WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 477: Each One's Purpose
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Mount Cang Sect’s large-scale move.
The confusion that followed within the Martial Alliance.
Whenever people gathered, they were busy discussing Mount Cang Sect’s intentions and purpose.
“The Orthodox Society is clearly planning to join them! Why else would Mount Cang Sect make such a move on its own?”
“Even so, does it make any sense to withdraw from the Martial Alliance?”
“Hey! What withdrawal? No one’s said anything about that yet!”
As people grew more confused and Mount Cang Sect became the topic of every drinking table, Mount Cang Sect and the Orthodox Society began to feel increasingly pleased with themselves.
It was a chance to reaffirm their positions.
Whether in personal relationships or relations between factions, people eventually came to regard favors they had received as rights they deserved.
Every now and then, they needed a reminder.
This confusion would ultimately bring them greater benefits.
Whether the Martial Alliance stepped back and begged them to stay, or relations deteriorated until they formed a new Martial Alliance, any outcome would work in their favor.
But then...
“Hmm...?”
That was as far as the confusion went.
“Why has everyone stopped talking about Mount Cang Sect?”
Mount Cang Sect’s decision to move its disciples back to its headquarters, along with speculation about its hidden intentions, no longer drew people’s interest.
Like a rumor that briefly became fashionable, it had served as drinking-table gossip before quietly fading away.
“...Could Cheonmok Pavilion be meddling?”
Cheonmok Pavilion, the intelligence organization that gathered information throughout the martial world, occasionally spread false information among the public.
It was sometimes done for the sake of justification, but steering public opinion in the Martial Alliance’s favor also helped its affairs in many ways.
It was only natural for the Orthodox Society members to grow suspicious.
“I already looked into it. Cheonmok Pavilion isn’t conducting any campaign to sway public opinion.”
“Then you’re saying the Orthodox Society has disappeared from people’s attention!?”
At Myeonghyeon’s words, several Orthodox Society members frowned.
Strictly speaking, what had faded from people’s attention was not the Orthodox Society, but Mount Cang Sect.
Still, it was not enough to warrant correcting them. Mount Cang Sect had raised the flag, after all.
“That isn’t the case. The stories my beggar brothers bring in are still full of talk about Mount Cang Sect.”
The Heavenly Wind Divine Beggar took a drink before continuing.
“It’s just that something else has captured people’s attention.”
“Something else?”
“The Dragon-Phoenix Association.”
“...”
The Heavenly Wind Divine Beggar picked up a side dish with a hand and ate it.
Someone else reached for the dish with chopsticks, then quietly put them down.
Unbothered, the Heavenly Wind Divine Beggar continued.
“Their actions have been so lively that people are waiting every day for a new story about them.”
They had wiped out a band of river pirates while traveling down the Yangtze.
They had found a missing child and uprooted an entire band of mountain bandits.
They had helped an escort agency recover goods stolen by a mountain stronghold during escort work.
As reports of the Dragon-Phoenix Association’s small exploits continued, the expressions of the Orthodox Society officials gradually soured.
“Our story was buried over something so trivial? When the Martial Alliance is in crisis!?”
Despite Myeonghyeon’s anger, the Heavenly Wind Divine Beggar emptied an entire bottle of liquor in several gulps.
To martial artists affiliated with the Martial Alliance, such things might not have seemed impressive. Yet those gathered here did not understand that the public was thrilled because the deeds were being carried out by the Dragon-Phoenix Association, a group with symbolic weight.
“No matter how important it is, it’s still only political talk. Of course people would pay attention at first, but they would quickly grow tired of it.”
“...Their assignment is the work once handled by the Black Officers. Why are they doing other things?”
The Orthodox Society had added more targets to the death list used by the Black Officers and assigned those missions to the Dragon-Phoenix Association.
It would have taken all their time and effort just to investigate those sects one by one.
Yet they were wasting time on other matters.
“Ah, it seems they have some spare time because they’ve been skipping sects here and there.”
The faces of the Orthodox Society officials turned red, then pale.
“Skipping them? They’re just skipping them!? What kind of nonsense is that?!”
Considering how serious the matter was, was this inspection not the Martial Alliance’s most important undertaking right now?
“What if some of those sects have people who practice forbidden arts?”
“Ah, there’s no need to worry about that. There weren’t any.”
“What?”
“There weren’t. Not one of the sects they skipped showed signs of practicing forbidden arts or researching the Blood Cult’s arts.”
The Heavenly Wind Divine Beggar chuckled.
“Even I found it absurd. It was as though they knew, the way they managed to avoid only those sects.”
“...”
“That’s probably why they have the time to do other things.”
No one in the room could join in the Heavenly Wind Divine Beggar’s laughter.
Nor did they want to.
The Dragon-Phoenix Association was not the entirety of their arrangements, but it was one of their most important pieces.
Yet while handling matters carelessly enough to make mistakes, they had somehow achieved perfect results.
Their opponent’s inexplicable cleverness had provoked them to the limit. Their rage had reached the heavens.
Before long, the line between what should and should not be said began to blur.
“Forgive me for saying this, Daoist Yangseo, but I don’t believe the Society Leader, Gwak Susan, has such a brilliant mind.”
Daoist Yangseo, Jongnam Sect’s representative, frowned deeply.
The Dragon-Phoenix Association’s mistakes would certainly benefit the Orthodox Society, but seeing a disciple of their sect insulted despite their accomplishments left a bitter taste in Daoist Yangseo’s mouth.
“Could someone be helping them? The Mantong Office, perhaps?”
The Heavenly Wind Divine Beggar shook their head.
“There has been no exchange of messages with the Mantong Office. At first, they replied to the letters sent by the Mantong Office, but later they must have found even that bothersome, since they stopped responding altogether.”
“No, that makes no sen...!”
“Jin Sowoon.”
“...!”
At the name that suddenly left the Heavenly Wind Divine Beggar’s mouth, Myeonghyeon’s body trembled as though seized by a chill.
“He’s the most likely reason.”
A disciple from an obscure third-rate sect among the lowest ranks of the One Hundred Eight Peaks had somehow become someone whose name alone could provoke such a reaction.
Not because they feared him.
More precisely, because he irritated them.
Not simply irritated, but irritated enough to make fury rise to the tops of their heads.
That lowborn bastard had somehow gained the protection of Hyeok Mugang and Jegal Somyeong.
His third-rate sect was even being regarded as Anhui Province’s divine prodigy.
They had planned to cast him down alongside the Martial Alliance this time, yet he had slipped away like a loach right before their eyes.
“Haa... What in the world is that Dragon-Phoenix Association Society Leader doing...?”
“Enough!”
At the sharp cry, everyone turned to see Daoist Yangseo glaring at Myeonghyeon, their face red with anger.
“The more I listen, the more it sounds as if you want forbidden arts and the Blood Cult’s arts to spread throughout the martial world and overturn it!”
“No, I...”
“That’s enough. I’ve heard all I need to hear. Handle the rest yourselves.”
Daoist Yangseo stormed out, and the Heavenly Wind Divine Beggar clicked their tongue with a laugh.
“You should have known when to stop.”
The taunting words, offered as though they were consolation, only made Myeonghyeon angrier.
Was Mount Cang Sect not the one that most wanted to cry right now?
Still, venting their anger would not solve anything.
Myeonghyeon forcefully suppressed their rage and continued.
“Let’s discuss our countermeasures...”
#
When people encountered something too unexpected, all they could do was laugh in disbelief.
For example, when they had tried hard to lose someone rather than let them know where they were going, only to find that person waiting at their destination as though they had known all along.
Before they could even wonder why that person had come looking for them, they found themselves wondering how they had found them.
“Ha ha...”
Someone had arrived before us and was waiting at the place we had chosen to spend the night.
And that someone was...
“You’re late.”
...Yong Soa, which made it even more unbelievable.
Everyone in the Dragon-Phoenix Association was stunned by Yong Soa’s sudden appearance.
They did not know that Yong Soa could see the future.
‘Even if they did know, it wouldn’t be easy for them to believe it.’
“How did you...?”
Gwak Susan could not comprehend it by any normal measure. Yong Soa stepped closer.
“Gwak Susan, Society Leader of the Dragon-Phoenix Association.”
“Y-Yes!”
“Why have you been neglecting your assignments?”
“Uh... Well, that is...”
Overwhelmed by Yong Soa’s pressure, Gwak Susan forgot his own question and struggled to answer Yong Soa’s instead.
Why did he keep looking at me for help?
“Enough.”
I gave Yong Soa a light shove on the shoulder.
“Why are you here?”
“Because I knew you would spend the night here.”
That wasn’t what I was asking.
“I mean, why did you suddenly show up?”
“I’ll be joining you from now on.”
What kind of insane thing was that to say?
“Why?”
“The current Dragon-Phoenix Association has not been carrying out its assignments diligently.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Yong Soa withdrew his indifferent gaze from Gwak Susan.
“How many sects have you failed to inspect properly so far?”
“What does that have to do with Azure Dragon Pavilion? The Dragon-Phoenix Association’s Society Leader will take responsibility for all of it anyway.”
“What do you mean by...!”
Gwak Susan’s eyes and mouth opened wide, but that was not the important part.
“Did we miss anything in our inspections so far? No, we didn’t. So what’s the problem?”
“If the process is twisted, the result will also be wrong. That is why the process matters.”
The gaze that had been directed at Gwak Susan shifted to me, as if I were the problem.
“Your actions so far have been flawed. I’ll join you to correct them.”
As though no further discussion was needed, Yong Soa looked back at Gwak Susan.
“Where will I sleep?”
“What?”
“Did you not understand me?”
“...”
After an uncomfortable dinner with Yong Soa, the Dragon-Phoenix Association skipped their usual conversation and went to their own places to force themselves to sleep.
Then, around the time the others had mostly fallen asleep, I went to find Yong Soa, who was taking the first watch.
Under the falling moonlight, he leaned against a boulder like a figure from a painting, reading a book.
‘...Why does looking at him just make me angry?’
I had never considered myself a particularly virtuous person, but I had at least tried to live decently.
Yet whenever I saw Yong Soa, anger rose in me for no reason.
“Can’t sleep? You should still close your eyes and rest. No matter how deep your internal energy becomes, you shouldn’t cut back on sleep so easily.”
Rustle.
Hearing him speak without even looking up from his book made killing intent rise from deep within my chest.
“Why did you join us?”
“Did I not tell you? I came to correct what is wrong.”
Yong Soa hated waste and pursued efficiency above all else.
For someone who valued actions over empty words to come personally to correct the situation...
Would I, who knew Yong Soa from my previous life and now knew of his ability, fall for that?
“Enough with the lies. What did you see this time?”
He had clearly seen something.
Otherwise, he had come to interfere with the Dragon-Phoenix Association’s work.
“What are you planning to do this time?”
“...”
Only then did Yong Soa slowly turn toward me.
For some reason, the moonlight seemed to grow brighter at that moment.
‘What...?’
“It isn’t as though I...”
Snap.
“I don’t see everything at every moment.”
He closed his book and stood.
“I saw nothing this time.”
With that, Yong Soa walked past me.
As I watched his back, straight and steady as he walked away without a hint of sway, I became certain.
‘He’s lying.’
He had definitely seen something.
#
Nothing changed much after Yong Soa joined us.
For the first few days, the Dragon-Phoenix Association members were awkward around the very, very senior figure who had suddenly appeared. After spending several days with him, though, they realized he was not particularly remarkable despite the rumors, and they stopped paying much attention to him.
“Senior, please try this.”
Danmok Gyoryeon offered him some sweets she had bought in a village they had passed through earlier.
“I don’t eat anything outside my scheduled meals.”
“Ah... Yes.”
“I didn’t know this time, so I’ll eat it. Don’t prepare such things again.”
“...Yes!”
Danmok Gyoryeon’s face bloomed like a flower.
“...”
There were clearly two sweets left. Why was she walking right past Ilgak and me?
“...Sweets are for children.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
It bothered me, but I decided to let it go.
Yong Soa was what I needed to watch right now.
No matter how closely I watched him to keep him from doing anything strange, it would not be enough.
“Where is the next sect?”
Thanks to the list I had rapidly worked through using my memory, fewer than half the inspection targets remained.
“Whirlwind Estate.”
“Whirlwind Estate...”
I drew out everything I remembered of Whirlwind Estate from my previous life.
“Should we skip it this time as well?”
Gwak Susan cautiously asked while watching Yong Soa’s reaction.
“Do you sense something unusual?”
What was he talking about?
“No, it’s just that you seem to have some kind of supernatural ability, Group Leader. Everything you pick out turns out to be exactly right...”
At first, Gwak Susan had resented and suspected me. Now, he regarded me as some kind of gifted fortune-teller.
“I don’t have anything like that.”
“Pardon?”
“Anyway.”
This was not because of Yong Soa.
Whirlwind Estate was a sect that was difficult to simply skip.
It had not existed during the Orthodox-Demonic War.
That did not mean it had learned the Blood Cult’s arts back then.
The sect had still existed while the Black Officers carried out the purge operation in my previous life, but it had completely collapsed after its general steward fled with all its wealth.
“Let’s take a look this time.”
“Hmm?”
Gwak Susan’s eyebrows twisted in different directions.
“Why?”
“It’s just strange. Until now, you only said either ‘Let’s skip it’ or ‘It’s an inspection target,’ but now you suddenly say, ‘Let’s take a look.’”
This was why I hated sharp little brats.
#
Kaifeng, Henan Province.
Along with Xi’an and Luoyang, it was known as one of the three great ancient capitals, and true to its name, it teemed with countless people.
After arriving at an inn, we notified Whirlwind Estate of our visit, then settled into lodgings near its grounds on the outskirts of Kaifeng.
Kaifeng was the city in Henan Province where Black Path sects held the strongest influence.
In particular, a rising force called Blood Heaven Fort had expanded ruthlessly, commanding thousands of martial artists and controlling all of Kaifeng.
“We have no reason to offend them, but causing trouble by attracting attention would be a headache.”
For that reason, Gwak Susan chose a relatively quiet and cheap inn.
“So, Group Leader, stop pouting already.”
“What did I do!”
Saying it was time to transform from homeless wanderers into the Dragon-Phoenix Association, the rest of the Dragon-Phoenix Association entered the lodgings, with Gwak Susan going in last.
Only Ilgak, Yong Soa, and I remained in the first-floor dining area, eating before everyone else.
Then Danmok Gyoryeon, who had apparently gone out at some point, came back carrying mooncakes.
And she walked straight toward me.
“Group Leader.”
At her call, I flashed Yong Soa a triumphant smile.
“Heh heh, mooncakes. They’re much more thoughtful snacks than unhealthy sweets.”
“...”
I nodded at Danmok Gyoryeon.
“What is it?”
“I wanted to know our schedule after Whirlwind Estate.”
“...What?”
“If I know where we’re going, I can look into the local specialties in advance.”
“...”
Then she set the mooncakes down in front of Yong Soa.
What? Why were they going over there...?
“Ah! Senior Yong Soa, please try these. They’re from the most famous mooncake shop in Kaifeng.”
“...Did I not say that I don’t eat outside my scheduled meals?”
“It happens to be mealtime, doesn’t it?”
Danmok Gyoryeon smiled brightly.
Yong Soa stared at her face for a moment, then nodded.
“...That is true. I’ll have one, then.”
He put a mooncake into his mouth, then stared at me for some reason.
What? What was that look for?
Danmok Gyoryeon watched Yong Soa with satisfaction, then swiftly lifted the mooncakes away when I reached for one.
Did she just dodge me?
“Don’t try to steal someone else’s snack. I asked where we’re going next.”
I looked into Yong Soa’s expressionless eyes and answered.
“The desert.”
“What?”
“We’re going to the desert.”
“What do you mean, we’re going to the desert...?”
“The desert! We are definitely going to the desert!”
“Fine, fine.”
Danmok Gyoryeon went inside, and I soothed my sore feelings with liquor.
Then a woman who appeared to be a martial artist around my age entered the inn. After looking around, she approached our table.
“Are you members of the Dragon-Phoenix Association?”
“That’s right.”
The woman gave us a small fist-and-palm salute.
“I am Song Yeseol, a disciple of Whirlwind Estate.”
“Ah, I see. We said you didn’t need to come greet us-”
“I did not come to greet you.”
Song Yeseol raised her head.
“I came to refuse the Dragon-Phoenix Association’s visit.”
At that completely unexpected answer, Ilgak, Yong Soa, and I exchanged looks.
Footnotes:
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