The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 112

Chapter 112
Chapter 112. Black Path Night March (2)

Four Emperors Peak.

While the Black Path Murim lacked a unified governing body, this massive sect was undoubtedly the primary power that epitomized their entire faction.

Because our group had forcefully breached the front entrance of Four Emperors Peak, which had been temporarily closed due to the Murim Regular Exam, our arrival was met with absolute hostility.

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG.

Merely moments after the alarm sounded, hundreds of disciplined Black Path warriors flooded the Grand Riding Ground with bared weapons.

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG.

A dense thicket of blades enclosed our companions so tightly that it truly resembled a literal Forest of Swords.

As for our group.

“Pant, pant, pant, pant, pant.”

“Gasp, gasp, gasp, gasp, gasp, gasp.”

“Whew, whew, whew, whew, whew.”

Oblivious to the danger, they lay sprawled across the earth, desperately trying to recover their wind.

They had sworn a solemn oath not to abandon their leader to face a sinister Black Path organization by himself, yet their exhaustion was so overwhelming that none could even unsheather their weapons.

“What gives you scum the right to trespass on this sacred ground?”

The sea of combatants parted down the middle, allowing a massive warrior clad in dark plate armor to step forward.

“Did you think the protection of the Murim Regular Exam extended to this place?”

CLANG.

He yanked a massive heavy blade from his belt.

Only at that moment did my companions regain awareness, their faces losing all color as they took in the overwhelming numbers of Black Path martial artists encircling them.

“Idiots. You should have just withdrawn from the competition, but you brought this ruin upon yourselves. Execute them all immediately and dump their corpses beyond the thresholds.”

“Understood!”

Accompanying a deafening roar that vibrated through the air, an oppressive aura of bloodlust surged from all sides.

“H-Hold on! Pant, pant. Give me a second.”

Gently, I lowered Namgung Seon-hwa, whom I had been carrying, to the floor.

“Do you believe you can stroll in and out of Four Emperors Peak at your leisure?”

“No, that’s not what this is!”

“If this is a pathetic attempt to buy time, I will sever your limbs and toss you to the swine.”

Dark energy materialized and flickered along the blade of the massive commander.

“I get it! Go ahead. But wait, just a brief second! Give me just one moment.”

Swiftly, I plunged my arm inside my vestments.

SHNK. SHNK. SHNK. SHNK. SHNK.

Five cold blades halted right against my windpipe.

“I-I’m only retrieving an item.”

“Hold your strikes.”

Gently, I pulled my fingers back out of my clothing, revealing the token nestled in my hand to the towering figure.

Beginning with the armored leader, the surrounding martial artists widened their gaze in utter shock.

“H-How… How could a pathetic brat from the Orthodox Path possess…”

I felt a warm fluid trickling down my spine.

From the rear, Namgung Seon-hwa cried out in panic.

“Young Master Jin! You’re bleeding!”

Oh, so it was blood?

I had assumed it was merely perspiration.

That explained the sudden lightheadedness overtaking me.

Steeling my consciousness, I announced out loud.

“I request an audience with the Four Emperors Peak Lord. My name is Jin So-un from the Taeul Sect.”

“Jin So-un?”

“The Taeul Sect?”

“Wait, isn’t he the one called the Black Flame Dragon?”

“Oh? So this punk is that renowned prodigy, the Black Flame Dragon?”

Indeed, I am that ridiculous Black Flame Dragon you speak of.

Swearing fiercely in my thoughts, I allowed my eyelids to shut.

“Well, this is quite intriguing.”

A murmur escaped the lips of the White-Bearded Divine Sword Hyeok Mu-gang as his fingers brushed the unsettlingly deformed skin of the dead body.

“Interesting… A portion of the remains seems to be missing from this area, and this laceration appears to have been inflicted post-mortem, correct?”

Having already inspected the remains, Jegal So-myeong offered an affirmative nod.

“A faction likely excised a sample to study the anatomy while transporting it to the Alliance.”

“Hmm… Could the members of the Elder Hall be responsible?”

“There is no other likely culprit. Regardless, they are a secondary concern.”

“In that case, are you implying that the modification responsible for this state originates from the Demonic Cult?”

“Precisely. The submission of my analysis was held back because I required time to excavate ancient documents within the innermost archives of Sim Hyeon-gak.”

Jegal So-myeong chose to omit the fact that the entire operations of Mantongbu had been brought to a standstill just to scour Sim Hyeon-gak.

“……”

Hyeok Mu-gang narrowed his eyes, gently twirling his lengthy silver whiskers.

“However, wasn’t the Heavenly God Cult that arose on Mount Tianshan a century ago utterly wiped out?”

A century prior, the Heavenly God Cult had emerged on Mount Tianshan declaring themselves the inheritors of the Demonic Cult, only to be completely annihilated by the Azure Heaven Great Emperor, who served as the Alliance Leader during that period.

“The scale of this threat far surpasses theirs.”

“Rumors claimed they managed to craft a hundred Iron Corpse Puppets.”

“The methodology used here is entirely distinct.”

“At its core, it forces them to attain proficiency in an unnatural style fusing Concealment Art and blade techniques, pushing them to the Peak stage. Subsequently, these Peak masters are subjected to an atrocious transformation known as the Fluid-Body Bone Sword, yielding these aberrations.”

It was an abominable ritual requiring the sacrifice of no fewer than thirty Peak masters just to fashion one single abomination.

“According to our intelligence, a minimum of twenty such creatures are currently circulating through the populace.”

“……”

Faced with such an impossible and terrifying scale, even Hyeok Mu-gang went entirely silent.

“…An organization powerful enough to slaughter six hundred Peak masters for parts…”

“Is completely unheard of within the Central Plains Murim.”

The Peak tier was universally recognized as the absolute ceiling for a standard martial artist, achievable only through a lifetime of unrelenting training and significant clan backing.

The mere thought of an entity sacrificing hundreds of such masters was chilling.

“Regardless, the tracking method was undeniably effective. Without these physical remains, locating their trail would have been impossible.”

Just imagining Peak experts who blended into the darkness and launched surprise attacks was enough to induce a cold shiver.

“Sigh… I am at a loss.”

Hyeok Mu-gang’s uncertainty was perfectly understandable.

Even Jegal So-myeong, whose strategic vision encompassed the entirety of Jianghu, found himself paralyzed regarding the next course of action.

“To start, we must establish a theoretical adversary to prepare against.”

“…Do you believe the Elder Hall will comprehend the gravity of this?”

“…Which is precisely why this intelligence must remain strictly between us for the moment. Thankfully, there are no records of their movements following the events at the Puyang Plains.”

“Reflecting on that, we have received no communications from the Kunlun Sect.”

Historically, the Demonic Cult occupied the region of Mount Tianshan.

The Kunlun Sect had served as the frontline defense that initially contained them, operating as the primary forward intelligence for the Orthodox Path factions.

Jegal So-myeong tightened his expression.

“Their attention is likely fully absorbed by overseeing the Regular Exam.”

This particular iteration of the trials was proving to be far more chaotic than any prior year.

“That explains the unusual silence from the Elder Hall.”

“……?”

“Was that youth’s identity Jin So-un from the Taeul Sect?”

“!!”

Jegal So-myeong sharply looked up.

Due to the unprecedented growth in power of the Nine Sects and One Gang alongside the Five Great Clans, selecting a Murim Alliance Leader from either coalition proved impossible.

Consequently, they settled on the White-Bearded Divine Sword Hyeok Mu-gang, an unaffiliated master of immense singular power; yet over time, it became apparent that Hyeok Mu-gang had quietly established a personal espionage ring.

“It merely serves to facilitate my responsibilities as leader. Should you desire, Grand Strategist, I can disclose my sources to you.”

Following a brief contemplation, Jegal So-myeong declined with a wave.

Fundamentally, did it truly matter if the White-Bearded Divine Sword Hyeok Mu-gang developed a personal following?

Of what relevance was an alliance to a warrior possessing the singular might to overwhelm every elder within the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Clans simultaneously?

“There is no need. I ought to apologize for failing to supply you with an adequate network beforehand.”

“Haha, regardless, this turn of events must be quite disappointing for you. Word reached me that you had taken an interest in young Jin So-un.”

Hearing Hyeok Mu-gang’s observation, Jegal So-myeong let out a sharp click of his tongue.

Had the manipulative snakes of the Elder Hall not interfered with their schemes, he could have recruited his initial Mantongbu operative straight out of the Murim Academy.

“It cannot be helped. He is bound to fulfill his compulsory enlistment eventually. I plan to station him within our ranks at that time.”

“Consider this alternative: I shall temporarily assign him to the Alliance Leader Hall for the interim. When the circumstances align, I will transfer custody to Mantongbu.”

Jegal So-myeong stared at Hyeok Mu-gang with an expression dripping with absolute skepticism.

“Unbelievable, you are fully aware of the crushing workload Mantongbu handles, yet you make such a proposition!”

“Ah, wait, that is not what I meant. Merely as a temporary measure before his official induction into Mantongbu…”

“If I wished for that, I would have secured him ages ago. Do you believe I lacked the leverage to draft him? It is entirely due to administrative diplomacy. Diplomacy!”

“…Cough. My apologies, Grand Strategist. I allowed my personal desires to cloud my judgment.”

“Ensure you do not suggest it further. That brat belongs to my division, and I refuse to permit anyone to poach him.”

Historically, the primary entity responsible for intercepting promising recruits meant for Mantongbu was none other than the Alliance Leader Hall.

Seeing that the commander was now attempting to commandeer an individual to serve as a personal scribe, his obsession with collecting gifted minds was growing excessive.

‘If he craves subordinates to this degree, he should simply found his own lineage.’

Jegal So-myeong had repeatedly volunteered to assist him in forming a private school, making it utterly baffling why a man who consistently declined such offers remained so possessive over capable youngsters.

‘There is absolutely no way I will allow him to pilfer another one.’

Vowing to protect his claim at all costs, Jegal So-myeong proceeded back to Mantongbu when he spotted a frantic figure sprinting toward the Alliance Leader Hall, causing him to sigh in irritation.

“Good grief. What could possibly be rattling around in that fool’s skull?”

He then bellowed aggressively at Maeng Ju-won.

“You idiot! Have you forgotten the gravity of this facility, behaving so recklessly!”

“Grand Strategist, a c-catastrophe has occurred!”

However, catching sight of Maeng Ju-won’s pale, utterly panicked expression, a cold dread gripped his chest.

Given that the subordinate was typically unshakeable, this display of pure terror magnified his own anxiety.

“Don’t tell me, has the Heavenly Demon Divine…”

“Our beloved So-un! He was forced straight into Four Emperors Peak due to the underhanded, cruel plots of the Nine Sects and One Gang!”

“…… Bars …”

“Woe is us, he will never find a wife now. This is a tragedy!”

Observing the man weeping hysterically as if mourning a family tragedy, Jegal So-myeong calmly pulled back his cuffs.

“They say a harsh thrashing is the premier remedy for insanity.”

Following Seong Mo-ran’s remark, the entire room shifted their attention to the comatose Jin So-un.

“He needs to regain consciousness first before we can talk about punishments or accolades.”

Owing to the authentic identification token of the Four Emperors Peak Lord that Jin So-un had produced upon their arrival at Four Emperors Peak, their executions were temporarily stayed, though their predicament remained dire.

Setting aside the mystery of how Jin So-un obtained the token of the Four Emperors Peak Lord, the boy remained unresponsive, leaving them unable to request an audience with the leader himself. Instead, they were confined to a single chamber under the surveillance of two thousand Black Path combatants.

Compounding their hopelessness were the grim pronouncements of the Physician who had examined Jin So-un before departing.

“He is effectively a corpse walking. Abandon your hopes for him and secure your own survival. The sheer strain he inflicted upon his own physical vessel is staggering… Unbelievable.”

Following the Physician’s diagnosis, the Gold-Silver-Copper Brothers as well as Namgung Seon-hwa fell into a state of stunned grief.

They had placed their trust in Jin So-un because he promised this was their sole remaining path, yet with Jin So-un remaining deeply unconscious, their strategy was collapsing.

BANG.

Abruptly, the entrance swung wide, and more than ten Black Path operatives strode inside.

Every single one was outfitted in the dark plate armor that served as the emblem of Four Emperors Peak.

Trailing them, a colossus of a man crossed the threshold.

“Is he still out cold?”

Though his abrasive demeanor invited a hostile response, none of Jin So-un’s allies dared to challenge him openly.

This was Giant Shield Hwang Bu-sik.

Holding the rank of fourth leader within Four Emperors Peak, he was renowned as a top-tier powerhouse across the Black Path Murim.

The legendary tale of thirty First-Rate Warriors from the Diancang Sect being reduced to lifeless bodies after crossing paths with him stood as a testament to his terrifying martial prowess.

“Barely forty-eight hours have elapsed.”

“Failing to revive within two days indicates his fate is already sealed. Furthermore, given the pressure we face, do you honestly believe we have the luxury of acting as his medical caretakers?”

Seong Mo-ran found herself unable to suppress the indignation boiling within.

“We arrived under the protection of the Four Emperors Peak Lord’s personal token. We expect at least a baseline of respect.”

Hwang Bu-sik let out a dismissive scoff.

“The individual granted the authority of the Four Emperors Peak Lord’s token was none other than the Black Flame Dragon Jin So-un. So long as he remains comatose, the authority of that item is void.”

“Allow us to speak with the Peak Lord directly. I am aware of his goals.”

Any lingering hint of mildness vanished entirely from Hwang Bu-sik’s features.

“Listen here, little girl. Do you truly believe the leader of Four Emperors Peak is someone a nobody like you can simply request to see?”

“……”

“Beyond our borders, the pupils of the Nine Sects and One Gang are aggressively demanding that we surrender Jin So-un’s faction. Fundamentally, our Black Path Murim maintains strict non-interference regarding affairs of the Murim Alliance. Granting you a two-day reprieve means the debt of that token has been settled in full.”

“This can’t be happening…”

What purpose did it serve to gamble their very existence to reach this destination, only to jeopardize the survival of their primary pillar of support?

Seong Mo-ran bowed her head in despair.

“Gather your belongings and vacate the premises. We will, at the very least, oversee the care of the Black Flame Dragon.”

“…… cast …”

“Depart from the grounds of Four Emperors Peak prior to nightfall.”

Ignoring the dejected expressions of Seong Mo-ran and her comrades, Hwang Bu-sik pivoted around to exit the room.

“…Is Four Emperors Peak truly terrified of the initiates from the Nine Sects and One Gang?”

“!!!”

Hwang Bu-sik froze instantly in his tracks.

A crushing pressure erupted outward from his frame.

“What foolish child presumes to—”

Paying no mind to the explosive pressure emanating from Hwang Bu-sik, the companions whipped their heads toward the cot where their unconscious leader lay.

“Young Master Jin!”

“Young Master Jin!”

“Eldest Senior Brother!”

In that spot, Jin So-un had managed to push himself upright, his torso rocking unsteadily.

“Hmph. Black Flame Dragon. You’ve finally decided to rejoin the living?”

“Luckily, I didn’t exceed the forty-eight-hour limit. Lead me to the individual responsible for saddling me with that ridiculous title. Inform him that Jin So-un is here to settle accounts.”