Genius Martial Arts Trainer

Chapter 23:

The child who was called by Mu-jin.

Mu-yeon believed that the other children would burst into laughter just like him. In other words, he was looking down on Mu-jin internally.

And Mu-yeon was confident in his own skills enough to look down on Mu-jin, who had been quite ahead in the training until now.

This was because he, like Mu-gung, was an introductory disciple from a martial family.

Therefore, in front of Mu-jin, Mu-yeon took a fighting stance while harboring such thoughts.

‘All I need to be careful of is that strange technique he uses.’

About five months ago, all he had to do was to be careful of that bizarre technique that had defeated Mu-gung.

Different from his light-hearted laughter from a moment ago, Mu-yeon started to gauge the distance and watch Mu-jin carefully.

After observing Mu-yeon for a while, a small smile appeared on Mu-jin’s lips.

‘That’s exactly what these guys need.’

Mu-jin, who had a good idea, suddenly stepped forward powerfully during the standoff with Mu-yeon.

Mu-yeon, who was tense in anticipation of Mu-jin’s tackle, flinched involuntarily at the sudden step-in and prepared to counterattack.

However, Mu-jin, who seemed as though he would charge but had stepped in aggressively, simply stood still.

At that moment, when Mu-yeon’s body relaxed ever so slightly without him noticing,

Pop!

Mu-jin did not miss that instant and dove into Mu-yeon’s chest.

Still, the training he had undergone did not go to waste as Mu-yeon lashed out a fist packed with internal energy towards the face of Mu-jin, who had dived into his chest.

But Mu-jin, who had been thinking of a counter from the moment he dived in, used the fourth form of the Revolving Fist Technique.

The fourth form of the Revolving Fist Technique was an initial form of offense and defense, where one uses the side of the left arm to deflect the opponent’s attack and simultaneously strikes with the right fist using the rebound.

Mu-jin’s left arm, charged with internal energy, precisely deflected Mu-yeon’s attack, and right after, Mu-jin’s fist dug into Mu-yeon’s abdomen.

“Kuhk.”

As Mu-yeon groaned, clutching his abdomen after the hit, Mu-jin simply stepped back.

This isn’t even a fight; it’s not right to beat an opponent in sparring as if thrashing a dog on a hot day.

Even though Mu-yeon’s laughter was annoying, one couldn’t just beat up a child for bursting into laughter, no matter what.

Looking at Mu-jin, who had easily won against Mu-yeon, a few of Master Uncle Hye-jeong and the Second-class Disciples shone their eyes in approval.

“Wow. To think his manipulation of Qi is already so free.”

“Not only has he mastered Xiao Hong Quan, but his achievement in the Revolving Fist Technique is also noticeable.”

They were amazed not only because Mu-jin had skillfully led the sparring but also because of the impact of the fourth form he had shown at the end.

When deflecting Mu-yeon’s punch, Mu-jin had swung his left arm filled with internal energy, but the follow-up straight punch was delivered without internal energy.

Everyone noticed that Mu-jin had intentionally not infused internal energy into the punch, worrying that a punch with internal energy might damage the young child’s insides.

Then, Mu-jin, who had effortlessly defeated Mu-yeon, shouted to the nine Novice Monks waiting behind him.

“Next!”

* * *

The last opponent to face Mu-jin boasted a large build that would not be inferior even to Mu-gung.

Having seen all the children who sparred before him being dominated and defeated by Mu-jin, he charged at Mu-jin as soon as the sparring started.

Not only did his size resemble Mu-gung’s, but every time he swung his fist, a refreshing sound of breaking through the air could be heard.

Mu-jin, who had lost the initiative, either blocked the opponent’s attacks with his arms infused with internal energy or dodged them by twisting his body.

After receiving the opponent’s attacks a few times.

The moment the opponent’s fist flew precisely towards Mu-jin’s face, Mu-jin leaned his upper body back as if doing a limbo.

Like the technique often called “Iron Plank Bridge” in the martial world, Mu-jin leaned back and then extended his right arm from that position.

His fist precisely struck the chin of the opponent who had deeply lunged in to hit Mu-jin’s face.

Thump!

And the opponent who had taken a clean hit to the chin had his legs give out and collapsed on the spot.

“Hoo.”

Mu-jin, who had knocked down the last, tenth opponent, regulated his breath so subtly that it was hardly noticeable from the outside.

The last technique used was the sixth form of Xiao Hong Quan, which is an unconventional posture that, logically, should not be able to deliver any power in a punch.

However, like other forms of Xiao Hong Quan, this one could also draw power from an awkward position by utilizing the flow of Qi according to the requirements.

The problem was that if Mu-jin had struck the opponent’s exposed chin with a punch filled with internal energy, it would have shattered the opponent’s jaw.

So, once again, Mu-jin had to maintain his posture by circulating Qi only through the meridians in his lower back, and when swinging the punch, he had to do so without Qi to knock down the opponent.

‘Xiao Hong Quan is still a bit awkward.’

Thanks to several such techniques unfolded during the previous sparring, Mu-jin was actually feeling soreness in all his muscles.

But this set of ten consecutive battles was to establish dominance. Mu-jin did not show weakness in front of the other children.

“If there’s anyone still unsatisfied, step forward.”

Mu-jin called out in a gentle tone to the remaining children watching the sparring, but now no one stepped forward.

Thanks to knocking down ten people in barely a moment, none could raise any complaints.

As all the children in the practice yard were silently looking at him, Mu-jin once again opened his mouth in a low tone.

“Alright. From now on, I will lead the training. From now on, at least during the morning training hours, you’ll call me ‘Instructor.’ Understand?!!”

As Mu-jin was speaking softly and suddenly asked loudly at the end, the children instinctively shouted, “Understood!”

Satisfied with the children’s response, a smile appeared on Mu-jin’s lips, but.

“Then let’s keep the promise. Didn’t I say it? Let’s see if you can still smile after today’s training is over.”

That was a smile not befitting of Shaolin, but rather one of a devilish enforcer.

“Everybody down!!”

As soon as Mu-jin’s shout erupted, the children flopped down onto the practice yard.

Satisfied with their reaction, Mu-jin spoke to the Second-class Disciples who had been observing from behind.

“Please place the sandbags on the backs of the children.”

And as soon as the Second-class Disciples placed the sandbags on the children’s backs, the real exercise, or rather the punishment, began.

“When I say one, you go down and hold the position! Anyone who touches the ground with their belly will have the sandbags on their back doubled! One!”

“On two, you extend your arms and raise your body! Two!”

The push-ups with sandbags on their backs were just the beginning.

They had to run across the practice yard in order, with sandbags tied to their arms and legs, and if they were even slightly late in tying the sandbags, they had to do push-ups again immediately.

In addition, they took on the legendary posture PT 8 with sandbags tied to their bodies among others.

The hellish dawn training continued, and soon the children’s clothes were soaked with sweat, despite all of them having trained in Shaolin for at least five months.

Naturally, the practice yard was filled only with the sound of the children’s heavy breathing.

“Attention, everyone.”

“Attention!”

The children, now accustomed to Instructor Mu-jin’s commands, straightened up reflexively at his softly muttered words.

‘This should be enough.’

Watching them, Mu-jin wore a satisfied expression.

Although the Ten Consecutive Battles somewhat established his dominance, starting immediately with Close-Range Spear Technique or simple exercises could disrupt the atmosphere.

Especially since the opponents were boys just starting puberty, an age notorious for its rebelliousness.

A warning had to be planted in their minds that if they didn’t focus on training, they could be ground down like dogs at any moment.

And now that the warning had been sufficiently instilled.

“From now on, the real training begins!”

It was time to start the main event.

To the children who had been rolling around like mad until now, those words sounded like a death sentence from hell, but ignoring the children’s misconceptions, Mu-jin shouted.

“Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, Mu-yul, come forward!”

Following Mu-jin’s call, the trio stepped forward.

“These three have been training under me longer than you! From today during the dawn training hours, they will be called assistant instructors and will demonstrate for you!”

Introducing the three as assistant instructors to the children, Mu-jin pointed around the practice yard and positioned the three children.

And they dove into the real exercise.

Not punishment, but actual movements aimed at developing each muscle were taught one by one.

As Mu-jin explained the key points and stimulation points to focus on for each posture and demonstrated, Mu-yul, Mu-gung, and Mu-gyeong also demonstrated at their respective positions.

With seventy children gathered, it was also to ensure those who couldn’t see Mu-jin’s movements well were accommodated.

‘Maybe teaching his peers will also boost Mu-gyeong’s self-esteem a bit.’

This reason was also mixed in.

Well, there’s also the saying that teaching others is a way of learning, so perhaps those three would learn something more while teaching.

* * *

Five days had passed since Mu-jin took charge of the dawn training.

Having observed the training for five days, Beob Gang thought.

‘That Mu-jin kid. Does he have experience teaching someone in his family?’

Mu-jin led the training with remarkable skill, almost unbelievably so for a twelve-year-old.

Especially considering that the training he was leading wasn’t one-on-one education but involved controlling as many as seventy children, it was impressively remarkable.

Beob Gang also went through the stages of being an introductory disciple and a third-class disciple, and, in particular, he had tormented his contemporaries so much that he was nicknamed ‘Law-Crazed’ and ‘Law-Dog’. He knew very well how difficult this was.

In fact, Beob Gang felt that he had a lot to learn from Mu-jin, surpassing mere knowledge.

‘Hmm. So when I need to let them off, I let them off, but when they cross the line, I should roll them even harder.’

After establishing dominance on the first day, Mu-jin moved on to proper muscle training.

However, as the difficulty of the exercises decreased compared to the punishment drills, the children inevitably started misbehaving.

Whenever Mu-jin noticed even a hint of this, he would roll them as hard as on the first day.

It was a typical military-style method of training, but.

‘I should try this with my own disciples.’

For Beob Gang, whose nature was closer to that of a soldier than a monk, it was a very innovative method of teaching.

And on the fifth day.

“Starting today, we will divide into groups for training.”

Mu-jin split the children into four large groups.

This division was based on the results observed during the past five days of dawn training and the morning martial arts practice.

It was an arrangement of the children who were similarly lacking in their practice of Xiao Hong Quan.

For example, children with a lack of flexibility or core strength were grouped together.

And each of the four groups was led by Mu-jin and the three assistant instructors.

For instance, Mu-gung, who had done the most flexibility training, was in charge of the children who lacked flexibility.

Having the most experience, Mu-jin believed that Mu-gung could lead the training properly if he just suggested, ‘Today we’ll do this, this, and this.’

Of course, if any children failed to follow properly, or if the assistant instructors struggled to conduct the lessons, Mu-jin would have to step in.

Regardless, by dividing the groups, the number of children directly under Mu-jin’s care was reduced to about twenty.

As he taught these twenty and occasionally checked on the other groups, the dawn training hour, which was one sijin, passed quickly.

Then, as the children were moving to breakfast after the exercise.

Master Uncle Hye-jeong approached Mu-jin and spoke.

“Mu-jin, the item you requested from the Master last time has been completed.”

It was an additional request Mu-jin had made when he accepted Hyun Seong’s proposition.

It concerned whether a certain item could be made.

The news delivered by Hye-jeong was precisely the news that Mu-jin had been eagerly awaiting.