Transcendence
“Was Master Mu-gyeong always like this?”
Jegal Jin-hee, who had personally experienced his extraordinary talents during the suppression of the Jegal family’s rebellion, felt a profound sense of dissonance.
However, regardless of the astonishment of the two onlookers, Hye-gwan and Mu-gyeong conversed in their usual tones.
“You’ve heard everything, haven’t you? Who will you spar with first?”
“Do I have to spar with both of you today?”
“If you don’t want to, you can spar with me again.”
“Haha. Then, I’ll first spar with Jegal Jin-hee, who is standing in front.”
Mu-gyeong looked at Jegal Jin-hee with a smile, but for some reason, she sensed a strange emotion in that smile.
“Why does it seem like he’s asking me to spare his life?”While feeling a peculiar sensation, Jegal Jin-hee awkwardly approached Mu-gyeong.
Hye-gwan spoke to Mu-gyeong.
“If you approach this spar with the insolent mindset of holding back your strength to prolong the fight, I will personally join the spar and fix your attitude.”
“Haha. There’s no way I would commit such a discourtesy.”
Once again, Mu-gyeong’s true intentions were seen through by his master, and he inwardly grumbled as he took his stance.
“I am Mu-gyeong, one of Shaolin’s three great disciples.”
“I am Jegal Jin-hee, the young master of the Jegal family.”
After exchanging formalities and taking their initial positions,
Wheeeee.
Golden energy began to spread from Mu-gyeong’s body, creating raindrops in the air.
“Hmm?”
Watching this, Mu-jin tilted his head. The number of golden raindrops Mu-gyeong created had decreased compared to before he left the Cave of Repentance.
“Is he holding back his strength?”
If he did, Hye-gwan would surely punish him.
The doubt was soon resolved.
“Haah!”
Following Hye-gwan’s teaching that the first strike wins, Mu-gyeong charged at Jegal Jin-hee with the Yeontae Gupum technique.
Thud!
Simultaneously with Mu-gyeong’s first punch at Jegal Jin-hee, the surrounding golden raindrops flew toward her back.
He demonstrated the skill of simultaneously using the Golden Rain Technique and fist techniques with his body.
He hadn’t stolen the Liangyi Divine Technique from Wudang.
It was merely a technique based on his extraordinary talent, using internal energy flowing through his body and external energy at the same time.
It was a skill Mu-jin couldn’t replicate even if he spent his entire life training.
While Mu-jin had been strengthening his body for the past few months, Mu-gyeong seemed to have devised his own method of fully utilizing the Golden Rain Technique.
However, the most astonishing aspect wasn’t the complexity of the technique itself. Mu-jin was familiar with such techniques from his own experience.
The blood successor in novels performed similarly.
“Though the blood successor’s energy was crimson rather than golden.”
Unlike the blood successor, who utilized the blood energy from the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique to execute the Blood Rain Demon Technique and Shaolin’s martial arts, Mu-gyeong used Shaolin’s internal techniques to perform Shaolin’s martial arts along with the Blood Rain Demon Technique.
Watching the spar between Mu-gyeong and Jegal Jin-hee, Mu-jin thought about how he would handle the situation.
“Hmm. It seems I’m not a good match against him.”
If it were Mu-jin, he would likely use the Golden Turtle Technique to ignore the golden raindrops and charge at Mu-gyeong recklessly.
But that was only possible for someone with special protective qi techniques like himself. For others, the attack would be disorienting and overwhelming.
“Hmph!”
Indeed, Jegal Jin-hee, struggling to fend off Mu-gyeong’s relentless attacks, swung her fans desperately to deflect or block the incoming strikes.
After about ten exchanges, Mu-gyeong suddenly retreated a step back.
“You’ve mastered that secret technique.”
“Of course, you noticed.”
“Yes. Although it’s my first time facing ice techniques, they do seem quite tricky.”
Despite his words, Mu-gyeong had already devised a solution. That’s why he deliberately stepped back.
“If the cold penetrates my body every time we clash, I’ll just avoid direct contact!”
Taking his stance again, a significantly larger amount of qi surged from Mu-gyeong’s body into the air.
Instead of combining it with martial arts, Mu-gyeong decided to focus entirely on the Golden Rain Technique.
In an instant, fifty golden raindrops materialized in the air, surrounding Jegal Jin-hee and attacking fiercely.
“Hah!”
Jegal Jin-hee, aiming to fend off the numerous raindrops targeting her entire body, executed a technique from the Moonlit Dance manual.
As she spun gracefully, the fans in her hands created a defensive barrier that froze the raindrops approaching from all directions.
And as she completed her technique,
Pop!
A raindrop hidden behind the others, which had been unnoticed, struck her back.
Successfully targeting Jegal Jin-hee’s acupoints with the raindrop, Mu-gyeong released her from the acupoint restraint and bowed in courtesy.
“Amitabha. Since I had also read that secret technique, I anticipated your move.”
“Thank you. Thanks to you, Master Mu-gyeong, I discovered this technique’s weakness.”
“I, too, realized how formidable ice techniques are.”
Exchanging their martial arts knowledge and polishing their skills, it was a truly heartwarming scene fitting the essence of a spar.
“Dao Yuetian Shiju-nim, if it’s alright, can I take a moment to conduct Qi and blood circulation before we spar?”
Having used significant internal energy during his final attack on Jegal Jin-hee, Mu-gyeong made this request, to which Dao Yuetian readily agreed.
Mu-gyeong sat in the lotus position and began the Qi Conducting Technique. As one cycle passed,
“Disciple, isn’t it time to get up?”
Hye-gwan, who had somehow started drinking a new bottle of liquor, asked while preparing to throw the empty bottle.
Before Hye-gwan’s words even finished, Mu-gyeong’s eyes snapped open, and he stood up.
“Ahem. I was just about to get up.”
The banter between the two disciples left Mu-jin feeling a strange sadness.
“He wasn’t like this before.”
Except for when he was seized by madness, Mu-gyeong was always timid and introverted. How did he end up like this?
When Mu-jin turned his gaze toward the culprit, the culprit, now holding another new bottle, said,
“Why? Do you want a drink too?”
“…I’m currently focusing on strengthening my body, so I’ll refrain.”
“Hahaha. What a pity. There’s nothing better than watching a fight as a snack.”
At that moment, the heartwarming sparring among noble martial artists was downgraded to a street brawl.
Soon, Hye-gwan’s new entertainment, the spar between Mu-gyeong and Dao Yuetian, began.
After bowing to each other and taking their initial stances,
Pop!
In an instant, Dao Yuetian’s saber strike flew towards Mu-gyeong.
“Hmph!”
The tremendous speed of the strike surprised Mu-gyeong, causing a slight tear in his monk’s robe at his chest.
Seizing the initiative with his first strike, Dao Yuetian launched a series of rapid saber attacks, pushing Mu-gyeong back. Mu-gyeong narrowly dodged the attacks using the Yeontae Gupum technique while simultaneously deploying the Golden Rain Technique.
As the golden raindrops in the air shot towards Dao Yuetian, he sliced through them with his swift saber, but
“Hah!”
In that moment, Mu-gyeong, having regained his composure, began his counterattack.
He executed a combination of various striking techniques while using the Golden Rain Technique to launch complex and relentless attacks from all directions.
Dao Yuetian, desperately fending off the raindrops with his Swift Shadow Strike and occasionally attempting to counterattack, found himself gradually being driven into a defensive position.
Eventually, Mu-gyeong managed to sneak his finger into Dao Yuetian’s side and successfully strike his acupoint.
After watching the second spar, Mu-jin hummed in interest.
“Hmm~ the matchups are quite intriguing.”
Honestly, if Dao Yuetian used the Celestial Flash Sword Art, even Mu-jin couldn’t guarantee victory.
Dao Yuetian’s Swift Shadow Strike with the Celestial Flash Sword Art was capable of piercing through both the Golden Turtle Technique and the Jade Vajra Technique.
Additionally, though not yet perfected, Dao Yuetian’s saber skills had become even more formidable.
Even Mu-jin couldn’t confidently say he could avoid and counter all of those swift saber strikes.
However, Mu-jin found it difficult to guarantee victory against Mu-gyeong. Even if Dao Yuetian used the Celestial Flash Sword Art, it would be hard for him to win.
The Celestial Flash Sword Art boasted an absurd level of strength and sharpness. Still, it was challenging to leverage its advantages effectively against such complex attacks from all directions.
While Mu-jin was contemplating this, the two who had finished sparring exchanged greetings.
“I’ve learned a lot.”
“I didn’t realize the subtlety of speed could be so threatening. Amitabha.”
“Would it be alright if I requested another spar in the future?”
Although the question came from Dao Yuetian, Jegal Jin-hee, watching from behind, also looked at Mu-gyeong with the same expression.
Under the intense gaze of both, Mu-gyeong glanced at Hye-gwan before responding.
“You’re always welcome to spar.”
Mu-gyeong thought it would be better to spar with these two than with Hye-gwan. But Hye-gwan wasn’t one to let things slide.
“Sparring should be once every five days. For the remaining four days, you should refine what you’ve learned from the spar. Engaging in sparring without organizing your insights is not beneficial.”
“…Then why do you engage in sparring, or rather, beat me up ten times a day, Master?”
“Hehehe. Isn’t sparring different from teaching? So, disciple, now it’s time to organize what you’ve learned from the spar and receive my teaching.”
“…”
Unable to outwit Hye-gwan in words, Mu-gyeong looked at Mu-jin with a face that seemed on the verge of tears.
“Ahem. Then I’ll return in five days, Master Uncle.”
Mu-jin, deliberately avoiding Mu-gyeong’s gaze, bid farewell to Hye-gwan.
* * *
The next day.
Dao Yuetian and Jegal Jin-hee once again set out in search of a new sparring partner, guided by Mu-jin.
Arriving at a different hall than the day before, they felt puzzled again.
“Why is there a tiger in the temple?”
Was it some sort of sacred beast raised by the Shaolin Temple?
As they pondered this, two people and a tiger engaged in performance art in the yard greeted them.
“Mu-jin~!!”
“Ook! Ookiki!”
“Haha. What brings you here with guests?”
“I came to arrange a sparring match for Mu-yul, Master Uncle Hye-geol.”
“A spar! That’s a splendid idea. Haha!”
Hye-geol readily accepted Mu-jin’s proposal with great enthusiasm.
Perhaps it was thanks to his generous nature that he could endure a disciple like Mu-yul.
“…Or maybe his generosity grew because of Mu-yul,” Mu-jin thought, choosing to ignore the sad possibility.
Just like with Mu-gyeong, the spar between Mu-yul and Dao Yuetian began, but…
“Yikes!”
“Hiya!”
“Heeyah!”
It was more like a game of tag than a spar.
Mu-yul, relying on his innate animal instincts and movements, narrowly dodged Dao Yuetian’s swift saber attacks but could barely counterattack.
“Surely… his lack of talent makes his progress slow.”
As the spar continued, the difference in their levels became apparent. Mu-yul was barely hanging on with his animalistic movements and instincts.
After barely holding on for the first quarter-hour, Mu-yul finally took a hit from Dao Yuetian’s swift saber.
“Ouch…”
Mu-yul, who had been struck on the head with the flat of the blade, rubbed the bump on his head and let out a small groan.
“Hehe! It was really fast and fun! How do you swing your sword so quickly?”
With a bright smile, Mu-yul asked Dao Yuetian, completely devoid of any competitive spirit.
Seeing his disciple’s demeanor, Hye-geol, looking like an enlightened monk, interjected between them.
“Dao Yuetian So-hyeop, if you don’t mind, would you spar with Mu-yul again? This time, including Ling-ling here.”
“Including that spirit beast?”
In response to Dao Yuetian’s question, Hye-geol replied confidently.
“Haha. You can look forward to it. The cooperative techniques of these two are among the best in the martial world.”
“Experiencing their cooperative techniques could be beneficial as well.”
Dao Yuetian readily accepted Hye-geol’s proposal.
To accomplish what Mu-jin intended, Dao Yuetian needed to become accustomed to fighting multiple opponents.
Expecting a fair one-on-one spar in a fight with shadowy forces was a foolish thought.
Thus began the peculiar one-versus-two spar between Dao Yuetian, Mu-yul, and Ling-ling.
“Heehee!”
“Ook!”
Moving together and making monkey noises, Mu-yul and Ling-ling showcased their uncanny cooperative techniques.
It wasn’t merely a matter of one covering the front while the other covered the back. When Mu-yul took a stance with the Crane Fist and aimed low like a snake, Ling-ling, perched on his head, attacked from above with the Monkey Fist.
“Heheh!”
“Ookiki!”
As Dao Yuetian’s saber aimed for Mu-yul’s head, Ling-ling pulled Mu-yul away to dodge, then used centrifugal force to spin Mu-yul and throw him at Dao Yuetian, while Ling-ling hid in Mu-yul’s shadow to target Dao Yuetian’s legs with the Snake Fist.
“…It doesn’t look like a trained cooperative technique but more like they’re just doing whatever they want.”
Yet why did they work so well together?
Perhaps because of their absurd cooperative techniques, Dao Yuetian found himself increasingly disoriented as the spar continued.
However, what surprised Mu-jin the most wasn’t their synchronization.
He had already known about the peculiar harmony between Ling-ling and Mu-yul.
More than that…
“Ling-ling’s movements have improved significantly.”
Previously, it felt like Ling-ling was merely mimicking Mu-yul’s actions, but now it truly seemed like he was performing martial arts.
And soon, Mu-jin realized it wasn’t just his imagination.
“Master Uncle Hye-geol, did you teach martial arts to Ling-ling?”
“Haha. You guessed it right. Although he has only mastered the Snake Fist so far, when he reaches Mu-yul’s level in the future, their cooperative techniques will be even more extraordinary!”
Hye-geol responded confidently to Mu-jin’s question.
“…Not only did he teach martial arts to a monkey-like person, but he also taught martial arts to an actual monkey.”
Mu-jin felt more pity than surprise.
“What path are you trying to take, Master Uncle Hye-geol?”
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