WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
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◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 193: The Messenger from the Past (3)
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The Martial Arts Academy entered a temporary fifteen-day recess out of consideration for those injured in the Sichuan Incident.
Thanks to that, my companions, who had been pushing themselves hard, were able to rest as well. With nothing else to do, I threw myself back into the training I had been putting off.
“Even looking at it again, I don't understand it. What kind of sword art is this?”
They said there were as many strange martial arts in the world as there were people, but the Three White Moon Heaven-Subduing Forms stood out even among them.
It consisted of three forms, but it couldn't simply be called a three-form sword art.
The elements that formed each technique were not linked, patterned movements, but movement itself. Any motion could become a form, while following the form perfectly might still fail to make it one.
“Is it similar to the Flowing Cloud Divine Art in that regard?”
The Flowing Cloud Sect's martial arts were mocked as incomplete, but that wasn't because they had been lost or fallen out of practice like Taeul Sect's techniques.
The martial art itself remained whole. What hadn't been passed down in writing was how to learn it firsthand.
At some point in the past, the transmission of the Flowing Cloud Divine Art must have been severed. Without proper instruction, it had been reduced to an incomplete martial art.
“At least I can train on my own because I remember Master Baek's movements in detail.”
Martial arts like the Flowing Cloud Divine Art couldn't normally be learned alone.
That was also why Yayul Jae had decided to complete the martial art through real combat.
According to him, he completed it far too late, but he did manage to finish it within his lifetime.
Just as I had with Moyong Jaehwa, I wanted to pass on the martial art Yayul Jae had completed at the risk of his life in my previous life to Yayul Geuk, but...
“Ah, forget it! What am I supposed to do if that little bastard has no manners?”
I shook away the thought and focused on my training again.
If the essence of the First Form of the Three White Moon Heaven-Subduing Forms, Extreme Swiftness, was absolute speed, then the essence of the Second Form was Perfect Wall.
It was closer to a defensive technique than an offensive one, but as I said before, it wasn't limited to defense.
In other words, it was a form that could become an attack whenever necessary.
“More precisely, it's like hitting someone with a shield.”
That wasn't my own description. It was written in Baek Haegwang's secret manual.
[Block with the shield, then strike with the shield. Then there's no need to draw a separate sword.]
There probably wasn't anyone in the world besides the Sword Demon who would describe a sword screen like that.
It was a bit of a leap, but the Second Form, Perfect Wall, wasn't a sword screen that retreated. It was a sword screen that advanced.
The Sword Demon's disposition was clearly reflected in his martial arts.
He was the kind of person who believed the best defense was an attack.
I continued reading through the secret manual of the Three White Moon Heaven-Subduing Forms in my head.
[There must be no gaps in the screen. The Black Path's concealed weapons are too small to see. The screen must be as hard as diamond. The Shandong Ak Clan's tyrannical force is powerful enough to send whoever blocks it flying.]
As expected of a sword form created through hundreds, no, thousands of real battles, the secret manual was written plainly, without difficult language.
It occasionally described battles against masters Baek Haegwang had encountered, and even went into detail about sparring matches he had ultimately lost.
The accounts were so specific and thorough that I could picture the opponents in my mind despite never having seen them.
“Good. Shall we begin?”
I calmly began turning the words arranged in my mind into images.
‘First, fill the gaps.’
My opponent was Dark Ghost, a Black Path master from the previous generation.
Dark Ghost could unleash Feather Needles, a common concealed weapon, with ghostly precision.
I brought the Dark Ghost I had created in my mind into reality.
To train more efficiently, I should have conducted an imagined spar as I did when I learned the First Form, but that caused far too much pain and had severe side effects.
Unless I needed to use the Second Form tomorrow, it was more important to proceed step by step.
Shing.
The Black Dragon Sword rang clearly as its black blade emerged.
Dark Ghost stood before me, waiting leisurely with both hands tucked into their sleeves.
After taking my opening stance, I immediately began to execute the Second Form of the Three White Moon Heaven-Subduing Forms.
Woom, woom.
The sound of my sword cleaving the air gradually sharpened.
Soon, the sword qi that had traced paths through the air along the tip of my sword became a tightly woven net.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
More sword qi traced paths through the dense mesh until not even the slightest gap remained in the net.
That was how it looked.
“Argh!”
My muscles were already pulling painfully, and sweat poured from my entire body.
The large sword screen, spanning a full jang, swept toward Dark Ghost as though it meant to swallow them whole.
Then Dark Ghost casually pulled one hand from their sleeve and flicked it.
Feather Needles shot out in an instant.
Before the seemingly perfect sword screen, the three Feather Needles looked certain to be stopped.
But then...
Swish.
The three Feather Needles had already slipped through the sword screen, aimed at my vital acupoints.
‘If this were real combat, I'd already be dead.’
I had been certain I'd blocked every gap in the sword screen, yet Dark Ghost found an opening and pierced through it with Feather Needles.
‘Again.’
I repeated the spar twenty-three times, but I couldn't even make it through five exchanges.
“Huff, huff, huff.”
Part of it was because I was moving my body for real, but executing the Second Form itself was so demanding that I quickly ran out of breath.
It wasn't a full imagined spar, but vividly picturing my opponent still consumed a great deal of mental energy. My head felt as though it were on fire.
“Damn, that's exhausting...”
After letting out a hot breath, I flopped carelessly onto the ground and reviewed the spar.
The sword screen that had looked like it had no gaps.
Dark Ghost's Feather Needles, which pierced through it.
“...So they targeted the gaps between the paths my sword had traveled. A monster really is a monster.”
Considering that even a monster like that had died before living out their natural lifespan, I still had a long way to go.
I reassured myself as frustration began to set in.
“Don't be impatient. You've come this far well enough. Just keep going as you have been.”
As I looked up at the clear sky for a moment, a familiar voice reached me.
“Don't be impatient. You've come this far well enough. Just keep going as you have been.”
It repeated exactly what I had said.
“...”
Frowning deeply, I turned my head and found the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers standing behind me.
“...Since when were you there?”
Eunho stretched out his hand, spread his palm wide, then clenched it into a fist as he lowered his voice.
“Don't be impatient. You've come this far well enough. Just keep going as you have been.”
A playful smile spread across Eunho's lips after he delivered the line with false gravity.
“...We arrived when you were saying that.”
“...”
Had I been beating this bastard less often lately?
I glared at them, my fists itching, then paused in surprise.
Wait. Had the Ghost Breath Movement Art I taught them already reached this level?
As I found myself feeling proud without realizing it, Eunho spoke again.
He even cupped his fists and bowed.
“Eldest Senior Brother, may I ask you something?”
“No. If you're planning to make fun of me, don't even open your mouth.”
“I'm just curious.”
What was with that expression?
His face looked unusually serious, so I eventually allowed him to ask.
“...What is it?”
“Have you perhaps reached adolescence?”
“...”
His respectful attitude from a moment ago was gone. His eyes sparkled like a child who had found candy.
“Do you suddenly feel like rebelling against adults, or like you've become some evil being hiding a secret?”
“...”
“Or do you feel like you're about to become a hero who protects justice and upholds righteousness?”
Seriously, had he not been beaten enough lately?
Let's see how far he takes this.
“Like a dragon is writhing inside you, and if you open your hand, black energy will pour out...”
“...Eunho.”
“Ah! Eldest Senior Brother, we understand. We've all gone through it. Brother Geumpyo once used Void-Walking on top of a wall...”
I sprang to my feet.
“Die!”
The First Form of the Three White Moon Heaven-Subduing Forms, Extreme Swiftness, shot powerfully from my hand.
#
After returning to the dormitory, we drank tea and chatted over the snacks the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers had bought.
“What did you go to the market for?”
“Dongryong's sword cracked again.”
“Hmm?”
It was already the second sword Dongryong had needed to replace.
When the Gyeonseong Envoy visited in the past, Dongryong had received a sword as a gift from the Martial Alliance. During the regular examination, he had also been given a Changgung Sword by the Namgung Clan.
Both swords were fine blades compared to ordinary weapons, but apparently even those hadn't been enough for Dongryong.
‘It couldn't be helped. He uses a sword in such bizarre ways. How could any sword hold up?’
Ordinary swords were made to balance thrusting and slashing.
That was why most were designed with special attention to the sword tip, with a steel core reinforcing the center of the blade.
Dongryong used the entire blade freely, so the strain on his swords continued to grow.
I told the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers, “For now, use the supplies the Academy provides. Once a sword cracks, you never know when it will break.”
“You mean ordinary blue-steel swords? They won't last long in Dongryong's hands.”
“That's fine. Use them temporarily. I'll get you another sword soon.”
“Another sword?”
I had sent the Vajra Indestructible Iron, Wind-Screaming Paulownia, and Blood Sea Jade I received through the Mantong Office to Taeul Sect through the Wang Family Estate's escort agency.
It would take time for the forge to be completed, but I wanted Jang Dowon to become at least somewhat familiar with the materials before then.
The shorter that time became, the sooner the Scarlet Radiance Sword would emerge into the world and shine.
Once I gave the Black Dragon Sword to Dongryong, he would never need to replace a sword again.
Even setting everything else aside, the Black Dragon Sword, forged from Vajra Indestructible Iron, a material second to none in durability, would suit Dongryong well.
“Just keep that in mind. Use the supplied swords for now, and if one breaks, buy a new blue-steel sword at the market.”
“Yes...”
Dongryong lowered his head as though he had done something wrong.
I stroked his head.
“This happened because you're skilled. I don't begrudge spending money on you at all.”
“Really?”
Dongryong immediately smiled in delight like a puppy.
I was talking with my martial brothers for the first time in a while when...
Knock, knock, knock.
“Representative Jin, this is Jang Woojae.”
Before I could answer, Jang Woojae entered the inner room. After greeting the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers, he looked at me.
I hadn't arranged to meet with him.
“What brings you here?”
“...Well, I have something to tell you about Yayul Geuk.”
After sending the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers out, I spoke with Jang Woojae alone.
“After you left, I kept watching Yayul Geuk.”
I hadn't even asked him to do so, but Jang Woojae had taken care of it himself.
It seemed I had a good eye for people.
Unlike my satisfied expression, Jang Woojae paused to gather himself before speaking cautiously.
“The thing is... Yayul Geuk hasn't been doing well lately.”
“Not doing well?”
“Yes... Until recently, at least his face wasn't injured. These days, the injuries on his face have been increasing, and he barely speaks.”
It hadn't been long since that incident. Had Ak Jupyeong already begun tormenting him?
“Before, if I asked what was wrong, he would start cursing at me right away. Now he keeps his mouth shut and only lowers his head during class.”
“...”
“About three days ago, I asked him in more detail...”
Jang Woojae looked as though he had debated for a long time whether to say it.
“I pulled at his sleeve and caught a glimpse beneath his clothes... There wasn't a single patch of uninjured skin.”
“Haah...”
Jwa Daegi, who had served in the northern army, once said that military violence was brief and clean, whereas martial artists' violence was persistent and ugly, which made it more frightening.
Martial artists studied martial arts and possessed extensive knowledge of the human body. They probably knew even better than soldiers how to make someone suffer.
Something began to boil inside my chest.
“Where is Yayul Geuk now?”
“I haven't seen him in two days.”
“Is that so?”
I rose from my seat.
Jang Woojae immediately stood as well.
“What are you planning to do?”
“I need to go see him first.”
That damned little bastard.
Why were he and his older brother both so damn good at making people worry?
#
When I entered the eight-person dormitory, the Academy students enjoying their relaxed time during the temporary fifteen-day recess began to stir.
“It's the Black Flame Dragon!”
“Why is Jin Sowoon in the eight-person dormitory?”
“This isn't even where the people he always hangs around with stay.”
Ignoring them, I entered Yayul Geuk's room.
“Gasp!”
“W-what is it?”
The students sharing the room leaped to their feet in surprise.
I looked around the room and reassured them.
“It's nothing. I came to see someone. Yayul Geuk is here, right?”
“Huh?”
“Why are you looking for that lunatic...?”
“I heard he was here, so I came.”
I spotted someone lying on one side of a bed with a blanket pulled over their head. Walking over, I yanked the blanket away.
A startled voice immediately rang out.
“W-what is it?”
“Huh?”
Instead of the face I expected to find crying under the blanket, I found someone I had never seen before.
“Who the hell are you?”
“...Shouldn't I be asking that...?”
Whoosh.
I covered their face with the blanket again and looked around the room.
Then one of the students cautiously told me, “His bed is over there. And he hasn't come back since yesterday...”
“He hasn't come back?”
“Yeah.”
I examined the place Yayul Geuk used.
The other Academy students' wardrobes and lockers were filled with various personal belongings, but Yayul Geuk's spot contained only the things he had received from the Academy.
Most of those were worn and tattered from long use.
‘Even Beggar Sect disciples don't live this destitutely.’
He had only several sets of supplied martial uniforms and the standard-issue blue-steel sword.
There was nothing else worth calling a possession.
I barely managed to keep my expression from twisting.
“Hey. Did that kid have his belongings taken too?”
“...”
I asked the student who pointed out Yayul Geuk's spot, but they didn't answer.
“I already know Yayul Geuk is being bullied. Did you people join in?”
“W-what are you talking about? Why would we?”
“Anyway, did they take his things or not?”
The student hesitated before answering.
“They probably didn't take anything.”
“What does that mean?”
My brow was about to furrow at the vague reply when an unexpected answer came.
“He didn't have anything to begin with.”
“...What?”
“We live together every day, so we know how poor he is. I've never even seen him leave the Academy.”
I knew the Flowing Cloud Sect was struggling, but I hadn't known it didn't even have enough money to support a basic life.
I had a very bad feeling about this.
“Has he done anything strange lately?”
“...”
“Tell me anything.”
“...Well, you already know the White Path Society kids have been beating him up.”
The student scratched their cheek as they answered.
“The night before last, he suddenly apologized to me for everything.”
“Apologized?”
“Yeah. Whenever I went to the market, I'd buy snacks and leave them in his drawer.”
“And?”
“When he found them, he'd throw them at me.”
“That bastard really is insane.”
As though it was nothing unusual, the student nodded and continued.
“Yeah, pretty much. Anyway, I asked why he was doing that because it was strange, and he said his second older brother made him do it.”
“Second older brother?”
“I heard it half asleep, so I don't remember clearly.”
“Was there another brother between them?”
But how had someone who never even left the Academy received instructions from his second older brother?
“What is your name?”
“Me? Why all of a sudden?”
“Just curious.”
“Nam Eulyong.”
“Nam Eulyong of the Divine Physician Hall?”
Oh. So Nam Eulyong, who would later become one of the Ten Kings of Jiangnan, used an eight-person dormitory while attending the Academy.
“You know me?”
I made up an excuse.
“...Well, I'm the Academy Representative, aren't I?”
Before Nam Eulyong could question me again, I took out ten taels of gold and handed them to him.
“Keep half. Use the other half to look after that lunatic like you did before. If he keeps refusing, keep the rest too.”
As I turned and headed for the door, a puzzled voice stopped me.
“...What are you to Yayul Geuk?”
I froze.
What was I to him...?
From the vast sea of my memories, Yayul Jae's face came vividly to mind. He had stood in my way with a furious expression.
A small laugh escaped me.
“I owe his older brother a favor.”
Paying it back is damn hard, seriously.
#
After leaving the dormitory, I searched through the memories of my previous life.
Yayul Jae had never mentioned his brothers.
Much less that he had more than one brother.
Though the Flowing Cloud Sect had been destroyed, he had been immensely proud of it and often bragged about it.
Whenever he did, the Sojeong Unit members mocked him for boasting about a ruined sect. That was how their fights always began.
Even setting aside the other younger brother, why had he never spoken about the brother who attended the Academy?
Yayul Jae's stories and Yayul Geuk's current situation.
The suffocating circumstances Yayul Geuk had endured, along with what he told Nam Eulyong.
As I gathered the pieces and put them together, something suddenly flashed through my mind.
‘Fuck...!’
I urgently raised my internal energy and sent it into both legs.
Boom.
Dirt scattered in every direction, but I didn't care as I unleashed the Peerless Wanderer Divine Art at full force.
‘Damn it... Why did I take this so lightly?’
If my ominous suspicion was right,
Yayul Geuk would die.
No, perhaps he was already dead.
Footnotes:
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