The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Chapter 107

[ … words ]

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“They headed toward Taesil-bong.”

“Not Sosil-bong?”

Taesil-bong of Songsan was famous for being rugged; unless one was visiting the Shaolin Temple, no one entered Taesil-bong on purpose.

“So, they are not making the obvious choice every time?”

He did not know if it was a coincidence or not, but they were consistently avoiding the intentions that Cheol Sun-jik had anticipated.

“They are people who do not have good compatibility with me. Furthermore, they are foolish.”

Unexpected choices could refresh one’s mood, but overusing them was not good.

Those who overused adaptability eventually fell into their own traps.

“Divide the unit into two. On the way to Sosil-bong, join with Guigung-mun and Bipung-mun to block the exit of Taesil-bong.”

The path to Sosil-bong was faster than the path to Taesil-bong. If they spurred their horses and rode, they could block the front and back of those who had entered Taesil-bong before they could pass through it.

“And the rest, leave the horses and follow me.”

“Cheol-hyung, I will take the lead.”

As Nam Hwa-seong spoke while rubbing his fists, Cheol Sun-jik nodded.

“Since ancient times, Taesil-bong has been so rugged that people often fell and died, did they not?”

“That is true. If we were to look for corpses in twenty-four peaks, it would be no easy task.”

The unit of five hundred moved along the official road heading to Sosil-bong as planned, and Cheol Sun-jik’s unit began to move toward Taesil-bong.

“They must have been quite desperate.”

What they encountered after traveling for a while was the strange iron carriage that they had been dragging around.

Did they think that a carriage with iron plates attached like rags could enter this rugged path where even horses could not set foot in the first place?

Nam Hwa-seong began to pick up speed, excited by the thought that he could soon turn Jin So-un’s face into mush.

Although it was precarious because it was a rough road, Cheol Sun-jik did not stop him much.

Such an encirclement operation achieved greater effects the more it made the opponent anxious.

However,

“Why are they still not appearing?”

They were moving at a speed so fast that it was hard to believe they were walking on Taesil-bong.

Even so, it had been a long time since they passed the iron carriage, but the figures of Jin So-un’s party were not visible.

“Could it be that they are hiding?”

“There is no place for that, and if they had, one of us would have known.”

Although the number had decreased significantly, there were still eighty personnel. They were not professional assassins, so there was no way they could have perfectly erased their tracks in such a short time.

Bang.

At that moment, a red signal flare was fired from the west.

“Ch-Cheol-hyung!”

“What?”

The direction the signal flare was fired was toward Sosil-bong. The red signal flare meant they were being attacked.

“They headed toward Sosil-bong?”

What was more surprising than the opponent’s unconventional strategy was the question, ‘Is that even possible?’

Between Taesil in the east and Sosil in the west, there stood a dizzying cliff as if it had been carved out.

Unless one was a supreme master, the only way to get from Taesil to Sosil was to cross all 24 peaks of Taesil and take the long way around.

“What on earth did they do?”

Cheol Sun-jik did not even think about giving the next order; he was too preoccupied with thinking about the method.

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Originally, our group, which should have had a total of two hundred and thirty people, was currently reduced to seventy-eight. Considering that these were the elites of the Namgung Clan, the Moyong Clan, and the Iron Sword Sect, one could tell how harsh the journey had been so far.

But to put it the other way around, the remaining seventy-eight were the elites among the elites. They were the personnel who could continue the journey together without getting injured or falling behind, even while undergoing that harsh journey.

That was why I could unhesitatingly deploy strategies that I could not have imagined executing during my time in the Small Squad.

“But we almost died!”

Seong Mo-ran shouted loudly as she climbed the cliff of Sosil-bong.

“That is why I saved you, did I not?”

Of course, it was true that it was a bit of a stretch.

When I suggested that we descend a cliff that was 100 jang high and carved vertically, Gang Seo-pyo had even said, ‘…Are you doing this as soon as we gave you command?’

However, when I threw my body first and climbed the wall with the Flying Dragon technique, digging grooves into the cliff, they somehow started to climb down the cliff.

Every time someone misstepped and fell in the middle, I even saved them.

Fortunately, no one died and crossed the cliff.

“That is not the problem, do you not think it is important that we experienced the crisis of death several times?”

“…Martial artists often gain enlightenment in front of the crisis of death; if you think about it that way, did I not give you an opportunity for a fortuitous encounter?”

“…”

It was something I said to make her laugh, but fire lit up in Seong Mo-ran’s eyes.

“Why did this happen? If the 12 Peak Stars had not tried to trap us by deploying the Guigung-mun and the Bipung-mun, would we be suffering like this?”

“Grind.”

Snap.

The stone Seong Mo-ran was holding shattered, and her body swayed. However, she soon regained her balance and climbed the cliff again.

“The fact that the 12 Peak Stars approached us and targeted us is all because they think we are easy.”

Because I had never been treated like this in my life, my anger grew even greater. I deliberately raised my voice even louder.

“We must show the true potential of the Namgung Clan, the Moyong Clan, and the Iron Sword Sect so that they will never think of looking down on us again.”

The speed at which the people climbed the cliff doubled.

Before long, those who climbed the Sosil-bong cliff threw the vines around them down to pull up their comrades, and in an instant, all eighty personnel climbed to the top of the cliff.

They should have been exhausted from climbing up and down the cliff, but they quickly began to descend the mountain.

Gang Seo-pyo, Cho Mu-bin, and Baek Won-gak shouted at the same time.

“Let’s go!!”

“Let’s go!!!”

“Let’s go!!!”

One by one, they drew their swords.

They had discovered the members of the Guigung-mun who were demonstrating on the official road on the other side.

“Strike!”

The potential of the Five Great Clans was demonstrated in such places.

Without a single person looking troubled, they climbed the trees and began to cut down the archers of the Guigung-mun.

“Argh!”

“They appeared from behind!”

“Bipung-mun! Where is the Bipung-mun!”

Like fruit falling from a tree, the ambushed archers of the Guigung-mun fell down with a thud.

Those who had not brought escorts separately to fill the count of one hundred were no match for the warriors of the Moyong Clan, the Namgung Clan, and the Iron Sword Sect the moment they abandoned the advantage of the terrain.

Swish.

I instinctively tilted my head to avoid an arrow that passed by my cheek.

Without even time to wipe the blood flowing down my cheek, I scanned my surroundings.

The Guigung-mun, having regained their senses, had begun their counterattack.

Thump.

Along with the sound of bowstrings twanging simultaneously from all directions, the arrows that filled the sky and flew in were at a level that one could not imagine were shot by a force of only one hundred.

“It’s an illusionary vision!”

The warriors who were carrying out the ambush also quickly hid their bodies behind trees.

The arrows that fell to the ground were only a few dozen. Everyone knew that most of the rain of arrows falling like the ‘Ten Thousand Heavens Flower Rain’ were fake, but they could not easily step out.

Unlike an illusionary sword, it was difficult to verify the authenticity of an illusionary vision the moment it flew in. Furthermore, the reason the Guigung-mun trusted the other 12 Peak Stars and filled all 100 personnel with archers was that their strategy of shooting bows simultaneously acted as a fatal weakness for swordsmen.

Thump.

The sound of bowstrings twanging rang out simultaneously once again. This time, the bowstrings were flying from three directions, not one.

In the meantime, the archers had changed their positions and attacked.

“Ugh.”

“Do not just pay attention to what is coming from the front! They have changed their positions.”

“Damn it.”

In one blast of the illusionary vision storm, eight people had arrows stuck in their bodies.

Screams erupted again from among our personnel who were trying to counterattack while avoiding the rain of arrows.

“Urgh.”

“It’s the Bipung-mun!”

“Avoid them first!”

After the storm of illusionary vision disappeared, the Bipung-mun rushed in.

They were closer than the archers but stayed at a distance from our personnel, wildly firing flying swords.

Then, when someone rushed in to attack the one firing the flying sword, an arrow that flew from somewhere would pierce their arm or leg.

It was certainly a potential worthy of the name of the 12 Peak Stars.

“Jae-hwa.”

I called out to Moyong Jae-hwa, who was busy avoiding the flying swords.

“Yes, Hyung-nim.”

“Where do you think the examinee of the Guigung-mun is?”

“Yes?”

He had a dumbfounded expression as if asking what kind of question that was in such a desperate situation.

“I am asking where you would hide to shoot arrows if it were you.”

“I, if it were me…”

Jae-hwa, who poked his head out, looked around at the surrounding trees. Then, he pointed to the second tallest tree.

“That tree over there has thicker foliage.”

“I got it.”

“Yes? What are you going to do?”

“I am betting my life, trusting you.”

“Yes?”

I raised my internal energy to the limit.

I poured all of my internal energy, which exceeded two gapja, and unleashed the Cheon-ha-dok-haeng-shin (Heavenly Poisonous Walking God).

Bang.

At the same time, the warriors of the Bipung-mun, surprised by my movement, fired flying swords from all directions.

Shu-shu-shu-suk.

Avoiding the flying swords by the thickness of a piece of paper, I kicked off a tree and headed toward the place Moyong Jae-hwa pointed out.

And sure enough.

As I approached closer and closer, the tree began to shake violently.

‘As expected!’

It was hard to tell how well he had concealed himself, as I could feel his presence, but his figure was not visible.

I scattered the Man-hwa-mu-jeok-gwon (Ten Thousand Flowers Invincible Fist) toward the tree.

Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pak!

Broken branches and leaves bounced off in all directions, and that large tree shook violently.

And in the midst of it, a person wearing a turquoise martial uniform jumped down from under the tree holding a bow.

“Caught you!”

The face of the guy looking back at me was deathly pale.

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Bang.

Jin So-un kicked the ground and shot out like a cannonball. He must have kicked the ground so hard that the surface of the earth was scattered in all directions like water spray.

“Ha…”

It was the moment he had longed for so much, but Moyong Jae-hwa felt nothing but emptiness.

‘As expected, I am of no help.’

He had come to help So-un Hyung-nim, but he was not being helpful at all.

Perhaps So-un Hyung-nim knew even those feelings, as he even asked questions that did not need to be asked to boost his morale.

‘You do not have to do that.’

This helplessness was chronic, so he thought he had gotten used to it, but thinking that he was not helping the person he admired, a greater sense of frustration washed over him.

-He is hopeless.

-To think the eldest son of the Moyong Clan is like that.

-It would have been better if he had been born with the opposite gender to Miss Seol.

The words mixed with concerns and worries from the people of the clan made his shoulders heavy.

The warm heart of his father, who risked his life to bring the Hwa-hu (Fire Monkey) spirit pill to make up for his lack of talent, also became a burden.

The words of his martial arts masters, who told him that he would surely have as much talent as Moyong Seol and that he was the person who would carry on the clan’s lineage no matter what anyone said, also became a burden.

That was why he tried to run away. He learned the miscellaneous skills that the clan people despised, skipped training, and tried not to take the academy exam itself.

He was afraid of his grandfather, but that could be endured with his body, and wouldn’t people’s expectations fade after a few years? Such childish thoughts.

However, he could not bring himself to say that he would not take the Murim regular exam in front of his father, who presented the Hwa-hu spirit pill he had risked his life to obtain.

His internal energy had increased by half a gapja, but the burden on his shoulders never felt light.

That must be why he liked So-un Hyung-nim.

Because he was a person who could carry a much heavier burden than himself, in a much worse situation than himself, and break through the situation with a much greater will than himself. That must be why he harbored such admiration.

“Young Master!”

Pa-ba-ba-bak.

Baek Won-gak was hit by an arrow in the arm while trying to protect him.

“Team Leader!”

“I am fine. We just need to hold on a little longer. Right now, the young ladies and the Changgung (Sky-Piercing) squad members are dealing with the Guigung squads one by one.”

“…”

He caught sight of the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers struggling some distance away.

As Geum-pyo and Eun-ho clasped their hands together, Dong-ryong ran over and stepped on those hands. And at that moment, Geum-pyo and Eun-ho used all their strength to launch Dong-ryong into the sky.

Pa-ba-ba-ba-bak!

Because he was not climbing with his own power, branches collided violently, but Dong-ryong, who reached the archer, immediately cut the bow and dropped the archer to the ground.

Baek Won-gak, who was watching the scene together, said.

“Everyone has their own fight. If you step forward now, you will only get in the way.”

“Get in the way…”

Baek Won-gak realized he had made a slip of the tongue, but the words had already flown out, and they could no longer be retracted.

In the meantime, Jin So-un’s voice rang out loudly through the forest.

“Guigung-mun! Bipung-mun! Your young masters are in my hands. If you want to protect the young masters, stop the battle.”

No matter what Jin So-un said, the battle did not stop.

“Aaaaagh-!”

“Kyaaaaagh-!”

But after the two different screams were heard, the battle ceased.

“Jong Seo-gak of the Hwang-gum Sect did not know how to retreat and became a lonely ghost. Are you guys going to back off only after suffering the same thing?”

Then, one archer landed on the ground from a tree.

The warriors who were in that area had not even guessed that he was in that tree, so they were startled and flinched at his appearance.

“How can we believe that you will spare us?”

“This is a test. Do you think I am some kind of blood-crazed murderer?”

“You did that in the Bokyang Plains.”

“That wasn’t me!”

“…Fine, we will retreat. Release the Young Master.”

“No!”

As the young man held in Jin So-un’s hand shouted, the archer shook his head.

“Young Master, the test is important, but the most important thing is you, Young Master.”

He soon looked at Jin So-un.

“And even if we let them go, these people will be captured again by the other °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° 12 Peak Stars.”

“Yes, that is my business. So, could you move a little faster?”

“Urgh.”

“What should we do?”

“Disarm yourselves and retreat.”

At Jin So-un’s words, the archers of the Guigung-mun and the warriors of the Bipung-mun began to put down their weapons.

Since they were all people who used bows and flying swords, so many weapons piled up in an instant that a small tomb was formed.

The party of the Taeeul Sect who saw those weapons looked slightly overwhelmed.

“I will take this.”

“You don’t even know what that thing is!”

The young man shouted incessantly while looking at the bow in Jin So-un’s hand, but Jin So-un did not react much.

“If you had an entrance pass, I would have used that instead, but since you have nothing at all, I am taking this instead. Extortionist.”

“…”

The archer who received the hostage did not forget to add a word as he went down Sosil-bong.

“We are going down, but the members of the 12 Peak Stars will not give up.”

Looking around the scene, there were many injured people on our side as well. There were many people who could not move immediately and needed treatment.

In particular, Baek Won-gak’s face had turned pale, and an arrow was stuck in his stomach.

“Team Leader Baek!”

Gang Seo-pyo, who was examining the wound, sighed.

“Fortunately, it missed his organs. Still, if he does not receive emergency treatment, it will be a big problem.”

Baek Won-gak shook his head.

“Let’s leave first.”

“What are you talking about! You will die!”

“The great Moyong Clan joined us to help, so should we be holding them back in a place like this? I will take care of the injured and return on my own, so please leave first.”

“Team Leader Baek!”

Gang Seo-pyo, Cho Mu-bin, Namgung Seon-hwa, and Seong Mo-ran all looked at Jin So-un.

Moyong Jae-hwa also looked at Jin So-un with an earnest heart.

“Fortunately, we are not coming back the way we came.”

Seong Mo-ran muttered quietly, ‘Who would be the crazy person to come that way…’

“But the personnel split into two are heading toward Sosil-bong.”

Time was equally short.

“First, start the emergency treatment.”

“I… am fine. A wound like this… is nothing. Please leave quickly.”

Even at Baek Won-gak’s words, Jin So-un did not answer. Instead, he looked at Moyong Jae-hwa, who was kneeling in front of Baek Won-gak.

“Moyong Jae-hwa.”

“…”

“Stand up. It is time for you to protect your people.”

“…Are you talking about me?”

“Yes. If you do not move now, you are causing harm not only to Team Leader Baek but also to the Namgung Clan, the Iron Sword Sect, and me.”

“…But how can I?”

Jin So-un handed over the bow he was holding in his hand.

“It is time to regain the true you.”

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