Martial Arts Ain't Anything Special-Chapter 129: Shaolin (2)

When Pae Jingwang volunteered Seojun, the Abbot’s expression twisted, just as expected.

“Didn’t we clearly say, under thirty?”

“That’s right. Under thirty.”

Pae Jingwang jabbed a finger at Seojun.

“He’s what, twenty-four? Sounds right, doesn’t it?”

“That’s right. Twenty-four. Completely a youngster.”

The Abbot, wearing a strange mix of suspicion and disbelief, finally sighed.

“Fine... I doubt you’d lie over something this trivial...”

Twenty-four and already that strong?

It sounded absurd, yet the martial world was where the absurd happened regularly.

Even the Sword God Ju Wooncheon had only reached the Unrestrained Realm at forty.

So someone nearing that level at twenty-four... wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.

Unlikely, yes. But ignoring what was plainly in front of him would be even more foolish.

At this rate, the Namgung Clan’s name would only echo louder through the next generation.

“Huh... I never expected to be outmaneuvered like thisYou had a monster hidden up your sleeve.”

“You were never too bright to begin with?”

“Still brighter than you.”

Seojun gave Pae Jingwang a curious glance as he conversed so casually with the Shaolin Abbot like old friends.

He’d known the Fist King was up there in age, but judging from their casual banter, they must’ve crossed paths often in their youth.

At that age, those still standing from the same generation were either close companions...

Or they could be sworn enemies.

“I can’t go back on my word now, so that’s that. Hyeun.”

“Yes, Abbot.”

“We’ve come this far, so try your best to learn something. He probably won’t end it in one move.”

A request not to finish it too quickly.

Of course, Seojun could’ve ignored it without much consequence, but he wasn’t completely heartless. He gave a quiet nod.

The Abbot’s expression softened slightly as he gestured forward.

“Let us move somewhere more suitable.”

*The group relocated to the training grounds.

The monks who had gathered earlier dispersed to attend their duties.

The few who remained to watch the duel were all familiar faces.

Jibaek and Ji-am.

Ji-am’s distinctive reversed hairstyle hadn’t changed a bit.

He still seemed bitter about having his head tapped by a junior during that whole “I am the Heavenly Demon” incident, and now he was glaring at Seojun like he’d swallowed a lemon.

“Hey, long time no see!”

As Seojun waved with a cheerful grin, Ji-am’s expression crumpled.

He turned his head sharply, looking oddly shy for a monk.

They weren’t the only ones lingering by the training ground.

Bohyeon Divine Nun of the Emei Sect had followed them, deep in thought.

She finally turned to someone.

“Cheongsong.”

“Ah, Divine Nun Bohyeon.”

“Yes, it’s been a while.”

Since both the Emei and Cheongseong Sects were in Sichuan, they were naturally acquainted.

And given that Cheongsong was a rising star in his sect, she recognized him at a glance.

“I’d like to ask something, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.”

“That man... what exactly does he do?”

Bohyeon Divine Nun hadn’t forgotten Seojun.

The same man who’d brazenly made that “female quota” comment about the Emei Sect.

She had backed down at the time, intimidated by his aura that seemed to be at the Unrestrained Realm and also because the Emei Sect were the ones who had been rude first. She’d assumed he was some elder of the martial world.

But now? Not even thirty?

His identity had been openly acknowledged, and the Fist King vouched for him. It couldn’t be a lie.

Yet it still didn’t make sense.

“I don’t really know the details. Said he’s my friend’s brother-in-law.”

“Hm. I heard he’s the son-in-law of the Namgung Clan.”

At that, her eyes shifted to Namgung Myeong beside Cheongsong.

Namgung Myeong greeted her politely and said:

“He’s a good man. And exceptionally talented.”

“But he doesn’t exactly act like it...”

Based on his behavior, both then and now, he didn’t seem very normal...

Bohyeon Divine Nun swallowed the end of that sentence.

Namgung Suah chuckled.

She could tell what the nun was thinking.

“He just has a bit of a playful nature, that’s all.”

“Ah, you.”

Meeting Bohyeon’s gaze, Namgung Suah bowed politely.

“I’m Namgung Suah.”

“Ah, I’ve heard the Namgung Clan has a blossom among them. Seems the rumors were true.”

“You honor me.”

Suah smiled faintly, then looked toward Seojun, who was finishing his warm-up.

“He’s kind and gentle. And when it comes to those he holds dear, he gives abundantly.”

“Hmm...”

Bohyeon Divine Nun found it hard to say anything negative about someone’s husband in front of the wife.

Noticing this, Suah gave a subtle, sly smile.

“If you watch, I’m sure Divine Nun Bohyeon will come to understand.”

She was genuinely confident.

*Seojun stood facing Hyeun while eavesdropping on the conversation behind him.

Big Sis’s trust is a little heavy...

Honestly, I’m not even that great a guy.

He scratched his head sheepishly and looked at Hyeun.

“Ready whenever you are.”

“Amitabha... As you wish.”

Hyeun took a fighting stance.

His left hand extended, right fist pulled back.

His feet were wide apart, but there was enough elasticity in his legs to allow fluid motion.

Seojun glanced over at Chunbong, who stood watching in a daze, then let his arms drop to his sides.

Since Hyeun was using fist techniques, he’d respond in kind.

“Here I come.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Hyeun surged forward.

Golden energy wrapped around his form as he practically floated through the air, his speed fierce and refined.

He struck with the fist he’d drawn back.

Seojun caught the blow with his left hand, then immediately countered with the Supreme Force Monstrous God Style from his right.

Hyeun reacted instantly, twisting his momentum to spin and throw a follow-up punch—

CRASH────────!!

A thunderous impact sent Hyeun sliding backward.

“Hmm...”

Having withstood the impact, Hyeun didn’t hesitate and immediately threw another punch.

Despite standing far enough that even a spear wouldn’t reach...

DONG-!

A bell-like sound rang out as golden fist energy burst toward Seojun like a projectile.

The Hundred Step Divine Fist?

Taking a rough guess, Seojun swung his arm with force.

CRASH-!

His palm shattered the incoming energy, though a faint sting lingered across the back of his hand.

“Oh... As expected of Shaolin.”

“All martial arts under heaven originate from Shaolin.”

The kind of arrogant saying only Shaolin could get away with.

Yet there was a reason that saying had become so widespread.

The brief glimpse Seojun had just seen of Shaolin’s martial arts was more than enough to justify its lofty reputation.

Of course, he didn’t fully agree with it.

In the near future, the world would say something else entirely, “All martial arts in the world originate from Namgung.”

“Shall we pick up the pace a bit?”

Crack-!

Seojun clenched his fist.

What he held within it was the sky itself.

Harnessing the principles of the Sword of the Boundless Azure Sky, he threw a punch guided by the flow of the Supreme Force Monstrous God Style.

Hyeun reacted quickly, thrusting out both hands to block the incoming fist.

CRASH────────!!!

Despite guarding with both palms, he was driven back a significant distance.

“Ugh...!”

It was clear Seojun was restraining himself and matching his level. His fist was wrapped in faint energy, and his speed and power weren’t much different from Hyeun’s.

And yet, Hyeun was still overwhelmed.

Hyeun knew the reason.

Their very understanding of martial arts was on different planes.

This wasn’t just a gap in strength, but a gap in comprehension.

Each punch held sword-like sharpness. Each strike released power with precise timing. Each transition between movements was fluid and seamless.

The techniques were simple, yet impossible to block..

It didn’t mean Seojun was just mindlessly overpowering him with brute force.

That’s why the corners of Hyeun’s lips turned up.

“Amitabha...!”

His inner energy surged, golden light enveloping him.

The monk bared his teeth in a fierce grin.

“HAA──────!!”

Lion’s Roar.

A shockwave of qi burst from Hyeun’s body.

Simultaneously, Hyeun lunged. His eyes moved rapidly, tracking every movement Seojun made.

Each step drew a line. Each line became a pattern. He punched along it.

Seojun calmly brushed off the roar and caught the punch with ease.

But Hyeun didn’t pause.

Every beat between attacks added force to the next. A lifted toe struck for an opening.

The Hundred Step Divine Fist revealed its true nature.

The Hundred Step Divine Fist wasn’t just a technique for striking at a distance. That was merely one aspect.

The true essence of the Hundred Step Divine Fist was its power. Power strong enough to land a blow from a hundred steps away.

That terrifying force now targeted Seojun’s entire body.

“Oh.”

A fist broke through Seojun’s guard and grazed his nose as he bent backward.

In the same motion, he twisted and kicked out.

THWACK-!

His foot struck Hyeun’s chin.

The monk withstood it.

Ignoring the blow with his trained body, Hyeun didn’t lose momentum and pressed forward.

Impressive.

Like some kind of bulldozer.

Seojun had room to spare due to the difference in level, but if they were equals, this would be a challenging fight.

A monk who endured Seojun’s qi techniques and just kept punching.

In a way, he resembled Pae Jingwang.

Of course, there were clear differences as well.

WHOOSH──────────

Thousand-Hand Buddha Palm.

Due to the fact that he hadn’t mastered it fully, only ten phantom hands rose behind Hyeun, but even ten were nothing to scoff at.

They weren’t physical, nor were they just energy.

This was what a Peak Realm Thousand-Hand Buddha Palm looked like.

Seojun leaned forward with curiosity, deliberately stepping into the path of one illusion.

WHOOSH-!

Suddenly, Hyeun’s real hand replaced the phantom and struck.

“This is actually pretty fascinating.”

Hyeun’s palm landed on Seojun’s shoulder.

Seojun He easily dissipated the force, pulling back and twisting to deflect the impact.

Seeing Seojun retreat so effortlessly, Hyeun felt a sense of despair.

What should I do...

He knew the Abbot hadn’t expected him to win.

But even so, Hyeun was a martial artist, and also a martial monk.

Martial monk... An ascetic who sought the Buddha’s path through martial arts.

Even if defeat was certain, his will to win wouldn’t vanish.

What I need is a strike he can’t deflect.

It didn’t matter if he reads my moves.

He just had to endure. And land it anyway.

“Amitabha...”

Behind him, the Thousand-Hand Buddha Palm bloomed again like golden lotus petals.

Hyeun launched into the air, his body gliding as golden energy gathered in his fists.

Seojun didn’t move, and just stood there watching it.

Seeing this, Hyeun thought.

He’s going to deflect it again. And then counterattack.

He channeled Mahayana Vajra Power to its limit, and unleashed the Hundred Step Divine Fist.

DONG────────!!!

A fist shot forth with a great bell sound, only to be deflected. Seojun’s palm had enveloped Hyeun’s fist and pushed it aside.

He had anticipated this.

The immediate counter. A punch aimed at his abdomen.

He had anticipated this too.

Instead of dodging, he took the hit.

CRASH-!

Hyeun’s body trembled.

“Hrngh...!”

He endured. Blood spilled from his lips, but he stood his ground.

He murmured Buddhist scriptures as he fought. Pain too was merely transient. freewebnøvel.com

Pivoting from his front foot, he stepped forward with everything he had.

“Amitabha...”

Golden fist energy, which was now almost tangible, was unleashed according to Shaolin’s teachings.

DONG────────!!

Seeing it come, Seojun smiled.

“Impressive.”

To grow this much in the middle of a fight...

He really was like a protagonist in some novel.

And someone like Hyeun, who even polished his bald head for the sake of others, certainly deserved such qualification.

“Then let me offer you something in return.”

As the golden fist approached, Seojun pulled his back foot far behind him, drawing his body with it.

That small adjustment gave him a sliver of time.

Within it, he infused his punch with hastily replicated Buddhist inner power.

He’d glimpsed the essence of the Hundred Step Divine Fist. It wasn’t enough to understand Buddha’s teachings, but he did know the sky was vast and compassionate.

He filled that gap with Namgung’s sky instead.

An all-encompassing force.

Thus, the Heaven-Embracing Divine Fist.

A fist that carried the sky within it surged forth.

CRASH──────────!!!

Their fists collided.

A tremendous shockwave burst across the field.

When the dust settled, only one man remained standing.

Seojun folded his hands in prayer toward the fallen Hyeun.

“Amitabha... May you go to a better place.”

Of course, he hadn’t killed him.

He had shown restraint. It was just a demonstration after all.

Sure enough, Hyeun soon regained consciousness.

“Urgh... I’ve learned much.”

Staggering to his feet, Hyeun made a prayer gesture.

As Seojun smiled watching him, the corners of his lips stiffened slightly.

That lingering Buddhist inner energy in his body... His head felt clearer than usual, but in a way that was unsettling.

What is this?

A strange feeling.

It wasn’t that the inner power was wrong... but more that his body was actively rejecting it.

Would things change if I studied Shaolin martial arts properly?

If the opportunity arose, it might be worthwhile to copy something like the Muscle-Transforming Marrow-Washing Scripture.

*The Abbot’s expression darkened as the duel concluded.

At his side, Pae Jingwang subtly glanced over, gauging his reaction.

After all, that last blow had definitely incorporated the principles of the Hundred Step Divine Fist.

Namgung Hyeok, however, was simply excited.

“Oho...! As expected of our blessing! The future of Namgung is bright!”

Glares shot at him from all directions.