WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 85: Hell's Entrance Exam: Gate ‘II’ (2)
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What I had worried about most when leaving them behind was Dongryong.
I feared he might use his talent and throw his life away.
That he might do it for the sake of his older brothers.
What a relief.
“Eldest Senior Brother...”
Perhaps he did not realize how proud I was of him. Dongryong stared blankly in my direction, his mouth hanging open.
“You did well.”
I unleashed the Peerless Wanderer Divine Art and charged Gam Cheoljin at full speed.
He evaded my mad rush with Arched Body, Springing Shadow.
Then I immediately rushed toward Jong Seogang.
“Damn it...!”
Gam Cheoljin cursed, apparently expecting me to attack him, but I was already upon Jong Seogang.
Bang!
“Urgh.”
When Jong Seogang met my sword, he was driven back three jang.
“What kind of internal energy is that...?”
He was shocked by the unexpected force for only a moment before quickly recovering his stance.
I kept pressing Jong Seogang alone, separating him from his group.
The Huang Sword Sect martial artists, who had to prioritize Jong Seogang’s protection above all else, followed after us in a long line.
The Heavenly Net and Earthly Web slowly began to collapse.
“...You truly are lucky.”
Blood trickled from Jong Seogang’s mouth, likely because the impact had shaken his insides. He forced his expression under control as he spoke.
“Do you feel better if you call everything luck?”
“Are you saying you knew that monster would be here?”
“Your mistake was assuming I could not break through a flimsy Heavenly Net and Earthly Web like this in the first place.”
“...”
As Gam Cheoljin and half the Huang Sword Sect martial artists withdrew, the killing intent within the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web surged back.
Those who had been releasing killing intent were engulfed in it, as though stagnant reservoir water had burst over them. Their eyes turned red.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
The feints and true strikes of the Twin Heavens Sword Art confused Jong Seogang. His desire to rely on Gam Cheoljin and the other martial artists kept him from focusing as well.
In an instant, the front of his robe was cut open, his topknot severed, and a long gash carved across his left arm.
“Argh!”
“Young Master!”
Clang!
Only then did Gam Cheoljin’s sword stop mine.
“Young Master, are you all right?!”
“...”
Jong Seogang did not answer.
His clothes in tatters, he glared at Gam Cheoljin and the Huang Sword Sect martial artists with resentment in his eyes.
His gaze seemed to demand why he had been reduced to such a state.
“...I apologize.”
Gam Cheoljin lowered his head. Only then did Jong Seogang turn his gaze toward me.
The Huang Sword Sect martial artists, their faces grim, began forming a sword formation to protect Jong Seogang.
“I pity your sect members. Their young master does not even understand the debt he owes to those who saved his life.”
Crunch.
Jong Seogang ground his teeth.
“You still have the leisure to remain so calm? If I were you, I would use that precious movement art of yours to take your junior brothers and run.”
Just as Jong Seogang said, the other sects began filling the gaps left by the Huang Sword Sect.
The hastily repaired Heavenly Net and Earthly Web now targeted not only the Taeul Sect disciples, but also the Golden-Scaled Azure Thread Serpent.
“I thought it would be troublesome to leave future problems behind.”
“Pfft. You’re still putting on airs.”
Jong Seogang laughed while clutching his bleeding arm.
“Putting on airs? You seem to have investigated me thoroughly.”
“I know your sect possesses a new martial art. But a mere illusion sword will not deceive all these people.”
Martial artists who had reached the Peak Realm could distinguish illusion from reality.
No matter how outstanding an illusion sword or transforming sword might be, it was nothing more than a phantom before a Peak Realm martial artist.
“Why? Is there a Peak Realm martial artist among you?”
“...”
Jong Seogang clamped his mouth shut as if he had swallowed honey.
“Well, if a secret Huang Sword Sect martial artist entered the examination, it would explain how you have breezed through every test so far.”
“Watch your mouth!”
Jong Seogang’s face flushed red.
“Why are you getting so worked up? If you are proud of yourself, what is there to be ashamed of?”
“...What are you all doing? Kill him at once!”
Jong Seogang had dropped the honorifics he had maintained until then, but the Huang Sword Sect martial artists did not even change expression. As though accustomed to it, they formed a sword formation and charged.
The Twilight One Sword Formation.
A unique sword formation specialized for many-against-one combat, in which numerous martial artists moved like a single sword.
Led by Gam Cheoljin, the Huang Sword Sect martial artists rushed in like one sharp blade.
“The Taeul Sect has more than illusion swords and transforming swords.”
“...”
“This sword will show you that we did not cross the line between life and death by chance.”
[Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Art]
Four phantoms burst from the Black Dragon Sword.
Gam Cheoljin, who had thought it was an ordinary illusion sword, began to look grave.
#
“Argh!”
“Cough!”
“It, it’s coming!”
“Maintain the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web!”
Screams rang out from every direction.
Like a swarm of ants attacking a single earthworm, the seven hundred people who had formed the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web surrounded the Golden-Scaled Azure Thread Serpent and attacked without pause.
The Golden-Scaled Azure Thread Serpent swallowed the nearest humans whole, bit them to death, and crushed them beneath its body.
Whenever anyone tried to approach, it sprayed blue venom from its mouth. The first martial artist struck by it died with their vocal cords melted away before they could even scream.
“Keep your distance!”
“Use flying daggers and arrows against it!”
Flying daggers and arrows were deadly hidden weapons against humans, but the Golden-Scaled Azure Thread Serpent was unaffected.
The flying daggers and arrows that struck its hard, slick body were blocked by the secretion flowing from its skin and fell uselessly to the ground.
“Gah!”
“R-run!”
“Don’t run! Anyone who retreats will not be forgiven!”
It was utter chaos.
As the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web broke apart, the killing intent that had filled it spread in every direction.
Some of those who had joined forces to form the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web even began swinging their swords at one another.
A living hell had unfolded here.
“Haa...”
Geumpyo, standing closest to the Golden-Scaled Azure Thread Serpent, calmly let out a sigh.
“Geumpyo, watch your footwork! Didn’t you see that shit-colored snake swallow people whole?”
“It does not seem interested in us anyway.”
None of the martial artists forming the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web had the chance to wonder why the three brothers closest to the Golden-Scaled Azure Thread Serpent had not been attacked.
The monster was spraying venom before their eyes and opening jaws as vast as a cavern.
“The snake is not the problem. We’re still inside the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web.”
“I know.”
At a time when there had barely been enough time to sleep, Jin Sowoon had forced us to learn this movement art.
‘I thought it was just some footwork with an ominous name.’
I had possessed no internal energy at the time, and everything had happened in such a haze that I barely remembered learning it.
I had only desperately followed Eunho’s steps, since Eunho had a good memory.
This movement art, called Ghost Breath Movement Art, was said to conceal one’s tracks completely.
When I had asked if that meant we could escape with it, Eunho had said we would still be noticed if someone saw us because we had not learned a separate concealment art. I had silently cursed Eldest Senior Brother for keeping us awake over something so useless.
I’m sorry, Eldest Senior Brother.
I’m an idiot and a fool.
Your kindness is as vast as the heavens, Eldest Senior Brother.
Thanks to this incomplete Ghost Breath Movement Art, that shit-colored snake could not see us. Instead, it thrashed and opened its mouth at the people radiating intense killing intent.
“...Dongryong, are you okay?”
“...Yeah. I’m okay.”
“You little brat, I told you not to take this off carelessly!”
Geumpyo quickly hung the Demon-Subduing Prayer Beads around Dongryong’s neck.
Geumpyo understood why Dongryong had rushed out.
In truth, if it had not been for Dongryong, one of the three might have become a Lone-Handed Flying Sword, or the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers might have become only two brothers.
Still, Geumpyo could not help scolding Dongryong for doing something so dangerous.
“Yeah. Sorry.”
“If you do something dangerous again, I’ll really leave you behind.”
“Fine! Stop saying you’ll leave me behind.”
“Anyway, don’t you think we’ll be fine if we just stay like this?”
The Heavenly Net and Earthly Web was slowly falling apart.
The thick killing intent that had been squeezing their throats was fading, and the enemies who had rushed at them from every direction were too busy dealing with the shit-colored snake.
“...”
For some reason, Eunho did not give the reassuring answer Geumpyo expected.
“Hey, because of the killing intent those people are giving off, we’re...”
“No, look over there.”
Eunho pointed ahead.
Men in blue robes carrying enormous sabers finally dissolved the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web and stepped forward.
Then they all leaped into the air and rained down saber qi.
Kieeeek!
The Golden-Scaled Azure Thread Serpent, which had seemed unstoppable among the humans, screamed for the first time.
Scales that had remained unharmed even beneath a rain of arrows fell away in clumps, and blood poured from the exposed flesh beneath.
“It is wounded. Focus your attacks!”
The Golden-Scaled Azure Thread Serpent struggled even harder beneath the Cheongdo Fellowship’s concentrated attacks.
The other martial artists avoided it for fear of being caught in the attack, but even as they fled, they fired arrows and threw flying daggers.
Kieeeek!
“Run!”
“Damn it!”
At Eunho’s signal, the three brothers used the Taeul Eighty Thousand Divine Steps and shot forward.
“Those are Taeul Sect disciples!”
“Catch them first!”
With the Cheongdo Fellowship focusing on the Golden-Scaled Azure Thread Serpent, the martial artists from the other sects had more room to breathe and began rushing toward the three brothers.
“Perhaps one of us is fated to inherit the true legacy of the Lone-Handed Flying Sword?”
“Geumpyo! Please stop saying unlucky things at a time like this!”
“Yeah! Big Brother only ever says unlucky things!”
“...”
Scolded while forming a sword formation, Geumpyo took the lead and stared at the approaching enemies.
#
“Hah... This can’t be happening.”
Jong Seogang could not take his eyes off the sight before him.
“...What is this?!”
It made no sense.
Gam Cheoljin was an expert with the strength of a Huang Sword Sect elder.
Yet Jin Sowoon had broken through the Twilight One Sword Formation even though Gam Cheoljin had formed it?
Just as the report had stated, Jin Sowoon pressured his opponents by alternating between illusion swords and swift swords.
He added transformations and heaviness to confuse them further.
There was no question that he would be an extremely troublesome opponent for martial artists at the same level.
If they were at the same level, that was.
Even Gam Cheoljin, who had rushed over to protect him after the Twilight One Sword Formation broke, did not look well.
“Th-this... How can a mere illusion-sword wielder...?”
Once one reached the Peak Realm, where illusion and reality became clearly distinguishable, illusion swords became useless.
That was why gossips in the martial world derisively called martial artists who used illusion swords illusion-sword wielders.
“It isn’t an ordinary illusion sword.”
Unlike usual, Gam Cheoljin spoke firmly.
“What?”
“It isn’t an ordinary illusion sword. They are real swords disguised as illusion swords.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Young Master... I think it would be best to withdraw for now.”
“What are you saying? Withdraw?”
A disciple from a sect of no consequence possessed eight Gate I Tokens.
Whether by chance or design, a monster that seemed to possess an elixir pellet had appeared as well.
If he fled because he feared a Taeul Sect disciple here, self-loathing would keep Jong Seogang awake, never mind the martial world’s judgment.
“...”
“All Huang Sword Sect disciples, gather!”
Jong Seogang’s voice rang out.
The Cheongdo Fellowship martial artists fighting the Golden-Scaled Azure Thread Serpent and the martial artists from the other sects who had barely maintained the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web all looked at Jong Seogang with puzzled expressions.
“I said gather! We must catch him! He has the Gate I Tokens!”
“...”
But none of the Huang Sword Sect martial artists moved.
“Y-you...!”
Jong Seogang’s face reddened at the Huang Sword Sect members’ refusal to obey him. At last, Gam Cheoljin sighed and spoke quietly.
“Everyone, gather!”
At his command, the Huang Sword Sect martial artists who had barely supported the Heavenly Net and Earthly Web descended around Gam Cheoljin and Jong Seogang all at once.
“Hah...”
The people who had not budged at the order of the sect’s next heir moved like lightning at a single word from Gam Cheoljin. Jong Seogang was dumbfounded, but soon realized this was not the time and swallowed his anger.
He then forced a triumphant smile and looked at Jin Sowoon.
“You have a few tricks, I see. But Hell's Entrance Exam cannot be passed through cunning schemes and petty tricks alone.”
Nearly fifty Huang Sword Sect martial artists stood before him, yet Jin Sowoon showed no sign of tension.
“I wondered what nonsense you were going to say.”
“If you hand over the Gate I Tokens now, I will let this go.”
“Ha, more than fifty of your sect’s disciples have become casualties. You’ll just let it go? Do you think your sect’s martial artists will simply accept that?”
“...”
Jin Sowoon’s skill was genuine.
Even so, Jong Seogang remained confident.
The Golden-Scaled Azure Thread Serpent was gradually being brought down by the Cheongdo Fellowship, and more than five hundred martial artists allied with Jong Seogang still stood scattered throughout the area.
No matter how skilled Jin Sowoon was, there was no way he could escape or prevail here.
“Do you wish to die here?”
“Die? Us? Didn’t you hear what I said earlier? I came into Mount Makgan on purpose.”
“Yes, and thanks to you, we will easily clear Gate II as well.”
Jin Sowoon sheathed his sword.
Jong Seogang’s eyes lit up.
“Have you given up?”
“Given up? Pfft.”
“Do you think you can escape this place?”
“If that weren’t the case, why would I have come here?”
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.
The ground suddenly shook.
Grrrk. Grrrk.
“Gah!”
“What is that now?!”
“Damn it!”
Screams began to rise in the distance.
The Huang Sword Sect martial artists preparing for battle widened their eyes like rabbits.
“Did you think that snake was the only thing I had prepared?”
The One-Horned Black Toad.
A black toad that devoured serpents, with a long horn growing from its head, sprang about despite its massive size as it spread poisonous vapors in every direction.
Footnotes:
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