The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 80

Chapter 80
Bang Du-chil was incredibly stubborn.

Every single time our paths crossed, he wouldn’t stop shouting about becoming blood brothers and trailed behind me relentlessly.

If Dong-ryong hadn’t been bedridden and recuperating from the wounds he sustained during the clash, I would have slipped away under the cover of night a long time ago.

“I am… deeply sorry.”

Dong-ryong managed to sit up from his cot, bowing his head deeply in front of Geum-pyo and Eun-ho like a criminal awaiting sentencing.

“Eldest Senior Brother, please extend your forgiveness to me.”

To my surprise, Dong-ryong possessed a vivid recollection of the terrible deeds he had committed.

He explained that while his mind was fully aware within his own consciousness, his physical form was being manipulated by an outside force.

Ordinarily, when the catastrophic influence of the Heavenly Killing Star took over, a person’s consciousness would be completely blinded to the external world. The only reason Dong-ryong had managed to retain a grip on his awareness was程序员 undoubtedly due to his training in the Taeul True Scripture.

Fortunately, as his mastery of the Taeul True Scripture deepened, his conscious mind would form an unbreakable foundation, ensuring that Dong-ryong would never again descend into the state of an Evil Spirit.

“I won’t… I promise I will never do that again.”

“Never do what exactly?”

“Those… dreadful actions.”

His words faltered, and his expression softened as if he were on the verge of weeping.

Seeing his eyes well up with tears that threatened to overflow at any second, I had to exert all my willpower to suppress a sudden urge to laugh.

“Are you referring to transforming into an Evil Spirit?”

“Sob, sob…”

Tears finally began to stream down his face, his wide, frightened eyes resembling those of a panicked rabbit.

He seemed completely helpless, terrified of the moment his destructive star nature might suddenly seize control of him again. The sight was unexpectedly pathetic yet endearing, which triggered my mischievous urge to tease him further.

“But if your murderous star nature takes over the next time…”

“Waaah! Ugh, ugh…”

Unable to hold it back any longer, Dong-ryong wept aloud.

At that moment, Geum-pyo and Eun-ho dropped to their knees simultaneously.

“Senior Brother! I will take full responsibility for him!”

“Eldest Senior Brother! I will also bear the responsibility!”

What on earth was wrong with these two, suddenly dropping to the floor and making such a dramatic scene?

“Well, how precisely do the two of you intend to take responsibility?”

“We discussed it throughout the night. If… if Dong-ryong ever shows signs of turning into an Evil Spirit again, then Eun-ho and I will…”

“Cut it out right there! What kind of nonsense are you babbling about?”

My heart skipped a beat in alarm.

What ridiculous ideas had these two cooked up in their minds? I let out a heavy, weary sigh.

“There is no need to fret. Dong-ryong is not going to become an Evil Spirit again.”

“What? Is that the absolute truth, Senior Brother?”

“Indeed. Naturally, to guarantee his complete safety, he must dedicate himself entirely to practicing the Taeul True Scripture as though his very survival depends on it, pushing his mastery to much greater heights. Once his comprehension of the Taeul True Scripture reaches the Fifth Star, he will possess the ability to restrain that bloodthirsty nature. And by the time he attains the Seventh Star, he will be entirely immune to the pull of the killing star.”

Hearing this, Geum-pyo and Eun-ho leaped to their feet and threw their arms around Dong-ryong’s shoulders in relief.

“Dong-ryong! Did you catch that?! You aren’t some monster! There’s no way my own brother could ever be an Evil Spirit!”

“See? I told you that you were worrying over nothing!”

Dong-ryong offered a watery smile, even as tears and mucus covered his face.

It was impossible to discern whether his joy stemmed from the realization that he wouldn’t turn into a monster, or simply from the fact that he could remain a part of our group. Though the boys remained oblivious, the truth was that the Taeul True Scripture had granted Dong-ryong an extraordinary innate gift as a martial artist, one that rivaled any legendary physical constitution.

Watching the three brothers celebrate so enthusiastically with their arms locked together, I interjected,

“Which is precisely why you cannot afford to slack off in your daily training from this moment forward. Every bit of that grueling Moving Circulation practice I forced you through had a distinct purpose.”

“Absolutely, absolutely! From this day on, even if Senior Brother claims that a miracle can happen out of thin air, I will trust your words without question.”

“Oh, give me a break.”

—

A crowd of twelve hundred displaced villagers had gathered from the three settlements surrounding Mount Tianmu.

Their dwellings had been completely demolished; the neglected thatched roofs had entirely caved in, and the blood shed by the bandits had contaminated the local creeks and wells, rendering their ancestral lands completely uninhabitable.

“Mother, my stomach hurts from hunger.”

“Be brave and hold on just a bit longer, my child. We will ascend the mountain slopes to forage for some wild greens.”

“You aren’t going to abandon me here again, right? Promise me.”

“No, sweetheart. This time, we are staying together.”

Despite their desperate circumstances, a profound sense of thankfulness washed over them simply because they were alive to see one another.

“Word is that everyone is planning to abandon their old homes and migrate toward Hangzhou. Surviving the upcoming winter in this place is practically impossible.”

Village Chief Heo, who had stepped up to represent the survivors of the three communities, let out a deep, sorrowful sigh.

“Even so, it is an immense blessing that we could reunite in this manner. Every bit of this is owing to your intervention.”

“You praise me far too highly.”

Reaching into the folds of his garment, Village Chief Heo produced the five-thousand-tael bank note that I had previously handed over to him.

“This is the sum you placed in my care.”

“Did I not instruct you to utilize it to purchase necessary provisions?”

“We cannot possibly be so lacking in shame.”

The elderly village leader paused momentarily, collecting his thoughts before speaking again.

“I intend to repay this boundless benevolence by any means necessary. It certainly won’t happen during my own lifetime, but my children will see to it… and if they cannot, then my grandchildren will bear the burden… and if even they fail, our descendants down through the generations will ensure it is paid back to you.”

The old man, whose hair had turned entirely silver, looked incredibly weighed down by guilt because he lacked any immediate way to demonstrate his appreciation.

We had thoroughly ransacked the Twin Curtain Stronghold, but we failed to uncover anything resembling a hidden treasury. According to the reports from Yang Gun-baek, the bandits of Twin Curtain Stronghold had recently depleted their coffers entirely during a massive expansion of their fortresses. They truly remained utterly worthless miscreants right up to their demise. Consequently, despite successfully wiping out the mountain bandits, there was no loot to show for it, leaving us with nothing to distribute among the struggling villagers.

“If it is going to take several generations, I won’t live to see a single bit of that benefit, will I?”

“…”

I extended my hand, forcing the promissory note back into his grasp.

“While it might not solve every problem, please use this wealth to restore the settlements.”

If these local communities ceased to exist, it would take an incredibly long time for any new outposts on Mount Tianmu to establish a foothold. If the mountain outposts failed to thrive, it would significantly delay Bang Du-chil’s plans to usurp command of the Green Forest Alliance. Furthermore, I understood all too intimately the profound agony experienced by innocent civilians who found themselves caught in the crossfire of massive conflicts or open warfare.

‘If I ever find myself desperately short on funds, I can always identify a few other places to pillage.’

“But… this is…”

The elderly man, who had spent his entire life working hard without ever receiving a handout, seemed genuinely terrified by the sheer magnitude of five thousand gold taels.

Well, how should I handle this situation?

In truth, an alternative strategy had already formed in my mind.

“Then let us arrange it this way instead. Rebuild your homes using this capital, and moving forward, allocate a fraction of the village’s earnings to the Taeul Sect.”

“?!”

The old man’s eyes widened in sheer astonishment.

“If you view it as an investment in your future, does that alleviate the burden on your conscience?”

Individuals like Village Chief Heo actually felt far more at ease accepting assistance if it came with some form of mutual obligation. It was a deeply ingrained habit of those who had never been handed anything for free throughout their entire existence.

“If that is the case…”

“Would such an arrangement be acceptable to you?”

Village Chief Heo began to nod his head with intense fervor.

“For the next three decades, we will dutifully deliver one-tenth of all revenues generated by our three settlements to your esteemed sect.”

“Hold on, that is far too excessive.”

My proposal was merely a gesture to soothe his pride, not an attempt to bind his people to a lifetime of financial servitude. Yet, Village Chief Heo shook his head so vigorously that it seemed on the verge of snapping.

“Absolutely not. We must commit to at least this much so that I can accept this fortune in good conscience, and so the villagers can rebuild their lives without feeling like beggars.”

“…”

The settlements nestled around Mount Tianmu were situated right along a crucial trade route that merchants were forced to navigate. Furthermore, it served as a mandatory resting point where travelers, exhausted from scaling the steep mountain paths, would halt to recover either before or after their grueling trek. Village Chief Heo and his people completely failed to realize just how immensely prosperous their lands could become in the future.

As I hesitated to give an immediate response, Village Chief Heo firmly gripped my hands, his gaze burning with absolute resolve.

“In return, I have one earnest plea.”

“What might that be?”

“Kindly grant us permission to operate under the banner of the Taeul Sect.”

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

“I am asking that you allow us to proclaim to the world that these settlements exist under the direct guardianship of the Taeul Sect.”

This type of agreement was a standard protection covenant frequently established within the territories controlled by prominent martial clans. However, there was no precedent for an individual like myself striking such a deal with three entire communities simultaneously, particularly in a region located so far from the clan’s actual headquarters. To make matters more complicated, the Taeul Sect was currently operating under sealed gates, meaning its actual authority was far too distant to be actively projected out here.

“At the very least, I wish for outsiders to think twice before making an enemy of our people.”

Village Chief Heo cast a wary glance toward Bang Du-chil and his companions. It was clear he remained deeply apprehensive due to the rumors that a new bandit outpost would eventually rise again on Mount Tianmu.

Yet, during the grim task of clearing away the casualties of the recent battle, the old man had witnessed Bang Du-chil excavate a massive trench using nothing but a single burst of Palm Force, deposit all the bodies inside, and seal it back up with a lone punch. Given that display of monstrous power, he simply didn’t dare to voice his objections openly.

Scratching my head in awkwardness, I replied,

“That presents a bit of a challenge. To be completely honest, the Taeul Sect isn’t known for being an intimidating entity to begin with…”

—

Right at that moment, Baek So-ryeong, who had been quietly observing the entire exchange, leaned in and began whispering into Bang Du-chil’s ear.

The massive man hunched his towering frame to catch her words, nodding along before stepping out into the open.

“Leave that to me!”

“Excuse me?”

“I will take charge of it. I’ll handle the protection of these three communities.”

“…”

Bang Du-chil struck his own massive chest, letting out a booming laugh.

“In exchange for this favor, you must become my sworn brother. Only then will I possess a legitimate excuse to watch over them, isn’t that right?”

“…”

Hearing those words, Village Chief Heo’s expression instantly brightened as he looked toward me, while Baek So-ryeong stood right beside her giant companion, stifling a soft giggle.

This was truly absurd. In my past life, I had faced constant suspicion of being a clandestine operative for the Black Path simply because I had coordinated a few joint missions with the Green Forest Alliance. And now, I found myself cornered into becoming the blood brother of the future Green Forest Alliance Leader himself. If word of this got out and I was branded as a wicked martial artist of the unorthodox factions, I wouldn’t even have a valid defense, would I?

Before I could even process the situation, Village Chief Heo was staring at me with an incredibly pleading expression, looking exactly like an old man uttering his final wishes on his deathbed.

“If such an alliance could be forged, I could depart from this world without a single regret…”

Massaging my aching temples with my fingertips, I turned to Bang Du-chil and asked,

“Sigh… what is your obsession with becoming blood brothers with someone like me? My martial clan is completely unremarkable, my lineage holds no prestige, and I am merely a common Third-Rate Warrior.”

“In all my travels, I have never encountered a man as extraordinary as you.”

“You consider me extraordinary? I merely stumbled upon a Fortuitous Encounter. To put it plainly, I got incredibly lucky and arrived at this point. On the other hand, Great Brother Bang achieved your awe-inspiring martial prowess entirely through your own sheer effort, without any external handouts, did you not? When it comes to raw potential for the future, I can’t even hold a candle to you.”

Despite my resolute attempt to downplay my worth, Bang Du-chil shook his massive head vigorously.

“The exceptional nature I am referring to has absolutely nothing to do with mere martial arts skills.”

“Pardon?”

He parted his lips, revealing a surprisingly clean set of white teeth as he offered a broad grin.

“A warrior who willingly stands up to defend the defenseless without showing a hint of dread, and who doesn’t bat an eye when parting with a massive fortune, possesses a magnificent grandeur of character that is exceedingly rare to find anywhere across the land.”

“…”

“You are the very first person to ever truly leave me in awe. Since it’s impossible for me to claim someone of your caliber as a mere follower, isn’t it only natural for a real man to desire to bind our destinies together as sworn brothers?”

His reasoning was completely flawed… yet he left me absolutely no room to retreat. From the very beginning, when an individual confronted me with such unvarnished sincerity, it became nearly impossible to reject them to the bitter end. Village Chief Heo, who had looked as though he might draw his final breath at any second, was now nodding so intensely it seemed his head might fall off.

“Haaaa…”

Ultimately, I could only let out a deep, defeated sigh. Fine, it wasn’t as though I had ever strictly adhered to the pristine path of a conventional, high-born Orthodox Path martial artist anyway.

“Very well. Let us proceed with it then…”

“Quickly, fetch a blade!”

Wait, I hadn’t even finished speaking my piece… and more importantly, why on earth did he need a blade?

“What is the weapon for?”

“To properly seal our bond as sworn brothers, we must perform a sacred blood oath…”

This terrifying giant spoke of self-mutilation with complete nonchalance. I immediately interceded, casting a desperate glance toward Baek So-ryeong for assistance.

“We’ve already spilled and witnessed far too much blood recently, and you want to shed even more? Let’s just toast to our brotherhood with some drinks instead!”

“He speaks the truth, my love. I am also completely sick of the stench of blood,” she added.

Mercifully, Bang Du-chil proved to be completely compliant whenever Baek So-ryeong spoke up.

“Is that so? Hey there, Village Chief Heo, does this place have any alcohol left?”

“You lawless brigands drank every last drop we had, so how can you even ask such a thing!”

Amusingly enough, despite having witnessed Bang Du-chil’s terrifying displays of martial might, Village Chief Heo didn’t show the slightest hesitation when it came to berating him. Of course, Bang Du-chil wasn’t the sort of individual to take offense at such trivial remarks anyway.

“Hmm… in that case, we’ll need to fetch some spirits from one of the neighboring settlements first. Hold tight for a moment, little brother.”

We hadn’t even properly toasted our alliance yet, and he was already addressing me as his younger brother. I couldn’t help but feel a deep anxiety regarding how chaotic and turbulent my future path was bound to become.

—

As Bang Du-chil hauled his massive frame away, departing with enormous strides, Baek So-ryeong glided over to my side and spoke in a hushed, gentle tone.

“You are truly an incredible individual, Young Master Jin.”

“Whatever do you mean by that?”

“At this very moment, it might appear as though you are the one bearing the entire brunt of the losses. However, in just a handful of years, this arrangement will yield an unimaginable windfall for you. Receiving a steady income from the three communities around Mount Tianmu, coupled with forging a lifelong bond with the future Green Forest Alliance Leader… is that not an incredible stroke of genius?”

It was almost as if she possessed the uncanny ability to foresee the future where Bang Du-chil successfully climbed to the pinnacle of power, as she naturally referred to him as the Green Forest Alliance Leader already. As expected, this woman was far from ordinary.

“This entire scheme was orchestrated by your hand, Lady Baek, wasn’t it?”

When I voiced my underlying suspicion, Baek So-ryeong merely responded with an enigmatic, knowing smirk. Just as I thought, there was absolutely no way that a clever arrangement like this could have originated from the mind of someone as blunt and straightforward as that lumbering giant, Bang Du-chil.

“What possessed you to intentionally advise the future Green Forest Alliance Leader to tie his destiny to a practitioner from an Orthodox Path sect?”

“That desire originated entirely from my beloved’s own heart. He was utterly desperate to forge a connection with you but lacked any idea on how to achieve it, so I merely provided him with a subtle nudge in the right direction.”

“…”

Baek So-ryeong scrutinized my facial expressions intently before elaborating further.

“Furthermore, I came to the conclusion that Young Master Jin would eventually pose the single greatest danger to my dear husband in the days to come. Because of that, I reasoned it would be far wiser to proactively cultivate a strong bond between you two.”

“Me? A danger?”

As far as my own reputation went, I was widely regarded as one of the most utterly benign and unthreatening figures within the entire Murim Alliance during my previous existence. Just how harmless was I? I was so entirely non-threatening that the leadership of the Murim Alliance routinely deployed me at the absolute vanguard of the conflict against the Demonic Cult, essentially treating me as a disposable meat shield.

When I tilted my head in complete bafflement, unable to comprehend her logic, Baek So-ryeong offered that familiar, mysterious smile of hers.

“Hehe, you still lack a proper, objective understanding of your own true nature. That oblivious nature is precisely what makes men so endearing.”

—

“Eldest Senior Brother!”

While I was occupied with cementing my brotherhood with Bang Du-chil—and using that very ritual as an excuse to completely drain all five massive jars of spirits he had managed to procure—Geum-pyo came bursting into the room, completely out of breath.

“You need to step outside immediately. There’s something you must see.”

The moment I stepped out of the tavern’s entrance, a grim procession consisting entirely of battered and bloodied individuals was slowly making its way past. It didn’t take long for me to recognize the familiar identities of the travelers.

‘The Gyeryong Merchant Guild.’

The arrogant company of one hundred martial wanderers that had marched out so full of pride to eradicate a bandit stronghold had returned with barely a fraction of their original numbers. To make matters worse, nearly every single survivor was severely mangled, covered from head to toe in blood-soaked bandages and crude wooden splints.

“Senior Brother, look over there.”

Following the subtle direction of Eun-ho’s gaze, my eyes landed on Gye Yeon-seung.

His right sleeve hung completely empty and limp at his side as he listlessly guided a carriage bearing two somber black coffins. Given that Gye Yeon-seok and Gye Cheol-yeong were completely missing from the ranks of the survivors, it was painfully obvious whose remains were resting inside those wooden boxes.

“…”

“…”

The moment Gye Yeon-seung’s eyes locked onto mine, he rapidly averted his gaze, looking exactly like a man consumed by an overwhelming sense of shame and guilt. We maintained a heavy silence, watching without a word until the remnants of the Gyeryong Merchant Guild completely vanished from our sight.

“Are we supposed to feel pity for their misfortune?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Pardon?”

I turned my gaze directly onto the bewildered faces of the three brothers.

“Instead of pity, we must feel a sense of dread. We have no guarantee that we won’t suffer an identical fate somewhere down the line.”

The very instant those words left my mouth, I abruptly released an intense, suffocating wave of murderous intent.

“…”

“…”

“…”

While the eyebrows of the three Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers twitched slightly in surprise, none of them showed any other visible signs of agitation.

“Gah!”

The sudden gasp of terror echoed from a completely unexpected direction.

Emerging from the shadows of a nearby alleyway, Yang Gun-baek materialized, his complexion completely drained of color as he stared at us in sheer horror.

“D-Did some sort of terrible incident occur just now…?” he stammered, his entire frame shaking.

“Ah, please forgive me. I was merely conducting a brief training session with my younger disciples.”

Yang Gun-baek continued to gawk at my disciples and me as though he were looking directly at a gathering of malevolent phantoms.

Once the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers quietly excused themselves to leave us to our discussion, Yang Gun-baek took a seat and immediately pressed me with a question.

“Is it truly the absolute truth that you do not possess the mystical ability to command the currents of the wind?”

It was almost comical. Bang Du-chil was relentlessly hounding me to become blood brothers, while Yang Gun-baek was obsessing over whether I held supernatural dominion over the wind.

“Did I not already explain it to you clearly? Around this specific season every single year, the northwesterly winds blow with incredible force. On top of that, due to the prolonged spell of dry weather, the discarded foliage scattered across the mountain slopes was completely devoid of any moisture.”

“You are truly a terrifyingly brilliant individual. I was under the impression that such tactical calculations were only possible for legendary figures like Jegal Gongmyeong from the annals of antiquity.”

Yang Gun-baek stared at me with a deeply intricate look for a brief period before smoothing out a detailed map across the surface of the table.

“The initial phase of the First Trial for the Hell Regular Exam has completely concluded. A grand total of three thousand eight hundred and forty-two contestants managed to successfully secure their Trial Tokens.”

“The operatives of the Hao Gate are going to be incredibly swamped from this moment onward.”

“That is entirely correct.”

“How many participants are currently hunting us down?”

“…”

While the quantity of contenders who had successfully navigated the First Trial was undeniably massive, the number of individuals who had utterly failed was far more staggering.

The nature of the Murim Regular Exam dictated that merely surviving the initial challenge wasn’t enough; an applicant had to successfully reach the designated final destination while maintaining possession of their Trial Token for it to count as a pass. Naturally, those who had failed the initial test would immediately begin launching desperate ambushes to seize the Trial Tokens of the successful candidates.

“We will do everything within our power to intercept and obstruct their path, but the members of the Beggars’ Sect have already started mobilizing their forces…”

“I am well aware. That is precisely why I require a completely accurate assessment of our current situation.”

“The numbers are… quite overwhelming.”

Bang Du-chil had finalized his choice to withdraw from the Murim Academy Exam entirely, citing his obligation to oversee the reorganization of Mount Tianmu as his primary justification. Consequently, along with the identification tokens he had kept on his person from the start, he handed over a total of six Trial Tokens to me, which included the four newly acquired First Trial pieces.

Yang Gun-baek found himself hesitating, struggling to find the words to continue. I merely nodded my head in understanding.

These Trial Tokens would inevitably change hands an untold number of times, and the warriors who desperately fought to defend them would end up taking countless lives in the process. This wasn’t a standard, clean-cut conflict between the righteous Orthodox Path and the villainous Black Path. Under the official guise of a standardized examination, righteous practitioners would ruthlessly slaughter other righteous practitioners in a conflict that would dwarf the scale of most conventional wars between the black and white factions.

That was a testament to just how overwhelmingly vital the Murim Academy was to the current generation of aspiring young talents.

After taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I looked directly at Yang Gun-baek and demanded,

“So, give it to me straight. At this exact moment, how many competitors are converging on Mount Tianmu… or rather, how many are hunting our group?”

This grim reality was the true, unvarnished nature of the Murim Academy Regular Exam. It was the precise reason why it was widely referred to as the Hell Regular Exam.

Yang Gun-baek parted his lips, his voice heavy with grim foreboding.

“According to our intelligence, we estimate there are at least two hundred distinct factions. That amounts to well over four thousand individual martial artists.”

“…”

And just like that, we had been thrust into the position of the most enticing and defenseless quarry on the entire map.

“Are you absolutely certain there hasn’t been some sort of calculation error with that figure?”

“I am deeply sorry…”

To think that such an astronomical number of warriors were actively tracking my every move. This level of notoriety was proving to be a bit too overwhelming for my tastes.