WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
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◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 157: The Black Flame Dragon Quelling the Chaos (2)
──────
‘Damn it.’
Why hadn't I seen this coming?
To the Black Path, time was more precious than gold.
Before a justification could arise.
Before stronger forces arrived.
Their best course was to end everything swiftly.
“Young Master Jin, what should we do? It'll still be a while before the Sky Vault Unit gets here.”
Had Namgung Seonhwa's arrival also made them more pressed for time?
The moment the Namgung Clan involved itself, the Black Path martial world would have far more to contend with.
“Everyone, prepare for battle.”
After saying that, I leaped from the Yujang Sect pavilion.
Using the Peerless Wanderer Divine Art, I soared more than ten jang into the air. The streets of Yueyang spread out beneath me at a glance.
I sharpened my vision and looked toward the rising cries.
“Charge!”
“Kill them all!”
A mass of people, like swarms of black ants, filled every alley.
They were rushing straight toward the Yujang Sect.
Even by a rough count, there were well over a thousand.
The Black Blood Sect had never intended to let this conflict drag past tonight.
When I landed, I addressed my companions and the Academy students.
“Taeul Sect disciples and you two young ladies, take the east. Academy students, support the west.”
“What about you, Young Master Jin?”
“I'll face them at the main gate.”
“What? What do you mean...?”
“We don't have time. They intend to wipe out the Yujang Sect tonight.”
“...”
“Don't get hurt. If the situation becomes dangerous...”
I paused and met each of their eyes.
“Come to me at once. Don't hesitate.”
“Yes!”
The unease in their eyes began to give way to resolve.
“And Geum, Eun, Dong!”
I stopped the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers as they were about to rush off.
“Show no mercy.”
“...!”
Though I addressed the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers, the words were meant for everyone.
There was no room for mercy in this battle.
“Yes!”
“Eldest Senior Brother, be careful too!”
After hearing their answer, I headed straight for the main gate.
The Yujang Sect martial artists had not only barred the gate tightly, but piled heavy furniture in front of it as well.
“...”
“...”
The battle was about to begin, yet no one spoke.
Everyone stood with their lips tightly pressed together, staring at the gate.
Then...
Thud.
A heavy impact shook the gate as though to jolt everyone awake.
Thud.
Fear spread across the Yujang Sect martial artists' faces like ripples over a still lake.
Thud! Thud!
The tightly barred gate shook, its wood beginning to splinter.
Rumble!
At last, even the furniture piled before the gate began to shift.
Crash!
With a thunderous explosion, the gate shattered, and the furniture flew inward like a barrage.
“Aaaah!”
“Get out of the way!”
I spread my internal energy wide and used the Lotus technique of the Flowing Cloud Divine Art to sweep the sharp wooden fragments aside.
“It opened!”
“Attack!”
Crack!
Palm force rained down indiscriminately, smashing apart the gate and furniture. Hundreds of people mercilessly cleared away the debris and began pouring inside.
“Fire!”
The Yujang Sect martial artists loosed a volley of arrows at the Black Path fighters entering through the gate.
“You cowardly bastards!”
“Hey! They're shooting arrows! Don't push!”
“I said don't push!”
The tangled Black Blood Sect members began falling one after another beneath the arrows.
But the Black Path martial artists did not remain idle.
Using their fallen comrades as shields, they began hurling hidden weapons in retaliation. Their number far exceeded the Yujang Sect's arrows.
Swish, swish, swish!
“Urgh!”
“Watch out...!”
“Hidden weapons!”
Stray blades and hidden weapons flew in, striking the Yujang Sect martial artists.
During that brief lull, the Black Blood Sect members who had completely destroyed the gate began flooding into the Yujang Sect.
“Activate the sword formation!”
Thirty Yujang Sect martial artists formed a sword formation.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sharp blades blocked the Black Path's advance like a dam holding back a current, but the Black Path's overwhelming numbers were enough to swallow the entire formation whole.
“Aaagh!”
“Argh!”
“Save me!”
All around us, members of both the Black Blood Sect and Yujang Sect bled and fell.
For every person the Yujang Sect lost, they were driven back two steps. For every person the Black Blood Sect lost, they advanced four.
That was not all.
“Argh! What is this filthy stuff?”
“These bastards dare use something like this...!”
The Black Blood Sect martial artists scaling the walls lined with pottery shards began striking the walls in irritation. Fist and palm force infused with internal energy were enough to demolish the packed-earth walls.
Bang! Rumble!
Dirt and roof tiles collapsed in one sweep, opening another path. Black Blood Sect martial artists began pouring in through that side as well.
I drew the Taeul True Scripture to its limit.
In a battle where we were so badly outnumbered, the enemy would not retreat no matter how much blood they spilled.
Their clear numerical advantage dulled their fear and gave them the blind conviction that victory was certain.
“Aaaah!”
To break their spirits, I needed something even stronger.
Four swords of the Ten Thousand Swords floated in the air.
The Ten Thousand Swords moved slowly, unfolding the Twin Heavens Sword Art.
“W-what is that?”
“Where did all those swords come from?”
“They're illusion swords! Ignore them!”
Like people intoxicated by opium, the Black Blood Sect martial artists charged wildly, focused only on slaughter.
I began layering sword qi over them.
As my dantian, holding four gapja of internal energy,[1] suddenly felt hollowed out, sword qi covered the illusion swords and the real swords scattered all around us.
Hummmmmm.
The swords sent faint vibrations in every direction as though resonating, then lowered their points in unison.
“H-hey! Are those really illusion swords?”
“O-of course they are, you bastard... Huh?”
“W-wait!”
Then they pierced through their targets in unison.
Shk, shk, shk, shk, shk.
Shk! Shk! Shk! Shk! Shk!
“Damn it! Defend yourselves!”
“Move, you bastards!”
The Black Blood Sect martial artists swung their sword qi with all their strength against the Ten Thousand Swords' sword qi, which poured down like a shower.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The clash of sword qi against sword qi sent shockwaves roaring through the air in every direction.
The Black Blood Sect members, who had charged mindlessly again and again, clutched their ears as pain tore through them as though their eardrums were rupturing.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The earth turned over, and shattered bricks scattered everywhere.
Ownerless blades flew through the air and buried themselves in allies' abdomens, causing the Black Blood Sect's momentum to falter.
“W-what the hell is that?”
“No one said the Yujang Sect had a master like this!”
“Black Blood Sect! You bastards deceived us...!”
It seemed the Black Blood Sect had brought in even more people from outside.
I had a feeling this battle would not end easily.
‘Then I need to press them once more.’
A great deal of internal energy drained from my dantian again, and a heavy vibration sounded in my hands.
Rumble. Rumble. Rumble.
In sheer destructive power, the Mad Heaven Divine Palm could not be compared to any other palm art in the martial world.
Hummm. Hummm. Hummm.
The Mad Heaven Divine Palm, which had always been most effective in one-against-many battles, appeared once more.
Booooom!!!
A massive palm force, large enough to clear the main gate, shot forward in a straight line and swept away the Black Blood Sect martial artists attempting to storm the Yujang Sect.
Boooooom!!!
The explosion dwarfed anything caused by sword qi.
The Black Blood Sect martial artists tried to flee with all their strength, but the Mad Heaven Divine Palm was far faster than their attempts to react.
“Guaaargh!”
“Aaaah!”
“Urgh!”
Dust and sand rose from the overturned earth, obscuring everyone's vision.
As the desperate screams and pained groans from within the murky cloud gradually faded with the dust...
Dozens of Black Blood Sect corpses were revealed.
“...”
“...”
“...”
The battlefield, once filled with excitement and heat, turned cold in an instant.
Those who had been intoxicated by opium seemed to have finally come to their senses. Even their ragged breathing steadied.
“Who are you? Who dares interfere with the Black Blood Sect's business with the Yujang Sect?”
A man carrying a long scythe stepped forward over the corpses, his sharp voice ringing out.
His face was twisted with rage.
It made clear that every part of his plan had gone wrong.
I glanced at the Yujang Sect martial artists. Most were badly injured, and many looked unable to continue fighting.
I gave Jang Woojae a subtle look, signaling him to move the others away, then stepped forward.
“I am Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect.”
“Jin Sowoon? The Black Flame Dragon, Jin Sowoon? Why have you involved yourself in this battle?”
“I came to visit a friend's home and happened to get drawn in.”
“Don't you know that matters between sects should be settled between the sects themselves? Get the hell out of here at once.”
“From what I've heard, the Black Blood Sect also brought many people in from elsewhere.”
“Either way, this is Yueyang's business. It is not your place to interfere.”
“I'll decide whether it concerns me. More importantly, do you intend to continue?”
The man with the scythe growled low.
“Today, the Yujang Sect's name will be erased from the martial world.”
“Taeul Sect disciples aren't the only ones here. There are people from the Iron Sword Sect and the Namgung Clan as well.”
The man with the scythe tried to conceal his startled expression.
“If anything happens to them, this will not end as a matter confined to Yueyang.”
“...Do you think the Black Blood Sect would fear that?”
“Wouldn't it be wiser if you did? If the Namgung Clan steps in, the Martial Alliance will soon follow. Then Mount Cang Sect, Yueyang's former master, may return as well.”
“...I'll give you a chance. Take your friends and leave this place.”
“I have no intention of doing so.”
“You wish to see this through to the end?”
“Why don't we stop here for today?”
“What?”
I looked around.
The main gate had already been completely destroyed, and much of the wall had collapsed.
There was nowhere inside the Yujang Sect the Black Blood Sect had not occupied, while few Yujang Sect members appeared uninjured.
“Both sides have already suffered great losses. I'm saying we should take time to recover.”
“Hah. They said the Black Flame Dragon was clever... Did you think you could simply slither past this like a snake over a wall?”
His tone was firm, as though he had no intention of giving up.
As expected, they intended to settle everything tonight.
If this night passed, they would have to worry about the Namgung Clan and Martial Alliance becoming involved.
“You seem to have a decent trick or two, but do you really think you can face us while relying on techniques that only work against third-rate martial artists?”
“Whether you continue or not is your choice. But let me say one thing.”
“...What is it?”
“If this fight continues, I will kill more than half the people here, no matter what it takes.”
“Your abilities have already been figured out...”
Whoosh.
I used the Sacred Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand in both hands.
The flames suddenly rising from my palms startled not only the Black Blood Sect, but the Yujang Sect members as well.
Few pure yang energy arts could manifest so vividly.
“And I'll burn them to death in the most painful way possible.”
“...You bastard!”
“Just know that I have held back until now because neither side understood the other's circumstances in detail.”
The man froze, as though my threat had left him speechless.
“The Black Blood Sect's ultimate goal is not the Yujang Sect, is it?”
I desperately bluffed, as though I were deceiving the Sojeong Unit bastards.
“...”
Unexpectedly, it worked. The man with the scythe could not give the order to charge.
“Waaaaah!”
Then cheers rose from the east.
When I turned, martial artists in familiar uniforms began running toward us.
“The Sky Vault Unit?”
“Has the Namgung Clan joined the battle?”
“I thought the Martial Alliance's major sects wouldn't take part...! You lying bastards!”
The Black Path martial artists who had joined the Black Blood Sect grew increasingly shaken, and the man with the scythe's face darkened.
The Sky Vault Unit numbered only a hundred.
They were not especially threatening on their own, but the Namgung Clan behind them was more than enough to make the Black Blood Sect wary.
I had to drive in the final nail while I had the momentum.
“Enough blood has been spilled tonight. Stop this.”
“...”
At my words, the man with the scythe ground his teeth.
“Jin Sowoon. If we withdraw now, you will no longer be able to stay out of this matter.”
He pointed his scythe at me.
“Are you prepared for that?”
“...”
“I'm asking whether you're willing to risk your life for the Yujang Sect.”
Jang Woojae shook his head at me, as though urging me not to agree.
Ignoring him, I answered calmly.
“I am prepared to bear it.”
Jang Woojae lowered his head and clenched his fists.
The man with the scythe stared at me as though he wanted to kill me, then spoke.
“Everyone, withdraw.”
“...”
“Withdraw, you bastards!”
The Black Blood Sect martial artists began leaving the Yujang Sect one by one.
Like an ebbing tide, they withdrew, leaving behind only the corpses of martial artists who had risked their lives for the Yujang Sect.
Thud. Thud.
Even those who had barely held on sank to the ground one after another.
They had fought against a thousand enemies and somehow endured, but no one cheered.
“...”
“...”
“...”
Only four hours earlier, they had spoken together and shared meals.
Now they no longer breathed.
The survivors could not accept that fact.
“Sniff...”
A martial artist whose left hand had been severed did not search for it. Instead, they clutched a dead companion and began to weep.
“Sniff, sniff...”
A martial artist with a hidden weapon lodged in their right eye, blood streaming down their face, held the corpse of a younger man and sobbed.
“Aaaah!”
They had survived the merciless Black Path martial artists, but no one rejoiced.
“...”
No one did.
[1] Gapja: a sixty-year cycle in the traditional East Asian calendar; in murim usage, it measures an equivalent span of cultivated internal energy.
Footnotes:
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