A Secret From Seol (1)

‘Great Body-Shift Technique?’

With over fifty years’ experience in the Jianghu, Yu Jinsan recognized it at once.

What was the Great Body-Shift Technique? It was a secret Shaolin movement art allowing the body to move as the mind willed.

Applied, it would vastly increase attack and evasion range, effectively doubling survival chances in battle.

But why was Jeong Hye passing this to him?

‘What on earth is going on?’

Jeong Hye, who had lifted him into the air, was clearly teaching the motions of the Great Body-Shift technique.

Their synchronized movement looked miraculously like walking on clouds, enough to astonish any onlooker.

Receiving martial transmission was a joy, but he couldn’t be entirely happy; she was unpredictable.

“Why are you teaching me a Shaolin secret? Is this really allowed?”

“You must not die, hyung. You have to keep your promise to me.”

“You mean, I have to stay alive until that black guy comes back?”

“Yes.”

Only he could move Yu Seol, so it meant he had to survive to keep his promise.

If that’s what it meant, there was no reason to refuse; it was a windfall.

“Then teach my granddaughter too.”

“Seol is strong. She doesn’t need this.”

Yu Seol, having reached the Profound rank, had transcended being bound by form; the secret technique itself held little meaning for her.

Yu Jinsan hadn’t grasped that, but Jeong Hye had suspected it since Dunhuang—the unbelievable reflexes that moved before thought.

By contrast, Yu Jinsan’s strength still heavily influenced the power of his martial arts.

Perhaps for that reason, while mirroring her motions he continued to coax her.

“It’s hard to see how one could survive in the harsh Jianghu with just a secret technique.”

Although expelled, Jeong Hye had once been a top warrior at the Shaolin Temple—his teacher was said to be the abbot Jeong Myeong.

That meant he likely knew all Shaolin’s secret doctrines, a rare chance to gain even more techniques.

He tried his luck, but Jeong Hye gave no reply, focused only on the Dae Nai method.

‘True. Sharing one’s art is unheard of; even this is something.’

Yu Jinsan stopped pestering and concentrated on the technique being taught.

After dozens of repetitions he had memorized the motions to some extent.

“Done!”

“Alright, if you’re done, put me down.”

Having memorized the moves, only repetitive practice remained.

Jeong Hye, after setting Yu Jinsan down, seemed to ponder something.

“Hmm…”

“Why? Is there a problem?”

Jeong Hye muttered while picking his nose with his index finger.

“Then I’ll teach you one more thing. Uh-huh. What would be good, I wonder.”

“You’ll really teach me?”

Earlier he had only teased the possibility; he hadn’t expected her to concede so easily—elders at Shaolin would have coughed blood if they’d heard.

But nothing in this world is free.

“Eat this and I’ll tell you.”

Sure enough, on his finger sat a sizable booger.

He had done the same when they first met on Mount Song. Then Yu Jinsan had dodged it—now a huge temptation was before him.

“If I eat it, you’ll teach me everything?”

“Yes. Hurry and eat, hyung. It’s tasty.”

“W-wait a moment.”

Dumbfounded, Yu Jinsan tried to think calmly.

Shaolin Temple’s martial arts—the North Star of the murim world—each held deep, weighty value.

Finger techniques, spear, joint, fist, sword arts, etc. Aside from spear, Shaolin surpassed the Yu family’s styles. Yet no martial man would give up his pride for a single art.

‘If it’s worth eating that, there can be only one art.’

But he couldn’t be sure Jeong Hye would hand it over so willingly.

He had nothing to lose by trying.

“Then teach me the Muscle Changing technique. So when the one you mentioned returns, I can fight alongside you.”

Dharma Muscle Changing Technique—the undisputed supreme classic of Shaolin.

He had only probed; he didn’t expect much—if Jeong Hye were sane it was a slap-worthy request.

“Not the Muscle Changing technique. Not now.”

As expected. But why ‘not now’? He wondered what leeway that implied.

“What’s the reason?”

“You’re still weak, hyung.”

“So I need to reach Supreme master before I can learn it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

There was no hesitation in the answer; it didn’t seem a lie.

If that was the only reason, a chance would come; he’d try to persuade her again then.

“I understand. Anyway, if it’s not the Muscle changing technique, I won’t eat it…”

Slap!

Yu Jinsan stopped mid-sentence and clutched his throat—something had been shoved into his mouth.

All he saw was Jeong Hye flick something with his finger.

“Gah!”

No matter how he tried to spit it out, it had gone deep down his throat.

“Uhi hi hit.”

Hearing Jeong Hye’s laughter, anger welled up.

Forcing him to eat a booger? It was an unprecedented insult he could not forgive.

“You bastard, just wait! I’ll tell my Seol everything that happened today!”

Jeong Hye’s laughing face suddenly stiffened.

“…No, no!”

“What’s ‘no’? You’re dead now.”

He was the head of the Yu family; his family’s pride had been shattered.

Yu Jinsan genuinely looked furious.

“Hyung…”

“Those pitiful eyes won’t help. I already ate it, so what are you going to do!?”

“I’ll teach you something else,” Jeong Hye said.

“If it’s not the Muscle Changing technique, I don’t need it.”

Jeong Hye, with a serious face, gently grasped Yu Jinsan’s shoulder.

“No. I really have something good.”

Since the incident had happened, he had to get something out of it—otherwise his anger wouldn’t subside.

He was also curious what this mad monk was scheming next.

Calming himself, Yu Jinsan squinted and asked.

“What’s that?”

Jeong Hye pushed out his belly and grinned.

“Hit me once.”

“You’ll regret it.”

Yu Jinsan’s strike could crack rock; his internal qi matched top warriors.

Yet Jeong Hye smiled and tapped his belly.

“It’s fine. Hit quickly.”

What trick was this all of a sudden?

In any case, there was no reason to refuse.

Yu Jinsan gathered his internal qi into his palm with resolve—he was still angry.

“You brought this on yourself, so don’t blame me.”

He thrust his palm like lightning toward Jeong Hye’s abdomen.

Yu Family Heaven and Earth Palm’s first form, ‘One Break, No Trace’—a superbly powerful strike.

Zhaeng-!

“Khrk!”

A sound escaped past Yu Jinsan’s lips.

It felt like striking a solid lump of metal.

‘Impossible. Could it be that I didn’t even cause a jolt?’

He couldn’t believe it. At the very least, he should have stepped back.

Yet he didn’t so much as blink—an unimaginable result.

While rubbing his aching wrist, Jeong Hye’s laughter drifted to him.

“Puhihihit.”

Yu Jinsan’s brows drew together.

“Alright. Let’s see if you can still be laughing a bit later.”

Driven by pride, he clenched both fists.

A direct strike would ruin his wrists, so he would change his method of attack.

A technique that struck from range with great force.

It was the Hundred Steps Divine Fist he had learned from Yu Seol.

Though rooted in Shaolin, his granddaughter had modified it. It consumed more internal qi but was stronger than its original form.

In a blink, a fierce gale of fist wind blasted from Yu Jinsan’s fist.

Kwang-!!

Its power clearly overwhelmed the Yu Family Heaven and Earth Palm.

The fist wind didn’t vanish instantly; it stirred a vortex of qi around Jeong Hye’s navel for a moment.

And yet Jeong Hye still smiled.

“Puhihihi.”

‘Enduring?’

The first strike was only the start.

Since it wasn’t real combat, he needn’t worry about internal qi consumption.

Righting his stance, Yu Jinsan threw punch after punch.

Bang-! Kwang-!! Kwang wang-!!

Fist winds hammered relentlessly at Jeong Hye’s navel.

Was it because he targeted the same spot? Perhaps from accumulated impact, Jeong Hye twisted his torso slightly to adjust the strike point.

That left Yu Jinsan with nothing more he could do.

After unleashing dozens more attacks, he finally gave up.

Maybe with a weapon and unleashed force it would be different, but he couldn’t bring himself to go that far.

He panted roughly, wearing a defeated expression.

“Enough. You win.”

“See? It’s a good one, right?”

Yu Jinsan had guessed what trick Jeong Hye had used—there was only one such art in the world.

The Vajra Indestructible Divine Arts.

Mastering it granted a body impervious to blades, resistant to poisons, and immune to water and fire—a truly invulnerable physique.

It was a wholly different level from merely hardening the skin like iron plating.

Though not on the same level as the Muscle-Shifting Technique, it was considered the best self-defense technique.

It was said to require deep internal qi and long-term qi cultivation training with hand seals.

“Indeed an amazing art. But you’re going to teach this to me?”

Jeong Hye nodded without hesitation.

“But you must keep it secret that I made you eat my booger, understood?”

He had no intention of telling anyone either.

How could he shamefully tell his granddaughter such a thing?

In any case, Yu Jinsan had stumbled onto a superb opportunity.

‘The Great Body-Shift Technique and the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill…’

Though not offensive, they were top survival arts.

They would be hard to master, but he’d endure any hardship; he wouldn’t be a burden to his granddaughter.

“Alright. Let’s stop for today and start tomorrow. I should go see Seol.”

Jeong Hye stepped in front and squinted his eyes.

“You’re going now, right?”

“Didn’t you say I wouldn’t tell anyone? Don’t worry.”

“Really?”

“Yes, truly.”

“A promise?”

“I said I will!”

He truly was a persistent mad monk.

Yu Jinsan changed direction and fled using light footwork skill.

Behind him Jeong Hye’s shouts could still be heard.

“Don’t tell!”

“…”

Yu Jinsan shook his head as if dizzy.

To receive martial transmission from an unbalanced man—it should be joyful, yet he couldn’t help but worry about the future.

“Hello, elder!”

The man he met was Hongki, the assault captain of Defeating Blade Clan.

Yu Jinsan glanced back and quickly asked.

“Have you seen my granddaughter?”

“Seol?”

“Yes. No matter how I look I can’t find her.”

“This morning she was playing in the sparring yard and flew off in that direction.”

Hongki’s finger pointed toward a small hill behind the manor.

Long ago he’d climbed there a few times to train with his granddaughter. Why would she go there this morning?

He hadn’t seen the child all day; he needed to check.

“Alright, understood. Thanks.”

“Yes. Please go in, elder.”