The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 109

Chapter 109
## Chapter 109. Great Journey of Avici Screams (8)

From the moment Murong Jae-hwa lifted his bow, our path forward began to clear up considerably.

PING.

TWANG.

As Murong Jae-hwa’s Horse-Piercing Arrow rained down upon the ambushers, masked by the deceptive Illusory Arrows I fired into the sky, the enemy forces broke rank and fled in sheer terror at the staggering devastation of the projectile.

An attack that completely defied defense instilled absolute terror, causing their advance to falter.

Taking advantage of their hesitation, our group caught its breath.

“Brother, do you recall what you mentioned to me earlier?”

“What are you referring to?”

“The legend of the warrior who held off ten thousand troops entirely by himself. Surely that was just a tall tale, wasn’t it?”

Even though he was hearing a tale of his own future, Jae-hwa found it difficult to accept as reality.

A gentle chuckle escaped my lips.

“It is absolute truth. There is not a shred of hyperbole in it.”

In my past life, the sole reason I could walk alongside him—a solitary predator who placed his trust in no one—was entirely due to what I remembered.

Because of that, I was privileged to witness a breathtaking spectacle that no other living soul had ever beheld.

“He held back an army of ten thousand completely unassisted.”

While standard military horn bows were said to possess a maximum reach of one hundred zhang, the massive iron bow he wielded could strike targets at four hundred zhang.

Furthermore, his ultimate technique, the Thunderbolt Arrow, triggered a colossal detonation of internal energy, laying waste to the entire targeted area.

As I described the topography etched into my mind, he would interpret the wind currents, the contour of the land, and the vibrations of the earth, unleashing his arrows toward completely unseen targets.

When a solitary shaft, fired from a distance so immense it could not be tracked by the naked eye, plummeted into an enemy formation, the resulting blast spread destruction outward like heavy artillery fire.

Though the overwhelming majority of those Demonic Practitioners had lost their sanity to Demonic Qi, they were still driven by primal instinct to cower beneath the lightning bolts cascading from the heavens.

Confronted by his iron bow, a force of ten thousand could not advance a single pace.

“The Thunderbolt Arrow……. How could that individual share the exact same ideas as me?”

“The horn bow of the Ghost Bow Sect is certainly robust, but it will likely struggle to withstand your true strength over time. Down the line, you should transition to an iron bow. I’ll put you in touch with an artisan elder who possesses incredible skill.”

“……Brother.”

Detecting an unusual tremor in his voice, I shifted my gaze toward him, only to find tears pooling in his eyes.

“Why on earth are you reacting like that?”

“Brother, you are truly the savior of my life. Moving forward, even if you claim that one can brew fine wine from plain water, I will believe your words blindly and follow you anywhere.”

The memory of the hardened Jae-hwa from my previous existence flashed through my mind, leaving me to do nothing but sigh quietly.

-I despise humanity. Human beings possess far less loyalty than stray dogs.

Seeing him display such unblemished innocence now, a stark contrast to the man he once was, brought a strange sense of comfort to my chest.

“Ah, but Brother. How is it that I have never once encountered a single rumor regarding a master of that caliber?”

“…….”

I started to construct a plausible fabrication, but the words shifted on my tongue.

“He…… met his end in total solitude.”

“What? For what reason?”

-Let you be the solitary keeper of the knowledge that I ever drew breath. My existence was a shameful affair, defined entirely by evasion and retreat.

Those were the parting words he uttered when he finally drew his last breath, cut down by the Dark Soul-Severing Unit.

“Because he felt a deep sense of shame for constantly fleeing from his own destiny.”

As I spoke these words, silently wishing that the unresolved sorrows of the Murong Jae-hwa from my past would resonate with the young man before me, the current Murong Jae-hwa sank into a profound silence.

With Jae-hwa and myself continuously suppressing the hidden attackers, we managed to make our way safely toward Nanzhao.

Owing to our efforts, our exhausted companions were granted a brief window to recuperate and snatch a few moments of sleep.

“Brother, another wave is approaching.”

“I have eyes on them. Get into position.”

“They truly possess boundless energy when it comes to hunting us.”

Despite the fact that Jae-hwa was forced to constantly reposition alongside me and maintain a vigilant watch without a moment’s rest, he betrayed no symptoms of fatigue.

PING.

TWANG.

Our projectiles arced high over a contingent that appeared to number roughly five hundred combatants.

“Wait, Brother, they aren’t scattering this time.”

Up until this point, the hidden foes had broken out in a panic whenever they faced the unstoppable might of the Horse-Piercing Arrow, diving behind massive rocks or taking cover under dense foliage, paralyzed with fear.

“Let us unleash another volley.”

Operating in unison, we each let fly three consecutive shafts.

Enhanced by the Illusory Arrows, a veritable deluge of projectiles blanketed the sky above the advancing force, yet the targets showed not the slightest hint of disarray.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

All five hundred warriors simultaneously unleashed their Palm Force toward the heavens, generating a succession of concussive blasts that mirrored rolling thunder beneath the unclouded sky.

“…… shreds of caution thrown to the wind.”

It was an entirely crude, overwhelming display of brute capability, but its effectiveness was completely undeniable.

Furthermore, as long as Murong Jae-hwa remained incapable of executing the Thunderbolt Arrow, we lacked the destructive capacity to breach their defense.

“Remain here for a brief moment.”

It was imperative that I ascertain the true nature of this force.

There were precious few organizations capable of mobilizing five hundred martial artists to discharge coordinated Palm Force with such flawless, synchronized execution.

Deploying the Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art, I closed the distance between us in a heartbeat, catching sight of their distinctive sect attire. A muted groan escaped my throat.

“Zhongnan…….”

It was the factions of the Nine Sects and One Gang reemerging once more.

Left with no viable alternative, we were forced to alter our trajectory, abandoning our path toward Nanyang to redirect our course toward Mugang.

Our group no longer possessed the vitality required to clash with a force numbering five hundred, particularly when dealing with adversaries of the Zhongnan Sect’s caliber. Retreating was our sole option, yet maintaining a blind flight without a single wink of sleep was growing impossible now that every member of the entourage had pushed past their physical boundaries.

I spoke in a hushed, grave tone.

“This time, the roadblock is Shaolin.”

The moment we veered off toward Mugang, a contingent of three hundred monks from the Shaolin Temple took up the pursuit, snapping closely at our heels.

“The genuine crisis lies in a different direction entirely.”

Following my statement, the countenances of the companions staring back at me with hollow, exhausted eyes grew markedly bleaker.

“The Twelve Peak Citadels have stubbornly maintained their hunt, and intelligence indicates that both Mount Hua and Diancang are mobilizing their forces as well.”

“Is it an absolute certainty that their movements are directed at us?”

Namgung Seon-hwa parted her parched, cracked lips to speak.

She appeared on the absolute precipice of structural collapse.

Though a wave of pity washed over me, I had no choice but to offer a grim nod of confirmation.

“The most direct trajectory from Mount Song to Tianmen, the seat of the Murim Academy, requires a traveler to navigate through Nanzhao and Dongzhou before crossing the borders into Hubei. Mugang is entirely hemmed in by the Dabie Mountains. They have intentionally traveled this far off-course with the sole purpose of cornering us.”

“…… shreds of hope shattered.”

Her expression made it clear that she desperately wished this reality were nothing more than a nightmare.

“What course of action remains for us, Young Master Jin……?”

Seong Mo-ran’s condition mirrored that of Namgung Seon-hwa. The woman who had consistently radiated a vibrant, boundless aura was now so fragile that a sudden gust of wind might shatter her completely.

“The most tactically sound option involves traversing the Dabie Mountains.”

“Ah…….”

“…….”

Muted groans and weary sighs rippled through the gathered martial artists.

Even the hardened fighters who had persevered through sheer stubbornness and pride up to this point understood perfectly well that negotiating the terrain of the Dabie Mountains was beyond their current physical state.

Worse still, three notorious Black Path factions held dominion over the territories surrounding the Dabie Mountains. Should we run afoul of those cutthroats, our people wouldn’t merely sustain debilitating wounds; they would be systematically slaughtered.

“……Seeing as that path is unfeasible, we shall instead cut across to Dongzhou by way of Nanyang. The cost, however, is that we must forego any further intervals of rest.”

“……That alternative is far preferable.”

“……I agree, that is the wiser path.”

Having arrived at a resolution that felt akin to choosing between being consumed by flames or swallowed by the deep sea, our bedraggled group resumed its march once more.

“They are right there! The Entry Tokens are within our grasp!”

“Launch the assault!”

“Every last one of them is running on empty. If we simply trample those miserable fools, our entry into the Murim Academy is guaranteed!”

Despite the formidable arrival of prestigious orthodox entities like Shaolin, Mount Hua, and Diancang, the independent raiders refused to abandon the hunt.

If anything, because these opportunists had been lying in wait along the forward paths, they grew increasingly desperate to wrest away the Entry Tokens before the monolithic forces of the Nine Sects and One Gang arrived to claim the prize.

“…….”

“Haa, haa.”

“Kgh, haa.”

Our band of survivors pressed through the engagements with a level of desperation and agony that surpassed anything prior.

Those whose physical reserves were entirely depleted no longer found the breath to raise war cries or shout commands.

Their minds focused purely on executing the most efficient, lethal maneuvers required to down an opponent and break free from the melee.

We found ourselves positioned on a minor, nameless peak along the route leading toward Nanyang.

Our group sought refuge within the shadows that came with the descent of night.

The standard hour for evening sustenance had long since slipped away, yet the notion of striking a campfire never crossed a single mind.

In fact, no one even bothered to reach for the preserved jerky they typically consumed out of habit.

Every single individual within the party desired nothing more than to silently close their eyes and dissolve into the surrounding blackness.

The silver moon, which had remained obscured behind a thick blanket of clouds, drifted into the open, casting its pale light across Seong Mo-ran’s haggard features. She offered a strained, self-deprecating smirk.

“……Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would dedicate myself to practicing Moving Circulation with this level of frantic intensity.”

“…….”

“…….”

The remaining companions could manage nothing more than weary, hollow smiles, lacking even the strength required to voice an audible chuckle.

SCREEECH-

The piercing cry of a predatory bird reverberated beneath the moonlit sky.

Sensing an unexpected development, I pushed myself up from the dirt and let out a low, distinct whistle.

True to my suspicions, the avian creature that swooped downward with heavy flaps of its expansive wings was none other than the Iron Hawk belonging to Hao Gate.

“To arrive at an hour such as this…….”

Under normal circumstances, Hao Gate transmitted its compiled intelligence dispatches precisely once per day during the morning hours.

For them to intentionally deploy a Messenger Hawk into the depths of the night meant something critical had transpired.

I lost no time in unfastening the container attached to the Iron Hawk’s leg.

The amount of parchment tightly wound around the limb of the Iron Hawk far exceeded the brief notes that had arrived at dawn.

“…….”

Every eye in the group, well aware that I relied on Hao Gate to monitor the macro movements surrounding our position, locked onto my face.

I found myself momentarily at a loss as to how I should articulate the grim realities detailed within the text.

“What intelligence does the dispatch contain?”

“……It indicates that the Qingcheng Sect along with Kongtong are currently advancing northwards, having already bypassed Wuhan.”

“…… shreds of silence fell.”

“…….”

The ultimate objective for both the Qingcheng Sect and the Kongtong Sect, who had undergone their examinations within the territories of Jiangnan, logically should have been Wuhan—the actual site hosting the Murim Academy.

Namgung Seon-hwa, who had maintained a stoic silence, spoke up with a tone saturated in pure skepticism.

“What logical reason could they possibly have for directing their advance toward the north?”

Not a single soul among us dared to voice the glaring deduction that answered why those factions would choose to press northward after already clearing Wuhan.

“No, look past that…… Does this entire scenario not strike everyone as fundamentally bizarre? There ought to be an abundant supply of Entry Tokens circulating within Jiangnan already. From the strategic viewpoint of both Qingcheng and Kongtong, their ultimate prospects only diminish the further they travel from their destination. What objective could possibly justify this level of exertion?”

“That reasoning is sound. Securing admission to the institution is the primary goal. It defies logic to claim they are pursuing us merely because our group holds a high concentration of Entry Tokens. After all, the total pool of Third Trial Tokens is entirely set from the beginning.”

“Furthermore, the behavior of Shaolin follows the exact same baffling logic. Why are they actively hunting us down? They have already captured a perfectly sufficient quantity of Entry Tokens for their needs.”

The anomaly wasn’t restricted to Shaolin. Factions like Mount Hua, Diancang, and Zhongnan had similarly secured an identical quota of Entry Tokens compared to their historical averages from their own operational theaters.

“I believe I am in a position to provide the resolution to that mystery.”

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG.

At the sound of the foreign voice materializing from the dense blackness, our instincts took over like a lightning strike as we unsheathed our blades in unison.

A solitary form drifted with ghostly silence through the obscured timber.

“Is that a g-ghost?”

Geum-pyo yelped, nearly jumping clear out of his boots.

He was far from the only individual to react with a visible flinch. The swordsmen representing the various noble lineages all tightened their grips on their weapons, their eyes tracking the figure as it darted laterally through the brush like a phantom.

“I offer my sincere regrets for causing such alarm. Given how meticulously you had concealed your presence, tracking your location proved to be quite the formidable endeavor.”

Staring intently at the individual stepping clear of the heavy shadows, I spoke.

“What precise business brings Senior Il-myeong so far from his usual grounds?”

The interloper was none other than Small Buddha Il-myeong, an established figure within the prestigious Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

Unlike the surrounding martial artists who were currently calming their racing hearts, my gaze remained locked onto him without a single flicker of distraction.

“I have journeyed here to shed light on the grand design unfolding across the landscape at this very moment.”

“Your words imply that a specific architect is orchestrating these events behind the scenes.”

Il-myeong offered his characteristic, serene smile—a expression so profoundly comforting it seemed to gently mock the absolute terror felt by the men who had branded him a phantom a moment prior.

“The consensus among the masses is that our generation’s Murim Regular Exam is transpiring with a level of ferocity unmatched by any previous year……. yet my assessment differs fundamentally.”

“…….”

“The crucible of the regular exam that you and these esteemed bodhisattvas are currently navigating will, in all likelihood, unravel into the most brutal and anarchic examination recorded in the annals of our history.”

Il-myeong lowered his gaze, inclined his torso, and delivered a formal bow.

“And when the dust settles, every single one of you will face absolute disqualification.”

“This marks the very first occasion I have been made aware that the renowned Small Buddha of the Shaolin Temple possesses the gift of prophecy.”

I ground my molars together in frustration, but Il-myeong merely offered a soft, self-deprecating laugh in response.

“Benefactor, your spirit remains akin to a raging conflagration.”

“You must pardon my lack of civility. The reality of our present circumstances leaves little room for standard etiquette.”

Il-myeong offered an understanding nod, acknowledging the gravity of the plight.

“Our presence here is dedicated to altering the trajectory of a timeline wherein every member of your party is utterly undone.”

“You continuously employ the term ‘our.’ Is it merely a defect of my own vision that prevents me from seeing your companions?”

“Haha, in truth, because we fragmented our numbers across the territory to maximize our chances of locating your trail, I arrived at this specific coordinate entirely on my own.”

“Who comprises this collective you speak of?”

“To render the explanation with absolute precision, it is not a collective initiative. It represents a master stratagem conceptualized and set into motion exclusively by ‘him.’”

“To whom are you referring?”

“Hyeoncheong…… Ah, it is highly probable you recognize him more readily under the moniker of ‘Yong So-ah.’ He urgently requests an audience with you.”

“…….”