Genius Martial Arts Trainer

Chapter 25: There couldn’t possibly be such a thing

Beob Gang casually mentioned the name of the martial art that came to his mind to Mu-jin.

“Mu-jin, have you ever heard of ‘iron skin’?”

Upon hearing the name of the martial art, a look of bewilderment crossed Mu-jin’s face. And for good reason.

“…Isn’t that a third-rate external energy technique practiced by bandits?”

It was because that martial art was generally regarded in such a manner.

Even if Choi Kang-hyuk, who resides within Mu-jin’s body, had stopped reading martial arts novels by the time he was in school, some memories of ‘iron skin’ faintly lingered in his mind.

It’s a martial art that appears quite frequently in martial arts novels, usually practiced by third-rate villains. For example, it’s commonly practiced by the Green Forest bandits.

“Was it a martial art of Shaolin?”

As Mu-jin asked with an incredulous expression, Beob Gang cleared his throat once before answering.

“Ahem. There is a bit of a hidden story to it. In fact, ‘iron skin’ was one of the basic Shaolin martial arts that those who had passed the introductory martial arts, like the Prajna Heart Technique you are currently learning, used to practice. ‘Iron Sand Palm’ is also among the famous martial arts of our Shaolin, practiced by those who have mastered ‘iron skin’ to a higher level.”

“Ah…”

Mu-jin had seen ‘Iron Sand Palm’ in old martial arts movies.

A martial art where one trains by thrusting their palms into hot, glowing sand. The strong first impression it left had stayed in his memory.

“How did such a basic martial art of Shaolin degenerate into a third-rate technique practiced by bandits?”

“This is related to the decreasing number of practitioners of ‘iron skin’ within Shaolin. ‘iron skin’ is a martial art that strengthens the skin to withstand attacks from sharp weapons like swords and blades, but ultimately, it offers little help against highly skilled masters.”

“Ah, I’ve heard of that. It’s said to be ineffective against masters who use the Heavy Hand Technique of the internal family.”

The Heavy Hand Technique of the internal family refers to a technique that, when striking an opponent, uses internal energy to destroy the insides rather than just causing external damage.

“That’s right. Moreover, while it can block attacks from ordinary metal, it cannot block the sword qi or blade qi of highly skilled masters. There are stories that if one truly masters it, they could even block those, but the consensus is that it ultimately cannot block strong qi.”

It was practically useless against a true master. And Shaolin practices martial arts to face off against powerful opponents like the leaders of the Demon Sect or villains from the evil factions.

“So, it was said that the number of those who practice it naturally decreased due to its lack of practicality.”

It was also a statement that it would be of no help to Mu-jin. After all, the enemy that Mu-jin must face is the final villain of the novel, an immensely powerful expert.

“But why are you suddenly bringing up the topic of iron skin?”

“Cough. It is known in the world that iron skin, like Iron Sand Palm, is about consistently applying impact to the skin to train it to be as strong as steel. However, this is only half the truth. The real iron skin also involves a secret of absorbing Qi through the skin.”

“Ah…”

“This iron skin became this way because it was a basic martial art. A lay disciple who descended the mountain without properly mastering iron skin established a family and spread the half-baked iron skin technique.”

The true iron skin was considered useless even in Shaolin and thus stopped being practiced, while the half-baked iron skin spread through the lay disciples.

‘Is it because it was only half-baked and a basic martial art, Shaolin didn’t bother much about it.’

Having thought that far, Mu-jin asked with shining eyes,

“Then, if you learn the real iron skin, can you absorb internal energy through the skin?”

Absorbing Qi through the skin means that one could accumulate internal energy even when unable to breathe.

What if one could absorb Qi through the skin while actively cultivating?

The effects would likely be doubled.

In the eyes of Mu-jin filled with such expectations, Beob Gang shook his head.

“That is both correct and incorrect.”

“…What do you mean?”

“The secret of iron skin is originally to absorb Qi through the skin to strengthen it. In other words, the Qi absorbed with the technique of iron skin does not add to the internal energy but just strengthens the skin.”

“Ah…”

So it’s useless then!?

Mu-jin was thinking this to himself when, fortunately, Beob Gang added,

“However, it is true that the secret allows one to absorb Qi through the skin. So, why don’t you try to research a way to convert the Qi absorbed through the skin into internal energy?”

Beob Gang looked at Mu-jin with very serious eyes. His gaze was filled with the expectation that ‘you can do it.’

Of course, Mu-jin was not someone who felt pressure from such a gaze or would rashly take on a task that was too much for him.

‘Hmm. It seems worth a try?’

At least theoretically, Mu-jin thought there was a possibility.

It seemed quicker to find a way to convert the Qi absorbed through the skin into internal energy than it would be to understand the terribly complex and difficult Seventy-two consummate arts techniques that he would learn in the future.

“Disciple. Although my realm is still modest, I shall attempt the challenge.”

As Mu-jin spoke with a resolutely confident tone, Beob Gang nodded with a satisfied expression.

“You’ve made a good decision.”

“Then, will you now teach me the secrets of Iron Skin?”

“That is impossible.”

“…Why is that?”

As Mu-jin asked with a puzzled face, Beob Gang awkwardly responded, uncharacteristically embarrassed.

“I have not learned Iron Skin myself, so I do not know the secrets.”

“…”

As Mu-jin looked on with a flabbergasted expression, Beob Gang sheepishly turned his head to the side.

“Cough, cough. It can’t be helped. It has been over fifty years since Iron Skin began to be neglected. Only records of it being learned in the past remain, and now there are hardly any within Shaolin who have mastered Iron Skin.”

Beob Gang knew this information because of his strong pride in Shaolin, having memorized the historical records. Among the second-class disciples of Shaolin, there were even those who did not know that Iron Skin was a martial art of Shaolin.

However, that was of no concern to Mu-jin.

“Then how do you propose I learn Iron Skin?”

“Don’t worry. Even if there are none who have learned it now, the scripture library still has the records of Iron Skin. It is, after all, a basic martial art, so I will learn it first and then teach you.”

Beob Gang spoke with confidence, but Mu-jin could only look at him with an unimpressed expression.

Despite his appearance, which was unmistakably that of a soldier, the more one looked at Beob Gang, the more he seemed to be a bumbling figure.

*

Several days later.

Apart from his bumbling demeanor, Beob Gang may not have been made a second-class disciple of Shaolin for nothing, as he succeeded in learning the secrets of Iron Skin.

Thanks to this, Mu-jin was able to begin formally learning Iron Skin through Beob Gang.

The secret of Iron Skin was entirely different in its approach compared to the martial arts that Mu-jin had learned before.

Of course, it was all the same talk of grasping at clouds from the Buddhist scriptures, but while other martial arts described methods of handling internal energy, the secret of Iron Skin was more about ‘sensation.’

The essence of Iron Skin was to feel, absorb, and strengthen the skin through Qi.

For this purpose, the practice of Iron Skin often involved striking or impacting the skin.

By applying a proper level of strikes or impacts, the goal was to use the ‘stimulation’ to make the skin more sensitive and aware of its condition.

And the secret of Iron Skin dealt with how to feel that sensation through the skin and how to absorb external Qi through that sensation.

Slap.

For this reason, Mu-jin, who had begun practicing Iron Skin, would repeatedly slap his own skin with his palm whenever he had a spare moment.

“Why is he doing that again?”

To those unaware, the scene would look like the antics of a madman.

As Mu-gung watched Mu-jin repeatedly harming himself and asked with a puzzled expression, Mu-yul cheerfully replied.

“He used to do that before, senior brother Mu-gung!”

“When was this ‘before’?”

“Umm… Well…”

Mu-gung’s question led Mu-yul to count the days on his fingers for a moment. Eventually giving up on calculating the date, Mu-yul cheerfully answered.

“A long time ago, when Mu-jin first talked back to Master Uncle Hye-jeong!”

“Ah.”

“Back then, he even asked me to slap his cheek! When I refused, he slapped his own cheek.”

“…He really was crazy after all.”

Mu-gung muttered quietly to himself upon hearing Mu-yul’s sunny response. He was cautious not to speak too loudly, fearing another strike from Mu-jin.

A skilled fighter who is crazy can be that frightening.

*

Half a year had passed.

During this time, autumn had come and gone on Mount Song where Shaolin Temple was located, leaving behind white snow that eventually melted, giving way to budding greenery.

In time with the sprouting season, about twenty novice monks left the Shaolin Temple.

They were novice monks who had failed to master the introductory martial arts within a year.

Even though Mu-jin had taken charge of the morning training and raised the level of external energy practice, if one could not handle internal energy at all, they ultimately could not learn the martial arts of Shaolin.

The twenty children who left now were either unable to feel Qi at all during the year or, even if they could feel it, they lacked the talent to handle it properly.

However, despite having sent away such a large number of children, Master Uncle Hye-jeong, who was in charge of their training, did not seem too downcast.

“Master. This year, as many as forty-nine children have remained.”

The fact that only the children who could not handle internal energy properly had left meant, conversely, that if one had even the minimum talent to handle internal energy, they could stay.

Typically, more than half would be sent away at this time, but this time only less than a third were.

Hyun Seong seemed to have the same thought, a small smile gracing the lips of the elderly monk.

“This too is thanks to Mu-jin.”

Normally, even if a child had the talent to handle internal energy, it was not common for them to master the three introductory martial arts to the level of seven stars within a year.

However, this year, thanks to Mu-jin’s external energy training methods, there were several children who overcame their lack of talent with external energy practice.

At this point, it would be more foolish to deny Mu-jin’s training methods.

In fact, far beyond mere acknowledgment, Hyun Seong and Hye-jeong had already become ardent supporters of Mu-jin’s methods.

“Sigh. We need to bring in additional strong wooden beams and iron bars, and weighted plates for the Arhat Faction as soon as possible.”

Having greatly benefited from Mu-jin’s training methods, Hyun Seong hoped to acquire more of the tools that Mu-jin used.

However, even Shaolin, renowned as it was, could not overflow with wealth due to its upright and equitable methods.

Simple tools like wooden sticks could be made easily enough, but iron bars and weighted plates required a fair amount of precision in their center of gravity and standards, making their production quite costly.

In other words, it wouldn’t be easy to get the budget approved by the Jurisdiction Department of Shaolin.

However, there wasn’t a complete lack of options.

“Hahaha. Having practiced the Buddhist path for nearly fifty years, I should be ready to let go of desires, but I find myself eagerly awaiting the day of the entrance examination.”

“Disciple shares the same sentiment, Master.”

Entrance Examination.

The final test for introductory disciples and the selection process for direct disciples.

Through this examination, if Mu-jin’s training methods can be proven, then it wouldn’t be a dream to bring in a large quantity of equipment to the Arhat Faction.

*

Another half a year passed by.

The seasons transitioned from spring and summer, and now as they entered autumn, the trees on Mount Song began to take on a crimson hue.

During the past year, Mu-jin also achieved significant growth.

Perhaps due to his growth spurt, he grew a little over 171 cm in the span of a year.

“Sigh.”

Mu-jin, after taking deep breaths, began lifting an iron bar. Combined with the weight plates attached, it now weighed a hefty 102 kg.

Not with squats, but with bench presses, Mu-jin started to lift weights close to 100 kg. Based on a 12-rep standard, he had now reached the three-lift total of 400 kg.

While a year and nine months of training resulting in only a 400 kg total might seem slow, there was a significant reason for this.

Mu-jin was not a fitness trainer, but a martial artist.

If the goal had been solely to increase muscle size, he could have aimed for a 500 kg total. His body was naturally strong, and Choi Kang-hyuk was a capable trainer.

However, his reason for building his body was to use martial arts more easily and effectively.

And recklessly increasing muscle size could actually hinder movement. Just like bodybuilders with bulging muscles who can’t scratch their own backs.

Therefore, Mu-jin only increased his muscle ‘size’ to a level suitable for martial arts practice. He developed his physique only to a size similar to that of celebrities often referred to as “fit” on television.

Once he reached that level, Mu-jin maintained his muscle mass with the three major exercises and focused on stimulating smaller muscle groups.

Thanks to this approach, Mu-jin’s body transformed from the bulky muscles of a trainer to a leaner, more wild and muscular physique with well-defined muscles.

Furthermore, he succeeded in learning several additional basic martial arts of Shaolin that are allowed for introductory disciples.

As Mu-jin was vigorously advancing his training,

Hyun Seong, the head of the Arhat Faction, was entering one of the majestic halls of the long-standing Shaolin Temple.

“Abbot. I am Hyun Seong, the head of the Arhat Faction. I have come to discuss the upcoming entrance examination that will take place in five days.”

This place was none other than the office of the abbot, the core of Shaolin Temple.

“Come in, head of the Arhat Faction.”

Hyun Seong’s visit was permitted by the compassionate abbot of Shaolin, Hyun Cheon, who greeted him with his characteristic benevolent expression.

“I have heard a brief account. The majority of the children have succeeded in staying until the entrance examination this time?”

“Hahaha. This is also due to the deep virtue of the Abbot, is it not?”

At the response of Hyun Seong, the abbot and his former disciple, a gleam appeared in the kind eyes of Hyun Cheon.

‘If Hyun Seong has such confidence, it must be quite promising. Amitabha.’

Abbot Hyun Cheon was sincerely looking forward to the entrance examination that would take place in five days.