WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 64: The Great Peng Waiting for the Typhoon (2)
──────
Even though the strain on my body from using innate qi, combined with Moyong Gang’s strike, meant I needed a long rest, I had no choice but to be forcibly awakened by my junior disciples.
“What were you thinking? Were you thinking at all, or weren’t you?!”
I’d sent Saryeon to the Martial Arts Academy, so I thought I wouldn’t have to listen to this sort of nagging anymore.
“Innate qi... Honestly, I can’t believe you. What if something had gone wrong...?”
Now that Wang Soso had learned a little martial arts, she understood what it meant to use innate qi. Her nagging showed no sign of ending.
“...Well, even if your martial arts had been crippled, you could’ve worked for our merchant group, so that might not have been so bad... Still, doing something so dangerous is unacceptable!”
“...Could you decide whether you’re disappointed or worried?”
“Anyway! I was planning to speak to Father once this Dragon-Phoenix Association gathering was over. Of course, Mount Cang Sect has been added alongside Mount Hua Sect. I’ll make sure they learn just how relentless the Wang Family Estate’s wealth can be.”
I didn’t know what she intended to do, but they had provoked the treasured daughter of one of the Four Great Merchants under Heaven. Mount Hua Sect and Mount Cang Sect were bound to have a difficult time for a while.
“Head Disciple, you went too far this time. Are you in your right mind?”
Geumpyo, whose age was not far from mine among the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers, spoke for the rest.
“Isn’t that a little disrespectful to say to the Head Disciple?”
“They say that when someone makes the same mistake three or more times, it becomes a habit. If you do this again, we’ll tie you tightly to a Taeul Sect pillar and feed you only three meals a day.”
At Geumpyo’s chilling words, the gathered disciples nodded in unison.
When had they become so united while I was away?
“Brother. I mean it.”
Gang Yuseong and Jegal Cheongi stood off to one side.
Jegal Cheongi’s eyes were wider than I’d ever seen them.
“I’m not joking. If you behave like this again, I’ll create a Mechanism Formation surpassing the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation and lock you inside it.”
“...”
Even if I had ten mouths, I’d have had nothing to say. I simply nodded.
Should I be happy about this situation or not?
As they continued to torment me, someone suddenly entered without triggering my energy sense.
I recognized her from the face half-hidden behind a veil.
‘It seems I really did overdo it. I didn’t sense anything until she arrived.’
“...”
The disciples stopped chattering and stared at her with open hostility.
It was Moyong Seol of the Dragon-Phoenix Association.
The Dragon-Phoenix Association had originally planned to stay outside, but because of Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jeongsan’s injuries, they had ultimately decided to remain at Taeul Sect.
It was difficult for them to leave immediately, with Moyong Gang’s reaction to consider. Jong Byeokgi’s condition was particularly bad as well.
“Are you all right?”
“...”
Her voice was a little more youthful than I remembered. My mind was muddled by overlapping memories, and I couldn’t say a word.
Wang Soso stepped forward with a fierce glare.
“Shouldn’t the person who caused this situation be the last one saying that?”
At her words, the disciples all began to show their hostility.
It seemed they now followed Soso as their leader.
“First, I would like to apologize.”
Moyong Seol removed her veil and politely cupped her fists.
“...”
The boys who had been glaring at her froze when they saw her face, then looked completely lost.
I gave a small laugh at the sight and spoke.
“Could you give us a moment?”
“Brother!”
“She is a guest of Taeul Sect. Shouldn’t we at least show her basic courtesy?”
“But!”
“It’s good to be angry, but Moyong Seol at least defended us.”
“...All right.”
When I patted Wang Soso’s head, she pursed her lips, then nodded.
After glaring at Moyong Seol, Wang Soso spun around.
The other disciples followed her out.
“I apologize for my junior disciples’ rudeness.”
“...No. I understand. If I were in their place, I would’ve done the same.”
Moyong Seol had been the one trying to stop Jong Byeokgi and Hwa Jeongsan at the Dragon-Phoenix Association, yet she looked guilty as though she had committed the offense herself.
“It’s already been settled, hasn’t it? I was rude as well, so I don’t think either of us needs to feel sorry anymore.”
It was difficult for me to see her looking so sad.
Fortunately, she seemed to understand and nodded.
“Then may I ask you something?”
“Please.”
“Why did you force yourself to continue during your duel with Hwa Jeongsan?”
“...”
“From what I saw, you clearly could have overwhelmed Hwa Jeongsan. Was I mistaken?”
It felt as though I had revived a cherished memory and projected it before me.
‘She was this kind of person.’
She was righteous and fair. There had been an incident involving the Dragon-Phoenix Association she belonged to, so it had to be uncomfortable for her to come all this way and confront me. Yet she didn’t hesitate to question what she believed was wrong.
In my previous life, her conflict with Hwa Jeongsan after Hong Mungi suffered qi deviation was what led her to leave the Dragon-Phoenix Association.
“You saw correctly.”
“If I was mistaken... Pardon?”
“Hwa Jeongsan said he wanted to see the Taeul Sword Emperor’s sword forms. I was trying to oblige him.”
“...”
“Even when Jong Byeokgi intervened, I could have ended things then. I chose not to.”
Moyong Seol’s face showed her confusion at my shameless answer.
She was still only a woman in her early twenties.
“Why...?”
“My junior disciples were watching.”
“...”
“The elders of the sect were watching too. In front of all of them, he openly invoked the Taeul Sword Emperor and insulted Taeul Sect.”
“...”
“His mockery has become reality now, but didn’t Hwa Jeongsan bring up the Taeul Sword Emperor to ridicule Taeul Sect?”
Moyong Seol’s expression grew complicated.
“When I was young, I couldn’t tell others that I belonged to Taeul Sect. I was ashamed of belonging to Taeul Sect.”
“...No, wait...”
Moyong Seol glanced toward the door, looking unsure of what to do.
I didn’t understand her reaction, so I continued.
“As I hid it out of shame, I came to hate it. Then, as I came to hate my sect, I even began to hate my junior disciples and elders, even though they were all like family to me.”
It was my own story, one that reflected my previous life. It was the story she had wanted to hear in my previous life, yet could never bring herself to ask about.
“That is why I did it. So that I, my junior disciples, and the elders of my sect would not come to hate Taeul Sect. So that we could be proud to belong to Taeul Sect. So that we could cherish the people of Taeul Sect.”
“...”
Moyong Seol kept blinking in confusion. It was likely far too unfamiliar a story for her right now.
Only someone who had lost everything could understand such feelings.
“I did overdo it. Trying to confront the entire Dragon-Phoenix Association was wrong as well. For that, I apologize to you too, Moyong Seol. But if this happens again, I’ll do the same thing. To protect those precious to me, even if it costs me my life.”
“...”
Moyong Seol stood there blankly, her face reddening.
She looked flustered.
Had I pushed her too hard?
Still, I had missed her so much. I didn’t want her to remember me through something so unpleasant. Just as I was about to steer the conversation toward something lighter...
“Waaaaah!”
“Boo hoo hoo!”
“Sniff!”
The junior disciples I thought had left came rushing in, crying.
“Head Disciple! I’ll never resent Taeul Sect!”
“Head Disciple! I’ll act exactly as you did!”
“Brother! I’ll protect you too!”
“Brother! I’ll create a perfect Mechanism Formation that no one can ever breach!”
Moyong Seol was pushed back by the flood of junior disciples. She quickly recovered her composure, nodded once, and turned away.
“N-No, Moyong Seol... Let’s speak a little more...”
“Head Disciple!”
“Head Disciple!”
“Brother!”
“Brother!”
I wanted to get away, but I had no strength left in my body.
#
After leaving the hall, Moyong Seol tried to calm her wildly pounding heart.
‘What is this?’
This wasn’t the first time, which only made her more flustered.
From the moment Jin Sowoon swung his sword at Jong Byeokgi, who had intervened in the duel, her heart had begun to pound furiously.
His eyes, his lips, his actions, none of them would leave her mind.
When she was very young, she had traveled with her grandfather and fought masters of the Black Path.
Her grandfather had known he would lose, yet he hadn’t lost his dignity.
That image, refusing to retreat no matter what happened, had been engraved in Moyong Seol’s mind as the ideal image of a martial artist.
After years of learning martial arts and meeting people, she had come to understand that this was not something just anyone, including herself, could do. Eventually, she had given up searching for anyone like that.
Yet she had seen that very image at Taeul Sect.
There had certainly been something wrong with how Jin Sowoon had faced Hwa Jeongsan.
She had come to question him about it, but he had shamelessly admitted everything.
Then there were the reasons he had no choice but to act that way.
His words made her reason freeze once more, while her heart began racing again.
‘What is this?’
As she went over his words, which she didn’t fully understand yet somehow felt she could understand...
“Sis!”
Her thoughts broke off, and Moyong Seol frowned.
“You!”
“Uh! Uh!”
Seeing Moyong Seol use the Soul-Chasing Footwork, Moyong Jaehwa paled and quickly used his own footwork to retreat.
However, even Moyong Jaehwa could not escape Moyong Seol’s footwork. Her accomplishments were so high that Iron Sword was included in her epithet. Her arm wrapped around Moyong Jaehwa’s neck.
“If you were coming here with Grandfather, you should have told me beforehand!”
“Aah...! It hurts! How was I supposed to know you’d be here too, Sis?!”
Moyong Jaehwa barely escaped her hold and rubbed his neck as he spoke.
“Ugh... I really need to consume that inner core soon... But where are you coming from? I heard this was Jin Sowoon’s residence.”
“...That’s right. I just met him.”
“Huh? Already? You knew?”
“Knew what?”
“That Jin Sowoon saved Father.”
“...? What are you talking about?”
Moyong Jaehwa tilted his head.
As he explained everything that had happened, including how Moyong Gang and he had come to Taeul Sect, Moyong Seol’s face gradually turned pale.
“...You weren’t rude to Jin Sowoon during that time, were you?”
“...”
Moyong Seol became so pale that her normally fair skin stood out even more.
“You weren’t rude to Jin Sowoon during that time, were you?”
Moyong Seol didn’t answer even when he asked again.
Eventually, Moyong Jaehwa began to rationalize it himself.
“Ah... No way. You wouldn’t behave rudely toward someone who risked his life for Father, would you?”
“...”
Moyong Seol still didn’t answer.
#
The junior disciples didn’t stop crying for a long while.
“What is this mess?”
Gang Chaeseok entered with a deep frown.
“Did someone die?”
“N-No, Hall Lord, it’s...!”
“Brother! Brother...!”
“Sniff.”
The junior disciples tried to explain but kept bursting into tears before they could make sense of anything.
Gang Chaeseok’s expression darkened with irritation because he had no idea what was going on.
It was a complete disaster.
I wanted to go back inside and sleep.
“Jin Sowoon. Come out. The Sect Leader is calling for you.”
“...Yes.”
But I couldn’t do that.
“...Take care, Head Disciple.”
This time, the junior disciples seemed to understand the mood and slowly stepped back.
At last, Taeul Sect’s longest-standing promise was about to be fulfilled.
#
On the way to Daehyeon Hall, Gang Chaeseok did not say a word, his face stiff.
I understood how he felt.
He was Taeul Sect’s strongest martial artist, and because of that, he must have always faced the towering wall of the martial world as Taeul Sect’s representative.
This was clearly not a situation where any words could come easily.
Every elder of Taeul Sect had gathered in Daehyeon Hall.
“Disciple Jin Sowoon greets the elders.”
“...”
From Sect Leader Hong Mungi to the elderly elders and the hall lords supporting Taeul Sect, none of their expressions looked much different from Gang Chaeseok’s.
“...”
The solemn, heavy silence continued.
Who should speak first, and what should they say?
Neither I, who would convey the Taeul Sword Emperor’s promise, nor the people of Taeul Sect, who would receive it, knew how to react to something none of us had experienced before.
“...”
I simply waited quietly for them to organize their thoughts in silence.
Hong Mungi sat far across from me, hands clasped over his mouth, staring at me with the most complicated gaze of them all.
“Jin Sowoon.”
When Hong Mungi finally spoke, I prepared myself to answer the question I expected.
“Yes.”
“Is it true that you threatened Elder Wind-Splitting Sword by asking whether he wanted to taste a martial artist’s straight punch?”
“That is correct. It was the Taeul Sword Emperor’s... Huh?”
I tilted my head, sensing that something was wrong.
“You threatened Elder Wind-Splitting Sword by asking whether he wanted to taste a martial artist’s straight punch? Is that true? Is that how I taught you?”
Sect Leader Hong Mungi, the elders, and the hall lords all looked at me as though they couldn’t believe such a madman existed.
Father, in particular, was making a throat-slitting gesture with his thumb from far away.
The face of the person who had caused all this immediately came to mind.
‘This old man, seriously!’
Footnotes:
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