WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 155: The Black Flame Dragon Amid the Chaos (5)
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Seeing the youngsters who had been listening to Hyesung and Jang Woojae turn pale, I burst out laughing in disbelief.
‘There’s still an old man who uses the Mind-Subduing Golden Speech Command.’
This sonic art, created by combining the effects of the Spirit-Subduing Demonic Sound of heretical martial artists and the Lion’s Roar, was shunned within Shaolin Temple because its foundation lay in heretical martial arts.
Its very intent was so insidious that monks were reluctant to use it. That alone showed what kind of man this old monk Hyesung was, someone desperate to lord over others.
The fact that not only the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers, Hong Saryeon, and Seong Moran, but even Namgung Seonhwa, who had learned the Namgung Clan’s internal cultivation method, could not move an inch showed how frequently he must have used the Mind-Subduing Golden Speech Command.
I scattered the Jade Clarity Celestial Phenomenon Force and dispelled its influence.
“Whew...”
“What was that?”
“I suddenly couldn’t breathe for a moment.”
As the spectators began speaking again, like children who had suddenly found their voices, a deep furrow formed between Hyesung’s brows.
“Benefactor Jin Sowoon, do you realize that you are insulting the Buddha?”
I tilted my head.
“You were speaking informally earlier. Why are you suddenly being polite? It sounds awkward.”
“...”
“And aren’t you the one insulting the Buddha, Master Hyesung?”
Hyesung had no intention of taking part in what was happening in Yueyang.
“What did you say?”
“Isn’t that right? Was Academy student Jang Woojae asking for something so extraordinary? He merely asked you to visit his sect briefly and show that the Yujang Sect was an ally of the White Path martial world. Is that really so difficult?”
There was no doubt that his claim about returning to the Martial Alliance and convening a meeting was a lie as well.
What better pretext could the Martial Alliance have than the destruction of a small or mid-sized sect like the Yujang Sect?
They must intend to stand by and watch the Black Path martial world run rampant for now, so they could reclaim control over Yueyang later.
“I find it difficult to understand why you would stand by when you know people will be sacrificed.”
Hyesung and the Orthodox Society members glared at me.
Ignoring their contemptuous looks, I continued.
“Or did you feel their sacrifices were inevitable from the beginning?”
“You bastard!”
“I’ve heard enough!”
They did not so much as blink when others shed blood, yet they leaped to react the moment their own feelings were offended.
Perhaps, in their eyes, people like us did not stand on the same level as them.
“Enough!”
At Hyesung’s shout, the Orthodox Society members could not hide their resentment.
“Benefactor Jin...”
“I told you I don’t like being called benefactor.”
“...Hehe.”
After wearing a relaxed smile for a moment, Hyesung spoke.
“Even if you are a disciple of a Taoist martial sect, you are no different from any other living being in the Buddha’s eyes. The same goes for Benefactor Jang Woojae. Though his sect may not be an official ally of the Martial Alliance, from the Martial Alliance’s perspective, he is still a comrade walking the path of the White Path.”
Each time Hyesung continued with that benevolent expression, the spectators nodded without realizing it.
“As you said, I could step in personally. But what if doing so leads to even greater casualties elsewhere?”
“Where exactly is something so serious happening?”
As far as I remembered, nowhere in the current martial world would face a bloodier storm than Yueyang.
“Sichuan.”
That lunatic monk.
Hyesung looked at Jang Woojae.
“I, too, find this regrettable. But in Sichuan, beings that have concealed themselves for decades are now targeting the entire martial world.”
I could not help laughing inwardly at Hyesung’s lie.
You bastards don’t feel any such sense of urgency right now!
“Of course, I am not unaware of the crisis facing the Yujang Sect and the other White Path sects in Yueyang. That is why I intend to do everything I can.”
“That’s reassuring.”
They said the teeth of an old fox were sharper than those of a young tiger.
Before I knew it, Hyesung had convinced everyone by presenting a justification that would let his side slip away.
Jang Woojae, who had been listening, seemed to have no strength left to endure. He fell to his knees, prostrated himself on the ground, and wept.
Hyesung, who acted as though he had not seen it, spoke.
“Then how about this?”
“?”
Hyesung looked at me triumphantly.
“Benefactor Jin’s name has already resounded throughout the world, has it not? You should personally step forward in this matter in Yueyang. Furthermore, you are the current Academy Representative. Do you not have a duty to help Academy student Jang Woojae?”
I could only laugh hollowly.
So he was trying to pass the responsibility onto me like this?
“...”
Hyesung smiled smugly.
He certainly had the political skill expected of someone who had secured an elder’s seat in the Martial Alliance.
Still.
Compared to the Sojeong Unit bastards who were always trying to cheat their comrades out of their monthly pay, he was hopelessly amateurish.
An amateur monk, was he? Perhaps I should grind him into the dust.
“Will that be all right?”
Hyesung, who had been smiling smugly, opened his eyes wide.
“People will say that a disciple of Taeul Sect resolved what Shaolin Sect could not and ran. a. way. from. Are you really all right with that?”
“...”
Hyesung swiftly rearranged his stiff expression.
“Is this not for the peace and safety of the martial world? If staining Shaolin Sect’s name can ensure the safety of all living beings, there could be nothing that would please the Buddha more.”
He was not an easy opponent after all.
In my view, Hyesung belonged in Beijing, not Mount Song.
How could the tongue of a man who only ate vegetables move so smoothly?
“But I am concerned. The survival of the Yujang Sect rests in Benefactor Jin’s hands. I pray that you do not fail. If you do, would there not be problems not only for the Yujang Sect, but also for your position as Academy Representative?”
Words he did not mean.
Didn’t he worry about going to hell after telling such lies?
Fine. Let’s see this through to the end.
“For some reason, I don’t sense any sincerity.”
“...Pardon?”
“Could it be that you’re hoping I fail?”
Hyesung looked around and laughed as though the thought were absurd.
“How could that be? As I said earlier, I only find it regrettable.”
“In truth, wouldn’t Shaolin Sect benefit if every small and mid-sized sect like the Yujang Sect disappeared?”
“...”
“Then later, wouldn’t it be easier for Shaolin Sect to enter Yueyang, claiming it was there to bring justice to the city ruled by the Black Path?”
Hyesung’s expression began to twist slightly.
“How could you say something so irreverent...”
“Then will you make me a promise? Before our comrades in the martial world, promise that Shaolin Sect will never enter Yueyang, no matter what happens in the future.”
“...”
Hyesung looked at me so coldly that he seemed to have forgotten people were watching.
“So that would be difficult after all?”
A snort escaped me.
“...What are you saying? More than anything, I hope for the safety of the Yujang Sect and Yueyang’s White Path martial sects.”
“But you still can’t make that promise, can you?”
“...”
Now the corner of his lips had begun to twitch.
At this rate, I might reach hell before Hyesung did.
“Then please offer one of those miraculous prayers for Yueyang’s White Path martial sects.”
Refusing to yield, Hyesung pressed his palms together in a reverent pose I had never seen from him before.
“Amitabha.”
I had never heard an “Amitabha” that carried so little sincerity.
#
‘It’s exactly like that day.’
Jang Woojae, prostrated on the ground as he wept, was so overcome by déjà vu that he did not even think to wipe his tear-streaked face.
The day he first saw the Black Flame Dragon, whom he had known only through rumors.
Jin Sowoon had been furious in the face of injustice.
Jang Woojae had barely managed to obtain an Academy Admission Token by mortgaging his younger sibling’s future. Yet Jin Sowoon had casually thrown dozens of them onto the ground and shouted.
“If even the Martial Alliance has forgotten fairness and justice, becoming a group that only looks after its own interests!”
That had been before the Martial Alliance... no, before the Elder Council, which could be called the highest authority in the martial world.
“I will not enter the Martial Arts Academy according to your wishes. No, even if you order me to enter, I will not!”
The shocking sight had left Jang Woojae unable to move for a long while.
Jin Sowoon came from Taeul Sect, which was regarded as lesser even than the Yujang Sect.
Considering that, he had spoken words that neither Jang Woojae nor anyone else in the world would have dared utter.
They were the bold words only a true man could speak.
From that day on, Jang Woojae’s goal had been Jin Sowoon.
A man who could stand proudly like him, if not reach the same level.
That was Jang Woojae’s goal.
At the Academy, he had desperately gathered those without affiliations and wanted to build a force that could represent their interests, so he could stand beside Jin Sowoon.
Though he was part of the One Hundred Eight Peaks, he had not joined the Twelve Peak Alliance. Though he was acquainted with Namgung Seonhwa, he had not joined the White Path Society.
Knowing it would be difficult, he had made enemies of the Orthodox Society and persistently pushed for what he wanted.
Jang Woojae had always wanted to stand beside the steadfast Jin Sowoon, but reality was not so forgiving.
“The Black Path factions in Yueyang are steadily growing stronger. Since Mount Cang Sect has reestablished itself after Wudang Sect’s withdrawal, try to build ties with Mount Cang Sect.”
That was the letter sent by his sect.
It made Jang Woojae realize that he could not pursue only his own goal, only his own dream.
Before cold reality, he could not stride forward proudly like Jin Sowoon.
When Jin Sowoon had struggled the most, Jang Woojae could not approach him.
Even when everyone had turned their backs on Jin Sowoon, he could not support him.
‘And yet... and yet why...?’
Tears poured down his face in a rush of shame.
This time as well, Jin Sowoon had not lowered his voice before Hyesung of Shaolin Temple, a towering figure of the martial world.
Not for himself this time, but entirely for someone else.
Even before the powerful, he did not hesitate to speak bitter truths.
That only made Jang Woojae feel more ashamed.
He had expected as much from his conversation with Master Hyesung.
The Yujang Sect would now vanish from the martial world.
Neither Master Hyesung nor the Orthodox Society would move for the Yujang Sect.
All Jang Woojae could do now was watch as the Yujang Sect, his sect and family, disappeared into history.
“Benefactor Jin’s name has already resounded throughout the world, has it not? You should personally step forward in this matter in Yueyang. Furthermore, you are the current Academy Representative. Do you not have a duty to help Academy student Jang Woojae?”
His disappointment in Master Hyesung deepened as the man tried to force the Academy Representative into something neither the Orthodox Society nor the Martial Alliance would step forward to handle.
Even Jin Sowoon could not possibly take on such a matter.
He was also a disciple of a small sect called Taeul Sect.
If someone like him said he would step in, even out of pride, it would be no different from taking on enormous danger without any compensation.
And yet.
“Will that be all right?”
Once again, Jin Sowoon shattered his expectations.
“People will say that a disciple of Taeul Sect resolved what Shaolin Sect could not and ran. a. way. from. Are you really all right with that?”
Then he took the burden upon himself.
As though it had been his responsibility from the beginning.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he vowed to step forward.
‘Why...?’
Something huge surged up from deep within Jang Woojae’s chest.
Because he had shown Jin Sowoon such a shameful side of himself.
Because his past actions toward him had been so cowardly.
Because unlike himself, Jin Sowoon... still shone so brilliantly.
He could not bring himself to lift his head.
Even after the Orthodox Society had left and the people had dispersed, Jang Woojae could only keep his head lowered.
“Academy student Jang Woojae.”
He heard Jin Sowoon’s voice.
It was still firm, confident, and full of weight.
“Let’s get up now.”
“...”
He could not bring himself to show his face.
Perhaps knowing how he felt, Jin Sowoon gently comforted him again.
“You won’t save your sect by staying prostrated on the ground.”
Jang Woojae bit his lip hard and slowly rose.
His face was a mess of tears and snot, but he did not care in the slightest.
“Are you really going to help us?”
“Are the other Academy students not here to help you as well?”
“But, but... when you were having the hardest time, I... I didn’t stand with you. I don’t deserve your help.”
“Haha, I wondered what it was. You weren’t the only Academy student who turned their back on me then, were you?”
The way Jin Sowoon said it as though it were nothing only made Jang Woojae more ashamed.
“And who could easily step forward in that situation?”
Then what about you?
Why had you been able to step forward so easily this time?
The question rose to Jang Woojae’s throat, but he could not bring himself to speak it.
“...”
Just hearing Jin Sowoon say those words made him feel so secure.
It was as though every concern he had carried until then had been resolved.
Relief washed over him like a tide.
The pier was now empty.
A clear voice, like jade beads rolling across a silver tray, let out a long sigh.
“Whew... I knew this would happen from the start, but... you did think of a plan before charging in, right?”
At Seong Moran’s words, the Academy students turned their attention to Jin Sowoon.
The genius who had shattered the Soul-Destroying Formation on Demon Spirit Plateau.
The prodigy who had passed the regular examination with only his fellow disciples.
The administrative master who ran the vast Academy on his own.
What would such a man say? Everyone watched Jin Sowoon so intently that they barely breathed.
Then, as though to meet their expectations...
“...Uh, let’s assess the situation first.”
“...”
“...”
Jang Woojae shook his head as though trying to clear away a delusion.
He must have cried so much that he had grown weak and was seeing things.
“Don’t tell me... you stepped in without a plan? Against the Black Blood Sect?”
Jin Sowoon licked his lips nervously.
“...It wasn’t as though we could just back down.”
The Jin Sowoon Jang Woojae knew could not possibly have made such a half-baked plan. There was no way...
Jin Sowoon scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“...Still, I have a rough plan in mind. Don’t worry too much.”
“...”
“No, I mean it. Did you think I’d step in without thinking anything through?”
Somehow, his tone did not inspire confidence.
Jang Woojae’s emotions cooled, and the sense of security he had felt melted away like snow.
#
Ilgak, who had been walking at the very back of the group, looked behind them several times before seeming to make up his mind and approach Hyesung.
Just as Ilgak carefully tried to speak, Hyesung asked first.
“Speak.”
“...Pardon?”
“Isn’t there something you wish to say? Go on.”
“...I was wondering if it might be better for me to make a brief appearance there, at least.”
When Master Hyesung silently looked at him, Ilgak spoke faster.
“Ah, of course, I would return without delay. If I hurry...”
“Why would you go there?”
Ilgak gave the excuse he had prepared in advance.
“...If the Yujang Sect survives, won’t people take Shaolin Sect lightly? If I at least go and show my face...”
“Do you believe the Yujang Sect will survive?”
“If they receive help from various places...”
Master Hyesung let out a snort and spoke with self-mockery.
“Did the Black Blood Sect and the Black Talisman Palace look so easy to you?”
At Ilgak’s puzzled expression, Master Hyesung continued.
“Did you think the Black Blood Sect and the Black Talisman Palace had kept their heads down because they were wary of Mount Cang Sect?”
“Pardon? What do you mean...?”
“They are Black Path sects that have built their power in Yueyang for more than fifty years. Do you take them for back-alley thugs?”
“...”
“What they feared was not the Yuwol Sect or Changseong Sect, despite those sects having Mount Cang Sect at their backs. Nor did they fear the distant Mount Cang Sect itself.”
Then what had the Black Path martial world feared so deeply that it had remained quiet in Yueyang all this time?
“The Martial Alliance.”
“...But if they feared the Martial Alliance, wouldn’t they be unable to act now as well?”
“Tsk. This is why I have always said the children at the headquarters should not be taught nothing but meditation.”
After grumbling, Master Hyesung rebuked him.
“The tide has shifted from the White Path to the Black Path. They know full well that the Martial Alliance cannot easily appear in Yueyang now.”
“...”
“Looking at a single wave and predicting the tide will only keep you from getting wet.”
“...”
“If you truly wish to venture into the vast sea, you must learn to read the world. Do you understand?”
“...I will remember that.”
Master Hyesung gave a light laugh.
“After you return from Sichuan, you may be able to take the position of Academy Representative. Prepare yourself in advance.”
“...What?”
“Jin Sowoon... that child will be swept away by this current.”
Master Hyesung spoke with certainty.
Footnotes:
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