The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 35

Chapter 35
## Chapter 35. A Second-Rate Warrior Searching for a Legend (7)

Our ultimate goal lay within the unexplored territory situated at the very edge of the map. According to the individual who had previously explored these caverns, he had successfully bypassed that uncharted zone, caught sight of the Mita Sacred Water, and managed to make his way back.

The subterranean layout was incredibly disorienting, consisting of a vast network of interconnected chambers of varying dimensions. It was common for combatants to engage in a skirmish inside one of these rooms, attempt to fall back, and lose their bearings in the labyrinthine passages, only to inadvertently stumble right back into the adversaries they had just fled from, resulting in their demise.

“There is a clash occurring further along our path. We shall navigate around it,” I noted. I made every effort to steer clear of unnecessary confrontations, choosing instead to weave through alternative pathways to advance toward our objective.

“…You were able to perceive that from this distance?” Seong Mo-ran remarked, having quietly moved up to my side. She paused briefly to concentrate on the faint sounds ahead, her face registering genuine astonishment. “Just how immense is your internal cultivation?”

A martial artist’s sensory acuity is directly tied to their internal energy, meaning that highly heightened senses serve as clear evidence of profound spiritual cultivation. Unable to disclose the full truth, I provided an ambiguous explanation. “It is likely due to the refined quality of my internal force. The Taeul Heart Method is well-renowned for its exceptional purity, after all. Furthermore, the item you bestowed upon me previously proved quite beneficial.”

“I see…” she murmured, nodding with an expression of reassurance before quietly continuing to tail me.

As we advanced through the subterranean tunnels, I carefully scrutinized our surroundings and began to discern the general rhythm of the ongoing conflicts. Yet, it remained difficult for me to comprehend how a staggering five thousand lives could have been claimed within these depths.

Although scattered skirmishes regularly erupted, the stakes did not seem so dire that factions felt compelled to execute the injured to protect secrets. Recognizing that a full-scale escalation would incur severe casualties on all sides, most groups chose to disengage after a tense standoff or a brief show of strength.

“…This presents a problem,” I muttered, halting at an intersection where the tunnel split into two directions. Observing my grim demeanor, the surrounding swordsmen instinctively tightened their holds on their weapons.

“What have you detected?” one asked.

“Down one pathway, an intense conflict is actively unfolding. Down the other, an assembly of martial artists is lying in wait.”

“And the difference?”

“The passage where the group is waiting carries a heavy, unmistakable odor of fresh blood.”

A collective gasp rippled through the group. “How do I proceed?”

“We did not venture into these depths merely to flee from every encounter,” Namgung Seon-hwa declared, unsheathing her blade. In response, the fierce martial aura of the Namgung Clan warriors surged forward aggressively. Witnessing this resolved mindset reaffirmed that allowing them to accompany us had been a wise decision.

“I shall spearhead the advance,” I stated. The martial artists of the Iron Sword Sect, alongside Seong Mo-ran, assumed positions to guard our flank, while the vanguard of the Namgung Clan marched to the front.

“Our route requires us to take the left branch, is that accurate?”

“That is correct.”

Stepping into the cavernous room, we were met with the sight of three individuals clad in luxurious garments, accompanied by over a dozen men wearing crimson martial attire, all stationed amidst a gruesome pile of bodies and pooling gore.

*Nine-Finger Divine Beggar Ma Go-san, Golden-Horned Bronze Man Sa Mu-in, Paradise Child Seo Hyeon-jae.*

These were the exact prominent figures of the Black Path whom I had noted while traversing the thoroughfares of Yueyang—formidable experts against whom I knew I had to maintain the utmost vigilance, now directly blocking our path.

“Well, well. To think the noble daughter of the esteemed Namgung Clan would venture into such an unforgiving environment,” remarked Paradise Child Seo Hyeon-jae, notoriously dubbed the Yin Demon, wetting his lips as he spoke.

“Was your purpose here not the acquisition of the Mita Sacred Water?” Namgung Seon-hwa countered coldly. “Regardless of your status within the Black Path, how can you justify such wanton butchery?”

“To be perfectly frank, we had no desire to linger in a dreary place like this either. However, we find ourselves faced with an insurmountable predicament.”

“Which would be what?”

“Our map was destroyed or lost in the midst of a recent skirmish.”

“…I highly doubt that is the entire truth,” I thought to myself. It was plainly evident that through their own reckless fighting, they had either mislaid the document or ruined it beyond repair.

“Regardless, navigating toward the Mita Sacred Water is impossible without guidance. If things persist in this manner, our immense frustration over missing out on the prize might cause us to… well, keep slaughtering everyone we come across.” Seo Hyeon-jae’s gaze widened with menacing intent as he grinned savagely.

“It seems you hold the Namgung Clan in very low regard,” she replied.

The trio before us belonged to the Blood Serpent Gang, a formidable powerhouse of the Black Path operating out of Guiyang within Guizhou Province. Despite their numbers, they normally lacked the leverage to brazenly defy an orthodox pillar like the Namgung Clan, an elite faction within the Murim Alliance. I found myself wondering what kind of hidden card granted them such reckless audacity.

“Perish the thought. Moreover, having suffered significant casualties back in the river waterways, our current force is quite diminished. Consequently, we made sure to secure an alternative measure,” the villain sneered, retrieving a spherical device roughly the size of two clenched fists from beneath his attire.

An audible gasp of horror escaped from one of our swordsmen as they recognized the weapon.

“A Thunderbolt Bomb…!”

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran both stiffened, their expressions twisting into deep shock. Such devastating munitions were strictly monitored Military assets, virtually impossible to procure through ordinary illicit trades. To see such a cataclysmic weapon in the possession of lawless Black Path criminals was a terrifying prospect.

“Igniting that weapon means you will perish along with us,” Namgung Seon-hwa warned.

“Should we fail to secure the Mita Sacred Water and escape, we have no qualms about ending our lives right here,” came the chilling reply.

“Do you truly believe the Namgung Clan can be intimidated so easily?”

I tilted my head slightly while observing the explosive device. Initially, its sudden appearance had startled me, leading me to speculate if this was the catalyst behind the legendary massacre of five thousand individuals. However, upon concentrating my vision to accurately measure its dimensions, a sense of incongruity struck me.

While the explosive yield of a Thunderbolt Bomb was undeniably catastrophic, an ordnance of that specific volume lacked the capability to bring down the entirety of this cavern system. During the final, desperate days of the Great Righteous-Demonic War, the Sojeong Squad found themselves pushed to the absolute brink, prompting them to infiltrate Military armories specifically to deploy Thunderbolt Bombs against their foes. Having witnessed their utilization firsthand, I was intimately familiar with their actual capacity. Additionally, the subterranean stone composing the Demon Spirit Plateau was remarkably dense and resilient; a localized detonation here would hardly trigger a widespread domino effect.

“Assume the combat formation,” Namgung Seon-hwa commanded icily. In response, Seo Hyeon-jae produced a spark striker from his garments and ignited a flame.

Before the situation could escalate, I intervened.

“Did your group genuinely rely on the map to navigate to this point?”

Seo Hyeon-jae scowled, shifting his hostile gaze toward me. “Who do you think you are, speaking to me?”

True to his coarse nature as a rogue of the Black Path, he only showed respect when it served his immediate interests.

“I am a member of this expedition. Specifically, the individual tasked with carrying the map.”

“What business is that of yours?”

“Simply that if you had actually analyzed the routing document, you would be aware that our ultimate goal is located just a short distance ahead.”

“…Is that a fact? Since that wretch managed to incinerate the document right as he breathed his last, we were unable to verify our proximity.”

“Or perhaps you turned on an ally to seize it, resulting in the map’s destruction during the betrayal? And because of that folly, you can no longer recall the directions you skimmed?”

The outlaws traded tense, silent looks with one another.

“It seems my assumption hits the mark,” I concluded.

“Hold your tongue! If you value your life, you will surrender the document concealed within your garments immediately!”

“As you wish,” I replied smoothly.

Anxious and bewildered looks were directed at me from Seong Mo-ran, Namgung Seon-hwa, and their companions. Paying no heed to their silent protests, I reached into my clothes, retrieved a chart, and tossed it directly toward the bandits.

“This contains the path directly to the final location. Do not press me for further details regarding this specific chamber.”

“Hah! We possess enough knowledge to identify our general whereabouts regardless,” Seo Hyeon-jae scoffed. He smacked his lips with a look of lingering malice, reluctantly stowing the Thunderbolt Bomb back into his attire. “A true shame, young lady. Regardless, I strongly advise against treading too closely to our heels. It would be tragic if this device were to accidentally detonate.”

Maintaining a defensive vigilance, Seo Hyeon-jae and his faction gradually backed away, choosing the left corridor among the three available pathways.

“Young Master Jin, what could you possibly be thinking?!” Namgung Seon-hwa demanded, stepping toward me with a pale, worried countenance.

“Rest easy,” I assured her calmly. “They will not be getting anywhere near the Mita Sacred Water.”

“What are you implying?”

“The item I surrendered to them was entirely fraudulent.”

“What?”

“It was highly predictable that violent disputes over the charts would manifest within these tunnels, was it not? Granted, I did not anticipate encountering an unhinged criminal wielding a Military weapon like a Thunderbolt Bomb, but I had beforehand drafted several deceptive duplicates precisely for such an eventuality.”

I explained this while retrieving several rolled documents from my pack to demonstrate. Namgung Seon-hwa, Seong Mo-ran, and Yu Ji-ryang immediately checked the genuine materials secured within their own garments, staring at them with looks of absolute disbelief.

“Do not fret, the copies in your possession are authentic,” I clarified.

“And your assertion regarding our proximity to the goal—was that accurate?”

“Indeed it was.”

“In that case, we should lose no time.”

As our group resumed the trek, it was Namgung Seon-hwa who positioned herself right next to me, taking the place Seong Mo-ran usually occupied.

“Young Master Jin, would you permit me to request something of you?”

“A request…?”

“Yes. You are entirely within your rights to decline once you have listened to it.”

“Let me hear what it is first.”

“Should fortune favor you and Young Master Jin secures the Mita Sacred Water, would you be amenable to selling the remaining portion to me, keeping only what you personally require?”

“Given that we are operating as an alliance, wouldn’t your own prospects be just as favorable, my lady? What prompts this inquiry?”

“I possess an intuitive inkling that Young Master Jin will be the one to ultimately lay hands on the Mita Sacred Water.”

I had indeed brought along a specialized container specifically designed to safely house the liquid. However, I was well aware of how the search for the Mita Sacred Water concluded in my past existence. Throughout the entire tragic ordeal that claimed five thousand casualties, the legendary substance was never actually recovered.

“What leads you to that conclusion?” I inquired.

Namgung Seon-hwa gestured toward the specialized vessel attached to my belt.

“Due to the potent Extreme Yin essence inherent to the Mita Sacred Water, direct physical contact is catastrophic to the human form. Its intense cold instantly solidifies its surroundings, meaning an ordinary container would shatter. Yet, during our entire journey through these caverns, I have scarcely observed ten individuals who possessed the foresight to bring a properly insulated flask like yours.”

It became clear that her frequent side-glances earlier were due to her deducing the precise utility of my gear.

“I must decline your offer,” I stated flatly.

“What? May I ask for your reasoning?”

“Should I acquire it, I plan to bestow it upon a promising young disciple within my own organization.”

“I see… Has your clan initiated new endeavors?”

“I am preparing to participate in the Murim Academy Regular Exam.”

“An applicant from the Taeul Sect?!” she exclaimed, before falling into an awkward silence.

The moment the words left her mouth, Namgung Seon-hwa recognized her lapse in etiquette. Questioning whether a member of the Taeul Sect was capable of taking such an examination carried an implicit undercurrent of condescension toward my lineage.

“Ah… please forgive my thoughtlessness,” she stammered.

“Think nothing of it,” I replied indifferently, quickening my pace to pull slightly ahead of her. Her dismissive view of my sect was a sentiment I had encountered countless times before, yet familiarity with such biases did not entirely dull the slight sting they carried.

Following our transit through several more interconnected caverns, the heavy, formidable aura of an approaching faction resonated from an intersecting corridor. Signaling my companions to halt, I stepped forward unaccompanied to investigate. Since navigating past this particular junction would lead us directly to our goal, my intention was to evaluate the newcomers and allow them right-of-way if necessary.

*Swish! Crash!*

Suddenly, a sharp gust of compressed internal energy—a deadly Finger Wind—streaked past my cheek, blasting into the cavern roof and raining stone fragments onto the ground. Emerging from the shadows immediately following the attack came Yong So-ah, leading the swordsmen of the Wudang Sect in flawless, disciplined formation. Yong So-ah himself appeared entirely immaculate, without a speck of gore upon his person, and the vestments of the Daoist practitioners bore no indications of severe combat. Conversely, the retinues of Ha Min-jung, Ak Mu-heun, and Yang In-su trailing behind them had clearly suffered devastating losses, their numbers halved and their overall physical states looking remarkably battered.

“So, you managed to cling to life by employing minor deceits?” Yong So-ah remarked, his dismissive gaze sweeping over my figure. Behind him, the remnants of Ha Min-jung’s faction let out mocking jeers, clearly amused by what they assumed was my pathetic plight. Choosing to disregard his taunt entirely, I called out to the tunnel behind me. “You may step forward. It appears these are not hostile forces.”

As Namgung Seon-hwa, Seong Mo-ran, and the rest of our sizeable entourage emerged from the darkness of the tunnel, the calm facade on Yong So-ah’s face fractured slightly, while Ha Min-jung and his associates grimaced with profound distaste.

“It seems our decision to avoid your path was quite providential,” I remarked dryly.

Yong So-ah offered no spoken reply, his eyes narrowing into a piercing, glacial glare. “…We shall see who triumphs when all is concluded,” he muttered. Ha Min-jung’s followers cast resentful, envious looks at the pristine condition of the Namgung Clan warriors before quickly scurrying after their Wudang Sect leader.

Upon arriving at the true destination, we stepped into an immense underground hollow that completely dwarfed any chamber we had previously encountered. Despite possessing the capacity to easily accommodate hundreds of individuals, the massive space was entirely devoid of life. Yet, the absence of people was not the sole anomaly. In stark contrast to the rounded, natural contours of the prior chambers, this colossal vault appeared as though an entire section of its perimeter had been sheared off by a massive blade. Where the solid stone wall should have continued, a dense, impenetrable shroud of darkness hung suspended like a barrier.

“It appears the predecessors have all ventured beyond this point,” Yu Ji-ryang observed, tentatively extending his arm toward the murky veil. The moment his fingers breached the surface, his hand vanished entirely from view within the dark anomaly. “On a positive note, the active array operating here does not present immediate lethal traits. It bears the characteristics of a Natural Formation…”

“Do you detect an issue?”

“Not exactly an issue, but the spiritual current sustaining it is exceptionally potent. For an enchantment that has supposedly endured for three to four centuries, its structural integrity is abnormally robust.”

“Might that pose a hazard to us?”

“I am merely factoring in all variables. Because its behavior mimics a Natural Formation, any sufficiently violent disruption should theoretically shatter it rapidly.”

Having evidently overheard Yu Ji-ryang’s assessment, Yong So-ah wasted no time and immediately strode toward the anomaly. Namgung Seon-hwa, filled with apprehension, attempted to intervene.

“Great Hero Yong So-ah! Would it not be wiser to delay our entry slightly until a thorough calculation of the mechanism is complete?”

“If a mere rustic forager could navigate through this barrier unharmed, then it presents no true obstacle for a master of the martial paths,” he scoffed. With that dismissive declaration, Yong So-ah and the attendant Daoist priests of the Wudang Sect plunged straight into the darkness, with Ha Min-jung’s retinue trailing closely behind them, disappearing one after the other into the veil.

“As the revered Great Hero Hyeoncheong noted, the risk may indeed be minimal. I am simply taking precautions against the absolute worst outcome,” Yu Ji-ryang added.

Before we could proceed, a furious roar reverberated through the stone tunnels, causing the entire cavern to vibrate.

“Vile Namgung Clan! You disgrace the legacy of your forebears! How dare you deceive us with such pathetic misdirection!”

The enraged shouting unmistakably belonged to Seo Hyeon-jae, the bandit leader we had hoodwinked shortly before.

“Establish the Firmament Sword Formation!” Namgung Seon-hwa commanded at the top of her lungs, prompting her martial artists to shift into defensive positions instantly. Simultaneously, the three specialized formation experts from the Maoshan Sect embedded within our ranks plunged their hands into the dark screen to decipher its layout, hurriedly scratching esoteric charts and numerical values onto the stone floor.

“And you, the sniveling wretch who handed us that worthless paper! I shall gouge out your eyes and feast upon them!” The threatening screams grew increasingly distinct, indicating their rapid approach.

Suddenly, Yu Ji-ryang leapt up from his crouch and declared, “The structural pathways are resolved! We can pass through now!”

“Advance without delay!” came the urgent order.

For this traverse, Yu Ji-ryang took the lead position, with myself directly behind him, followed by Seong Mo-ran and Namgung Seon-hwa bringing up the rear as we immersed ourselves in the phenomenon. We found ourselves enveloped in an absolute, suffocating gloom that blinded all vision, but by following a complex zig-zagging course dictated by our guide, Yu Ji-ryang ultimately guided us toward a distant, glimmering aperture.

The very second we crossed over the threshold of the exit, an ambush materialized.

A lethal cold blade slashed directly at our vanguard. Reacting instantly, I delivered a swift kick to the back of Yu Ji-ryang’s knee to drop him out of harm’s way while simultaneously unsheathing my own weapon to intercept the strike.

*Clang!*

Upon the impact of our steel, I immediately sensed that the attacker possessed mediocre internal reserves. Seizing the opening, I channeled roughly eighty percent of my internal strength into a decisive counter, cleaving straight through the assailant’s throat.

*Spurt!*

“Gah!” the rogue gasped as he fell, a torrent of crimson erupting from the mortal wound. The sight that greeted us past the threshold was a massive underground chamber, identical in scale to the one we had left, where a chaotic, bloody melee was actively raging between desperate combatants.

“Hold the defensive alignment!”

“Iron Sword Unit! Secure the Ninefold Sword Formation! Cover every vulnerability!”

Withdrawing to the periphery of the grand hall, we quietly observed the ongoing mayhem. A profound sense of strangeness emanated from the opposing factions locked in this brutal struggle. In particular, the faction confronting the newly arrived martial artists appeared terribly emaciated, their garments caked in filth and grime as though they had been trapped in these depths for an extended duration.

“Lady Namgung!” Yu Ji-ryang urgently called out, a rare note of panic breaking through his usually composed demeanor. “We have a catastrophic problem!”

“What have you discovered?” Namgung Seon-hwa questioned, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on the unfolding skirmishes.

“We have been ensnared within this place.”

“What do you mean?”

“The structural mechanics governing the interior barrier are completely distinct from the outer gateway.”

“Elaborate clearly and concisely, please.”

“The external Natural Formation we just bypassed appears to be nothing more than an unintended consequence—a residual anomaly triggered when the primary core of the inner mechanism suffered a prior collapse.”