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Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈

Chapter 128: The Black Flame Dragon Who Steals an Opportunity (3)

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The members of the Orthodox Society who had staked everything on Jin Sowoon's failure were now running themselves ragged, trying to keep people from leaving.

Those who had already felt marginalized after being excluded from the Soul-Destroying Formation event had left, and even more people were showing signs of following them.

What provoked even greater outrage was that not a single disciple of the Nine Sects One Gang had entered the Soul-Destroying Formation to rescue the trapped students.

"I thought following the Orthodox Society meant we'd receive the same treatment as them. Turns out that wasn't the case."

"I'm not even asking to be treated equally. We're not on the level of the Nine Sects One Gang anyway. Still, wasn't it going too far to stand by and do nothing while Academy students were dying?"

"The Orthodox Society won't take responsibility for our futures, let alone our lives."

Because of this, the Orthodox Society elders, including Daoist Myeonghyeon, wore down the Martial Arts Academy's threshold meeting with Academy students.

The disciples of the Nine Sects One Gang had no reason to waver. They were the Orthodox Society's greatest beneficiaries and were in the position of leading it.

Yet those who followed the Orthodox Society made up seventy percent of its members. If the Academy students' unrest led to a mass departure, the organization's influence could shrink considerably.

Worse, if news of what had happened reached the students' sects and clans, the Orthodox Society would have to endure the rage of sects that had stripped themselves to the bone just to send disciples to the Academy.

They had spent their entire fortune to send one child to the Academy, only for that child to nearly be used up and discarded?

Forget advancement. It would not have been strange for them to declare they were leaving the Orthodox Society immediately.

Of course, if someone from the Orthodox Society had held the position of Academy Representative, they would not have cared about such internal complaints at all.

Power naturally drew people in. Even if someone left in dissatisfaction, someone else would usually fill the vacancy.

But the Academy Representative was some fellow of unknown origin, and the Nine Sects One Gang had revealed their petty side by secretly trying to learn the Soul-Destroying Formation in violation of Academy rules. They were on the verge of losing even the symbolic authority of representing the Martial Alliance.

That did not mean the White Path Society and Twelve Peak Alliance viewed this purely as an opportunity to recruit people leaving the Orthodox Society.

People all thought alike, and those in power all had the same petty instincts.

They had been next in line to enter the Soul-Destroying Formation after the Orthodox Society. Seeing their friend get beaten for stepping forward first, they simply took a step back, breathed a sigh of relief, and watched how things unfolded.

After all, the Orthodox Society had suffered the greatest blow from this incident.

Daoist Myeonghyeon worked tirelessly, trying to clean up the mess the Academy students had made.

"Your expulsion from the Academy has already been decided and cannot be reversed. Still, the Orthodox Society will provide sufficient compensation for this matter."

Though Daoist Myeonghyeon belonged to the Martial Alliance's highest authority and currently served as the leader of the Orthodox Society, the survivors' response remained lukewarm.

It was quite unlike their usual behavior, when they tried to catch Daoist Myeonghyeon's eye by boasting of every possible connection, even dragging in their parents, grandparents, and distant in-laws.

"But your expulsion is not solely your fault, is it? Does not the greater responsibility lie with the person who caused this incident through an unreasonable event schedule and a narrow selection of participants?"

"......"

"Surely the person who committed an act no Academy Representative should ever have committed bears the greater blame. Is that not so?"

"What should we do?"

The survivor seemed to be holding back anger. Seeing this, Daoist Myeonghyeon's expression gradually relaxed.

"Naturally, he must pay properly for his crime. We will dismiss the Academy Representative over this matter and choose a new one."

Believing they had brought the Orthodox Society back under control, Daoist Myeonghyeon did not stop there.

Daoist Myeonghyeon understood politics, and the next move was thoroughly political.

#

"Ha ha, I scarcely know where to put myself when the leader of the Orthodox Society visits such a humble place."

"Having set aside the White Path Society and Orthodox Society, are we not already one body united by chivalry? What does it matter where anyone belongs?"

The White Path Society Leader inwardly sneered at Daoist Myeonghyeon's shameless words, then nodded.

"So, what do you want?"

"I understand there have been moves to recruit Orthodox Society members while the Orthodox Society is in disarray."

"Does it matter if we, who are one body to begin with, move our residence a little?"

"Did we not agree to call that lacking in chivalry?"

"Is that so? You have done quite a bit of recruiting among sects under the White Path Society from the beginning, have you not?"

"Even if our influence weakens now, are you confident the White Path Society can seize full control?"

"......"

The White Path Society Leader fell silent at Daoist Myeonghyeon's piercing words.

"I believe this crisis can instead become an opportunity."

"What do you want?"

"We must abolish that absurd event and remove the Academy Representative."

"Many within the Alliance are interested in the Soul-Destroying Formation. The Grand Strategist personally allocated the budget for this event. We cannot abolish it as we please."

"That is why I am asking us to join forces."

"......"

"I also know the White Path Society is dissatisfied with the current Academy Representative. If we miss this chance, neither the Orthodox Society nor the White Path Society will be able to claim the Academy Representative position for this intake."

Jin Sowoon, who was practically responsible for the incident, had yet to wake up. Yet Daoist Myeonghyeon treated that as an opportunity and pushed for a Disciplinary Committee.

"Daoist Myeonghyeon, the Academy Representative has not even awakened yet. Why are you convening a Disciplinary Committee already?"

"Has the Academy Representative not already declared that he had nothing to do with this incident? Even if he wakes, is there any need to hear his opinion? Furthermore, does this incident not involve a violation of Alliance Law? If we do not handle it swiftly, the internal disorder will only grow."

Daoist Myeonghyeon's intentions were obvious. Still, the Elders' Council elders, including Daoist Myeonghyeon, visited the Enforcement Hall day after day and made things difficult, so the Disciplinary Committee was ultimately held less than two days after the incident.

The committee members steeped in Orthodox Society influence followed the script Daoist Myeonghyeon had written. They tried to extend blame not only to the survivors who had violated Alliance Law, but also to Jin Sowoon, who was responsible for the event.

Jegal Somyeong tried to dissolve the committee at that absurd turn of events but stopped when the survivors spoke.

"This incident was entirely our fault. We violated Alliance Law out of personal greed."

"Hm?"

Daoist Myeonghyeon, who had attended the committee, sensed something strange and tried to speak. The survivors gave Daoist Myeonghyeon no opening and continued.

"The Academy Representative risked his life and entered the Soul-Destroying Formation for us, even though we had tried to steal his secret art. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him once again."

Something was going wrong, but the survivors spoke as though they had become one, saying things completely contrary to Daoist Myeonghyeon's intentions.

"......Do you hold no resentment toward the Academy Representative, who planned this event and put you all in danger?"

A committee member planted by Daoist Myeonghyeon tried to lead them toward an answer, but the survivors remained firm.

"During the many days we spent inside the Soul-Destroying Formation, the Academy Representative could not eat even one Fasting Pellet because of us. How could we resent such a person? I have not lived a perfectly moral life, but I am certainly not inhuman scum."

"That's right!"

"If we must identify the cause of this incident, it was the Orthodox Society officials among the Academy students.

"If they had not pressured us, we would never have done something this dangerous."

The survivors' words caused an even greater uproar in the room.

The committee members, and even Daoist Myeonghyeon, who had planned and coordinated the affair, all wore expressions of complete uncertainty over how to handle the chaos.

'Could that expression from before have been...?'

Daoist Myeonghyeon recalled the looks on the survivors' faces as they had tried to persuade them, their barely restrained anger.

'It was directed not at Jin Sowoon, but at me?'

"Academy students, do not speak of matters unrelated to this incident!"

The committee issued a stern warning, but those words only struck the survivors' sore spot.

"We heard everything. Not a single person in the Orthodox Society tried to stand up for us! I expected it from the Academy students, but I never thought even the Elders' Council elders would act that way."

"Quiet! Quiet! Be quiet!"

"How much has our sect offered up all this time? You pushed us into mortal danger, then chose to pretend it had nothing to do with you at the crucial moment?"

The survivors shouted freely now, as if they had nothing left to fear.

"Our Twin Sword Sect may be insignificant compared to the Nine Sects One Gang, but never again! Never again will we trust anything the Nine Sects One Gang says."

"If I had known this would happen, I would have faithfully followed the Academy Representative from the start. At least he risked his life for us!"

"Be quiet! You will be disciplined, disciplined!"

What could discipline possibly mean to Academy students whose expulsion had already been decided? It only had the effect of throwing more firewood onto the flames.

"My grandfather is greatly enraged over this matter."

"Our sect will not forget this either......"

Daoist Myeonghyeon could only stare blankly at the Disciplinary Committee as it descended into chaos.

#

When I opened my eyes after sleeping for several days straight, my body felt much lighter.

I did not know who had changed me, but I was wearing fresh clothes. Instead of the stale smell of sweat, my body smelled fresh and clean.

'Don't tell me someone washed me while I was asleep?'

The surroundings were so quiet that I wondered if I had woken in the middle of the night.

At the very least, I expected the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers to be taking turns watching over me, or Miss Namgung and Miss Seong Moran to be caring for me at my bedside and scolding me at length once I woke.

But.

Chirp, chirp.

Warm sunlight streamed through the window, while mountain birds busily flitted about outside.

Had they gone to class?

Trying to shake off my disappointment that they could not stay by my side because of something like that, I was about to sit up when...

"!"

I flinched when I saw a familiar back.

'Why is that person here again?'

In my previous life, I had found it difficult to see this person's face even once from afar. Yet in this life, I was meeting them alone for the second time already, following the Iron Sword Sect incident.

What was more, both meetings had taken place under similar circumstances, giving me a strange sense of deja vu.

"Are you awake?"

I quickly turned my head and pretended to be asleep.

Then, as though speaking to themself, the person said, "For an Academy Representative who is practically part of the Martial Alliance to lie there before the Grand Strategist is profoundly disrespectful. What punishment should I impose?"

Footnotes:

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