WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 397: Personal Revenge (7)
──────
Yuk Family Spear Forms.
A martial art of the Grand General's Estate, a secret art passed down alongside the history of the Imperial Military for hundreds of years.
Its twelve spear forms were both simple and complex. Refined and developed countless times, they had become the foundation of most martial arts used by the Imperial Military.
It was the military's root and pillar, just as Shaolin Sect had the Dharma Scripture, Wudang Sect had Taiji Fist, and the Demonic Cult had the Heavenly Demon Scripture.
Jwa Daegi, once a slave of the Beijing Yuk Family, stole that martial art and fled to the Martial Alliance.
Even Du Cheongang, a former grave robber, had clicked his tongue at his sheer audacity.
Yet Jwa Daegi had been proud of it.
“Fuck! It's not like I chose to be born a slave. After seeing my mother violated and my father kill himself, wouldn't you want to do one of two things? Kill yourself, or fuck those bastards over? Isn't that right?”
He hadn't chosen the Martial Alliance to survive.
He had simply chosen the place where he could screw over the Imperial Military most effectively, and that place happened to be the Martial Alliance.
‘Wait... then in this life... don't tell me that bastard's going to the Black Alliance?’
There had only been the Martial Alliance in my previous life, so he had come here. Still, considering his twisted temperament, the Black Alliance suited him better, and anxiety welled up inside me.
‘Fuck, that can't happen...’
It wasn't because I wanted to see him or felt any camaraderie toward him...
I wouldn't be able to bully him around! I had to pay him back double for what he'd done to me, damn it.
In any case, the altered Yuk Family Spear Forms reflected his temperament. They were martial arts devoted entirely to attack and destruction.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The pursuers charging through the trees revealed themselves one after another.
Wary of me standing atop the carriage, each of them drew the sword at their waist and remained on guard.
I concentrated my internal energy in my hand.
Whoooosh!
The ridiculous spear art Jwa Daegi had named the Wounded Tiger Spear began to rage wildly in my hand.
Rrrrrrrrrr!
The spear, spinning through the force of qi, mercilessly tore apart my delicate palm.
This spear art had been created from the idea that a round spear could be spun. It was an attack that considered neither the enemy's safety nor the user's own.
That resolve inflicted even greater damage on one's opponent.
Wounded Tiger Spear
Wounded Tiger Claw
A form created after watching young masters of the Beijing Yuk Family try to finish off a wounded tiger, only to be killed by it instead.
The spear qi unleashed from the form spun violently as it struck a pursuer in the chest.
The pursuer tried to block it with sword qi, but couldn't withstand the pressure of the violently spinning spear qi and was flung backward like an arrow.
Crack!
Beyond its immense destructive force, this crude attack even injured its user. A wound as large as a human head was carved deeply into the pursuer's chest.
“!”
“!”
“!”
A strange light entered the pursuers' eyes.
This was an offensive military martial art that clearly followed a different path from the martial arts of the martial world.
Those who had trained only in conventional martial arts, where one fought with proper form and etiquette, were at a loss over how to deal with it.
Wounded Tiger Spear
Wounded Tiger Fang
The pursuer barely avoided the violently spinning spear qi, then widened their eyes when another blast of spear qi came rushing in.
They twisted sharply and drove sword qi into it, but the spinning spear qi already contained the principle of a suction technique. It greedily swallowed its prey before shredding it to pieces.
“Aaaargh!”
The pursuer's right arm had been reduced to rags, and they collapsed onto the ground. I gave them no opening and unleashed more spear qi.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
As the spear qi drove down squarely, another pursuer rushed over in a panic to save the fallen one.
‘Got you.’
I curled my lips into a grin and unleashed the third form of the Wounded Tiger Spear.
Wounded Tiger Spear
Wounded Tiger Pounce
A massive surge of spear qi, as though Wounded Tiger Claw had been enlarged five or six times.
It swallowed two pursuers at once.
The more they struggled not to be sucked into the vortex, the worse the damage became.
“Ugh!”
“N-no!”
The two collapsed onto the ground, their entire bodies soaked in blood.
Panic filled the remaining pursuers' eyes.
They must have been shocked that I had carried out such horrific attacks without hesitation.
Even if the end goal was ultimately to kill people, their starting points were fundamentally different.
Martial arts began as part of training for the Dao and enlightenment. Military martial arts existed to efficiently wipe out human beings. They clearly followed different paths.
Moreover, Jwa Daegi's Wounded Tiger Spear was steeped in his malice toward the world. It didn't emit demonic qi, but it couldn't be considered a White Path martial art either.
Once again, I felt the greatness of the Yuk Family Spear Forms.
If Jwa Daegi had stolen all twelve forms instead of only six and fled, would he have lived a little longer?
Probably not. Not long after he died, the Imperial Military had come looking for Jwa Daegi.
He had stolen someone else's martial art, and the martial art of the Beijing Yuk Family at that. Since he died at the hands of the Demonic Cult, it had been a comparatively fortunate death for him.
Whiiiiir!
The spearhead spun at a terrifying speed along the rapidly rotating shaft.
I drove it forward with a simple thrust against the sword forms rushing at me in a dazzling series of variations.
Screeeech!
The spear tip clashed against the blade and drilled forward madly, as though it would pierce through the sword itself.
The transmitted force threw the opponent into confusion, and the pursuer twisted their sword to escape the spear's range.
But why was a spear a spear?
Wasn't it because it was long?
I drew the shaft straight back, then stabbed directly into the bastard's dantian.
Stab!
The pursuer's eyes widened as though they had never expected this.
“Don't put on airs. Did you set out on an assassination mission without even this much resolve?”
“...Ugh.”
A lackey of the Orthodox Society who had thought themself the protagonist of the world.
Now that the pursuer had painfully realized their place, I kicked them.
The pursuer's body fell beneath the carriage and rolled across the ground.
The remaining pursuers hesitated between chasing their target and tending to the wounded. Then, having made their decision, they ran toward the injured.
Blatant hostility, as though they wanted to pierce straight through my body, was directed at me.
What are you going to do if you glare at me like that?
I settled back into my stance.
The old sages had never been wrong.
For bastards who couldn't even properly recognize their own mistakes, a beating was the answer.
Wounded Tiger Spear
Wounded Tiger Emergence
Murderous spear qi sliced through the air with extreme rotational force and poured down upon them.
The terrified pursuers thrust out their swords to protect the wounded, but...
Ugh!
Aagh!
Both of their arms were reduced to rags amid their screams.
I quietly informed the bastards dripping with blood.
“If you'd abandoned that person and run, I would've killed every one of you.”
“...”
“...”
They stared blankly at the carriage with vacant eyes.
I turned away from them without regret.
Then I fired a signal flare.
Now, the military's spear art has appeared. What will you do now, Qingxiu Zhenren?
Thinking of Qingxiu Zhenren making a face as though he had bitten into shit while receiving the report brought a faint smile to my lips.
#
Bang!
The morning sun had begun to rise, but the surroundings were still dark.
Because of that, the sound and blue color of the signal flare blooming in the distant east were easy to make out.
Eunho felt relieved as he watched it.
If a red signal flare had gone up, their destination would have become the Black Alliance at once.
The regret over the Hall Master position Eunho might have attained was quickly put aside.
Geumpyo and Dongryong removed the cloth masks wrapped around their faces and tucked them into their robes.
Still, seeing Geumpyo's weak grin somehow irritated Eunho.
“You can smile in a situation like this?”
“After seeing my parents recently, I realized something... Haven't we changed a lot?”
“...”
Why bring that up all of a sudden in this situation?
“Think about it. We were ordinary people who thought we'd spend our lives helping out at the mill... Yet now, we know every detail about how many people are tracking us.”
Thinking about it, it truly was astonishing.
Wherever they went, there would be countless people as ordinary as them, or even less capable.
Yet the three brothers had graduated from the Martial Arts Academy and were now carrying out a special operation against members of the Orthodox Society.
The Orthodox Society warriors they had once feared too much even to look up at now seemed like nothing more than enemies they had to face.
“No matter what, let's stay alert, brother. This is a dangerous operation. If one thing goes wrong, the three of us might have to join hands and defect to the Black Path...”
“So what? We're going with Eldest Senior Brother. Eldest Senior Brother will take care of us.”
“...”
It seemed like too much faith, but it wasn't entirely wrong.
Just as they had come this far through Eldest Senior Brother's strength, his strength would greatly affect what came next.
“Besides, every time something special like this happened, things changed in a big way. I'm already more excited about what will change after this is over.”
Geumpyo was right. Jin Sowoon was like the eye of a storm.
He himself remained completely at ease, but everywhere he went, heaven and earth were turned upside down.
Just as Eunho was thinking of their extraordinary Eldest Senior Brother...
“Brothers... They're coming.”
A sleepy voice rang out.
Dongryong had been sitting quietly atop the carriage because he had been asleep. Rubbing his eyes, he adjusted his stance.
“Our role is only to make it known that people from the Taeul Sect are here. So don't push yourselves too hard.”
Eunho reminded them of the operation once more. Geumpyo and Dongryong silently nodded and drew their swords.
#
“What is the meaning of this?”
Jegal Somyeong deeply furrowed their brow at the report from a Cheonmok Pavilion member.
They hadn't asked again because they didn't understand Gagwon's report.
They were demanding to know why this was only being reported now.
Even Maeng Juwon, who was supposed to hear the Cheonmok Pavilion member's account and report it upward, had been so dumbfounded by the current situation that they had brought Gagwon directly before Jegal Somyeong.
“I asked you. What is the meaning of this?”
“Th-that is... The outer compound's security was breached...”
Bang!
Jegal Somyeong slammed a hand against the table.
“And you're reporting that only now, when the sun is already high in the sky...?”
‘The sun isn't that high yet...’
Gagwon nearly responded on reflex, but barely managed to keep their mouth shut.
If they spoke carelessly here, they would become the victim of a fire poker instead of the Pavilion Master.
“Where is the Pavilion Master? Where is the Pavilion Master? Why isn't the Pavilion Master reporting this?!”
“T-the Pavilion Master is investigating what happened in the outer compound...”
Bang! Crack.
At last, the table in the Mantong Office split in half.
For the first time, Jegal Somyeong, who had never lost their composure even amid countless political struggles, openly displayed their anger.
“You tell me only now that the outer compound's security was breached, and the Pavilion Master doesn't even show their face?”
Jegal Somyeong's body began to tremble from the sheer fury boiling within them.
Even Gagwon, who had come prepared for some degree of punishment, was frightened enough to nearly wet themselves.
Their chilling gaze froze the air in an instant.
“When did Cheonmok Pavilion learn of this?”
“...”
“When did you learn of this!”
“F-from the report of the guards changing shifts at the end of Rabbit Hour...”
“And you're only reporting it now?! Are you bastards all out of your minds? How could this situation even be possible?!”
“Th-that happened because of a mistake... Ugh.”
Gagwon couldn't finish speaking. The inkstone in Jegal Somyeong's hand flew through the air and struck Gagwon's head.
“Urgh...”
Jegal Somyeong knew well that, aside from the Mantong Office and a few departments, most departments provided considerable benefits to the factions they belonged to.
But this had gone far beyond the line.
A break in the flow of information meant something was being concealed. And in the present situation, with the Martial Alliance facing a grave crisis, there was only one important thing that needed to be hidden.
“Summon the Red Dragon Pavilion to Bongan Hall.”
“Yes!”
Having read the atmosphere, Maeng Juwon darted out like an arrow. Jegal Somyeong also sprang from their seat and left.
Gagwon tried to stop them, but froze in place under their stern presence.
Jegal Somyeong could no longer conceal their rising fury.
They had suspected something.
The investigation report about the person who had attacked their residence had arrived quickly, while the report on the area around Bongan Hall had taken far too long.
Even so, for the Mantong Office to involve itself in every department's affairs would have been nothing more than overstepping its authority, so they had endured it.
Yet all the restraint they had shown by following the rules had only made things easier for those in power.
“C-Chief Strategist!”
When they arrived at Bongan Hall, the Cheonmok Pavilion Master and Enforcement Hall Division Leaders, who were supposedly conducting an investigation, stepped forward together to block their path.
“W-what brings you here?”
“Move.”
“Part of Bongan Hall has been damaged, and we don't know when it might collapse. Please leave such dangerous work to us inferiors...”
“I said move.”
Jegal Somyeong's hand nearly shot out, but they barely swallowed their boiling rage.
The confrontation continued for a moment.
At last, the Cheonmok Pavilion Master and Enforcement Hall Division Leaders, sweating profusely, stepped aside one by one.
They felt that if they continued blocking Jegal Somyeong, this would become a situation they could not handle.
“...”
When Jegal Somyeong entered Bongan Hall, the wreckage of its damaged structure filled their view.
They possessed no specialized knowledge of investigation or forensics, but could still tell what those traces of destruction indicated.
They also immediately understood why the investigation had been so sluggish and uncertain.
“Did you summon us, Chief Strategist?”
At that moment, the Red Dragon Pavilion Master arrived at Bongan Hall with the Division Leaders under their command and Unit Leader-ranked personnel.
Without turning around, Jegal Somyeong gave an order.
“Take up positions where I direct you.”
“...”
The Red Dragon Pavilion Master was about to ask why, but quickly noticed the unusual atmosphere. They nodded at their subordinates.
The Red Dragon Pavilion personnel then formed a circle around the mystic formation outside the annex that Jegal Somyeong had indicated.
“Begin!”
Jegal Somyeong's explanation had been extremely simple, but the Red Dragon Pavilion's members and Unit Leaders were no ordinary people.
Like Jegal Somyeong's own hands and feet, they began precisely directing palm force of the required strength into the places indicated.
Rrrrrrrrrr.
The entire annex, including the mystic formation, began to shake.
The black fog surrounding it gathered and dispersed repeatedly, throwing their vision into confusion.
“More! Stronger!”
At Jegal Somyeong's signal, the Red Dragon Pavilion personnel poured in greater force, and the trembling intensified.
In the end, the black fog could no longer endure. It exploded, sending powerful force in every direction.
Rumble!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The mystic formation of black fog surrounding the annex was broken.
“...!”
The place where the annex had stood was caved into the earth, its structure shattered into pieces as though it had been bombarded.
Had anyone been inside, they would have been crushed to death without leaving a trace.
“Investigate.”
At Jegal Somyeong's command, the Cheonmok Pavilion personnel and Enforcement Hall Division Leaders watching nearby tried to move.
“None of you move so much as a finger.”
“...”
Passing them by, the Red Dragon Pavilion Master approached Jegal Somyeong and bowed.
“What should we look for?”
Jegal Somyeong stared at the crushed ground with cold fury in their eyes, then spoke quietly.
“The corpse of Dam Ak, Chief Strategist of the Black Alliance.”
Without a word, the Red Dragon Pavilion Master glanced to the side. Their subordinates lit lanterns and began searching the collapsed site for bodies.
Perhaps a quarter of an hour passed.
“We found one! But it isn't a member of the delegation!”
“We found another body here! This one also doesn't belong to the Black Alliance!”
A total of four bodies were recovered.
One was believed to belong to the man who had served as Dam Ak's guard.
The remaining three belonged to people whose affiliations could not even be determined.
Dam Ak's body, along with those of the other delegation members, was nowhere to be found.
“...”
Jegal Somyeong was at a loss for words.
No, to be precise, they were consumed by rage at the sight before them. It was a scene that seemed to lay bare the Martial Alliance's rotten core and its horrific corruption.
They let out a cold sneer and turned away.
The outline of the culprit had already formed in their mind.
The Cheonmok Pavilion Master, face drained of color, hurriedly bowed to Jegal Somyeong as they turned away.
Jegal Somyeong stopped directly before them and spoke in a chilling voice.
“Look forward to it. I will make sure you pay fully for what you have done.”
Footnotes:
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
