The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 14

Chapter 14
Chapter 14. A Third-Rate Warrior Who Saves a Girl

The celebratory feast for the sixtieth birthday, which was originally meant to last an entire week, reached an abrupt conclusion on its second day.

Travelers who had journeyed extensive distances from distant fortresses harbored numerous grievances over not being permitted to fully partake in the festivities, yet none dared to openly voice their dissatisfaction.

Following the shocking turn of events, the climate permeating the Iron Sword Sect had grown so threatening and heavy that anyone would think twice before releasing their frustration.

Prominent dignitaries from various regions had gathered for the occasion, but they departed without a proper farewell from Seong Cheon-wol, the Iron Sword Sect Leader.

In the wake of the disaster, Seong Cheon-wol retreated into complete isolation, while Seong Mo-hyeon was thrown into a dark cell.

“He mastered the Great Star-Absorbing Art! I am telling you, that man has absolutely mastered the Great Star-Absorbing Art!”

Seong Mo-hyeon kept shrieking about the forbidden Great Star-Absorbing Art like a lunatic losing his mind, but even the attendants delivering his food merely observed him with eyes full of bitterness and scorn.

Meanwhile, I regained consciousness in quarters that were completely unfamiliar to me.

‘What on earth is this?’

Neither my father nor Kang Chae-seok were in a position to possess such luxurious silk garments, and besides, their frames were so massive and bear-like that such delicate attire would look entirely ridiculous on them.

“Have you finally awakened?”

“Who might you be?”

“Do you ask that to put me to the test? Or is it simply an attempt to mock me? No matter what you intend, I find it quite distasteful.”

“…….”

“Is that the only response you have for me, the one who assisted you in that absurd little theatrical performance? A man who prided himself on righteousness?”

Just as I suspected, Jegal So-myeong was fully aware of everything.

The Taeul Heart Method was a cultivation technique of incredibly profound and immaculate purity, meaning that even if Seong Cheon-wol aggressively disrupted my energy centers, I would never sustain true internal damage.

“I acted rudely, Grand Strategist.”

“That is enough. Take a seat.”

Jegal So-myeong appeared to be buried under an immense mountain of backlogged tasks even at this moment, intensely focused on analyzing records and stamping his official seal on them.

Attempting to soothe my parched throat, I poured a cup from the teapot resting in front of me.

“The laceration inside your mouth was quite deep. Would it be preferable if I requested plain water for you instead?”

“Ahem……. N-no, it is quite alright.”

Though my internal energy remained perfectly unharmed, I had to forcefully tear the flesh inside my own cheeks to cough up blood for maximum theatrical impact.

Because of that choice, I likely wouldn’t be able to handle the mere scent of spicy cuisine for quite some time.

“You deduced the truth?”

“I became entirely certain the moment I inspected your condition. Even so, it was quite astonishing that you avoided any actual internal trauma. Does the Taeul Sect truly possess such an extraordinary internal cultivation art among its core techniques?”

“It is the Taeul Heart Method, the fundamental basis of the Taeul Sect.”

“The standard Taeul Heart Method should be entirely incapable of amassing that volume of internal energy.”

A query that required absolutely no response from my end.

The real issue at hand was understanding why Jegal So-myeong chose to keep the Iron Sword Sect Leader in the dark despite unraveling the entire plot.

If he only confirmed it after examining the cuts inside my mouth, it meant he had deduced the ruse far before that point, which would have allowed him to withdraw much sooner. Yet Jegal So-myeong chose to actively support my scheme.

“…… Berry well.”

As soon as he finished reviewing one particular record, he unrolled a fresh scroll, either applying his signature or rolling it back up to return it to its designated shelf.

“At what precise moment did you begin orchestrating this?”

“What exactly are you referring to……?”

“Was it during the welcoming feast that occurred the evening prior? Or was it the moment Seong Mo-hyeon brought up the forbidden technique?”

“……I am afraid I do not grasp your meaning.”

“You are merely squandering precious moments. Must I explicitly state how severe an offense it is to entangle the Murim Alliance in your personal theater by deliberately invoking the Execution Pavilion before you decide to speak truthfully?”

Only at that moment did the truth click as to why Jegal So-myeong had allowed himself to play along with the deception.

He had simply participated because he found the elaborate chessboard I had set up to be highly entertaining.

Remembering Cheon-gi’s philosophy that highly intellectual minds find themselves deeply drawn to clever and unpredictable schemes, I grew confident that I could negotiate a reward from the Grand Strategist.

“I genuinely have no idea what you have been implying since the moment I woke up.”

“……Am I truly forced to resort to the whip to get an answer?”

“As a general rule, I was under the impression that precious silver functions far better than a whip when one desires to loosen someone’s tongue.”

Staring at me with a look of absolute incredulity, Jegal So-myeong lifted the Ninefold Sword, which had been resting against his chair, and placed it firmly upon the wooden surface.

“Word is you initially declined when Seong Mo-ran proposed throwing a celebratory feast.”

It appeared he had meticulously traced the entire sequence of events from start to finish.

“The Iron Sword Sect Leader also explicitly promised to provide me with three Iron Heart Pills. Am I to assume that agreement has now vanished into thin air?”

“Heh heh.”

Jegal So-myeong pulled a compact wooden container from the folds of his robes, and I instantly pulled it open to verify that the three promised Iron Heart Pills were indeed resting safely within.

“……Are you truly auditing the merchandise directly in front of my face right now?”

“Is it not always wisest to ensure total certainty in all transactions?”

Jegal So-myeong’s expression clearly communicated that he couldn’t believe what an unprincipled scoundrel he was dealing with.

“The plan took shape the very instant I discovered the Iron Sword Sect had employed the services of the Gyeryong Merchant Guild to summon the Taeul Sect.”

“What did you say?”

“If their motivations were purely rooted in goodwill and companionship, wouldn’t they have delivered a courteous, standard invitation? Instead, they did the exact opposite. They leveraged the Gyeryong Merchant Guild, an entity with massive leverage over the Taeul Sect, to effectively compel our attendance. Why take such drastic measures unless they harbored a hidden agenda?”

“Huh…….”

Since the insights I possessed from my previous life were still fundamentally things I knew to be true, I chose to speak without fabrication.

Attempting to spin a web of lies right in front of the Grand Strategist would only result in my immediate exposure.

“Then did you foresee that Seong Mo-hyeon would accuse you of a forbidden art? And how precisely did you manipulate Seong Mo-hyeon into arriving at that conclusion?”

“Which of those two mysteries holds greater interest for you?”

“I find myself equally intrigued by both.”

“In that case, the transaction lacks proper balance.”

“What do you mean the transaction lacks balance? If not for my intervention, you would never have secured the Ninefold Sword or these Iron Heart Pills. Furthermore, you very well might have forfeited your own existence.”

“In retribution for that outcome, the Iron Sword Sect and the Murim Alliance would have been targets of public scorn and condemnation for decades to come. The Iron Sword Sect would never again possess the audacity to intimidate the Taeul Sect or attempt to cross into the One Hundred Eight Peaks.”

“Regardless of the hypothetical paths, the reality concluded this favorably because my cooperation was present.”

“Grand Strategist, you failed to take the necessary preventative measures in the first place, choosing only to intervene once the crisis escalated significantly. That can hardly be classified as providing assistance.”

“Are you claiming I neglected my proper responsibilities?”

“Our Taeul Sect was facing flagrant and unprovoked tyranny, yet instead of adjudicating what was right and wrong, you were busy calculating which faction offered greater utility to the Murim Alliance.”

“……That happens to be my solemn responsibility.”

“For that exact reason, I never actually received the Grand Strategist’s aid, nor do I owe the Grand Strategist any debt of gratitude. Therefore, providing answers to every single one of the Grand Strategist’s inquiries would represent a transaction that lacks proper balance, would it not?”

For the very first time, Jegal So-myeong’s mouth hung slightly open in sheer shock.

“Within the greater Murim, there exist individuals who will wait for countless days holding ten thousand pieces of gold just to secure a brief fifteen-minute audience with me. You stand to gain such an invaluable privilege by offering a few simple explanations, and yet you choose to reject it?”

“Is that not precisely because they seek an audience with you to acquire information that holds a value far exceeding those ten thousand pieces of gold?”

“Ha! You truly harbor no lingering regrets or desires before me?”

“Our Taeul Sect chose to take in Gye Cheol-yeong for the simple luxury of securing three daily meals rather than two. What earthly advantage could the Taeul Sect possibly secure by forming an alliance with the Grand Strategist?”

“Huh…….”

A completely transparent manifestation of deep irritation flitted across his face.

Even so, if this turned out to be our final interaction, wasn’t he essentially just some random elder?

Even if I eventually aligned myself with the Murim Alliance, what possible reason would I have to cross paths with a high-ranking bureaucrat from Mantongbu?

“In all likelihood, today marks the final occasion in my existence that I will ever lay eyes on you, Grand Strategist, does it not?”

规“…….”

“If you possess no further matters to discuss, I shall take my leave at this moment.”

“……Explain the matter of ‘Did you foresee that Seong Mo-hyeon would accuse you of a forbidden art?’”

Unsurprisingly for someone of the Grand Strategist’s nature, his intellectual fascination with tactical maneuvering far outweighed his curiosity regarding pure martial capabilities.

“It didn’t necessarily have to be a forbidden technique. Seong Mo-hyeon was absolutely convinced of his inevitable triumph, a sentiment that even the members of the Taeul Sect fully recognized. Operating under that mindset, his brain simply couldn’t accept the reality that he was suffering a defeat. In truth, any exceptional martial geniuses who choose to clash weapons with me will likely find themselves plagued by the inescapable suspicion that I am employing some form of dark sorcery.”

“……So you possessed the ability to simply win from the start?”

“Is that fact not something the Grand Strategist had already deduced as well?”

Jegal So-myeong was far more than a mere master of intellect; he was a brilliantly formidable Master Warrior in his own right.

During the days of his youth, whenever his legendary Snowflower Iron Fan was unleashed, the blood spilled from the factions of the Black Path flowed extensively enough to carve out a veritable river.

“If that is the case, would it not have been far simpler to secure a clean, honorable victory during the martial contest?”

“Had I merely secured a standard victory, I would have walked away with absolutely nothing of substance.”

“…….”

“Supposing I had dominated the martial contest through pure skill, who can say what underhanded schemes they might have deployed behind the scenes later on to destroy us? However, now that a massive public scandal of this magnitude has erupted, will they not be forced to remain entirely docile for a minimum of ten years, if nothing else?”

“I possessed the authority to completely look the other way until the very end.”

“Taking that course of action would be equivalent to rendering the very purpose of the Murim Alliance’s existence entirely meaningless. Would you truly have allowed your reputation to fall that low?”

To stubbornly close his eyes and ignore the injustice while martial artists gathered from every corner of the earth stood watching?

Such an act would have drastically accelerated the decline of public sentiment regarding the Murim Alliance, which was already shifting toward hostility.

“……Even taking that into account, what if the accusations had stuck, and you were permanently condemned as a practitioner of a forbidden art?”

“In that scenario, the agents of the Execution Pavilion of the Murim Alliance would have inevitably claimed my remains, and through a meticulous post-mortem examination, they would have ultimately proven to the world that I had never touched a forbidden art.”

Jegal So-myeong, who had gone completely silent as though his tongue were tied, finally spoke after a remarkably long pause.

“……You placed your entire existence on the line for a matter so incredibly trivial?”

“Did you truly just use the word ‘trivial’? It was because of that very ‘trivial’ matter that the Iron Sword Sect weaponized the Gyeryong Merchant Guild to suffocate the Taeul Sect. It is because of that ‘trivial’ matter that the physical injury Seong Ju-tak inflicted upon my father two decades ago remains an unhealed scar to this very day. It is because of that ‘trivial’ matter that every soul within the Taeul Sect stood entirely prepared to forfeit their lives fighting the combined might of the Iron Sword Sect.”

“…….”

“Is the prestige of the Jegal Clan not vastly more precious than mountains of gold to your heart? Why should the honor of a minor sect be viewed any differently?”

“Hmm…….”

This was precisely the fundamental flaw embedded within the mindset of high-ranking elites.

They possessed the narrow-minded arrogance to view their own family lineages as sacred and priceless, while treating our names as something unworthy of risking one’s life over.

That precise institutional arrogance must have been what caused the tragic downfall of the Murim Alliance in my previous life.

“Allow me to pose a single query then. If the identity of a minor sect carries such profound significance, then should the Taeul Sect and the Jegal Clan ever find themselves in direct opposition, what strategy would the Taeul Sect deploy to confront the Jegal Clan?”

“…… Terrific question.”

Rather than offering a verbal response, I simply locked eyes with him.

He immediately divined my meaning and let loose a sharp, amused chuckle of disbelief.

“Heh heh. The transaction lacks proper balance, is that your stance?”

“Precisely.”

“Very well. What token must I offer to bring balance to this transaction? I have attached myself to this traveling entourage with nothing but the clothes on my back, meaning I possess no funds and cannot offer financial compensation.”

Jegal So-myeong searched through the inner pockets of his fine robes and withdrew a compact medallion crafted entirely from ivory.

Upon the white surface of the token, which measured roughly the length of two fingers, the character for “Entry” was cleanly carved.

It was an artifact whose existence was the subject of endless myths and legends, yet almost no one in the world had ever set eyes upon an authentic piece.

An official Entry Token that granted the bearer immediate access to the prestigious Murim Academy without the requirement of enduring the brutal regular admission process—frequently referred to as the trial of regular hell—and bypassing the need for special recruitment, a unique entitlement reserved solely for the One Hundred Eight Peaks.

A legendary artifact that couldn’t be purchased even if one offered a staggering fortune of a hundred million gold pieces had just been placed directly in front of my eyes.

“Will an object of this magnitude satisfy your terms?”

I instantly snatched up the Entry Token, slipping it safely beneath my clothing, causing Jegal So-myeong to exhale another breath of pure shock at my swiftness.

“To intentionally position oneself against the Jegal Clan. Truly, the mere contemplation of such an event is terrifying. If I were forced to identify the single most formidable adversary among the entirety of the Five Great Clans, I would name the Jegal Clan without hesitation.”

“Save your hollow praise. Give me your answer.”

“Let us consider the options. To begin with, I would immediately liquidate every single piece of ancestral real estate and property I owned.”

“And what follows that step?”

“Subsequently, I would distribute those liquidated funds, separate the mature adults from the young children, and disperse them to the farthest corners of the earth. Even an organization as formidable as the Jegal Clan, prideful as an Orthodox Path lineage, would hardly dispatch execution squads to hunt down and slaughter scattered families just to maintain a secret, would they?”

“…….”

Jegal So-myeong stared directly at me with an expression one might reserve for watching a stray creature feast upon garbage.

“Is that truly the entirety of your master plan?”

“It is.”

“…….”

“Your request was for me to provide an answer to your query. You never specified that the strategy had to be flawless or correct.”

“……Was this deceptive response also part of your overarching tactical design?”

“The transaction lacks proper balance.”

“……I am utterly exhausted from hearing about your balance and transactions.”

“Am I permitted to take my leave now?”

“You do intend to enroll in the Murim Academy eventually, do you not?”

“……Well, is it absolutely mandatory that I personally attend?”

“I have bestowed the Entry Token upon you, meaning its ultimate utilization rests entirely on your judgment. Its validity has already been validated by the mere reality of its physical existence in your hands.”

“I grasp your point. I fully intend to test myself against the Murim Academy.”

“For anyone aspiring to secure a position within Mantongbu, completing the curriculum at the Murim Academy offers a distinct advantage.”

“Yes…… well, I suppose that is accurate.”

A prodigy among the greatest prodigies.

Mantongbu was an elite bureaucratic division that no ordinary individual could dream of entering, requiring an exceptionally sharp intellect above all else.

In reality, however, it was the absolute last destination on earth I desired to visit.

“The moment you graduate from the Murim Academy, I shall personally arrange a prominent administrative position for you within Mantongbu.”

“??”

Jegal So-myeong’s sudden, absurd declaration nearly caused me to lose consciousness from sheer frustration.

Mantongbu? What kind of nonsense was he spouting? Even throughout my entire past life, I had been utterly barred from standing shoulder-to-shoulder on the battlefield alongside my junior brothers because I was constantly drowning in official paperwork, and now he was suggesting I subject myself to that exact misery all over again in this lifetime?

I wouldn’t accept such a fate even if a blade were pressed to my throat.

Once the inevitable warfare broke out across the lands regardless, I would be forced onto the front lines anyway.

If that was the inescapable reality, it would be far better for my own growth, far better for the safety of my junior brothers, and far more beneficial for the soldiers in the field if I gathered raw combat experience from the very start and elevated my military rank naturally.

“Ah…… I harbor absolutely zero professional interest in joining Mantongbu.”

For the very first time in our conversation, Jegal So-myeong tilted his head in genuine confusion.

“I have found myself pondering this specific thought since the conclusion of your martial contest. Are you perhaps a bit mentally unhinged?”

No, quite frankly, when my own martial brothers are actively bleeding and dying on the front lines, isn’t the individual who proudly declares his intention to sit safely behind a wooden desk the one who is truly insane?