The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 89

Chapter 89
## Chapter 89. Time of the Hunt (3)

“Get ready to fight!”

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang.

One hundred and fifty horsemen yanked out their bright blades, radiating an aggressive aura powerful enough to crush their adversaries instantly.

Though the opposing force was far superior in sheer numbers, the caliber of the steeds beneath these riders, alongside the insignias of the Namgung Clan and Iron Sword Sect emblazoned on their garments, completely dominated the field.

“It is a relief we managed to arrive in time.”

Seong Mo-ran and Namgung Seon-hwa rode up to my side.

I was still struggling to mask my astonishment at their sudden arrival.

“Have you both been staying in Suzhou?”

“Certainly not.”

Seong Mo-ran caught Namgung Seon-hwa’s eye and shared a knowing grin.

“We rode without sleep for three consecutive nights all the way from Anhui Province. Why on earth did Young Master Jin leave Anhui Province behind to come all the way to Zhejiang Province?”

As I tilted my head in confusion at her baffling question, Namgung Seon-hwa simply gave a quiet nod.

“We can discuss those details a bit later.”

“…….”

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran straightened up in their saddles and fixed their eyes on Song Baek.

“It has been some time, Song Baek.”

Song Baek’s features twisted into a complicated mask, unable to quite manage a grimace or a smile.

“I truly did not anticipate encountering the two of you in a place like this.”

Namgung Seon-hwa scanned the surroundings, completely disregarding Song Baek’s presence.

“I was under the impression that Hwayeong Escort Agency regularly finances various training halls. Am I seeing the fruits of that investment right now?”

“……An escort enterprise naturally maintains continuous backing to cultivate top-tier Escorts.”

“Yet no one present appears to be participating in the Murim Academy Regular Exam. Am I mistaken in my observation?”

“…….”

“Has a single person among them managed to claim either a First Trial Token or a Second Trial Token?”

Silence met her question; not a soul stepped forward.

Song Baek rushed to fill the void.

“They are participating in the examination precisely because they have yet to acquire any Trial Tokens.”

“Is that the case?”

“Yes. That is the exact situation.”

Namgung Seon-hwa nodded slowly, signaling that she comprehended the reality perfectly.

“Regardless, do you truly mean to press on with this?”

“That man robbed me of my Trial Tokens.”

Hearing Song Baek’s grievance, Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran turned their gazes to me, completely dumbfounded. Their expressions plainly shouted, *“You managed to do that even under these circumstances?”*

Namgung Seon-hwa let out a soft breath before pressing further.

“……Were these people not gathered here for the exact purpose of plundering Young Master Jin’s Trial Tokens to begin with?”

“…….”

“Moving forward, you will be forced to contend with both the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect as well.”

Song Baek’s eyes darted between me, Namgung Seon-hwa, and Seong Mo-ran.

“For what reason is the Namgung Clan throwing its weight behind the Taeul Sect? Furthermore, were the Iron Sword Sect and the Taeul Sect not sworn adversaries?”

“That is hardly a matter that requires Young Master Song’s attention.”

“No matter the prestige of the Namgung Clan, it cannot simply meddle in the internal politics of the murim without cause.”

“What if our Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect share a formal alliance with the Taeul Sect?”

“…….”

“Under those terms, we possess every right to intervene, do we not?”

“Do you genuinely mean to take this to the end?”

Song Baek’s gaze turned sharp and piercing.

The final remnants of his previous civility dissolved, leaving behind nothing but a frigid stare.

“Regardless of how formidable the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect might be, within the borders of Suzhou, the Hwayeong Escort Agency cannot be swept aside.”

Song Baek tilted his gaze up toward the parapet of the city wall.

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran followed his line of sight.

Standing up there was the County Magistrate, his face visibly pale and anxious.

“……You speak the truth. Within Suzhou, the Hwayeong Escort Agency holds immense sway. However, do you truly believe anyone in the murim can flout the authority of the Namgung Clan?”

“…….”

“When the County Magistrate finishes his current tenure and receives a new assignment elsewhere, will the reach of the Namgung Clan not extend far past the boundaries of the Hwayeong Escort Agency’s domain?”

“!”

“!”

If the Hwayeong Escort Agency ruled as the local monarch of Suzhou, the Namgung Clan wielded a supremacy that overshadowed the entire murim.

High above on the battlements, the County Magistrate’s face drained of color.

Barring any desire to live out the rest of his days and die in Suzhou, he would eventually conclude his service here and be dispatched to a completely different region.

“Should you seek retribution later for events occurring within the Murim Academy Exam, that will likewise be deemed an infraction of the rules.”

“I made no mention of seeking retribution.”

“…….”

Song Baek’s mouth twitched.

His vision kept darting nervously toward the official stationed atop the stone wall.

Against a faction like the Taeul Sect, he could easily deploy the weight of local governance to crush them, but the Namgung Clan and the Iron Sword Sect were forces far beyond what a mere regional administrator could handle.

After apparent deliberation, the County Magistrate gave a sharp wave of his hand.

In response, the positioned marksmen began to unstring their bows one after another.

Shortly after, the official retreated out of view, and the guards at the gate quickly began ushering the crowded travelers through the entrance.

“It appears the matter is settled.”

The very second the Magistrate signaled his refusal to meddle in the conflict, the balance of power swung definitively back to our side.

“What is your choice? Will you retreat empty-handed? Or do you wish to keep fighting?”

Namgung Seon-hwa exerted a commanding dominance over the opposing side, radiating an authoritative presence she had never previously displayed.

“……If he surrenders the Trial Tokens, I will consider dropping the matter.”

Song Baek’s response came in a hushed, defeated tone.

Namgung Seon-hwa shifted her gaze toward me.

I gave the only response that made sense.

“I am keeping them. There is absolutely no scenario where I give them back. Clear out!”

Left with no other alternative, Song Baek departed with nothing to show for it.

To begin with, demanding the return of items forfeited during the course of the Regular Exam was nothing short of a toddler’s tantrum, meaning Song Baek had no legitimate ground to push the issue any further.

“Eldest Senior Brother…….”

Eun-ho spoke in a hushed undertone.

“Are we going to be traveling alongside them from this point onward?”

“Well……?”

Perhaps my reply was a bit too audible, because Eun-ho shot me a cautious look and dropped his volume even lower.

“If it can be helped, shouldn’t we stay close? There are clear boundaries to what we can defend on our own, aren’t there?”

What our group required above all else right now was deep sleep and a proper meal.

The younger disciples, having denied themselves normal rest since the very first day of the trials, had accumulated a level of exhaustion that bordered on hysteria.

Honestly, looking at how they behaved back at the tavern, they already seemed to be losing their minds slightly.

“But where exactly are we bound for right now?”

“Why have you been whispering like that for a while now?”

Eun-ho darted a nervous look toward Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran.

“If I speak too loudly for no reason and end up causing them discomfort…… that would be a disaster.”

“Sigh…….”

It was no mystery why even Geum-pyo and Dong-ryong were uncharacteristically subdued. They were completely paralyzed with nervousness because they were standing in the presence of Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran.

“Is it so difficult to show your Eldest Senior Brother that same level of deference?”

“Isn’t that a completely separate matter?”

“……Never mind. Forget I asked.”

Flanked by the protective escort of the Namgung Clan and Iron Sword Sect warriors, we made our way straight to the Suzhou headquarters of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild.

“First, you ought to dine…… actually, it would be far better if you bathed beforehand.”

Namgung Seon-hwa had started to recommend a feast, but upon registering our filthy states, she pivoted to suggesting a wash first. The Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers were promptly escorted toward the bathing quarters, their complexions burning a bright red.

“Incredible!”

“What kind of bathing hall is large enough to rival the main hall of the Taeul Sect?”

“Unbelievable.”

Positioned right in the middle of the washroom, which seemed designed to accommodate vast groups of Escorts simultaneously, sat an immense wooden vat. From an overhead pipe system fixed to the roof, scalding water cascaded downward without pause.

“Ahhh!”

“Oh…… that is hot.”

The trio of Geum, Eun, and Dong submersed themselves into the steaming water, looking as though they had crossed the threshold into paradise.

“If I could simply unwind like this for three whole days, I wouldn’t ask for a single thing more in life.”

“Truly. This is pure bliss.”

“Ugh…….”

The moment the three brothers sank their frames into the pool, dried crusts of blood, grime, and accumulated muck began to peel off their skin in alarming quantities.

However, given the constant influx of hot water streaming from the ceiling, the basin continuously replenished itself, swiftly flushing away the dirt and leaving the pool pristine once more.

As Geum-pyo soaked to his heart’s content, a thought seemed to strike him, and he turned to face me.

“Senior Brother, if that’s how it works, then organizations boasting outposts all across the land must be completely safe from ambushes throughout the duration of the trial.”

“That would be an accurate assessment.”

“Wow…….”

Despite participating in the identical test, the pupils of the Taeul Sect were constantly vulnerable to assault the very second they crossed the borders of Anhui Province…… no, the very instant they departed from Hefei.

In stark contrast, entities like the Nine Sects and One Gang or the Five Great Clans, which maintained both overt and covert strongholds nationwide, could easily utilize secure havens where ambushes were a non-issue.

“This entire examination is utterly rigged.”

It was a test that proved nearly impossible to navigate not just for the defenseless, but even for those possessing formidable martial skill.

It was precisely for this reason that practitioners referred to the Murim Academy Regular Exam as the Hell Regular Exam.

While Geum-pyo continued his grumbling, Eun-ho had drifted into a quiet, contemplative state. He kept his eyes locked onto me before speaking up.

“Eldest Senior Brother, by what means did you establish such a close bond with Miss Namgung and Miss Seong?”

“One thing led to another. Why do you ask?”

“The math simply doesn’t add up. Aren’t both of them active participants in this exam as well? I fail to comprehend why they would deliberately cross into a completely different province just to come to the aid of Eldest Senior Brother.”

Splash.

I brought my hand down hard on the water’s surface, sending a wave straight into Eun-ho’s face.

“Pah! Eldest Senior Brother! Are you blind to the sheer amount of dirt floating in this water?”

“Why must you frame it as ‘deliberately’ when there are far better ways to phrase it?”

“From their point of view, isn’t that exactly what occurred?”

In all honesty, that particular detail puzzled me as well.

Based on the intelligence gathered from the Hao Gate, their faction had faced ambushes right from the start, forcing them into hiding to evade their pursuers. It was difficult to fathom why they would prioritize rescuing me when they should have been entirely consumed by their own examination survival.

“Ah!”

Geum-pyo, who had been pondering Eun-ho’s line of questioning, suddenly snapped his fingers in realization.

“That explains it. That makes perfect sense.”

“What does?”

Eun-ho looked utterly skeptical that Geum-pyo could have unraveled a mystery that had eluded his own intellect.

“Romance.”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

For a brief spell, the only sound filling the chamber was the rhythmic splashing of water.

Eun-ho abruptly surged out of the water and forced Geum-pyo’s head straight under the surface.

Glub, glub, glub.

“Ack! What, what are you doing that for?!”

“At least speak words that align with reality. Romance? What, did your meridians collapse and cause a Qi Deviation during the recent skirmish?”

My thoughts aligned perfectly with Eun-ho’s.

Glub, glub.

“Ugh. Cut it out. Water, *cough*. I am swallowing water!”

“By what logic could Eldest Senior Brother ever be considered a suitable partner for Miss Namgung Seon-hwa, the esteemed daughter of the illustrious Namgung Clan? He possesses zero family pedigree, his countenance is entirely unremarkable, and his demeanor is downright bizarre. The solitary asset he commands is a modicum of ancient recollections. What could she possibly find alluring enough to pine after him?”

“…….”

Eun-ho’s ongoing commentary was taking an offensive turn.

“Furthermore, Miss Seong Mo-ran? Good heavens! Just a handful of months ago, they were practically tearing at each other’s throats like feral beasts! Besides, is Miss Seong Mo-ran’s lineage a single bit inferior to the Namgung Clan? Whether we speak of physical allure or martial prowess, do you genuinely believe either of them views our Senior Brother as anything more than the mud clinging to their boots?”

“……Eun-ho.”

“Yes? Ah! Eldest Senior Brother, do not fret. I shall personally discipline Geum-pyo so he refrains from uttering such absurdities in front of the young ladies. Pray handle the negotiations skillfully so they agree to travel alongside us.”

I fixed my eyes on Eun-ho, who looked entirely pleased with himself.

“……Do you harbor a burning desire to drain this entire tub with your mouth?”

“……*Hic*.”

—

“It brings me joy to see you well.”

The feast provided was straightforward.

Gathered in a secluded corner partitioned off within the grand banquet hall, the party consisted solely of Namgung Seon-hwa, Seong Mo-ran, the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers, and myself.

“I-it is an immense privilege!”

“A-absolute pleasure to meet you.”

“Greetings….”

Back in the bathing quarters, the trio had flaunted their bravado while stripped bare, declaring that they would absolutely refuse to appear cowed. Yet, as if those bold words had never left their lips, they now operated with the stiff, unnatural movements of wooden puppets.

Taking note of their behavior, Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran concealed their smiles behind their hands, clearly amused by the display.

“Tehehe.”

“Had I been aware that Young Master Jin’s junior martial brothers were quite this charming, I would have made an effort to introduce myself much sooner.”

Geum-pyo’s skin flushed crimson as a goofy grin stretched across his face, his hand continuously scratching at the nape of his neck.

Eun-ho, who had previously hurled endless vitriol at the Iron Sword Sect, now looked for all the world like a loyal pup figuratively wagging its tail in front of Seong Mo-ran.

Dong-ryong had practically transformed into a ripe tomato, keeping his chin pressed tightly against his collarbone.

It was naturally tough for youths of their age to maintain their composure around the opposite sex, but these three were exhibiting an exceptionally acute case.

‘Then again, they are seated before Seong Mo-ran and Namgung Seon-hwa.’

Alongside Wang So-so, these two were celebrated throughout the length of Anhui Province for their peerless grace.

When evaluated through that lens, their behavior became somewhat comprehensible.

Granted, these boys interacted with Wang So-so on a daily basis, meaning they shouldn’t have been entirely defenseless against exceptional beauty. Was it a consequence of Wang So-so’s distinct temperament? Or was encountering a woman who took pains with her appearance an entirely different beast compared to one who did not?

“Cut out the nonsense and take your seats.”

“……U-understood.”

“……Y-yes.”

“…….”

Geum-pyo and Eun-ho dared to cast looks brimming with resentment in my direction before sliding into their chairs.

As I thought, I really should have forced them to swallow a few more gulps of the bathwater.

“You all must be famished, so pray help yourselves first.”

Owing to the hospitality of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild, a total of eleven distinct platters had been laid out, despite our party numbering a mere six diners.

At the tavern earlier this afternoon, these same boys had devoured their portions like ravaging ghouls, yet now they were daintily manipulating their utensils, sampling the fare in minuscule bites.

Paying them no further heed, I turned my attention toward the two ladies.

“What exactly transpired?”

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran traded a loaded glance, smiles gracing their lips.

“Are you perhaps displeased by our arrival?”

“How could that be the case? Because of your intervention, we managed to bypass an incredibly perilous bottleneck.”

Had the two of them not shown up, the Hwayeong Escort Agency would never have backed down so passively.

“My information suggested that your group sustained severe casualties and had gone into hiding.”

“You managed to uncover even those details?”

The memory remained vivid because it had come as a considerable jolt to learn that someone had actively targeted the combined force of the Namgung Clan and Iron Sword Sect the moment the First Trial concluded.

“Sister Mo-ran endured a tremendous trial solely on my account.”

The reality of the situation unfolded as follows:

Up until the commencement of the Regular Exam, neither Namgung Tae-ha nor Namgung San had made an appearance. Consequently, Namgung Seon-hwa had been left with no choice but to enter the trials backed by a meager force of twenty combatants.

Mercifully, Seong Mo-ran refused to leave Namgung Seon-hwa to her fate, electing to navigate the examination in tandem with her.

Leveraging the strength of Seong Mo-ran’s retinue, the pair narrowly cleared the hurdles of the First Trial, only to be ambushed immediately upon its completion.

“And as it turned out, the perpetrators hailed from our own offshoot branches.”

Ultimately, it was precisely because they belonged to the broader family tree that they possessed the capacity to strike at the main lineage of the Namgung Clan.

Utterly indifferent to the progression of the Second Trial, they relentlessly hunted Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran. In the thick of that pursuit, the dwindling number of active guardians had to be sent away due to debilitating wounds.

“Even so, a miraculous turning point arrived. Grandfather emerged from his seclusion.”

Namgung Tae-ha, having successfully mastered the Firmament Cloudless Sword Art, immediately mobilized to summon all the branch families and thoroughly purge the clan’s hierarchy.

The primary motivation behind the branch lines’ relentless pursuit of Namgung Seon-hwa right after the First Trial had been to sabotage Namgung Tae-ha’s standing.

The moment Namgung Tae-ha restored order within the clan, he immediately dispatched restorative Esoteric Medicines alongside a reinforcing contingent of eighty elite Namgung Clan warriors to his granddaughter.

“We had only just managed to catch our breath when intelligence reached us that Young Master Jin had been marked for elimination by the Wudang, Mount Hua, and Diancang factions.”

“……Huh?”

“……What was that?”

“???”

The Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers reacted with total shock, clearly hearing of this development for the first time.

Namgung Seon-hwa turned her gaze back to me.

“Were you truly oblivious to this?”

“I was fully aware. I simply discerned no pressing reason to bring it up.”

“……Insane…….”

“……No, Eldest Senior Brother, how could you……?”

“…….”

A chorus of protests erupted instantly.

“I wonder if a serving of bathwater would suffice as a post-dinner treat?”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

Observing the trio of Geum, Eun, and Dong clamp their jaws tightly shut once more, Namgung Seon-hwa looked completely bewildered by the exchange.

I smoothly shifted the direction of the talk and pressed on.

“Did you make the journey here solely because you caught wind of that rumor?”

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran gave resolute nods.

“Naturally. We could hardly sit idly by.”

“It was the only logical choice, was it not?”

For reasons I couldn’t quite define, a pang of guilt struck me.

“I feel as though I have saddled the two of you with a completely uncalled-for liability. Even so, your presence is the sole reason we drew breath today.”

“It was only right. After all, you preserved our lives in the past.”

“Sister, in my particular case, you achieved that feat twice.”

Watching the two women share a lighthearted chuckle, the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers stared at them, entirely out of the loop regarding the history being referenced.

“Ah…… You omitted those details from them as well?”

“……There was simply no window of opportunity to recount it. These boys have been utterly consumed by their own rigorous training regimen.”

“Be that as it may, they ought to comprehend the true caliber of their senior martial brother.”

With those words, the two ladies proceeded to lay bare the chronicle of what had unfolded at the Demon Spirit Plateau, the events that transpired during the trek to the Namgung Clan, and everything that followed.

The three brothers, who had been picked at their food, eventually abandoned their meals entirely, completely spellbound by the narrative.

“And that is the sequence of events.”

“…….”

“Senior Namgung Seon-hwa and Senior Seong Mo-ran were both present at the Demon Spirit Plateau?”

As the two women confirmed the fact with a nod, the jaws of the three brothers dropped in unison.

They had apparently gleaned a fraction of the events surrounding the Demon Spirit Plateau after the unorthodox sects flooded the Taeul Sect with tribute, but the identity of the specific individuals involved had remained a mystery to them.

Once they had finally piece the timeline together in their minds, the three brothers, who had been stiffly attempting to project an aura of dignity, let out a collective shout.

“As expected of our Senior Brother! Every action had a grand purpose!”

“Observe, Brother! Did I not maintain from the start that there had to be an underlying reason?”

“Could it be that during the course of being delivered from the perils of the Demon Spirit Plateau, romantic senti—mph!”

The moment Dong-ryong attempted to voice a bizarre theory, Eun-ho moved like lightning to clamp a hand over his mouth.

He then rose abruptly from his chair.

“I believe the weight of exhaustion is catching up to us. Grant us permission to retire to our quarters ahead of you?”

“……? Ah, but of course. Secure a good night’s rest, and we shall convene on the morrow.”

The moment the trio departed from the hall, an attendant glided in bearing freshly brewed tea.

By the time the dense vapor wafting from the cups began to thin and disperse, Namgung Seon-hwa spoke up, her countenance turning solemn.

“You display far less anxiety than I would have anticipated.”

“Worrying itself offers no solution to the problem at hand, does it?”

Namgung Seon-hwa let out a sharp, disbelieving breath.

Seong Mo-ran picked up the thread.

“The Wudang, Mount Hua, and Diancang sects…… those three entities combined…….”

She fixed a piercing look directly onto me.

“If their coordinated malice is directed at Young Master Jin alone…… it pains me to articulate this, but the outcome is virtually a foregone conclusion.”

“…….”

“Young Master Jin is surely well-apprised of what awaits the participants upon the conclusion of the Third Trial, is he not?”

The Great Journey of Avici Screams.

The moment the concluding test was cleared, the genuine nightmare of the Hell Regular Exam would unfurl.

The toll of casualties would in all likelihood dwarf the numbers of those who had perished across the span of the First, Second, and Third Trials combined.

There existed forces who hadn’t even bothered to enroll in the official testing, choosing instead to wait on the sidelines for the Third Trial to draw to a close.

Furthermore, three prominent pillars of the Nine Sects and One Gang had explicitly signaled their intent to hunt me down.

“I am acutely aware. It is precisely for that reason I must ask…….”

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran had already disclosed that they each held a First Trial Token and a Second Trial Token in their possession.

At this current juncture, they were fully equipped to breeze through the Third Trial and achieve total success in the Murim Academy Exam.

From there, their respective destinies would unfold down the prestigious paths already mapped out for them.

“Do you genuinely intend to tie your fortunes to ours?”

Even upon learning of the hazards shadowing me, they possessed the option to simply offer a few polite words of sympathy, look away, and pursue their own separate agendas. Doing so would guarantee they stepped into the bright futures guaranteed to them.

Conversely, if they foolishly chose to intervene out of a misguided sense of gallantry or virtue, the entire trajectory of their existences could be shattered beyond repair.

“Allying with our faction means your prospects of passing may dwindle to nothing……. In fact, the odds will heavily favor your failure.”

“…….”

dishonesty.
“…… shreds.”

I harbored immense appreciation for their desire to balance the scales for my past assistance, but I had never performed those deeds with the expectation of an eventual return, meaning I had no desire to thrust a burden upon them now.

Besides, I had already extracted more than ample recompense for a portion of those acts.

If there was an emotional obligation tugging at their conscience, I was explicitly advising them to disregard it.

Because jumping into this fray out of reckless passion would exact a price far too steep to bear.

“The simple reality that the two of you held our well-being in such high regard is more than enough for me. No, to the contrary, I strongly prefer that you keep your distance from our path. Should either of you come to harm on my account, I would lack the courage to ever face the Divine Sword or the Leader of the Iron Sword Sect again.”

“…… shreds.”

“…….”

I silently took a sip of the lukewarm tea.

Wielding the pieces known as Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran would open up a boundless array of tactical maneuvers for me to deploy.

Even so, I possessed zero inclination to manipulate them as mere pawns, a sharp contrast to the methods of Yong So-ah or the Murim Alliance.

An absolute chasm separated the act of assuming responsibility for an individual because I genuinely claimed them as one of my own, and the act of exploiting that same individual as a disposable instrument for my own ends.

In my estimation, they still occupied the neutral territory separating strategic tools from genuine companions.

“Truly…….”

Seong Mo-ran, who had maintained a prolonged silence, parted her ruby lips to speak.

“That sentiment is vintage Young Master Jin.”

“Sister, did I not guarantee you that Young Master Jin would voice exactly those words?”

As if sharing an internal jest, the two ladies locked eyes and offered synchronous nods.

“We came to an identical resolution the exact moment we received word of your predicament. Therefore, do not misinterpret this action as the balancing of a ledger or the settling of a debt.”

“Precisely. From the very inception of this endeavor, our true desire was to stand alongside Young Master Jin.”

The equilibrium shifted entirely to one side.

Hearing their declaration, my own course of action crystallized completely. In lieu of a spoken reply, I gave a firm nod.

“I shall be relying on you.”

“It is we who will be placing ourselves under your stewardship once more.”

At Namgung Seon-hwa’s playful retort, the heavy tension that had gripped the room evaporated in an instant.

“However, what is the precise catalyst driving the Wudang, Mount Hua, and Diancang sects to zero in so relentlessly on Young Master Jin and the Taeul Sect? I am aware of the friction that ignited with the disciples of Mount Hua and Diancang during the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly’s excursion to your sect. But what explains the animosity of the Wudang?”

Before I could formulate a reply, Seong Mo-ran cut in.

“It traces back to that wretched creature Yong So-ah, does it not? That coward deserted the Soul-Destroying Formation entirely on his own. As a consequence of that flight, he faced immense condemnation, while Young Master Jin was showered with adulation.”

“I cannot deny that those events carry some weight, but the literal explanation boils down to the volume of Trial Tokens currently in my possession.”

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran tilted their heads in perfect unison. Though their individual features were radically distinct, their expressions were so perfectly aligned they could have passed for twin sisters.

“Were you truly in the dark regarding this detail?”

“In the dark about what? Do you not each command a single token?”

“……?”

“I currently hold nine First Trial Tokens and six Second Trial Tokens. Ah! I confiscated one of each from Song Baek just a moment ago, which brings the tally to ten and seven, respectively.”

“What did you say?”

“Pardon?!”

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran’s mouths gaped open, looking as though a bolt of lightning had struck them where they sat.

“Right from the jump, my operating assumption has been that we are being hunted not merely by the Wudang, Mount Hua, and Diancang sects, but by the entirety of the murim.”

dishonesty.
“…….”

“…….”

The two women looked for all the world as though their consciousness had entirely abandoned their bodies.

Did they truly embark on this journey completely oblivious to that reality?

I quickly offered a final remark.

“I extend my deepest gratitude once more for the solemn vow you just made to align with us, wagering both your personal prestige as martial artists and the venerable reputations of your respective lineages.”

“……We never explicitly staked our martial prestige….”

“……S-sister, did I accidentally wager the honor of my family just now……?”

A card once played cannot be retrieved from the felt.

The moment your fingers release it, the move is permanent.