The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 152

Chapter 152
## Chapter 152. The Black Flame Dragon amid Chaos (2)

Dang Hyeok-je himself had approached me regarding the vacancy for the position of Yueyang Branch Chief.

He intended to hand in his resignation and depart immediately, which meant his replacement had to be found quickly, leading him to inquire if I had anyone in mind.

Though our interaction had been brief, I had already noticed that Dang Hyeok-je found the mundane tasks of everyday existence incredibly tiresome.

His application to the Murim Alliance just to see me—only to end up tethered to the post of Yueyang Branch Chief—made that abundantly clear.

‘Are gifted individuals always this peculiar?’

Given that Jegal Cheon-gi, whom I viewed as the ultimate prodigy, conducted himself quite normally, such eccentricity clearly wasn’t universal. Still, it seemed every brilliant mind possessed some odd quirk.

‘As I thought, no one compares to my younger brother, Jegal Cheon-gi.’

Regardless, despite Dang Hyeok-je’s request, I couldn’t think of an immediate candidate to recommend.

None of the disciples from the Taeul Sect resided within the Murim Alliance, and most of my existing contacts were either openly hostile toward me or lacked the proper standing within the martial world to occupy a Branch Chief position.

That was when the image of Hao Gate flashed through my mind.

Naturally, even an organization like Hao Gate wouldn’t have operatives openly stationed inside the Murim Alliance.

They were, after all, a society comprised of those dwelling at the very bottom of the social ladder.

Even so, a handful of influential individuals maintained clandestine ties with Hao Gate.

Some had their secrets exposed and held against them, while others simply shared mutual benefits with the organization.

Hae-ryeong offered to screen these prospects to find a pliable target whose ear they could bend, and I gave her my approval.

Ultimately, if a figure capable of covertly protecting Hao Gate’s interests secured the role of Yueyang Branch Chief, it would naturally bolster Hao Gate’s influence throughout Yueyang.

With that matter settled, I prepared to take my leave, but Hae-ryeong stopped me once more.

“Let us make a deal. We will grant you a five percent share of the revenue generated by the new taverns and hostels Hao Gate establishes in Yueyang.”

I tilted my head in confusion at Hae-ryeong’s abrupt proposition.

“Where is this coming from?”

“The opportunity to claim the Yueyang Branch Chief seat and our expanding interests in Yueyang both stem from your actions, Young Master. We do not remain indebted to a ‘Guest Retainer.’”

Before I could voice an objection, Hae-ryeong flatly stated her terms and exited the room.

“Well, because of that, I won’t have to stress over finances for the foreseeable future.”

Though five percent sounded small, a cut from the enterprises managed by Hao Gate in a bustling hub like Yueyang would undoubtedly yield a sum far beyond my expectations.

“Now, let’s deal with you two.”

My gaze shifted to the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb and the Blood Jade Hand resting on the tabletop. I reached for the Blood Jade Hand first.

“So, we cross paths once more.”

The Blood Jade Hand.

It was recognized as one of the Ten Forbidden Arts explicitly outlawed by the Murim Alliance.

The name originated from the way the practitioner’s hands shimmered with a crimson, pearl-like luster.

Yet, beneath that striking aesthetic lay a martial discipline capable of unleashing catastrophic annihilation.

The technique fundamentally altered the practitioner’s internal reserves, converting them into a specialized energy known as the Blood Jade Art.

Once the core qi center adapted to the Blood Jade Art, internal energy would accumulate automatically without requiring active meditation.

However, the moment this unorthodox energy reached the stage of Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown—the phase where the three primary energy centers merge—it stripped away the practitioner’s sanity, reducing them to a bloodthirsty Demonic Practitioner.

Two centuries ago, the infamous Blood Jade Demon Emperor slaughtered ten thousand souls unassisted within Shaanxi Province. Fifty years after that tragedy, the Blood-Handed One claimed fifteen thousand lives in Jiangxi Province. Following those catastrophes, the Murim Alliance classified it as a Forbidden Art and secured it deep within Shaolin Temple.

“Yet it resurfaced in a location no one could have anticipated.”

It happened during the Great Righteous-Demonic War.

When the Demonic Cult’s lethal Blood Demon Ghost Sword Unit assembled to reduce Shaolin to cinders, a solitary martial monk from the temple blocked their path.

The Blood Demon Ghost Sword Unit, having already butchered hundreds of monks, viewed the solitary defender with derision and lunged forward.

By the time the sun set, half of that feared and notorious unit had been reduced to Lonely Ghosts by the monk’s bare hands.

That monk was Il-gak, the junior brother of Il-myeong and my former rival for the top ranking.

The technique Il-gak unleashed during that desperate hour was none other than the prohibited Blood Jade Hand.

At the time, even with the Jianghu facing an existential threat, furious objections erupted regarding Il-gak’s use of the forbidden style.

Yet, despite the widespread public outrage, Shaolin stood its ground without flinching.

> “Through the boundless mercy of the Buddha, the Blood Jade Hand will be cleansed to serve as a bulwark for righteousness.”

Hearing those audacious claims, many martial artists swore to eradicate Shaolin the moment Il-gak surrendered to madness. Remarkably, Il-gak maintained his sanity even as he ascended to the Transcendent Peak realm.

If anything, the specific version of the Blood Jade Hand he mastered demonstrated incredible Demon Suppression capabilities, proving exceptionally lethal against Demonic Practitioners.

The wider martial world wondered how he managed to wield a dark technique without losing his mind, but Shaolin kept the method hidden, safely escorting him all the way to Bukhae.

“Hae-ryeong undoubtedly intended for me to wield this as a political weapon.”

A manual for the Blood Jade Hand was essentially a perfect tool to frame an adversary for practicing dark arts.

However, such a ploy would never succeed against organizations possessing the massive authority of the Nine Sects and One Gang or the One Hundred Eight Peaks.

“Furthermore, just like Il-gak, I won’t lose my mind if I activate the Blood Jade Hand.”

Without pausing, I quickly memorized the contents of the Blood Jade Hand manual.

Then, I began circulating my inner arts according to the exact mnemonic phrasing of the Blood Jade Art.

Instantly, a crimson glow enveloped my hands, igniting the text of the Blood Jade Hand manual held within my palms.

*WHOOSH.*

Yet, instead of the dark crimson blaze typical of the Blood Jade Hand, the fire burned with a brilliant yellow hue that closely resembled gold.

It looked identical to the Holy Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand, the revised name Shaolin eventually bestowed upon the technique in days gone by.

“It truly is remarkable that the Blood Jade Hand, an inherently dark style, can be adapted to manifest a Demon Suppression property.”

The answer lay in utilizing a superior quality of internal energy, such as Diamond Power.

Much like Wudang’s Taiji Spirit or the Three Pure Ones Power associated with the Three Pure Ones Peerless Sword, Diamond Power permitted a practitioner to utilize the Blood Jade Hand without experiencing its corrupting drawbacks.

With a sweeping motion of my hand, the illumination within the chamber, which had been as radiant as midday, vanished instantly.

Even when I checked my own hand, which had just produced enough blistering heat to incinerate parchment, I felt no warmth whatsoever.

“Shaolin definitely had a valid reason to endure public condemnation to preserve this hidden truth.”

I couldn’t predict what lay ahead, but currently, I was likely the sole individual capable of wielding the Blood Jade Hand without evoking condemnation.

“However, the drain on my internal reserves is immense.”

I was forced to channel the raw internal energy from my core, transform it into Jade Purity Heavenly Image Power, and then repurpose that energy to manifest the Blood Jade Hand.

It was a demanding sequence that no martial artist lacking deep internal reserves could ever hope to execute.

Next, I focused my attention on the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb.

This represented my opportunity to rectify my deficit in internal energy.

“Though labeling it entirely beneficial is a bit of an understatement.”

The Nine-Spirit Divine Herb was a legendary remedy saturated with immense spiritual vitality.

Within Daoist sects, it was referred to as the Nine Immortals Herb, with each of its nine distinct shoots dedicated to a specific deity.

The complicating factor of the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb was that it required total ingestion.

Attempting to consume the shoots individually would rupture the consumer’s spiritual pathways, rendering the benefits useless.

It was an incredibly volatile plant, to the point that experienced medicine masters wouldn’t dare handle it recklessly.

Essentially, it demanded to be taken all at once, yet if the user failed to contain its raw power, it functioned as a lethal toxin that would end their life.

This was precisely why the Yuwol Sect Leader, a conventional martial artist, chose to use it as a bribe for Diancang rather than risking ingestion himself.

“The historical accounts explicitly warn against consuming it.”

According to the Murim Compendium of Spiritual Medicines, the Sun Sword Emperor, who once dominated the Jianghu, dissolved into a pool of blood immediately after ingesting the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb.

Given that the Sun Sword Emperor possessed a formidable internal reserve of four cycles at that time, the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb was practically more akin to a lethal poison than a restorative medicine.

Holding onto a shred of hope, I reviewed the Divine Physician of Life and Death’s Secret Record of Ten Thousand Herbs. The specific entry written by the Divine Physician of Life and Death regarding the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb read as follows:

> Should you happen upon the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb, toss it into a hearth to serve as kindling.
> It will produce a blaze capable of burning uninterrupted for half a year.

While phrased with poetic flair, his underlying advice was clear: do not carelessly shove dangerous substances into your mouth.

I gazed down at the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb with a wry smile.

How many lives had I preserved by relying on the teachings of the Divine Physician of Life and Death, and how frequently had his insights aided me?

“If the esteemed Divine Physician of Life and Death left such instructions, I ought to comply.”

My existing internal energy hovered just past three cycles.

Given that Yong So-ah achieved three cycles at my current age, I was technically slightly ahead of her past self.

If I successfully integrated the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb, I could potentially eclipse not just her past benchmark, but the current internal energy possessed by Yong So-ah.

I knew I should heed the master’s warnings, but…

After a brief period of deliberation, I reached a conclusion.

“……Master, please forgive me. I must have lost my senses after surviving so many clashes with Demonic Practitioners.”

With a silent apology directed toward the Divine Physician of Life and Death, I lifted the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb.

I had devised a workaround.

If direct ingestion was out of the question, I merely needed to draw out its essence safely. After all, had I not mastered the Great Star-Absorbing Art, which was grouped among the Four Great Demonic Arts within the Ten Forbidden Arts of the Murim Alliance?

“If any artifact can regulate the flow, it’s the Azure Dragon Bracelet. I’m placing my bets on you, Sacred Relic of the Demonic Cult.”

Extending my arm, I channeled energy into the Azure Dragon Bracelet.

A vibrant emerald glow radiated around my wrist as the intricate dragon motif manifested.

Instantly, the latent power within the Azure Dragon Bracelet recognized the immense energy of the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb and began to extract its spiritual essence at a measured pace.

Knowing I had to be prepared to sever the connection and discard the plant if things went awry, I kept the absorption speed deliberately low.

However.

“What?”

Defying my intentions, the Azure Dragon Bracelet began violently gorging itself on the spiritual energy, acting like a predator that had stumbled upon a feast.

Simultaneously, the withered form of the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb began surging with renewed life.

It was an incredible spectacle, resembling a dead branch bursting back into bloom, but I lacked the luxury to admire it as a deluge of raw energy flooded my core, leaving my mind reeling.

‘I’m in deep trouble.’

No matter how rapidly I circulated the Small Heavenly Circuit, and regardless of my frantic rotations of the Great Heavenly Circuit, the incoming wave of pure energy showed no signs of tapering off.

It completely overwhelmed my capacity, feeling as though the entire volume of Dongting Lake was being forced into a container of rigid, limited proportions.

‘I have to rip it off.’

Unfortunately, my entire body had locked up completely.

Summoning every ounce of willpower, I tried to force my fingers open.

*CREAK, CRACKLE.*

As I desperately tried to unbend my digits, which had stiffened like rigid wood, absolute panic gripped me.

‘What on earth is happening?!’

The Nine-Spirit Divine Herb broke away from my grip and began levitating in midair.

Even while suspended, it maintained its relentless torrent of spiritual energy.

The sheer intensity was enough to drive me over the edge.

‘Confound it!’

My internal core swelled with energy to the point of imminent rupture, and my pathways began stretching painfully under the stress of the excessive force.

My extremities grew abnormally swollen, and my veins throbbed visibly beneath my skin.

‘This is going to kill me…….’

Though the spiritual essence filtering through the Azure Dragon Bracelet was technically refined by the artifact, the sheer volume was simply insurmountable.

I had chosen to utilize the Azure Dragon Bracelet precisely to mitigate this exact peril, yet the volatile plant bypassed my safeguards entirely.

‘If only a fellow martial artist were present to execute a Dual-Origin True Qi technique, they could arrest this disaster.’

Regrettably, my musculature and skeletal structure, frozen solid by the overwhelming power of the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb, prevented me from uttering so much as a faint whisper.

*CLACK.*

“Senior Brother!”

Right at that critical juncture, Geum-pyo slammed the door open, his face flushed a deep crimson.

What a relief! As expected of my jun—

“Hic! The celebration is in full swing, so why are you hiding in here by yourself?”

‘Is this idiot completely hammered……?’

Clutching a jug of alcohol in one hand, Geum-pyo scanned the room with unfocused, drowsy eyes before finally locking onto me, causing his gaze to widen.

‘Precisely! Move fast and bring the others!’

I pleaded desperately with my eyes as I stared back at Geum-pyo. He seemed to grasp my silent plea, offering a firm nod.

“You’re dedicating yourself to cultivation even during the festivities. Forgive my intrusion, Senior Brother.”

N-No, that’s completely wrong!

“This is truly a magnificent display of discipline. As your junior, my admiration for you grows with each passing day, Senior Brother. I shall personally ensure no one interrupts your focus under any circumstances.”

That is absolutely not what I mean!!!

I screamed silently with every fiber of my being.

‘Fetch help, you utter moron!!’

Misinterpreting my frantic expression entirely, Geum-pyo offered a confident thumbs-up, stepped backward, and firmly latched the door shut behind him.

I was finished.

At this velocity, simple Qi Deviation would be a mercy.

I was on track to suffer the exact same fate as the Sun Sword Emperor, dissolving into nothing more than a stain of blood.

‘What an embarrassing way to go out, dying from an overdose of medicine.’

Refusing to be immortalized across the generations as “the idiot who perished by consuming a remedy he was warned to avoid,” I frantically searched for an escape.

My immediate priority was to vent the excessive energy bursting out of my frame.

Yet, I was entirely paralyzed.

Therefore, I had to discharge the energy without relying on physical movement.

Providentially, prior to handling the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb, I had successfully integrated the mechanics of the Blood Jade Hand.

*WHUM.*

I rapidly remolded the raw energy into Jade Purity Heavenly Image Power and desperately executed the Holy Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand.

Brilliant golden flames erupted from my right hand, beginning to incinerate the massive influx of energy drawn in by the Azure Dragon Bracelet.

‘Thank goodness.’

Wielding the Holy Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand at maximum output caused the suffocating pressure within my frame to recede, if only by a fraction.

I had previously assumed its high energy cost would make it impractical compared to the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm.

Yet, in this precise instant, the Holy Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand was keeping death at bay.

Unfortunately, my relief evaporated a second later.

‘Are you kidding me?’

The floating Nine-Spirit Divine Herb suddenly reversed the dynamic, beginning to siphon the thermal energy generated by the Holy Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand.

In response, the Azure Dragon Bracelet pulled the energy right back from the Nine-Spirit Divine Herb, which had just absorbed the output of my Holy Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand.

Trapped in a bizarre, cyclical loop, a cynical laugh bubbled up within my mind.

‘What kind of ridiculous joke is this……?’

To make matters worse, through some incomprehensible reaction, the energy returning via the Azure Dragon Bracelet turned scalding hot, having fully integrated the heat of the Holy Flame Demon-Extinguishing Hand.

My body was already near its breaking point from the sheer mass of energy, and now an excruciating, searing heat flooded my system on top of it.

‘Ah, so that’s the secret behind the Sun Sword Emperor’s demise.’

I had inadvertently solved a historical mystery that had baffled the martial world for ages, but I derived zero satisfaction from the revelation.

Because I was currently occupying the exact same chopping block.

Just as I began hoping that my face might at least remain recognizable so my companions could conduct a proper burial, a fundamental shift occurred within my body.

‘Wait?’

The blistering heat, which threatened to liquefy my internal structure, tore through my primary pathways and began aggressively incinerating the stagnant energy blockages.

The rising heat utilized that fuel to grow, methodically purging the impurities clogged within my deep meridians, hidden pathways, and Fine Meridians.

With the obstructions and Turbid Qi systematically eradicated, the following current of energy surged forward unimpeded.

The volume quickly overwhelmed my basic threshold, beginning to permeate my damaged tissues and muscle layers.

*CRACK, CRACK, CRACK.*

The sickening sound of bones realigning and muscles tearing echoed repeatedly in my mind, yet I lacked the ability to voice a single cry of agony.

In truth, I couldn’t afford the distraction.

If the blistering current circulating through my core deviated by even a hair’s breadth, I would be reduced to a vegetable or have my internal organs incinerated to ash.

‘I might actually survive this!’

Disregarding the destruction of my physical form, I channeled every ounce of my mental acuity into guiding the heat.

This crisis demanded a level of micro-control over my energy that made my handling of the Flying Dragon Claw look like child’s play.

Even after the accumulation blocking the Ren and Du Meridians was thoroughly purged, the intense heat refused to subside. Ultimately, I directed the current through my main channels and deep into my Fine Meridians.

An agonizing sensation flared in microscopic areas of my body that I normally couldn’t even perceive.

The torment felt as though every single one of my eighty-four thousand pores was being punctured by needles while my nervous system was actively scorched by open flames.

“Ugh…….”

The sheer intensity of the agony forced a vocalization past my lips—an utterance I had failed to produce even during my silent pleas for assistance.

*POP.*

The distinct sound of a barrier rupturing inside my body reverberated through my consciousness.

Before I could pinpoint the location, the detonations cascaded rapidly.

*POPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOP!*

Immediately following that chorus of internal ruptures, the agonizing pain torturing every nerve ending and pore dissolved instantly, replaced by a wave of profound rejuvenation.

“Haa…….”

A dense cloud of pale vapor escaped my lips alongside a deep breath.

Simultaneously, streams of mist began billowing outward from every pore across my body.

*HISSSSSSS.*

A sound reminiscent of a boiling cauldron echoed through the space as my physical form gently levitated off the ground.

Even while caught in the midst of this extraordinary event, I simply allowed myself to sink entirely into the sheer comfort of the sensation.

The crushing weight that had compressed my frame, the heat that had scorched my nerves, and the localized agony in my pores had completely evaporated.

The immense internal energy that had rampaged through my pathways began to pool smoothly within my core, while the remaining Turbid Qi was violently expelled outward through my newly unsealed pores.

*WHOOSH.*

A localized gale of internal energy swirled around my frame, cradling me like a protective cocoon before dissipating into faint embers.

“Ah…… Have I truly attained the realm of Jade Stamen Golden Flower?”

It felt like mere moments since I had secured the milestone of Five Dragons Offering the Sage. Yet, I had entirely bypassed the phase of Sun and Moon Joining as One, ascending directly to the prestigious realm of Jade Stamen Golden Flower.

“…….”

I slowly closed and opened my hands.

I rotated my shoulders and executed tentative movements with my legs.

My entire frame felt incredibly light, as though a massive boulder had been lifted from my back.

Drawing my weapon, I tested my control over Sword Force.

The advanced Sword Force I had acquired just days prior integrated with my movements seamlessly, feeling as familiar as an ancestral technique.

Furthermore, my internal reservoir was now teeming with a staggering four cycles of raw internal energy.

While I still couldn’t match the level of Bang Du-chil, I had officially outstripped Yong So-ah.

Raw energy volume wasn’t the sole metric determining overall combat capability, but surmounting that formidable Yong So-ah in pure internal capacity was an undeniable milestone.

“An absolute Fortuitous Encounter…….”

A wave of pure exultation bubbled up from the depths of my being.

“Divine Physician of Life and Death, it appears my gamble paid off this time around. Hahaha.”

Deep down, I suspected that if the Divine Physician of Life and Death were present to witness this, he would scowl and offer a very rude gesture. Regardless, a successful outcome justified the means, did it not?

Moving forward, I fully intended to appreciate the lavish boat excursion across Dongting Lake to the absolute fullest.

Naturally, prior to that relaxation, I had a specific individual to discipline.

“How dare you indulge in alcohol while your Senior Brother is risking everything in cultivation?”

My irritation had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I had nearly died while he strolled past completely oblivious.

Given Geum-pyo’s current martial comprehension, it was perfectly reasonable that he couldn’t distinguish between a lethal cultivation crisis and standard meditation.

Even so, showing up completely intoxicated right next to his Senior Brother while said Senior Brother was pushing his limits was fundamentally unacceptable.

This was absolutely not born of petty spite.

It was merely the protective, strict guidance of the Eldest Senior Brother of the Taeul Sect, upholding our esteemed lineage and ensuring his junior brother remained on the righteous path.

“You’re in for it now!”