The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything - Chapter 61

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈

Chapter 61: The Black Flame Dragon Playing with the Dragon Phoenix (3)

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“Senior Brother!”

“Brother!”

My junior fellow disciples suddenly swarmed toward me, but I was too out of breath to answer them.

The journey back with Moyong Gang had been horrible.

That damned old man kept complaining about one thing or another and constantly made me do things.

He suddenly wanted meat.

He wanted to see my footwork.

He asked when I had started learning martial arts.

He asked whether I had received some sort of fortunate encounter.

The endless barrage of trivial questions had nearly driven me mad.

I had even seriously considered whether Moyong Gang would respond as the Wind-Splitting Sword or as a herb gatherer if someone beat him up during his travels.

Still, I had somehow coaxed and humored him along, determined to arrive on time. Then, when we passed through Hefei, I heard that the Dragon-Phoenix Association had already left that morning. My vision went red, and I abandoned someone like Moyong Gang(?) before rushing here.

“Brother, here. Drink some water.”

I could not even thank Wang Soso as I took the water she offered and gulped it down.

“Phew...”

Once I had finally caught my breath, Jin Taesan asked, “What is it? Why are you suddenly... What on earth...?”

“Father.”

“...What?”

“An old man and his grandson will arrive shortly. Please treat them as honored guests.”

“Hm?”

“Never look down on him as some insignificant old man with a foul temperament. Do not dismiss them because they look like herb gatherers, either. Treat them as though the Dragon-Phoenix Association... no, as though the Martial Alliance Lord himself has arrived.”

“What are you talking about... Hey!”

Without waiting for Father’s reply, I stepped into the main courtyard and greeted the Sect Leader.

“I’m late, Sect Leader.”

“Yes. Did your trip go well?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. I arrived late without even knowing guests had come.”

“You are here now. That is enough.”

The Dragon-Phoenix Association did not look at me kindly.

The way every gaze gathered on me made me feel like an unwelcome guest.

Yet my eyes were fixed on only one person.

‘You have not changed.’

Unlike the members of the Dragon-Phoenix Association, whose faces were full of hostility or mischief, she alone looked anxiously troubled by the situation.

She had not changed, not in my previous life nor in this one.

“Junior Brother, greetings are all well and good, but do you not think this is not the time?”

Jong Byeokgi, who stood behind Hwa Jeongsan, spoke.

“What do you mean?”

“Hah! The elders are discussing something important. Is this how the Taeul Sect teaches its disciples?”

How arrogant did someone have to be to invoke the Taeul Sect’s teachings in the Taeul Sect itself?

“Senior Jong. If Mount Cang’s Flying Cloud New Wind is busy flattering plum blossoms, the whole world will laugh.”

“What!”

“!”

The Dragon-Phoenix Association members looked shocked by my words.

Thinking he had been insulted, Jong Byeokgi even grabbed his sword hilt and tried to draw it.

Only when Ilmyeong stopped his hand did Jong Byeokgi seem to realize what he had tried to do. He looked startled himself.

Ilmyeong spoke calmly.

“Young Hero, I do not believe this is a place for you to interfere.”

“I am Jin Sowoon, Head Disciple of the Taeul Sect. I know it is presumptuous, yet I intervened anyway.”

“If you know it is presumptuous, why are you still being presumptuous?”

“The sages of old said that even what is not propriety should be met with propriety. But I am narrow-minded and have yet to reach such a realm.”

“...”

At the remark pointing out Hwa Jeongsan’s conduct, Ilmyeong’s face hardened.

“Wouldn’t there be far too great a difference in seniority for Hero Hwa to request a spar from the Sect Leader, who is like a father to everyone in the sect? What is more, this is neither an attempt to foster goodwill nor a mutual exchange. To unilaterally demand a spar is discourteous. Hero Hwa could not possibly be unaware of this, so is that not the same as insulting the entire Taeul Sect?”

Hwa Jeongsan’s face, along with those of the others, grew stiff.

“Still, you have come from far away, and you were so eager to experience the Taeul Sword Emperor’s sword forms that I have stepped forward in his place.”

“...Can this brat even take my sword?”

I snorted.

“Isn’t this a light spar? It is only a chance to show our sword forms and exchange what we can learn. Why should skill matter?”

Hwa Jeongsan ground his teeth, then suddenly looked at Hong Mungi.

“Sect Leader, if I defeat this child and every disciple you put forward, will you grant me your instruction?”

Hwa Jeongsan spoke confidently, as though he intended to defeat the entire sect.

Although the Taeul Sect members’ anger continued to rise at his blatant attitude, Hwa Jeongsan paid them no mind.

“...Very well.”

In the end, Hong Mungi nodded heavily.

As Hwa Jeongsan and I headed for the training ground, everyone moved to follow.

“But are we really using live blades?”

“Are you afraid now?”

“Do we really need to stake our lives on a spar?”

“Let me teach you something. True skill emerges when one’s life is in the gravest danger.”

Those words had already been lodged in my memory.

He had said them in my previous life while throwing me around until I was nearly dead, calling it sparring practice when I had been serving as Gye Cheolyeong’s attendant.

Remembering that time brought a smile to my lips.

“Understood.”

I stepped onto the training ground and drew the Black Dragon Sword.

Its blade and hilt were both black, and a glint appeared in Hwa Jeongsan’s eyes.

“A treasured sword cannot replace skill.”

“I do not carry it to replace my skill. A sword suited to my skill simply found its way into my hand.”

“You’re all talk. As expected of a descendant of the Taeul Sword Emperor.”

It was an obvious sneer, but it did not hurt me in the slightest now.

“Thank you.”

“...I will give you three moves.”

“Are you sure?”

“Hmph. That is the only chance you will get.”

“Understood.”

I looked at my palm. Countless hours of training in this life had hardened its blisters into calluses. In the past, my hands had never been free of eczema because I spent my days washing Hwa Jeongsan’s socks and underclothes.

“Then the first is the Lesser Heaven Sword Art.”

I gritted my teeth as I remembered those days.

“That boy is quite exhausted.”

At Moyong Gang’s words, Moyong Jaehwa clicked his tongue.

“That is all because of you, Grandfather. Why did you have to lead the horses into the mountains because you suddenly wanted to hunt a wild boar?”

“You brat! Can a person live on porridge alone? You need to eat meat now and then.”

“We could get there quickly if we used movement arts even now.”

“Then our identities would be exposed!”

Moyong Jaehwa felt his patience reach its limit again.

He even had the irreverent thought that things would be better if Moyong Gang were not his grandfather, or if his grandfather were not the Wind-Splitting Sword, one of the martial world’s absolute masters.

This was an especially important period for Moyong Jaehwa.

He had never cared much for the Moyong Clan’s sword arts, nor had he wanted to take the Martial Arts Academy’s regular examination. Yet his father had gone in search of the Fire Monkey’s inner core for him.

Moyong Jaehwa had believed without question that, even if Father was not as strong as Grandfather, he would never suffer anything truly dangerous wherever he went. Yet Father had disappeared, and the family had been thrown into chaos at the prospect of losing its Young Clan Head.

Grandfather immediately led the Moyong Clan’s martial artists to search for Father, and Moyong Jaehwa followed him.

Fortunately, Father returned a month later.

A carrier pigeon had brought word that he had survived after receiving great help from a chivalrous warrior named Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect.

At the news of Father’s return, Moyong Jaehwa thanked the heavens and resolved to prepare for the examination with all his strength before returning home.

Then Grandfather said, “What a useless fool. The Young Clan Head of the Moyong Clan got attacked?”

For some reason, Grandfather was thoroughly irritated and began wandering the martial world instead of returning home.

Grandfather’s strange behavior was nothing new. Moyong Jaehwa tried to ignore him and return home, but Grandfather sealed his dantian and meridians by striking his acupoints, then forced him to join the journey.

“I need to prepare for the Martial Arts Academy’s regular examination, Grandfather!”

“This experience is more important than any examination you will take!”

With that absurd argument, Grandfather forbade him from wearing Moyong Clan clothes, put human-skin masks over their faces, and began traveling with them disguised as a herb gatherer and his grandson.

The journey through the martial world that followed was one trial after another for Moyong Jaehwa.

“Hey, your big brother’s broke and hungry, so empty out your pockets.”

Being robbed by thugs carrying swords on the road became routine.

“You bastard! Shouldn’t you apologize after hitting someone?”

“We only bumped shoulders!”

He had to be beaten until his eyes were swollen shut just because their shoulders bumped.

“We need to eat. Give us your table.”

He had even been driven away before finishing half his food.

Though his body was weak, he had learned the Moyong Clan’s martial arts.

Without internal energy, Moyong Jaehwa had to endure cruel treatment he would never have suffered otherwise.

Was the life of ordinary people who had not learned martial arts truly this harsh?

As he dwelled on that misery, Moyong Jaehwa arrived at a realization.

‘Ah! Grandfather gave me these trials so I could understand this. Only by knowing weakness can I strive harder for strength!’

His usual neglect of swordsmanship had probably also led to this journey.

Moyong Jaehwa resolved to improve his martial arts through that realization and told Grandfather of his determination.

“Huh? What are you talking about? Teaching? And what realization?”

“...??”

Moyong Gang only tilted his head as though he had no idea what Moyong Jaehwa meant, then continued the journey.

Determined to at least avoid another undeserved beating, Moyong Jaehwa turned away from every ugly and filthy thing happening around him.

He ignored thugs harassing women and martial artists bullying farmers selling their goods by the roadside.

Yet whenever Moyong Jaehwa forced himself to ignore something, Moyong Gang stepped in.

“A man who was born with a prick between his legs, and all he does is harass women? Your mother must have lamented giving birth to you so much that she could not even eat meat soup.”

“...???”

“When a martial artist who carries a sword loses the Way, he becomes a common street thug. Looking at the lot of you, the master who taught you martial arts must have been some scum who extorted spare change in back alleys.”

“...!!!”

Moyong Gang’s tongue was as sharp and painful as befitted his nickname, the Eccentric Hero.

Whenever the thugs and martial artists, their eyes rolling back from his insults, raised their fists and swords, Moyong Gang fled in terror and hid behind Moyong Jaehwa.

“I am an old man who does not know him.”

“You look far too alike to say that!”

There must have been a reason Grandfather had put similar-looking human-skin masks on them, claiming they needed to look alike to play grandfather and grandson.

Before long, it became natural for Moyong Gang to hurl insults and Moyong Jaehwa to take the beating.

Each time, the grandfather who had escaped the beating wore an expression that said he could barely hold back his laughter whenever Moyong Jaehwa looked at him.

After it went this far, even Moyong Jaehwa’s temperament began to warp completely.

He had reached the point where he did not merely resent but hated his grandfather, who always played the role of a helpless old man and dodged the thugs’ fists whenever trouble broke out.

“Why are you hitting me? The one who insulted you is my grandfather over there!”

“...”

A thug with a tattoo of something that might have been a dragon or a snake on his forearm paused mid-swing and looked between Moyong Jaehwa and Moyong Gang.

“I may walk the Black Path, but I cannot tolerate shameless trash that sells out his own grandfather! Know that today will be your day of death!”

After being beaten until he fainted, Moyong Jaehwa could no longer resist thugs or martial artists.

No matter how strong a person was, they could not withstand constant beatings. After being beaten so many times, the righteous words that once burst out whenever his temper flared could no longer make it past his throat.

“Tsk, tsk. Are you unable to say a word just because you took a few punches?”

“...”

Grandfather’s provocation made Moyong Jaehwa even more aggrieved and furious.

“Where on earth are you trying to go? I am going back now!”

“Really? I was going to thank the Taeul Sect child who saved your father. If you insist, then go home. It is Sangwon’s fault for raising such a shameless son, one who does not know gratitude toward the person who saved his only father.”

“...”

In the end, Moyong Jaehwa could only clamp his mouth shut and follow Moyong Gang.

He prayed there would be no more cause for trouble.

Yet contrary to Moyong Jaehwa’s wish, they encountered bandits on the road to the Taeul Sect. Once again, Moyong Gang provoked them with remarks about “a man and his balls...” and “being unsatisfactory in bed...”

Just as Moyong Jaehwa was about to be beaten by the bandits, a benefactor descended from the heavens and saved him.

“I am Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect.”

That person was none other than the benefactor who had saved his father.

Moyong Jaehwa was happy to see him and tried to greet him, but Moyong Gang firmly stopped him.

‘He is the one who saved Father. Your conduct toward him will surely be rude.’

‘Stay still.’

‘The Moyong Clan’s honor will fall into the dirt at this rate.’

‘Tsk! I told you to stay still!’

Moyong Jaehwa worried that even Jin Sowoon would lose his temper at Moyong Gang’s rude conduct and throw a punch, but Jin Sowoon was a person of even greater character than Moyong Jaehwa could have imagined.

Watching Jin Sowoon accept every bit of Grandfather’s difficult behavior, even though he knew who Moyong Gang truly was, Moyong Jaehwa wondered if this was not the bearing of a true great man.

“Seeing Hero Jin leave in such a hurry, do you not think something may have happened?”

“What urgent matter?”

“Perhaps there is trouble at his sect.”

“Did he not say he was returning because the Dragon-Phoenix Association was visiting?”

“Why would a visit from the Dragon-Phoenix Association be so urgent?”

“The Dragon-Phoenix Association is normally an oversight body, but sometimes it becomes a rather rude inspection body to test the One Hundred Eight Peaks.”

“What? What do you mean by that?”

“Are not the Dragon-Phoenix Association’s members the exceptional individuals each sect devotes all its resources to cultivating? What do you think happens when people like that go to the lower-ranked sects among the One Hundred Eight Peaks and stir things up?”

Moyong Jaehwa’s face twisted.

“The Dragon-Phoenix Association does such things?”

“So do not hold any fantasies about something like the Dragon-Phoenix Association.”

“I have no such fantasies. In any case, if that is true, should we really be standing around like this? What if something happens to the Taeul Sect... No, this will not do. Grandfather, release my acupoints at once.”

“Heh heh. Forget it, boy. Did you not see Jin Sowoon use his movement art just now?”

“...”

His speed had clearly been unusual. But so what? There were plenty of movement arts in the martial world that focused only on speed.

“Tsk, tsk. Your eye for such things is truly lacking.”

“What do you mean?”

“When we encountered those bandits, you could not even properly see his footwork, could you?”

“...No.”

“And you claim you will take the Martial Arts Academy’s regular examination. Tsk. You will have to take that examination alongside monsters like Jin Sowoon.”

“Monsters?”

“When a boy not even twenty carries a hundred years within him, what else would you call him but a monster?”

“What are you talking abou...?”

“Be quiet!”

Moyong Jaehwa had many more questions, but he shut his mouth when Moyong Gang began pretending to be a herb gatherer again.

He had no idea what punishment he would receive if he disturbed Grandfather during one of his strange journeys.

When they entered the Taeul Sect, a large man strode toward them.

By then, Moyong Jaehwa’s body stiffened whenever anyone with an intimidating face approached him.

He felt self-loathing at how pathetic he had become.

The man asked in a deep voice, “Are you the people who came with Jin Sowoon?”

“Oh... Yes. That is right.”

“Sowoon told me about you. I will show you inside.”

“That is unnecessary. How could you receive country folk like us? It is enough for us to watch from the side.”

“No. The Taeul Sect does not treat its guests that way. This way, please.”

It was the first hospitality Moyong Jaehwa had received while playing a herb gatherer, and something surged in his chest.

“Um... Sen... no, sir, might I ask what your relationship with Hero Jin Sowoon is...?”

Their faces looked strangely alike, so he asked. The man gave an awkward smile.

“I am that boy’s father. I am Jin Taesan, the one who manages the Taeul Sect’s Outer Hall.”

Moyong Jaehwa could not help but be moved when Jin Taesan even offered a respectful cupped-fist salute.

At that moment, Jin Sowoon stood facing what appeared to be the Dragon-Phoenix Association in the middle of the main courtyard.

Moyong Jaehwa spotted Moyong Seol among them, but he could not acknowledge her.

“There are other guests at the Taeul Sect right now, so... I will take you farther inside.”

As Jin Taesan tried to lead them away, Moyong Jaehwa quickly stepped forward.

“No, would it be possible for us to observe... no, watch from here? We have lived in the mountains our entire lives and have never had a chance to witness something so rare.”

After traveling with Grandfather, words like that came out naturally.

Moyong Gang nodded beside him with a pleased smile, and that sight was utterly irritating.

“Ah... I suppose that is fine, but you should stand a little farther away. The aftermath of their spar may spread.”

“Of course. Of course.”

He did not know what was happening, but Hwa Jeongsan and Jin Sowoon seemed about to begin a spar.

“Heh heh, it seems you are starting to like this wandering journey as well. Those lines come out so naturally now.”

“I do not!”

Moyong Jaehwa unintentionally shouted.

“Watch closely. I made you follow me all the way here to show you this.”

“What do you mean...?”

“The Martial Arts Academy’s regular examination is full of children like that.”

“...”

Moyong Jaehwa had no choice but to tilt his head at Moyong Gang’s words.

He had never heard Moyong Gang praise a martial artist so young.

It was not that Jin Sowoon was someone to look down on, but he was still a disciple of the Taeul Sect.

‘If I watch the spar, I will find out.’

Wishing for Jin Sowoon to win, Moyong Jaehwa focused on the spar.

The first move was utterly ordinary.

Jin Sowoon’s sword aimed for Hwa Jeongsan’s vital points, but a sword like this meant little to a master of Hwa Jeongsan’s level.

“Haah!”

Their second clash came.

The attack was slightly altered, but it was still not sharp.

It was too slow to be a swift sword and too light to be a heavy sword.

“Is that all you have?”

Hwa Jeongsan began to feel his anger rise.

“Did you not want to experience the Taeul Sword Emperor’s skill?”

“If the legendary master, the Taeul Sword Emperor, possessed such paltry skill, then the rumors truly were empty.”

“You dare insult the Taeul Sword Emperor in the Taeul Sect? It seems you do not value your life.”

Their third clash came.

Swoosh.

Perhaps his provocation had worked. Accompanied by the sound of air splitting, the sword blade that thrust toward his vital points was considerably sharper.

Still, compared to the swift sword forms of the Hainan Sect that Hwa Jeongsan had already withstood, this could not even be called a swift sword.

“It is neither a swift sword nor a heavy sword. What kind of sword art is this?”

“It is a sword that contains the Taeul Sword Emperor’s profound intent. A foundational martial art called the Lesser Heaven Sword Art.”

“Is that so? What a shame. You have already used all three moves.”

“Now we begin, do we not?”

“Hmph!”

He had yielded three moves because he wanted to exchange at least ten.

There would be no fun in defeating his opponent before ten moves had even passed.

“If I had known it was such a sword art, I would not have needed to see even ten moves.”

Could he withstand even one move, let alone ten?

Hwa Jeongsan immediately unleashed the Plum Blossom Sword Art.

The scent of plum blossoms began to spread throughout the training ground.

The Plum Blossom Sword Art was too distinctive for anyone not to recognize it. Exclamations rose from all around.

“Th... that is the Plum Blossom Sword Art.”

“It really smells like plum blossoms?”

Soon, plum blossoms formed from sword qi began to scatter through the air.

They looked beautiful, but every one of them was terrifying, aimed at vital points.

“This is over.”

Hwa Jeongsan had no intention of taking Jin Sowoon’s life or cutting off his arm.

Still, he intended to inflict internal injuries on that arrogant junior who did not know his place, so he would learn his lesson.

But then...

“Huh...?”

A strange light entered the eyes of those entranced by the captivating plum blossoms.

Following their gazes, Hwa Jeongsan could not contain his shock.

Papatapatapat!

Jin Sowoon had clearly swung his sword only once.

Yet more than ten sword phantoms appeared in the air and destroyed every plum blossom flying toward Jin Sowoon’s vital points.

Seeing a sword art he had never witnessed before, Hwa Jeongsan was so stunned that the words slipped out.

“What is this...?”

“This is the Greater Heaven Sword Art.”

“What do you mean...?!”

Hwa Jeongsan’s eyes widened as he muttered.

“Were you discarding the first three moves from the beginning?”

It was impossible.

A spar between a Mount Hua Sect disciple and a Taeul Sect disciple.

Even using everything one had from the first three moves would not be enough, yet he had discarded those three moves?

Jin Sowoon, who should have answered, only smiled leisurely.

“You are out of your mind.”

“Is this the time to worry about me? All that dust vanished in an instant.”

“Dust...?”

If the Taeul Sword Emperor was the word used to mock the Taeul Sect, dust was the word used to mock the Mount Hua Sect.

It was what people called the Mount Hua Sect’s Plum Blossom Sword Art before one’s mastery reached the tenth level and the plum blossoms could not take form.

No one said such words aloud.

Once sword qi had taken shape, each blossom was no different from a supreme technique. Anyone who uttered that word would surely meet death.

“I mean those things floating through the air.”

“...Hah!”

Hwa Jeongsan finally lost his reason at Jin Sowoon’s relaxed attitude.

“I had intended to go easy on you... but you have changed my mind.”

“...”

“Regret running your mouth for the rest of your life.”

Hwa Jeongsan’s eyes turned violet, and his martial robes swelled as though they would burst.

Someone whispered at the sight.

“Violet Mist Divine Art...”

The secret martial art said to be passed down only to Mount Hua Sect’s full disciples had begun to show its power.