Chapter 325 Awakening Jinmujon (2)

Chapter 325: Awakening Jinmujon (2)

The remaining prison term passed quickly.

Though I was incredibly curious about the situation outside, I closed my ears and focused on examining my martial arts.

Even if I went out, nothing significant would change anyway.

It was calculated that transforming into the Super Jinmu-jeon and delivering a crushing blow of vengeance to those Lion Clan bastards would be far better.

And my plan worked perfectly.

From Park Ryong-sip-sam-tu to Jigokgyeong.

From the Thirteen Steps of the King of War to the Moon of Return.

With a single simple punch, I grasped the principle, explored the group, and found meaning.

I tossed that pathetic doubt—”Honestly, isn’t there much difference between the Nine Stars and the Ten Stars?”—into the trash bin and delved into each martial art until I mastered the Twelve Stars.

Of course, it wasn’t easy.

Sitting there any longer made my butt hurt, my mind grew hazy, and my body ached.

But I was no longer the Jinmujeon of the past.

Wasn’t I Jinmujin, the new type who overcame adult ADHD—called an incurable disease—through nearly a year of meditation?

Ah, of course, given the nature of this world, I’ve never actually been diagnosed with adult ADHD.

It’s just that after reading a book for about ten minutes, my mind goes haywire, so I suspect it.

Anyway, after all that effort, I was able to achieve my goals one by one.

Finally, I acquired martial arts worthy of being called the Supreme Martial Arts.

“…I’ve lost.”

“It was nothing special.”

It was enough to defeat Yi Pung-jin, the hermit considered the strongest among them.

“A monster. How is this possible?”

“The title of the world’s greatest martial artist ten years from now is already yours for the taking.”

“Isn’t this all thanks to the excellent early training at the Black Dragon Sect?”

Elder Jeon Baek, Elder Dang Ducheon, and Taecheong Jinren each exclaimed in turn.

Amidst this, Lee Pung-jin asked with lofty airs.

“What is the name of that martial art?”

“It is called ‘Crescent Moon’ and… ‘Half Moon’.”

“…Good names.”

Click.

He deliberately summoned his sword with the Yi-Gae Sword Technique and sheathed it.

“……”

I stared at him, wondering if pretending to be cool until the very end was just a trait of the Blue Dragon Sect. Then he turned and walked down from the training ground.

” . I’ve developed a new ramen for the Master to try.”

Halt.

I stopped him in his tracks with just one sentence.

Honestly, I can’t resist late-night ramen.

* * *

“How is it? Do you like it?”

“……”

The four hermits, the cleaning staff, and Jik Hwaran all set down their chopsticks, looking stunned.

“This should be enough for a simple meal.”

“Simple? What are you talking about? Wipe the sauce off your beard first before you speak.”

Watching Taecheongjin hurriedly wipe his beard, I became certain.

The ramen business would make me rich.

‘First, I’ll set up ramen shops all over the country. Once the name gets out there, I’ll immediately switch to a franchise business model. ‘

The thought of supplying at cost plus fifty percent instead of charging royalties made my butt wiggle with excitement.

‘I’ll only take a small cut on the interior costs. The real battle starts with the meal kits.’

After all, I’m the kind of person who aims to run a conscientious franchise.

As I was dreaming of becoming a back-alley Mr. Jin, confident in the success of my ramen business, Jeonbaek asked me.

“Are you going tomorrow?”

“Yes, I’m leaving as soon as the sun rises.”

“Ugh, you heartless bastard. Why leave the moment the date arrives?”

“……No, I’m already dying of resentment for serving time for a crime I didn’t commit. And now you want me to delay my release?”

“How can you say you’re innocent? I heard you slaughtered a thousand men—the Lion Clan’s in-laws and those rogue bastards—without the castle’s permission.”

“Honestly, it wasn’t a thousand…”

“If you were part of the Dark Sect, you’d be a public enemy of the righteous martial world and hunted for life.”

I remember it being just over eight hundred. To inflate that by 20%?

Truly, exaggeration is ingrained in your DNA, typical of a Central Plains man.

Shaking his head repeatedly, the bearded Taoist, who had finished wiping his beard and was now sucking on it, asked with his characteristic benevolent expression.

“So, what will you do first when you go out?”

“What do you mean, ‘what first’?”

“……”

“I have to go kill those bastards from the Lion Clan. Honestly, aren’t they the kind of scum who deserve to die for the peace of the Central Plains and the happiness of its common folk?”

How dare they threaten my wife’s life.

They are unforgivable scum.

Answering with the heart of a godfather protecting his family, the hermits exchanged glances.

“Shouldn’t we stop him from going out there?”

“If we’re not careful, a bloodbath will sweep through the Central Plains.”

“We might have just created a monster for the ages.”

“Ahem, I should clarify that this is purely Jin Mujeon’s personal opinion and has nothing to do with the early education of the Silent Dragon faction.”

And so, the final night in Silver Forest passed.

The next day, at dawn.

As promised yesterday, I stepped outside the moment the sun rose. Jik Hwaran and Cheong Sosu were waiting for me.

“Hurry up. Let’s go.”

Jik Hwaran, who had even wrested the forced title of ‘Wall-Facing Monitor’ from the fortress lord, Jikryongdangju, to chase after me, beamed brightly at the thought of going home.

“Heh heh heh… So now I just have to collect my pay?”

Gwi-ee-tu-u-ul.

At the request of the Red Dragon Sect leader, who didn’t want to send his granddaughter alone, the doctor of the Hermit Forest, who had become her personal physician, smiled darkly.

After spending the past year playing cards with the elders, his hands were itching to get back to work.

He had said not to hold any sentimental farewell events.

What good would it do to see off elders nearing a hundred? If they miss her later, they can just bring a jug of liquor and visit.

“……”

Whoosh.

Hearing the refreshing sound of the waterfall, the past year flashed through my mind like a galloping horse— .

The daily meditation, the sparring sessions and open discussions held to reflect on oneself, the memories of cooking rice together and sharing drinks.

And the breakthrough that brought immense accomplishment.

I spent a year in Eunjarim that would hold profound meaning for my life.

I hold all these emotions within me.

“Kyaak, spit.”

I spat out a thick glob of phlegm.

“I’ll never come back.”

Prison life just isn’t worth living.

* * *

After gathering the cleaning supplies and the red flower basket and returning to Guryongseong, the first place he sought out was not the Dragon Hall but the Castle Lord’s Chamber.

As my only disciple, shouldn’t you go see your elders first upon your release?

Besides, it’s a good chance to settle some old business.

“Guryong! Jin. Mu. Jeon, the head of Jeonryongdang, has been granted his freedom as of today, and I hereby report it!”

“…What?”

“What else could it be? I’m greeting you to say I’ve returned safely and in good health.”

“I thought there was no reason for you not to be healthy?”

“Huh! Have you ever seen such an indifferent master? I nearly died this time.”

Twitch.

Still, maybe because he was my one and only master, my eyes fluttered at the mention of nearly dying.

Now that the stage is set, how could I just sit still?

I channeled Korea’s first Major Leaguer and explained that day’s events to my master in detail.

“No way, seriously I was walking down the street when suddenly I got a nosebleed, right? So I opened my eyes wide and found myself trapped in this pitch-black place. Wow… I never imagined anything like it. There was absolutely no way out. So… I tried this and that… Nothing worked, and I was about to give up when, with unyielding will… Then, suddenly, it hit me! I realized something, and I barely made it out.”

“That’s a shell-break, isn’t it?”

“…….”

“It mustn’t be easy for someone at your level to experience a moment of detachment?”

“Everyone says so.”

“That’s good news.”

“……Why?”

“Because the founding ancestor of the royal house did too. The first head of the North Palace did as well.”

“So, it’s not like it never happened before?”

“To be precise, it was almost unheard of. It’s also proof that you’re making the royal lineage your own.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me until now?”

“The biography of the first head is written in the secret manual. Surely you’ve read it in detail?”

“No.”

I thought it was a fantasy novel because it talked about collapsing mountains and splitting the Yangtze River.

“Ahem, anyway, that’s not the important part.”

“Then what is?”

“What matters is that I’ve grown stronger.”

“Well done.”

“Is that all?”

“What else should I do for you?”

“You ought to bestow your teachings upon me. And see how much your disciple has grown.”

“……Very well.”

As the master rose from his seat with his characteristic sneer, the arena grew hot with anticipation.

I urged my master.

“Then, please follow me to the training grounds.”

“……”

You can’t destroy the Seongju Hall, can you?

This is all money.

* * *

I was absolutely convinced I wouldn’t lose to my master, having completely overhauled my martial arts from the ground up and developed the Zhenwang style by at least two levels.

If pressed, I’d say I was at about the level of the founder.

Moreover, hadn’t I mastered the original supreme art of the North Palace family, the Zhenwang Style?

My master practiced the counterfeit Black Dragon Fist.

It was like comparing the original royal pork feet of Jangchung-dong to the imitation shop right next door.

But I had miscalculated one thing: my master had grown at least one level stronger than before.

That was it.

If I’m a genius, then my master is a genius too.

He grew stronger without pause.

Thus, constantly pushed back, I could only cry out inwardly like Zhou Yu, the defeated figure of history: ‘Why did heaven give birth to me and my master!’

Anyway, I couldn’t just lose like that .

I unfurled the Moon Blade to block my master’s assault, and surprisingly, this tactic worked well.

My master began to fluster at this martial art he’d never seen before.

“Hah! How does that taste?!”

“Is this sorcery?!”

“This is the latest technique developed based on the Zhenwang style and grounded in orthodox theory!”

Typical orthodox faction—the moment something unfamiliar appears, they call it sorcery.

Anyway, I alternated between the Crescent and Half-Moon techniques, driving my master into a corner.

Finally.

“Gah! How frustrating!”

I lost by two moves.

“You’ve grown stronger. Had it not been for the Dragon of Ruin, I would have lost.”

I heard some pretentious martial arts name, but its power was nothing like its name.

Sizzle.

The floor of the training ground, made of blue crystal, melted under the Destruction Dragon’s power.

Like molten lava.

“…When did you become this strong ?”

“From the moment you stepped into the realm of the absolute, you devoted yourself entirely to training.”

“Why on earth? You were always drinking like a gentleman…”

“Getting pushed aside by a disciple before even turning sixty—how humiliating.”

“No.”

Don’t you know the Yangtze River’s wild waves and the desert’s fierce winds?

Seeing a master who disregarded the principles of the world made me wonder if perhaps he was the greatest villain in the martial arts world.

Still.

“Next time, I will definitely win.”

“I’ll always be here, so challenge me anytime.”

It was undeniable that I had made considerable progress this time.

“Then please help me grow even stronger.”

“Even if I were to receive your teachings and advice at your level…”

“No. That’s not what I meant.”

“Then?”

“I want to get some real combat experience.”

Against those of the Lion Clan or the Sapa faction— —the leaders of the Sapa.

“…So you’re not here to prove your martial prowess, but to seek permission.”

“Well, it’s a bit of both, isn’t it?”

“I doubt the Sect Leader will just stand by and watch.”

“The Lord is my master.”

He chuckled.

The master gave his characteristic scoff and nodded.

“I can’t stand in the way of a disciple who wants to grow stronger. Do as you wish. Just don’t trespass into the Lion Clan’s territory.”

“Of course.”

All the Lion Clan bastards are dead.