Genius Martial Arts Trainer

Chapter 103:

Chaotic Scene (1)

“Shao Lin’s Mu-jin! Passed the first preliminary round!”

“Congratulations on passing. The first preliminary round is over, and the second preliminary round will be held in five days, so please come back then.”

One of the examiners wrote Mu-jin’s affiliation and name on a paper that looked like a guestbook and handed over a token for the successful candidates.

On the way out of the training ground after finishing the first preliminary round, someone approached the Mujaebae Quartet.

“Master Mu-jin. Long time no see.”

“Amitabha. Benefactor Jegal Jin-hee. It has indeed been a long time. Hahaha.”

Jegal Jin-hee, who had been watching Mu-jin’s examination from a distance, greeted Mu-jin with a smiling face.

“Ah, you must be seeing these guys for the first time. This is Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul in order.”

Jegal Jin-hee greeted the Mujaebae Trio after Mu-jin introduced them, and then the trio greeted her in return.

Mu-gung greeted in his usual blunt tone, which he had become quite accustomed to recently.

“Amitabha. I’m Mu-gung.”

Mu-gyeong, who seemed a bit shy, or perhaps surprised by Jegal Jin-hee’s beauty, greeted her somewhat awkwardly.

“Amitabha. I’m Mu, Mu-gyeong.”

Lastly, there was Mu-yul’s straightforward greeting.

“Wow! You’re really beautiful!”

“Mu-yul, mind your manners.”

“Hehe. I’m sorry, senior brother Mu-gung. Amitabha. I’m Mu-yul!”

Jegal Jin-hee smiled faintly at the sight of the stern senior brother and the mischievous junior disciple.

“Hoho. It’s fine. What woman dislikes being called beautiful?”

Among them, there was one person who made a strange face at her answer. It was Tang So-mi, who had approached them following Jegal Jin-hee.

A few days ago, after meeting Jegal Jin-hee for the first time at the Jegal family’s pavilion, Tang So-mi, who had become intrigued by her, had been following her around.

Since Jegal Jin-hee was simply indifferent, it wasn’t too difficult to follow her.

From what Tang So-mi had observed over the past few days, Jegal Jin-hee usually looked at men who flirted with her, saying she was beautiful or lovely, as if they were bugs.

But why was she smiling so calmly here?

Mu-jin, noticing Tang So-mi’s change in expression, tilted his head and asked.

“By the way, is the lady behind you a companion of Benefactor Jegal Jin-hee?”

“Ah, rather than a companion….”

“We’re companions! Nice to meet you all! I’m Tang So-mi.”

Jegal Jin-hee, who had been trying to shake off the annoying follower, turned her head slightly and sighed.

Meanwhile, Tang So-mi energetically chatted with the Shaolin disciples.

“By any chance, are you from the Tang family in Sichuan?”

“Yes! The unparalleled beauty of the Tang family! The number one beauty in Sichuan! I’m Tang So-mi.”

“Oh… is that so?”

Mu-jin replied with a reluctant expression, and Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong pretended not to hear anything.

“Huh? That benefactor from before is more beautiful. Mm! Mm!”

Mu-yul, who had been about to blurt out something tactless, was restrained by Mu-gung, who was quick-witted despite his large build.

“My junior brother spoke out of turn. I apologize on his behalf, Benefactor Tang So-mi.”

“Oh my. It’s fine. Doesn’t everyone have different standards of beauty? Hohoho. Whenever I look in the mirror, I think I’m the most beautiful, so it doesn’t bother me.”

Her confident remark even made Mu-jin silently click his tongue.

Of course, that didn’t mean she was unattractive. Objectively, she was a beauty, but her type was entirely different from Jegal Jin-hee or Ryu Seol-hwa.

Jegal Jin-hee was an elegant and graceful beauty. On the other hand, Tang So-mi had a look brimming with healthy charm.

From Mu-jin’s perspective, who knew Jegal Jin-hee’s dedication and effort toward martial arts, Jegal Jin-hee could also be seen as a beauty radiating healthiness. But in terms of appearance alone, that’s how it was.

Meanwhile.

Jegal Jin-hee, seemingly displeased with Tang So-mi’s close attention to Mu-jin, quickly joined the conversation.

“Ah. Actually, we were also watching while participating in the examination. Master Mu-jin, it seems you have further trained your external energy during this time.”

“Two and a half years have passed since then, so shouldn’t I improve at least a little? Hahaha.”

“I thought I had put in quite an effort over the past two and a half years, but it seems you have improved much more than before, Master Mu-jin.”

“I’m curious to see how much you have improved, Benefactor Jegal Jin-hee. How much weight are you lifting these days?”

As the conversation shifted to the topic of exercise, Jegal Jin-hee and Mu-jin engaged in a lively discussion about the weights they were lifting.

However, much to Jegal Jin-hee’s dismay, Tang So-mi unhesitatingly joined their conversation.

“Two and a half years ago? Did something happen between you two at that time?”

Jegal Jin-hee quickly answered on behalf of Mu-jin.

“Around that time, I happened to meet Master Mu-jin, and we had a sparring match. After the sparring, we talked a bit about martial arts.”

Tang So-mi’s face showed a hint of surprise at Jegal Jin-hee’s explanation.

‘That high-nosed Jegal Jin-hee, having a sparring match and even discussing martial arts?’

Jegal Jin-hee was someone who didn’t easily get along even with other late-stage geniuses from other prominent families. The fact that Tang So-mi was currently following her around was also purely one-sided.

As Tang So-mi pondered this, a story she had heard a few days ago naturally came to mind.

‘So he was the monk! The one she wanted to defeat at this Yongbong Meeting!’

This Mu-jin monk was undoubtedly the mysterious late-stage genius that Jegal Jin-hee considered superior to Namgung Jin-cheon, who was known as the greatest prodigy of the continent.

“Master Mu-jin, you are an incredible master!”

Tang So-mi said with a bright smile, but Mu-jin shook his head.

“I am still far from deserving such praise.”

When Mu-jin replied modestly, Jegal Jin-hee subtly joined the conversation again.

“It seems you all passed the first preliminary round. Where are you headed now?”

“Ah. Actually, while we were participating in the first preliminary round, we made a small bet among ourselves. We’re planning to have some strength training to carry out the punishment.”

“A bet?”

‘A Buddhist disciple making a bet!? And a Shaolin disciple at that!?’ Tang So-mi asked in a perplexed tone, but her question was drowned out by Jegal Jin-hee’s next inquiry.

“Ah! If you’re going to do strength training, can I join as well?”

“Hahaha. I was curious about how much Benefactor Jegal Jin-hee had improved, so this is perfect.”

Tang So-mi, regaining her composure, quickly interjected into their conversation.

“May I join as well?”

Mu-jin hesitated for a moment at Tang So-mi’s request.

After the martial arts tournament, Mu-jin planned to leave Shaolin and head to Sichuan. This was to thwart the conspiracy that the hidden forces were preparing.

‘The Tang family… There’s no need to form ties with them right now, is there?’

However, he didn’t need to form a close relationship with Tang So-mi. In fact, it might be wiser to avoid her altogether since his goal was to finish things before the Tang family got involved.

“I’m sorry. Since this is a training method of our sect, we cannot casually share it with outsiders.”

As Mu-jin firmly declined her request, Jegal Jin-hee felt a burst of joy inside, but Tang So-mi was quite the persistent one.

“Oh? But why is it okay for Jin-hee?”

“Because of our relationship from two years ago, she received permission from our sect at that time.”

“Ah…”

Living as a daughter of the Tang family, it was the first time Tang So-mi had been so coldly rejected, so she responded in a slightly flustered voice.

“Shall we go, then, Master Mu-jin?”

On the other hand, Jegal Jin-hee’s face revealed a faint smile amidst her usually stern expression.

‘To go so far as to tell such a lie to cut her off. Does that mean he considers me special?’

She had never heard of any such permission from the elders of the sect. Two years ago, Mu-jin had merely shown her an exercise method when she visited Shaolin.

Mu-jin had chosen to do so as part of a deal to obtain information about the Jegal family, but Jegal Jin-hee, unaware of this fact, simply saw it as a gesture of goodwill from Mu-jin.

In the end, leaving Tang So-mi behind, Mu-jin, Jegal Jin-hee, and Mu-yul began to move together.

“…Was the punishment muscle training, Senior Brother Mu-gung?”

“I have no idea.”

“But why is Mu-jin going for muscle training even though he isn’t part of the punishment?”

“…He’s always been like that.”

“…That’s true.”

Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong sighed as they talked, their faces filled with exhaustion.

* * *

After walking along the roadside for a while, Mu-jin, the Mujaebae Quartet, and Jegal Jin-hee reached their destination, and Mu-jin stopped and spoke.

“This is the place.”

Naturally, Jegal Jin-hee’s gaze followed to the plaque of the location they had arrived at.

[Cheonryu Sangdan]

It was the branch of the Cheonryu Sangdan. As one of the five major trading companies, Cheonryu Sangdan maintained a positive relationship with martial artists and provided a slight (?) sponsorship to the Martial Alliance.

It wasn’t surprising at all that a branch of the Cheonryu Sangdan was located in the outer area where the Martial Alliance was based.

The only issue was why Mu-jin, who said he was going to do strength training, came to this place.

‘Could it be…’

Feeling a vague sense of foreboding, Jegal Jin-hee’s face hardened strangely.

“Mu-jin Sunim!”

At the unmistakable lively voice, her already stiff face hardened even more.

The owner of the lively voice was none other than Ryu Seol-hwa.

Thanks to the head of the merchant group, Ryu Ji-gwang, accepting Mu-jin’s request, Ryu Seol-hwa was currently at the Cheonryu Sangdan branch, not at the clinic, with various exercise equipment that Mu-jin had requested.

Since the outer region was a place where only martial artists gathered, it was not a suitable place to open a musculoskeletal treatment clinic.

There were no high officials or local influential figures, who were customers of Cheonryu Sangdan, nor were there common people that Shaolin needed to save.

However, Jegal Jin-hee did not care about such circumstances, and soon Ryu Seol-hwa, who had been greeting Mu-jin energetically, also noticed her.

“It’s been a while, Jegal Jin-hee.”

“Nice to see you, Ryu Seol-hwa.”

Mu-jin tilted his head and asked at the awkward greeting between the two women.

“Do you two know each other?”

Being the daughters of famous families in the continent, they might have heard each other’s names, but their greeting suggested they were already acquainted.

“We got to know each other by chance.”

“Yes, by chance. That’s right.”

At the awkward answers from the two women, Mu-jin and the Shaolin disciples felt a strange sensation.

To break the awkward atmosphere, Mu-jin asked Ryu Seol-hwa.

“Seol-hwa, could you show us to the prepared place?”

“Of course! Ah, are you all coming along?”

Ryu Seol-hwa asked with a heart hoping for a ‘No.’

“Yes, we are.”

Sadly, her hope did not reach Mu-jin.

* * *

Mu-jin, Jegal Jin-hee, and Ryu Seol-hwa arrived at the training ground prepared at the Cheonryu Sangdan branch.

The training ground was filled with various pieces of equipment that Mu-jin had requested.

Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong, who had been exercising with Mu-jin for over five years, started their training according to their routines.

Mu-jin was helping Jegal Jin-hee, who hadn’t exercised with him in a long time. For some reason, Ryu Seol-hwa was also there.

“First, let’s start with a warm-up before strength training.”

Warming up before weights was basic. Under Mu-jin’s lead, they started with close-range spear techniques.

Ryu Seol-hwa, who had been learning Pilates, yoga, and close-range spear techniques from Mu-jin for over three years and was working as a rehabilitation exercise instructor, performed the movements very flexibly.

Jegal Jin-hee also performed the movements that Mu-jin had taught her two and a half years ago quite well.

‘Hmm. Since Jegal Jin-hee’s martial arts value quickness and elegance, teaching her a bit more should help.’

Thinking so, Mu-jin demonstrated some more challenging movements, closer to yoga than close-range spear techniques.

Ryu Seol-hwa, who had already learned these movements, followed along well, but Jegal Jin-hee, who was learning them for the first time, had her posture slightly off.

Naturally, Mu-jin approached Jegal Jin-hee, just like he did two and a half years ago.

“Let me help you a bit.”

He directly corrected her posture with his hands.

“!!!”

Ryu Seol-hwa’s eyes shook violently as she proudly followed the movements Mu-jin taught her.

She had never been in direct contact with Mu-jin while learning exercises from him.

Therefore, Ryu Seol-hwa acted boldly.

“It’s too hard. Mu-jin Sunim, could you help me too?”

Although she had been following along just fine until a moment ago, she suddenly twisted her posture and asked for Mu-jin’s help.