The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 53

Chapter 53
## Chapter 52 : Chapter 52

### Chapter 52. A First-Rate Warrior Peering into the Darkness (5)

As Murong Sang-won made his way toward the Clear Bright Escort Agency situated in Mugang, a sudden wave of apprehension washed over him, causing him to halt his steps abruptly and look behind him.

‘No, there is no way…….’

He quickly dismissed the troubling thought with a shake of his head.

Even for the most virtuous righteous martial artist alive, sacrificing one’s own existence for a newly met acquaintance was no simple matter.

Furthermore, it strained belief that a youth who had not even reached twenty years of age would intentionally present himself as a decoy just to ensure his survival.

Murong Sang-won accelerated his pace, rushing toward the Clear Bright Escort Agency with maximum velocity.

When he burst through the gates looking completely unkempt, his hair in total disarray and his garments torn to shreds, the martial artists standing guard at the main entrance were thrown into a panic. However, they rapidly recognized him as Murong Sang-won, the very man who had paid them a visit only days prior.

“Young Clan Head!!”

Despite being an establishment meant for transport, the courtyard was entirely devoid of any cargo.

Instead, a massive gathering of escorts and fighters filled the space, fully armed and prepared to march out into conflict at a moment’s notice.

“What terrible misfortune has befallen you? Warriors from every single outpost throughout Henan Province have been desperately seeking your whereabouts, Young Clan Head.”

“Jin So-un! Tell me, has a person by the name of Jin So-un arrived here yet?”

“Who might that be?”

It appeared his grim intuition had hit the mark.

Had that young boy truly thrown away his life to grant him a chance to escape?

“……No, I refuse to believe it.”

If fate demanded that one of them perish, he should have been the one to fall.

He was already indebted to Jin So-un for saving his life once before.

He could not bear the weight of letting the same tragedy occur a second time.

“Young Clan Head. Are you unharmed?”

Murong Sang-won barely registered the Branch Chief’s anxious inquiry regarding his well-being before pressing further.

“What is the total number of fighters assembled at this location?”

“Every available man from the surrounding outposts has converged, totaling three hundred blades, and additionally, the Namgung Clan has dispatched a reinforcement contingent of one hundred warriors.”

“The Namgung Clan?”

Only at that moment did Murong Sang-won shift his gaze, noticing a group of individuals clad in distinct uniforms standing in perfect ranks to the side.

Positioned at the very front of this group were Namgung San, whose face had turned incredibly grim, and Namgung Seon-hwa, whose countenance had gone completely pale.

“San, Seon-hwa.”

“……I offer my respects, Young Clan Head.”

“It brings me immense comfort to see that you appear to be safe.”

“To think that even the two of you have journeyed here.”

Namgung San cut straight to the core of the matter.

“By any chance, is the Jin So-un you just spoke of the very same Jin So-un belonging to the Taeul Sect?”

“Are you familiar with that young boy?”

Namgung San and Namgung Seon-hwa exchanged a deeply troubled look.

“What exactly transpired out there?”

“I fell into an ambush laid by unidentified adversaries up on West Lake Peak.”

“Did Young Master Jin remain behind by himself to face them?”

Namgung Seon-hwa, who normally held her tongue and stayed in the background, suddenly interjected with urgency.

Namgung San attempted to speak, but he stopped himself the moment he caught sight of her bloodless face.

She seemed to completely lack the composure to even realize how improperly she was behaving by interrupting.

“……I pray that is not the case, but it appears that is exactly what happened.”

Murong Sang-won offered a brief recount of the events surrounding their final moments together before separating.

“If we are speaking of him…… he is precisely the kind of person who would make such a self-sacrificing choice without hesitation.”

“……I had desperately hoped my suspicions were wrong.”

“Young Clan Head. We must lose no time and set out immediately.”

“Indeed. Let us depart.”

—

> $$Your desire to cling to life surpasses everyone else’s among us. Therefore, you must be the one to survive.$$
>
>

Following my departure from the Sojeong Squad, I managed to keep living.

Yet, survival did not equate to finding inner tranquility.

Throughout the period when I abandoned the secular martial world to conceal myself within the depths of isolated peaks and hidden canyons, I did not experience a single second of true serenity.

During those stretches where I encountered no living soul, I was forced to confront everyone locked within my own recollections.

The endless hordes of adversaries from the Demonic Cult who advanced without ceasing, and the powerful figures of the Murim Alliance who simply stood idly by with their arms crossed even as catastrophe loomed directly ahead.

A close brother-in-arms, with whom I had survived while rolling through the dirt, perished helplessly beneath the freezing blade of a practitioner of demonic arts, while the wicked servants of the Demonic Cult openly mocked his pathetic demise.

Within the theater of those memories, I experienced death tens of thousands of times over.

On one particular day, the image of Go Tae, the heir to the Diamond Staff God, came to mind as he intercepted the blade of an assassin from the Yama Ghost Eye Unit.

Because it was a scene I had mentally replayed hundreds of times, for the absolute first time, a flaw in the enemy’s stance became visible to me.

A solitary opening that I had failed to notice even once during the actual event.

I realized that if I were to plunge my blade into that specific spot, a completely different outcome could be achieved.

Into that vivid recollection, I projected the visualization of unleashing the Minor Heaven Sword Art directly into that fatal gap.

The operative of the Yama Ghost Eye Unit perished instantly as his Death Acupoint was ruptured, spraying a torrent of crimson blood.

Only then did a fleeting sense of comfort wash over my soul.

On another occasion, I recalled Yaryul Jae, the successor of the Flowing Cloud Divine Art, blasting back a warrior from the Heavenly Demon Black Sword Unit.

A critical vulnerability manifested in that memory as well, and I visualized swinging my blade with the Flash Thunder Sword Art to sever the foe’s neck.

By superimposing an imagined tactical response onto the horrific memories of that day that surfaced so clearly, I found myself capable of drifting off to sleep without being tormented by nightmares.

In this manner, a day passed, then ten days, a hundred days, and eventually a thousand days.

I meticulously analyzed the methods required to defeat every single opponent the Sojeong Squad had ever encountered, applying imagined counters and practicing the motions to neutralize them.

I dedicated my entire existence to obsessing over combat strategies that I would theoretically never have the chance to employ again.

I did this because as long as my mind was occupied with those theoretical battles, I was spared from spending my waking hours trapped in sheer agony.

“At the time, it was nothing more than a desperate attempt to run away from my own suffering.”

I never could have foreseen that the mental exercises I engaged in solely to escape my inner torment would serve a practical purpose like this in reality.

The lifeless bodies of the Yama Ghost Eye Unit members were strewn across the ground in every direction.

In my previous life, had I ever managed to fell so many operatives of the Yama Ghost Eye Unit at once?

“If those ridiculous fools were alive to witness this, they would be throwing an absolute fit, demanding I bring out spirits and meat to celebrate a grand triumph. Total lunatics.”

Before I could even dwell on the gravity of having eliminated nearly twenty trained assassins, a soft, involuntary chuckle escaped my lips.

I proceeded to conceal the corpses of the Yama Ghost Eye Unit within the mountain brush, leaving only a small handful out in the open. If I claimed that I, a mere disciple belonging to the Taeul Sect, had single-handedly annihilated the entire group, it would undoubtedly generate a wave of unwanted skepticism.

The moment the cleanup was largely completed, the intense adrenaline keeping me upright began to fade rapidly.

“It seems the Azure Dragon Bracelet cannot entirely shield me from physical exhaustion.”

An overwhelming wave of lethargy had been bearing down on me ever since the final blow was struck.

I had absorbed every ounce of those villains’ martial foundations and Innate Energy, which were heavily corrupted by Demonic Qi, yet just as before, what ultimately filtered into my inner system was refined, pure True Qi.

However, perhaps as a consequence of this rapid purification, even though more than half of their accumulated martial power was currently settling within my Dantian, a severe and irresistible urge to sleep was overtaking my senses.

It appeared that while the Azure Dragon Bracelet successfully neutralized the toxic Demonic Qi, an immense amount of physical weariness had accumulated within my physical vessel.

“Closing my eyes for just a moment, a mere brief respite, shouldn’t cause any harm, right?”

For some inexplicable reason, I felt that if I surrendered to slumber right now, I might catch a glimpse of the old Sojeong Squad bastards in my dreams.

The exact countenances of those irritating fools I used to despise looking at.

At this very moment, catching a brief glimpse of them didn’t seem like such a terrible prospect.

“Though it isn’t actually those fools I wish to perceive. I truly desire to see Lady Murong Seol.”

Propping my back against a large boulder, I closed my eyelids.

—

“Young Master Jin So-un!”

“Young Master Jin So-un!”

The nighttime atmosphere within the mountain ranges was pitch black.

Cutting through this dense obscurity, hundreds of blazing torches cast a bright glow over various locations across the entirety of West Lake Peak.

“The path leads this way.”

Murong Sang-won meticulously retraced the route he had traveled earlier, instructing the search parties to fan out across a distance of ten jang in all directions.

The hostile forces might still be lurking in the shadows, and he remained entirely uncertain of where or how Jin So-un might be concealing himself.

Namgung San, who maintained a swift pace right alongside Murong Sang-won, inquired anxiously.

“Young Clan Head, could you elaborate on precisely what took place?”

Walking on the opposite side, Namgung Seon-hwa looked equally consumed by a desperate urge to hear the explanation.

“I was ambushed by a group of masked assailants on West Lake Peak and came incredibly close to losing my life. It was then that a young companion named Jin So-un stepped in and preserved my existence.”

“…….”

“However, as I was fleeing toward Mugang in the company of that young friend, the very individuals who had ambushed me earlier were lying in wait to intercept us.”

“……Ah!”

Namgung Seon-hwa let out a sharp, involuntary gasp.

“Owing to So-un’s quick-witted thinking, we managed to break free from their grasp, but as you can readily observe, my physical state was utterly wretched. Consequently, we made the decision to separate and run in different directions.”

“In that case……”

“But…… the nagging suspicion refuses to leave my mind that the boy intentionally acted as a decoy to ensure my safety. It fills me with dread.”

The moment Murong Sang-won finished offering his explanation, Namgung Seon-hwa’s pace began to accelerate drastically.

Namgung San started to voice a word of caution, but ultimately held his tongue.

This was because his own heart was filled with the exact same panic that gripped Seon-hwa.

“We have discovered signs of a skirmish over here!”

The advanced escorts who had been dispatched ahead were now clustering around a specific location.

Murong Sang-won closed the distance rapidly.

The spot was located a short distance away from where he and So-un had originally parted ways to evade their pursuers.

“There is a considerable amount of blood spilled here……”

“Mmm.”

Murong Sang-won’s forehead creased with deep worry.

“More evidence of a struggle over here as well!”

“A massive volume of blood has been shed at this spot.”

When they hurried over to join the martial artists who had uncovered the subsequent signs, they realized the location corresponded precisely with the exact place where Jin So-un and Murong Sang-won had gone their separate ways.

“He actually went through with it! He really did it!”

The emotion swelling within Murong Sang-won felt far closer to sheer fury than to grief.

What worth did his own life possess that Jin So-un would push himself to such an extreme length?

His own existence was something that should have ended beneath that cliff anyway; it would have been more than enough for him to simply survive long enough to pass on the vital information.

Namgung San maintained a somber expression as he carefully inspected the area that bore witness to the brutal clash.

“An excessive amount of blood has been splattered across this clearing.”

“If all of this belonged to a single individual?”

“……Survival would be an absolute impossibility.”

“His body…… no! Look for signs! Search for any clues! Any evidence regarding Jin So-un or the identity of the attackers will suffice! Uncover everything!”

“Understood, sir!”

The escorts and independent warriors began to search with an intensity that surpassed anything before.

The Young Clan Head of the prestigious Murong Clan.

They could sense intuitively that he had reached a momentous and grave resolve in this very hour.

“Oh……”

Namgung Seon-hwa collapsed to her knees on the earth, as if her physical strength could no longer withstand the emotional burden.

Namgung San swiftly extended a hand to grasp her arm, preventing her from falling completely prone.

“Pull yourself together. We have not uncovered a body yet.”

“But, Brother……”

“Do you not understand his character? If he were a man whose destiny could be snuffed out so trivially, his journey would have concluded an eternity ago.”

“…….”

“The men are watching us. Stand up.”

“……Alright.”

Murong Sang-won, who had inadvertently overheard the exchange between the two siblings from a short distance away, found their behavior unusual and inquired.

“What manner of relationship do the two of you share with Jin So-un?”

From his own perspective, Jin So-un was his ultimate savior, meaning he carried a profound obligation that he could likely never clear.

Yet, why were these two prominent youths of the Namgung Clan exhibiting an identical level of devastation and concern?

“Are you aware of the events that unfolded upon the Demon Spirit Plateau?”

“I only received word of those matters long after they concluded, and for that, I am deeply regretful. I understand a savior emerged to rescue everyone, correct?”

“Yes. That very savior was none other than Young Master Jin So-un.”

“The warrior who reportedly braved the perils of the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation time and again to rescue those trapped within…….”

“The very same.”

“Incredible…….”

Only now did the reason behind Namgung Seon-hwa’s sudden loss of strength become perfectly clear to him.

The noble Chivalrous Hero who had delivered both the Orthodox Path and the Black Path factions from total annihilation on the Demon Spirit Plateau was the exact same youth named Jin So-un.

“In truth…… why did he deem it necessary to preserve my worthless life…….”

A profound wave of self-condemnation began to fester within Murong Sang-won’s heart.

Had he simply perished early on at the base of that precipice, Jin So-un could have safely journeyed back bearing the Fire Monkey’s Inner Core, establishing himself as an esteemed Chivalrous Hero whose legacy would endure throughout the annals of the Murim.

If Jin So-un had truly met his end in this place, had his own survival not inflicted an irreplaceable loss upon the entire martial world?

“What value does the existence of a solitary, aging man possess?”

Murong Sang-won allowed tears to stream openly down his face, completely indifferent to whether the young heirs of the Namgung Clan were witnessing his breakdown.

And just at that moment.

“O-Over here!!”

“L-Look, is that not a human figure?”

“It is a person! We have found someone resting here!”

A muffled shout echoed from the dense thicket on the far side of the woods.

Murong Sang-won, Namgung San, and Namgung Seon-hwa.

The instant the trio processed the words, they launched themselves off the earth simultaneously, bounding through the air like a localized gale, moving with equal, frantic speed.

“Where is he?! Show me where he is?!”

Murong Sang-won pushed past the gathering of escorts and fighters, forcing his way to the absolute front of the line.

There, he beheld Jin So-un, completely covered in dried gore, resting with his back propped against a boulder along the edge of a small clearing.

“Is there breath in him?”

“He is unharmed, right?”

“Does he live?”

In response to the rapid fire of inquiries originating from Namgung San, Namgung Seon-hwa, and Murong Sang-won, the specific escort who had originally verified the youth’s state gave a reassuring nod.

“His respiration is stable.”

Murong Sang-won moved closer, extending his hand to evaluate Jin So-un’s pulse.

To his immense relief, the rhythm was steady and robust.

Apprehensive that the boy might be harboring hidden injuries, he carefully peeled back the torn fabric covering his limbs and midsection to inspect the flesh.

Fortunately, aside from the crusted blood painting his skin, there were no open lacerations to be found.

Right around that moment, Jin So-un slowly drifted back to consciousness.

Likely due to the profound level of physical depletion weighing down on his frame, he murmured with half-lidded eyes.

“Ah, you have finally arrived?”

Observing Jin So-un’s remarkably nonchalant attitude, Murong Sang-won let out a bewildered, breathy chuckle.

“You absolute lunatic! What madness transpired here? Did you truly offer yourself up as a diversion for my sake?”

“Ah…… that, well, I happened to have prepared a few additional ambushes on this terrain beforehand, so I concluded it would be wise to utilize them.”

“Ha! And then what happened?”

“After I engaged them for a brief period, those villains fortunately chose to beat a hasty retreat.”

“Ha ha! If you managed to survive such an ordeal, you ought to have made your way back immediately. What possessed you to fall asleep out in the open like this?”

“My apologies. The fatigue was simply too overwhelming.”

Jin So-un offered an apologetic reply with a look of sheepish embarrassment, feeling genuinely remorseful that such a massive gathering of fighters and escorts had been mobilized entirely on his account.

Murong Sang-won threw his arms around Jin So-un, pulling him into a fierce embrace as he spoke.

“No! Think nothing of it! Your survival is the only thing that matters. What an incredible relief! Yes, it is a tremendous blessing, without a shadow of a doubt.”

“Gah, wh-what is the meaning of this sudden embrace?”

Jin So-un, now thoroughly jolted awake by the sudden physical contact, squirmed in an attempt to break away from the hold, but Murong Sang-won refused to loosen his grip so easily.