The Genius Grandson of the Namgung Family Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Two days had passed since Chwiwol Geolgae left.

‘Why hasn’t Master returned yet?’

When he left, it seemed like he would return right away, but as time passed without his return, Ha Hyeon became worried that something might have happened to Chwiwol Geolgae.

But when he asked his grandfather while training as usual,

‘No news is good news when it comes to Chwiwol Geolgae. If he didn’t get permission from the guild leader, he’d be throwing a tantrum by now. And if he did get permission… he’s certainly gone to boast about it to Shaolin and Wudang.’

After saying this, his grandfather didn’t worry at all.

Once his grandfather had explained it this way, Ha Hyeon finally felt relieved and could focus on training again.

“Alright. Let’s stop here for today. Think deeply about what Mu-ae (Limitlessness) means.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

Namgung Mu-ryong appeared fine on the outside, but he couldn’t raise his inner energy.

The demonic energy planted by Hyeollang was gradually fading, but it seemed like it would take an enormous amount of time to heal naturally.

“I hope Master Chwiwol Geolgae returns soon so we can go to Shaolin.”

“He’ll probably be back soon. And this situation has its own benefits too.”

“What do you mean?”

“Living without using any inner energy at all.”

Namgung Mu-ryong smiled brightly.

It was the smile of an old man named Namgung Mu-ryong, not that of the martial artist known as the Sword Saint.

“With my inner energy gone, I’m just an ordinary old man. And it feels good to experience the flow of time this way.”

He patted Ha Hyeon’s somewhat gloomy back.

“But you still need to recover quickly…”

“That’s true too. When I say it feels good, I mean it’s nice to experience it once in a while. I don’t mean I want to live like this permanently.”

He winked at Ha Hyeon, who chuckled.

“Grandfather, please teach me how to break the Eighteen Arhat Formation. I’ll prepare diligently.”

“The method to break the Eighteen Arhat Formation… Honestly, there could be many ways. But do you really want me to tell you all the methods?”

After thinking for a moment, Ha Hyeon shook his head.

He seemed to understand what his grandfather was trying to say.

“No. I’ll try to figure it out on my own.”

“Haha. Good. Use this as an opportunity for your growth as well.”

“Yes! Grandfather. And even if we lose the bet because of me, wouldn’t Master Juwon give you one pill since you’re ill?”

“Haha. Yes. Juwon is more compassionate than you might think.”

Namgung Mu-ryong stroked Ha Hyeon’s head affectionately and continued.

“Still, I’ll give you one hint. If you learn how to concentrate your inner energy into a single point, it will become easier.”

“Ah…!”

It was the same advice that Chwiwol Geolgae had given before leaving.

“Thank you. I’ll think about it!”

“Good.”

Namgung Mu-ryong left the training ground ahead of Ha Hyeon.

Ha Hyeon waited until his grandfather had left before raising his sword again.

‘Concentrating inner energy into a single point…’

It couldn’t just mean putting all his strength into stabbing a single point.

With Ha Hyeon’s current skill, he could already stab the same point repeatedly even with his eyes closed.

‘Does it mean to pour all my body’s inner energy at once…?’

Ha Hyeon picked up his sword again, pondering various possibilities.

He swung his sword, determined to obtain the Small transformation pill.

* * *

In Central Plains, five famous mountains are commonly referred to as the Five Sacred Mountains.

Among them, located in the center of Central Plains in Henan Province and called the Central Sacred Mountain, is Mount Song. Halfway up this mountain stands a massive temple, the famous Shaolin Temple.

“Huff, huff. Oh my. This is tough. I wonder if these monks find it difficult to go up and down this mountain.”

Even the renowned Chwiwol Geolgae couldn’t run all the way up to Shaolin from the beginning.

In fact, he had run from Anhui to the Kaifeng Branch headquarters last night to get permission from the guild leader regarding accepting Ha Hyeon as a disciple.

After briefly resting and talking with Guild Leader Yongdu for about an hour, he immediately rushed to Mount Song in Dengfeng, Henan, which explained his exhaustion.

It was a distance that ordinary people, or even decent martial artists, couldn’t imagine covering in just two days.

“That bastard Juwon. Did he think he could look down on me with no consequences?” However, a deep smile was on Chwiwol Geolgae’s lips.

Master Juwon had teased him all his life about never taking a disciple.

He’d been doing this since Chwiwol was about fifty years old, so he had been hearing the same thing for forty years now.

Although his inner energy was already running low, he worked his legs hard, thinking he’d rest once he reached the top.

Fortunately, there were stairs laid out from the entrance of Mount Song all the way to Shaolin Temple.

Shaolin was not only known as the number one righteous sect in the martial arts world, but also as a highly respected temple among ordinary citizens.

Because of this, Shaolin monks had built stairs one by one from the mountain entrance as part of their training, carving the wood themselves.

Thanks to this, even in this early morning, Chwiwol Geolgae had to pass by numerous Buddhist devotees.

‘These people don’t even know Juwon’s true nature.’

Chwiwol Geolgae frowned as he looked at these people.

They must surely think of Master Juwon as a noble monk with deep Buddhist faith.

As he grumbled to himself and climbed further, a massive red wall appeared before his eyes.

In the middle of that wall hung a signboard with “Shaolin Temple” written on it.

He had finally arrived at Shaolin Temple.

“Finally arrived. How many years has it been?”

He estimated it had been about twenty years.

Chwiwol Geolgae didn’t even like visiting his sect’s headquarters at Kaifeng.

Moreover, he rarely came to Shaolin, claiming the incense smell was too strong.

Strangely though, he often visited Wudang.

“Amitabha. How did you… come here, sir?”

A monk approached Chwiwol Geolgae and asked.

He didn’t look particularly old.

Although anyone could see he looked like a beggar, the monk’s face showed slight surprise at his presence, knowing beggars wouldn’t climb this high mountain just to beg.

He didn’t seem to imagine that this was Chwiwol Geolgae.

“Hmm. I’ve come to meet someone.”

Chwiwol Geolgae spoke in a deliberately dignified voice.

In the meantime, the young monk noticed the knots at Chwiwol Geolgae’s waist.

Seven knots.

It was something he had never seen in his life.

However, he knew well that seven knots represented an elder of the Beggar Sect.

“Amitabha. I now recognize Elder Chwiwol Geolgae. I apologize.”

“Huh? Have we met before?”

“No, that’s not it. I deduced that an elder of the Beggar Sect who would come here alone must be Elder Chwiwol Geolgae.”

“Oh. You’re quite clever. What’s your name?”

“I go by the dharma name Wonjin.”

Normally, Chwiwol Geolgae wasn’t one to show interest in the younger generation.

But perhaps it was because of the thought of accepting Ha Hyeon as his disciple?

He naturally compared him with Ha Hyeon.

‘He seems about ten years older than Ha Hyeon, with intelligent eyes and good physique. He’ll make a good martial artist. But… he’s not as good as Ha Hyeon.’

While he was feeling proud to himself, Wonjin asked him.

“Who have you come to meet?”

“Is Juwon inside?”

His tone was as casual as if he were visiting a friend’s house.

Master Juwon was currently the highest ranking monk at Shaolin and also the disciple of the Shaolin abbot.

Wonjin had never met someone who addressed Master Juwon so casually.

“You mean Great Master Juwon? He’s probably… in the yosa.”

“Yosa, you say?”

Chwiwol Geolgae repeated the question and then chuckled.

It was just that he used the difficult term “yosa,” which referred to buildings where monks lived.

Normally, all places where monks recite sutras, study, and reside are called yosa…

“So you’re saying he’s slacking off in his quarters.”

“Slacking off…!”

Wonjin’s face turned slightly red.

Because there was nothing incorrect about what Chwiwol Geolgae said.

“Hahaha. I already know Juwon’s true nature. Would you take me to him? Or would you call him here?”

Wonjin looked around to see if anyone had heard their conversation.

Fortunately, no one was around.

“Please come in. I’ll escort you.”

Wonjin quickly led Chwiwol Geolgae into Shaolin Temple and took him to a building.

“This is a guest house for receiving visitors. Please wait a moment while I bring the Great Master.”

“Thank you. I’ll remember your name.”

“I appreciate that.”

Wonjin bowed his head and hurried away with quick steps.

Though he had heard that Chwiwol Geolgae was the most eccentric person in the martial arts world, after meeting him briefly, he understood why people said so.

As Chwiwol Geolgae was sipping the tea served by a novice monk, someone tumbled into the guest house.

It was an old monk with an unusually large build for a monk, a stern angular face, but eyes that appeared almost closed. “”I thought I smelled something foul from the prayer hall making it difficult to focus on worship, and it turns out it was you, Chwiwol.”

“Prayer hall? You were just lazily napping in your quarters!”

“Ha ha. If a beggar thinks so, that must be Buddha’s will too. Amitabha.”

The two hurled insults at each other with smiling faces as soon as they met.

Their relationship had always been like this.

Anyone watching might believe they were like dogs and monkeys to each other, but they were friends who could recognize the hidden gladness in each other’s words.

“Without any notice, why did you suddenly come all the way here? Didn’t you say you’d never come back because the incense smell was overwhelming?”

“I came because we have a bet to settle, and I also have something to tell you.”

“A bet?”

Juwon tilted his head.

It was difficult to guess what Chwiwol Geolgae was referring to.

The two frequently fought over bets, so he couldn’t pinpoint which one specifically.

“I’ll tell you the news first.”

“What is it?”

“I’ve decided to take a disciple.”

“What?!”

Juwon jumped to his feet.

It was news shocking enough to startle even a senior monk who had cultivated discipline all his life.

“Amitabha… You aren’t lying, are you?”

“What would I gain by lying?”

“That I would stop nagging you?”

Chwiwol Geolgae opened his eyes wide.

“Damn. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. If I had lied about taking a disciple earlier, I could have reduced your nagging by half.”

“Judging by your reaction, it’s not a lie. I sincerely congratulate you. Buddha has helped you. Amitabha.”

His sincerity was evident as he rolled his prayer beads and recited Buddha’s name.

Though they always picked fights and argued whenever they met, their feelings for each other as friends were genuine.

“Thank you. Now, let’s talk about the bet.”

“Good. I’m curious too.”

“My disciple will challenge the Eighteen Arhat Formation performed by Shaolin’s three top disciples. Remember? You promised to give the Small transformation pill if someone breaks the formation?”

“There was… such a thing, but that wasn’t the content of the bet, was it?”

Juwon’s brows slightly furrowed.

He remembered it clearly as it was their biggest fight among recent quarrels.

At that time, it was definitely Namgung Mu-ryong’s grandson, not Chwiwol Geolgae’s disciple, who was supposed to break the Eighteen Arhat Formation.

“Well, that’s what it has become now.”

“What do you mean… Don’t tell me?”

“Haha. That’s right. I’ve decided to take Mu-ryong’s youngest grandson as my disciple.”

Juwon looked shocked once again.

“Mu-ryong allowed that?!”

“Of course. He gave his permission as soon as I mentioned it.”

“Even so, turning his grandson into a beggar? Is he in his right mind? I should go to the Namgung family right now.”

Chwiwol Geolgae barely managed to stop Juwon from leaving the guest house and made him sit back down.

“He’s not joining our Beggar Sect.”

“Then?”

“You know what many do at your Shaolin. Secular disciples.”

“Secular disciples? The Beggar Sect takes Secular disciples too?”

“Well, that’s how it turned out.”

Juwon looked completely puzzled, but Chwiwol Geolgae didn’t seem inclined to explain everything in detail.

“Anyway, I’m glad you remember. I’ll go bring Mu-ryong’s two grandsons. Have three Small transformation pills ready.”

“Three pills? Aren’t you underestimating our disciples? You think just two people can break the Eighteen Arhat Formation without even one of them falling?”

Juwon spoke with a slightly displeased expression.

It was because Chwiwol Geolgae spoke with such a confident look.

But Chwiwol Geolgae maintained that expression.

He spoke in a voice even more confident than his expression.

“I’m absolutely not underestimating Shaolin’s disciples. I just have that much confidence in my disciple.”