The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 132

Chapter 132
Chapter 132. The Black Flame Dragon Who Proves Himself (2)

“Well, that truly is a pity. Ha-ha-ha.”

Hearing Jegal So-myeong speak with a voice that lacked even a shred of genuine remorse, even a man like Hyeok Mu-gang could not suppress a deep frown.

It was likely this exact malicious streak that made the Elder Hall harbor such intense dislike for Jegal So-myeong.

Regardless, just as Jegal So-myeong had observed, Hyeok Mu-gang was entirely unable to mask his deep dismay.

“Hmm… Even so, when taking into account Jin So-un’s tactical brilliance and sheer capability, wouldn’t it serve everyone better if he were brought into the Alliance Leader’s Hall?”

He had gone so far as to deploy a Shadow Warrior simply to gauge Jin So-un’s true prowess, which in turn secured a single opportunity for the Alliance Leader’s Hall to pitch a recruitment offer, only to be flatly turned down to his face.

“What are you implying? The agreement was for a single chance at recruitment, and nothing more.”

Had it been the Elder Hall in this position, they would have undoubtedly nitpicked and suspected some hidden plot, given Jegal So-myeong’s notoriously stingy reputation. However, Hyeok Mu-gang had personally witnessed Jegal So-myeong state the terms with absolute gravity from a distance of a hundred jang, leaving no room for such doubts.

Even so, Hyeok Mu-gang pressed the matter slightly further out of sheer reluctance to let it go.

“If you truly believe he possesses the kind of genius that will one day command the entire Murim Alliance…”

“Ho-ho, Alliance Leader, if the members of the Elder Hall or the various Pavilion Masters caught wind of such statements, they would lose their minds. I must ask you to hold your tongue.”

“…”

Since when had Jegal So-myeong ever given a damn about their opinions anyway?

After quietly pondering that contradiction, Hyeok Mu-gang let out a soft, weary breath.

There was still an abundance of time ahead, and nothing dictated that Jin So-un would confine his talents solely to the Mantongbu indefinitely.

He reasoned that whenever a fresh prospect presented itself in the future, he could simply broach the topic once more.

With his mind finally settled on the matter, he felt prepared to engage in a measured evaluation of Jin So-un.

“What did you make of him, Grand Strategist?”

“He is, to put it plainly, a prodigy tailor-made for the Mantongbu.”

“Understood. I shall leave the Alliance Leader’s Hall out of this, so please share your thoughts freely.”

Despite having passed his sixtieth year, Jegal So-myeong had been acting as restlessly as a toddler terrified that someone might snatch away his favorite plaything. Now, however, he gave a composed nod.

“His securing the highest marks in the Murim Regular Exam was by no means a fluke.”

There were those who claimed Jin So-un had merely ridden a wave of good fortune, using a deceptive intellect to pilfer the premier rank.

Furthermore, that exact skepticism remained one of the primary obstacles preventing them from validating Jin So-un’s standing as a true representative.

“It is precisely because he wielded such formidable martial power that he was capable of executing his intricate strategies without hindrance.”

By Jegal So-myeong’s estimations, had Jin So-un wished to do so, he was entirely capable of clearing the Murim Regular Exam completely solo, without relying on a soul.

Yet, he had chosen to navigate the Murim Regular Exam while guiding his junior disciples and peers, and despite that burden, he had still claimed the absolute top position.

That specific quality was exactly what Jegal So-myeong found so incredibly desirable in Jin So-un.

“Immense martial prowess combined with profound tactical foresight. He is a rare genius destined to serve as a cornerstone guiding the Murim Alliance into the eras to come.”

When it came to staggering martial execution, Yong So-ah was already a proven entity.

However, perhaps owing to his stellar lineage and natural gifts, Yong So-ah had never encountered a situation that demanded the use of intricate plotting.

On the flip side, when it came to brilliant strategic manipulation, Maeng Ju-won already stood unrivaled.

Yet, Maeng Ju-won’s grand designs could never be properly realized due to the severe limitations of his physical martial power.

The Murim Alliance, having evolved into a massive political chessboard, had effectively transformed into a relentless theater of war.

One had to orchestrate the movements of those wielding the physical leverage known as martial arts by employing every conceivable form of leverage and justification.

If that orchestration faltered, the Murim Alliance would face a future of complete disintegration.

“We may be surviving comfortably at present because no immediate threat looms directly before us, but the moment the Demonic Cult reemerges, the Murim Alliance in its current fractured state will crumble under the onslaught.”

There was no shortage of minds capable of drawing up battle plans.

However, even within the vast expanse of the Murim Alliance, one could count on a single hand those who commanded a sufficient blend of political leverage, family pedigree, tactical cunning, and raw martial strength to see those plans through to fruition.

In particular, there was a total absence of any young talent like Jin So-un, who remained entirely untainted by allegiance to any specific faction.

“For the time being, his primary vulnerability must be considered his lack of a powerful background.”

Relying solely on Jegal So-myeong’s scattered insights, Hyeok Mu-gang had already discerned exactly what Jegal So-myeong envisioned for Jin So-un, as well as where Jin So-un’s shortcomings lay.

“The backing of the Mantongbu and the Alliance Leader’s Hall on their own won’t suffice, will they?”

Hearing Hyeok Mu-gang’s assessment, Jegal So-myeong signaled his agreement.

“If the foundation of his home sect lacks teeth, Jin So-un’s operational freedom will be severely restricted.”

“In that case, our best course of action would be to extend our backing to the Taeul Sect.”

“Providing overt assistance would merely trigger intense paranoia among the other factions. Furthermore, if they discover that both the Alliance Leader’s Hall and the Mantongbu are propping up Jin So-un, the existing powers are certainly not the type to sit idly by.”

The Alliance Leader’s Hall and the Mantongbu functioned as the personal instruments of the Alliance Leader and the Grand Strategist, representing the absolute peak of executive power within the Murim Alliance.

Given that the Righteous Path Association and the Orthodox Path Association were locked in a constant struggle to expand their sway over these exact two bodies, any leak of this conversation would prompt the entrenched elite to neutralize Jin So-un by whatever means necessary.

“I shall devise a method to channel resources to the Taeul Sect quietly through the networks of the Mantongbu.”

“And does he not require a mentor to oversee the development of his martial techniques?”

“…”

The most pressing concern facing them at this moment was undeniably Jin So-un’s martial progression.

For some baffling reason, despite controlling a terrifying reservoir of internal energy equivalent to three full cycles, he had failed to demonstrate an ability to adequately counter Sword Force.

“The Taeul Sect has failed to produce a single adept capable of wielding Sword Force in its modern history. This is almost certainly because, ever since reclaiming the lost manual of the Taeul Sword Emperor, he has been forced to train entirely in isolation.”

“…Hmm.”

Even if a cultivator encounters a spectacular Fortuitous Encounter, failing to have a seasoned master correct one’s posture and direction means the journey toward true mastery will take vastly longer.

Given that the solitary exponent of Sword Force currently residing within the Murim Academy was the Academy Head himself, it stood to reason that Jin So-un would be left to wander that path alone, just as he had done in the past.

“Where exactly should we benchmark his current baseline?”

Hyeok Mu-gang was genuinely contemplating the idea of assigning one of his personal Shadow Warriors to act as Jin So-un’s secret instructor.

In reality, Hyeok Mu-gang had little practical use for the Shadow Warriors in his daily affairs; he believed that if a day arrived where Shadow Warriors were actively required for his safety, the Murim Alliance would already be functionally doomed.

“Would it not be reasonable to place him a step beneath the likes of Yong So-ah or Il-myeong?”

“Hmm…”

Jegal So-myeong was a scholar whose expertise lay heavily in administrative text rather than physical combat, and Hyeok Mu-gang had maintained such a significant physical distance that he had been unable to dissect the exact mechanics of Jin So-un’s movements during those rapid exchanges of the duel.

“Shadowless.”

The syllable had barely left Hyeok Mu-gang’s lips before the precise warrior who had engaged Jin So-un materialized silently in the space separating Hyeok Mu-gang and Jegal So-myeong.

“What is your assessment?”

“…”

“You have traded blows with both Yong So-ah and Il-myeong in the past, so you should possess a clear grasp of his comparative standing.”

“When I crossed blades with Yong So-ah, it was my actions that forced the initial display of Sword Qi, and during my clash with Il-myeong, it was Il-myeong who first manifested Fist Qi.”

“Oh… Does that imply he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Yong So-ah?”

“He appears to operate on an entirely different wavelength.”

“A different wavelength?”

“Indeed. Yong So-ah’s conceptual breakthroughs and sheer level of cultivation are undeniably vast, whereas Jin So-un gave the impression of possessing an uncanny, almost instinctive genius for active combat. He seamlessly weaponized the surrounding environment, and he frequently deployed casually dropped remarks specifically to disrupt my focus.”

Jegal So-myeong, absorbing the report from Shadowless, interjected with a question.

“Then, if forced to declare which of the two presents a more formidable challenge in a controlled match?”

“…Without question, that would be Yong So-ah.”

Jegal So-myeong offered a nod of understanding.

However, before the thought could settle.

“Yet, if the question is shifted to define which individual I would dread encountering on an actual field of slaughter, my answer would be Jin So-un.”

“…?”

“…!”

Shadowless maintained his unblinking, steady delivery.

“While Yong So-ah’s blade functions as an instrument to demonstrate his personal dominance, Jin So-un’s steel feels engineered for a solitary, uncompromising objective: the absolute termination of his target.”

“…Meaning he prioritizes lethal pragmatism over meaningless pageantry or concepts of chivalry?”

In a strange way, that description perfectly captured the essence of Jin So-un.

Hyeok Mu-gang addressed Shadowless with a mild tone.

“Then, who among your rank would be the most qualified to be dispatched as his hidden martial guide?”

“…”

Shadowless remained locked in a profound silence for an extended beat.

Then, just as his lips parted to offer a response.

Without warning, every trace of color drained from Shadowless’s features, leaving him deathly pale.

“What assails you?”

“I—I beg your indulg—”

Shadowless, who had instinctively begun to pivot to leap away with those words, convulsed violently and sprayed fresh crimson blood onto the ground.

As the captain, mortified to have suffered such a loss of control in a setting of such high gravity, scrambled to wipe away the blood in a frantic panic, both Jegal So-myeong and Hyeok Mu-gang observed him with expressions of profound astonishment.

“The internal damage… is that a parting gift from your exchange with Jin So-un?”

Following a tense pause, Shadowless forced out his confirmation.

“…It is. I was actively attempting to suppress the internal disruption, but your sudden command to appear disrupted my focus…”

“…You absolute blockhead.”

“…”

Shadowless stood as the pinnacle commander of the elite Shadow Warriors attached to the Alliance Leader’s Hall.

Witnessing this, Hyeok Mu-gang and Jegal So-myeong found themselves completely at a loss to calculate what manner of powerhouse they would have to covertly assign to Jin So-un to serve as an effective martial tutor.

—

Just when I imagined I could finally haul myself out of bed, I found myself pinned to the mattress for an additional two days, entirely due to the physical toll of that clash with the operative from the Alliance Leader’s Hall.

My internal meridians were entirely unharmed, but because I had pushed my physical frame so mercilessly, a deep, pervasive muscular agony locked down my entire body for the first time in an age, rendering the mere concept of movement a distant fantasy.

The sheer violence of my movements meant that standard Qi Circulation and specialized Breathing exercises failed to rapidly dissolve the profound exhaustion.

Even so, the venture could hardly be called an absolute failure.

‘Should I interpret this outcome as proof that I can hold my own against the elite Shadow Warriors of the Alliance Leader’s Hall?’

Going by the hidden chronicles penned by Sim Hyeon-gak, the operatives of the Alliance Leader’s Hall were permitted to field missions as true Shadow Warriors only after mastering at least the eighth stage of the Tiger Spirit Divine Art, an esoteric internal cultivation method restricted exclusively to their ranks.

Furthermore, given that the man had actively manifested Sword Force, he had comfortably entered at least the Peak realm.

I could reasonably deduce that my own capabilities had ascended to a comparable tier.

“Even so, I never anticipated that Ten Thousand Swords would possess the defensive utility to check Sword Force.”

The absolute pinnacle martial form within the records of the Taeul True Scripture was indisputably the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula, but the sole reason I had neglected to wield it effectively until now was that my comprehension of its principles remained shallow, and its combat efficiency was drastically poor.

While the alternative Twin Heaven Sword Formula could easily manipulate an adversary’s perception by generating dozens of phantasmal illusionary blades, the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven-Earth Sword Formula forced me to confront a foe utilizing fewer than five tangible manifestations of the Ten Thousand Swords.

To make matters worse, the expenditure of internal energy it demanded was astronomical; a reckless execution carried the immediate threat of leaving my Dantian entirely drained of energy.

“Regardless, given its performance at this tier, it remains an immensely viable asset.”

For a martial artist completely in the dark regarding the necessary insights to unlock true Sword Force, my current predicament was undeniably frustrating.

The exceptional prodigies of the prior Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, including the likes of Yong So-ah, were undoubtedly capable of commanding Sword Force, and it was only a matter of time before individuals capable of invoking Sword Force began to surface among the current crop of academy disciples.

Had my options truly run dry, I had even weighed the possibility of making a pilgrimage to the ancestral seats of the Namgung Clan or the Murong Clan to secure dedicated tutoring.

“I had no inkling it harbored this degree of destructive potential.”

Now that I possessed definitive proof that Ten Thousand Swords could counter Sword Force to a manageable degree, I could afford to cast aside a portion of my anxieties regarding that specific technique.

Once I had mapped out a coherent trajectory for my training, my gaze drifted toward a secluded corner of the quarters.

Resting there was a partially scorched timber log, easily as thick as an adult man’s thigh, standing upright on its own.

“I haven’t the faintest clue what prompted him to alter his stance so abruptly.”

I had explicitly demanded the Demon-Subduing Divine Wood from the Grand Strategist as my price for participating in that martial contest.

However, that transaction was predicated on my securing an outright victory, or at the absolute minimum, engineering a forced stalemate.

It was never intended to be honored following a scenario where I was left thoroughly bested.

“Did some spectacular stroke of fortune land in his lap out of nowhere?”

The rumors painted Jegal So-myeong as a creature of absolute arithmetic who honored his pledges down to the last digit, but it appeared that assessment was wide of the mark.

At the very least, rather than being carved into a grand entrance sign for some obscure, nameless organization, the wood was now slated to be processed into protective talismans. Wouldn’t that redirect its utility toward preserving dozens of actual lives?

Following another two days of mandatory recuperation, I finally integrated back into the academy’s academic routine.

Namgung Seon-hwa, Seong Mo-ran, Hong Sa-ryeon, and for some baffling reason, even Eun Seol-ran converged on me to unleash a collective torrent of reprimands over why I had jeopardized my safety so recklessly. Still, enduring their scolding was a massive upgrade over waking up to the sight of Jegal So-myeong’s face.

The general mood permeating the academy grounds had undergone a radical shift.

Even as I slipped into the lecture hall in my customary manner, I noticed an unmistakable surge in the number of eyes tracking my movements.

Where they had previously treated my existence with complete apathy—gazing at me as though I were a random farm animal—there was now a marked increase in individuals studying me with an unreadable, highly peculiar intensity.

As I claimed a vacant seat suited to my tastes and arranged my materials for the session, the whispers of the students seated adjacent to me drifted into my ears.

“Word is we’re being deployed to Sichuan for the upcoming practical field assignment.”

“Sichuan? If they’re sending us on an expedition, it ought to be somewhere like Beijing or Nanjing. What could possibly be worth seeing out in the wilds of Sichuan?”

“Who can say? Rumor has it that some anomaly occurred in Sichuan during the course of the Regular Exam… Supposedly, our deployment is intended to serve a dual purpose as an active investigation.”

In the history of the Murim Alliance from my past existence, the leadership had concluded that the disturbance in Sichuan during that specific Regular Exam was the handiwork of surviving holdouts from the Unorthodox Path.

Operating under that delusion, they had dispatched the student body of the Murim Academy on an external field assignment under the guise of an investigative task force, only for more than half of those young cultivators to suffer horrific demises upon colliding with the Corpse-Mountain Blood Cult—an entity the entire world assumed had been permanently eradicated.

‘So the currents of destiny settle into this groove regardless?’

Despite the reality that I had derailed and remolded significant chunks of the timeline, there remained fundamental junctures where the overarching macro-currents of history refused to deviate.

In any event, if the catastrophic clash with the Corpse-Mountain Blood Cult was an immutable fixed point, I needed to accelerate my timeline for initiating the Mount Heng Sect invitation event.

As I found myself unconsciously tracking their dialogue, my gaze locked squarely with theirs.

These weren’t individuals who typically viewed me with any active hostility, so I made a move to break eye contact out of pure exhaustion, but then an unexpected interaction broke the pattern.

“Is your physical health fully restored?”

“…?”

For a fleeting instant, I assumed the query was directed at someone positioned behind me and instinctively checked over my shoulder.

Yet, their focus remained anchored directly on my face.

“We found ourselves quite deeply concerned for your well-being.”

“You truly pulled off an extraordinary feat.”

Perhaps finding the mounting silence awkward because I offered zero immediate reply, they gave a pair of somewhat rigid nods before pivoting back to resume their private discussion.

What under heaven had transpired in my absence?

“In the wake of the entire Righteous Path Association debacle, the collective perception of Young Master Jin has experienced a total transformation.”

Hearing Seong Mo-ran’s explanation, I tilted my head in confusion.

“What exactly are you getting at?”

“Because you willingly threw your life into the breach to intervene in a crisis that not only the academy students aligned with the Righteous Path Association, but even the senior Elders hesitated to touch. When you finally emerged looking like a shattered ghost, there were actually students who broke down into tears on the spot.”

“Ah…”

It appeared that pushing my body past its breaking point had yielded an unexpectedly favorable dividend.

“That does not mean you are permitted to orchestrate a repeat performance of such recklessness.”

“Ahem. Understood. Still, don’t you find the environment a bit too intense if the sole catalyst is a simple rise in their general goodwill toward me?”

“…The individuals from the Righteous Path Association who faced summary expulsion were notably absent of any ties to the Nine Sects and One Gang.”

“Ha-ha-ha.”

When the dust finally settled, three specific academy students were cast out as the primary architects of the disturbance, yet among that trio, not a single soul belonged to the prestigious Nine Sects and One Gang.

Some manner of backroom compromise had clearly been struck internally, and having accepted the terms, those sacrificial lambs had shouldered the entire blame and stepped into exile. However, the broader public did not view that transparent display with an indulgent eye.

“From the outset, asserting that the masterminds possessed no affiliation with the Nine Sects and One Gang is nothing short of covering one’s own eyes while mimicking a cat’s meow.”

“There is certainly truth in that perspective.”

Furthermore, because of the interference engineered by the Righteous Path Association faction, the precise operational window for the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation had completely expired. Coinciding with the collapse of the Soul-Destroying Formation, which had endured flawlessly for a month, the candidates who were originally scheduled to test their mettle within its boundaries were ultimately denied entry entirely.

Regardless, due to that specific failure, it seemed the internal friction currently paralyzing the Righteous Path Association was refusing to quiet down anytime soon.

Capitalizing on that exact vulnerability, the Orthodox Path Association and the Twelve Peak Citadels were aggressively trying to poach and absorb fractured elements from the Righteous Path Association.

“Tsk, tsk. They truly exhaust their energies on political machinations that will ultimately amount to nothing.”

“Pardon? What is?”

“It’s nothing. Shift topics—when are the remaining members of our group scheduled to arrive?”

Because my dangerous venture into the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation had caused them such intense anxiety, they had collectively demanded that I compensate them with a lavish feast, a term I had submissively agreed to.

Even during the trials of the Murim Regular Exam, it felt as though we had never truly enjoyed an opportunity to simply relax and share an unburdened moment exclusively among ourselves.

“They are approaching from that direction. However…”

In the distance, I could discern Namgung Seon-hwa, Hong Sa-ryeon, Eun Seol-ran, the Gold-Silver-Copper Brothers, and even Murong Jae-hwa making their way toward us, but the hand Seong Mo-ran had raised to signal them slowly lost its momentum and dropped.

“…”

The sudden drop in enthusiasm was entirely due to the presence of a man with a freshly shaved scalp marching closely in their wake.

“I can’t shake the distinct impression that I have transformed into an uninvited guest here.”

“…”

Il-gak offered the remark paired with a soft, placid smile, yet his words were met with an absolute wall of silence from the group.

“I simply cannot find the words to express my profound relief that Benefactor Jin emerged from the perils of the Soul-Destroying Formation completely unscathed.”

The moment Il-gak’s syllables echoed, sharp creases began to multiply across the foreheads of everyone gathered at the table.

Unwilling to allow his presence to sour an otherwise perfect gathering, I moved to cut straight through his rhetoric.

“I don’t believe our current relationship warrants this level of cordial pleasantry. Why don’t you skip the preamble and deliver your actual business?”

“…”

Il-gak’s composure faltered for a fraction of a second, and just as his features threatened to twist into something ugly, he seamlessly readjusted his mask to project that same saintly, benevolent expression.

“The senior Elders of the Righteous Path Association have extended a formal, official invitation to Benefactor Jin.”

“…!”

“…!”

Every single person assembled turned their eyes upon Il-gak, their faces frozen in absolute shock.