The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 155

Chapter 155
Chapter 155. The Black Flame Dragon amid Chaos (5)

Observing the young martial artists turn pale as they overheard the exchange between Hye-seong and Jang Woo-jae, I could not restrain a sharp laugh of sheer incredulity.

‘I can hardly believe an ancient monk still relies on the Mind-Subduing Golden Word Command in this day and age.’

This particular auditory technique, synthesized by combining the properties of the unorthodox Spirit-Commanding Mind Voice with the traditional Lion’s Roar, was generally shunned inside the Shaolin Temple due to its heritage tracing back to dark, non-orthodox lineages.

Moreover, because the underlying purpose of this technique was so malicious that true disciples of Buddha loathed employing it, it served as a clear metric of the overwhelming arrogance and desire for dominance harbored by this elder monk named Hye-seong.

Judging by how not just the Gold-Silver-Copper Brothers, but even skilled figures like Sa-ryeon, Seong Mo-ran, and even Namgung Seon-hwa—who possessed the refined mental fortitude of the Namgung Clan—stood completely paralyzed, it was evident he practiced the Mind-Subduing Golden Word Command with great frequency.

Activating my own internal energy, I released the Jade Purity Heavenly Image Power to neutralize and shatter the suffocating pressure of the Mind-Subduing Golden Word Command.

“Ah…….”

“……What just occurred?”

“I felt entirely choked up for a moment there.”

As the surrounding crowd regained their speech, chattering like youngsters whose voices had been restored, a heavy scowl etched itself into the forehead of Hye-seong.

“At this moment, Benefactor Jin So-un is showing flagrant disrespect to the Buddha. Are you conscious of your actions?”

I cocked my head to the side.

“You were addressing me with total informality just a moment ago, so why the sudden shift to formal language? It feels rather unnatural.”

“…….”

“Furthermore, is it not actually you who brings shame upon the Buddha, Great Master Hye-seong?”

Hye-seong had absolutely zero desire to involve himself in the crisis unfolding across Yueyang.

“What insolence are you uttering?”

“Is my assessment incorrect? Was the request made by Academy Student Jang Woo-jae really that unreasonable? He merely begged you to pay a brief visit to his home sect to signal that the Yujang Sect stands aligned with the Orthodox Path of the martial world. Is such a gesture too demanding for you?”

His claims about needing to go back to the headquarters of the Murim Alliance to convene an emergency council were nothing more than a blatant deception.

To the leaders of the Murim Alliance, what better pretext could exist than allowing the total erasure of minor and mid-tier factions like the Yujang Sect?

Even if their long-term goal was to reclaim dominant control over Yueyang in the future, their current strategy was clearly to remain passive bystanders while the forces of the Black Path carried out their slaughter.

“I find it truly incomprehensible that you would deliberately choose inaction when you know for a fact that innocent lives will be lost.”

The expressions of both Hye-seong and the surrounding representatives of the Righteous Path Association instantly grew hostile.

Paying no mind to their glaring animosity, I pushed forward.

“Or perhaps, in your minds, the slaughter of such people has always been an acceptable casualty from the very start?”

“……You insolent brat!”

“I have tolerated your tongue for long enough, but this crosses the line!”

These individuals would not bat an eye while others bled to death, yet the moment their own dignity was slightly bruised, they flared up in an instant.

In their estimation, did they truly believe we did not occupy the same standing as human beings?

“Silence!”

When Hye-seong unleashed his thunderous reprimand, the assembled members of the Righteous Path Association could barely contain their simmering anger.

“Benefactor Jin…….”

“I believe I already mentioned that I take no pleasure in being addressed as a benefactor.”

“……Heh heh.”

Allowing a calm, amused grin to touch his face for a brief moment, Hye-seong finally spoke.

“Though you may be an initiate of a Daoist sect, under the watchful gaze of the Buddha, your soul is no different from any other living creation in this world. This truth applies equally to Benefactor Jang Woo-jae. Granted, his particular school does not hold official membership within our Murim Alliance, but from our perspective, he remains a fellow traveler traversing the righteous road of the Orthodox Path alongside us.”

As Hye-seong maintained his gentle, virtuous demeanor while delivering these words, the watching crowd began nodding along almost unconsciously.

“Just as Benefactor Jin points out, I possess the ability to intervene directly. However, if my singular action here causes far more catastrophic losses and heavier body counts to occur in a different territory, how would you expect me to answer for that?”

“And where exactly has such a monumental crisis broken out?”

According to everything I knew of current affairs, there was no region across the entire Jianghu poised to suffer a more brutal bath of blood than Yueyang.

“Within the borders of Sichuan, to be precise.”

What an utterly unhinged, deceptive monk.

Hye-seong shifted his gaze toward Jang Woo-jae.

“I, too, view this turn of events with deep sorrow. Yet at this very hour in Sichuan, ancient entities who remained buried in the shadows for generations are emerging to threaten the stability of the entire Jianghu.”

Hearing Hye-seong spin such a massive fabrication, I could only mock him silently in my mind.

You hypocrites aren’t feeling even a shred of genuine panic about that right now!

“Naturally, I am well aware of the immediate peril looming over the Yujang Sect and the rest of the Orthodox Path schools in Yueyang. For that very reason, I am reinforcing that I intend to offer every ounce of aid within my power.”

“How incredibly comforting.”

As the old saying goes, the cunning teeth of an aging fox are far more lethal than the claws of a youthful tiger.

Without anyone noticing the shift, Hye-seong had successfully constructed a grand moral excuse to justify his retreat, managing to sway the minds of the entire audience.

Jang Woo-jae, who had been absorbing the entire conversation, looked as though his spirit had finally broken; he collapsed onto his knees, pressing his forehead against the dirt as tears streamed down his face.

Feigning total ignorance of the weeping man at his feet, Hye-seong continued.

“Given the circumstances, why don’t we resolve it in this manner?”

“?”

Hye-seong directed a look of absolute smugness in my direction.

“Is the reputation of Benefactor Jin not currently echoing across the lands? You are perfectly suited to step forward and handle this crisis in Yueyang yourself. Furthermore, as the reigning leader of the Murim Academy, do you not bear a moral obligation to protect and assist Academy Student Jang Woo-jae?”

A bitter, empty laugh escaped my throat.

So this was his grand scheme to pass the buck?

“…….”

Hye-seong kept his self-satisfied smirk fixed in place.

It was undeniably a masterful display of political maneuvering, fitting for someone who commanded an esteemed seat in the Elder Council of the Murim Alliance.

And yet.

When measured against those wretched scoundrels of the Sojeong Squad who spent every waking hour trying to scam their own allies and embezzle their comrades’ hard-earned pay, this old man’s trickery was laughably basic.

He was nothing more than an amateur playing at being a mastermind. Should I give him a taste of what it feels like to be systematically broken down?

“Are you absolutely certain you want to commit to that?”

Hearing my query, the smug grin on Hye-seong’s face faltered slightly, his eyelids twitching open wider.

“I am asking if your pride can truly handle the mockery that will inevitably rain down upon Shaolin, when word spreads across the lands that a simple disciple from the Taeul Sect successfully handled a crisis that the great Shaolin fled from because they lacked the courage to face it.”

“…….”

Forcing his rigid features back into a mask of serene composure, Hye-seong countered:

“Would such a sacrifice not be a worthy offering for the overarching stability of the Jianghu? If the preservation of mortal lives can be bought at the meager price of tarnishing Shaolin’s reputation, there is nothing that would bring greater joy to the Buddha.”

He was certainly a slippery adversary, exactly as I expected.

If you asked me, this man’s true calling was not to be found on the sacred peaks of Mount Song, but rather within the imperial courts of Beijing.

How could a monk who claimed to sustain himself on nothing but simple vegetables possess a tongue so thoroughly slick with grease?

“Even so, I cannot help but harbor deep anxieties. The ultimate fate of the Yujang Sect now rests entirely upon the shoulders of Benefactor Jin. I shall offer my deepest prayers that you do not fall short. Should you meet with failure, would that not deal a devastating blow not only to his sect, but to your own standing as the representative of our institution?”

Pure venom wrapped in hollow concern.

Does he honestly not fear the fires of damnation after spouting such deceit?

Regardless, I had every intention of driving this point home until the very end.

“Strangely enough, your words sound completely hollow to me.”

“……What do you mean by that?”

“Could it be that you are secretly praying for my utter ruin?”

Glancing around at the surrounding crowd, Hye-seong let out a booming laugh, acting as though the mere suggestion was the height of absurdity.

“How could such a thought even cross my mind? As I stated previously, my heart holds nothing but profound sorrow for their plight.”

“In reality, would it not serve the long-term interests of Shaolin if minor groups like the Yujang Sect were completely wiped off the map?”

“…….”

“That way, at a later date, Shaolin can march into a Yueyang that has been completely subjugated by the Black Path, claiming the high ground of restoring righteous justice to the region. Is that not the true agenda?”

The skin around Hye-seong’s jaw began to tighten and twist in visible irritation.

“How dare an unlearned youth utter such blasphemy against…….”

“If that is truly not the case, will you swear an oath right here? A vow stating that regardless of the ultimate outcome, Shaolin will never expand its influence into the territory of Yueyang. Swear it directly in front of all these witnesses of the Jianghu.”

“…….”

Hye-seong glared at me with an icy, murderous intensity, completely forgetting for a moment that an entire crowd of onlookers was watching his every move.

“As I thought, that is a promise you simply cannot make, isn’t it?”

A quiet, mocking chuckle escaped my lips.

“……What absolute madness. Above all else, my deepest yearning is for the absolute protection of the Yujang Sect and the rest of the Orthodox Path factions residing in Yueyang.”

“And yet, the words of the oath still stick in your throat, do they not?”

“…….”

By this point, the muscles around his mouth were twitching uncontrollably.

If this trend continued, I might actually punch my own ticket to the underworld long before Hye-seong ever does.

“In that case, please deliver one of your legendary, soul-stirring prayers for the safety of Yueyang’s Orthodox Path martial artists.”

Refusing to show any sign of defeat, Hye-seong pressed his palms together, striking a posture of pious devotion that surpassed anything he had displayed so far.

“Amitabha.”

Never in my entire existence had I heard an “Amitabha” delivered with such staggering insincerity.

‘This is an exact mirror of what happened that day.’

Prostrate in the dirt and weeping, Jang Woo-jae found himself frozen, unable to even wipe away the moisture staining his face because of the overwhelming wave of familiarity that washed over him.

It took him back to the very first moment he laid eyes on the legendary figure known as the Black Flame Dragon, an individual he had previously only encountered through wild rumors.

The man had stood in absolute defiance against a corrupt system.

Jin So-un had taken dozens of hard-earned Entry Tokens—tokens that Jang Woo-jae had only managed to secure by essentially signing away his own sister’s future—and hurled them callously to the earth while roaring at the authorities.

-If even the grand Murim Alliance has abandoned the principles of equity and righteousness, degrading itself into a mere syndicate concerned only with its own wealth and power!

He had delivered that scathing indictment right to the face of the Murim Alliance…… specifically, before the terrifying presence of the Elder Council, the undisputed sovereigns of the martial world.

-I refuse to step foot inside your Academy under these corrupt terms. Even if you crawl to me and beg for my entry, I will never join!

Witnessing that unbelievable spectacle, Jang Woo-jae had stood paralyzed for what felt like an eternity.

When one looked at his background,

given that he hailed from the obscure Taeul Sect—a school widely considered to be vastly inferior to even the Yujang Sect—he had spoken with an absolute lack of fear, voicing truths that neither Jang Woo-jae nor any other mortal on earth would ever dare whisper.

Those were grand, fearless proclamations that could only originate from a man of true conviction.

From that fateful afternoon onward, the singular beacon guiding Jang Woo-jae’s life had been Jin So-un.

To become an individual capable of matching that level of unshakeable confidence, or at the very least, to walk in his shadow.

That had become the driving purpose of Jang Woo-jae’s life.

He had poured his sweat into organizing the unaffiliated students within the Academy, forging a unified front that could safeguard their collective well-being, all so he might eventually earn the right to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him.

Even though Jin So-un was counted among the elite ranks of the One Hundred Eight Peaks, he had intentionally avoided aligning himself with the Twelve Peak Citadels; and despite his intimate ties to Namgung Seon-hwa, he had resolutely refused to join the elite Orthodox Path Association.

Fully aware of the staggering difficulties ahead, he chose to clash directly with the Righteous Path Association, stubbornly charting his own course without ever compromising his values.

Jang Woo-jae had harbored a desperate wish to fight alongside such a flawless, unyielding man, but the bitter realities of life offered no room for sentimentality.

-The dominance of the Black Path syndicates within Yueyang is multiplying at an alarming rate. Now that Wudang has pulled back its forces and Diancang is attempting to re-establish its footing, you must exert every effort to forge an alliance with Diancang.

That was the directive delivered via a carrier pigeon from his elders back home.

This message forced Jang Woo-jae to confront the devastating truth that he could no longer live solely for his own grand ambitions and lofty ideals.

When brought face-to-face with freezing reality, he lacked the strength to march forward with the same fearless stride as Jin So-un.

During the dark periods when Jin So-un was enduring his greatest trials, fear had kept him from offering a hand.

Even when Jin So-un found himself entirely isolated and reviled by the masses, he had chosen the path of cowardice rather than standing up to cheer for him.

‘Despite my betrayal…… despite how pathetically I acted, why do you still…….’

A torrent of tears erupted anew, driven by an overwhelming sense of self-loathing.

On this occasion as well, the man did not lower his gaze or soften his words before Hye-seong of the Shaolin Temple, a figure widely revered as the absolute pillar of the entire martial community.

Except this time, his fierce defiance was not born out of self-interest, but was entirely on behalf of someone else.

Even when facing down the most formidable tyrants of the land, he never faltered in speaking the brutal truth.

And that realization filled Jang Woo-jae with a crushing weight of humiliation.

Throughout the intense debate with Great Master Hye-seong, he had already resigned himself to the inevitable conclusion.

The Yujang Sect was destined to be wiped from the face of the Jianghu.

It was blindingly obvious that neither Great Master Hye-seong nor the forces of the Righteous Path Association would lift a single finger to safeguard the survival of the Yujang Sect.

At this stage, the only option left for Jang Woo-jae was to stand idly by and watch as the Yujang Sect—the bedrock of his life, his home, and his lineage—was permanently extinguished from memory.

“You should step forward personally in this matter of Yueyang. Furthermore, since you are the current representative of the Murim Academy, do you not also have a duty to help Academy Student Jang Woo-jae?”

His despair had only deepened upon witnessing Great Master Hye-seong’s disgusting display, deliberately maneuvering the Academy Representative into a lethal quagmire that neither the Righteous Path Association nor the Murim Alliance possessed the courage to handle.

No matter how extraordinary of a warrior Jin So-un might be, there was simply no logical justification for him to meddle in a catastrophe of this magnitude.

At the end of the day, he too was merely an initiate of an obscure, minor faction known as the Taeul Sect.

For an individual in his position to declare involvement, even out of a sense of prideful bravado, was nothing short of suicidal—willingly embracing a lethal threat without a single promise of reward.

And yet.

“Are you absolutely certain you want to commit to that?”

Once again, without fail, he utterly demolished all of Jang Woo-jae’s logical assumptions.

“I am asking if your pride can truly handle the mockery that will inevitably rain down upon Shaolin, when word spreads across the lands that a simple disciple from the Taeul Sect successfully handled a crisis that the great Shaolin fled from because they lacked the courage to face it.”

Instead of walking away, he took the entire burden upon himself.

As though the existential threat to another man’s home was his own personal battle to fight.

Without a shred of hesitation or doubt, he bound his destiny to the cause.

‘Why would you do this…….’

An overwhelming tide of emotion welled up from the absolute depths of Jang Woo-jae’s being.

Because he had allowed himself to appear so utterly broken and pathetic in front of him.

Because his previous behavior toward the man had been marked by such spineless self-preservation.

Because unlike his own flawed, compromised nature, Jin So-un…… still burned with a brilliance that was blinding to behold.

He found himself physically incapable of raising his eyes to meet his gaze.

Long after the members of the Righteous Path Association had marched away and the surrounding spectators had drifted off, Jang Woo-jae remained pinned to the ground, his head buried in his hands.

“Academy Student Jang Woo-jae.”

The voice cut through the silence.

It remained entirely steady, overflowing with absolute certainty, and carried immense gravity.

“It is time for us to stand up.”

“…….”

Jang Woo-jae could not find the courage to expose his tear-stained face.

As if accurately reading the profound shame anchoring him to the dirt, Jin So-un offered another shield of gentle reassurance.

“You will never succeed in rescuing your kin if you insist on remaining face down in the mud like that.”

Biting down on his lip until it nearly bled, Jang Woo-jae slowly forced his aching body upright.

His appearance was an absolute wreck, marred by tracking tears and grime, but he was far past the point of caring about his vanity.

“Are you truly planning to stand by our side?”

“Are all these fellow Academy Students not gathered here for the explicit purpose of offering their strength to Academy Student Jang Woo-jae as well?”

“But, but…… during the period when the Representative was facing his most agonizing trials…… I turned my back on you. I have absolutely no right to accept your generosity now.”

“Haha, I was wondering what sort of grand confession you were gearing up to make. Academy Student Jang Woo-jae was hardly the only individual who chose to look the other way when the tide turned against me back then.”

The casual, dismissive manner in which he brushed off the past only amplified the deep sense of shame burning inside Jang Woo-jae.

“Besides, when faced with a crisis of that scale, who could honestly expect anyone to easily throw themselves into the fire?”

Then what about you?

Why was it so effortless for you to throw yourself into the fire on my behalf this time?

The burning question rose rapidly to the back of his throat, but the words refused to form, leaving him silent.

“…….”

Merely listening to those comforting words filled Jang Woo-jae with a profound sense of security.

It felt as though the mountain of catastrophic anxiety he had been crushing himself under for weeks had vanished into thin air.

A wave of overwhelming relief washed over him like a massive tide.

Over by the abandoned docks, where the bustle of the crowd had completely dissipated, a voice as pure and melodic as fine gemstones cascading over a silver surface offered a weary, protracted sigh.

“Haaaa……. Look, I knew the second you opened your mouth that we would end up in this exact predicament…… but please tell me you actually formulated some semblance of a strategy before committing us to this?”

At Seong Mo-ran’s pointed inquiry, the collective attention of the assembled Academy Students locked onto Jin So-un.

This was the transcendent tactician who had utterly demolished the legendary Soul-Destroying Formation upon the treacherous wastes of the Demon Spirit Plateau.

The undisputed prodigy who had navigated the grueling Murim Regular Exam backed by nothing more than a handful of his junior martial brothers.

The unparalleled administrative force currently steering the operations of a massive Academy through his sheer will.

Every single eye remained glued to Jin So-un, people literally holding their breath in anticipation of the brilliant masterstroke he was about to unveil.

And in perfect harmony with their high expectations,

“……Uh, as a preliminary step, I think our best course of action is to go inspect the current state of affairs.”

“…….”

“…….”

Jang Woo-jae blinked rapidly and shook his head, trying to clear his mind.

It seemed highly probable that due to the excessive crying, his mental focus had deteriorated, causing him to experience auditory hallucinations.

“You cannot seriously mean…… that you threw us into the meat grinder without a concrete plan? We are talking about going up against the Mukhyul Gang here.”

Jin So-un ran his tongue over his lips, displaying a rare flash of visible anxiety.

“……Given how the conversation unfolded, it wasn’t exactly an option for me to just tuck my tail and run, now was it?”

The idealized, invincible Jin So-un of my imagination could not possibly be harboring such terrifyingly reckless thoughts.

There was simply no way. Surely, a master of his caliber would have an ace up his sleeve, and yet…….

Scratching the back of his neck with a sheepish, embarrassed grin, Jin So-un offered: “……I mean, I’ve mapped out a rough framework of what needs to be done. There’s no need to completely lose your minds just yet.”

严格来说
“……No, seriously, I am telling the truth! Did you all honestly believe I just leaped blindly into a war zone without assessing the variables at all?”

Somehow, the defensive vibration in his voice failed to inspire a single shred of confidence.

The fiery, passionate emotions that had filled the air just moments ago turned ice-cold in an instant, and that grand sense of absolute security dissolved away like fresh snow under a scorching sun.

Il-gak, who had been maintaining a quiet position at the absolute rear of the marching column, cast several anxious glances back over his shoulder before quickening his pace to draw level with Hye-seong, looking as though he had finally steeled his resolve.

Just as Il-gak was searching for the appropriate opening to articulate his thoughts, Hye-seong preempted him without turning his head.

“Out with it.”

“……Excuse me?”

“Is there not a lingering thought you are desperate to voice? Speak your mind.”

“……I was merely reflecting on whether it might yield a more favorable outcome if I were to make a brief appearance at the scene of the conflict.”

As Great Master Hye-seong fixed his silent, penetrating gaze upon him, Il-gak’s speech pattern grew increasingly frantic and rushed.

“Ah, naturally I would ensure my return to our main party before any critical deadlines pass. If I maximize my traveling speed and push through the nights…….”

“And what exactly do you imagine you will achieve by inserting yourself into that place?”

Il-gak quickly leaned on the pre-planned justification he had rehearsed.

“……If, by some miraculous twist of fate, the Yujang Sect manages to weather this storm, will the martial world not cast asymmetric scorn upon Shaolin for our total absence? If I am present to at least provide the face of our order…….”

“Do you truly believe the Yujang Sect possesses even a fool’s hope of surviving this onslaught?”

“If they manage to successfully mobilize reinforcement from various sympathetic factions across the network……”

Great Master Hye-seong let out a low, mocking chuckle, his voice dripping with self-deprecating amusement.

“Tell me, have the forces of the Mukhyul Gang and the Black Axe Palace truly struck you as such pathetic, low-tier adversaries?”

Met with Il-gak’s visibly bewildered expression, Great Master Hye-seong elaborated on his point.

“Do you genuinely hold the belief that the Mukhyul Gang and the Black Axe Palace have spent all these decades cowering in the shadows out of some profound terror of Diancang?”

“Pardon? I am afraid I do not fully comprehend what you are implying by…….”

“We are discussing entrenched Black Path organizations that have systematically consolidated and expanded their iron grip over the Yueyang region for more than half a century. Did your education lead you to believe they are mere street-level thugs operating out of back alleys?”

“…….”

“The entity they feared was never the Yuwol Sect, nor was it the Changseong Sect, regardless of the fact that those groups claimed Diancang as their ultimate backing. They feared the distant shadow of Diancang even less.”

In that case, what was the catastrophic force that had kept the entire Black Path underworld completely in check, forcing them to suppress their ambitions in Yueyang for all these decades?

“Their fear was directed entirely at the Murim Alliance.”

“……But if their primary fear was the Murim Alliance, should that constraint not continue to paralyze their movements even under the current circumstances?”

“Tsk, tsk. This exact brand of ignorance is precisely why I have relentlessly argued that the inner sanctuaries of our mountain must stop limiting the education of our youth to simple quietist meditation.”

Great Master Hye-seong, letting out an annoyed grunt, shifted into a tone of stern lecture.

“The grand equilibrium of power across the land has shifted dramatically, moving away from the Orthodox Path and flowing directly into the hands of the Black Path. The leaders of those syndicates are acutely aware that, given the chaotic geopolitical climate, the Murim Alliance cannot afford to easily deploy its main forces into a localized theater like Yueyang.”

“…….”

“If you attempt to gauge the behavior of a massive ocean tide by focusing all your attention on the splashing of a solitary wave, the only result is that you will find yourself caught unprepared when the flood arrives.”

“…….”

“If your true aspiration is to navigate the deep currents of the vast sea, you must possess the vision to read the shifting landscape of the entire world. Do you finally comprehend the lesson?”

“……I shall etch your wisdom permanently into my mind.”

As those words left his lips, a subtle, satisfied smile returned to Great Master Hye-seong’s face.

“Once our duties are concluded and we make our return from Sichuan, the pathway will be clear for you to ascend directly into the vacancy for the representative position. Ensure you begin structuring your preparations well in advance.”

“……I am humbled, but what exactly do you mean by that vacancy?”

“Jin So-un…… that overly idealistic child is destined to be utterly swallowed up and torn apart by the merciless currents of this specific storm.”

Great Master Hye-seong delivered the statement with the absolute conviction of a prophet stating an undeniable truth.