The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Chapter 53

[ … words ]

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“The Black Flame Dragon Dae-hyeop (Great Hero) told us to go ahead first.”

Again.

Jin Tae-san, the Head of the Outer Hall, felt a throbbing in his temples.

A simple caravan appeared, leading two carriages.

In front were a boy of about thirteen or fourteen and a female swordsman who appeared to be his escort.

There were no markings of a family or a sect.

However, even to Jin Tae-san, who could not well distinguish between rags and fine clothes, the shape and material of the clothes the young boy was wearing looked extraordinary, so he could not help but be cautious in his actions.

“By Black Flame Dragon, you mean……?”

Jin Tae-san asked for confirmation, and the boy answered without delay.

“I am referring to Jin So-un Hyung-nim.”

“Haa…….”

Lately, he had been hearing this title, ‘Black Flame Dragon,’ continuously, but he could not get used to it at all.

‘Of all things, for the leader of the Evil Faction to give him a title.’

He first encountered the title at a caravan of enormous scale.

One hundred bags of rice, one hundred bolts of silk and cotton, various equipment, and two hundred high-quality Cheong-gang swords.

The Head of the Outer Hall, who should have been most pleased in front of the items brought as gifts, felt suspicion first.

‘There is no way the Wang Clan wouldn’t have told me in advance.’

If it was not the Wang Clan, then on earth where did such excessive gifts come from?

“The Peak Master of Sa-hwang-bong (Four Emperors Peak) is sending them.”

“Eh?!”

When he heard the name Sa-hwang-bong, he was startled.

If the Orthodox Murim had the Nine Great Sects and One Clan, the Evil Murim had the Four Sects, Two Factions, and One Peak.

Sa-hwang-bong was the representative sect of the Evil Murim that occupied the ‘One Peak.’

“It seems you sent the items to the wrong place. We are the Tae-eul Sect of Hefei.”

The escort, who naturally thought he would take the items back, checked the documents and nodded.

“Yes, that is correct. It is written here: To the Black Flame Dragon So-hyeop (Young Hero) of the Tae-eul Sect.”

“……We are indeed the Tae-eul Sect, but there is no one in our sect with the title of Black Flame Dragon.”

As expected of the Evil Faction, he thought it was truly a spectacle to attach the characters ‘Black’ or ‘Flame’ to the titles of rising newcomers.

However, he became dumbfounded at the escort’s following words.

“……Um, isn’t there a Young Hero Jin So-un of the Tae-eul Sect?”

“No, way…….”

“Yes. Isn’t Young Hero Jin So-un’s title Black Flame Dragon……? Ah! It seems the rumors have not reached Anhui Province yet. The Peak Master of Sa-hwang-bong personally gifted the title of Black Flame Dragon to Young Hero Jin So-un.”

What on earth has this damn guy been doing to receive a title from the leader of the Evil Murim?

That was how he heard about the incident at Ma-ryeong-go-won (Devil’s Ridge).

After hearing the inside story, Jin Tae-san could not even open his mouth to say anything.

“…….”

“The performance Young Hero Black Flame Dragon showed at Ma-ryeong-go-won in Hunan Province will likely be talked about for a long time as an achievement that cannot be compared to any other newcomer in the world.”

Everything is fine.

It is all fine that he acted with righteousness regardless of Black or White in front of life. What father would not like it if he gave birth to a child and that child contributed to the world? However,

‘Still, what is Black Flame Dragon; doesn’t this feel like the prodigy of the Evil Murim?’

He really did not like the title.

“Anyway, I understand. However, we are a sect belonging to the Murim Alliance, an ally of the Orthodox Murim, so we cannot receive such excessive gifts.”

The position of the 108 Peaks, which was already precarious, could be in a desperate crisis due to the gifts from Sa-hwang-bong.

However, the escort’s words once again made Jin Tae-san’s mouth hang open.

“Ah…… It is written here that if you do not receive the items, they will think the sincerity is lacking and will come to the Tae-eul Sect personally, leading their disciples……”

“Where should I sign?”

“…….”

The escort’s gaze was not kind at the rapid change of stance, but wouldn’t it be better than meeting the Peak Master of Sa-hwang-bong and sharing a drink?

Moreover, just because they received a gift once, the masters of the Orthodox Murim would not look down on the Tae-eul Sect, would they?

However,

“…….”

“The Master of the Heuk-sa-bang (Black Snake Room) has sent a gift to Young Hero Black Flame Dragon.”

“The Young Master of the Hyeol-ho-mun (Blood Tiger Gate) has sent a gift to Young Hero Black Flame Dragon.”

“The Master of the Gu-ryong-bang (Nine Dragon Room) has sent a gift to Young Hero Black Flame Dragon.”

A constant procession of gifts.

It was a time when the greatest financial revival in the five-hundred-year history of the Tae-eul Sect was expected, but Jin Tae-san felt like running away in the middle of the night.

‘Doesn’t this look like we have formed an alliance with the Evil Murim?’

If there was one fortunate thing, it was that after the gift offensive from the Evil Murim sects continued, the Orthodox sects visited.

“The Sect Leader of the Sang-yang-mun (Shangyang Sect) has conveyed his gratitude to the Sect Leader of the Tae-eul Sect for raising such a good disciple.”

“Oh my~ Don’t mention it. Come in and stay for a few days.”

Compared to the gifts sent by the Evil sects, it was merely a drop in the bucket, and the sects that sent gifts were not comparable to the Evil Murim, but at least where was it that they didn’t say ‘Black Flame Dragon’ this and that?

Jin Tae-san gladly, forcibly, made those who didn’t want to stay sit down, had them stay at the Tae-eul Sect for a few days, and even held a banquet that he never usually opened to treat them and send them back.

If he made it recognized like this at least, wouldn’t he be able to avoid a little bit of the suspicion that they were colluding with the Evil sects?

Just when he was barely catching his breath.

Twenty people from the Hak-sa-pung (Scholar Wind) visited the Tae-eul Sect.

“What brings you to our sect……”

“Ah! My introduction is late. I am Yu Ji-ryang of the Mount Mao Sect (Mo-san-pa). I have been dispatched from my sect to repay the debt owed to Young Hero Jin.”

“Oh…, oh…, oh…….”

Jin Tae-san’s head stopped for a moment, and he could not say anything.

The Mount Mao Sect.

If it is the Mount Mao Sect, is it the Mount Mao Sect of the 108 Peaks?

Although the Mount Mao Sect could not enter the Nine Great Sects and One Clan, if you count by importance, it is no less important than the Zhuge Clan of the Five Great Families.

In particular, isn’t their Gi-mun-jin-beop (Strange Gate Formation Technique) a good alternative for those who cannot install the Gi-mun-jin-beop of the Zhuge Clan?

Why on earth did such a Mount Mao Sect visit the Tae-eul Sect?

“Young Hero Jin wanted the Tae-eul Sect to install the Gi-mun-jin-beop, so we came.”

Jin Tae-san’s mouth, which had opened wide like a bowl, did not know how to close.

“Eh? No, with what money on earth?!”

Whether this fearless guy intended to buy the world with one Chil-chae-bo-ju (Seven-Colored Jewel), he hired the Mount Mao Sect without fear.

Just as he was about to downgrade his status to the world’s most damnable guy, even though he felt proud for a moment, unbelievable words flowed from Yu Ji-ryang’s mouth.

“Ah, the cost will be borne entirely by our sect. So you do not need to worry about anything.”

“!!!!”

In the process of such a series of events, Jin Tae-san no longer had the energy to be surprised by Jin So-un’s title, and he had the confidence not to be surprised even if someone came looking for Jin So-un.

Jin Tae-san calmed his heart and said to the handsome young man in front of him.

“Young Master, what business brings you to the Tae-eul Sect?”

“Oh, oh. Please speak plainly. I am a person much younger than you, am I not?”

It was an attitude imbued with culture, as if he were a high-ranking official, both in his actions and his tone.

“Ahem, I understand. What did that guy called Black Flame Dragon ask you to do?”

“……Isn’t ‘that guy’ a bit too much?”

“Hmm?”

Just a moment ago, he showed a polite appearance asking him to speak plainly, but his attitude changed completely in an instant.

The spirit of the female swordsman next to him was also unusual.

“He is the person who saved nearly five thousand lives at Ma-ryeong-go-won, and captured the Cheol-gap-heung-mang-dae-sa (Iron Armor Prosperity and Ruin Great Master) for the stability and peace of the villages in the Yung-jung-san area! He is not a person trivial enough to be called ‘that guy’!”

The polite young man seemed to have met his parents’ enemy, and the female swordsman seemed ready to pull out the twin swords she carried on her back at any moment.

Jin Tae-san swallowed his saliva and stopped them.

“So, sorry. I spoke harshly because that guy Jin So-un does things so unexpectedly. I apologize if it was unpleasant.”

“…….”

“…….”

When he apologized, the expressions of the two men and women changed strangely for some reason.

The young man, who exchanged glances with her, looked back at Jin Tae-san and asked carefully.

“Um, if it is not rude, may I ask what relationship you have with Great Hero Jin So-un?”

“Ah, me? I am the person who is Jin So-un’s father.”

“!”

“!”

The two people, whose eyes became like rabbits, knelt on the dirt floor and bowed their heads.

“So, sorry! I dared to speak rudely to the benefactor’s father. Please forgive me. Please forgive me.”

“Please forgive me.”

“Oh, oh?”

Not knowing whether they knew that their silk clothes were getting dirty, Jin Tae-san, who became anxious because they looked like they would roll on the floor at any moment, raised them up.

“It is fine. It is fine. [N O V E L I G H T] No. I feel even better because you defended my son. Get up.”

“I was really sorry. Father.”

“I was really sorry.”

Seeing the young man and the female swordsman return to their polite attitude, Jin Tae-san burst into laughter.

“Hehe, really. I said it is fine.”

Then the young man stepped forward and said with a resolute expression.

“Father, I have resolved to serve Great Hero Jin So-un as my Hyung-nim for the rest of my life. So please treat me comfortably from now on.”

“Oh…… did you become sworn brothers?”

“Yes. That is correct. I originally intended to serve him as my lord, but Hyung-nim refused in the end.”

The young man had an expression as if he were very regretful about something.

Jin Tae-san, who was listening to the story, snickered.

Even from Jin Tae-san’s perspective, it was better for that guy Jin So-un to be the Hyung-nim of such a smart-looking kid than to be someone’s lord.

Unlike Jin So-un, he seemed to have a sharp side.

Among Jin So-un’s actions that he didn’t know about, becoming sworn brothers with this kid was the one he liked the most.

“Hehe, even to my ears, brothers would be better than lords. I also feel reassured as if I have gained another son.”

“Hyung-nim’s father is the same as my father. I will serve you with my best.”

“You are much better than that guy Jin So-un. Thank you just for the words.”

“I will definitely practice it with actions.”

It was quite cute to see the young man, who had not yet shed the childishness of a kid, imitating an adult.

“Yes, what is your name?”

“Cheon-gi, please call me Cheon-gi.”

“Cheon-gi. That is a good name. What is your surname?”

“Yes. It is the Zhuge Clan.”

“………Hmm? Is there a surname called Je-mal (?)?”

“It is the Zhuge Clan (Je-gal-se-ga). Father.”

“…….”

“By any chance, Father’s name is……”

“He uses the characters Hyeon and Un with Zhuge.”

“Ah…… then Grandfather is……”

“He uses the characters So and Myeong with Zhuge.”

“…….”

The suspicion he had, became a conviction when he heard the name Zhuge So-myeong.

“Aha! Then Grandfather must be working at the Murim Alliance?”

“Yes. I always think of it proudly.”

“…….”

Jin Tae-san’s thinking, which he said would no longer be surprising, did not continue.

“Father?”

“Yes?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes? I am okay.”

“……?”

“……Shall we go inside? Young Master?”

“……?”

Jin Tae-san truly began to wonder what on earth his enemy-like son was doing.

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