Chapter 13
Academy Entrance Exam (1)
[The subtle principle of Saryangbalcheongeun lies in dispersing incoming force. The foundation of martial arts begins from the feet. If you fully master and embody this principle, no matter how great the incoming force is, you can disperse it into the earth.]
Those were the words of Jo Il-yang, the Second Master of the Three Heroes of Jiangxi.
Although he possessed a thin and slender body, Jo Il-yang could withstand ten strong men pushing him for half a day while standing only on the tips of his toes.
Yu Jin-hyeok, who had inherited that technique, believed he had already mastered more than eighty percent of it.
‘…This makes no sense.’
Yet the skill he had been so proud of was shattered by pure strength.
Simple brute force.
Even Madam Jang, who had proudly asked her husband to watch their son’s performance, became inwardly embarrassed after witnessing the result.
“M-Mumu really is incredibly strong.”
“I told you already, didn’t I?” Yu Yeop-gyeong quietly whispered.
He was worried Yu Jin-hyeok might become discouraged after his failed attempt to show off.
At that moment, Yu Jin-hyeok, his face flushed red, suddenly spoke.
“L-Let’s do it again.”
“You want another round?”
“It was only because I haven’t perfectly mastered my master’s technique yet.”
He was desperately trying to preserve his teacher’s honor.
Seeing this, Yu Yeop-gyeong felt proud.
Even in defeat, his son protected the dignity of his master.
To him, that alone proved his son had grown up properly.
Yu Jin-hyeok demanded a rematch.
Mumu refused because it sounded bothersome.
The two argued for a long time.
Meanwhile, Yu Yeop-gyeong, who had worried about whether Mumu would fit into the family, finally relaxed a little.
And thus, the family reunion continued noisily late into the night.
—
The next morning.
At a training ground not far from Yu Yeop-gyeong’s residence, a boy sat cross-legged in meditation.
It was Yu Jin-hyeok.
He inhaled clear energy from the air, circulated it through his meridians, and gathered it within his dantian.
This was the foundation of all martial arts.
The Breathing Method.
A Mind Art.
Yu Jin-hyeok was currently practicing his ki circulation.
But—
‘…I can’t focus.’
Normally, he should have entered a state of emptiness while circulating his ki.
Yet distracting thoughts kept surfacing.
Every time he remembered yesterday’s humiliation, anger surged within him.
‘Then what were all my efforts until now for?’
Ever since childhood, he had admired his older brother and trained endlessly.
His masters praised him constantly.
They said that among his generation, only disciples from the Nine Great Sects, the Beggar Sect, or the Six Great Families could rival him.
But yesterday—
‘To lose to raw strength…’
No matter how much he thought about it, he could not understand.
How could physical strength surpass internal energy?
Internal energy was accumulated qi.
Its power far exceeded ordinary muscle training.
Yet Mumu had overpowered Saryangbalcheongeun with sheer force.
Even accounting for his own inexperience, it was difficult to accept.
Right then—
Smack!
“Ow!”
Startled, Yu Jin-hyeok opened his eyes.
Standing before him was a slender middle-aged man with a goat beard and a bamboo staff behind his back.
Jo Il-yang.
One of the Three Heroes of Jiangxi.
And one of Yu Jin-hyeok’s masters.
After gaining fame in Jiangxi during his youth, he had settled in Kaifeng to teach disciples.
“Your breathing is uneven,” Jo Il-yang said coldly.
“Why can’t you focus?”
“M-My apologies.”
Interrupting someone during ki circulation was normally dangerous.
However, a master like Jo Il-yang could tell merely by listening whether the breathing flow was stable or not.
That was why he had confidently struck his disciple’s head with the staff.
Yu Jin-hyeok rubbed his sore scalp.
“The entrance exam for the Changcheon Martial Arts Academy is only three days away,” Jo Il-yang continued.
“Everyone else is training desperately, yet you’re distracted?”
Yu Jin-hyeok lowered his head in shame.
His teacher was right.
He should have been fully focused right now.
Jo Il-yang inwardly chuckled.
‘Such a stiff child.’
Usually, Yu Jin-hyeok was calm and disciplined.
But after suddenly reuniting with his father and meeting that adopted son, his emotions had clearly become unstable.
Still, the academy entrance exam came first.
“Hurry and resume your ki circulation,” Jo Il-yang ordered.
“When your Third Master returns with the elixir tonight, you must immediately perform Forced Ki Penetration.”
“I understand.”
For Jo Il-yang, Yu Jin-hyeok’s success was important as well.
If his disciple entered the academy and achieved good results, their martial hall’s reputation would rise even further.
Just as Yu Jin-hyeok prepared to resume his training—
“Teacher…”
“What is it now?”
Yu Jin-hyeok hesitated before asking.
“Can brute strength truly break Saryangbalcheongeun?”
Jo Il-yang smirked slightly.
The question sounded childish, but at least it was related to martial arts.
“If mastered properly, Saryangbalcheongeun can disperse a thousand catties of force into the ground.”
“However, to fully use it in actual combat, one must reach the level of Yihwajeopmok.”
The Flower Grafting Art.
A supreme principle that redirected an opponent’s force back at them.
Unlike the stationary Saryangbalcheongeun, this was a realm only achievable after reaching the Transcendent Peak Stage.
Yu Jin-hyeok nodded slowly.
“So it happened because I haven’t mastered it completely yet…”
Jo Il-yang narrowed his eyes.
“Did you use the technique against someone recently?”
Otherwise, such a question would not arise.
After hesitating briefly, Yu Jin-hyeok explained what happened the previous night.
Jo Il-yang’s expression stiffened.
“You’re saying a boy who hasn’t learned martial arts pushed you back with pure strength?”
It was absurd.
Yu Jin-hyeok’s Saryangbalcheongeun was already nearly complete.
Though he lacked internal energy compared to true masters, losing to someone with no martial arts should have been impossible.
“…Even I cannot believe it,” Yu Jin-hyeok admitted bitterly.
“That’s why I can’t clear my thoughts.”
Jo Il-yang frowned deeply.
Then he asked,
“Where is that child now?”
—
About ten ri west of Yu Yeop-gyeong’s residence lay a small forest valley.
Mumu had come there to train.
Hidden among the bushes was a perfect place filled with massive boulders.
To Mumu, rocks were no different from training equipment.
With a gigantic boulder resting on his bare back, he repeatedly squatted and stood.
“Nine hundred eighty-two…”
“Nine hundred eighty-three…”
“Nine hundred eighty-four…”
Mumu grinned brightly.
It had been so long since he could properly train.
His muscles felt alive again.
‘I should finish several days’ worth while I still can.’
The academy entrance exam was only three days away.
If he passed, dormitory life might make training difficult.
So he planned to complete as much training as possible beforehand.
Just then—
Rustle.
Mumu sensed people approaching.
Pushing through the bushes were Yu Jin-hyeok and an unfamiliar middle-aged man with a goat beard.
‘Ah… what a pain.’
Why did they come all the way here?
Meanwhile, Yu Jin-hyeok stared with shock.
‘What is that…?’
Mumu was casually squatting with a gigantic boulder on his back.
Even for someone who practiced internal arts, repeatedly doing that was unbelievable.
Jo Il-yang was equally stunned.
‘Ha…’
The boy’s strength far exceeded expectations.
More shocking than the muscles themselves was the number Mumu was counting.
“Nine hundred ninety-eight…”
“Nine hundred ninety-nine…”
“One thousand…”
“One thousand one…”
Jo Il-yang swallowed dryly.
‘He repeated that over a thousand times?’
That was no ordinary training.
It was complete bodily destruction.
And yet—
The child looked perfectly fine.
His sweat-soaked clothes clung tightly to his body, revealing monstrous muscles.
Jo Il-yang’s eyes shone.
‘What an extraordinary talent.’
If someone like this had received proper martial training from childhood—
He could have become a terrifying martial artist.
Jo Il-yang instantly became greedy.
If Mumu truly knew no martial arts, then he could become his disciple.
It was perfect.
Although Mumu could not possibly pass the academy exam this year, Jo Il-yang could train him properly and send him next year.
Three outstanding disciples from one school.
Just imagining it made his heart race.
Turning toward Yu Jin-hyeok, Jo Il-yang declared confidently,
“Watch carefully.”
“This master will show you the true Saryangbalcheongeun.”
Fwoosh!
The moment he finished speaking, Jo Il-yang used his lightness skill.
In an instant, he appeared before Mumu.
Mumu’s eyes widened slightly.
‘Fast.’
He had never seen anyone move this quickly before.
Curious, he asked,
“Who are you, ahjussi?”
“I am Jo Il-yang, Second Master of Yu Jin-hyeok.”
“Oh. Hello. I’m Mumu.”
Jo Il-yang laughed heartily.
Without those monstrous muscles, Mumu’s pretty face could almost pass for a girl’s.
His expression and tone were innocent and naïve.
“But why are you here?”
“I heard about you from Jin-hyeok.”
Mumu blinked.
‘So he’s actually nicer than I thought?’
Then Jo Il-yang drew a circle on the ground and stood inside it on one foot.
“What are you doing?”
“Yesterday Jin-hyeok failed to properly demonstrate Saryangbalcheongeun. So this ahjussi will show you the real thing.”
“Oh. The thing where I push someone out of the circle?”
“That’s right.”
“Try pushing me.”
“Why?”
Jo Il-yang’s expression twitched.
This child was harder to manipulate than expected.
“If you push me out successfully, I’ll give you a present.”
“A present?”
“You’ll find out if you succeed.”
Mumu’s eyes sparkled slightly.
“You won’t lie, right?”
“Hahaha! I’m your brother’s master. Why would I lie?”
Then he focused internal energy into the Yongquan acupoint beneath his foot.
The foundation of Saryangbalcheongeun lay in firmly connecting oneself to the earth.
“Now, push.”
“Okay.”
Mumu placed his palm against Jo Il-yang’s chest.
Then he pushed.
CRACK!
The ground beneath Jo Il-yang’s foot instantly caved inward.
Jo Il-yang became inwardly shocked.
The force truly was monstrous.
Meanwhile, Mumu looked genuinely surprised.
“Huh.”
He had pushed seriously, yet the man did not move.
It felt like trying to uproot an ancient tree.
Yu Jin-hyeok watched with admiration.
‘Amazing…’
Unlike himself, his master could withstand Mumu’s strength effortlessly while standing on one foot.
He felt as if enlightenment had struck him.
‘Master was right. I was still lacking.’
Jo Il-yang smiled proudly after noticing their reactions.
Even so, he remained impressed.
Had Mumu learned internal energy as well, even he might have struggled.
Still, he had successfully demonstrated the true subtle principle.
“Did you see that, Mumu?” Jo Il-yang said proudly.
“This is the true Saryangbal—”
“Ahjussi.”
“Hm?”
“This is a secret from Father.”
“A secret?”
At that moment, Mumu twisted the dial on the Strength-Limiting Ring around his wrist.
The engraved number changed.
From Eight.
To Six.
Jo Il-yang frowned in confusion.
Then Mumu placed his palm on his chest once more.
“I’ll try again.”
Jo Il-yang laughed inwardly.
The child hated losing.
That competitive spirit was actually admirable.
“Hahaha! Go ahead.”
“Then I’ll use more strength.”
“Use as much as you—”
RIIIP!
Suddenly, Mumu’s sleeve exploded apart.
The muscles of his right arm swelled enormously.
Jo Il-yang’s eyes widened.
‘His muscles… got even bigger?’
Then—
A terrifying force exploded from Mumu’s arm.
Jo Il-yang instantly circulated all his internal energy and desperately redirected the force downward through Saryangbalcheongeun.
But the moment Mumu’s arm fully extended—
CRAAACK!!
“Urgh!”
The ground split apart violently for more than one zhang.
Jo Il-yang’s body shot backward uncontrollably.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!
Only after retreating nearly twenty steps did he finally stop himself.
His face turned pale.
‘Such monstrous power…’
Then—
“Guhk!”
Blood burst from his mouth.
Yu Jin-hyeok stared in horror.
“M-Master…!”
