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 a completely new one was an entirely different concept—even if it was a combination 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 didn’t simply make two.

It could amplify to become three or four, or it might even cause harm. And even if amplification occurred, that increased power could become 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 didn’t were often called demonic arts in the common world, and on the contrary, it was very difficult to create a proper martial art that completely resolved all side effects.

So how could that young child mix together six basic martial arts? According to the old man’s Qi Perception, that boy named Mu-jin was simply weaving together the critical techniques of six martial arts. There didn’t seem to be anything special about resolving the backlash.

Pondering briefly on what that solution, which even he could not discern, might be.

“Could it be......”

A hypothesis formed in the old monk’s 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 speculation 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 occupying the space.

The disciples, who were intensely focused on Mu-jin’s 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 was completely engrossed in his sparring match with the Second-class 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 occasion for him to exhibit his full strength.

Although he occasionally sparred with other children, they were just that—children. Truthfully, he had never faced them with his true might.

But now, the Second-class Disciple he was up against was an adult in his late 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-jin’s forearm clashed with the opponent’s 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, fully committing his energy against the Second-class Disciple overseeing the examination.

Suddenly, during the spar, the Second-class Disciple took a large step back.

“??”

Thanks to that, Mu-jin, whose concentration was broken, belatedly noticed that the atmosphere around was very chaotic.

The countless onlookers who had been watching his duel were looking somewhere else.

No, it wasn’t just looking—they 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.

“!!!”

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 contemplation.

He wasn’t the original protagonist, Mu-jin, from the novel. He wasn’t 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 arts—if 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 Palace 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 according 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.

The common solution would be to create new critical techniques and complex 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 succeeded in developing a body capable of withstanding that immense power.

Regardless of Mu-jin’s surprise, the old monk added with a benevolent smile.

“Ho ho ho. It seems you’ve 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-gwang’s words, Mu-jin could only look at the old monk with a face as if he had seen a ghost.

Having fully grasped Mu-jin’s foundation in a single glance, 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 Gang’s 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 Abbot’s 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 Abbot’s 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 Sovereign’s 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.