The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 107

Chapter 107
Chapter 107. Great Journey of Avici Screams (6)

“The targets have directed their path toward Taishi Peak.”

“They didn’t choose Shaoshi Peak?”

The Taishi Peak of Mount Song was renowned for its treacherous terrain. Aside from individuals journeying to the Shaolin Temple, nobody willingly ventured into its heights.

“It seems they intentionally avoid taking the most predictable route, huh?”

Whether it was by pure chance or calculated design, Jin So-un consistently managed to evade the precise maneuvers that Cheol Sun-jik had anticipated.

“Our tactical compatibility is highly unfavorable, and besides that, he acts recklessly.”

While a surprise maneuver could alter the momentum, relying on it too frequently was a dangerous gamble.

An individual who leaned too heavily on spontaneous decisions would ultimately be undone by their own schemes.

“We shall divide our forces into two groups. Take the route toward Shaoshi Peak, rendezvous with the Ghost Bow Sect and the Flying Wind Sect, and seal off the egress of Taishi Peak.”

The path winding through Shaoshi Peak offered a swifter passage compared to Taishi Peak. By spurring their mounts to maximum speed, they could successfully intercept and trap the targets from both sides before the group could clear the peaks of Taishi Peak.

“The remaining men will dismount and accompany me on foot.”

“Brother Cheol, permit me to spearhead the advance.”

As Nam Hwa-seong massaged his knuckles while making his request, Cheol Sun-jik gave an approving nod.

“Historically, the crags of Taishi Peak have been so brutal that countless individuals have plunged to their demise, correct?”

“That is true. Attempting to recover bodies across the expanse of the twenty-four peaks would prove to be an immense chore.”

The force of five hundred men proceeded exactly as intended down the main thoroughfare toward Shaoshi Peak, while the detachment led by Cheol Sun-jik directed their steps toward Taishi Peak.

“They must have been pushed to their absolute limits.”

Following a considerable duration of marching, they came across the peculiar iron carriage that the fleeing party had been hauling.

Did they honestly believe a vehicle haphazardly reinforced with mismatched iron plating could navigate this precipitous landscape that defied even equine transit?

Thrilled by the anticipation of battering Jin So-un’s face beyond recognition, Nam Hwa-seong started accelerating his pace.

Though the harshness of the trail made such haste hazardous, Cheol Sun-jik refrained from restraining him significantly.

During a coordinated pincer movement, elevating the adversary’s panic levels would yield the best tactical results.

Yet,

“For what reason have we not caught sight of them yet?”

The pace they were maintaining was remarkably swift for anyone navigating the treacherous terrain of Taishi Peak.

Despite this, a significant amount of time had elapsed since they left the iron carriage behind, and yet there was still no sign of Jin So-un and his companions.

“Is it possible those wretched fools have concealed themselves?”

“The landscape offers no viable cover, and even if it did, someone among us would surely have detected them.”

Though their ranks had thinned drastically, they still numbered approximately eighty individuals. Lacking the training of specialized stealth operatives, it was utterly impossible for them to entirely obliterate their tracks within such a brief window.

BOOM.

Just then, a crimson distress rocket shot into the sky from the western horizon.

“B-Brother Cheol!”

“Speak!”

The location of the ascending projectile was none other than Shaoshi Peak. A crimson beacon signaled that an engagement had commenced.

“They redirected their course toward Shaoshi Peak?”

Far more baffling than the enemy’s unpredictable tactics was the sheer logistical impossibility of the feat.

Separating Taishi to the east and Shaoshi to the west was a vertiginous, perpendicular precipice.

Barring a martial artist who had attained the realm of a Transcendent Peak master, the sole method to traverse from Taishi over to Shaoshi required making a massive detour across each of the twenty-four peaks of Taishi.

“How on earth did they manage that?”

Cheol Sun-jik became so thoroughly preoccupied with deciphering their methodology that he completely forgot to issue his subsequent commands.

Our combined force, which initially counted two hundred and thirty members, had dwindled down to a mere seventy-eight.

Given that our numbers had fallen to this extent despite consisting of top-tier martial artists from the Namgung Clan, the Murong Clan, and the Iron Sword Sect, the sheer brutality of our trek was undeniable.

Yet, looking at it from another perspective, this meant the surviving seventy-eight individuals represented the pinnacle of excellence.

These were warriors capable of pressing forward in unison, avoiding crippling injuries and refusing to lag behind despite the grueling conditions.

Because of their exceptional caliber, I could boldly execute maneuvers that would have been completely unthinkable during my time with the Sojeong Squad.

“We were on the brink of death, though!”

Seong Mo-ran bellowed as she scaled the vertical wall of Shaoshi Peak.

“But didn’t I pull you through?”

Granted, there was no denying that the plan had been pushed to an extreme.

The moment I instructed everyone to rappel down a vertical precipice spanning one hundred zhang, Kang Seo-pyo had openly questioned, “…This is your first order the moment you receive leadership?”

Nevertheless, after I hurled myself into the abyss ahead of them, scaled the surface using the Flying Dragon Claw, and fashioned makeshift footholds across the rock face, the rest of the group managed to follow suit and begin their descent.

Each time an individual lost their grip and plunged downward, I intervened to rescue them.

Mercifully, we suffered zero casualties while completing the traverse.

“Don’t you realize the issue lies in the fact that we repeatedly looked death in the face?”

“…Martial artists frequently achieve profound revelations when pushed to the absolute brink. If you view it from that perspective, didn’t I essentially provide you with a chance at a Fortuitous Encounter?”

“…”

Though I intended the remark in jest, a fierce glare ignited within Seong Mo-ran’s gaze.

“How did we end up in this state? Had the Twelve Peak Citadels not deployed the Ghost Bow Sect and the Flying Wind Sect to ensnare us, we wouldn’t be enduring such agony right now!”

CRUNCH.

SNAP.

The rock fragment that Seong Mo-ran was gripping shattered into pieces, causing her frame to wobble dangerously. Even so, she swiftly restored her equilibrium and resumed her ascent up the precipice.

“The only reason the Twelve Peak Citadels initiated this assault and marked us as prey is that they hold us in utter contempt.”

Having spent their entire existences shielded from such disrespect, their fury intensified significantly. I consciously amplified the volume of my voice to stoke their pride.

“We must demonstrate the authentic power of the Namgung Clan, the Murong Clan, and the Iron Sword Sect so that they will never dare underestimate us in the future!”

Promptly, the momentum of the ascending warriors surged to twice its previous velocity.

The vanguard who had successfully reached the summit of Shaoshi Peak cast down nearby creepers to haul their fellow martial artists up, and within moments, the entire group of eighty had gathered at the top.

Despite the profound fatigue that should have plagued them from scaling down and up the massive cliff face, they immediately sprinted down the opposite side of the mountain.

Kang Seo-pyo, Cho Mu-bin, and Baek Won-gak bellowed in perfect unison.

“Advance!!”

“Charge forward!!!”

“Move out!!!”

Unsheathing their blades in rapid succession, they prepared for battle.

They had spotted the ranks of the Ghost Bow Sect stationed along the primary road across from them, weapons at the ready.

“Assault!”

The genuine capability inherent to the Five Great Clans manifested brilliantly during encounters of this nature.

Without exhibiting the slightest hint of strain, each warrior scaled the surrounding timber and commenced tearing through the marksmen of the Ghost Bow Sect.

“Aghhh!”

“An ambush from our rear!”

“Flying Wind Sect! Where on earth is the Flying Wind Sect?!”

Resembling overripe fruit plunging from branches, the ambushed riflemen of the Ghost Bow Sect plummeted to the earth sequentially.

Since they had omitted close-quarters defenders to fully maximize their hundred-man archer allotment, losing their geographical superiority rendered them utterly defenseless against the elite forces of the Murong Clan, the Namgung Clan, and the Iron Sword Sect.

FST.

Reflexively jerking my head aside, I evaded a projectile that grazed my skin.

Without pausing to clear the crimson droplet trickling along my jawline, I scanned the immediate surroundings.

Recovering from their initial shock, the Ghost Bow Sect initiated a coordinated retaliatory volley.

TWANG.

Simultaneous with the resonance of snapping cords echoing from all quadrants, a dense canopy of projectiles blanketed the heavens, appearing far too immense to have originated from a mere hundred bowmen.

“Illusory Arrows!”

The martial artists spearheading our assault rapidly sought sanctuary behind the thick trunks of the trees.

Merely a handful of actual projectiles embedded themselves in the soil. Everyone recognized that the majority of the downpour mimicking a Ten Thousand Flowers Rain consisted of phantoms, yet leaving cover remained highly hazardous.

In contrast to an Illusion Sword, verifying the authenticity of Illusory Arrows mid-flight was exceptionally challenging.

Furthermore, the reason the Ghost Bow Sect placed absolute reliance on the remaining Twelve Peak Citadels to allocate all one hundred slots exclusively to archers was that a synchronized volley of this magnitude served as a lethal countermeasure against masters of the blade.

TWANG.

The vibration of discharging weapons reverberated collectively once more.

On this occasion, the sound source emanated from three distinct vectors rather than a single point.

During the brief intermission, the marksmen had altered their coordinates to renew the assault.

“Ugh.”

“Do not concentrate solely on the forward path! The enemies have shifted their alignment!”

“Curse it all.”

Following that single tempest of Illusory Arrows, eight of our companions found themselves pierced by shafts.

Agonized cries erupted once again through our ranks just as they prepared to launch a counteroffensive after evading the missile bombardment.

“Agh-huck.”

“The Flying Wind Sect has arrived!”

“Seek evasive cover immediately!”

The moment the gale of Illusory Arrows subsided, the Flying Wind Sect launched their offensive.

Operating within a shorter range than the bowmen, they maintained a cautious gap from our ranks while discharging a barrage of Flying Swords continuously.

Consequently, whenever a warrior surged forward to eliminate a practitioner throwing Flying Swords, a concealed marksman’s projectile would promptly strike their limbs.

The coordinated display truly validated the fearsome reputation maintained by the Twelve Peak Citadels.

“Jae-hwa.”

I called out to Murong Jae-hwa, who was struggling to maintain his composure while frantically dodging the incoming Flying Swords.

“I am listening, Brother.”

“In your estimation, where is the primary examinee representing the Ghost Bow Sect hiding?”

“What?”

His countenance turned entirely bewildered, visibly questioning the relevance of my inquiry amidst such dire peril.

“I want to know where you would position yourself to snipe targets if you were in his place.”

“If… if I were him…”

Jae-hwa cautiously extended his gaze, scanning the surrounding timber before pointing directly toward the second-loftiest tree in the vicinity.

“The branches of that particular tree offer far thicker cover.”

“Got it.”

“Wait, what? What are your intentions?”

“I am gambling my survival entirely on your intuition.”

“Pardon?”

I channeled my internal energy to its absolute maximum capacity.

Circulating the entirety of my inner arts, which surpassed a cultivation of two cycles, I activated the Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art.

THUD.

Simultaneously, the operatives of the Flying Wind Sect, unnerved by my sudden burst of speed, directed a flurry of Flying Swords toward me from all angles.

SWOOSH-SWOOSH-SWOOSH.

Evading the incoming Flying Swords by hair’s breadths, I propelled myself off a sturdy trunk and vaulted directly toward the location Murong Jae-hwa had designated.

True to his deduction, the canopy began trembling forcefully as my distance closed.

‘Just as I thought!’

The individual had obscured his position so flawlessly that while his spiritual essence was detectable, his physical form remained invisible to the eye.

Unleashing my technique, I rained the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist erratically against the foliage.

SHATTER-EXPLODE-CRUNCH!

Splintered timber and foliage erupted outward in all directions as the massive trunk shuddered violently under the impact.

Suddenly, from the center of the debris, a figure clad in a teal martial tunic gripping a bow plummeted down to the forest floor.

“I have you now!”

The adversary’s complexion drained of all color as he cast a glance back at me.

BANG!

Jin So-un propelled himself off the turf, rocketing forward with the velocity of a projectile.

The sheer power behind his leap was so immense that the soil erupted outward in all directions, resembling a splash of liquid.

“Ah…”

Though this was precisely the scenario he had yearned for, Murong Jae-hwa experienced nothing but a profound sense of vacuity.

‘In the end, I remain utterly useless.’

He had journeyed here intending to assist Brother So-un, yet he contributed nothing of substance.

It was as though Brother So-un recognized his inner turmoil and intentionally posed an unnecessary question merely to buoy his morale.

‘There is truly no need to coddle me.’

He believed he had grown accustomed to this perpetual inadequacy over time, but the realization that he offered zero utility to the figure he deeply revered while remaining adjacent to him plunged his psyche into an even deeper abyss of hopelessness.

—He is utterly hopeless.
—To think that the firstborn son of the Murong Clan could turn out so deficient.
—It would have been vastly preferable had he been born female, swapping roles with Lady Seol.

The critical remarks and artificial anxieties voiced by his relatives acted as a crushing burden upon him.

The deep affection of his father, who had endangered his own existence to procure the Fire Monkey’s Spiritual Pill in a desperate bid to compensate for his son’s deficiency in aptitude, transformed into an oppressive weight.

The encouraging proclamations of his instructors, who insisted he possessed potential equal to Murong Seol and affirmed that regardless of public opinion, the duty to lead the lineage fell to him, likewise morphed into shackles.

Consequently, he had sought escape.

He purposefully immersed himself in trivial crafts that his family viewed with disdain, neglected his physical conditioning, and aimed to avoid the academy examination entirely.

Though his grandfather inspired terror, he reasoned he could endure whatever physical castigation awaited him, believing that after a few seasons elapsed, the clan’s aspirations for him would dissolve.

It had been an incredibly naive concept.

Yet, when facing his sire who had jeopardized his life to grant him the Fire Monkey’s Inner Core, he found himself utterly incapable of declaring his refusal to participate in the Murim Regular Exam.

Even though his internal energy had expanded by an additional half a cycle, the crushing pressure weighing on him had not diminished in the slightest.

Undoubtedly, this was the reason he felt drawn to Brother So-un.

He was an individual carrying an immensely grander weight, enduring far more penalizing conditions, yet demonstrating the unyielding fortitude required to shatter those boundaries.

It was precisely that quality that fostered his profound reverence.

“Young Master!”

FST-FST-FST.

Baek Won-gak sustained a missile wound to his upper limb while shielding him from harm.

“Captain!”

“Do not fret. Our forces simply need to hold out for a brief period. As we speak, the noble ladies alongside the personnel of the Firmament Unit are systematically neutralizing the Ghost Bow Unit members.”

“…”

A short distance away, the Gold-Silver-Copper brothers came into view, locked in a fierce struggle.

As Geum-pyo and Eun-ho interlaced their fingers to form a platform, Dong-ryong sprinted forward and placed his foot onto their palms.

Simultaneously, Geum-pyo and Eun-ho exerted their entire physical power to propel Dong-ryong skyward.

SMACK-CRACK-RUSTLE!

Since his ascent relied entirely on external momentum, foliage battered his frame aggressively; however, the moment Dong-ryong closed the distance with a marksman, he severed the longbow with a single strike and sent the enemy crashing to the forest floor.

Baek Won-gak, observing the ongoing skirmish alongside him, remarked,

“Each individual possesses their own battle to wage. Entering the fray at this juncture would merely cause an obstruction.”

“An obstruction…”

Baek Won-gak instantly recognized the insensitivity of his phrasing, but the statement had been uttered, and altering it was impossible.

Concurrently, the booming declaration of Jin So-un echoed powerfully across the woods.

“Members of the Ghost Bow Sect and the Flying Wind Sect! Your respective Young Masters have been captured by my hand. If their well-being concerns you, cease your hostilities immediately!”

Despite the proclamations of Jin So-un, the conflict persisted unabated.

“Aaaaaagh!”

“Gaaah!”

Yet, the moment two distinct wails resounded through the air, the fighting ground to a halt.

“Jong Seo-gak of the Yellow Sword Sect was transformed into a wandering specter solely because he failed to recognize when to yield. Do you fools intend to suffer an identical fate before you choose to fall back?”

Subsequently, a lone bowman dropped from the high branches and touched down upon the earth.

The nearby combatants recoiled slightly in astonishment at his sudden manifestation, clearly having failed to discern his presence within that foliage.

“What guarantee do we have that their lives will be preserved?”

“This is a regulated test. Do you perceive me as some sort of maniacal executioner?”

“Your actions on the Puyang Plains suggested precisely that.”

“That was a completely different individual!”

“…Very well. Our forces shall retreat. Relinquish custody of the Young Masters.”

As the captured youth held tightly by Jin So-un bellowed in protest, the senior marksman signaled his disagreement.

“Young Master, while this evaluation holds weight, your survival remains our absolute priority.”

He then redirected his gaze toward Jin So-un.

“Furthermore, even if we abandon this position, your group will simply be intercepted once more by the alternative factions of the Twelve Peak Citadels.”

“That concerns only me. Therefore, I advise you to accelerate your departure.”

“Ugh.”

“What are your specific terms?”

“Surrender your armaments and retreat.”

In compliance with Jin So-un’s directives, the bowmen of the Ghost Bow Sect and the combatants belonging to the Flying Wind Sect commenced discarding their gear.

Owing to the fact that their ranks consisted entirely of snipers and masters of Flying Swords, the discarded instruments quickly accumulated into a sizable pile.

The disciples representing the Taeul Sect observed the cache with expressions of mild horror.

“This item stays with me.”

“A barbarian like you couldn’t possibly comprehend the value of that weapon!”

The youth snarled while staring at the longbow gripped by Jin So-un, though the latter remained utterly unbothered.

“Had you been carrying an Entry Token, I gladly would have confiscated that instead, but seeing as your pockets are completely bare, I shall claim this as compensation, thief.”

“…”

Upon reclaiming their captured leader, the marksman issued a final caution before commencing his descent from Shaoshi Peak.

“Our forces are departing, yet the remaining groups of the Twelve Peak Citadels will continuously pursue you.”

Surveying the battlefield, numerous casualties plagued our coalition as well. A significant portion of our personnel was immobilized, requiring urgent medical intervention.

Most concerningly, Baek Won-gak’s visage had lost all color, with a projectile firmly lodged within his midsection.

“Captain Baek!”

Inspecting the injury, Kang Seo-pyo exhaled heavily.

“By some miracle, no vital organs were punctured. Nevertheless, failing to administer immediate medical care will result in a fatal outcome.”

Baek Won-gak gestured in refusal.

“Press onward without me.”

“What utter nonsense! You will perish!”

“The prestigious Murong Clan volunteered to assist your journey. I refuse to let our state impede your progress in a location such as this. I shall assemble the casualties and manage our own extraction, so I implore you to advance ahead.”

“Captain Baek!”

Kang Seo-pyo, Cho Mu-bin, Namgung Seon-hwa, and Seong Mo-ran simultaneously redirected their gazes toward Jin So-un.

Murong Jae-hwa likewise fixed his pleading eyes upon Jin So-un.

“Mercifully, the enemy forces are avoiding the precise route we traversed.”

Seong Mo-ran whispered under her breath, ‘Only an absolute lunatic would consider utilizing that path…’

“However, the detachments that divided into two columns are currently converging upon Shaoshi Peak.”

Their window of opportunity remained dangerously narrow.

“Commence immediate field triage.”

“I… can manage. An injury of this scale… is inconsequential. Pray, flee without delay.”

Despite the insistence of Baek Won-gak, Jin So-un maintained his silence. Instead, his focus shifted toward Murong Jae-hwa, who remained crouched on the earth in front of Baek Won-gak.

“Murong Jae-hwa.”

“…”

“Get on your feet. The moment has arrived for you to shield those who follow you.”

“…Myself?”

“Correct. Should you remain inactive, your negligence will bring ruin not just to Captain Baek, but to the Namgung Clan, the Iron Sword Sect, and myself.”

“…But what capability do I possess?”

Jin So-un extended the confiscated longbow toward him.

“The hour has come to embrace your authentic identity.”