WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 62: The Black Flame Dragon Playing with the Dragon Phoenix (4)
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The plum blossoms in full bloom brought back memories of my previous life.
How many days had I spent bedridden from the injuries each of those blossoms inflicted?
But new memories soon covered them.
Me using the Shattering Form against the Plum Blossom Sword Art.
Then, beyond that, the image of myself circulating the Taeul True Scripture.
I stepped in time with the figure moving through my memories.
Taeul Eighty Thousand Divine Steps.
This footwork, which contained the principles of illusion, left traces behind wherever I passed.
Once I shifted positions, plum blossoms rained down upon the spot where my afterimage remained.
Papapapak!
The hard marble floor was gouged deeply, leaving hideous scars.
More plum blossoms fell in succession.
Woom. Woom.
Like bees whose hive had been attacked, the blossoms swarmed before shooting toward the intruder again.
I drove the Shattering Form of the Plum Blossom Sword Art into the places I could not evade in time.
Papapapapak.
When nearly thirty percent of the plum blossoms vanished, Hwa Jeongsan's expression slowly hardened.
"You bastard!"
Unlike our fourth clash, I faced him using only the Lesser Heaven Sword Art.
If I used the Greater Heaven Sword Art alongside the Shattering Form, Hwa Jeongsan would regain his composure.
The vanished plum blossoms bloomed again.
Still covering the sky, they swooped down at my vital points.
Ever since he used the Violet Mist Divine Art, the very idea that this was a spar had clearly vanished from Hwa Jeongsan's mind.
I moved again with the Taeul Eighty Thousand Divine Steps and cut through the plum blossoms.
Each time I did, the violet glow in Hwa Jeongsan's eyes deepened, while the number of blossoms dancing through the air multiplied exponentially.
"Sh... shouldn't someone stop them?"
Some people began voicing concern over the overheated spar.
Yet no one from the Taeul Sect could withstand the Violet Mist Divine Art.
And no one from the Dragon-Phoenix Association wanted to end the spar.
I gladly welcomed that situation and swung my sword again.
Thanks to the insights I gained through Namgung Taeha, I could now put into practice what I had only remembered in my mind.
Every movement I had imagined while living in regret during my previous life flowed out naturally. The realizations I gained while learning the Taeul True Scripture displayed even more destructive martial prowess.
It was the Lesser Heaven Sword Art, yet it was not the Lesser Heaven Sword Art.
"Khk..."
After our repeated exchanges, Hwa Jeongsan drew out all of his internal energy.
Now, violet light shone not only in his eyes, but violet mist also rose from his shoulders.
It was a mysterious phenomenon in which the energy of the Violet Mist Divine Art naturally ignited and rose.
Accordingly, the plum blossoms grew larger than specks of dust and began to resemble real plum blossoms.
His blazing red eyes showed that Hwa Jeongsan had reached his limit as well.
I spread out the Greater Heaven Sword Art, which I had not used until now, like the ribs of a fan.
Hwa Jeongsan's eyes widened at the sudden increase in sword forms.
The plum blossoms pursuing me scattered to chase the sword forms, but most passed straight through because they were phantom swords.
Swoosh.
The Lesser Heaven Sword Art slipped through the gaps between the blossoms that had flown into empty air and cut Hwa Jeongsan's robe.
"!"
The tie securing his clothing fell to the floor, exposing Hwa Jeongsan's chest. A thin line of blood appeared across it.
Had the blade gone even an inch deeper, the injury would not have been minor.
"What is this...?"
Hwa Jeongsan hurriedly retreated, his expression turning sour.
"This is the Taeul Sect's sword."
The Lesser Heaven Sword Art had not been slow despite being a swift sword form because it was a basic sword art.
It had not failed to harmonize with the Flash Lightning Sword Art because the Flash Lightning Sword Art was too profound.
The Lesser Heaven Sword Art was a sword art completed through harmony with the Greater Heaven Sword Art.
The principles of the Lesser Heaven Sword Art were swiftness and heaviness.
The principles of the Greater Heaven Sword Art were illusion and transformation.
Hiding swiftness within illusion and placing heaviness within transformation.
That was the Twin Heavens Sword Art, the ultimate secret of the Taeul Sect.
"You think I don't know the Taeul Sect's sword?"
The plum blossoms bloomed in full again.
Woom, woom.
They soared into the sky like petals carried by the wind, then poured down like a swarm of bees.
I unleashed the Twin Heavens Sword Art.
I cut swiftly.
I crushed heavily.
I confused him with phantoms.
I deceived his eyes with transformation.
Slash.
Another line of blood appeared crosswise from the middle of the line dividing Hwa Jeongsan's chest in half.
Half of his black-and-white martial robe fell to the floor.
"What is this...?"
At last, the Dragon-Phoenix Association wore expressions similar to those on the Taeul Sect disciples' faces.
What they could not understand bred anger. Hwa Jeongsan did not hide his.
"What kind of trick are you playing?"
"Dust can't sweep me away."
I did not hesitate to provoke him further.
The more I did, the more Hwa Jeongsan would insist on using the Plum Blossom Sword Art to preserve his pride.
And the Plum Blossom Sword Art was useless before the Shattering Form that Jegal Cheongi had created using all his strength.
Anyone calm, anyone whose mastery had reached the twelfth level, would have sensed something strange. But Hwa Jeongsan was too agitated, and his mastery had not reached the twelfth level.
I disrupted the plum blossoms with the illusion and transformation of the Twin Heavens Sword Art, then pressured Hwa Jeongsan with swiftness and heaviness.
Swoosh.
I rushed in swiftly.
Bang.
I crushed down heavily.
"Khk!"
For the first time, a cough escaped Hwa Jeongsan's mouth. He had been too busy blooming plum blossoms to react in time.
"Cough!"
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
Remembering the principles of the heavy sword I had experienced at the Iron Sword Sect, I struck down even harder.
Every time I struck, Hwa Jeongsan took another step back.
"Kugh!"
He hastily circulated his internal energy for his complex sword forms, only to suffer a heavy impact that shook his insides.
If he failed to redirect those accumulating impacts, they would eventually become internal injuries.
"Kuheok!"
Blood burst from Hwa Jeongsan's lips, the same way I had coughed it up before him in my previous life.
"Stop this at once!"
Jong Byeokgi of the Dragon-Phoenix Association shouted from below the training ground.
But I continued pressing Hwa Jeongsan as though I had not heard him.
Rolling across the ground and retreating, Hwa Jeongsan was eventually driven to the edge of the training ground.
Perhaps he did not even realize he was using the Lazy Donkey Roll. Hwa Jeongsan was too frantic to do anything but evade.
"Didn't you hear me tell you to stop?"
At Jong Byeokgi's words, I pointed my sword at Hwa Jeongsan.
"Mount Hua has not yet admitted that it lost to the Taeul Sect."
"!"
I deliberately brought up Mount Hua.
He might have been able to admit his own defeat, but he could never admit that Mount Hua had lost to the Taeul Sect.
Clang!
With only instinct remaining, Hwa Jeongsan knocked aside my sword and used the Dark Fragrance Steps.
His figure blurred away in an instant before reappearing behind me, plunging down like a meteor.
Meteor Chasing the Moon Sword.
An advanced sword art created by Mount Hua's seventh Sect Leader.
If the Plum Blossom Sword Art held the principles of transformation, the Meteor Chasing the Moon Sword held the principles of heaviness.
Bang.
The power of the Meteor Chasing the Moon Sword, unleashed alongside the Violet Mist Divine Art, far surpassed the Iron Sword Sect's Mountain-Crushing Sword Art.
Bang. Bang.
When the Meteor Chasing the Moon Sword seemed to be working, Hwa Jeongsan pressed harder.
Rather than redirecting his sword with Lotus, I met it with the Greater Heaven Sword Art.
Just as my sword was about to collide with the Meteor Chasing the Moon Sword, it vanished like an illusion.
Jong Byeokgi shouted from below the training ground.
"Jeongsan! Behind you!"
Startled, Hwa Jeongsan turned his gaze and ducked.
My Black Dragon Sword barely passed over his head, cutting away part of his hair and its tie.
Rustle.
His severed hair fell to the floor. With his hair now loose, Hwa Jeongsan looked blankly between it and me.
"..."
He looked as though he wanted to say something.
Without delay, I pressed him again.
"Khk!"
Swoosh, swoosh!
Whenever he seemed about to regain his senses, I stunned him with swift sword forms.
Mix illusion into that, and even an enlightened Daoist would lose their bearings.
He rolled, evaded, and retreated.
Then, wherever Hwa Jeongsan could block, I drove down a heavy sword.
Bang.
"Uegh!"
Hwa Jeongsan spat out a mouthful of blood.
He spat blood just like the sect leader had in my previous life.
As had been the case with the sect leader, Hwa Jeongsan's internal injuries were now certain.
"Damn it!"
Unable to watch any longer, Jong Byeokgi finally drew his sword.
"Didn't I tell you to stop?"
Swoosh!
The Mount Cang Sect's Sun-Shooting Sword Art.
It was a swift sword art incomparably faster than the Lesser Heaven Sword Art.
As its name implied, its thrusts were so fast they were difficult to follow with the naked eye.
Just as the Iron Sword Sect had overwhelmed the Taeul Sect, I shattered the Sun-Shooting Sword Art with the principles of the heavy sword.
Kaboom!
Jong Byeokgi, who had flown in like lightning, was sent flying away like an arrow striking a stone.
After driving him back, I pressed Hwa Jeongsan again.
Having caught his breath for a moment, Hwa Jeongsan could only swing his sword wildly.
"Jeongsan! Get a hold of yourself!"
I unleashed swift sword forms against Hwa Jeongsan and heavy sword forms against Jong Byeokgi.
"You damned bastard! How dare you!"
Jong Byeokgi followed the Descendant Yi Draws Full Bow form of the Sun-Shooting Sword Art with the Turning Horse, Drawing the Full Bow form.
While I pulled back briefly to evade the form, Jong Byeokgi moved his lips.
Hwa Jeongsan then nodded and retreated.
"If you draw out your internal energy now, your injuries will become severe."
"..."
Despite my words, Hwa Jeongsan only glared at me as if he wanted to kill me.
Instead, explosive true qi like before burst from his body after he wiped the blood from his lips.
Jong Byeokgi's martial robe swelled as though it would burst as well.
They're coming.
Each was preparing to unleash the ultimate secret of their sect.
"Try taking this as well!"
A massive vortex formed around Jong Byeokgi.
A great storm raised by sword winds.
Beside it, Hwa Jeongsan shot into the air, backed by the sun, and created nine crescent moons.
Jong Byeokgi unleashed the Whirling Wind Drifting Willow Sword.
Hwa Jeongsan unleashed the Nine Palaces Overturning Heaven Sword.
I began to unleash the Taeul Sword Emperor's ultimate secret as well.
Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Art.
Ten Thousand Swords, containing all the principles of swiftness, heaviness, illusion, and transformation.
Four Ten Thousand Swords appeared, phantoms yet real, real yet transformed. At the same time, I unleashed the principles of illusion and created twenty phantom swords to confront the Whirling Wind Drifting Willow Sword.
Boomboomboomboomboom!
The Ten Thousand Swords collided with the Whirling Wind Drifting Willow Sword, flying through the storm and exploding with sword qi.
"Khk!"
After nullifying Jong Byeokgi's sword qi, I drew out my internal energy once again to confront the Nine Palaces Overturning Heaven Sword.
Kwakwakwakwakwakwang!
The sword qi of the Nine Palaces Overturning Heaven Sword was said to possess destructive power equal to sword force with every strike.
Perhaps it was fortunate for me that his realm was still immature.
I unleashed two Ten Thousand Swords to destroy some of them, then used the remaining two to destroy four of the crescent moons.
My 120 years' worth of internal energy drained rapidly from my dantian, leaving me weak for the first time in a long while.
Then I destroyed the final crescent moon, which had not yet dispersed, with the Lesser Heaven Sword Art.
Boom!
The air burst apart, scattering dust in every direction.
One of the Four Phoenixes below the training ground murmured.
"That's impossible..."
"Just how much internal energy does that young master possess?"
Once the dust cleared, Hwa Jeongsan, covered in blood, and Jong Byeokgi, his hair in disarray as if struck by lightning, stood on the training ground.
"Do you have anything else?"
"..."
"..."
I stepped again with the Taeul Eighty Thousand Divine Steps and rushed behind them, about to cut through their chests with a single stroke.
"Stop!"
With a resonant voice, Little Buddha Ilmyeong blocked my path with the Immovable Body Art.
A genius who would master Shaolin's seventy-two supreme arts to the tenth level before turning forty.
For now, though, he had not yet mastered even half of them.
"That is enough. Please stop, benefactor."
"..."
He spoke with a tense expression and his palms pressed together.
Hwa Jeongsan's eyes were now shaking violently with fear.
To think I would see a scene like this.
Gladly accepting the situation before me, I brought my sword down.
#
Clang.
Ilmyeong blocked Jin Sowoon's sword with the Force-Canceling Art and was startled by the stinging sensation in his palm.
He still has this much strength left?
Jin Sowoon had blocked both the Nine Palaces Overturning Heaven Sword and the Whirling Wind Drifting Willow Sword.
That alone had been astonishing, but the fact that he still had strength to spare shocked Ilmyeong.
"It is already over."
"..."
The victor had already been decided.
Contrary to his confidence, Hwa Jeongsan could not overcome Jin Sowoon. Jong Byeokgi had joined in at the end, but Jin Sowoon had ultimately prevailed.
Though that was obvious, Jin Sowoon did not appear to have any intention of stopping.
He looked as though he were facing a mortal enemy.
"It is only a spar! Benefactor, please stop!"
Jong Byeokgi gritted his teeth beside him.
"That bastard is not in his right mind, Ilmyeong. Let's join forces!"
Perhaps it was because the Whirling Wind Drifting Willow Sword had vanished so helplessly.
Jong Byeokgi did not hesitate to speak of joining forces against a junior.
What was ridiculous was that Hwa Jeongsan, who had been busy coughing up blood and fleeing only moments ago, began to rise after hearing those words.
"Why are you taking this so far? Stop!"
With his left hand, Ilmyeong pushed Jong Byeokgi away using the Immortal's Palm. At the same time, he used the Flicking Finger Fist with his right hand to block Jin Sowoon.
The hand that had used the Flicking Finger Fist against the sword throbbed painfully.
At this rate, Jin Sowoon and Jong Byeokgi could both be severely injured because he was caught between them.
"If you continue this, I will have no choice."
In the end, Ilmyeong drew upon the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art.
His skin gradually turned golden until he looked like a radiant Buddha statue.
The Vajra Indestructible Divine Art, one of Shaolin Sect's advanced martial arts, had been unleashed.
Most martial artists would have backed away at that sight alone, but Jin Sowoon did not retreat. Instead, he raised his sword with even greater ferocity.
Phantom swords that had already pressured Hwa Jeongsan formed around him.
Swoosh.
Without realizing it, Ilmyeong thrust out the Vajra Prajna Palm.
A massive palm unfolded, like the Buddha's palm that captured the Great Sage Equal to Heaven of Flower-Fruit Mountain.
Boomboomboom!
How many exchanges had they unleashed in an instant? The Vajra Prajna Palm dissipated amid a series of explosions.
Jin Sowoon did not look to be in good condition either.
A small stream of blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
Did he have a grudge against Hwa Jeongsan?
Just as Ilmyeong decided he could not allow this to continue and was about to use the Vajra Finger, a voice came from among the Dragon-Phoenix Association.
"Admit it."
It was Moyong Seol.
"Admit it. It seems that is all that young master wants."
"..."
Jin Sowoon's movements stopped at once.
"...Young Master Jin, is that true?"
Instead of answering, Jin Sowoon looked at Hwa Jeongsan.
"Will you stop if I say it?"
"..."
Jin Sowoon remained silent.
Ilmyeong looked at Hwa Jeongsan.
"Brother Hwa, concede."
"..."
Hwa Jeongsan clenched his teeth as though he could not accept it.
Jin Sowoon gripped his sword again.
"Admit it! Do you truly want to see blood spilled?"
At Ilmyeong's roar, Hwa Jeongsan, who had hesitated, raised his head.
"...I lost."
The moment Hwa Jeongsan barely managed to say those words, Jin Sowoon sheathed his sword and turned away as though he had been waiting for them.
"...This was all for that?"
Ilmyeong looked at Jin Sowoon with utter incomprehension.
#
"Hoo."
I finally heard what I wanted.
I had won, but silence still filled the grounds.
None of the Dragon-Phoenix Association could have imagined such a scene.
And none of the Taeul Sect disciples could have imagined they would witness this.
Clapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclapclap.
Someone shattered the silence with wild applause.
Standing beside Moyong Gang, though I had not noticed when he arrived, Moyong Jaehwa applauded as though his own sect had achieved a great victory.
I met his eyes briefly, gave him a nod, then stood before the sect leader and bowed.
"..."
Hong Mungi said nothing.
Puzzled, I raised my head and saw tears running down his face, as though his dead child had returned to him.
The elders began crying after him, followed by the hall lords.
Every one of the adults shed tears.
"My brother won!"
Wang Soso began urging the dazed disciples around her.
"Th-the Head Disciple won!"
"The Head Disciple defeated Mount Hua!"
"No! He defeated Mount Hua and Mount Cang too!"
Only then did the disciples come to their senses and begin cheering as if the entire Taeul Sect would be torn apart.
"Waaaaaah!"
Rather than waiting for my junior disciples to come onto the training ground, I slowly walked off it.
"Wait!"
A booming voice poured cold water over the Taeul Sect.
"..."
When I turned, Jong Byeokgi was breathing out white vapor as he fumed.
"That martial art! What in the world is it?"
"Did you not say you wished to witness the Taeul Sword Emperor's sword?"
"Is that truly the Taeul Sword Emperor's sword?"
"..."
At that absurd question, even the Dragon-Phoenix Association members tilted their heads.
"What do you mean?"
"That martial art! I am asking whether it has truly been passed down through the Taeul Sect for generations!"
"..."
When I did not answer, Jong Byeokgi grinned smugly.
"It is obvious you encountered a fortuitous encounter and acquired it somewhere."
It had been a fortuitous encounter, so I did not have much to say.
"..."
"If that is the case, the Martial Alliance holds the first right to that martial art. And surely you know the Martial Alliance has a duty to trace its origins and return it to its rightful owner!"
Jong Byeokgi smiled strangely.
"Our Dragon-Phoenix Association will investigate that martial art under the authority of Martial Alliance inspectors!"
"..."
So this was how it would be?
Such an obvious tactic.
The Martial Alliance did not like fortuitous encounters.
In particular, it did not like rising stars who fell from the sky through fortuitous encounters.
Once, a great figure called the Northern Wind Fist Saint had appeared.
Under the pretext of investigating the origins of his martial arts, the Martial Alliance persecuted him. He refused to submit.
Amid that persecution, the Northern Wind Fist Saint lost everything to the Martial Alliance not long after making his name.
"Young Master Jong! Stop! That is not within our authority..."
Moyong Seol seemed to try to stop Jong Byeokgi, but I could no longer hear what followed.
"Heh heh..."
"Y-you are laughing?"
Five hundred years.
For five hundred years, the disciple had built the Taeul Sect and barely preserved it while waiting for the master, despite its poor finances and weak martial arts.
And the master, trapped by the schemes of those they had trusted and unable to escape, had waited in that secret chamber for five hundred years, hoping their martial arts would be passed on to the disciple.
"You dare speak so flippantly of those long years?"
"W-what? You..."
"Are those your final words?"
"What are you..."
"I have decided."
I would kill this bastard today and become enemies with the Martial Alliance.
The Martial Alliance would disappear eventually anyway. I had never particularly wanted to change it.
Many plans might be ruined, and I might fail to save people I needed to save.
Still, I had too many regrets about my previous life to let myself be dragged along like this.
"It will not be easy..."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Little Buddha Ilmyeong.
Clear Wind Bright Sword So Jeho.
Heavy Spear True Man Ak Buksan.
Soul-Stealing Western Beauty Seo Saryeong.
Jade-Faced Gentle Smile Hwangbo Yeon.
White-Handed Divine Maiden Dang Seohui.
And Smiling Iron Sword Moyong Seol.
They would stand in my way.
It did not matter.
If they stood against me, I would kill them all except Moyong Seol.
I circulated my internal energy with all my will behind it, even drawing upon innate true qi to make up for what I lacked.
The Taeul True Scripture was a discipline that most certainly gave form to the will behind one's intent.
With killing intent unlike anything even I had ever experienced, I unleashed the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Art.
"W-what is this?!"
"..."
Just as the Plum Blossom Sword Art had ruled the training ground, Ten Thousand Swords took its place.
Every single one was filled with killing intent.
"Young Master Jin! Calm down! That was not what he meant!"
Even Little Buddha Ilmyeong cried out in shock, but his voice did not reach my ears.
The Taeul True Scripture and Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Art I had brought back would undoubtedly bring limitless growth to the Taeul Sect.
Even if my martial arts were crippled, there would still be much I could do for the Taeul Sect.
"It is already too late."
Everyone in the Dragon-Phoenix Association, their faces drained of color, was about to step onto the training ground to face the Ten Thousand Swords.
"Tsk, tsk. We chose you youngsters to change the Martial Alliance, yet you learned nothing but bad habits somewhere and now try to act like adults."
A hearty voice rang in my ears and rattled my head.
Everyone looked toward the sky where the voice had come from.
An elder dressed as a herb gatherer was walking down through the air, step by step.
"Void-Walking!"
Jong Byeokgi gasped in terror.
Footnotes:
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