Chapter 78:

Chapter 78:

**Scaling the Wall (3)**

“You got it right. Therefore, in our Shaolin, we also pass down first-class martial arts through the Arhat Faction. And the children who reach the level of emitting techniques like fist winds or palm winds through first-class martial arts, are taught the Seventy-two consummate arts by their masters or teachers. By studying the Seventy-two consummate arts, they are allowed to scale the wall through unconventional methods.”

And this was a method not only used in Shaolin but also employed by other prestigious sects and the Five Great Families.

Because of the existence of such methods, these prestigious sects, which possessed multiple advanced martial arts, could always cultivate a large number of masters.

The more advanced martial arts they had, the more disciples could become masters by learning advanced martial arts suited to their constitutions.

Thinking this far, Mu-jin naturally wondered why he was taught strange methods by being fed the Great Restoration Pill and having his meridians stimulated instead of being taught the Seventy-two consummate arts.

And he soon found the answer to that question.

‘They tailored it to suit my disposition.’

He had always said that he disliked complicated and intricate things. He believed that if the body was strong, the mind would be at ease.

Grandfather Hyun-gwang also mentioned that others scale the wall by ‘studying’ advanced martial arts.

Even techniques that operate qi solely within the body were so complex that they made one want to throw away the martial arts manual, so just how complicated would the key formulas of advanced martial arts be?

Scaling the wall through advanced martial arts meant that one needed at least the intellectual capacity to interpret and understand all the key formulas of those advanced martial arts.

Thinking this far, Mu-jin could not help but feel deeply moved.

“I will do my best to train and show that I can scale the wall.”

Grandfather Hyun-gwang had thought up a special method that only he could use, tailored to his dislike for complexity.

Beyond being his grandfather, he was truly the best teacher he could have.

* * *

After hearing the direction of his training, Mu-jin began his full-fledged training.

“First, you must get accustomed to sending qi through your small meridians. Slowly perform your martial arts and focus on the flow of your qi.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

Responding to Hyun-gwang’s words, Mu-jin assumed the basic stance of the Revolving Fist Technique and began to move his body slowly.

Just as he had absorbed the Lesser Restoration Pill and received training from Hye-dam in the past.

Of course, this time was different.

‘I need to form a new habit. The moment I think of using martial arts, qi must flow not only through the main meridians but also through the small meridians.’

As Mu-jin moved his body slowly, he visualized it in his mind.

Qi starting from the danjeon, flowing through every tiny small meridian.

Unlike before, when it only flowed through the main meridians, a much larger amount of qi flowed through at once.

Naturally, a vast amount of true qi surged from the danjeon and spread to all four of Mu-jin’s limbs.

Whiz!

Mu-jin’s body moved very slowly, but every time he threw a punch, a fierce cracking sound exploded.

“Whew. This time, let’s increase the speed a bit more.”

Having gotten somewhat accustomed to sending qi through his small meridians, Mu-jin increased the speed of his Revolving Fist Technique.

After becoming familiar with the Revolving Fist Technique, he then checked each of the martial arts he had learned, such as the Xiao Hong Quan and the Autumn Wind Leg, sending qi through the small meridians.

As a result of repeating this training for ten days, Mu-jin became accustomed to performing martial arts while sending qi through the small meridians.

“It seems you’ve adapted to some extent. Ha ha ha. Now, show me the martial arts you displayed at Cheonryu Sangdan last time.”

“I will do so.”

Mu-jin took the basic stance and demonstrated his own martial arts, which he had refined by combining various martial arts techniques.

It was a martial art where he simultaneously applied the key formulas of various techniques.

“Whew. Start slowly.”

Previously, he had fully embodied these techniques and executed them freely, but now he had to utilize the small meridians as well.

Mu-jin’s body moved slowly but continuously.

And every time his Striking Bone Technique struck the air, a gust of wind arose around it.

The power of his martial arts went beyond merely fortifying his body and began to emit externally.

“Whew. A bit faster.”

However, Mu-jin, already immersed in a state of Muah Ji-kyung, paid no attention to the fist winds or palm winds that were occurring.

He simply continued to perform martial arts repeatedly, increasing their speed and power.

How long had he been swinging his Striking Bone Technique?

“One more time!”

Completely accustomed to sending qi through the small meridians, Mu-jin demonstrated his martial arts with full force.

Whiz!

Whiz!

Each time his limbs extended, increasingly powerful winds were created.

“The last one!”

At the peak of his concentration,

The qi, endlessly condensed by his martial arts, failed to remain in his fist and burst out.

In that sense, sparring with an opponent of a similar level would be of great help.

‘Should I request a sparring match with the senior brothers?’

As Mu-jin was thinking about this, Hyun-gwang’s voice brought him back to reality.

“Mu-jin, it seems a guest has arrived.”

Mu-jin turned his head to look towards the entrance of the pavilion, but no one was immediately visible.

After a few seconds, however, a woman with her face covered by a veil appeared at the entrance of the pavilion.

Mu-jin could not fathom why this veiled woman had come here.

“Amitabha. This is not a place for worship. If you are lost, I can guide you.”

Mu-jin said, bowing respectfully with his hands in a prayer position. The veiled woman responded.

“I am not here for worship.”

The woman raised her hand and removed the veil covering her face.

“Jegal Jin-hee Siju?”

Recognizing her, Mu-jin wore a puzzled expression.

“What brings you here?”

At his question, a vein subtly popped on Jegal Jin-hee’s forehead.

“Didn’t you say you would always welcome a sparring match, Mu-jin?”

“Ah... oh! A sparring match! If it’s a sparring match, you are always welcome, Jegal Jin-hee Siju!”

At the mention of ‘sparring,’ Mu-jin’s face lit up brightly.

He had been thinking about sparring since earlier. Especially since Jegal Jin-hee, who had already used sage techniques in their match five months ago, was the perfect opponent for his training.

But for some reason, when Mu-jin cheerfully exclaimed, Jegal Jin-hee’s expression turned cold.

“How can someone who so eagerly welcomes sparring return here without even informing me?”

Sensing something unusual in her words, Mu-jin asked.

“Do you mean to say... did you stop by Nanchang on your way here? To find me?”

“...No, I did not.”

Her cold expression wavered momentarily, revealing that she had indeed visited.

Realizing that his best sparring partner might leave, Mu-jin quickly thought of the best reply.

“I apologize for not informing you in advance. After our last sparring match, I gained some insights and returned here to Songshan for serious training.”

“You say you gained insights after our last sparring match?”

“Yes. I was so eager to improve my skills for our next sparring match that I returned here.”

“So, you returned here to prepare for another sparring match with me?”

“Yes.”

Mu-jin, who had quickly fabricated his words, confidently spoke as if they were true, and he was sure of it after seeing her expression.

‘It worked.’

Despite her cold demeanor, Jegal Jin-hee’s lips were twitching as if holding back a smile.

However, she then said something strange.

“So, you didn’t return to see that woman?”

“What? What woman are you talking about?”

When Mu-jin asked, looking confused, Jegal Jin-hee hurriedly shouted.

“No! It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

‘As expected, it was an unrequited love for that woman.’

Just confirming that was a gain, Jegal Jin-hee thought.

But only for a brief moment.

‘What am I thinking right now! That woman has nothing to do with this. I just came here to spar!’

When Jegal Jin-hee suddenly shook her head violently, Mu-jin became slightly worried that they might not be able to spar.

“...Are you feeling unwell?”

“No! I’m fine! So, let’s spar! Spar!”

She seemed like a woman obsessed with sparring.

But since Mu-jin also wanted to spar, it didn’t really matter.

To proceed with the sparring match, Mu-jin thought he should first introduce her to Hyun-gwang.

“Grandfather, this is Jegal Jin-hee Siju from the Jegal family.”

As Mu-jin turned his head and spoke to Hyun-gwang, Jegal Jin-hee also followed Mu-jin’s gaze.

Only then did she realize that there was not only Mu-jin but also an old monk in the pavilion.

“......”

Realizing she had made a fool of herself in front of a monk she had never met, her face turned bright red.