Genius Martial Arts Trainer

Chapter 20: The internal and external martial arts (1)

It had been about a fortnight since Mu-jin started the group with the ‘Mu’ character trio.

“From today, we shall learn a new martial art!”

A slight change occurred in the monotonous daily routine.

“The martial art we will learn today is the Xiao Hong Quan, one of the basic fist techniques of our Shaolin.”

As Master Uncle Hye-jeong’s call rang out, two Second-class Disciples took their places at the front and side, assuming the starting stance.

Following the resounding call of Master Uncle Hye-jeong, the disciples began to demonstrate the Xiao Hong Quan, slowly unfolding each of the fourteen initial moves in sequence.

While the two demonstrated, the remaining Second-class Disciples walked around the training yard, helping the novice disciples with their postures as the training proceeded. After practicing all fourteen initial moves, a natural question popped into Mu-jin’s head.

‘Does it really make sense to defeat an opponent with these strikes?’

To Mu-jin, the initial moves of the Xiao Hong Quan felt somewhat bizarre.

Most of the fourteen moves seemed inefficient, as if they belonged in a comic book or a video game.

They might look impressive, but they were postures that made it very uncomfortable to deliver power effectively. These were postures not used in modern combat sports.

As Mu-jin pondered over these questionable postures, the training had already moved on to the next phase.

“Now, we will teach you about the internal energy operation of the Xiao Hong Quan.”

Once again, as Master Uncle Hye-jeong’s call echoed, the Second-class Disciples began to assume the first stance of Xiao Hong Quan, and Master Uncle Hye-jeong went around them, pointing out the meridians where the internal energy should flow.

Well, if it were just about pointing out the locations of the meridians, it wouldn’t be a big deal. However,

“At this moment, the internal energy reaching the Jianyu acupoint should either reside in the Ying cloud or not reside anywhere, giving rise to the mind and flowing…”

The problem was that Mu-jin’s worries were realized as the talk turned to such nebulous concepts.

‘What kind of nonsense is this?’

Mu-jin, thrown into confusion, could only stare blankly at Master Uncle Hye-jeong.

Just then, Beob Gang, who had been going around the training yard checking the postures of the novice disciples, approached him.

“What are you doing, Mu-jin?”

To Beob Gang’s question, Mu-jin answered truthfully. Mu-jin believed that it was not shameful to admit ignorance. Only by acknowledging what one does not know and seeking correction can one move forward.

“Uh… I can’t seem to grasp the meaning of Master Uncle Hye-jeong’s words.”

“Hmm? The essence of Xiao Hong Quan is based on the Diamond Sutra. And haven’t you all learned about the Diamond Sutra during the sutra study time?”

“Well, that is true, but…”

It was not a situation where Mu-jin could easily admit that he had only half-listened to those teachings.

As Mu-jin stood there with an awkward expression, Beob Gang smiled lightly.

It was endearing for Beob Gang to see that the child, who was thought to be competent and sharp, still had weaknesses characteristic of a young one.

“This time, I will explain it to you. However, next time, you must also do your best in studying the sutras.”

“I understand. Master Uncle.”

“Firstly, ‘Ying cloud’ refers to a question posed by Subhuti to Buddha about how a practitioner determined to follow the Buddhist path can maintain that resolve. It can be thought of as ‘straightening one’s mind,’ but it also implies persistence, endurance, and attachment. In other words, it means to allow the internal energy to reside at the Jianyu acupoint.”

“Ah…”

“However, to attain enlightenment in Buddhism, one must let go of attachments and accept the world as it is. Therefore, ‘No specific residence, giving rise to the mind.’ Without staying put, one must release the mind. In essence, it means to let go of attachments and smoothly release the internal energy that has been stopped at the Jianyu acupoint.”

Having finished his verbal explanation, Beob Gang then demonstrated the first move of Xiao Hong Quan along with the internal energy.

The first move of Xiao Hong Quan was exactly the kind of move that would appear in a martial arts film featuring swordsmen.

Pulling the arms to the chest and then extending them, striking not with the fist but with the back of the hand. Although it looked elegant, it was a posture that seemed unlikely to deliver powerful force in a conventional sense.

“The internal energy that has been held and then released from the Jianyu acupoint will flow more powerfully than usual. Instead of forcing it, let it flow naturally. Just like this.”

Bang!!!

A powerful explosive force emanated from Beob Gang’s backhand.

Having observed the demonstration, Mu-jin took the same stance as Beob Gang, slowly drawing up his internal energy.

‘Is it essentially just like the Revolving Fist Technique, where you draw up the internal energy, but then you stop it momentarily at the shoulder’s Jianyu acupoint, like blowing up a dam that’s been holding it back?’

With his thoughts organized, Mu-jin manipulated his internal energy as if conducting an experiment.

First, he drew the internal energy up to the Jianyu acupoint.

As I released the internal energy that I had been holding, I felt a sense of denser Qi compared to when I simply released it.

However, since it was my first attempt, I didn’t quite achieve the explosive force that Beob Gang had demonstrated.

Still, I had achieved some degree of success.

The questions I had about the remaining moves of Xiao Hong Quan had been somewhat resolved.

‘It’s possible to increase power even with an uncomfortable posture if you have internal energy!’

I thought that it wasn’t just a matter of simply releasing internal energy like with the Revolving Fist Technique, but rather, it was a technique that involved stopping and then releasing the internal energy to increase its power.

However, even after reaching that conclusion, I still had some doubts.

“Why do you use terms like ‘Ying cloud’ and ‘No specific residence, giving rise to the mind’ when you could simply say ‘Stop the internal energy at the Jianyu acupoint and then release it like a dam breaking’?”

It seemed to me that using those terms only served to confuse people.

“That’s because the founder of Xiao Hong Quan, Great Master Kong Hwan, created it based on the Diamond Sutra.”

“Then, if it was created hundreds of years ago, why didn’t they simply explain the principles in a straightforward manner?”

“Xiao Hong Quan is relatively simple compared to the 72 Arts of Shaolin. The power of the 72 Arts is extremely strong, but the internal energy operation required for it is very complex and abstract. The ancestors expressed the complex operation of internal energy through the contents of the sutras. It’s almost impossible to explain it in simple terms like Xiao Hong Quan.”

As I wondered why the 72 Arts had suddenly come up, I quickly grasped Beob Gang’s intention.

“Then, is the principle of Xiao Hong Quan being left intact a practice to help us understand the principles of higher-level martial arts?”

“That’s correct. The Taoist schools also express their martial arts through the contents of the Tao Te Ching.”

“……”

After listening to Beob Gang’s explanation, I finally understood why there were so many abstract and vague descriptions of martial arts in martial arts novels.

It seemed that people tended to explain things based on what they knew well, using analogies and metaphors.

Especially for higher-level martial arts, the content is so complex that it probably felt easier to liken it to abstract phrases from Taoist or Buddhist scriptures.

‘But that’s for those who have attained enlightenment.’

Those who are enlightened might think, ‘Ah! This flow of internal energy fits perfectly with this phrase!’ But from the perspective of someone learning, it might as well be gibberish.

* * *

Two days had passed since Mu-jin began practicing Xiao Hong Quan.

Thanks to two days of practice, he had somewhat grasped the principle of stopping and then releasing the internal energy, but he still couldn’t produce the crisp sound that Beob Gang did in his demonstration.

Moreover, Beob Gang, true to his word, only explained the principle behind the first move and left the rest for Mu-jin to figure out on his own.

Since the internal energy operation for all fourteen moves of Xiao Hong Quan was derived from phrases in the Diamond Sutra, it meant Mu-jin had to decipher the meaning of those phrases himself.

“Ugh.”

Eventually, Mu-jin threw away the Diamond Sutra he had been focusing on.

Such tasks were not to his liking. While not unintelligent, Mu-jin had no taste for these abstract narratives.

If this was the state of affairs with Xiao Hong Quan, which novice disciples were learning, how would one decipher and understand the principles of even more advanced martial arts?

Moreover, even if he managed to ‘interpret’ the meaning of the principle, operating the internal energy according to it was another issue altogether.

He hadn’t even perfected the first move Beob Gang had explained, let alone the rest.

As Mu-jin threw away the Diamond Sutra, he wondered if there was another way.

“Hm? But does the technique have to be executed solely with internal energy?”

A peculiar thought crossed his mind.

Preferring action to being stuck at a desk, Mu-jin stood up and assumed the stance for the first move of Xiao Hong Quan.

‘It’s a bit awkward if done only with internal energy.’

In addition to operating the internal energy according to the principle, Mu-jin focused on the movement of his muscles.

He concentrated as much force as possible into the muscles from his shoulder to his fingertips, aligning it with the stopping of the internal energy at the Jianyu acupoint.

As he released the condensed muscles simultaneously with the internal energy.

Peng!!!

A powerful, explosive force, similar to Beob Gang’s, burst forth.

“Ah, I see. So that’s why internal energy is necessary.”

However, it wasn’t perfect.

The technique of handling internal energy wasn’t fully mastered, and as a result, his muscles felt strained, and his arm trembled.

But despite the pain, he had achieved significant success.

‘Even if the flow of internal energy according to the principle isn’t perfect, if one has sufficient strength and flexibility, they can still produce power.’

He had discovered this crucial fact.

“Hehehe.”

A peculiar smile naturally formed on Mu-jin’s lips.

*

The next morning, before training began.

Mu-jin and the three others had arrived at the training grounds early.

“How much have you guys mastered the first move of Xiao Hong Quan?”

“I’m not as good as the masters, but I can manage.”

“I understand the stance and principle, but it seems like I’m lacking a bit of power.”

“Hehe, I can imitate the form, but I don’t understand the principle.”

Mu-jin asked, and Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-yul replied in turn.

‘As expected.’

Just as he thought, Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong were at a similar level to him, while Mu-yul was struggling to understand the principle.

“Hm. Then let’s observe Mu-yul for now, and have Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong slowly demonstrate the first move five times?”

At Mu-jin’s words, Mu-gung and Mu-yul demonstrated the first move of Xiao Hong Quan in their own ways.

Their stances were somewhat correct, but it was clear that they were still struggling to operate their internal energy according to the principle, and their power seemed lacking.

Mu-jin carefully examined their stances for a moment.

“Good. I’ve come to a conclusion. Mu-gung lacks flexibility, so we’ll increase the time for Close-Range Spear Technique, and Mu-gyeong lacks core strength and arm power. We’ll double the weight of the Fasting Pill.”

He reached this conclusion.

“……Why are we suddenly increasing the time for Close-Range.”

Precisely, from last night’s experience, he realized that what he already knew about physical conditioning in modern combat sports could also be applied to martial arts.

It’s quite simple when you think about modern mixed martial arts.

When an MMA fighter tackles someone to the ground, some may use sophisticated techniques, while others might rely on brute strength and flexibility to simply pick up and slam their opponent.

Both methods are different, but ultimately, they can generate enough force to take down the opponent.

Even in the stance taken to execute a tackle, there are subtle differences based on one’s physique—people with long arms or legs, strong arms, or a strong core.

Each fighter adjusts their stance to fit their body type, and professional MMA fighters go through countless training sessions to find the right stance for themselves, building strength and flexibility through weight training and stretching.

And this same concept applies to martial arts. The only difference is,

“What do you guys think is the reason for the existence of internal energy principles and techniques in martial arts?”

“That’s because… to achieve extraordinary strength or speed that can’t be produced without internal energy, right?”

“Exactly.”

What is overcome by physical training in modern sports is overcome with internal energy in the world of martial arts.

“But there’s one problem. If you just send internal energy, in an uncomfortable posture that makes it hard to transfer power, it won’t produce the right force.”

“So you interpret the principles and create an internal energy flow that fits them, right?”

Mu-gung replied with a blank expression to Mu-jin’s explanation. Ironically, that was exactly the counterargument Mu-jin was looking for.

“Yes. Xiao Hong Quan teaches the operation of internal energy to overcome those uncomfortable stances and generate power. But think about it. Does everyone feel the same discomfort in the same stance?”