WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 46: The First-Rate Martial Artist Gathering People (5)
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“Pleased to meet you. I am Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect.”
“...”
“...”
I clasped my hands in greeting, but the warriors assigned to me by the clan only gave brief nods.
“I am Yeongyeong.”
Unlike the male warriors, who had ignored me, the woman standing a short distance away lightly clasped her hands in return.
Curiously, she had covered half her face, including her nose.
Veils that lightly concealed the contours of one's face were common enough, but hers resembled the mask often worn by thieves more than a veil.
Come to think of it, the twin swords resting over her shoulders were not particularly long either.
“I'll begin preparing for the hunt now. Is that acceptable?”
No one answered. I nodded and headed into the village to find the hunters.
“I heard you aren't allowed to hire hunters.”
One of the warriors who had remained silent spoke.
“I am not hiring them.”
“Then why are you going to see them?”
“There are things I wish to buy from them. Did they say I couldn't do that either?”
The warrior hesitated, then stepped aside.
“As long as you don't use artifacts or treasures, it doesn't matter.”
The Iron-Armored Black Python Great Serpent was a monster, but it was not such a terrifying opponent for me now.
Even without the Black Dragon Sword or the Flying Dragon Claw, one strike of the Mad Heaven Divine Palm would likely send its head flying clean off.
Still, if I did that, Jegal Jeong would surely make another absurd demand, perhaps even accuse me of concealing my martial arts.
If things came to that, he would force the issue rather than release Jegal Cheongi.
‘Considering he kept Jegal Cheongi imprisoned in the Golden Prison for eight years, he is more than capable of it.’
It would be better to use a method that left Jegal Jeong utterly dumbfounded.
When I found a hunter's house on the edge of the village, rabbit and fox pelts hung throughout its yard.
There were far too few pelts for the number of lines. Hunting must have been poor lately.
“It is all because of that damned serpent.”
A hairy middle-aged man who looked equally likely to be a bandit or a hunter spat as he spoke.
“What do you mean?”
“That thing tears through Mount Geummok, Mount Bokryong, and Mount Hwadong like they're its own front yard. The other beasts are too frightened to come out.”
The Ironclad Heungmang Great Master had wreaked no small amount of damage.
“That damned thing only raids the mountain villages for now, but this could turn into a real disaster.”
“What do you mean?”
“Human flesh is what beasts crave most. They say that once a tiger has tasted a human, it won't even look at other prey. At this rate, every household will be mourning. What are the Jegal Clan and the Martial Alliance doing? They strutted around calling themselves martial artists, so are they planning to use their martial arts to boil soup?”
One of the warriors flinched and tried to spring forward at the hunter's words, but the hunter rose as though unafraid and gripped an axe. Fortunately, another warrior raised a hand to restrain him, preventing a fight.
“More importantly, can you catch wild boars?”
“Those are caught sometimes. The bastards can't endure hunger, so they eventually come out. Still, there's not much profit in it. When we set traps, that serpent swallows the boars whole.”
“I see. Could I buy some wild boars from you?”
“Wild boars?”
“Yes. If possible, I'd like to buy every wild boar caught by the other hunters as well. I'll pay three taels of silver per animal.”
“Three taels for one wild boar?”
“...Yes.”
I tilted my head.
“Why are you suddenly speaking so politely?”
“Oh, what are you saying, sir? How could someone like me dare not speak respectfully to a person such as yourself?”
I gave a quiet snort at his lightning-fast change in attitude and continued.
“Please tell the others that I'll buy every wild boar they catch starting today. I need around twenty. They may be alive or dead, but they must have been caught within the last day.”
“Of course. If one person catches five, will you still pay that price for all of them?”
“For the fifth boar, I'll add another five taels and pay twenty taels in total.”
“Leave it to me!”
“Oh, and do you know any herbalists?”
#
The hunter directed me to a thatched house at the foot of Mount Geummok.
Medicinal herbs had been spread across the yard to dry. An elderly couple sat on a wooden platform, and when they saw us, they shouted.
“You there!”
The old man pointed his smoking pipe at a warrior's foot.
The warrior had stepped on herbs laid out across the ground.
“You've ruined those precious medicinal ingredients! What are you going to do about it now?”
Unlike Village Chief Huh, the herbalist did not fear the sword-bearing warrior at all and shouted angrily.
“Hah. It isn't unusable just because a little dirt got on it. Fine, I'll compensate you. How much?”
“You bastard. You should apologize first! I don't need your money! Get out!”
Then something like dried tree bark caught my eye.
“Oh? Is this Heavenly Medicinal Fungus?”
“...What?”
“I heard it's difficult enough to harvest Heavenly Medicinal Fungus, but getting it into such a beautiful shape is even harder. How did you manage it?”
“...How do you know Heavenly Medicinal Fungus?”
“Since childhood, I preferred roaming mountains and fields to studying, so I learned much from the herbalists near my home. They also said it wasn't easy to make Heavenly Medicinal Fungus take on this hard, bark-like form. How did you do it?”
The old herbalist stroked his beard and cleared his throat.
“Well, that's my secret, so I can't reveal it carelessly!”
“Of course... Huh! Is this Dissolution Seed?”
Using the knowledge from the Myriad Herbs Compendium, I eased the old man's temper.
“Did you work as a herbalist?”
“I asked the herbalist elders to teach me, but they said I was too dull to learn.”
“Exactly. Exactly. Herbalism isn't work just anyone can do. Still, what brings you here? You carry a sword, so you can't have come to learn herbalism. You're here to buy something, aren't you?”
“That is right, Elder.”
I listed the medicinal ingredients I needed.
“Five geun of every one of those?”
The herbalist, who had been putting on airs, looked genuinely startled for the first time.
“Are you a merchant? We already have a merchant group we deal with.”
“Don't worry. I am simply a fool who pays twice the market price.”
“...!”
The old man gaped.
“You'll pay that much?”
“Didn't you say that climbing the mountain has become difficult because of the serpent? Naturally, I should compensate you for the danger.”
“Hoho, are you from the Jegal Clan like those people? The Jegal Clan doesn't buy things that way.”
“How do they buy them?”
“Hmph! Since they purchase at the source, they demand a lower price than they would pay a merchant group.”
“Haha, I see. I am not from the Jegal Clan.”
“Then?”
“I am a disciple of the Taeul Sect.”
“Hmm, Taeul, Taeul... I've never heard of it, but the name itself gives the feeling of being the very foundation.”
The Jegal Clan warriors' faces turned scarlet with murderous scowls.
#
On the way back to the village, one of the warriors said, “Senior Brother, I'll return and make sure that old man's mouth never insults the Jegal Clan again.”
“...”
The Jegal Clan warriors were in a thoroughly foul mood.
I stepped in front of the warrior, who looked ready to rush back to the herbalist at once.
“Did the Grand Elder tell you to interfere with my work?”
“What are you talking about?”
“If not, is it natural for the Jegal Clan to treat the people around it with contempt?”
The older warrior frowned.
“They live through the Jegal Clan's merit, yet they do not recognize that grace. Do you believe such people deserve good treatment?”
“You are mistaken. No one can live alone. Just as the Jegal Clan benefits people, people also benefit the Jegal Clan.”
“Hmph. How do they benefit the Jegal Clan? Can you prove those words?”
“That is exactly what I am about to do.”
#
Jegal Hyeonun visited the Golden Prison for the first time in a long while.
He rarely came here unless something special happened. The Elders' Council and the clan members watched him closely, and Grand Elder Jegal Jeong in particular disliked it.
“Cheongi. Are you there?”
A moment later, a loud clatter came from inside.
Cheongi had surely been researching and studying something again.
Of his three children, Cheongi was by far the most suited to the Jegal Clan.
He had learned to read on his own, loved books more than toys, and had often skipped meals because he was studying.
Hyeonun had once thought Cheongi might become the one to lead the Jegal Clan in the future.
“Yes, Father. Have you come?”
Cheongi's voice came through the door.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes. I have.”
“What were you doing?”
“I was studying.”
“Studying what?”
“...”
Unable to answer, Cheongi must have been studying Mechanism Formations again.
That was what always pained Jegal Hyeonun.
“Were you researching Mechanism Formations again?”
“...I am sorry, Father.”
“Do you like it that much?”
“...I believe it is necessary.”
“Why?”
“Arcane formations require immense wealth, and maintaining them is difficult. But once a Mechanism Formation has been installed, it doesn't break easily and is simple to maintain.”
This was why the Jegal Clan had confined Jegal Cheongi in the Golden Prison.
Two years had already passed. He must have felt terribly stifled in there, yet Cheongi's stubbornness was greater than that of the elders in the Elders' Council.
“Father.”
“What is it?”
“...I heard someone came to see me.”
His voice could not hide his excitement.
He must have been unable to contain his joy at hearing that someone had come looking for him, though no one had ever acknowledged him.
“...Sigh. You heard it from Yeongyeong, didn't you?”
“I am sorry. I told her not to come.”
“It is all right. You won't be able to meet him anyway.”
“What?!”
Jegal Hyeonun considered how to tell him, then calmly explained what had happened.
Cheongi needed to give up quickly.
“W-What do you mean, Father? The Ironclad Heungmang Great Master?”
Rattle, rattle.
The door shook as though it might open at any moment.
“Don't worry. That's why I deliberately assigned Yeongyeong to him. If you're to speak with him even briefly, he can't die, can he?”
“F-Father, this isn't right. Please send warriors to help the great hero at once.”
“Didn't you hear the condition? He said that accepting help from warriors would mean failure.”
“But...”
“Even if he falls into danger, Yeongyeong will rescue him. Remain calm.”
“Father!”
Leaving Jegal Cheongi calling desperately for him, Jegal Hyeonun headed toward his office.
“Hmm?”
The clan estate was unusually busy.
Warriors gathered weapons, while spirit practitioners packed their tools.
They were also checking large parasols to block the sun and inspecting the horses' saddles.
“Ah! Clan Head, there you are.”
The chief steward approached him.
“What is happening?”
“The Grand Elder says he will climb Mount Geummok tomorrow.”
“Mount Geummok?”
“He says he suspects the young man from the Taeul Sect is not properly undergoing the test.”
“What does that mean?”
“The warriors sent to observe him said that he walked around the village for a while, then quickly entered an inn to eat and rest.”
“Hah...”
“The Grand Elder says that seems suspicious and intends to go with the elders.”
Jegal Hyeonun gave a bitter smile.
That petty old man had been insulted by young Jin Sowoon, then saw him behaving strangely. He must have been too curious to bear it.
Still, preparing spirit practitioners as well seemed excessive.
How much did it cost to employ even one sorcerer? Was he truly using them for his own personal outing?
“He is likely worried that the Ironclad Heungmang Great Master might attack him.”
“Pardon?”
Jegal Hyeonun said to the chief steward, “Tell them I will come as well.”
“Pardon?”
“I have become curious about how that young man intends to kill the Ironclad Heungmang Great Master.”
#
After leaving the inn in the morning, I headed to the hunter's house.
I had not said anything to the Jegal Clan people, but they were already trailing behind me.
“You have come?”
“Hah!”
Eight wild boars already lay in the hunter's yard.
“You caught all these in one day?”
“All the hunters in the village searched the mountain through the night to catch these.”
“That is impressive. Did anyone catch five?”
“Not yet.”
“That is unfortunate.”
“Please wait a little longer. We plan to catch two more before the day is over.”
It seemed that this hairy hunter had caught three of the eight boars.
“I'll look forward to it.”
“Oh, and Elder Gang left medicinal herbs here at dawn.”
“Those?”
“Yes. He says he'll bring the rest later.”
I looked at the bundles of herbs piled high in one corner.
“What do you intend to use all of that for?”
“You don't mind if I borrow your yard, do you?”
“Use it as much as you like.”
#
Some time later, large cauldrons borrowed from inns and restaurants lined the hunter's yard.
I dumped an entire bundle of herbs into each one, added firewood, and began boiling water.
The hunter headed back into the mountain to check the traps set during the night. I gave the inn workers who had brought the cauldrons ten taels in copper coins each and had them tend the fires.
In the meantime, I slit open one wild boar's belly and removed all its innards.
“What are you doing?”
The old herbalist arrived with the rest of the herbs loaded onto a cart.
“Herbs must be steamed to bring out their effects, must they not?”
“That doesn't mean you should boil herbs so thoughtlessly. Who is supposed to eat that?”
“People won't eat it.”
“Then who will?”
“The serpent.”
“What?”
The old herbalist gaped.
“You are going to feed those herbs to that serpent? Are you in your right mind? That thing has eaten people.”
“Don't misunderstand. I am feeding the serpent herbs so I can kill it.”
“You will kill the serpent with these?”
“Yes.”
After saying that, I poured out the water from the cauldrons once the herbs had finished boiling. Then I took the softened herbs and packed them into the wild boar's hollowed-out belly.
Using silk thread and a needle, I sewed the boar's belly shut.
“What is that smell? Is someone sick?”
“Ugh, what are all those wild boars?”
“I heard someone promised to pay three taels of silver for every wild boar yesterday. All the men in the village went into the mountains.”
“I think all those boars are here.”
People who had caught the scent began gathering at the hunter's house one by one.
The interesting part was that none of them feared the Jegal Clan warriors.
They treated the warriors with disdainful attitudes and contemptuous looks instead.
“That man says he is going to kill the serpent.”
When one of the inn workers tending the fire spoke, a loud murmur spread through the crowd.
“What does that mean? He's going to kill the serpent?”
“He says this will let him kill it.”
“Really?”
“It has to be a lie. Even the Jegal Clan doesn't dare confront it, so how could he do it alone?”
The murmurs grew louder until people began watching me with suspicious eyes.
“Sir. Is it true that you intend to kill the serpent?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I'll tell you, so will you help me?”
“...Hmm. What would you have us do?”
The middle-aged man who had been staring at me with complete distrust approached hesitantly.
“Please fill the wild boars with boiled herbs like I did.”
“That is all?”
“Yes.”
Though uncertain, the man eventually began helping.
Then others stepped forward one after another.
“Oh, if you sew the belly like that, the herbs will spill out. Move aside.”
“You should leave some flesh behind when you scrape out the innards. Are these meant to feed the serpent?”
“That is right.”
People began helping with the work, while freshly caught wild boars arrived at the same time.
Some were alive, while others lay dead and bleeding.
They must have hunted desperately. There were twenty-five wild boars in total.
“Don't kill the live ones. Set aside only the dead ones.”
I paid for the wild boars on the spot and handed each person who helped with the work a silver coin as well.
As the gathered people worked noisily, everyone else in the village who had gone out gradually came over too.
When nearly two hundred people had gathered, someone shouted loudly.
“The Jegal Clan is here!”
The people who had been working excitedly as though enjoying a festival stopped as if the music had suddenly ended and looked toward one side.
The Jegal Clan had appeared in dazzling attire, complete with warriors and spirit practitioners.
The villagers gave them space, avoiding them as though they wanted nothing to do with them.
“What are you doing?”
“I am preparing to kill the serpent.”
“I am certain I said you could not receive help from others.”
“Didn't you say it would be fine as long as I didn't receive help from martial artists or hunters?”
“...”
“Could it be that you're worried I'll kill the Iron-Armored Black Python Great Serpent with help from powerless people?”
“Ahem...”
“Still, why have you come here? If you wait, I'll catch it and bring it to you.”
“Your actions were so suspicious that I came to see for myself.”
“You are quite suspicious by nature.”
Once the work was finished, I borrowed the village carts and began climbing Mount Geummok with the wild boars.
Not only did the Jegal Clan people follow, but the villagers did as well.
“W-What is happening?”
Village Chief Huh and the slash-and-burn settlers living on Mount Geummok stared in blank confusion.
“I am going to kill the serpent now.”
“The serpent? Has the Jegal Clan finally decided to act?”
At that moment, the old herbalist shouted, “What Jegal Clan? Those people only came to watch.”
“Then... who?”
“I will kill it.”
“Y-You, martial artist?”
“Yes.”
“But, martial artist... that serpent...”
“It is all right. I know everything, so you don't need to explain. Will you help me instead?”
“H-How should we help?”
“Evacuate everyone from the village.”
“...?”
“Then from this evening on, you will no longer have to fear being eaten by the serpent.”
#
I drove the Jegal Clan people and villagers outside the slash-and-burn settlement.
Only twenty dead wild boars and five live boars tied to ropes, squealing in the empty village, remained.
“Wouldn't it be better for you to leave as well? The Iron-Armored Black Python Great Serpent is exceptionally vicious.”
When I spoke to Yeongyeong, who was hiding on a roof, her qi faltered for an instant.
“The Clan Head ordered me to protect you, Young Master.”
“You don't need to.”
I nodded, approached one wild boar, grabbed its rope, and slit its throat.
Squeeeal!
The boar did not die immediately, so it screamed as blood sprayed in every direction.
After I slit the throats of two more boars, the remaining two began squealing desperately. As the cries continued, the forest finally began to shake.
Flutter, flutter, flutter.
Flocks of birds burst into the sky.
The giant trees in the forest trembled one after another.
The disturbance gradually moved toward the village.
I had specifically chosen the slash-and-burn settlement as its hunting ground because it had already marked this place as somewhere prey could be found.
“Come.”
Rumble.
The instant a massive vibration reached my feet, I used the Ghost Breath Movement Art and erased my presence as well.
A short while later, the enormous Iron-Armored Black Python Great Serpent burst out of the forest.
Hissssss!
It opened its house-sized mouth and let out a cry that battered my ears and made my head ring. I hurriedly covered both ears with my hands.
Rumble.
Its massive body stretched twenty jang long, and its hard shell tore up the ground whenever it moved.
The sheer presence of the Iron-Armored Black Python Great Serpent, which I had only heard about, left me stunned.
‘They told people to kill something like that with only a sword. No wonder so many died.’
It looked around, then stared at the house where Yeongyeong was hiding for a moment. It had sensed her presence.
As I wondered whether I should intervene, it fortunately turned its head back and slowly approached the boars.
Then it bit down on one of the boars, which was struggling as though its heart would burst at the monster's appearance, killed it in an instant, and swallowed it in one bite.
The boar had been fairly large, but it vanished without a trace once it entered the Iron-Armored Black Python Great Serpent's mouth.
As though it had not even begun to fill its stomach, it bit a second live boar and a dead boar at the same time, putting both into its mouth.
After that, it showed no restraint. Like a beggar presented with a feast, it devoured the boars without stopping.
Then, just as it was about to return to its nest.
Hissssss!
It began crying out in pain.
Its throat heaved as it tried to vomit up the boar it had just eaten.
Without delay, I sprang forward and threw a prepared rock at it.
Thud.
Alerted to my presence by the rock, it rushed at me.
Crunch, crash!
Whenever the Iron-Armored Black Python Great Serpent moved violently, the fragile buildings of the slash-and-burn settlement collapsed without a trace.
After we chased each other for a short time, it seemed to decide that it could not keep up with the speed of the Peerless Wanderer Divine Art and tried to vomit up the boars in its stomach again.
I immediately changed direction and unleashed the Myriad Blossoms Invincible Fist against its lower jaw.
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!
I could not leave a single wound on its skin, but I did force its mouth shut.
More chasing followed, and its movements gradually slowed.
Cough, cough.
It looked desperate to spit something out, yet could not.
Screech!
Red blood burst from between its clenched jaws.
The boars it had swallowed whole were slowly melting, and the herbs inside them had begun to mingle.
Screech! Screech!
Whenever it tried to vomit, I relentlessly stayed close and stopped it from spitting anything out.
A short while later.
Boom.
Its enormous body collapsed and no longer moved.
‘Now.’
I immediately approached it and activated the Azure Dragon Bangle.
It did not have an inner core, but it had lived with spiritual energy in its body. The Azure Dragon Bangle had even easily neutralized the venom of the Human-Faced Spider. Its spiritual energy and venomous qi would become excellent nourishment for me.
Since I did not have the Flying Dragon Claw, I covered my wrist as I absorbed its energy.
People who had been silently watching outside the village began approaching one by one.
“D-Did he really kill it?”
“H-He killed it that easily?”
“No way.”
Even those who had been afraid to come closer began approaching once they saw me with my hand on the Iron-Armored Black Python Great Serpent.
“It's really dead?”
“The damned serpent is dead!”
“The serpent is dead!”
“The martial artist really killed the serpent!”
“The young martial artist killed the serpent alone!”
Starting with those who confirmed the Iron-Armored Black Python Great Serpent's death, people from both villages shouted so loudly that Mount Geummok seemed ready to shake apart.
“Waaaaah!”
Footnotes:
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