The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 19

Chapter 19
## Chapter 19. A Third-Rate Warrior Who Saves a Girl (6)

“Where on earth have you gone, So-so?”

In Wangbu, the dedicated settlement where the members of the Wang Estate resided, the lanterns had burned uninterrupted for three full days.

Operations across all twenty of their nationwide commercial branches had ground to an absolute halt. Every single resource was being poured into a singular task: gathering intelligence on any young women matching Wang So-so’s age. Following their lead, countless subordinate merchant shops had likewise shuttered their storefronts to join the hunt for Wang So-so, completely disrupting the daily commerce of the common folk.

“What are you saying!”

Upon hearing the report from the personal medical expert tasked with monitoring Wang So-so’s well-being, Wang Geum-san was struck by absolute terror.

“Did you not guarantee me that she would remain stable for at least seven days, even if she stepped outside the Ice Pavilion!”

The lead medical expert turned a panicked gaze toward his subordinates from the Medicine Pavilion standing behind him.

The assembled healers merely kept their heads bowed in defensive silence, sending their superior desperate glances. They all knew that if he failed to deliver the truth immediately, the retribution they would face later would be far more severe.

“That… under normal parameters, that would hold true, however…”

“…”

“Because she possesses the Solar Body, there are cycles where her internal energies violently erupt into extreme yang. And by an unfortunate twist of fate, that cycle is peaking at this very moment…”

The lead medical expert found himself unable to finish his sentence.

Throughout his career, he had watched numerous individuals draw their final breaths and had delivered the grim news to their loved ones, but such conversations never yielded a peaceful reaction. To make matters worse, the man standing before him was none other than Wang Geum-san, the absolute master of the Wang Estate.

“Then… precisely how much time does she have left to fight?”

“…”

Faced with a father demanding to know the exact moment his daughter’s life would slip away, the medical expert’s lips merely trembled without producing a sound.

“I demanded to know how much time she has left!!”

“…The point of no return has already passed…”

“Argh!”

“M-Master! Master! Prepare the acupuncture needles immediately!”

Wang Geum-san collapsed to the floor.

—

Wang So-so briefly regained consciousness, only to lose it once more.

The primary culprit was undeniably the intense fever radiating from her, hot enough to give the impression that her entire body was being consumed by flames. Yet, I had never encountered a common sickness capable of producing such terrifying reactions.

‘Where did I see the medical journals compiled by Medicine Immortal Gong Yak-chun?’

Medicine Immortal Gong Yak-chun was widely revered across the lands as Hua Tuo Reborn.

The definitive medical compendium he had spent his entire life assembling, known as the Universal Cure Treatise, was kept under strict lock and key as a highly classified text within Mantongbu.

The rationale behind hiding it?

I couldn’t fathom it either.

It was undeniably a masterpiece of healing that could have preserved countless lives had it been shared with the public, yet Mantongbu had never once entertained the notion of releasing it.

I mentally combed through the detailed records of the Universal Cure Treatise until I finally stumbled upon a entry describing the exact ailments plaguing Wang So-so. It wasn’t located in the standard chapters detailing common sicknesses; rather, it was placed far deeper within the section analyzing unique physical constitutions. Only then did the true nature of her affliction become clear to me.

“A woman burdened with the Solar Body. And it manifests at a time like this, of all instances.”

Even within the legendary Universal Cure Treatise, the text offered nothing more than a precise identification of the condition and a basic methodology for pacifying the wild energies.

“For the time being, I must stabilize her condition. If this heat continues unchecked, her life will end…”

Following the precise instructions left behind in Gong Yak-chun’s manual, I precisely struck roughly twenty specific acupoints across her body. Slowly, the scorching heat radiating from Wang So-so began to recede, and a short while later, her eyelids fluttered open.

“Ah… Wh-who are you?”

“My name is Jin So-un, an initiate of the Taeul Sect. May I ask your identity, young lady?”

If I revealed that I already knew who she was, it would immediately invite intense distrust.

This girl was none other than the sole heir of the great Wang Geum-san. If I were in her shoes, and a stranger who claimed to save me casually mentioned they knew I was going to be abducted beforehand, my immediate reaction would be to treat them as a co-conspirator.

“I… My name is Wang So-so.”

“Aha… If your name is indeed Wang So-so, could it be…”

“…Yes. I am the daughter of the house of the Wang Estate.”

“How did a young lady of your status end up in such dire straits…?”

“I am entirely unsure myself. Where exactly are we?”

“A forested mountain area in the vicinity of Lujiang. You were being held by a group of highly dangerous individuals.”

“Th-those men… What became of them?”

“I took care of them completely.”

“…”

Contrary to my assumption that she would break down in a panic, she managed to master her emotions remarkably fast. Was this calm demeanor the result of being raised by a man like Wang Geum-san, ensuring she was mentally prepared for the perils of her status?

“For now, our best course of action is to start moving. It appeared that more of their associates are on the way here.”

“N-no, wait!”

“Excuse me?”

“I… I am unable to walk.”

I tilted my head in confusion.

“Wh-what specific day is it on the calendar?”

“By my count, today corresponds to the day of Gyemyo in the month of Sinsa.”

“Th-then it aligns perfectly with the peak ascension of solar qi. Under normal circumstances, I would be confined within the Ice Pavilion, relying on an Ice Pill to suppress it.”

Recalling the passages from Gong Yak-chun’s manual, it did mention details matching her words. For an individual possessing the Solar Body, the ambient solar qi would periodically flood their system, granting them an unparalleled reservoir of internal martial power. From an outsider’s perspective, it sounded like an absolute blessing, didn’t it?

However, looking at it from Wang So-so’s current perspective, she was trapped in a perpetual state of terror, never knowing when the internal heat might turn into a fatal poison within her own flesh. This situation was proving to be an immense complication on multiple levels.

“I am asking this merely to confirm my suspicions, but you are indeed the owner of the Solar Body, correct?”

Wang So-so wavered for a brief moment, debating whether to confide in me, before finally giving a small nod.

“Yes. That is the truth.”

“Is it entirely impossible for you to travel even a short distance?”

“A gentle pace might be manageable, but any sudden or explosive exertion will cause the surging solar qi to completely incinerate the meridians throughout my entire frame.”

It was truly one obstacle after another. I had overheard earlier that the reinforcement group wouldn’t take long to arrive at this location.

‘What options do I have left…’

In that moment of regular deliberation, my mind flashed back to the Secret Record of Ten Thousand Herbs, an esoteric text that had been locked away in the same secure repository as the Universal Cure Treatise. It detailed methods of utilizing mundane flora and common toxic weeds found scattered across the wilderness to synthesize miraculous remedies capable of curing seemingly terminal conditions.

“Young lady, what I am about to propose might strike you as highly unusual given our current predicament, but if there existed a method to fundamentally alter your very physical constitution, would you willingly undergo it?”

“Pardon me?”

If Medicine Immortal Gong Yak-chun was the absolute authority regarding the art of the needle, then the realm of pharmacology belonged entirely to the Divine Physician of Life and Death.

His given name was Dang Won-ho.

Born into the prominent Tang Clan roughly two centuries ago, he was a remarkably unconventional and free-spirited martial artist. Unlike the vast majority of the Tang Clan members who chose to spend their entire existences conducting research within the safety of their ancestral estate, he ventured out into the wider Murim at an early age, spending his days as a wandering nomad. It was said there was no ailment he could not unravel with his medicines, and no foe he could not eliminate with his venoms; the boundary between survival and demise rested entirely upon his whims. For that reason, the martial world bestowed upon him the title of Divine Physician of Life and Death.

I remained completely ignorant as to why his Secret Record of Ten Thousand Herbs had wound up in the possession of the Murim Alliance rather than remaining with the Tang Clan, or why the modern Tang Clan seemed entirely unaware that such a record even existed.

However, resolving that mystery was irrelevant right now.

As luck would have it, the Secret Record of Ten Thousand Herbs preserved a historical account of a master who suffered from a dilemma nearly identical to the one Wang So-so faced. This was the legendary figure known as the Plain Hand Jade Maiden, an absolute master who stood at the pinnacle of the martial world during the same era as the Divine Physician of Life and Death.

Having been born with the rare Great Yin Body, she was able to achieve an absolute master’s proficiency in Ice Arts due to her natural affinity. However, that very same constitution rendered her completely incapable of conceiving a child. Desperate for a solution, the Plain Hand Jade Maiden sought out the Divine Physician of Life and Death, presenting him with the seemingly impossible demand to rewrite her biological constitution. To her surprise, the Divine Physician of Life and Death eagerly accepted the challenge. Through his genius, he successfully formulated a method to fundamentally invert constitutions of extreme yang and extreme yin. However, the procedure carried a massive catch…

“I will undergo it! Please, do it!”

Before I could even finish detailing the conditions, Wang So-so’s face illuminated with newfound hope as she gave her frantic consent.

Given that she was the offspring of a shrewd merchant like Wang Geum-san, I had anticipated she would display far more skepticism, considering the extensive training she must have received regarding deceptive individuals. Yet, she showed not a single shred of doubt.

“You are fundamentally distinct from the scoundrels who dragged me away from my home. I possess the ability to clearly differentiate between someone who genuinely intends to protect me and someone who harbors malice.”

So it wasn’t a lack of caution; rather, she had already calculated the risks and benefits in her mind within a matter of seconds. If Wang So-so managed to survive this ordeal, I found myself genuinely eager to witness the massive waves she would create within the mercantile landscape of the Murim.

“I must urge you to listen to the remaining conditions. Once this medical procedure is executed, your survival will depend on consuming a specially formulated medicinal capsule every single day for the duration of your natural life. Furthermore, you will never be able to reclaim your original constitution.”

The historical Plain Hand Jade Maiden had indeed succeeded in bearing a lineage after the treatment, but she was permanently stripped of her ability to utilize her legendary Ice Arts.

“Additionally, due to the inherently toxic nature of the medicine itself, you will be required to engage in rigorous internal qi circulation and specialized breathing exercises every single day. Because maintaining absolute internal purity is paramount above all else, once you commit to this path, you will be permanently barred from cultivating any other internal arts heart method.”

The foundational element of the capsule designed to rewrite one’s constitution was, fundamentally, a lethal venom. Once introduced to the system, the venom would lower the body’s baseline temperature by systematically consuming the internal solar qi. To prevent the residual toxic buildup from ending the patient’s life, the individual had to continuously neutralize it utilizing pure internal martial energy.

Because absolute purity was an uncompromising requirement, mixing it with other martial disciplines was fatal. If one required an internal arts heart method that combined flawless purity with immense martial development, the advanced teachings of the Wudang Sect or the esoteric techniques of Shaolin would be ideal. Unfortunately, the only compatible method within my immediate possession was the foundational Taeul Heart Method of the Taeul Sect.

“I am entirely prepared to do it!”

“…To be clear, if you commit to the Taeul Heart Method at this moment, any future access to higher-tier martial arts will be…”

“I possess absolutely no desire to become a figure of the Murim. My wishes are simple: I want to watch the flora blossom when spring arrives, cool myself with a fan during the sweltering summer months, and enjoy peaceful boat rides alongside my family when autumn comes. I want the freedom to embrace the people I love whenever the desire takes me, and I want to hold the hand of a man I cherish while sharing quiet conversations. I wish to raise children of my own, and gently watch the passage of time age my body. The extent of my desires goes no further than that simple life.”

The raw, heartbreaking emotions of Wang So-so—a girl who possessed all the material wealth the world could offer, yet was denied the basic human experiences that ordinary people took for granted—struck my heart with immense weight.

“I understand completely.”

“Are you truly willing to assist me in this! I will make absolutely certain that my father rewards you…”

“Let us leave the discussions of rewards until we have safely escorted you back to your estate. Our pursuers are closing the distance as we speak.”

Gently hoisting Wang So-so onto my back with the utmost care, I began a controlled, steady stride, systematically putting distance between ourselves and the abandoned hideout.

—

“What exactly are you implying?”

“To put it plainly, the final intelligence report delivered via carrier pigeon indicated that Wang So-so’s physical state was exhibiting highly irregular symptoms…”

Listening intently to the scout’s briefing, the brow of Captain Bang I-nam, the leader of the Secret Bow Unit, furrowed into deep, tense lines.

“I issued explicit orders to those men multiple times. Did those wretched fools actually dare to defy my mandates and lay a hand on that girl?”

He didn’t need to witness it firsthand to understand what had transpired. They were absolute degenerates who allowed their primal impulses to override basic logic. It was precisely because of this volatile, unpredictable nature that they were relegated to handling this sort of illicit, under-the-table business despite their lineage tracing back to the prestigious Namgung Clan. Even so, this operation carried the direct authority of Namgung Sang-won. Whose authority did they think they were disrespecting by acting so recklessly?

“No, Captain! I emphasized that specific point to them repeatedly. They maintain that she appeared to be suffering from some form of severe, pre-existing chronic illness from the very moment of her capture. Furthermore, they noted that the ambient temperature of her living quarters within the estate was unnaturally freezing when they initially infiltrated it.”

“The temperature was unnaturally freezing?”

Reflecting upon the details, the entire situation surrounding her was shrouded in mystery. Even if she was merely a young woman, what could possibly terrify the leaders of the Wang Estate so deeply that they kept her hidden away from the world within the innermost depths of their compound? Perhaps the kidnappers’ observations held truth. The sudden realization sent a wave of icy apprehension through him, raising the unsettling possibility that this entire enterprise was spinning out of control.

“So, are they currently remaining stationary at the designated safehouse?”

“Yes, Captain. They sent an urgent request for us to rendezvous with them accompanied by a skilled healer.”

“Brainless idiots! If we permit a civilian physician to accompany us to that location, we leave behind an undeniable living witness.”

This entire operation had to be kept strictly confidential, known only to the inner circle. Within the entire hierarchy of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild, knowledge was restricted entirely to those who had sworn absolute, unwavering fealty to Namgung Sang-won himself. Beyond that select group, not a single soul could be allowed to catch wind of these events. If the truth were ever dragged into the light of day, the consequences would far exceed the simple executions of Namgung Sang-won and their immediate subordinates.

“Th-then how do you command us to proceed, Captain?”

“For the time being, we advance exactly as planned. If the situation proves entirely unsalvageable, the master’s orders are to liquidate them all to ensure absolute silence.”

Preserving her life to utilize her as a supreme bargaining chip against her family was undeniably the optimal outcome. However, if that proved unfeasible, they would terminate her existence without leaving a trace. At the very least, given how deeply Wang Geum-san idolized his daughter Wang So-so, her sudden demise alone would be a devastating blow capable of shattering the merchant master’s resolve.

Unfortunately for Bang I-nam, his optimistic calculations were doomed to be incredibly short-lived.

—

“Wh-what in God’s name transpired here!”

“Scout the perimeter immediately! Search for any signs of life! Find survivors!”

“There are none, sir. Every single one of them has ceased breathing entirely.”

“Wang So-so is completely missing from the area as well.”

“…”

Bang I-nam’s mind descended into a chaotic spiral of absolute bewilderment. The entire situation had violently derailed. This wasn’t merely a case of an abduction turning messy; the grand, overarching ambitions of his master, Namgung Sang-won, alongside the future of the entire collateral branch of the Namgung Clan, had just been completely shattered.

“C-Captain, I have located physical evidence. There is a singular set of escaping footprints left behind. Judging by the distinct depth of the impressions, it is highly probable the intruder carried Wang So-so away on their back.”

The chaotic panic that had been burning through Bang I-nam’s thoughts instantly solidified into a freezing, calculated rage.

“You two, remain behind and dispose of these carcasses cleanly. The rest of you, fall in behind me. Under no circumstances are you to employ the signature sword techniques of the Namgung Clan unless you are absolutely certain you can eliminate the target on the spot.”

The bloodlust radiating from the remaining swordsmen, who had just discovered the slaughtered corpses of their brothers-in-arms, burned every bit as hot as Namgung Sang-won’s personal ambitions. They were clearly funneling all of their boiling hatred toward the unknown interloper who had dared to disrupt their critical mission and butcher their comrades.

The elite operatives of the Secret Bow Unit plunged deep into the dense foliage, following their tracker’s lead. The wilderness around them was choked in a heavy, suffocating gloom that completely blocked out the moonlight. Furthermore, because their task required absolute stealth, they were restricted from utilizing tools like torches to illuminate their path.

Right at that precarious moment.

“Gah.”

Accompanied by the sickening wet sound of a throat rupturing with bloody foam, their first operative dropped dead.

“He’s right here!”

“Where did the strike come from?”

“How many adversaries are we dealing with!”

“Urgh!”

Despite having mastered the premier martial arts passed down through the prestigious Namgung Clan, adapting to a chaotic skirmish inside a pitch-black forest proved to be a nightmare for warriors who had never been formally drilled in the specialized arts of shadow-cloaking and silent assassination.

In short order, another agonizing death rattle echoed through the trees, causing an alarm bell to ring frantically inside Bang I-nam’s mind. They could not afford to continue like this. Losing possession of Wang So-so was a catastrophic failure, but it paled in comparison to the prospect of their entire unit being systematically wiped out in the dark.

“Flints! Produce sparks immediately!”

Obeying Bang I-nam’s frantic command, the surviving swordsmen rapidly retrieved flints from the folds of their cloaks, striking them together in a series of sharp clicks to generate brief flashes of illumination.

And in that precise fraction of a second.

*SWISH!*

Accompanied by the sharp hiss of a blade slicing clean through the air, yet another elite swordsman collapsed to the forest floor.

“Captain! If we press forward under these conditions, not a single one of us will leave this forest alive!”

“Ignite a permanent flame! And execute the Firmament formulation!”

“Agh!”

Even as they scrambled to spark a lasting flame, another warrior’s life was abruptly snuffed out. By the time a steady light finally cut through the dense forest shadows, a mere five individuals remained standing.

“Reveal yourself, coward! step into the light! If you refuse to show your face this instant, I will proceed to slaughter Wang So-so without hesitation!”

Bang I-nam harbored intense doubts as to whether the hidden assailant would actually respond to such a blatant provocation, but to his surprise…

“I always held the opinion that you lot were far from decent human beings. However, I must admit I underestimated just how utterly depraved you truly are.”

The figure stepped forward. His features were completely concealed behind a dark fabric mask, his frame was clad in a weathered, nondescript martial arts uniform, and the weapon resting in his grip was a standard blue steel sword—the kind of ordinary blade easily acquired at any local blacksmith shop, intentionally chosen to mask any specific sect alignment.

“State your name and affiliation.”

“My identity? Is it not far more practical for both parties involved to converse while wearing masks like this? Besides, I am already deeply familiar with who you represent.”

“…If you refuse to reveal it willingly, I will gladly extract it from your corpse.”

“Tell me, how many allies do you imagine I brought with me tonight?”

“Regardless of your numbers, victory will not elude us.”

“Oh? And why is that? Simply because you pride yourselves on belonging to the illustrious Namgung Clan?”

“!!!”

“Ah, allow me to be entirely precise. You operate under the banner of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild, which is controlled by the Namgung Clan, correct? To be exact, you are the personal, shadow-dwelling lapdogs of Namgung Sang-won.”

“!!!”

“!!!”

The surviving members of the Secret Bow Unit were so utterly paralyzed by shock that, completely forgetting to maintain their guard, they reflexively whipped their heads around to look directly at their captain.

Witnessing their tells, Bang I-nam’s expression twisted into a mask of pure fury. Their instinctual reactions were no different from offering the masked man an outright confirmation of the truth.

“There is no purpose in further dialogue. Kill him!”

The very instant the command left Bang I-nam’s lips, the remaining swordsmen unleashed the initial forms of the Boundless Firmament Sword Art. Since their operational secrecy had already been completely compromised, their sole path to resolving this disaster was to eradicate the adversary as swiftly as humanly possible utilizing their family’s absolute finest martial art.

However.

“Gah!”

“Kak!”

Two more seasoned operatives were violently cut down before they could even comprehend the trajectory of the strikes. To make matters worse, the blades of the remaining two swordsmen felt strangely sluggish, entirely lacking their usual lethal precision.

‘This is completely impossible! This is the legendary sword heritage of the grand Namgung Clan!’

The desperate strikes unleashed by the Secret Bow Unit could not even graze the clothing of the uninvited executioner, let alone threaten his life. In fact, the surviving swordsmen appeared to be experiencing an immense physical struggle just to maintain a solid grip on their hilts, as though the very vitality had been completely drained from their limbs. It was a pathetic display that bore absolutely no resemblance to the elite vanguard of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild.

“Ugh!”

“Gark!”

Consequently, the remaining warriors, who had been teetering on the edge of defeat, were systematically executed, leaving the masked intruder to calmly step toward Bang I-nam.

“Y-you monster! What is your true identity!”

“My identity?”

“Y-you must undoubtedly be an elite of the Wudang Sect! Or perhaps… yes! The Mount Hua Sect! You are a hidden expert dispatched by the Mount Hua Sect!”

“The Mount Hua Sect, you say… I suppose I do share a minor history with those particular individuals.”

“Do you honestly believe you can brazenly sabotage the vital enterprises of the Namgung Clan and escape the consequences, even if you possess the backing of the Mount Hua Sect?”

“I never once claimed to belong to the Mount Hua Sect.”

*SWISH.*

Accompanied by a sudden, violent wave of vertigo, a freezing sensation glided effortlessly across the skin of his neck.

Bang I-nam desperately twisted his body, trying to reset his center of gravity.

“Oh…”

“Y-you absolute bastard.”

“What an immense pity. It would have been far more productive if I had crossed blades with Namgung Sang-won himself this evening. Ah, on second thought, let me correct that. Seeing as the planned insurrection by the collateral branch has not officially commenced yet, it might actually prove a bit problematic if I were to confront him at this exact juncture.”

“You demon, just what manner of knowledge do you…”

A torrent of crimson fluid began to spill continuously from the laceration at the nape of his neck.

As Bang I-nam felt his consciousness starting to waver dangerously, he forced his body into a perfect stance, desperately channeling his remaining inner qi to unleash the absolute pinnacle of the Boundless Firmament Sword Art at the level of the Twelfth Star.

“!!!”

Yet, his ultimate offensive could not survive past the execution of a mere three forms.

An inexplicable, entirely alien force systematically severed his blade trajectories time and time again, causing his internal martial energy to violently backfire and tear through his own meridians.

“Did you manage to absorb absolutely no wisdom even after watching your subordinates perish in identical fashion just moments ago?”

“…H-how… How can the unmatched Boundless Firmament Sword Art be thwarted so easily…”

“The Boundless Firmament Sword Art has never been unmatched.”

Bang I-nam’s legs gave out, and he crashed powerlessly to the earth. As the final remnants of his life force slipped away, the thick fabric of the black mask prevented him from witnessing the stranger’s face. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, he was left with the chilling certainty that the uninvited guest was looking down at him with a mocking grin.