The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 138

Chapter 138
Chapter 138. The Black Flame Dragon Meets the Monster of the Ten-Thousand-Book Repository (2)

“I appreciate your diligence. I appreciate your diligence. I appreciate your diligence.”

He offered these words three distinct times to the workers employed at the Ten-Thousand-Book Repository.

The bent old man, offering pleasantries that went entirely unacknowledged, exited the Ten-Thousand-Book Repository and began his slow trek back to his quarters.

Because he lacked the status of an authorized employee of the Murim Academy, he was barred from the communal dorms, forcing him to make his way toward a tiny shack hidden away in a corner of the Murim Academy grounds.

He hobbled along, step by uneven step.

With his spine severely curved and a pronounced limp in one leg, every stride appeared to demand immense exertion, yet he pressed onward persistently without pausing to rest.

As he stepped onto an isolated woodland trail where bystanders were rare, a young man suddenly stepped into his path.

“Gah! Good heavens, you gave me quite a fright!”

Owing to his hunched posture, the elderly man naturally walked with his gaze fixed on the dirt beneath him.

He only noticed the youth once the distance between them had closed completely, causing him to recoil in sheer panic, nearly stumbling over backward.

“W-Who might you be?”

The young man pressed his palms together in a respectful greeting and announced his identity.

“My name is Jin So-un, an initiate of the Taeul Sect and the current representative of the Murim Academy.”

“Ah…? Oh, I see. But whatever brings you to this path? This isn’t a route that people typically frequent.”

Jin So-un rubbed the back of his neck and explained,

“The truth is, I have recently encountered a major bottleneck in my training, and overcoming it has proven exceedingly difficult… I was hoping you might be willing to offer me some guidance, Old Master.”

“M-Me? No, what could someone of your stature possibly require from an infirm, deformed old man like myself…?”

“Well, I am not requesting that you formally impart your secret martial arts to me. I simply wish to know if you could share a bit of the fundamental secret to channeling Sword Force from the techniques you employ, Old Master.”

“S-Sword Force?”

“Precisely.”

“Young master. Throughout my long life, I have scarcely been able to raise my eyes to look at the sky. How could a person of my low standing possess any understanding of Sword Force?”

“Is that truly the case?”

“Without a doubt. If you were to grab any random pedestrian on the thoroughfare and ask them, they would surely provide a far more enlightened response than I ever could.”

Hearing the bent elder’s dismissal, Jin So-un stroked his jaw, appearing deep in reflection.

“Perhaps you could share the underlying purpose behind your residence here? If you do, I believe we might be able to strike a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

“The purpose? What hidden motive could an isolated elder possibly have beyond performing menial chores to earn a handful of copper coins?”

“Even so, for the legendary Sword Demon, widely acknowledged as the absolute peak of the Black Path Murim, seeking refuge within the Ten-Thousand-Book Repository of the Murim Academy feels like a highly unfitting arrangement.”

“…”

The bent old man’s jaw dropped slightly, rendering him completely mute as though he had just heard an assertion too ridiculous to even comprehend.

“…Young master, are you perhaps suffering from some delusion or ailment?”

“Hmm… Just as I suspected, you have absolutely no intention of voluntarily dropping your disguise, do you?”

“Whatever are you talking about…?”

The very instant the bent elder shifted his gaze to look directly into Jin So-un’s eyes.

Jin So-un’s hands began to vibrate with incredible speed, unleashing dozens of overlapping fist phantoms into the open air.

Then, aiming to utterly overwhelm the elderly man in an instant, the strikes rained down upon his entire form, leaving no part of his body untouched.

THUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUD.

Caught completely off guard by the abrupt assault, the bent old man was sent flying over twenty feet through the air before crashing heavily onto the earth, coughing up a spray of blood upon impact.

“Keugh.”

The elderly man lay crumpled on the dirt in a pitiful state, yet Jin So-un merely inspected his own knuckles and remarked,

“You are truly extraordinary. How did you manage to neutralize the impact of every single one of those strikes right at the moment of contact?”

“Keuheuk.”

As if providing a silent confirmation to Jin So-un’s observation, the elder spat out another mouthful of crimson fluid.

His ghostly white face made it seem as though he were hovering on the brink of death.

Nevertheless, Jin So-un unhurriedly unsheathed his blade, completely unmoved by the grim sight.

“Are you aware of this distinction? Blood that originates from a genuine internal injury possesses a deep, dark red hue. Conversely, manufactured blood spat out by intentionally biting the inner lining of one’s cheek is a vivid, bright crimson. I am intimately familiar with this trick because I have utilized it frequently myself.”

“…”

“The technique I am about to demonstrate is a signature martial art of my own sect, so I would be grateful if you would grant me your appraisal.”

The moment the words left his lips, Jin So-un’s Black Dragon Sword flashed, causing five distinct blades to manifest in the empty air.

As each of those five weapons began to move in perfect sync to execute intricate sword forms, scores of illusory blades radiated outward from them, rapidly filling the entire clearing.

“This technique is known as Ten Thousand Swords. While it possesses the capability to intercept Sword Force, it doesn’t quite seem advanced enough to thoroughly dominate Sword Force. I ask that you evaluate its form, Old Master.”

As soon as he finished his sentence, the mass of Black Dragon Swords hovering in the air descended simultaneously, targeting the bent old man.

Just as the frail, elderly body was about to be utterly shredded by the dozens of blades plunging downward with lethal intent.

PING.

The bent elder’s eyes snapped wide open, and a slender tree twig, no thicker than a common chopstick, was suddenly clenched tightly in his grasp.

And from that simple piece of wood erupted a massive, five-foot column of pure Sword Force.

KABOOM, KABOOM, KABOOM, KABOOM, KABOOM, KABOOM, KABOOM, KABOOM!

The manifestation of Ten Thousand Swords and the immense Sword Force collided head-on, triggering a catastrophic detonation.

The residual torrent of Sword Force that surged outward completely wiped away the remainder of the Ten Thousand Swords technique and completely engulfed Jin So-un as well.

—————!

DONG, DONG— powerful shockwaves rippled outward in consecutive rings.

The forest birds that had been roosting peacefully were instantly startled into flight, obscuring the sky above.

The dense thickets across the uncultivated mountainside were leveled in a single, sweeping motion, and the thick layers of dead leaves blanketing the forest floor were flung into the air like ocean waves cresting.

Furthermore, Jin So-un’s garments, having borne the direct brunt of that crushing wave of Sword Force, were reduced to mere shreds.

“Keugh.”

Suffering from a genuine internal rupture, Jin So-un coughed up a dark pool of blood.

Jin So-un gestured toward the dark stain he had just expectorated, showing it to the bent elder with a smirk.

“Observe. A legitimate internal injury produces a deep red color exactly like this.”

Having delivered his line, Jin So-un’s strength gave out, and he collapsed heavily onto the ground.

The bent elder, still holding the broken twig, stood frozen with an expression of absolute bewilderment as he stared down at Jin So-un.

“What kind of lunatic acts like this…?”

He had spent his entire life navigating the treacherous currents of the murim and had crossed paths with every conceivable type of person.

Yet never before had he encountered an individual as utterly unhinged as Jin So-un.

“Ugh…”

The bent old man was at a complete loss as to how he should handle the bizarre situation before him.

—

When my consciousness returned, I found myself resting inside a dilapidated hut.

The ceiling had been patched together so haphazardly that beams of sunlight pierced straight through the gaps, and there wasn’t a single item of value or quality among the meager furnishings.

‘Even so, he holds the title of the Sword Demon in name, at the very least…’

Seeing a figure of his reputation living in such squalor, I had no choice but to recognize his presence at the Murim Academy as a sign of absolute dedication to his purpose.

My Sensory Perception detected the whereabouts of the Sword Demon nearby.

However, I refrained from immediately rising to confront him outside.

Because my internal energy had been violently disrupted by the clash with the Sword Demon—to the point of vomiting blood—it was imperative that I stabilize my internal state before stepping out.

Adopting a cross-legged posture, I began to circulate the principles of the Taeul True Scripture.

As I guided my True Qi to inspect my internal pathways, I discovered to my relief that the damage was not overly severe.

After successfully managing my internal trauma, I exited the shack and spotted the Sword Demon seated on a simple wooden bench, deeply engrossed in a text.

He had apparently abandoned his charade of being a crippled old man, as his posture was perfectly erect, and he didn’t bother to glance my way even as I approached.

‘To think that the legendary Sword Demon would spend his time poring over books.’

This was a man whose absolute fixation on martial paths had earned him the terrifying moniker of Demon.

I felt a profound curiosity regarding what could compel such an individual to remain at the Murim Academy just to read through mundane literature.

Stepping closer to get a better look, I realized he was reviewing the academic theses submitted by former students.

“Whatever drives you to read material of that nature?”

The specific document the Sword Demon was inspecting was an old thesis composed by a graduate of the Murim Academy, a swordsman formerly recognized by the title Blue Flower Martial Sword.

Since Blue Flower Martial Sword himself had never achieved true greatness as a martial artist, the academic paper he had turned in was similarly uninspired.

It was essentially a superficial piece of writing that merely plagiarized the works of older students, tacked on a few minor adjustments, and presented it in a clean format.

Observing a martial master of the Sword Demon’s caliber analyzing such a basic document as though it were an invaluable Secret Manual felt completely surreal.

“Are you familiar with the concept that ‘Dao Gives Birth to One; the One Becomes Taiji’?”

“I am.”

“Explain it.”

“What makes you so interested in that particular concept?”

“I have examined no fewer than three thousand academic papers up to this point, and every single one of them utilizes those exact same phrasing.”

“For someone posing as an infirm servant, your tone when requesting information is remarkably prideful.”

“…”

Only at that moment did the Sword Demon finally lift his eyes to face me directly.

“Did you venture here to converse with a pathetic, bent old man?”

“I came here to speak with the Sword Demon.”

“Then is this arrangement not perfectly fitting?”

“I suppose it is.”

“Explain it.”

“The phrase you just cited represents a foundational tenant of Daoist philosophy. It outlines the sequence by which all existence in the cosmos is manifested…”

The Sword Demon abruptly tossed the book aside, cutting off my explanation mid-sentence.

I reached out and neatly caught the volume the Sword Demon had thrown.

“My goodness. Was that explanation perhaps too complex for your taste?”

“Do I still appear to be nothing more than a simple, uneducated servant to you? Did you truly believe I would be ignorant of concepts like Great Change, Great Beginning, and Great Commencement?”

“Ah, so you were already well aware of those terms?”

“What I wish to understand is why every author records the exact same philosophy while merely swapping out the specific characters used to describe it.”

“Because it is a mandatory requirement for them to graduate.”

“They compose these works solely to secure graduation, rather than out of a genuine pursuit of personal comprehension?”

“Precisely.”

“Miserable fools. It is a profound blessing that I never chose to enroll in this academy.”

“In that case, may I be permitted to pose a query of my own now?”

“There is no need. Depart from this place. And ensure our paths never cross again. If they do, I will ensure it ends in your demise.”

“Mm… I suspect that might prove to be rather complicated for you.”

“Hah, do you genuinely believe I lack the capability to kill you?”

I shook my head from side to side.

“No. That isn’t what I meant. If I happen to perish, you will lose the ability to maintain your sanctuary here, Sword Demon.”

“Do you mistakenly believe I would leave behind any evidence of my involvement?”

“No. I will be the one ensuring the evidence exists. Every single time I set out to converse with you, Sword Demon, I intend to inform others that my destination is a meeting with the bent Old Master of the Ten-Thousand-Book Repository.”

“…”

I gestured toward the pile of student papers strewn carelessly across the wooden bench where he sat and inquired,

“Are you not anchoring yourself to the Murim Academy because you have a specific objective you wish to fulfill?”

“…”

“I may not amount to much, but I still serve as the official representative of the Murim Academy in my own capacity. Should I meet an untimely end, regardless of the cover-up, an old servant occupying such an enigmatic role will undoubtedly be driven out of this establishment… Are you prepared to accept that outcome?”

Just half a day prior, his gaze had betrayed intense inner turmoil whenever he looked my way, but now his eyes remained perfectly steady, resembling a vast, tranquil body of water.

When a practitioner’s mastery over martial arts achieves the absolute peak, can they truly suppress the involuntary physical reactions brought on by their internal emotions?

“By what means did you discern my true identity?”

In all honesty, my discovery had been a product of sheer fortune.

Throughout the duration of my time spent committing the texts of the Ten-Thousand-Book Repository to memory, I had consistently observed the Sword Demon operating in his servant guise from a very close distance.

Later on, during the events of the Great Righteous-Demonic War, the legendary Sword Demon who unified the factions of the Black Path Murim displayed gait patterns and behavioral quirks that were identical to those of the elderly servant from the Ten-Thousand-Book Repository.

A human being naturally behaves in accordance with the ingrained habits, environments, and physical mannerisms that have defined their existence.

Even identical twins are incapable of entirely masking those minute behavioral variations.

Yet the bent servant and the notorious Sword Demon moved in a manner so identical it was as if one had been cloned directly from the other.

“I realized who you were after witnessing the subtle technique you employed against my fellow student, So Cheon-su.”

“You managed to catch that?”

“It was distinct and perfectly visible to my eyes.”

Naturally, this feat was only achievable because I had already suspected his identity as the Sword Demon and kept a highly vigilant eye on him, and even with that advantage, I hadn’t truly grasped the entirety of his movement.

However, since I couldn’t possibly disclose the actual timeline of how I possessed knowledge regarding the Sword Demon, I had to obfuscate the truth with this vague explanation.

I genuinely felt that since my regression, my aptitude for deception was reaching greater heights with each passing day.

Whew. In my past life, I had been an honorable and straightforward individual who was entirely incapable of deceit.

“Why would someone who successfully perceived my technique approach me with a request to learn martial arts?”

“Ah, well. Could you not simply view it as me possessing an absolute fixation on the martial path, much like yourself, Sword Demon?”

In his earlier days, the Sword Demon had belonged to an orthodox sect.

Becoming utterly consumed by the path of the blade, he had embarked on a relentless crusade of challenges, completely indifferent to the background of his opponents, and his willingness to disregard all danger in pursuit of martial perfection was what eventually earned him the title of Demon.

Consequently, rather than attempting to reason with him through conventional logic, I chose to demand a single lesson using the exact same aggressive methodology he had pioneered in his youth.

“You absolute madman…”

In response, the Sword Demon glared at me with an expression of pure, murderous incredulity.

Receiving the label of a “madman” from an individual whose very title incorporated the word Demon was a highly unusual experience that didn’t bring much comfort.

Furthermore, despite the fact that this man had committed the exact same reckless actions in his past that I was currently replicating, he showed absolutely no inclination to show me any leniency or understanding.

What a thoroughly self-centered person who only evaluated situations from his own perspective.

Tsk. It is hardly surprising that he ultimately aligned himself with the Black Path.

I cast a glance over the scattered academic texts on the wooden bench where he sat, then locked eyes with him once more.

“Under these circumstances, why don’t we revisit the proposal I suggested earlier? I will provide you with the answers you seek, Sword Demon, and in return, you will grant me the knowledge I desire.”

The Sword Demon stood as one of the exceedingly rare masters capable of engaging in a direct confrontation with Gwak Gung.

I am absolutely determined to acquire at least a single piece of your martial wisdom.