Chapter 205 : Is It the Beginning? -04
Chapter 205: Is It the Beginning? -04
Seeing the second-generation disciples’ eyes gradually losing focus, Ban Hojin shouted sharply.
He infused inner energy into his voice so it would snap them back to their senses.
Perhaps because of that, the disciples—whose eyes had been going blank—quickly regained their focus.
“Hup!”
“Urgh!”
Though they grumbled, the second-generation disciples knew.
They knew why Ban Hojin was going this far when he didn’t have to.
That was why, even though they were exhausted enough to collapse at any moment, they gritted their teeth.
They didn’t want to disappoint Ban Hojin, who was giving up his own personal time for them.
So they poured out every last bit of strength they had.
“Good.”
As their tenacity began to show, Ban Hojin smiled in satisfaction.
This was exactly what he wanted to see.
Murim was not a warm world that spared you for being young or weak.
It was a cruel and ruthless place—more so than anywhere else—and that was the world these second-generation disciples would have to live in.
‘I need to make them strong.’
Though they were monks, warrior monks were still martial artists.
As beings inseparable from the Jianghu, Shaolin’s warrior monks could not be considered apart from it.
So Ban Hojin wanted to make them strong—both physically and mentally.
There was a reason why mind, technique, and body were all said to be important.
“Urgh!”
“Blech!”
Unlike Ban Hojin, who was pleased, some of the disciples collapsed and vomited.
Their breakfast came back up.
Yet what was interesting was that none of them looked like they wanted to quit.
“Let’s change things up a bit today. We’ll also check how much your Arhat Formation has improved.”
“Then… are we all on the same side?”
“I suppose that would make sense.”
“Ooooh!”
The disciples, who had been vomiting with deathly pale faces, suddenly brightened.
Facing Ban Hojin together sounded far better than going one-on-one.
Of course, even if they attacked together, there was no chance of defeating him.
But at least they wouldn’t collapse as helplessly as before.
“Just doing that would be boring, so shall we make it a bet?”
“You’re not going to set some impossible condition like defeating you, right, Senior Uncle? Right?”
“No way!”
“You’re the Sword Saint of Shaolin!”
Jeong Hyeon and the others spoke first.
They wanted to prevent any absurd conditions in advance.
But Ban Hojin had his limits too.
Even if he enjoyed teasing them, there were lines he didn’t cross.
“You don’t need to lay groundwork. I’m not so shameless as to toy with children.”
“Ooooh!”
“So it’s something we can actually do?!”
Knowing Ban Hojin didn’t make empty claims, the disciples were filled with anticipation.
“If anyone manages to touch my body in any way, they get immediate rest. And I’ll give them one one-on-one guided sparring session.”
“Wooooah!”
“Just one touch? Hand or foot, anything?”
At the word “rest,” their eyes lit up.
The moment Ban Hojin said it, cheers erupted.
The second reward was good, but nothing compared to rest.
“Foot, elbow, even a headbutt—it doesn’t matter. As long as you make contact.”
“Is there a limit on how many can pass?”
“Is there any need for a limit?”
Facing Jeong Hyeon’s sparkling eyes, Ban Hojin grinned.
It was as if he was asking whether even one of them could manage it.
“Then all of us could pass!”
“Well, it’s good to dream big.”
“You always say, Senior Uncle—no one knows what will happen. The future is unpredictable!”
“That’s true.”
“We’ve been training hard all this time!”
The disciples murmured in agreement.
Their growth wasn’t dramatic, but it had been steady.
Individually, they had no chance.
But together… maybe.
And all they had to do was touch him, not defeat him.
They believed there was at least a small possibility.
“You’ll find out soon enough. Since this is formation training, falling doesn’t mean it’s over. Even if you go down, you keep going. You can use rotation tactics. It ends when I say it ends.”
“Yes!”
“Then get ready.”
Swish!
Before Ban Hojin even finished speaking, the disciples moved swiftly.
They took their positions with practiced ease.
Even though their numbers weren’t perfectly divisible, they arranged themselves flexibly.
The one with the best understanding of the Arhat Formation naturally took the lead.
Seeing that, Ban Hojin grinned.
“We’re ready!”
“You know they won’t wait for you in real combat, right?”
“Gah!”
With a grin, Ban Hojin charged.
Jeong Hyeon screamed as Ban Hojin rushed him before he even finished speaking.
But despite the scream, Jeong Hyeon reacted swiftly.
His body moved before his thoughts.
“Scatter and regroup!”
“Block his movement!”
It wasn’t just Jeong Hyeon.
The disciples moved almost as one.
They split apart under Ban Hojin’s charge while maintaining formation.
The spacing widened, but the Arhat Formation remained intact.
“Oh?”
Ban Hojin looked impressed.
Their movements were quick and precise, despite their startled expressions.
They were still lacking compared to the first-generation disciples, but they exceeded his expectations.
“Hold on if you’re about to go down!”
“It’s not a single round—sacrifice if needed!”
“Do whatever it takes!”
“Hey now, that last one’s a bit much. You’re Shaolin disciples—‘do whatever it takes’?”
Ban Hojin shook his head at their over-enthusiastic battle mindset.
Dozens surrounded him, but he felt no tension.
The ones tense were the disciples.
They knew full well that if Ban Hojin used his martial arts seriously, they’d all be knocked out in a single move.
Thwack!
As if proving that, Ban Hojin struck with his left hand.
His right hand stayed behind his back.
Moving leisurely, as if on a stroll, he flicked each disciple’s forehead.
“Urk!”
“Ah!”
He didn’t even use Golden Light Divine Steps.
Nor did he use inner energy.
With pure physical ability alone, the disciples couldn’t react at all.
Seeing wasn’t enough to make their bodies respond.
“Hup!”
Of course, not everyone failed.
Those with sharp reflexes managed to dodge.
Their bodies moved instinctively.
But such cases were rare.
“Ugh!”
“Aaaah!”
Even if they dodged once, they couldn’t dodge twice.
As if predicting their movements, Ban Hojin followed and struck.
The disciples clutched their foreheads and tumbled backward.
Though it was just a flick, it felt like being launched.
“Maintain formation!”
“Check positions! Don’t break!”
“Why are you all falling back?! Hold on! Grit your teeth! If you fall, fall forward!”
Seeing their comrades fall like autumn leaves, the disciples shouted desperately.
Even with the overwhelming gap, this felt too one-sided.
Especially since Ban Hojin targeted the formation’s key points first.
“Not happening.”
Fueled by their shouting, the disciples charged with grit.
They tried to block his movement, even at the cost of their own bodies.
At the same time, they aimed to make contact.
But Ban Hojin wasn’t someone who would fall for such obvious tactics.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Without even using Golden Light Divine Steps, he moved fluidly, evading their charges and continuously flicking his fingers.
Foreheads, temples, crowns—he struck everywhere.
Bumps quickly formed across their heads.
“Ugh! I got hit again!”
“Uuugh…”
Even without inner energy, Ban Hojin’s body itself was like a weapon.
They rolled across the ground, trying to ease the pain.
But no matter how much they rubbed, the pain didn’t fade.
“Ugh!”
Still, a few stood back up like roly-polies.
Jeong Hyeon was among them.
Despite tears welling in his eyes, he kept charging at Ban Hojin.
Seeing that persistence, Ban Hojin smiled inwardly.
‘Good kid.’
Jeong Hyeon’s talent was, objectively speaking, only above average.
Even he knew his talent wasn’t exceptional.
Yet he never gave up.
Ban Hojin’s advice helped, but more important was his own will.
Despite the hardship, he persevered.
Even without visible results, he trusted Ban Hojin and kept training steadily.
And though he didn’t realize it, the results were gradually showing.
“I can’t… go on…”
“Huff… huff…”
While most collapsed, Jeong Hyeon was different.
Though his legs trembled, his focus remained sharp.
His eyes still held strength.
That meant he still had stamina left.
“Oh? Your stamina’s improved a lot.”
“Hehe! I’m not the same as before!”
“But you know stamina alone isn’t enough, right?”
“Can’t you just praise me properly?”
Jeong Hyeon slumped his shoulders mid-charge.
It felt like he never got real praise.
“You’re doing well. Keep it up.”
“Yes!”
“Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on you.”
“Aaaah!”
Another flick hit between his brows, sending Jeong Hyeon rolling back.
At first, he had resisted, but now he simply let the impact carry him.
Better to conserve energy than struggle uselessly.
“How long are you going to lie there? Get up. Or do you want to get hit while lying down?”
“No!”
Knowing Ban Hojin would strike even if they stayed down, the disciples scrambled to their feet.
Exhausted as they were, the fact that Ban Hojin hadn’t stopped meant they could still go on.
So they gritted their teeth and reformed the Arhat Formation.
---
An unusual sight unfolded in the grand conference hall of the Mount Qingcheng Sect.
Normally, it would be empty or only occupied by the Sect Leader and elders.
But now, it was different.
Leaders from the Nine Great Sects, the Five Great Families, and even minor sects had gathered.
“Hmm.”
Damhyeon slowly scanned the packed hall, frowning.
Even with so many present, not everyone had arrived yet.
Yet the atmosphere was already heated.
Many were voicing their opinions at once.
Swish.
Looking at the chaotic hall, Damhyeon let out a deep sigh and turned his head.
A mediator was clearly needed.
“Please, quiet down for a moment. Let us hear the opinion of the Zhuge Family Head.”