed out.

A short while later...

The two second-class disciples returned, carrying a rock that was much larger 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.

“Wowwww!!”

Thanks to Mu-jin’s earlier performance, the young novice monks who had momentarily doubted Shaolin’s martial arts now burst out with exclamations of awe without exception.

Mixed into their exclamations 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 exclamation 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 blade, 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.

“...Didn’t you say the technique was for subduing?”

“That, that’s what I said, yes?”

“It’s been shattered to pieces, hasn’t it?”

“......”

“......”

A peculiar silence once again descended upon the practice ground.