WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
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◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 147: Those Who Wear Black Masks (6)
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Jin Sowoon was an uncomfortable presence for Seong Moran.
Even setting aside the conflict between their sects, he was not someone she could feel at ease with on a personal level.
He was a man who would risk his life for others without hesitation. Even if that person had once been his enemy, he would do so as though it were only natural.
That was why Seong Moran had always been dissatisfied with his actions, yet could neither push him away nor leave him.
Perhaps that was why she kept calling him by the nickname he disliked. Maybe part of her wanted him to become a little more selfish.
‘So it’s come to this in the end.’
If she had not agreed with his intentions from the start, they would not have found themselves in a situation this dire.
“How dare you act without even knowing where you are...?”
An unpleasant voice rumbled low, like a growling tiger.
Despite the fairly warm weather, steam rose from his entire body. He had likely expelled every trace of alcohol from his system and fully prepared himself for battle.
Flying Cloud New Wind, Jong Byeokgi.
A rising talent who had firmly claimed a place in the Dragon-Phoenix Association of Yong Soa’s generation, a generation called the strongest.
If not for Yong Soa and Ilmyeong, he would have been more than qualified to be named one of the new stars destined to lead the next generation. Now, that very man radiated intense killing intent.
“Who are you? Reveal your identity.”
Sword qi gathered around Jong Byeokgi’s blade.
Recoiling from the sharp killing intent she felt from him, Seong Moran spoke to Jin Sowoon.
-Young Master Jin, what do we do now?
Jong Byeokgi’s arrival meant the Mount Cang Sect martial artists would be here soon as well.
What was more, they would surely stop at nothing to hide their ugly side.
-Now that I’ve revealed myself, we should be glad instead.
Seong Moran bit down hard on her lip.
-As expected, sticking with a Black Path prodigy means we keep getting into fights with White Path sects.
She readjusted her grip on her sword.
She did not want to remain someone who only relied on him. She wanted to become someone he could rely on. No, at the very least, she wanted to become someone who believed in him.
She did not know why she felt that way. Her heart simply leaned in that direction.
-They’ll be desperate.
-I know. And the Iron Sword Sect’s swords don’t break so easily.
-I understand. Then let’s settle this as quickly as possible.
-You’re not planning to fight Senior Jong Byeokgi, are you?
The Dragon-Phoenix Association of the previous Martial Arts Academy generation had truly been a war of stars.
The standards had risen immensely because of Yong Soa and Ilmyeong, and the current Dragon-Phoenix Association was filled with stronger martial artists than ever.
Among them, Jong Byeokgi was an expert considered likely to lead the Mount Cang Sect in the future.
He was a young master said to possess talent on an entirely different level.
-Of course not. I only intend to buy time.
Contrary to his words, faint killing intent swirled in Jin Sowoon’s eyes behind the mask.
She had not seen that look in his eyes even during the regular examination. What had happened?
-In any case, don’t get hurt or die. How embarrassing would it be to get injured while helping others?
Seong Moran hid her concern as best she could and scolded him for no reason. Speaking like this was the most Seong Moran-like thing she could do.
-I was about to say the same to you. Be as careful as possible if you don’t want Namgung Seonhwa to scold you.
-That’s ridiculous.
With those words, the two split apart in opposite directions.
“You damned bastards, how dare you...!”
Flying Cloud New Wind Jong Byeokgi swung his sword like lightning, unleashing a barrage of sword qi.
The swift sword form of the Sun-Shooting Sword Art.
A barrage of sword qi too fast to follow with the naked eye shot toward Jin Sowoon.
Jin Sowoon continued running without slowing in the slightest.
Then, at the moment he seemed about to offer his body to the sword qi...
“Huh!”
Jin Sowoon’s figure shattered and vanished like an illusion, and the sword qi passed through empty air.
Jong Byeokgi’s eyes widened. The instant he turned at the strange sensation, Jin Sowoon, who had vanished from before him, was already trying to split his head open like a bolt of lightning.
“You mad...”
Clang!
A massive impact rang out as their swords collided, shaking the air.
Jong Byeokgi staggered back five steps, then vomited up the food and liquor he had consumed all night.
Jin Sowoon immediately thrust his sword toward Jong Byeokgi’s throat.
“You... dare...”
Realizing that his opponent’s sword was heavier than expected, Jong Byeokgi unleashed the Fire Dragon Sword Art.
The moment Jin Sowoon’s sword collided with Jong Byeokgi’s, the sound of twisting metal echoed through the area.
Kwoooong!
The piercing noise stabbed into their eardrums. The Yuwol Sect martial artists tried to cover their ears, but the agonizing sound continued as the two exchanged blows.
The one fortunate thing was that Jong Byeokgi had regained his senses and was now driving the masked man back.
The Yuwol Sect martial artists rejoiced, but only briefly.
As the masked man retreated before the Fire Dragon Sword Art, his sword began creating those illusion swords again.
“Be careful! He uses illusion swords!”
One Yuwol Sect martial artist warned Jong Byeokgi about the sword art that had already killed numerous comrades, and Jong Byeokgi’s mouth fell open in surprise.
“I-illusion swords?”
Had he recalled some unpleasant memory?
At the same time, dozens of illusion swords burst from the masked man.
“...You, don’t tell me... Fuck!”
Jong Byeokgi gritted his teeth and scattered sword qi wildly.
The Mount Cang Sect’s ultimate art, the Whirling Wind Drifting Willow Sword, spread out in a massive vortex.
Kwakakakakaka!
The storm collided with dozens of illusion swords and swelled enormously, swallowing both the illusion swords and the true sword hidden among them.
Whoooosh.
After the storm passed, even the weeds that had grown freely across the ground had been stripped away.
Yet the masked man was nowhere to be seen.
“Jin Sowoon...”
At the name Jong Byeokgi spat out through clenched teeth, the masked man’s figure fluttered down and landed amid the traces of the Whirling Wind Drifting Willow Sword.
“Have you gone mad? Or has the Taeul Sect grown powerful enough to make an enemy of the Mount Cang Sect?”
Jong Byeokgi spoke as if he were certain the masked man was Jin Sowoon, but the masked man gave no response.
Jong Byeokgi shouted in frustration.
“Answer me! Jin Sowoon! Are you going to deny it now and hide behind that mask?”
The masked man only stepped through that damnable movement art again without answering.
Jong Byeokgi gritted his teeth and raised his sword.
He had driven all the drunkenness from his body with internal energy, but the hangover lingering in his body clouded his mind.
In this state, he could not distinguish illusion from reality.
‘Then I’ll face him head-on.’
He had already learned at a Dragon-Phoenix Association event that the Sun-Shooting Sword Art did not work against this man. Jong Byeokgi was not foolish enough to repeat the same mistake.
He unleashed the Gale Swift Sword, created by drawing out only the tyrannical strengths of the Whirling Wind Drifting Willow Sword.
Swaaaack!
Just as the sword qi shot forth with a violent gust and was about to swallow Jin Sowoon...
Jin Sowoon vanished as before, leaving behind an afterimage, then appeared to Jong Byeokgi’s right.
“How long do you intend to use the same trick?!”
Jong Byeokgi turned his sword again and brought down the Falling Flower Scattering Shadows Sword.
Sword qi that could split even space, like the shadows of falling flowers, blocked every possible route Jin Sowoon could take.
These were ultimate moves that would cost him a hand or foot if even one struck.
Jin Sowoon raised his sword and slowly spun it in a circle.
Though he knew it would not work, he made illusion swords bloom again.
Jong Byeokgi’s triumphant eyes, certain of victory, gradually widened.
“W-what?!”
Sword qi began to gather around the countless illusion swords decorating the air.
It should have been impossible for illusion swords to carry sword qi.
The illusion swords wreathed in sword qi cut through the starting points of the Falling Flower Scattering Shadows Sword and blocked the attacks.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
With every explosion, more flowers vanished.
Jin Sowoon broke through the Falling Flower Scattering Shadows Sword and closed in on Jong Byeokgi.
Jong Byeokgi swiftly thrust out Descendant Yi Draws Full Bow,[1] a form of the Sun-Shooting Sword Art.
Swaack!
Kwang!
Jong Byeokgi, who had rushed in like lightning, was sent flying away like an arrow.
Thud!
“Cough!”
Blood streamed from the corner of Jong Byeokgi’s mouth. He sprang to his feet to continue the battle.
Slice.
Jin Sowoon appeared behind Jong Byeokgi and severed the tendon in his heel.
“Argh! Aaargh!”
Jong Byeokgi collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
The Yuwol Sect martial artists could not hide their shock.
“Young Master Jong! Young Master Jong!”
No one knew what would happen if Jong Byeokgi, the Mount Cang Sect’s rising star, died here.
If it ended with only their disgraceful conduct being exposed, they might be cursed at, but they would at least retain the Mount Cang Sect’s protection.
But if Jong Byeokgi died, they could not imagine what the Mount Cang Sect would do to them.
“Protect Young Master Jong! Quickly!”
The Yuwol Sect martial artists began throwing away their lives like blades of grass as they rushed at Jin Sowoon.
But the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers did not simply stand by.
“Why are you barging into a fight between leaders?”
Geumpyo stepped forward and blocked the Yuwol Sect martial artists.
Eunho and Dongryong also unleashed Ten Thousand Swords and kept them at bay.
The Yuwol Sect martial artists could not force their way past the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers.
Jin Sowoon calmly approached the screaming Jong Byeokgi.
“Only now will you pay the price for insulting my sect.”
“You... Even after doing this...”
Jin Sowoon looked at Jong Byeokgi, who was grinding his teeth in misery, then changed his grip on his sword.
He struck Jong Byeokgi’s dantian with enough force to pierce through his body.
Thud!
Something cracked with a grotesque sound that could not have come from a human body, and Jong Byeokgi let out a strange scream.
“Guaaaargh!”
Jong Byeokgi vomited a great mouthful of black blood thick with flesh.
Before he could even look at what he had spat out, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed.
“Crazy...”
“...Did Flying Cloud New Wind just lose?”
“What are you doing?! Kill that bastard right now!”
At that moment, a huge gate flew away like a broken branch with a thunderous crash.
Kwang!!
“...”
The people who smashed through the gate were all Mount Cang Sect martial artists with fearsome presences.
Yuwol Sect martial artists then surged in after them.
Among the nearly one hundred Mount Cang Sect experts, a middle-aged man who appeared to be their leader glanced at Jong Byeokgi before lifting his head to look at Jin Sowoon.
“...Who are you?”
At the brief question, a Moonless Unit member pointed at Jin Sowoon.
“Y-Young Master Jong... called him Jin Sowoon.”
“Jin Sowoon?”
The middle-aged man stared at Jin Sowoon with cold eyes.
“Are you Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect?”
“...”
“You knew we were from the Mount Cang Sect, and that boy was Jong Byeokgi of the Mount Cang Sect, did you not?”
“...I knew.”
“Ha, you knew? Then can you explain why you committed such an act?”
“Jong Byeokgi was involved in the kidnappings taking place in Yueyang. Did the Mount Cang Sect know as well?”
“...”
The middle-aged man’s face stiffened. Yet it quickly returned to one of anger.
“What are you talking about? Kidnappings?”
“Heh heh... I knew you would deny it. That is why I took action. At the very least, you will have to pay the price too.”
“You are mad... We can learn at our main sect what made you commit this nonsense. Your sect will also cease to exist in the martial world, so don’t even think of relying on anyone else.”
As the middle-aged man turned away, releasing killing intent, the Mount Cang Sect martial artists began forming the Dividing Light Five Ghost Sword Formation.
A peerless killing sword formation said to trap anyone who entered it until they became a ghost.
Seong Moran watched the process in silence and did not know what to do.
All she could do was watch that foolishly upright man, who would not hesitate to walk into death itself to save others.
Then Jin Sowoon’s voice reached her ear.
-Miss Seong, do not leave the sword formation under any circumstances.
-What?
Before Seong Moran could reply, Jin Sowoon shouted.
“Geum-Eun-Dong!”
“Yes!”
The Geum-Eun-Dong brothers took positions around Seong Moran at once.
The White Tiger Deathblow Sword Formation, familiar even to Seong Moran.
“Eunho, you take the lead. I’ll fill Saryeon’s position.”
“Understood.”
“Go straight to Myriad Illusions. We’ll be at a disadvantage if we drag this out.”
“Yes!”
Seong Moran could not gather her wits.
In the meantime, the Dividing Light Five Ghost Sword Formation activated.
Fifty swords were drawn at once and thrust toward the Taeul Sect group from all eight directions.
Four swords appeared around the Taeul Sect group and began sweeping through the air on their own, as if dancing.
Shrrrring.
Bang!
Then dozens of illusion swords manifested from the four swords, confusing the martial artists operating the Dividing Light Five Ghost Sword Formation.
“Ignore them! They are only illusion swords!”
Emboldened by the middle-aged man’s shout, the Mount Cang Sect martial artists ignored the illusion swords and began thrusting their own swords forward.
But...
Shrrrring!
Clangclangclangclangclang!
Their swords collided with illusion swords that should have made no sound, and screams erupted from every direction.
“Cough!”
“Argh!”
“Urgh!”
Five swordsmen within the Dividing Light Five Ghost Sword Formation were injured, and the formation wavered for an instant.
Other Mount Cang Sect swordsmen waiting behind them tried to fill the gaps, but Jin Sowoon slipped through that brief opening.
“Where do you think you are going?!”
The middle-aged man’s hands released a barrage of Cold Flame Palm strikes as Jin Sowoon forced his way through a gap in the Dividing Light Five Ghost Sword Formation.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ground erupted, scattering weeds into the air.
Jin Sowoon evaded the Cold Flame Palm strikes and returned to the White Tiger Deathblow Sword Formation.
The Dividing Light Five Ghost Sword Formation spread wide for an instant, as if determined not to let Jin Sowoon escape again, then enclosed every member of the Taeul Sect group.
The Dividing Light Five Ghost Sword Formation completely surrounded the White Tiger Deathblow Sword Formation.
It was a sword formation created to face a single absolute master from the start.
Even one of the Hundred Greatest Experts Under Heaven would have no way to escape unscathed.
“Star Illusion!”
At Eunho’s shout, the Twin Heavens Sword Art surged from the hands of the four and shot out in all directions.
“Urgh!”
“Cough!”
The martial artists forming the Dividing Light Five Ghost Sword Formation fell one after another, yet the formation itself did not collapse.
“Fill the empty positions!”
At the middle-aged man’s command, the waiting Mount Cang Sect martial artists shot forward and filled the gaps.
They continued pressing in, as if determined to see this through to the end.
“You seem to possess some skill, but let us see whether you can escape the Mount Cang Sect’s grasp.”
The Dividing Light Five Ghost Sword Formation, which had spread wide, began tightening little by little.
Only the Mount Cang Sect continued suffering casualties, but with each loss, the formation tightened further around the White Tiger Deathblow Sword Formation.
At last, the hems of the Taeul Sect members’ robes began to be cut away one by one.
Even so, not one of them left the formation.
Though her life hung by a thread, Seong Moran opened her eyes wide.
Because she had decided to trust them. To trust him.
And at that moment...
“Stop!!!”
Along with a voice that thundered throughout the entire estate, nearly two hundred martial artists appeared atop the estate walls.
[1] Descendant Yi: An allusion to Hou Yi, the legendary archer who shot down nine of the ten suns in Chinese mythology.
Footnotes:
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