Genius Martial Arts Trainer

Chapter 107

Protagonist (3)

A few days later.

Finally, one of the main events of the Martial Arts Tournament, the finals of the Yongbongji Conference, began.

Unlike the preliminary rounds, which were held as an internal event within the Murim Alliance, the finals of the Yongbongji Conference took place in a specially prepared arena in the outer courtyard.

Naturally, to watch this major event and martial arts competition, countless spectators filled the seats surrounding the arena.

Despite the numerous late-stage contenders who participated, only thirty-two made it to the finals.

Just qualifying for the finals was enough to be considered a ‘late-stage contender,’ which fueled the excitement for the ongoing finals of the Yongbongji Conference.

“Wow!”

Some exclamations burst out as they watched the duels of the young warriors.

“To have already mastered the Unryong Daepal Technique at that age.”

Others gauged the future of each martial sect through the skills of the late-stage contenders.

After seven duels had concluded, it was Mu-jin’s turn, and he headed towards the arena.

Ryu Seol-hwa, seated in the front row, watched Mu-jin with bright, sparkling eyes.

Though she wasn’t the type to cheer loudly in front of others.

But then, surprisingly.

Despite not being able to shout, Mu-jin somehow found her spot and smiled directly at her.

“!!!”

Ryu Seol-hwa’s heart pounded with the thought that they might be bound by the thread of destiny.

‘Hehe. I can make a good amount of emergency funds for my escape after the Yongbongji Conference ends.’

The reason Mu-jin smiled at her was different.

As he looked at Ryu Seol-hwa, who was blushing, Mu-jin recalled what had happened the previous evening.

* * *

One day earlier.

As usual, after finishing his strength training at the Cheonryu Sangdan branch, Ryu Seol-hwa shared an interesting story with Mu-jin.

“Mu-jin, do you know this? The odds of you winning are quite high. It seems people still don’t fully recognize your abilities.”

“What do you mean by my winning odds?”

“Many groups gather at the Martial Arts Tournament, and various businesses engage in activities to make money. Naturally, those who have donated the most to the Murim Alliance get the best spots for better business.”

“Hmm. So, does that mean Cheonryu Sangdan is running a betting pool on the outcomes?”

Mu-jin asked in a bewildered tone, and Ryu Seol-hwa shook her head.

“No. While we have secured several locations to do business through inns and stalls, Daegum Sangdan has given up other interests in exchange for control over the betting pool.”

Ryu Seol-hwa added with a gentle smile.

“After the final tournament bracket was released, Daegum Sangdan announced the odds for the finalists’ victory, and they set Mu-jin’s odds quite high.”

However, this time, the smile on Ryu Seol-hwa’s face was a bit different from usual.

It wasn’t the shy smile she usually showed Mu-jin but a merchant’s smile.

“So, our Cheonryu Sangdan decided to bet a significant amount on Mu-jin.”

“…Is that alright? What if you invest too much money and they refuse to pay out the winnings?”

“There’s nothing bad about it for us. If Daegum Sangdan, which is also called one of the Five Great Sangdan like us, doesn’t return the winnings, their credit will be damaged. Even that alone is beneficial for us. They know that too, so they won’t dare to do such a thing.”

“Hmm. If Cheonryu Sangdan places a bet on me, won’t they prepare some countermeasures?”

“So, we’re not betting under my name or Cheonryu Sangdan’s name. We’re spreading the bets under different names. They probably won’t suspect that we’re behind it.”

Watching Ryu Seol-hwa respond as if this was only natural, Mu-jin thought.

‘Seeing her like this, she really does look like a merchant.’

It seemed her business acumen had blossomed since she began overseeing the operations of the Musculoskeletal Treatment Clinic. Her personality had become more lively as well.

She still wasn’t the type to raise her voice in front of others.

‘At this rate, won’t she become a merchant who controls the economy from the shadows?’

Come to think of it, the original novel portrayed Ryu Seol-hwa as a villainess who would do anything for money, even earning the nickname “Golden Demon.”

It felt like he had made a rather dangerous woman his ally.

‘Well, as long as she’s an ally, it’s a good thing, right?’

Although he felt a bit uneasy, Mu-jin had a more pressing concern at the moment.

“By the way, can I join in on this bet too?”

“Are you saying you want to bet as well, Mu-jin?”

“I have some money I received from the Sangdanju last time. I can’t place a bet under the name of a Shaolin disciple, so could you help me a bit?”

At Mu-jin’s words, Ryu Seol-hwa’s eyes sparkled.

“If it’s that much, of course. It would just increase our funds to attack Daegum Sangdan, so there’s no harm for us.”

Since Cheonryu Sangdan was already changing the names for their bets, they could simply mix in Mu-jin’s money with theirs.

One might be disappointed that a monk wanted to join a gambling ring, but Ryu Seol-hwa was rather pleased.

‘The more interested Mu-jin becomes in the secular world, the easier it will be to draw him out of Shaolin!’

Her father, Ryu Ji-gwang, had told her that whenever Mu-jin made a request that was unbecoming of a monk, she should willingly grant it.

The more he enjoyed the pleasures of the secular world, the easier it would be to pull him in.

The end of this defection would naturally lead to her marriage with him and his entry into Cheonryu Sangdan as a son-in-law.

“How much are you thinking of betting?”

Mu-jin felt an inexplicable sense of unease at her question, her face blushing with thoughts of the future.

‘Surely, she’s not blushing because she’s excited about taking Daegum Sangdan’s money…?’

The thought of a woman getting excited about troubling a rival sangdan made Ryu Seol-hwa seem quite frightening to Mu-jin at that moment.

* * *

Despite being surprised by Ryu Seol-hwa’s different demeanor, Mu-jin bet all his money on his victory.

In the past, he had received one hundred nyang of gold from Ryu Ji-gwang. Although he had spent quite a bit on Hye-gwan’s drinks in Nanchang, he still had over ninety nyang left.

And the odds set by Daegum Sangdan for Mu-jin’s victory were 21.7 to 1.

Including the original principal, it was a return of 3.17 times the amount.

This was a reduced rate set by Daegum Sangdan, considering Mu-jin was a Shaolin disciple and had passed the second preliminary round in one go without needing to participate in the third round.

For martial artists from lesser-known factions that people showed no interest in, like Dao Yuetian, the odds were nearly one hundred to one.

If one were aiming for a windfall, betting on Dao Yuetian might be tempting.

‘No one would be that crazy.’

Sure, someone might bet one nyang of silver for fun, but no one would stake their entire fortune.

Conversely, the overwhelming favorite Namgung Jin-cheon’s odds were a mere 1.07, and the odds for the next favorite, the Qing Shui dojo, were 1.13.

Since odds were assigned to all finalists, spectators often based their predictions on these odds while watching the Yongbongji Conference.

“A late-stage genius from Shaolin, huh?”

“Hmm. Shaolin rarely sends their disciples outside, so I haven’t heard of that Dharma name.”

“Still, a 21.7 to 1 odds suggests they have some skill, right?”

“Hmm. But their opponent isn’t easy. It’s young master Hwang Bo-ung from the Hwangbo family.”

“Indeed, young master Hwang Bo-ung cleared the Red Snake Stronghold in the Green Forest last year, didn’t he?”

“Looking at it that way, Daegum Sangdan’s odds seem quite accurate. Young master Hwang Bo-ung’s odds are around ten to one, so, aside from Namgung Jin-cheon and Qing Shui dojo, his odds are quite low.”

‘I can hear everything, you fools.’

Although these martial artists were whispering among themselves while watching the Yongbongji Conference, their voices couldn’t escape Mu-jin’s heightened hearing.

And whether it was because of the odds or the reputation of Hwang Bo-ung, who had cleared a Green Forest stronghold, many were betting on Hwang Bo-ung’s victory.

However, it wasn’t a bad thing.

Thanks to their underestimation, Mu-jin stood to make a large profit.

Mu-jin had bet ninety nyang of gold on himself, so if he won, he would gain around three hundred nyang of gold.

With three hundred nyang of gold, he could travel the martial world for years without worrying about money.

“Begin!”

At the judge’s shout, the marble floor of the martial stage cracked under Mu-jin’s foot.

Bang!!!

With a noise like a thunderclap, Mu-jin’s first punch struck.

Unable to dodge in time due to the incredible speed, Hwang Bo-ung hastily raised his arm but was sent flying out of the ring, spitting blood.

“……”

The overwhelmingly one-sided result brought a chilling silence over the previously fervent spectators.

* * *

After easily winning the first match, Mu-jin retreated to the waiting area, watching the martial stage.

He intended to observe the skills of the other late-stage geniuses participating in the Yongbongji Conference, but he was also waiting for someone.

However, separate from the duel Mu-jin was waiting for,

“The Jegal family’s Jegal Jin-hee! And Hwasan Sect’s Hong So-il! Let the duel begin!”

A rather interesting duel was just about to start.

On the Yongbongji Conference’s dueling stage,

“I trust you remember our promise.”

Hong So-il spoke to Jegal Jin-hee, trying to maintain a dignified demeanor. Yet, deep within his eyes, an unmistakable desire stirred.

“Since you’ll be eliminated here anyway, what meaning does that promise hold?”

Jegal Jin-hee’s provocative response made Hong So-il’s eyebrows twitch.

“Are you ignoring me right now?”

“The very notion that someone like you, who can’t even defeat me, thinks he can win against Monk Mu-jin is laughable. And above all else.”

Jegal Jin-hee paused for a moment, smiling at the reddening face of Hong So-il.

“Before I am a woman, I am a martial artist. I have no interest in a martial artist weaker than myself.”

Her cold sneer cut deep.

“You’ll regret those words!!”

An excited Hong So-il drew his plum blossom sword and executed the Plum Blossom Twenty-Four Movements of the Hwasan Sect.

Contrary to his appearance, his sword danced with an incredibly dazzling movement, painting red plum blossoms in the air with the crimson aura from his blade.

Hong So-il seemed poised to fill the entire dueling stage with plum blossoms created by his sword aura, but Jegal Jin-hee did not just stand by and watch.

At some point, her hands had gripped iron fans, and she moved gracefully, like dancing a fan dance, swinging them.

Each time her iron fans met Hong So-il’s plum blossoms, the sword aura dissipated as if petals were touched by a harsh wind.

Soon enough, only one solitary plum blossom remained from Hong So-il’s creation.

Rather than using her fan to eliminate the last lonely plum blossom,

Thud!!

She kicked Hong So-il in the stomach, who was busy painting flowers.

“Ugh!”

Hit by a kick infused with internal energy, Hong So-il let out a pained groan, his breath momentarily choked.

His flow of internal energy disrupted, Hong So-il staggered back, swinging his sword clumsily, not befitting his status as a master.

“Don’t forget, the plum blossoms of Hwasan bloom twice!”

“In that case, I’ll just uproot them.”

Jegal Jin-hee responded with a cold expression and charged.

Unlike her earlier smooth movements, she now moved swiftly as if one with the wind, showcasing the power of her lower body training over the past two and a half years.

“Gasp!”

Startled by her unexpected speed, Hong So-il attempted to weave plum blossoms with his sword aura again.

But inevitably, the plum blossoms withered away like fallen leaves before the whirlwind created by Jegal Jin-hee’s iron fans.

Thud!!

“Ugh…”

On the dueling stage, only Hong So-il’s groans consoled the scattering plum blossoms.

* * *

“Wow.”

Watching Hong So-il being beaten unilaterally on the dueling stage, Mu-jin couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

Fortunately (?) for Hong So-il, he did not seem to have any peculiar inclinations.

Hong So-il’s face, beaten as it was, did not show a hint of pleasure. Instead, it was filled with humiliation and pain.

Thus, Mu-jin’s gaze was more directed at Jegal Jin-hee than Hong So-il.

Indeed, her vastly improved skills compared to two and a half years ago were impressive.

‘She’s a bit… scary, though.’

The way she trampled Hong So-il, looking at him like an insect, was quite shocking.

If Mu-jin had such a preference, he might have considered her expression as a reward.