The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Chapter 82

[ … words ]

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The Moorim Regular Admission held in my past life was fiercer than any other time.

It was a stage where the sects across the Jianghu, led by the Moorim Alliance, were welcoming their prime amidst a long peace, bursting with all the strength they had been saving up.

Some even evaluated the competition as being only that intense because the leading Righteous Path sects, which had been swept up in the situation at the Demonic Spirit Plateau (Maryeong-gowon), had been unable to even recover the bodies of their disciples and thus declined to participate.

However, the current Moorim Regular Admission, without the situation at the Demonic Spirit Plateau, was witnessing a much fiercer battle than what I had seen in the reports of my past life.

[Moorim Regular Admission Status Report]

Total eliminations so far: 89 groups.Total injuries so far: 500 people.Total deaths so far: 57 people.

※ Special Note: Attacks against the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Families have started earlier than before.Cho-sang-sin-seong of the Cheong-seong Sect has been eliminated along with serious injuries.Ak-mu-seong of the Shandong Ak-ga has also fallen into critical condition and has been eliminated.Things that did not happen in my past life.

Even though those taking the “Hell Regular Admission” tended to view the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Families as their last resort, the fact that attacks had already begun indicated that the Moorim Regular Admission of this life was taking place more intensely than in my past life.

※ Special Note (II): I report this in case you are curious.

A story that began with that preamble.

The group where the Namgung Family and the Cheol-geom-mun are moving together has passed the First Gate but is hiding in a certain place after °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° suffering significant damage.The news that even the Namgung Family and the Cheol-geom-mun had been struck was quite shocking.

‘They surely must have completed the Chang-gung-un-wi-geom-beop (Vaulting Sky Cloud-Defying Sword Arts).’

Chang-je-sin-geom had entered seclusion with half of the profound techniques of Je-gal-cheon-gi’s Chang-gung-mu-ae-geom-beop.

If they had completed it, it was certain that Namgung Seon-hwa would have participated while leading the Namgung Family martial artists that she was originally supposed to lead.

‘Did they fail to complete it?’

Moreover, if they were moving together with the Cheol-geom-mun, it was certain that there would have been no one in Anhui Province who could oppose them.

If the two of them were in a state where they had to hide to avoid attacks, this meant that it was not that they were powerless, but that a problem had occurred.

‘I did have a request from Chang-je-sin-geom, but…….’

Right now, it was a situation where I was busy enough just managing the three Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers.

“Hup!”

Dong-ryong woke up in a great surprise.

Dong-ryong, who had dried blood that was not his own plastered all over his face, looked around with tense eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“……Sahyeong.”

“It seems you had a nightmare.”

“…….”

It had been three days since we left Mount Cheon-mok.

Due to the repeated attacks, the children had to fight against the ambushes without being able to sleep a wink.

The three brothers had fallen fast asleep the moment I told them to rest a little distance away after having fought a fierce battle just a moment ago.

They were desperately operating their internal energy circulation (Haeng-gong), but there was a limit with ten years’ worth of internal energy.

The bigger problem was rest.

The battles that continued incessantly for the third day while gritting their teeth had begun to gnaw away not only at the children’s bodies but also at their minds.

“……I’m sorry. Sahyeong.”

Even when I told him to close his eyes again, Dong-ryong, who had been staring blankly at me, bowed his head deeply.

“It is not your fault.”

“…….”

“Right now, recovering even a little bit of internal energy is a more urgent priority than thinking about your faults.”

Dong-ryong, who nodded at my firm words, quickly began his internal energy circulation.

“Then I will entrust it to you.”

If I were to point out the cause of why the children were this exhausted despite using Haeng-gong and the Baekho-geomjin (White Tiger Sword Formation), it was because of Dong-ryong.

The three people, who had moved as one body until we left the Tae-eul-mun, had not been able to match their hands and feet better than complete novices since Dong-ryong’s Cheonsalseong (Heavenly Killing Star) awakened.

To be precise, Dong-ryong’s elevated skills were breaking the sword formation.

The instinct of the Cheonsalseong, which becomes stronger every time one kills a person, made Dong-ryong develop by one level every time he fought a battle, and Geum-pyo and Eun-ho were in a state where they could no longer keep up with Dong-ryong’s speed of development.

However, we couldn’t fight without Dong-ryong either, as the Baekho-geomjin was meant to be unfolded by at least three people occupying the three positions of Heaven, Earth, and Man, so Geum-pyo and Eun-ho alone could not form the sword formation.

“……I think it might be better if we turn back.”

Eun-ho, who had woken up from his sleep at some point, quietly spoke up.

“Are you awake?”

Eun-ho hesitated and spoke again.

“……Wouldn’t that be better?”

Because I knew what Eun-ho was worried about, I ignored it and said.

“Have you recovered some of your fatigue?”

“……My internal energy has recovered to some extent, but my senses are gradually becoming dull.”

It was time for the side effects of replacing sleep with internal energy circulation to start showing.

“First, eat something.”

I threw the pouch of dried meat I was eating to Eun-ho.

Eun-ho was about to put his hand into the pouch, but stopped and pulled his hand back slightly at the thick scent of blood wafting from across the forest.

“If you don’t eat now, you don’t know when you will be able to eat again.”

“…….”

Eun-ho forced the dried meat, which wouldn’t go down, into his mouth and gagged a few times.

“Dae-sahyeong (Great Senior Brother) has been learning a different movement technique than us.”

He must be talking about the Cheon-ha-dok-haeng-sin (Heavenly Lone-Walking Movement) that I had shown a few times during battle.

“I learned it because I was lucky. When the time comes, I will pass it on to you as well.”

It was an ancient martial art created by the Hell Demon Emperors and Tae-eul Sword Emperors of the past. I hadn’t even achieved enough mastery to pass it on to someone yet.

“That is not what I am saying. If you have that, wouldn’t it be fine for you to leave us behind?”

The conversation finally returned to the starting point.

“…….”

Eun-ho was looking pitifully at Dong-ryong, who was taking a nap.

Even though the sword formation was broken because of Dong-ryong, there was no sign of resentment in his eyes toward Dong-ryong.

“I already gave you a chance to leave. So, just remember that you cannot turn back now.”

“Wouldn’t it make Dae-sahyeong more free if we weren’t here?”

Was such freedom truly freedom?

I remembered a past where I could never be free, so I shook my head.

Eun-ho raised his voice as if he were frustrated.

“Dae-sahyeong…… the sword formation has already collapsed…….”

“I will enter it.”

“Yes?”

“I will enter and re-establish the sword formation.”

“What kind of nonsense…….”

Eun-ho, who was talking, turned around in surprise as if he had heard a ghost’s laughter.

“Sahyeong…… just now…….”

It meant that the attacker targeting us had come that close.

“I know.”

“Then quickly…….”

Eun-ho tried to quickly wake Geum-pyo and Dong-ryong.

“Leave them. Since they are cautious people, it will take them a while to come.”

“Yes?”

“It is still daytime, is it not? Moreover, if they have been watching us, they would know what kind of battles we have fought over the past three days.”

This was closer to psychological warfare than a battle of wheels (fighting in turns).

They intentionally let me know that they were there.

And I recommended rest to the children instead of moving immediately after sensing their presence.

Unlike what they thought—that we would naturally run away without resting—the moment we sat down and started resting one by one, they couldn’t approach.

They must have developed suspicions, wondering if it might be a trap.

“So you are saying you will rest until we are attacked?”

“Because it is not just them who are targeting us right now.”

From all directions, martial artists in groups of ten and twenty were staring at us.

“They are just watching to see who will attack first. They will not move until a catalyst arises.”

Even if it is a fight where victory is certain, it is human instinct to avoid it if one suffers damage.

Moreover, the Moorim Regular Admission has not even passed the halfway point yet.

“The exam has only passed the First Gate so far. They will not move easily until they are certain that they can handle us.”

“…….”

Eun-ho sat blankly in his seat as if he had heard something crazy.

Then, he shook his head vigorously as if thinking was too hard.

“I don’t know. I’ll leave it to Dae-sahyeong.”

I let out a snicker at the guy’s words.

In my past life, he didn’t follow me this much.

“Should I press your acupoints?”

“Acupoints?”

“Can you sleep in this situation?”

Eun-ho, who was looking at me blankly, nodded.

“Please do.”

“Sleep.”

I shot my finger wind (Ji-pung) and put Eun-ho to sleep.

The forest was once again quietly asleep.

Those who intermittently announced their presence emitted killing intent.

“Hyena-like bastards.”

In the Moorim Regular Admission, there was no such thing as the fairness that the Righteous Path shouted about anymore.

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Eun-ho was amazed in many ways.

A sword formation is not something that works just by moving as decided.

It is only completed when the bodies of those who form the sword formation feel like my own body, and we move as one mind, as if my body is being moved by the other person’s will.

That is why a sword formation cannot be operated carelessly just because the level of martial arts is high.

Doesn’t even the Shaolin Temple, the Tai-san-buk-du (greatest authority) of the Moorim, operate the Il-myeong (First Name) and the 108 Arhat Formation separately?

But.

‘This works.’

It works.

It actually works. It was working.

Moreover, it is not just a level of matching hands and feet.

It felt like I had gained a new power I had never experienced before.

I could understand why Dong-ryong, who had created an asymmetry in the sword formation as his martial arts level rose by one stage after the awakening of the Cheonsalseong, had been operating the sword formation so willfully.

The sword formation had become even stronger and fiercer to the point that the sword formation we had unfolded until now felt frustrating.

‘It’s just that Dae-sahyeong joined.’

For that reason, Dae-sahyeong deliberately put us to sleep in a situation where enemies were surrounding us from all sides, pretending to be crazy to lure the opponents in.

No matter how many enemies came, Dae-sahyeong was confident that he could handle them with the sword formation he joined.

‘He really is an amazing person.’

Every moment, he makes choices that are beyond common sense, to the point of seeming insane, but in the end, it brings the best results.

Even now, thanks to the short rest, the complexions of Geum-pyo and Dong-ryong had gotten much better.

“Hold on a little longer!”

“Yes!”

I felt strength enter Geum-pyo and Dong-ryong’s hands momentarily at Eun-ho’s desperate answer.

The seventy people who had been swarming like a beehive from all sides began to fall to the ground almost as soon as the moon waned.

Where weeds should have been, swords that had lost their masters were lying.

“Haa, haa, haa.”

When the last remaining enemy finally ran away and I leaned my body against my sword. The first light of dawn began to shine from the east.

“Haa, haa.”

Geum-pyo, who gulped down the remaining water in the canteen, forced the dried meat into his mouth, forgetting that they had just fought a fierce battle.

Chew, chew.

Eun-ho, who had been squeamish about eating dried meat with blood-stained hands, forced the dried meat into his mouth as well, not to be outdone.

Because if we couldn’t eat now, we didn’t know when we would be able to eat again.

In just three days, the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers had lost their ease regarding eating.

“Sahyeong, Sahyeong, eat too.”

Dong-ryong offered the dried meat pouch, but Jin So-un was looking into the forest instead of answering.

Another attacker?

The thought that I would have no wishes if they let me rest for just half a day today lasted for a moment.

Three or four men in yellow clothes walked out from the forest where Jin So-un’s gaze was fixed.

Only four?

As I was about to stand up quickly thinking it was doable, Jin So-un reached out his hand and stopped me.

“……?”

The men in yellow were just standing still in their places, watching this side.

They were different from those who had hidden their bodies and attacked in an instant.

“What is it?”

“Their energy (Gi-do) is quite different.”

They did not emit killing intent, but it was heavy.

That rock-like firmness felt even more ominous.

When Jin So-un was staring at them quietly. Voice transmission (Jeon-eum) reached Eun-ho’s ears.

May I come closer for a moment? I would like to have a conversation.Eun-ho turned his head in surprise, and Geum-pyo and Dong-ryong also looked startled, as if they had heard the same voice transmission.

“…….”

The surprise at the unfathomable technique lasted only for a moment.

When Jin So-un nodded, the men in yellow clothes slowly approached.

The three men looked to be in their early thirties and of similar age, and the freckled one standing in the center looked to be about the same age as Eun-ho himself.

It was the freckled young man who spoke.

“I watched impressively.”

The young man was as calm as could be, despite looking at the traces of the desperate battle scattered all around.

“I don’t know if you know, but I am Jong Seo-gang of the Hwang-geom-mun.”

Jin So-un replied to Jong Seo-gang’s greeting.

“Why would I not know a fellow traveler of the 108 Peaks? I am Jin So-un of the Tae-eul-mun.”

“It’s a bit much to call us fellow 108 Peaks…….”

“…….”

Unlike his calm tone, sharp sentences flew in.

Hostility was clearly visible within the sharp sentences.

“I have heard the rumors. I heard you were lucky enough to acquire the First Gate token this time?”

Eun-ho wanted to refute Jong Seo-gang’s rude remarks immediately.

“……Where does the way of the world work only with luck? It is all gained as much as one puts in effort.”

The corners of Jong Seo-gang’s mouth went up at Jin So-un’s words.

“I don’t know if Young Master Jin knows, but our Hwang-geom-mun has never failed to enter the Moorim Academy even once.”

“Is that so?”

“But this time, it seems you missed the First Gate exam unfortunately.”

“…….”

“So, I was wondering if you would yield the First Gate token that you luckily took to us.”

Eun-ho’s teeth ground together as he listened to Jong Seo-gang.

Lucky?

We waged war with two Green Forest strongholds to get the First Gate token. We almost died several times, and in the midst of that, my younger brother’s Cheonsalseong awakened, and he could have met his death at the hands of his brothers.

I don’t like what he’s saying either.

Yield is a nice word, but how is it any different from saying he will outright rob us?

Eun-ho raised his internal energy to the brim without realizing it.

And at that moment.

‘Hup!’

Surprised by the energy constricting from all sides, his internal energy scattered into pieces.

‘What is this…….’

Obstructing internal energy circulation is an absurdly profound technique.

No matter how low my achievement might be, to obstruct internal energy circulation with just aura (Gi-se) alone.

Eun-ho’s gaze turned to the person standing on Jong Seo-gang’s right.

He was looking straight into my eyes, as if not denying that it was his doing.

As if telling me not to act rashly.

‘An expert…… and at an unfathomable level where I cannot even tell his achievement…….’

Wasn’t it that experts above the first-class level could not participate in the first place?

“…….”

Jin So-un, who was watching that scene, sighed softly and said.

“If it is about two, I have the intention to yield them.”

Eun-ho, who had experienced the reality of the mysterious expert with his whole body, could understand why Jin So-un had been nervous from the beginning.

“Two, you say?”

“To that extent, I can also yield them with a happy heart. Aren’t we two places in charge of the same peak of the 108 Peaks?”

“Ho-ho.”

Jong Seo-gang suddenly giggled.

“Did you know?”

“It would be strange if I didn’t know when you are making it so obvious.”

“It’s unfortunate, but two is not enough. Because not only all the forces of our Hwang-geom-mun and Cheong-do-bang, but also all the sects that decided to plot work with us have swarmed here.”

“…….”

“You will have to give us everything you have.”

Other sects following the Hwang-geom-mun and Cheong-do-bang?

Just how many are there?

Jong Seo-gang lightly raised his right hand.

“……!”

Along with that, tremendous killing intent burst out from the forest all around.

The birds hiding in the trees were startled and flew up at the same time, and the wild animals that had been crouching down at the sound of human footsteps also began to scream and run away in all directions as if they had met their natural predators.

“As I just said, ALL. FORCES. are here. We are different from those you have been dealing with until now.”

The Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers chattered their teeth in fear at the intangible killing intent that constricted their whole bodies.