The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 68

Chapter 68
## Chapter 68. The ‘First’ Trial of the Hell Regular Exam (2)

Five centuries prior, the emergence of the Demonic Cult prompted the creation of the Murim Alliance.

Once the Demonic Cult was repelled, the surviving coalition members left behind this grand alliance as a testament to their sacred covenant.

In a Jianghu lacking a singular ruler, various factions began pooling their interests around this body, sparking the rapid expansion of the Murim Alliance.

However, the massive influx of talent meant to sustain this expansion soon became bogged down by nepotism, regional biases, and bureaucratic networking, leading to a general decline in standards. Consequently, three centuries ago, Murim Academy was founded to breed exceptional martial artists capable of maintaining the peace of the Jianghu and the authority of the Murim Alliance.

Thus, Murim Academy evolved into the ultimate emblem of triumph for any martial artist.

Graduates entering the Murim Alliance via Murim Academy were designated as officers, whereas those joining as common, low-ranking soldiers faced a ceiling that barred them from ever rising to Deputy Pavilion Master or beyond.

To the grand, renowned sects, sending their disciples into the Murim Alliance as low-tier warriors with no hope of high promotion was an intolerable disgrace.

The fierce competition for entry that developed because of this continuously escalated the difficulty of the testing, until eventually, people began referring to the Murim Academy Regular Exam as the Hell Regular Exam.

“Do you finally grasp the reality? The true nature of the test you were blindly rushing into?”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

Staring at the boys, I told them, “Head back home. I won’t hold it against you.”

If my goal was to shield all the youths of Taeul Sect, securing more positions within Murim Academy was essential.

Yet, we had now fallen heir to the True Inheritance of the Taeul Sword Emperor, and our circumstances had grown far more complex.

There was no earthly reason for every single one of them to gamble their lives on the Murim Academy Regular Exam.

Even so, despite my attempts at persuasion, the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers refused to retreat.

“What in the world are you saying?”

“Don’t utter such nonsense, please.”

“What sort of determination do you think kept us going through that brutal training?”

Contrary to my apprehensions, the youths’ zeal was still burning fiercely.

“We are sticking by your side, if only because turning back now would make all our suffering pointless.”

“If you try to ditch us, we will dog your steps even if it kills us.”

“Count me in as well!”

Shaking my head internally, I realized that after they had sweated that much, deserting them now would likely cause these three brothers to exact some unimaginable revenge on me later.

“Are you absolutely certain you won’t live to regret this?”

“You were the one who declared that those of the Taeul Sect do not harbor regrets.”

“Who on earth said that?”

“Our Eldest Senior Brother did.”

dishonesty.

“…….”

How were these boys quoting things that I, a man blessed with absolute memory, had no recollection of ever uttering?

“Eldest Senior Brother, why are we focusing on mountain strongholds anyway?”

Answering Dong-ryong’s query, I explained, “That is directly tied to the total pool of candidates.”

“The candidates?”

The quota that Murim Academy admitted during a single selection cycle was capped at a mere eight hundred and ninety-two individuals.

When you factored in the one hundred and eight selected from the One Hundred Eight Peaks, the grand total amounted to exactly one thousand.

Meanwhile, the swarm of applicants vying for a spot at Murim Academy usually fluctuated between two hundred thousand and three hundred thousand.

If you counted the attendant martial artists they dragged along with them, that figure ballooned to nearly a million.

Seizing this perfect setup, the Murim Alliance structured the First Trial to handle the endless grievances and petitions flooding their offices while simultaneously weeding out the massive herd of applicants.

“The Murim Alliance has marked exactly four thousand mountain strongholds across the land. This encompasses every bandit camp with the capacity to expand into a major threat, excluding the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds controlled by the Green Forest Alliance.”

The bulk of the fortresses aligned with the Green Forest Alliance consisted of unorthodox martial artists from the Black Path who possessed genuine martial training.

They operated far more like structured syndicates and sects than rudimentary bands of highwaymen.

“So that means only four thousand applicants will make it past the initial trial?”

“Precisely.”

It was an extraordinarily brilliant strategy.

Those lacking proper martial prowess, lacking a backing faction, and lacking raw power would be washed away in the very first phase.

Concurrently, by the time the examination concluded, the rogue strongholds that had been a constant thorn in the side of the Murim Alliance would be obliterated in one fell swoop.

The Murim Alliance could merely sit back, administer a test, and cure a massive headache all at once.

“Then should we really be idling around like this?”

Eun-ho was undeniably sharp-witted.

Amused, I smiled and prodded,

“Why do you ask?”

“Shouldn’t we sprint ahead and lock down the weakest fortress among those four thousand before anyone else? Our numbers are incredibly small to begin with.”

“True, so let’s make a move for now.”

I led the youths up Mount Hwaun.

“Isn’t this Mount Hwaun? Is there actually a bandit fortress hidden up here?”

“No.”

“Then why are we here?”

“There is a prerequisite you boys must master before we go clearing out any strongholds.”

“?”

“Line up in front of me.”

The Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers arranged themselves side by side.

“You have been introduced to moving circulation previously, correct?”

Geum-pyo cocked his head in confusion.

“Moving circulation, you say?”

“Yes.”

“We have.”

“What exactly were you taught?”

“The Swift Blossom Hall Master instructed me: ‘Geum-pyo, regardless of the predicament you find yourself in, you must never utilize moving circulation.’”

“And beyond that?”

“Uh…… Oh! He also added this. ‘If you truly find yourself forced to use it, if there is absolutely, utterly no alternative left, and your very survival is hanging by a thread…… still, do not use it.’”

“You received excellent instruction.”

“……Wait, you don’t mean?”

Moving circulation stood as one of the primary methods of channeling internal energy, alongside standing circulation, seated circulation, and reclining circulation.

“You are going to master that very moving circulation, completely re-engineered.”

“……Senior Brother.”

“Speak.”

“Allow me to mention one thing. When the Sect Leader dispatched us, he also saddled us with the duty of keeping tabs on you. He explicitly ordered us to intervene if you attempted anything utterly reckless.”

The dominant method of qi manipulation in the Jianghu remained seated circulation due to its superior productivity and safety, whereas moving circulation was viewed with extreme skepticism. Unlike the seated variant, its productivity was abysmal and its safety could never be assured.

“Did I not just state otherwise? You will learn a completely new version.”

“…… shreds.”

“Commit what I am about to recite perfectly to memory.”

Back when I operated within the Sojeong Squad, I constantly hit a wall because my internal cultivation was far too meager.

The waves of adversaries were relentless, leaving us zero breathing room, which meant there was never an idle moment to sit and circulate qi.

Yet, without even a shred of inner cultivation, it was impossible to match the Demonic Practitioners who wielded vile Demonic Arts.

The vast majority of the Sojeong Squad shared this exact plight.

After surviving the precipice of Qi Deviation hundreds of times, I forged an entirely unique method of moving circulation.

‘Looking back, it truly was a mad gamble. I only pulled it off because I had accepted my own death.’

As my tendency to collapse from exhaustion mid-battle faded away, the rest of the Sojeong Squad grew intrigued, prompting me to pass the technique along to them.

The members of the Sojeong Squad eventually christened this anonymous moving circulation method after my lost lineage.

They called it Taeul Moving Circulation.

“Have you engraved it into your minds?”

“…….”

Their expressions remained drenched in absolute skepticism.

These youngsters, harboring such doubt toward their Eldest Senior Brother, were practically begging for a lesson, weren’t they?

I abruptly unleashed a wave of raw killing intent directed straight at the three of them.

“Urgh!”

“Gah!”

“Ack!”

The youths’ complexions instantly drained of color as though they were staring death in the face, and they scrambled backward frantically.

Ever since I utilized Innate Energy during my martial clash with Hwa Jeong-san and pushed the Taeul True Scripture to its absolute zenith, the sheer weight of my killing intent had grown significantly more oppressive. Consequently, the boys looked as though their spirits were about to flee their flesh.

“Hah, hah, hah. W-What in the world was that for, Senior Brother?”

“Why, why are you attacking us like this?”

“Get back into position.”

Hearing my command, the three brothers began dragging their feet back toward me, despite every fiber of their being screaming to run.

“From this moment on, I will slowly release my killing intent and steadily turn up the pressure. Start running your moving circulation.”

Driven by a desperate urge to stay alive, the boys frantically began operating the moving circulation technique.

“How does it feel?”

“……Huh? The pressure is easing up?”

I immediately doubled the intensity of the killing intent.

“How about now?”

“It is…… manageable.”

I gradually dialed up the oppression until it hovered at roughly half of its initial peak.

“And now?”

“It is grueling, but…… we can endure it.”

“This represents one of the core merits of moving circulation.”

A major advantage yielded by the creation of Taeul Moving Circulation was the ability to retain one’s lucidity even when submerged in dense killing intent or foul Demonic Qi.

Simultaneously, Taeul Moving Circulation acted as a highly sensitive radar for the onset of Qi Deviation, enabling the practitioner to halt the technique before they crossed the point of no return.

“Ah! So you are saying we should trigger this moving circulation whenever we encounter malicious intent?”

“Don’t be foolish. If that was the sole purpose, why would I bother drilling you in it?”

“Uh…… Then what else…….”

“Moving forward, you are to maintain this moving circulation every single waking moment. Whether you are strolling, sprinting, or locked in combat.”

“Senior Brother! Senior Brother!”

Dong-ryong frantically raised his hand.

“What is it?”

“The moment I attempt to take a step, it feels like my entire skeletal structure is being wrenched apart.”

“That is the internal safety trigger. Pressing past that threshold means plunging into Qi Deviation. Therefore, execute it with extreme care, and move at a crawl initially.”

“…….”

The trio stared at me as if I had completely lost my mind.

“Why must we subject ourselves to such extremes?”

“To begin with, your internal reserves are pathetically shallow. By keeping Taeul Moving Circulation active, you can continuously accumulate internal energy bit by bit, even if the yield is minor compared to seated meditation. Secondly, you boys are required to clear this examination while undergoing training simultaneously. What was the point of dragging you all this way if you fail to even inherit the True Inheritance of the Taeul Sword Emperor? Thirdly.”

This was the ultimate reason I was imparting Taeul Moving Circulation to them.

“There are a mere four of us. Meanwhile, our rivals total nearly a million. Do you honestly believe we will be granted moments to rest?”

“…….”

“This isn’t merely about passing a test. For a weakened entity like the Taeul Sect to rise from the ashes, we must clash with endless waves of adversaries over and over. Those seeking to crush us will number in the thousands at the very least, and we won’t be afforded a single second of respite.”

The moment the Great Righteous-Demonic War ignited, horrific days devoid of any comfort would drag on for years.

One had to actively burn internal energy while simultaneously replenishing it, all while keeping one’s mental fortitude perfectly intact.

The Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers swallowed hard, their throats dry.

“If we master this…… can we actually overcome the obstacles blocking our path?”

“How do you think I have managed to secure victory up until now?”

A spark suddenly ignited within the eyes of the three brothers.

“Commence.”

With that, they slowly began shifting their weight to walk.

However, likely due to the constant wrenching sensation threatening their bodies, their pace was more agonizingly slow than a snail’s, and their faces were twisted in intense concentration.

“If your goal is to remain stuck in Anhui Province for the entirety of the Murim Academy selection, feel free to slack off.”

“Where are you heading?”

“I have no desire to camp out on Mount Hwaun tonight. If you boys feel the same, you best hurry down. I will be waiting at the base.”

Leaving the struggling trio behind, I made my way down the slope.

Once I reached the foot of Mount Hwaun, I retrieved a small slip of paper tucked inside my sleeve.

-Sohwa Pavilion. A-Class Room.

While I was scanning the announcements at the Hefei Branch of the Murim Alliance, an unknown individual had attempted a stealthy sleight of hand on me.

Naturally assuming they were targeting the coin purse nestled against my chest, I had seized their wrist and twisted hard, yet the perpetrator hadn’t made a single sound. Instead, they simply uncurled their fingers to reveal this hidden note.

“To only establish contact now. They certainly took their sweet time weighing their options.”

Following my looting of Wolhyang’s burial site in Hunan and the subsequent liquidation of the treasures, I had approached Yang Gun-baek to request the rank of a “Guest Retainer” within Hao Gate.

Months had flown by since I handed over vital intelligence regarding the Beggars’ Sect alongside that petition.

Only now was I receiving their reply.

“They clearly bided their time until their leverage reached its peak.”

In tandem with the Murim Academy examination, the value of the information held by the Beggars’ Sect and Hao Gate would skyrocket.

Hao Gate was undoubtedly well aware of this factor, which explained why they delayed their response to me.

There were three prominent entertainment establishments dominating Hefei’s pleasure district.

Manwol Pavilion, Johyang Pavilion, and Sohwa Pavilion.

Among these, Johyang Pavilion was the venue Gye Cheol-yeong frequented routinely, while the absolute most lavish of the trio, catering exclusively to top-tier bureaucrats and high nobility, was Sohwa Pavilion.

The moment I stepped inside Sohwa Pavilion, which was adorned from its entryway with extravagant paper lanterns and rich silks, a woman draped in revealing attire that left little to the imagination glided toward me.

Despite taking in my unremarkable martial uniform and my overall impoverished appearance, her demeanor remained flawlessly welcoming.

“Is there a specific lady you are seeking tonight?”

“I have a prior arrangement. I was instructed to request the A-Class Room.”

The standard accommodations at Sohwa Pavilion began at the D-Class Room level.

That baseline setup provided a single maidservant, one manservant, and a single courtesan to attend to the patron.

Conversely, an A-Class Room boasted a staff of four maidservants and four manservants, a dedicated troupe of musicians, and a rotation of four courtesans assigned to the guest.

It was a lavish environment reserved solely for those capable of squandering vast fortunes.

Under normal circumstances, an individual of my standing wouldn’t dream of entering such a space.

However, the hostess must have been briefed on my arrival, as she immediately escorted me forward without a moment’s hesitation.

The chamber proved far more refined than I anticipated.

It lacked any windows, but numerous candles illuminated the space, which was notably devoid of cluttered furniture.

To one side stood a row of elderly maids and attendants awaiting commands.

Though their garments appeared modest, the fabric was clearly high-grade silk rather than coarse cotton.

Brothels frequently employed elderly staff to serve customers as a buffer against intoxicated patrons attempting to misbehave.

Furthermore, it served the strategic purpose of making the youthful allure of the courtesans appear even more striking by comparison.

“The individuals you are expecting will arrive shortly.”

The room was currently empty of courtesans.

The male and female attendants stood in absolute silence with lowered eyes, an atmosphere that practically oozed opulence.

‘Is this the sort of luxury that drives people to bleed their coin purses dry?’

Shortly thereafter, a woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties stepped into the room, flanked by four martial artists possessing formidable auras.

While the young lady who had guided me earlier was exceptionally striking, the newcomer possessed a beauty that operated on an entirely different echelon.

Were it not for the subtle lines etched around her eyes and lips, she possessed the kind of allure capable of toppling kingdoms.

Yet, the mature woman seemed entirely unbothered by these signs of maturity; aside from minimalist makeup, she made no effort to camouflage her age.

“I finally have the honor of meeting you. I extend greetings on behalf of Hao Gate. I am the Hao Gate Master, Yeo Mi-mi.”

I calmly rose from my seat and returned a formal cupped-fist salute.

“I am Jin So-un of the Taeul Sect.”

“Your renown precedes you, Young Master Black Flame Dragon.”

“…….”

“I received the details through Gun-baek. You expressed a desire to be appointed as a Guest Retainer, correct?”

“That is correct.”

“I must apologize for the lengthy delay in our response. We required time to navigate internal verifications.”

“I understand completely.”

In stark contrast to the Beggars’ Sect, the majority of Hao Gate’s operatives embedded themselves within ordinary society to earn a living.

Whether running taverns, wine shops, or market stalls—wherever crowds gathered, Hao Gate was present.

However, unlike the Beggars’ Sect, they did not pass down structured martial arts, and their ranks comprised far more ordinary citizens than trained warriors, forcing them to go to extreme lengths to mask their true affiliations.

“On our end, we harbored significant reservations regarding how to integrate someone of your nature, Young Master Jin So-un.”

“Have those reservations finally been resolved?”

Hao Gate primarily functioned as an information brokerage, but in reality, the primary consumers of their gathered data were the members of Hao Gate themselves.

For their organization, the paramount directive was safeguarding the collective and maximizing profits for their own disciples.

The title of “Guest Retainer” designated an exceptional status for an individual operating completely outside that core directive.

This explained why, throughout their entire lineage, only a select few had ever successfully clinched the rank of “Guest Retainer.”

Furthermore, a well-kept secret was that one had to clear a gauntlet of trials to prove worthy of becoming a Hao Gate “Guest Retainer.”

The initial challenge tested whether the candidate commanded secrets that Hao Gate had failed to unearth.

My decision to feed Yang Gun-baek inside intelligence regarding the Beggars’ Sect was precisely intended to satisfy this requirement.

“Indeed. We managed to verify the intelligence you provided, Young Master Jin.”

“Did it prove beneficial?”

“Immensely so. Candidly speaking, tracing the exact origin of where you managed to extract that information proved to be an exhausting riddle for us.”

“I am pleased it served its purpose.”

“Simultaneously, however, we are left with lingering doubts. Specifically, whether it is prudent to grant the status of Guest Retainer to someone who operates entirely outside our sphere of monitoring.”

“Is that not the exact reason you ought to proceed? The most effective method to track an unpredictable variable is to draw that variable directly into your field of view.”

Yeo Mi-mi fell into a silent, profound reverie at my counterargument.

Intriguingly, even as she pondered, her gaze remained locked onto mine, giving off the distinct impression that she was attempting to peer into the depths of my mind.

“I comprehend the necessity behind Hao Gate’s insular structure. Yet, if you allow yourselves to become utterly consumed by secrecy, will you not eventually stagnate and decay?”

For the first time, a flicker of instability crossed Yeo Mi-mi’s gaze.

“Take the crisis at the Demon Spirit Plateau, for instance. Had Hao Gate retained even a single competent Spell Practitioner within your ranks, would your organization ever have been pushed to the brink of ruin? What do you suppose the outcome would have been had I not intervened?”

Confounded, Yeo Mi-mi dropped her chin and immersed herself in deep reflection.

Moments later, she gave a slow nod of assent.

“As the rumors suggested, it appears the strategic intellect of the Young Master Black Flame Dragon is far more intricate than the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation. The tales did not do you justice.”

A subtle, captivating smile finally graced Yeo Mi-mi’s features.

One could only guess how many men throughout the years had been driven to ruin by that very expression.

“Very well. Let us proceed on those terms. I had prepared this token as a contingency, and it seems I must surrender it after all.”

With those words, Yeo Mi-mi extended a pouch crafted from fine silk.

Tucked inside was a meticulously detailed dossier profiling the high-priority contenders currently participating in the First Trial of the Murim Academy Regular Exam.

Yeo Mi-mi then shifted to exit her seat.

As my eyes skimmed across the provided documentation, I questioned her,

“So, does this conclude our business?”

“Yes. Should you ever require the resources of Hao Gate, do not hesitate to summon us.”

The moment Yeo Mi-mi stood up, her escort of martial artists instantly converged around her to shield her departure.

Keeping my focus firmly anchored on the documents in my hands, I remarked,

“Is that truly the case?”

Hao Gate’s screening process was far from concluded.

“In that case…… when will I be granted an audience with the actual Gate Master?”

“…….”

Yeo Mi-mi’s expression instantly froze as she whipped her head back toward me.

“Given that you took an eternity to establish contact, my schedule is rather packed. I would prefer to wrap up this verification process for the ‘Guest Retainer’ qualification without further delay.”

The secondary challenge.

Proving whether the candidate possessed the vision to peer past illusions and discern the unvarnished truth.

Directing my gaze toward the individual standing at the absolute rear of the elderly maidservants, I stated,

“If the Gate Master concludes that my presence is superfluous, I shall take my leave. I can hardly allow my disciples to spend the night shivering in the wilderness, after all.”

“!”

Yeo Mi-mi’s eyes went wide with sheer astonishment as she stared back at me.