WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 428: Five Hundred Years of Waiting (3)
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Taepyeong Hall.
Hong Mungi’s former Taeul Hall had been moved into a newly built structure, while this space had been converted into quarters for guests.
The hall was modest in size because of the sect’s financial difficulties, but its small pond and annex were well maintained, lending the place an old-fashioned charm.
“Uncle!”
“Soyeon!”
Baek Soyeon, Baek Haegwang’s daughter, pulled free from her mother’s arm and ran over.
In return, I tossed her high into the air several times.
After laughing brightly for a while, Baek Soyeon took her mother’s hand and went inside. Baek Haegwang, who remained behind, frowned deeply.
“You only need to play with her for a moment before leaving. Do you have any idea that I have to keep playing with her? I’ll have to toss her around for at least half a month.”
“Have you repaid the debt of not being there for her when she was young?”
“...”
Honestly, why did he keep picking fights he couldn’t win?
Baek Haegwang was left speechless by my jab, though his frown remained.
“Why not register yourself with the Taeul Sect? The disciples can be Soyeon’s brothers and sisters. They’ll play with her and look after her too.”
“You’re still spouting madness.”
“Master... Ah, right. You told me not to call you Master outside. Well, it’s not like an old man such as you should be saying...”
“Looks like you’ve been craving some training.”
He grumbled, but he did not seem entirely opposed to the idea.
Baek Haegwang still could not let go of his worries about his past.
Otherwise, why would he continue staying at Taepyeong Hall instead of moving into the already completed White Sword Sect?
“There’s a fine title called External Elder. You can leave whenever you wish and stay as long as you want.”
I had placed the White Sword Sect near the Taeul Sect in the first place so it could receive the Taeul Sect’s help.
Yet, seeing how well he seemed to fit in with the Taeul Sect, I had begun to think it would be nice if he put down roots here altogether.
Still, it would not be an easy decision for him.
“Your body... What is that?”
Baek Haegwang abruptly changed the subject.
“What?”
“You... Just what have you been doing?”
His gaze remained fixed on my dantian.
“Ahem. You noticed?”
“Hah... You mad bastard. How did you attain the Dansang Stage?”
“This is called the Dansang Stage?”
“You reached it without even knowing?”
“You never told me, so I got there on my own.”
“You mad fool! I didn’t tell you because you weren’t ready to reach that realm yet!”
Oh? He did not react much when I called him Master this time.
“What do you mean, I wasn’t ready?”
“To enter the Dansang Stage, you must first reach maturity. Internal energy and intent are one. What do you think happens if your internal energy advances before you’ve comprehended intent?”
I knew the answer well.
Still, it was not as if I had a choice.
“If you’d told me sooner, wouldn’t that have been nice?”
At that moment.
Bang!
My head rang, and the world began to split into two, then three.
‘Huh? When did that happen?’
Before I could see or sense it, a tremendous impact shook my head.
“Do you have two lives or something?! If you want to die that badly, why don’t you throw yourself off a thousand-li cliff?”
“I tried that too, but I didn’t die...”
Bang!
This time, I had fully raised my energy sense and prepared myself.
Even so, I had no idea when the impact that made my head ring had come and gone.
“How did you do that?”
“What, do you want to learn this too? Fine. I’ll teach you as much as you want.”
I slowly backed away while stopping Baek Haegwang from rolling up his sleeves and getting serious.
It hurt so much I felt like I was going to die.
“Master, I’ll explain. I’ll tell you exactly what happened.”
“Forget it. Whether I hear it or not doesn’t matter. It’s only right that I reap what I sowed.”
No, listen to me!
Bang!
I hurriedly explained what I had gone through, but another blow struck my head before I had even finished.
The pain was unbearable, so I quickly shouted, “Asura Locking Metal, Breaking Jade Art!”
Only then did Baek Haegwang’s violence(?) stop.
“Urgh... There was a reason for it...”
“How do you know the Asura Locking Metal, Breaking Jade Art?”
“You know I have a good memory.”
“That isn’t a matter of memory...”
I quickly changed the subject. I could not tell him about the Profound Mystery Pavilion.
The most important reason I had come to find Baek Haegwang.
“I used your martial arts in this state, Master, and still lost.”
“What?”
“Could it be... that your martial arts are defective?”
“You mad bastard.”
Baek Haegwang raised both arms again with an angry expression, then asked me a question.
“Who was it?”
“Yong Soa.”
“If it was Yong Soa... that can happen.”
“So your martial arts really were defective.”
“You little!”
Another impact struck my head.
What was that? Why couldn’t I see it?
“Why are you blaming my martial arts because your comprehension is lacking?”
“My comprehension is lacking? At this age, I’ve reached Five Dragons Serving the Sage and the Dansang Stage! There’s nothing wrong with me! Your martial arts are clearly defective!”
“You ungrateful brat!”
Thinking another blow was about to come, I quickly added, “I’m asking seriously. I could only cut the front hem of his robe.”
Baek Haegwang’s fist stopped in midair.
“Only the front hem?”
So he had hit me with his fist? I thought he had kicked me.
“Yes. I used sudden and underhanded methods, just like your martial philosophy, but that was all I managed.”
“Do you want to die?”
“No! But isn’t that strange?”
“...”
I told him what I had discovered after replaying my memories hundreds of times.
Baek Haegwang looked at me more and more as if I were insane.
“You said Yong Soa had prepared his defense in advance?”
“How else could he block Extreme Swiftness?”
“Your memory must be wrong...”
“‘I-I’m sorry. I’ll clean it up right away.’”
“...???”
I reenacted exactly what Baek Haegwang had done in front of So Cheonsu from the Tian Gang Sect on the day we first met at the Ten Thousand Books Repository.
“I even remember how many nose hairs were sticking out that day.”
“I’ve never had nose hairs sticking out.”
“You did.”
Bang.
That strike finally sent me collapsing to the ground. I was seriously going to die.
I wriggled on the floor and asked him, “Do you truly believe this was a coincidence?”
“Even if I grant that your skill was lacking against the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect... You reached the Dansang Stage, yet all you could cut was the front hem of his robe?”
“Among the Wudang martial arts I know, there’s nothing like this. Do you know any martial art like it, Master?”
Officially, Wudang had countless martial arts, but unofficially, it had even more.
Even with absolute memory, my past self had been a nobody. I never had the chance to encounter every martial art, so I did not know them all.
But Baek Haegwang had infiltrated sect after sect like a madman and continued fighting martial contests. Perhaps he knew something.
“No.”
“Don’t be so certain. Think carefully...”
“No! As far as I know, there’s no martial art like that even among the Black Path.”
“Then what is it? Are you saying he learned demonic arts or something?”
Baek Haegwang’s fist rose again, then lowered.
“I’m saying it isn’t a matter of the level of his martial arts. If it truly happened as you said... then it must be a talent Yong Soa possessed from the beginning.”
“That monster?”
“Truly incredible. Martial insight that appears once in a thousand years, and abilities like those of an immortal.”
“Then how am I supposed to deal with someone like that?”
Baek Haegwang wore a grave expression as he considered my serious question.
Just as a bit of hope began to rise in me.
“What do you mean, deal with him? If you have an enemy like that, just run away.”
Rather than solve my problem, he only made me feel worse.
#
The reopening ceremony began.
The gates of the Taeul Sect opened, and the sect announced that it would hold a martial arts tournament in which anyone who wished to spar could participate.
That news made the people gathered before the Taeul Sect even angrier.
“They dare say they’ll face all of us?”
“Does the Taeul Sect think it’s Shaolin Sect?”
“Or perhaps they think we’ll be frightened! They’re sorely mistaken!”
The enraged crowd became even more venomous, openly displaying their hostility.
“We would’ve shown them some leniency if they’d bowed their heads and come in properly, but they’re unbearably arrogant.”
“There’s no turning back now. If they openly oppose us to this extent, it means they have no intention of following the order of the martial world.”
Since matters had come this far, they no longer needed to show consideration either.
They resolved to continue their protest more openly and aggressively.
“Let’s see if they can get through!”
They completely blocked the entrance.
With the road obstructed, neither carriages nor horses could enter the Taeul Sect directly. Even people had to take a detour.
Those who had received invitations from the Taeul Sect could only go around the protesters before finally passing through the gates.
Several Taeul Sect disciples came out and sternly warned the crowd not to interfere with the event, but those already intent on fighting merely dared the sect to try something.
“Hmph! Serves them right!”
“Let’s see how well their reopening ceremony goes!”
“Don’t move aside for anyone!”
At that moment.
“Hm.”
A group approached from behind the protesters.
“Hoho, I thought these were guests waiting in line, but they’re only ruffians.”
“Grandfather, wait. I’ll deal with them...”
“No. I’ll speak to them myself.”
The protesters frowned deeply at the old man and young girl, about to threaten them.
“Hey! Old man, rather than attending some pointless event, go home and take your granddaughter...”
That was before they saw his face and the Namgung Clan crest embroidered on his long robe.
“Hoho, young friend. What did you say? I believe you said something about my granddaughter. My ears aren’t so good now that I’m old.”
“Ah, ah, ah... D-Divine Sword, the Azure Emperor Divine Sword?!”
“Hoho. I was called by that epithet in my younger days.”
“Eek!!!”
The martial artist, frightened out of their wits, quickly backed away and tugged at the sleeves of those around them.
“M-Move! Move aside for him!”
“What? Tell him to go home... Ghk! T-The Namgung Clan?”
The road that had seemed blocked beyond all hope.
Swoosh-
It split open on both sides, clearing a broad path.
“They’re so rude. Why are they being left alone?”
“This is still a Taeul Sect event. Let’s enter quietly.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
After the Namgung Clan and the Azure Emperor Divine Sword entered, an awkward silence descended over the protesters, who had barely escaped disaster.
“...”
“...”
“Ahem!!!”
The Azure Emperor Divine Sword alone could not break their resolve.
“L-Let’s see how well their reopening ceremony goes!”
“R-Right! This time, we won’t move aside for anyone!”
It was a firm resolve so petty it made one’s chest feel cramped.
“This trash again?”
Even that did not last long.
“Ghk, W-Wind-Splitting Sword...”
Smack!
The martial artist who spoke the words Wind-Splitting Sword flew five jang away, vomited blood, and fainted.
“Am I your friend?”
“...”
“Are you not going to get lost?”
The road opened twice as quickly as it had for the Namgung Clan.
“Tch.”
Leading the members of the Moyong Clan, Moyong Gang casually passed the ruffians and entered through the gates.
Then he saw Jin Sowoon, who had been waiting for him, and frowned deeply.
“If you invite guests, clear the road properly. What is this nonsense?”
“Good spectacles need crowds, don’t they? I thought you wouldn’t come, but you came after all.”
“You said you would show me something interesting. If I don’t like it, prepare yourself.”
“Of course.”
Under Geumpyo’s guidance, the Moyong Clan members went inside.
Eunho looked at the protesters, who were slowly gathering again as though debating whether to block the road once more, and asked Jin Sowoon, “Are you just going to leave them like that?”
“Why waste our strength before the martial arts tournament?”
“No, but couldn’t you at least make them keep the central road open?”
“Why would I? For whose sake?”
Eunho swallowed the words, Of course, it would be for the Taeul Sect’s sake!, and looked down beneath the gates.
The protesters, who had gradually gathered again, linked arms as though they had finally made up their minds and blocked the road.
Those arriving with carriages and Jin Sowoon’s fellow students from the Martial Arts Academy frowned at their behavior and took the long way around.
Those ruffians were making the guests frown.
What host could be more discourteous than that?
“If Eldest Senior Brother won’t step in, I will.”
Eunho finally reached the limit of their patience and stepped forward.
Then Jin Sowoon spoke.
“You asked what I received from the Alliance Leader and the Chief Strategist over the matter with Strategist Dam, didn’t you?”
“Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?”
When Eunho had wanted to know, Jin Sowoon had refused to say anything.
Jin Sowoon then pointed somewhere with a nod.
“Look over there. The reward I received is coming this way.”
“What?”
What kind of nonsense was that...?
Unable to understand, Eunho turned their head.
“...”
From the end of the road, a dazzling procession of banners and fine steeds stretched endlessly toward the Taeul Sect.
The protesters stood more resolutely in its way at the arrival of the enormous procession.
Yet, like Eunho, those who saw the banners in the procession could not stop small cries of shock from escaping.
“T-The Martial Alliance?!!!!!”
“T-That’s the banner of the Alliance Leader’s Hall!”
“There’s a Mantong Office banner too!!!”
It was shocking enough that a Martial Alliance procession had come to the reopening ceremony of a mere lower faction among the One Hundred Eight Peaks.
Yet the banners of the Alliance Leader’s Hall and the Mantong Office hung together.
And those banners could mean only one thing.
Jin Sowoon calmly shrugged at Eunho, who looked as though they were about to faint at the sight of the end of the world.
“Yes. I received two people as payment for this matter.”
“Ah... Aah... Aah...”
Eunho was too shocked to close their mouth.
“Aah... Aah... Aah...”
The protesters were no different.
“Didn’t I tell you? I had everything planned.”
“You madman...”
There had never once been an occasion in the history of the martial world when the Martial Alliance Leader and the Martial Alliance’s Chief Strategist had attended an event held by a martial sect together.
Footnotes:
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