WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 448: The Definition of Justice (3)
──────
“You don’t simply rise to the position of Director of the Black Officials.”
When I turned to Gu Songbaek, his face was full of worry.
He might have seemed to say that out of nowhere, but if I interpreted what he meant...
‘Seeing that little bastard Heo Gwanjung command people and direct operations, he clearly did not rise to that position through a powerful backer alone. Is it really all right to leave my junior fellow disciples behind? Of course, this is no time to worry about that when I should be thinking of my sect, but it is still regrettable that innocent people might die because of us...’
Something along those lines, I suppose.
I gave a brief answer to his long question.
“Your junior fellow disciples will protect the Mount Mao Sect members.”
“...”
“They will not die.”
He could not hide his puzzled expression, as though he could not accept my answer.
But this was never a matter of persuasion or understanding.
We drove back the Black Officials and headed for the damaged section of the mystic formation.
Yu Jiryang, Eunho, and Saryeon would create the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation inside the mystic formation, while I assisted with its construction from outside.
In other words, we would stop those entering from outside and deal with the remnants within.
That was the heart of the plan.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
To carry it out, we first had to deal with the bastards in front of us.
“Urk.”
“...!”
“Ghk.”
The Black Officials were trained for assassination and infiltration, so even when wounded or dying, they did not scream loudly.
Gu Songbaek’s face gradually turned pale, as though even watching them was difficult.
Whether because he had no talent for martial arts to begin with or because of his opponents’ reactions, his movements soon became tangled.
“Be careful.”
I pulled him back just as his throat was about to be cut. He looked up at me with startled eyes.
“Are you... all right, Young Hero?”
I swiftly swung the Scarlet Radiance Sword and cut down two Black Officials.
“I’m fine.”
Both in my previous life and in Mukrim, I had faced enemies far more vicious than these Black Officials.
Among the demonic beings were some who cut out their victims’ tongues, then crushed their vocal cords so they could not make a sound at all.
Compared to them, the Black Officials still reacted within the bounds of humanity.
The only regrettable thing was...
“What a waste.”
“Pardon...?”
“It would have been better if they had died somewhere useful.”
“...”
If these pointless deaths had been spared for the Orthodox-Demonic War.
If this pointless fight had been saved for the Orthodox-Demonic War.
More innocent deaths could have been prevented.
That was why I could not forgive them.
No, I could not give up.
The moment I gave up on the Martial Alliance, countless innocent people would lose their lives for nothing.
The people precious to me would be swept into that storm whether they wanted to be or not.
Whoosh!
Thinking of that made it impossible to forgive their arrogance.
I unleashed the Greater Heaven Sword Art and neutralized their attacks.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Then I swung the Lesser Heaven Sword Art through the opening without hesitation.
Those meant to establish the laws of the martial world and uphold its rules had become nothing more than toys for those in power.
They had lost their very essence.
A blade that could only survive by drinking human blood had to be broken and destroyed.
Whoosh!
Clang!
The Scarlet Radiance Sword’s crimson edge cut through their swords and sabers.
I immediately slit the arms and throats of those staring blankly at their severed weapons, then pressed onward.
“Sect Leader.”
“...Y-yes?”
“Which way is fastest?”
“The path we’re currently taking.”
“Not this path. I mean an even faster route.”
As befitted a renowned sect of mystic formations, the Mount Mao Sect’s buildings had been constructed in a bewildering pattern according to the Eight Trigrams and Five Elements.
The buildings themselves gathered energy and supplied it to the mystic formation.
Gu Songbaek realized what I intended to do and shook his head.
“If you destroy things recklessly, it will affect the mystic formation.”
“Isn’t that why you came with us?”
“...”
“Let’s go.”
After hesitating briefly, he quickly steeled himself and nodded.
“Three steps to the left of that wall. That spot is safe.”
The moment he finished speaking, I unleashed the Phantom Shadow Kick.
Crash!
The wall collapsed, opening a path.
#
Gu Songbaek was overwhelmed.
“The roof tiles to the left of the main gate are safe to step on... Gasp!”
Before he could finish speaking, the two figures were already moving at ghostly speed.
“The Chugak Hall must not be destroyed! It could affect the mystic formation!”
The instant he finished speaking, Jin Sowoon had already taken care of it.
“Where next?”
“The next place is...”
Even he, who prided himself on knowing every corner of the Mount Mao Sect like the back of his hand, could barely keep up.
“If we cross that pond first...”
Jin Sowoon was already moving.
All Gu Songbaek could do was barely follow behind him.
What was even more astonishing was Jin Sowoon’s martial might.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The merciless swords of the Black Officials seemed to be drawn into Jin Sowoon’s blade.
Then he unleashed kicks that left afterimages.
Before their bodies could even fall, his sword mercilessly carved apart the Black Officials.
He clearly possessed the mysteries of Change and Illusion, yet his speed was so great that it was difficult to follow with the naked eye.
If Gu Songbaek felt so overwhelmed merely watching from behind, those facing Jin Sowoon directly must have felt even more hopeless.
What was more astonishing was...
‘He’s calm.’
Jin Sowoon did not waver as he faced the Black Officials.
By their nature, the Black Officials overwhelmed their surroundings with emotionless attacks, and their opponents were crushed by that momentum regardless of their accomplishments.
Even tigers were sometimes driven away by the momentum of a pack of wolves.
The Black Officials had even undergone training to suppress their emotions.
Even when their heads were cut off, they did not let out a single loud scream.
They showed neither anger nor fear when their comrades died.
That ceaseless, doll-like pressure was exhausting enough to witness as a third party.
Yet...
“Where should we go next?”
Jin Sowoon was not shaken by it in the slightest.
If anything, he responded with graceful ease, as though he welcomed it.
He took one step back and two forward, thrusting and cutting down his opponents with the skill of someone carrying out work ingrained in his body.
The Black Officials died without screams, while Jin Sowoon faced them endlessly without showing the slightest hesitation.
It was enough to make Gu Songbaek wonder which side he should fear more.
‘The Taeul Sect...’
Most astonishing of all was...
‘Was it always this strong?’
Jin Sowoon’s martial attainments, the depth of martial arts revealed through them, and the grand scale of a sect that sent such an extraordinary disciple into a place of death.
In Gu Songbaek’s mind, the Taeul Sect had been a sect without any real presence.
Only after Yu Jiryang received help at the Demon Spirit Plateau had he learned that they occupied one of the One Hundred Eight Peaks.
He had also been unable to hide his disappointment when he learned that the Taeul Sect was the only sect that had stepped forward to help Mount Mao.
They were more likely to be a hindrance than any help.
Yet not a single one of his expectations had been correct.
Everything had gone against his expectations.
...Perhaps the Mount Mao Sect had ended up like this because of his own failings.
He had known so little about how the world worked.
He had simply followed habit and been left behind...
“...Sect Leader. Sect Leader!”
“W-what is it?”
“Where do we go after this?”
When he broke free from the whirlpool of self-reproach and looked around, Gu Songbaek had no choice but to be surprised again.
‘W-when did this happen?’
What had seemed impossible was already over.
He looked up at the man who had achieved the impossible.
“...We’ve arrived. The damaged part of the mystic formation is beyond that building.”
A calm light shone in the man’s eyes.
#
Hum!
The sight beyond the building was unlike anything I had ever seen.
Dense fog split to either side, forming walls like a valley, while white mist flowed between them like a river.
It was a strange sight that could not have formed naturally.
“This is a phenomenon caused by the mystic formation’s destruction. Energy should normally remain and shift within it, but as you can see...”
As if revealing the true form of the place where the mystic formation no longer functioned, Black Officials in dark robes poured through the open space like a flood.
I did not like the sight of them barging in as if they were entering their own front yard, so I struck at them.
Shrrrk!
The Scarlet Radiance Sword spread out like a fan, leaving afterimages in the air.
Soon after, the afterimages became phantoms, and the phantoms became distinct illusion swords that filled the space.
“What...?!”
“Those are illusion swords! Don’t be deceived!”
The Twin Heavens Sword Art unfolded, and illusion swords quickly filled the open space.
The Black Officials, who had charged in without obstruction, were briefly flustered before drawing their swords to respond.
When I fired sword qi into the gaps between them...
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Black Officials poured out their internal energy to counter the sword qi, and the narrow space instantly became chaos.
“Aaargh!”
“Wait...! Stop pushing!”
“There’s an enemy ahead! An enemy! Don’t come any farther!”
The narrow space was swallowed by disorder and reduced to a mess.
I continued firing sword qi and spreading illusion swords.
After hesitating for only a moment, the Black Officials began retreating instead of charging forward.
They also threw their dead comrades’ bodies into the mystic formation without delay.
I did not know whether they did so because the corpses were in the way or because they planned to retrieve them later, but it was far from normal.
“Move out in groups of four! The opponent is the Taeul Sect!”
“Yes!”
An order came, followed by an answer.
After a brief reorganization, they advanced again.
At that moment, the white fog filling the damaged mystic formation rippled red.
It was a signal that Yu Jiryang was ready to deploy the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation.
Rumble!
I immediately prepared the Mad Heaven Divine Palm and thrust it forward.
Boom!
The Black Officials, who had nowhere to escape on either side, were swept up in the Mad Heaven Divine Palm’s force and pushed out of the space.
At that moment, Yu Jiryang, Eunho, and Saryeon burst from the mystic formation and began driving in stakes covered with talismans.
“Drive them in where I indicate!”
The instant Yu Jiryang gave a hand signal, Eunho and Saryeon drove in the stakes.
“Jiryang!”
Without time to respond to Gu Songbaek’s cry, Yu Jiryang drove in stakes at a frantic pace.
“They’re trying to restore the mystic formation!”
“Stop them!”
No matter how roughly it was made, it was impossible to create the Soul-Destroying Formation in the blink of an eye.
As expected, Black Officials began pouring in again.
The Black Officials inside also began rushing this way, afraid that their escape route would be blocked.
Resolve filled Gu Songbaek’s eyes as he watched his disciple.
“Young Hero Jin! I’ll hold the front. Please take care of the rear!”
“What? How?”
“An illusion art should be more effective in a narrow space!”
Gu Songbaek charged forward, passed Yu Jiryang, scattered the long devices he had used earlier in all directions, then immediately waved his talismans and summoned illusion beasts.
Roar!
The illusion beasts that burst forth with his talismans savagely bit the Black Officials and threw them into the mystic formation.
Perhaps because none of the Black Officials understood illusion art as precisely as Heo Gwanjung did, they did not dare enter the passage carelessly.
During that time, I dealt with the Black Officials charging in from behind.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
In an instant, I exchanged twenty moves, and ten Black Officials collapsed where they stood.
A furious shout echoed through the mystic formation.
“Jin Sowoon! How dare you... interfere with a Martial Alliance operation!”
I answered indifferently.
“Because this is not a Martial Alliance operation.”
“...What do you mean by that?!”
The time it took to eat a meal passed, though it felt as long as a month.
The battle grew more intense.
As Yu Jiryang drove in stakes and established the Soul-Destroying Formation, Eunho and Saryeon occasionally had to join the fight as well.
Whenever that happened, Yu Jiryang, left alone, ran madly from place to place as he constructed the Soul-Destroying Formation.
Another ilgak[1] passed.
Yu Jiryang’s voice rang out.
“Young Hero Jin! It’s complete!”
The talismans wrapped around the stakes shone with blue light.
It was proof that they had already received energy and formed the formation.
“Sect Leader! You must come back!”
Gu Songbaek, who had been stopping the Black Officials at the forefront, slowly began withdrawing.
As the Soul-Destroying Formation began to take shape in earnest, Eunho, Saryeon, and Yu Jiryang stepped outside the formation.
Everything would be over once Gu Songbaek withdrew.
“Sect Leader!!!”
At Yu Jiryang’s scream-like cry, Gu Songbaek collapsed, bleeding.
=======
Author’s Note
Greetings, fellow martial artists.
I am Jeokseolmok, a junior of the martial world.
This past summer was unusually hot, but thanks to your continued interest and support, I was able to get through it without any major trouble.
With your wonderful comments correcting my mistakes and encouraging me every chapter, I have been able to happily recount Jin Sowoon and the Taeul Sect’s adventures.
I sincerely thank you once again.
Recently, many of you have expressed doubts about whether I have been properly recounting Jin Sowoon and the Taeul Sect’s adventures.
Yes.
The truth is, I have not been recounting them properly.
Jin Sowoon and the Taeul Sect went through astonishing, world-shaking adventures. There were many events heartbreaking enough to bring tears to one’s eyes, yet still leave one with a proud smile.
But I failed to convey those events properly.
That is entirely my fault.
Recently, an inner demon appeared while I was doing qi-regulating breathing, and I believe it caused a small problem with my Baihui acupoint.
I have been making every effort to find Marrow Cleansing and spiritual medicine to cure this inner demon.
It is deeply regrettable that I cannot convey these moving and entertaining stories about what Jin Sowoon and the Taeul Sect experienced.
I will overcome this inner demon as soon as possible and become someone capable of conveying even half of what truly happened.
No matter how I express my gratitude, it will never be enough. I am always grateful.
I pray that every day of your lives will be peaceful, fellow martial artists.
Thank you always.
=======
[1] Ilgak: a traditional time unit of roughly fifteen minutes.
Footnotes:
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
