WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 134: The Black Flame Dragon Proving Himself (4)
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Namgung Seonhwa had been busier than ever lately.
The Academy’s first evaluations since her admission were about to begin, and the system was so different from the studies she had received at the clan that she had barely found time to adjust.
The Academy’s evaluations were broadly divided into two types: written examinations and practical examinations.
The written examinations mainly assessed common martial theory, methods of circulating qi, and acupoint techniques. The practical examinations tested what the students had learned from the written material.
The Namgung Clan had produced many Academy graduates, so its educational methods were not all that different from the Academy’s. Even so, Seonhwa often wished she could split herself in two, since she had to balance her duties with the Martial Arts Academy delegation and study for the examinations.
At least the practical examination had been decided as a sparring match.
If it had tested emergency treatment or methods for unsealing acupoints, Namgung Seonhwa might have had to send the clan a long letter explaining why her grades had turned out so disastrously.
“It would be nice if I at least had an excuse. Why does he have to be so perfectly prepared for everything?”
As the examinations drew closer, Jin Sowoon had the Academy officials reduce the Academy Representative Corps’ workload and began taking on most of its duties himself.
Even though his workload had doubled or tripled, he showed little sign of strain.
When someone told him that he should at least prepare for the written examination, he had said...
“My memory is good. I’ve already memorized everything.”
He had clearly been considerate, and he had said it cheerfully, yet somehow, it still annoyed her.
“It’s a little disappointing.”
After passing the regular examination and entering the Academy, she had imagined them staying up all night studying together during examination periods, enjoying the Academy atmosphere, and sometimes getting drunk as they talked until dawn...
“Ah! Get a grip, Namgung Seonhwa!”
Namgung Seonhwa shook her head, pulling herself free from her rosy fantasy.
Her situation had certainly improved in many ways.
Her grandfather had finally completed the Firmament Cloud-Guarding Sword Art, and after moving the Changgung Merchant Group into the clan, the collateral line’s influence had steadily weakened.
The support sent by the clan had grown, and her parents had even written that the clan was stable now, so she no longer had anything to worry about.
Yet Jin Sowoon’s situation had worsened in other ways.
He had begun openly clashing with the Orthodox Society, and the elders did not look favorably upon him.
Many unfavorable rumors about him were circulating throughout the Martial Alliance.
In the worst case, he might not only lose his position as Academy Representative, but also make countless enemies within the Martial Alliance.
Even while carrying so much in such a perilous situation, with his junior disciples and people like herself shouldering so much as well, he never lost his relaxed manner or confident smile.
What a remarkable man.
“Urgh... I can’t use my duties with the Martial Arts Academy delegation as an excuse for poor grades.”
Determined to become someone worthy of him, Namgung Seonhwa quickly cast aside her distracting thoughts and headed for the Ten Thousand Books Repository.
The repository, usually nearly empty, was packed with Academy students who had come to study for the examinations.
As Namgung Seonhwa moved between the shelves in search of the book Jin Sowoon had said likely examination questions would be drawn from, she made eye contact with someone and quickly turned away.
She tried to pretend she had not seen him and continue searching for the book, but his voice came from behind her.
“Sister Seonhwa.”
Three creases formed between Namgung Seonhwa’s brows as she turned around.
“Did you come here to study?”
The man who had once looked at her group as though they were a pack of mutts was now approaching her as if they were friendly. Goosebumps rose on Namgung Seonhwa’s skin.
He seemed to know how awkward this was, scratching the back of his head. Still, he could not hide the frustrated look on his face.
‘The clan was thrown into an uproar after the Firmament Cloud-Guarding Sword Art appeared.’
The collateral line had not been particularly alarmed when they heard that a sword art meant only for the direct line had been created. That changed after they saw Namgung San use the Firmament Cloud-Guarding Sword Art at seven-tenths mastery to overwhelm the Changgung Unhindered Sword Art within ten moves.
By then, it was already too late.
The Changgung Unhindered Sword Art would remain the Namgung Clan’s primary sword art, but the collateral-line members who had learned it now wore the Firmament Cloud-Guarding Sword Art around their necks like a leash.
Namgung Seonhwa understood why Namgung Gipyo was acting this way, but that did not make her discomfort disappear.
“What is it?”
“...Haha, do we need a reason to have a conversation?”
“I heard you’ve been going around saying, ‘It won’t be long before the collateral line rules the direct line. Everything is already prepared.’”
“...”
Namgung Gipyo sighed, then his eyes sharpened.
“The sword art created by the Clan Head denies the clan’s foundations.”
“Stagnant water is bound to rot. No one calls continued progress a denial of one’s foundations.”
The Firmament Cloud-Guarding Sword Art inherited the Changgung Unhindered Sword Art while containing even sharper principles.
No one in the martial world would think it had been created to break the Changgung Unhindered Sword Art.
“If you only want to trade barbs, may I leave now? Every moment is precious while I’m preparing for the examinations.”
Just as Namgung Seonhwa turned to leave him behind...
“...Sigh. If it hadn’t been for Father... Are you going to keep leaving that... arrogant bastard on his own?”
Namgung Gipyo’s words made her stop.
Namgung Seonhwa immediately knew who he meant by that arrogant bastard.
“What are you talking about?”
“You seem to like him. If you intend to bring him into the clan...”
“What are you saying!”
Namgung Seonhwa’s shriek earned her some displeased looks from the people gathered in the Ten Thousand Books Repository.
“Don’t you know you must be quiet in the repository?”
“Who are you to say that...?”
Namgung Gipyo continued regardless of Namgung Seonhwa’s incredulous expression.
“I know the conflict with the Orthodox Society is worsening. But he cannot face the Orthodox Society alone. Wouldn’t it be better if you let that arrogant bastard... Ahem, in any case, let him have the White Path Society at his back?”
“...”
It was not as though Namgung Seonhwa had never considered it.
But Jin Sowoon harbored resentment toward not only the Nine Sects One Gang, but also the Five Great Clans and the Twelve Peak Alliance.
“This did not begin yesterday. Why bring this up all of a sudden?”
“Because it would be good for him.”
“As far as I know, the White Path Society dislikes Young Master Jin nearly as much as the Orthodox Society does.”
“To be precise, we think it would be better for us to take him in than let him be ruined.”
“Ruined?”
Namgung Seonhwa’s delicate brows drew together.
“The Orthodox Society has begun moving in earnest.”
“...”
“This is no longer simple ostracism within the Academy. For some reason, it seems the Alliance itself does not look favorably upon Jin Sowoon. Pressure will probably begin from every direction.”
Namgung Seonhwa had a rough idea of the reason Namgung Gipyo meant.
“If the entire atmosphere turns hostile toward Jin Sowoon and tries to bring him down, even he will not be able to endure it. How many instructors within the Academy are beyond the Martial Alliance’s influence?”
“...”
“Rather than let him be ruined and cast aside, the White Path Society is thinking of taking him in. You do not want Young Master Jin to be ruined either, do you?”
Namgung Seonhwa said nothing. Namgung Gipyo left first, speaking as he went.
“Think carefully. Once he loses his usefulness, even those who seek him out now will all disappear.”
#
After the written examination ended, the results were posted on the Academy bulletin board.
The results sheet, which listed every student from first place to last, made many Academy students laugh or cry. Yet no one complained.
Their examination scores were the standard by which their worth was judged.
Perhaps their acceptance of such judgment was the product of being raised to compete from childhood and obediently accept the results.
But...
“This is fraud!”
“How can this be possible? A perfect score?”
“Even Yong Soa, the greatest student in Academy history, never received a perfect score!”
“There’s some kind of conspiracy!”
The Academy students could accept Jin Sowoon being ranked first in the written examination.
He had entered as the top student, so they assumed he must possess that much talent.
But no Academy student could easily accept that he had received a perfect score.
The instructors had deliberately included questions meant to trip students up, so they could thoroughly assess them. Getting even those questions right was impossible.
“On top of that, he is the Academy Representative. Could that work possibly be handled by only five people?”
Jin Sowoon had not even assembled a proper delegation, nor had he received anyone else’s help.
Even an exceptional talent could not divide their time between everything and still receive a perfect score.
The written examination results put not only the Academy students, but also the instructors and the Academy itself on alert.
Jin Sowoon, already disliked by the elders, had received a perfect score, and orders came down to thoroughly investigate whether he had cheated during the examination.
“Student Jin Sowoon, if you speak honestly, we will take it into account and settle this by having you step down as Academy Representative.”
“I don’t understand. Are you saying that an Academy student who received excellent grades must step down as Academy Representative?”
Jin Sowoon stood confidently before the instructors and the Martial Arts Academy Director.
“Then are you saying that score reflects your own ability, rather than cheating?”
“No one received a higher score than I did. How exactly could I have cheated?”
“...”
“Or are you saying that I secretly slipped into the place where the examination papers were kept and stole them?”
Since the Academy was filled with talented martial artists, it was not as though no student had ever considered stealing the examination papers.
But a mere Academy student could never breach the Academy vault’s security, which rivaled that of the Profound Mystery Pavilion, the Martial Alliance’s highest confidential archive.
Taking that into consideration, there was only one way to measure his true ability again.
“Then you could take a retest.”
It was an entirely reasonable argument.
Every instructor gathered there nodded, but Jin Sowoon tilted his head.
“I fail to see why. Must I take a retest simply because I received good grades?”
“...”
The instructor who had raised the point hesitated after being questioned about something so obvious.
“...This is clearly a situation that warrants suspicion.”
As though he had realized that, a scoff escaped Jin Sowoon’s lips.
“Isn’t it because I come from the Taeul Sect?”
“What?”
“If I had come from the Wudang Sect or Shaolin Temple, such absurd suspicions would not have arisen. It seems the Martial Arts Academy is no different, another institution that flatters those in power.”
Bang!
“Watch your tongue!”
One instructor flared with fighting spirit and shouted.
The instructor’s face reddened in humiliation as though personally insulted, yet Jin Sowoon remained so composed that the instructor began to wonder whether they themselves had done something wrong and could not press the matter any further.
“...”
The Academy Director, who had silently observed until now, rested his chin on his clasped hands, his gaze turning cold.
“...I do not think you are an immature child acting rashly out of youthful bravado. Most of what you have done until now was prepared through careful planning.”
After the Soul-Destroying Formation incident, the Academy Director had completely changed his view of Jin Sowoon as a lucky youngster.
Too many things had happened that could not be explained otherwise.
“You provoked the instructors and me because there is something you want from me, correct?”
The instructors looked bewildered by the present situation.
From the Academy’s perspective, if an Academy student was suspicious, was it not only natural to make that student take the examination again?
At a loss for words, the instructors pressed their lips together and looked at Jin Sowoon.
Just as expected, Jin Sowoon did not look flustered. A smile formed at the corner of his lips as he began to speak.
“I heard your martial arts are quite unique, Academy Director. I want to learn them.”
“...”
“...”
The air in the room turned as cold as though someone had thrown cold water over it.
The Academy Director was not some lowly wandering martial artist who peddled his martial arts. Yet Jin Sowoon wanted to learn his martial arts.
What was more, the Academy Director’s martial arts were so extraordinary that they could not be compared with other Taoist martial arts. Even within the Alliance, they were treated as among the most precious arts.
“Do you mean you wish to inherit the true teachings of the Three Pure Supreme Sword?”
“What are you talking about? I’m already a disciple of the Taeul Sect.”
“...”
There was a saying that if Buddhism had Bodhidharma’s Muscle-Tendon Transformation Classic, Taoism had the Three Pure Supreme Sword. It was a supreme martial art that pursued the essence of the Three Purities.
At Jin Sowoon’s words that he wanted to learn it as a mere wager, the instructors swallowed hard, expecting serious trouble to erupt.
“How about it? Would you like to make a wager with me? If not, I won’t take a retest.”
Footnotes:
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