The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything - Chapter 79

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Translator/Editor: Chen

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◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈

Chapter 79: The Black Flame Dragon Surpassing the Gate (7)

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The head of the Martial Alliance's Hangzhou Branch could hardly contain their shock as they listened to the report.

"The Twin-Curtain Strongholds have been eliminated?"

The first gate of the Martial Arts Academy examination had been a hellish test for branches across the country.

They had to monitor more than four thousand mountain strongholds one by one, determine who was clearing them out, and ensure that no first-rate or higher masters, or Martial Arts Academy graduates, had joined the candidates.

Fortunately, aside from three of the Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds, there were few small or medium-sized strongholds in Zhejiang. Compared to other branches, they had been able to handle their work at a relatively leisurely pace.

There had been a few unusual incidents, of course. Bongjim Stronghold, believed to be the weakest of the four thousand strongholds, had joined forces with the nearby Guung Stronghold to counterattack the Gyerong Merchant Group, greatly surprising the Alliance members.

Yet now, they had received word that the Twin-Curtain Strongholds, which they had been monitoring as little more than a formality, had suddenly been wiped out.

"Could a Peak Realm master have been hiding among them?"

"According to the report, the candidates' martial arts are impressive, but not at a level that would warrant registration with the Martial Alliance."

"Then what? Are you saying the Martial Alliance or Mount Hua Sect joined forces to eliminate the Twin-Curtain Strongholds?"

Powerful factions sometimes gathered their disciples and deployed several hundred people at once.

It was a way of turning the limit of one hundred people per candidate to their advantage.

Even so, the Twin-Curtain Strongholds consisted of two strongholds with a combined force of one thousand people.

An ordinary sect would need to send ten disciples just to match their numbers.

"That isn't it either. There were fewer than twenty people."

"..."

"I know it sounds impossible. Shouldn't you go and see for yourself, Branch Head?"

When the branch head arrived at Mount Cheonmok, they could only gape at the sight before them.

The massive, lush mountain had been burned black. Hundreds of corpses were piled at intervals across its slopes, while enough blood had flowed from the bodies near the village entrance to form a small stream.

"What in the..."

An Alliance member who had been overseeing Mount Cheonmok approached the speechless branch head.

"Men who identified themselves as examination candidates brought hostages out of Mount Cheonmok, then launched a fire attack."

"That makes no sense. With all the undergrowth, there are plenty of springs. Fire shouldn't spread easily."

"That's right. But the instant the candidates began their fire attack, an enormous wind swept through the mountain. Oil jars they had placed throughout the area exploded, and a wildfire rapidly engulfed all of Mount Cheonmok."

"..."

Come to think of it, the branch head remembered a report from two days ago. A sudden wind had caused a wildfire on a dry mountain.

"They used the wind? A natural disaster?"

At that moment, several people who appeared to be candidates approached them.

One was a massive man, while the other looked ordinary.

The huge man stood with his arms folded and his chin raised arrogantly. The ordinary-looking man offered a respectful fist-and-palm salute.

"I heard you came from the Martial Alliance's Hangzhou Branch."

"That's right. Are you the ones who eliminated the Twin-Curtain Strongholds?"

Instead of answering, the ordinary man looked behind him. The people standing behind the huge man brought forward two bodies covered in straw mats.

"These are the vicious men known as the Golden-Faced Buddha Blade and the One-Eyed Blood Axe."

"..."

An Alliance member hurried over, pulled back the mats, and examined the bodies. They soon nodded.

They truly were the leaders of the Twin-Curtain Strongholds.

"Did you truly eliminate the Twin-Curtain Strongholds?"

"As you can see."

"The Twin-Curtain Strongholds are among the strongest Green Forest forces in Zhejiang. I find it difficult to believe that you accomplished this with only your group."

Before the branch head had even finished speaking, the huge man's expression twisted.

Then he drew up his internal energy.

"...Hurk."

"Urgh."

"What kind of internal energy is that..."

His martial robes swelled as though they would burst, and an immense wave of pressure spread out, squeezing their throats.

It was merely a display of fighting spirit, without even a trace of killing intent, but it was enough to make them feel as though a massive boulder were crushing them.

"You call yourselves men of the Martial Alliance, yet instead of thinking about eliminating the Twin-Curtain Strongholds, you suspect those who worked for the people's welfare?"

The huge man strode forward and reached for the branch head's throat as though he intended to tear it out in a single motion.

The branch head had trained in martial arts their entire life, yet they could not believe that this youthful-looking man had overwhelmed them so completely.

The branch head drew up all their internal energy, but despite their will, their body would not move.

"Please stop. You're frightening them."

At that moment, the ordinary man raised a black sword still in its scabbard and blocked the huge man's hand.

"Snapping the necks of these rotten bastards would be good for the Martial Alliance too."

"If you do that, we'll never be allowed to set foot in the Martial Alliance."

"..."

The huge man, who seemed as though no words could reach him, listened to the ordinary man's words and slowly withdrew his pressure.

He did not withdraw it entirely, though. He merely returned to his place, folded his arms, and glared at them.

It was clear that he was prepared to leap out again at any moment.

"As you saw, we were able to eliminate the Twin-Curtain Strongholds without much difficulty thanks to this man's vast internal energy. Heaven also helped us."

"..."

The branch head was about to say something, then began watching the huge man nervously.

The branch head's own sect was formidable enough, but if they were killed by that man's hand right now, what use would their sect's influence be?

"If necessary, you may investigate further. We have to remain here for several more days anyway."

The huge man cut in.

"Of course, if you do, I'll make sure you never walk away on your own two feet."

"Ah... Please stay quiet for once. Why do you keep interrupting?"

"...Those bastards are doubting us."

"What kind of outrageous thing are you saying to Martial Alliance members? Apologize at once."

"Hmph! I was going to start by breaking one arm apiece, so I'll let that settle the score."

The Alliance members unconsciously rubbed their hands.

"...Ahem. In any case, tell us who you are first. Th-that way, we can investigate or do whatever is necessary."

The huge man tilted his head crookedly and glared at them with wide eyes.

In the end, the ordinary man stepped between them and spoke.

"This man is Bang Duchil."

"Xiang Yu Reborn!"

"The Legend of Lü Bu!"

Exclamations erupted among the Martial Alliance members.

They had heard plenty of rumors about Bang Duchil.

"Cough... I-I see. Then who are you?"

"Ah, I'm Jin Sowoon of the Taeul Sect."

"..."

Unlike when Bang Duchil had been introduced, the air grew cold as though someone had poured cold water over the gathering.

The branch head finally opened their mouth with difficulty.

"Are you... the Black Flame Dragon, Jin Sowoon?"

"...Yes. That's what people have been calling me."

Jin Sowoon nodded as though the name displeased him, and the branch head immediately turned and shouted behind them.

"Hey! Bring the Gate Tokens! Right now!"

"Y-Yes! I brought them!"

"Once you've seen it with your own eyes, just hand over the Gate Tokens. Why make such a fuss that I had to come here too? My apologies, Young Hero Jin. Those under me still need more training."

Jin Sowoon and Bang Duchil could only tilt their heads at the sudden change.

Damn it. Damn it.

Why were stories of crimes I hadn't even committed spreading further and further?

Puzzled by the Hangzhou Branch Head's sudden change in attitude, I casually asked while accepting the Gate Token.

The answer I received was absurd.

[Oh, we would never pull the same idiotic stunt as Gong Seokchan.]

Gong Seokchan had been the head of the Martial Alliance's Yueyang Branch. When I saved people at Demon Spirit Plateau, Gong Seokchan had come after me out of resentment because Yong Soa's honor had been dragged through the mud after Yong Soa fled alone.

At the time, I thought the matter had been resolved cleanly when Namgung Jinmyeong and Cha Seokdu, the Lord of the Four Emperors Association, stepped in.

But apparently not.

Once everything had ended, Namgung Jinmyeong and Cha Seokdu had formally raised objections with the Martial Alliance, along with members of both White Path and Black Path sects.

The Martial Alliance would have ignored objections from Black Path sects alone. Yet when every faction involved, including the Namgung Clan, Hyeongsan Sect, and Mount Mao Sect, raised issues with the Yueyang Branch's conduct and response, as well as the Martial Alliance's handling of the matter, it had no choice but to be embarrassed.

As a result, the Yueyang Branch Head and all Alliance members assigned to that branch had been suspended and dismissed, then sent back to their sects or hometowns. Those connected to the matter within the Martial Alliance had also faced a chain of disciplinary measures.

The problem was that strange rumors about me had begun spreading because of the incident.

Rumors claiming I was the Joint Successor of the White Path and Black Path martial worlds, that I was the Namgung Clan's illegitimate son who had trained in the Four Emperors Association, or that I was a monster created by an alliance of outside sects to bring down the Martial Alliance.

"So that's why your abilities were so extraordinary."

Bang Duchil, who had listened to the story beside me, nodded. I snapped at him.

"Don't say such nonsense. What Joint Successor?"

"If it isn't true, why are you angry? The way you're getting angry, there must be something that struck a nerve. Then perhaps you really are the Namgung Clan's illegitimate son who trained in the Four Emperors Association..."

"I'm not!"

"I don't look down on illegitimate children. It isn't something a person chooses..."

"I said I'm not!"

Baek Soryeong, who had been quietly chuckling beside us, spoke up.

"At least it's fortunate. There are no more mountain strongholds on Mount Cheonmok now."

I shook my head.

"I doubt that will last."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Mount Cheonmok is the most convenient and safest route connecting Anhui and Zhejiang. Anyone traveling through Hangzhou in Zhejiang must pass through Mount Cheonmok. I wouldn't be surprised if someone from the Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds decided to establish a new stronghold there."

"Ah..."

"..."

Baek Soryeong nodded, while Bang Duchil remained silent for a long while.

"Take these first."

I handed four of the eight Gate Tokens I had received from the Hangzhou Branch Head to Bang Duchil.

Bang Duchil stared blankly at the tokens, then asked Baek Soryeong.

"Soryeong."

"Yes, Brother."

"Is it all right if I don't become a Martial Alliance member?"

"What?"

"I realized something through this matter. I don't think the Martial Alliance is my path."

He had only just passed twenty, so he could not have understood every aspect of the world. Even so, the justice he had seen in the Martial Alliance was not something he found appealing.

"Then..."

"I want to pursue the path of the Green Forest."

Bang Duchil looked toward Mount Cheonmok, which had been stripped bare.

"The Martial Alliance's path does not reach the common people. But the Green Forest's path touches them directly. If I establish the Green Forest's path, won't far more people be able to live in peace?"

"...Brother."

"I promise you this. I will become the king of the Green Forest and make you my queen."

At Bang Duchil's resolute declaration, Baek Soryeong smiled.

"Brother, I already see you as my king. Wherever you go, I will go with you."

Baek Soryeong and Bang Duchil embraced deeply.

They looked like a huge bear holding a fish in its arms.

So this must have been their destiny all along.

Perhaps becoming the leader of the Green Forest Alliance suited Bang Duchil far better.

He was not someone suited to a place like the Martial Alliance, where complex schemes and politics constantly intertwined.

Just as I was about to discreetly give them some space, Bang Duchil spoke to me.

"You."

"...?"