Genius Martial Arts Trainer

Chapter 37:

Diet therapy (1)

On the fifth day of starting physical therapy.

“Slowly raise your upper body, then slowly lower down. I’ve got your back, so don’t worry. Just go as far as you can. Grandfather.”

As Mu-jin supported Hyun-gwang’s back, he repeated the motion of slightly lifting and lowering his upper body to strengthen his abdominal muscles.

After helping Hyun-gwang to stand up on his own, Mu-jin held his hands and assisted him so that he could take steps on his own.

It was just like a patient who had injured their legs practicing walking on their own at a rehabilitation center.

‘Hoo. There’s still not enough muscle in the body. It’s almost impossible to use the Pilates equipment.’

However, there was a problem.

Hyun-gwang had relied on the strength of others to move due to his twisted joints and ligaments for decades.

Continuing with the manual therapy, close-range spear technique, or electric stimulation therapy he had been undergoing would be like pouring water into a bottomless bucket.

No, there was even a risk of worsening.

Hyun-gwang’s cartilage was already degenerated due to age. If he moved without muscles, there was a risk that the condition of the joints would become more serious.

Either way, it meant that muscles needed to be built quickly before problems arose in the joints.

‘Is that really the only way?’

Mu-jin realized that drastic measures were necessary.

And those drastic measures were not something Mu-jin could proceed with on his own.

* * *

In the headquarter office of Shaolin.

There, Abbot Hyun Cheon, Hyun Seong, Hyun Gong, and senior brother Hye-dam, who were directly or indirectly involved in Hyun-gwang’s treatment, welcomed Mu-jin.

“So, you said you have something to discuss regarding the treatment of senior brother Hyun-gwang?”

Abbot Hyun Cheon asked Mu-jin with a pleased expression.

[7:10 PM]

When Mu-jin first called Hyun Gong ‘grandfather’, the headmaster who had sternly scolded him was long gone.

Senior brother Hyun-gwang was being treated! What was the big deal about the title of ‘grandfather’!

The other three were also reminded of this.

And Mu-jin, looking at the four of them with pleased expressions, spoke in a calm tone.

“Yes, I have come here because a slight problem has arisen during the process of treating grandfather.”

“What do you mean by problem!? Hasn’t his condition improved? Recently, we were moving on to the next phase, and senior brother Hyun-gwang was moving on his own!”

As soon as Mu-jin’s words fell, Hyun Seong and Hyun Gong exclaimed with startled faces.

Looking back and forth between the two, Mu-jin calmly replied.

“Yes, during the next phase of the treatment process, I discovered a problem.”

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“Explain in detail what you mean by a problem.”

Even as the abbot of Shaolin, Hyun Cheon, known for his composure, asked in a solemn tone.

Mu-jin opened his mouth to reveal the problem he had realized. To properly treat Hyun-gwang’s body, it was necessary to build muscle. And above all, what was needed to build muscle was precisely…

“Grandfather must eat meat.”

It was about eating meat.

“……”

A chilling silence fell in the headquarter office at Mu-jin’s statement.

Indeed, the question of whether eating meat is essential for muscle growth is still a controversial issue even in modern times.

Vegetarian physiologists argue that it is entirely possible to build a healthy muscular physique with only vegetables, and Mu-jin, who often consults exercise science literature as a specialist in his field, was aware of this debate.

However, building muscle through a vegetarian diet comes with very complex conditions.

Both plant-based and animal-based proteins are made up of amino acids, but there is a subtle difference in those amino acids.

Ultimately, to build muscle in the human body, one must know the variety of amino acids in different vegetables and ponder how to combine them to create animal-based proteins for consumption.

Moreover, unlike meat like chicken breast, which is mostly composed of protein and water, even soybeans considered rich in protein actually contain fats and carbohydrates.

To replace meat with soy or mushrooms, one had to engage in tremendous exercise to burn off those unnecessary carbohydrates and fats.

That was a completely unsuitable method for the patient Hyun-gwang.

However, that was only Mu-jin’s view.

“How impudent!! To even mention meat-eating in Shaolin!”

“If you are not trying to insult senior brother Hyun-gwang, how dare you say such a thing!”

Right after a moment of silence, the expected reaction exploded just as Mu-jin had anticipated.

[7:29 PM]

Particularly because they had high hopes for Mu-jin, the backlash from Hyun Gong and Hyun Seong was even more fierce. Senior brother Hye-dam, as usual, kept silent, but his eyes were burning no less fiercely than the other two.

Only Abbot Hyun Cheon, who had managed to retain his calm, asked Mu-jin.

“Why do you say that one must eat meat to build muscle? Mu-jin, even you have built such a physique without consuming meat.”

At Hyun Cheon’s questioning, Mu-jin nearly flinched involuntarily, remembering a time during his wall-facing meditation when he hunted and ate animals as a punishment.

Mu-jin managed to compose his expression and spoke calmly.

“Soy and mushrooms can substitute for meat. However, that is just a substitute, and it cannot compare to eating meat.”

“Then, couldn’t senior brother also substitute with soy and mushrooms?”

“The case for me and grandfather is different! I am still young and can endure, but grandfather is in a situation where time is of the essence!”

Although he had anticipated the pushback, Mu-jin was beginning to feel frustrated with the stubborn exchange of questions and answers with the elderly monks.

“Why does our Shaolin abstain from meat? It is a form of asceticism to overcome the worldly distractions and desires, the craving for food. That’s why I could willingly give up meat. However, asceticism has meaning only for those who can endure it! If one has to die because of that asceticism, is that truly the law of Buddhism? Would that not be a violation of the precept of not killing?”

“You brash fool!! You are disrespecting senior brother Hyun-gwang’s enlightenment with your audacity! How dare you discuss Shaolin’s precepts in front of me!”

At Mu-jin’s words, the Head of Jurisdiction Department Hyun Gong was about to leap up in anger when…

“Compose yourself, Head of Jurisdiction Department.”

Before him, Hyun Cheon calmed Hyun Gong down.

“There is some merit to Mu-jin’s words.”

“Abbot!!”

“Listen until the end, Head of Jurisdiction Department. Mu-jin’s words do have merit, but there are also flaws. The question is whether meat really can heal senior brother’s body and build his muscles more effectively.”

With that, Abbot Hyun Cheon looked at Mu-jin with a complex expression.

Of course, Mu-jin could answer that question.

If this were the modern era.

But in this era, he couldn’t talk about protein and supercompensation theories.

[7:35 PM]

In the end, Mu-jin continued his explanation, awkwardly fitting it into Buddhist terminology he knew.

“The cycle of rebirth in Buddhism does not only refer to dying and departing to another world. Everything in this world is in a cycle. The rain that falls from the sky comes down to the earth, and that water boils and returns to the sky. In this way, the world is in a cycle. The same goes for the flesh of animals and humans. To nourish and grow a person’s body, one must consume the flesh of the same animals.”

“……”

“Life dying and being reborn is the natural order, and humans eating not only vegetables but also meat is also part of nature. If we harm life for the sake of enjoyment, that could be a sin, but how could it be a sin to eat something that is already dead for the sake of survival?”

Even after Mu-jin finished his explanation, the abbot remained silent with a complex expression.

The other elders seemed to be waiting for the abbot’s decision, watching his mouth for words.

After some contemplation, the abbot spoke in a calm tone.

“There is reason in what you say. However, your words cannot be taken as definitive proof. And without proof, we cannot go against the practices of Shaolin that have been upheld for a thousand years.”

“But.”

“But! We also cannot neglect the senior brother who has protected Thousand-Year Shaolin.”

“!!!”

“Abbot!”

Surprised by the abbot’s words, Head of Jurisdiction Department Hyun Gong shouted out, but the abbot did not back down and continued.

“There is a way to feed senior brother meat while upholding the laws of Shaolin. After eating the meat, one simply has to accept the corresponding punishment. What do you think about that?”

As if posing a test question, the abbot asked, and Mu-jin answered with determination.

“I was the one who suggested eating meat, so I will take the punishment on his behalf.”

“You still do not understand how grave Shaolin’s laws are. The punishment you received last time was very light. This time, you may have to face the wall for a month. Are you still willing to take that punishment?”

To Abbot Hyun Cheon’s question, Mu-jin did not flinch.

A month of wall-facing?

That might scare children, but it was nothing to Mu-jin.

“Your disciple will gladly accept the punishment.”

As Mu-jin boldly answered, Abbot Hyun Cheon laughed heartily, as if he had heard the answer he had been hoping for.

“Haha, Head of Jurisdiction Department.”

“Speak, Abbot.”

[7:38 PM]

“In the name of the abbot’s relic, Nokok Buljang, I wish to amend a law.”

“What do you mean……?”

“I will add an exception to the Shaolin’s rule against eating meat. For those who are seriously ill, an exception will be made to allow meat consumption for the sake of treatment.”

“That should not be, Abbot!”

“I am aware it should not be. Therefore, as the abbot, I too will accept the punishment that the Jurisdiction Department will impose, along with Mu-jin.”

With that, Abbot Hyun Cheon showed a hearty smile to Mu-jin.

*

The punishment decreed by the Jurisdiction Department was postponed for a few days. This was to prevent any delay in Hyun-gwang’s treatment while Mu-jin took his punishment.

However, it was not possible to indefinitely postpone the punishment until Hyun-gwang fully recovered. Ultimately, a period of seven weeks was granted, and during that time, Mu-jin was to pass on the treatment method to Beob Geon, thereby concluding the day’s meeting.

And the next morning.

Hyun-gwang looked at Mu-jin, who was spooning out porridge for him, with complicated eyes.

Hyun-gwang knew that the porridge Mu-jin was serving contained meat.

For over fifty years, Hyun-gwang had lived without consuming meat. This was an attempt to gradually acclimate him to meat, starting with porridge that contained meat, considering his long history.

As a disciple of Buddhism who had abstained from meat for many years, Hyun-gwang couldn’t help but feel deeply conflicted about the current situation.

Yet, ultimately, Hyun-gwang had no choice but to accept the spoon that Mu-jin extended to him.

The original Hyun-gwang would have refused the spoon offered by Mu-jin, adhering to his beliefs as a Buddhist and a Shaolin disciple.

The reason Hyun-gwang accepted the spoon was due to a conversation with Abbot Hyun Cheon that occurred early this morning when Mu-jin was away.

‘Senior brother, I intend to entrust the future of Shaolin to Mu-jin.’

‘Haha, what are you saying all of a sudden, Abbot?’

In response to Hyun-gwang’s question, Abbot Hyun Cheon recounted the events of the previous night.

‘I’ve had this thought, senior brother. Perhaps, in our adherence to tradition, Shaolin has stagnated over the past thousand years.’

‘……’

Deep remorse was evident in the eyes of Abbot Hyun Cheon as he spoke.

Hyun Cheon had suddenly had to step into the role of senior brother due to Hyun-gwang’s injury, and eventually, he became the abbot.

From his days as a second-class disciple to now as abbot, he felt he had been so focused on upholding tradition due to his own lack of ability.

At least, that was how he judged himself.

Because of his inadequacies, Shaolin had lost its past glory.

While other sects progressed, Shaolin had merely maintained its status quo.

Though universally recognized as a prestigious sect, it had lost the title of ‘the best in the world.’

‘Abbot, not all change is necessarily for the better. Amitabha.’

[7:44 PM]

‘I am aware, senior brother. That is why I have chosen Mu-jin. I expect that he may bring about a positive change, a breath of fresh air.’

Hyun-gwang could not ignore the remorse and determination in Abbot Hyun Cheon’s eyes as he answered.

Furthermore, seeing how Mu-jin had defied the ancestors and led the situation to this point, all for the sake of his treatment, compelled him even more.

With such tangled emotions, Hyun-gwang chewed and swallowed the porridge with meat that entered his mouth.

It was the first time he had tasted meat since he had been registered at Shaolin.