The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 108

Chapter 108
Chapter 108. Great Journey of Avici Screams (7)

Accepting the weapon, Murong Jae-hwa wore an expression of utter confusion.

“B-But Brother, how can I possibly……”

“Are you unfamiliar with archery?”

“Ah, no, it’s not that……”

I grabbed his hands. Heavy, rough calluses covered his thumb, index, and middle fingers, showing signs of having torn open and scarred over countless times. These were marks that no swordsman could ever develop on their hands.

“Then what is stopping you?”

“……”

Murong Jae-hwa glanced toward the wounded Baek Won-gak before turning his gaze to the members of the Murong Clan who were watching his every move.

“Did you vow to abstain from unorthodox disciplines when you departed from your family?”

The Murong Clan felt deeply embarrassed that their firstborn son, Murong Jae-hwa, preferred focusing on trivial crafts rather than mastering the way of the blade.

“……Yes? How could you possibly be aware of that……”

“In this very moment, which carries greater weight—your vow, or the survival of these individuals?”

“Naturally, their lives……”

“Then isn’t the choice clear?”

This very conflict was the reason it took so long for the legendary One Bow against a Thousand, Breaking Bow, to finally reveal himself to the world.

“……”

I handed the container of arrows over, pressing it into Murong Jae-hwa’s hesitant yet yearning grasp.

“Wielding a blade will seal their doom. Drawing this string will grant them life. Why do you still pause?”

I have no use for the Breaking Bow who only emerges once the Murong Clan has been entirely wiped out.

I do not want the Breaking Bow who stood solo against the massive forces of the Demonic Cult only after the tides of the Great Righteous-Demonic War had already shifted in their favor.

“If you are holding back because of the words of Lord Sword-Breaker, cast those thoughts aside. When it comes to shielding those you hold dear, the choice of weapon matters little. Simply employ the talent you excel in.”

“……!”

Murong Jae-hwa’s gaze trembled violently.

“What else is there to ponder?”

“……It isn’t that. I’ve never received formal training. It was merely a pastime I indulged in by myself……”

A gentle chuckle escaped me as I responded,

“Do not fret. I will impart the knowledge I acquired.”

The peerless Breaking Bow, who was destined to halt the advance of the ten thousand strong Hell Hungry Ghost Corps by himself in Guizhou, would instead confront the Twelve Peak Citadels right here.

Murong Jae-hwa remained utterly mystified.

How could this person possibly know about his private passion for archery? And on what grounds was he expecting him to hold off the advancing foes with a mere bow?

Originally, he had only turned to the bow as an escape from his mental burdens. Pulling back the string allowed him to forget about his familial obligations and silence the anxieties weighing on his mind…….

Yet now, he was tasked with repelling an entire army using that very pastime, leaving him entirely at a loss as to how to proceed.

“Aaaah!”

Gripping his companion, Jin So-un leaped high into the air, making the ground instantly recede beneath them. In a flash, they touched down upon the branches of the tall tree where the successor of the Ghost Bow Sect had previously concealed himself.

“Among my acquaintances, there lived a man who stood against ten thousand adversaries entirely on his own.”

Jin So-un reached out and pulled a lone shaft from the quiver.

“In order to secure enough time for countless civilians to flee to safety, he advanced completely unaccompanied, devoid of any terror.”

Far off in the distance, the forces of the Twelve Peak Citadels could be seen charging fiercely, spurred into action by the flare launched earlier by the Ghost Bow Sect.

“Virtually everyone deemed his actions impossible, believing such feats could only exist within legends.”

Caught up in the narrative, Murong Jae-hwa briefly lost sight of the impending danger and gulped nervously.

“Wh-What was the outcome?”

“He successfully held them back.”

“Incredible!”

“The martial world considers the blade to be the sovereign of all arms, correct? Yet, witnessing that spectacle with my own eyes transformed my perspective completely. No matter how superior the sword may be claimed to be, nothing strikes deeper terror into the heart than a bow.”

The army from the Twelve Peak Citadels swept along the broad main thoroughfare with nothing standing in their path.

Watching them approach with a momentum that threatened to crush everything, Murong Jae-hwa felt his palms grow slick with perspiration.

“B-Brother.”

Jin So-un leisurely drew the bowstring.

“Pay close attention. This is the marksman’s art that he passed down.”

*TWANG.*

The missile traced a smooth, elegant curve through the sky toward the Twelve Peak Citadels.

Still, a lone projectile could never suffice to halt their advance. Against a force of nearly five hundred warriors, a single shot was utterly insignificant.

“What?”

Murong Jae-hwa’s eyes widened in sheer astonishment.

The single shaft discharged by Jin So-un suddenly multiplied into dozens of identical projectiles mid-air.

*NEIGH!*

Startled by the sudden barrage, the charging cavalry and infantry of the Twelve Peak Citadels ground to a sudden halt.

“How are you able to manifest the Illusory Arrows belonging to the Ghost Bow Sect……”

“This technique does not originate from the Ghost Bow Sect.”

“Pardon?”

“The martial art I acquired involves infusing my personal comprehension directly into the missile. Just a moment ago, I simply embedded the sword principles of the Taeul Sect within that shot.”

Following his explanation, Jin So-un started chanting the core principles of the extraordinary archery style he had demonstrated.

“Is it…… truly acceptable for you to share this knowledge with me?”

Having dedicated himself to the profound study of martial arts since his youth, Murong Jae-hwa immediately recognized the extreme complexity of this technique and understood the decades of rigorous cultivation required to perfect it.

“I was simply acting as its temporary custodian. I am merely transferring it to the individual he desired to inherit it above all others.”

“Are you implying that person is me?”

“He lived with the bitter regret that his own hesitation cost him his family, so he intended for this art to guide someone facing identical tribulations in the future. I am not the meant recipient; you are the true heir.”

“……What do you call it?”

“It possesses no title. He only hoped that its future master would bestow a name upon it.”

A subtle, inscrutable grin played across Jin So-un’s features.

“……I will name it the Heaven-Shattering Divine Bow.”

“Quite a bold choice.”

“Not at all. It is a sublime technique that deserves nothing less.”

“In that case, there is no reason to delay further, is there?”

“Yes. Fifteen minutes…… Can you afford me exactly fifteen minutes?”

Naturally, fully comprehending the profound depths of the Heaven-Shattering Divine Bow in such a brief window was completely out of the question.

He extracted the fundamental concepts and began integrating them with the forms of his family’s Heaven-Earth Wave-Splitting Sword.

Intricate and baffling when expressed in mere spoken maxims, the underlying principles suddenly unlocked exhilarating and flawless realizations once merged with the movements of the Heaven-Earth Wave-Splitting Sword.

It felt as though two long-severed fragments of a whole had finally been reunited.

The troops of the Twelve Peak Citadels, initially cautious after encountering Jin So-un’s Illusory Arrows, cautiously began peering out once more.

Jin So-un released another volley, and this time, the allies stationed on the ground joined him, unleashing a barrage of their own.

As genuine, lethal shafts concealed amidst the deceptive Illusory Arrows found their marks and struck down several combatants, the forces of the Twelve Peak Citadels scrambled back into cover.

Following a few cycles of retreat and advance, the enemy ranks organized themselves efficiently, soon raising a wall of heavy shields to cover their vanguard.

*TWANG.*

*SWOOSH-SWOOSH-SWOOSH.*

The genuine projectiles traveling within Jin So-un’s Illusory Arrows rained down upon the Twelve Peak Citadels, but the interlocking shields effectively deflected them all.

Furthermore, half of the oncoming missiles were batted out of the air by precisely hurled Flying Swords. The imperfect execution of the Illusory Arrows had been successfully neutralized.

In the blink of an eye, the enemy had advanced to within a distance of eighty zhang.

“Are you still not prepared?”

“Ah! M-My apologies. The connection with the Heaven-Earth Wave-Splitting Sword was so seamless that I accidentally began incorporating the Flashing Light Parting Clouds Sword as well, which caused……”

“Focus, you fool! Pull yourself together. Captain Baek’s survival rests squarely on your shoulders.”

“Understood!”

Giving a firm nod, Murong Jae-hwa notched an arrow against his bowstring.

Perched high upon the tree branch, his frame remained impeccably steady, without a hint of shaking.

He closed his eyes briefly, and the moment he opened them,

*THRUM.*

Accompanied by low, powerful vibrations distinct from Jin So-un’s technique, a lone arrow was released.

It traveled in a perfectly flat trajectory, discarding any curved path.

It remained a singular, focused strike rather than dispersing into a crowd.

Observing the solitary incoming projectile, the vanguard of the Twelve Peak Citadels grinned disdainfully and lowered their defenses, fully expecting to easily deflect it with their blades.

At that moment,

*CRASH.*

The shaft tore through the right shoulder of the swordsman attempting to intercept it, the sheer momentum throwing his body backward by a distance of two zhang.

Horse-Piercing Arrow.

A shot possessing enough devastating force to puncture an entire mount and pierce straight through the heavily armored rider atop it.

Terrified by the staggering might of the single shot, the combatants of the Twelve Peak Citadels descended into panic, scrambling over one another to take cover behind large rocks.

Suddenly, the path ahead lay entirely clear, with not a single enemy visible across Murong Jae-hwa’s field of vision.

“You have successfully secured safety for Captain Baek.”

The hostile forces that had just been rushing forward to annihilate his allies were now utterly silent, not even daring to breathe loudly.

This abrupt stillness sent an intoxicating rush of excitement through Murong Jae-hwa’s veins.

The current iteration of the Murim Regular Exam was proving to be exceptionally turbulent.

Every outcome remained entirely unforeseen.

Across the southeastern sectors, outlaws and Japanese raiders formed an alliance, causing a vast number of candidates to fail during the First Trial.

Within the northwestern territories, confrontations erupted between suspected elements of the Unorthodox Path and the participants, inadvertently leading to widespread disqualifications midway through the test.

Meanwhile, in the northeastern quarters, Mantongbu was actively conducting an inquiry into the demise of five hundred individuals and trying to track down the mysterious perpetrators responsible.

Mirroring the previous examinations, the rankings remained completely volatile, with numerous prominent figures suffering unexpected defeats while obscure candidates surged forward.

Most notably, upon observing that the Twelve Peak Citadels—whom Daoist Master Myeonghyeon kept under close scrutiny—had suddenly halted their advance at Mount Song, the leader called an emergency meeting of the Righteous Path Association representatives within the Elder Hall.

“We erred in placing any faith in that faction from the very beginning. Was their primary objective not merely the absorption of the Taeul Sect?”

“Regardless of that, judging by how things unfolded, isn’t it advantageous for us that the two factions clashed directly?”

“That is hardly the core issue here. Rumors indicate that certain members within the Twelve Peak Citadels have actually stripped candidates of their Entry Tokens.”

Comprising sixteen individuals in total, the Righteous Path Association formed the majority of the thirty-seat Elder Hall. Knowing the immense influence their unified collective held—given that every single master present possessed the power to upend the martial world on his own—they continuously traded accusations.

“Come now, let us restore our composure. If the Righteous Path Association fails to maintain a united front, how can we hope to fulfill our grand ambitions down the road?”

Daoist Master Myeonghyeon, who currently presided as the chairman of the Righteous Path Association, delivered his words with gravity, yet several elders openly expressed their disapproval.

This dissatisfaction stemmed from his unfulfilled pledge to bring Mantongbu under the direct control of the Righteous Path Association, a task that faced continuous delays, which in turn revived long-standing doubts regarding his suitability for leadership.

“Setting unity aside, the prestige of the Righteous Path Association is on the verge of being dragged through the mud. How do you intend to respond if someone outside our alliance claims the first rank upon entering the Murim Academy?”

“If that occurs, we must simply accept it.”

“What……! Are you truly taking this matter so lightly?”

In truth, Daoist Master Myeonghyeon felt deeply frustrated that their scheme to coerce Jegal So-myeong into embedding an ally within Mantongbu had collapsed. Nevertheless, since Jin So-un—the very individual responsible for disrupting their plans—was still drawing immense attention, the chairman saw a fresh chance emerging.

“……Chairman. Do you speak so casually without realizing that allowing the Taeul Sect to establish a foothold in the Murim Academy could severely disrupt the future balance of power within the Murim Alliance?”

Despite the severity of the interrogation, Daoist Master Myeonghyeon calmly ran a hand down his long beard.

“Heh heh, why adopt such an ominous tone? After all, was the Murim Academy not founded precisely to identify and cultivate promising individuals through transparent means for the tranquility of our world? There is no inherent flaw in them joining after honing their abilities.”

“Ahem. Well……”

Naturally, everyone present understood that ideal. However, original noble intentions were one matter, while the cold mechanics of geopolitical reality were quite another.

“What Elder Cheon is attempting to articulate is his deep apprehension regarding Jin So-un of the Taeul Sect claiming the highest honors.”

“Precisely! That gets right to the heart of my concern.”

The Murim Academy distributed authority and privileges entirely according to academic and martial standing.

Since the prevailing ideology of an entire generation of students was shaped by the individual who secured the peak position, granting autonomy to the disciples was acceptable up to a point, but safeguarding the Murim Alliance by preempting any potential instability was of paramount importance.

“I entertained the hope that the Twelve Peak Citadels would prove effective for once, but they ultimately disappointed us. Consequently, the task falls to us to take direct action.”

“Chairman, what are you implying? Surely you recognize the severe repercussions of covertly meddling in the official proceedings of the Murim Regular Exam?”

“Naturally, an illicit intervention is out of the question. However, Elder Kang, are you truly content to sit back and watch a representative of the Taeul Sect seize the top ranking?”

“……Ahem.”

“Furthermore, are you aware of this detail? Jin So-un of the Taeul Sect, who is currently favored to win, previously received an Entry Token directly from the Grand Strategist himself.”

“Hmm? If that is the case, why is he participating in the standard Murim Regular Exam at all?”

“His motivations for undergoing the examination and the current location of that token are irrelevant. The true issue lies in the fact that this particular disciple of the Taeul Sect has drawn the personal interest of Jegal So-myeong.”

“……”

“Consider the consequences if this youth from the Taeul Sect successfully secures a position within Mantongbu, or perhaps even Sim Hyeon-gak.”

“Good heavens.”

“For the first time since Grand Strategist Jegal established his dominion over Mantongbu, an academy graduate will gain entry into that institution. And that graduate will hail from the Taeul Sect.”

Mantongbu served as the vital apparatus that directed the operations of the Murim Alliance.

To dominate Mantongbu was to wield unhindered influence over the entire Murim Alliance. Allowing an academy alumnus to infiltrate its ranks was unprecedented; they shuddered to think what sort of disruptions a youth armed with such vast institutional power might bring about.

“Not long ago, the Taeul Sect was widely viewed as a failing entity that deserved expulsion from the One Hundred Eight Peaks. If a practitioner originating from a clan that endured such profound disrespect rises to prominence within Mantongbu, do you honestly believe the harmony of our Murim Alliance can endure?

He will completely dismantle the established structure of the Murim Alliance under the banners of reform and advancement.”

One by one, the veteran masters shut their eyes, letting out heavy sighs as though the mere contemplation of such a future filled them with dread.

Because the collective focus had fully shifted toward the threat posed by Jin So-un and the Taeul Sect, nobody burdened Daoist Master Myeonghyeon further regarding his previous failures with Mantongbu.

Ultimately, rather than worrying about whether Mantongbu remained outside the grasp of the Elder Council at this moment, they harbored a far greater fear of an outsider they deemed trivial encroaching upon their shared jurisdiction.

“Indeed. When an unstable individual wields immense power, it is always the blameless masses who suffer the consequences.”

Even those members who had previously viewed Daoist Master Myeonghyeon with open suspicion began adjusting their stance, offering nods of agreement one after another.

Manipulating them proved remarkably simple.

Daoist Master Myeonghyeon suddenly felt a strange wave of gratitude toward Jin So-un, a man he had previously detested with a passion.

“We eagerly await the chairman’s enlightened guidance.”

“Please favor us with your prudent judgment, Chairman.”

Their respective entreaties resonated with a mixture of profound deference and mounting urgency.

Letting a brief pause quiet their collective anxiety, Daoist Master Myeonghyeon lightly moistened his lips before raising his voice to answer.