Exchange
After several days of rigorous rehabilitation therapy:
“Huup!”
“Ha-at!”
Mu-jin sighed deeply as he watched his companions undergo even more intense training than before.
“Take it easy, will you?” he said.
“Huh?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You need to take it easy with your exercise. Your bodies need time to recover. What you’re doing is just self-torture,” Mu-jin explained.
Although Mu-jin also had a tight schedule, he trained his muscles scientifically by dividing his exercises by body part and taking at least one rest day every seven days.
His companions, however, had not taken a single day off. Even while he was bedridden for a month, they continued training without pause.
As a trainer, Mu-jin found their brute force training methods exasperating.
“…Are you really one to talk?” one of his companions retorted. “This from the guy who was worried about muscle loss even with a hole in his side?”
Despite their incredulity, Mu-jin remained confident.
“I rested for a long time. The hole in my side is just that—a hole. Muscles are muscles,” he replied.
Mu-jin valued his muscles more than the hole in his side. Even if his insides were not damaged, he would still exercise.
He only refrained from exercising because his internal injuries prevented him from eating, which would damage his muscles further.
“From now on, I’ll set up your training schedules. Today’s the last day for your brute force methods.”
“…”
“…”
Faced with being called brute force exercise addicts by Mu-jin, the group could only shake their heads in silence.
* * *
While Mu-jin and his group were engrossed in their training:
Inside the Abbot’s quarters at Shaolin Temple,
“…What do you intend to do about this matter, Abbot?”
The Abbot and Shaolin elders gathered with complex expressions. In the center of their discussion was a letter, the cause of the tense atmosphere.
The letter was from none other than Wi Ji-hak, the leader of the Murim Alliance. However, it was not the sender but the content that was even more serious.
The letter was straightforward. It stated that the Sa-doryeonju had sent a letter to the Murim Alliance claiming that the Shaolin monk, known to be at Shaolin Temple, and the Cheongsu Dojang had massacred the Green Forest bandits and destroyed the Amcheonhoe’s ‘legitimate’ market.
Furthermore, the Sa-doryeonju demanded the heads of the Shaolin monk and Cheongsu Dojang, waiting for responses from Shaolin and Wudang.
“When they fled in the night, I had my concerns, but I never imagined they would cause such a serious incident…”
“Abbot, this is no trivial matter. If handled poorly, it could lead to a major conflict. Amitabha.”
The elders, appearing deeply troubled, prompted Master Hyun-hyeon to stroke his beard thoughtfully before responding.
“Are you suggesting we should hand over the heads of the four students as the Sa-doryeonju demands?”
“What… what do you mean, Abbot?”
“That wasn’t my intention at all.”
“I was merely worried that our disciples might cause unnecessary bloodshed and chaos in the world. Amitabha.”
After hearing the elders’ concerns, Master Hyun-hyeon nodded several times before speaking.
“The most important thing now is to bring the four students back to the main temple.”
Their words were not wrong. In the past, Master Hyun-hyeon might have agreed with them.
As Shaolin monks, who had severed ties with the secular world, causing chaos and bloodshed was unacceptable.
“But the reason to bring the students back is neither to punish them nor to settle this incident.”
However, Master Hyun-hyeon had changed. Shaolin needed to change too.
Instead of cowering on a mountain, Shaolin must now become a powerful force that actively saves suffering beings in the world.
“How can eliminating bandits who torment civilians and exterminating malicious merchants dealing in drugs and stolen goods be considered a crime?”
It was time for Shaolin to be reborn as a strong entity that actively saves the suffering in the world.
“The reason we must bring the students back is to protect them from the Sa-doryeonju’s minions who might be pursuing them even now.”
Master Hyun-hyeon decided that abandoning Mu-jin and his friends, who laid the foundation and would further open the path, was the worst possible conclusion.
Seeing the usually gentle Master Hyun-hyeon’s resolute expression, the elders also accepted his decision.
“We will follow the Abbot’s decision. Amitabha.”
“Amitabha.”
At that moment, one elder posed an important question.
“Then, what should we tell the Murim Alliance, Abbot?”
He was essentially asking if they would declare war on the Sa-doryeonju.
Master Hyun-hyeon, who had been so serious, suddenly smiled a peculiar smile.
It was a response that the inflexible old Shaolin could never have thought of.
“Tell them that the Sa-doryeonju has falsely accused us.”
“F-falsely accused?”
“Of course, it’s a false accusation. How could a Shaolin monk, currently in seclusion after the Yongbongji Conference, be causing trouble in Guangxi Province? Amitabha.”
His shameless answer and smile strangely resembled Mu-jin’s.
* * *
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at Wudang was just as serious as at Shaolin.
“This matter must be addressed with Shaolin!!”
“What were they thinking dragging Cheongsu into such a dangerous situation?”
“They say Cheongsu massacred the Green Forest bandits and Amcheonhoe merchants! If he turns into a demon…”
If one were to compare the atmospheres, Wudang’s was far graver.
Witnessing the chaos among the elders, the sect leader Yun Song Zhenren could only sigh inwardly with a tired expression.
Unable to bear the elders’ nonsense any longer, Taiji Sword Immortal Yunheo Zhenren spoke up with a voice filled with authority.
“What nonsense are you all spouting?”
“Nonsense, Yunheo Senior! This is a serious matter!”
“If it’s not nonsense, are you saying that killing bandits and corrupt merchants is a crime?”
“……”
“How can you accuse a child who has committed no crime?”
With Yunheo Zhenren’s reprimand, the elders of Wudang could only cough awkwardly.
At that moment, Yun Song Zhenren spoke up to calm the overheated atmosphere.
“Hmm. Calm down, Yunheo.”
“…I apologize, Sect Leader.”
“No need to apologize. It seems you are right. However, the other elders are not questioning Cheongsu’s actions but are concerned he might stray down the wrong path.”
Yun Song Zhenren’s words reminded Yunheo Zhenren of a conversation he had a month ago with Hyun-gwang.
“I understand that concern, Sect Leader. But if a disciple does stray, it’s our job to correct them. We cannot keep them sheltered forever.”
After hearing Yunheo’s words, Yun Song Zhenren nodded, organizing his thoughts before speaking calmly.
“As you said, we will decide on Cheongsu’s matter after bringing him back to the main temple. For now, finding Cheongsu is our priority.”
“I will increase the number of disciples searching for Cheongsu, as he might be pursued by the Demonic Alliance. Sect Leader.”
“Do that. And let’s hold off on responding to the Murim Alliance. We should first hear Shaolin’s decision since it seems we’re in the same boat.”
“I will follow your instructions. Amitabha.”
“Amitabha.” freёweɓnovel.com
* * *
Fifteen days into Mu-jin’s rehabilitation,
“Master Mu-jin.”
Ryu Seol-hwa appeared with a serious expression and sought out Mu-jin.
“Is there something wrong?”
“…I don’t know if it’s appropriate to tell you this while you’re still recovering. But I think you should know.”
Ryu Seol-hwa then shared the current state of the martial world.
She spoke about the letter from the Demonic Alliance and the reactions of Wudang and Shaolin.
She also mentioned that the Sichuan Tang Clan sided with Shaolin and Wudang, which prompted the Qingcheng Sect, the Emei Sect, the Jegal Family, and the Mount Hua Sect to criticize them.
Moreover, the Murim Alliance and the remaining large sects and families were neutral, either undecided or hesitating about choosing sides.
After hearing everything, Mu-jin’s mind was abuzz with thoughts.
‘So, they did find out my identity.’
Since being trapped by the Green Forest bandits’ inescapable net, he had no opportunity to hide his martial arts, so he had anticipated this might happen.
If he had abandoned the women and children at Gyerim Black Market or So-cheongmun, he would have already escaped the area, but he had no regrets about that.
Instead of dwelling on past decisions, Mu-jin preferred to prepare for future actions.
“So, is there a chance of an imminent battle?”
“The Demonic Alliance is pressuring the Murim Alliance with letters, but there’s no sign of immediate military mobilization or war preparations.”
“What about the orthodox sects?”
“Both Shaolin and the opposing factions are trying to attract more allies rather than engaging in immediate conflict.”
Mu-jin pondered her answer.
‘So the factions are splitting completely. Whether this is good or bad remains to be seen.’
In the original story, the orthodox sects were divided regionally, causing internal strife.
In Sichuan, the Sichuan Tang Clan, Emei Sect, and Qingcheng Sect.
In Hubei, Wudang and the Jegal Family.
In Shaanxi, Mount Hua and Zhongnan.
Other sects and families fought similarly, with hidden forces supporting one side and infiltrating the orthodox factions.
But now, it seemed the factions were clearly dividing into two, with the neutral factions deciding which side to support.
‘Given the situation, it’s best to draw as many allies as possible, especially those not associated with the hidden forces.’
With this thought in mind, Mu-jin asked Ryu Seol-hwa an important question.
“Has the Cheonryu Sangdan decided which side to support?”
“We have many business dealings with Shaolin, Wudang, and the Sichuan Tang Clan, so we can’t easily withdraw our support without damaging our trust.”
“Then, do you know which side the Daegum Sangdan and Eunha Sangdan are leaning towards?”
Ryu Seol-hwa, tilting her head, shared what she knew.
“The Daegum Sangdan has been trading frequently with the Mount Hua Sect, so naturally, they’re with the anti-Shaolin faction. The Eunha Sangdan remains neutral, mostly dealing with the Murim Alliance.”
“As expected.”
“As expected?”
“I learned on this journey that those who caused trouble for the Cheonryu Sangdan are now allied with the Daegum Sangdan and Eunha Sangdan.”
“Ah! So, they’re supporting both the anti-Shaolin and neutral factions? Doesn’t that put Shaolin at a disadvantage?”
“Not everyone in the neutral faction is aligned with them. We need to find those among the neutral sects and families who aren’t associated with them and extend our hand.”
Ryu Seol-hwa’s face darkened slightly, perhaps due to the increasing difficulty of the task for the future of the Sangdan.
To reassure her and bolster the Shaolin alliance, Mu-jin shared a critical piece of information.
“First, reach out to the Zhongnan Sect.”
“The Zhongnan Sect?”
Ryu Seol-hwa tilted her head at Mu-jin’s suggestion.
The Zhongnan Sect, a part of the Nine Great Sects alongside Mount Hua in Shaanxi, would, in about seven years:
Dao Yuetian would drive out the Amcheonhoe and become a new powerhouse in the Demonic Alliance, competing with Hyeok Jin-gang for dominance.
They would fall to the Mount Hua Sect, reduced to a minor sect, partly due to financial and strategic support from Shinchun.
Therefore, they needed to ally with them before they foolishly remained neutral and fell.
However, since Mu-jin couldn’t reveal future events, he explained his prepared reasoning.
“Yes. They’re close to Mount Hua, which is anti-Shaolin. Just presenting the obvious future should be enough to persuade them.”
“Obvious future?”
“Emei and Qingcheng sided against Shaolin due to their grudge against the Sichuan Tang Clan. The Jegal Family also holds a grudge but mainly due to their proximity to Wudang in Hubei. So, what does Mount Hua stand to gain?”
“Ah! If we lose, Emei, Qingcheng, and the Jegal Family will support Mount Hua in pushing out the Zhongnan Sect!”
Mu-jin nodded at her realization.
‘Hmm. Baek Ga-ryeong would have simply called it a strategy of distant alliances and near attacks.’
Thinking about the lengthy explanation, Mu-jin naturally thought of Baek Ga-ryeong.
“Perhaps this is a good opportunity to utilize Baek Ga-ryeong and Baek Ga-hwan. Explain the situation to them, and they might come up with a good strategy to persuade the Zhongnan Sect.”
“Aren’t you coming with us, Master Mu-jin?”
“I will move if a war seems imminent, but for now, I need to focus on my recovery.”
Though he said that, Mu-jin could easily continue his rehabilitation at Shaolin.
Mu-jin decided to stay because he anticipated being tied down at Shaolin for several years upon his return.
‘It’s good to train there, but there’s one last thing I must settle.’
Mu-jin recalled one final task he needed to complete.
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