The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Chapter 98

[ … words ]

***

“We want the truth about the situation on the Puyang Plain.”

The Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Families build facilities that serve as branches in each province. The Shaolin Temple built temples, while the Wudang and Mount Hua built Daoist temples.

They said they built the Daoist temples for those who could not visit in person because the main sect was far away, but in fact, it was no different from a branch of the Moorim Alliance because they took on the function of managing related secular sects and commercial facilities across the country.

If there was a slight difference, it was that while the branches of the Moorim Alliance had low cohesion due to complex internal political problems, the branches of the Nine Sects moved absolutely according to the orders of the main sect.

“What truth are you talking about?”

The two people introduced themselves as the Daoist Temple Heads of Wudang and Mount Hua, respectively.

“A thousand people clashed on the Puyang Plain, and nearly five hundred people died. Isn’t it natural to reveal the truth about this?”

At the words of the Huashan Jeong-ju Daoist Temple Head, the middle-aged men standing behind him nodded in unison.

Judging by their different attire, they appeared to be the elders of the sects of those who died on the Puyang Plain, not just the Mount Hua and Wudang sects.

“To be precise, it was not that a thousand people clashed, but that a thousand people fought against eighty.”

Beside the Huashan Daoist Temple Head, the Wudang Jeong-ju Daoist Temple Head stepped forward.

“That is what I am saying. How could a thousand people clash against eighty, and yet only twenty of you died?”

At the words of the Wudang Daoist Temple Head, the complexions of Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran slowly changed.

“Are you saying…… we all should have died?”

“If you follow the natural order, isn’t that correct?”

“!”

“!”

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran’s faces turned red.

If it had been others, they would have stepped forward and drawn their swords immediately, but now they were the Daoist Temple Heads of Wudang and Mount Hua, so they could not dare to act emotionally.

“Elder, Namgung Family and Iron Sword Sect young ladies are here with us. Please choose your words carefully.”

I didn’t care about the Iron Sword Sect, but even with the Namgung Family present, their attitude was nothing short of rude.

The Wudang Jeong-ju Daoist Temple Head looked at Namgung Seon-hwa once and then spoke again.

“……If there is a problem, it can be solved later. Right now, solving something more important than that is the priority.”

Realizing that words no longer worked, I tried to enter the Nam-ak branch of the Moorim Alliance.

If I kept dragging out time here, the reason I woke up early in the morning would also disappear.

However.

“You cannot enter until you reveal the full story of the incident.”

They used the warriors to block the entrance.

I let out a small sigh.

The clues about the Demonic Cult’s activities had to start being leaked through official institutions.

Even if an individual heard it, they would not understand it, nor could they be convinced. It would only pile up more suspicions.

“I have already made separate materials for Young Lady Namgung here to report to the Moorim Alliance. Regarding the full story of the incident, please listen directly from the Alliance later.”

“I said it clearly. You will not be able to enter until you reveal the full story!”

“…….”

My blood ran cold.

The death of disciples who were like brothers and sisters was unfortunate, but that was something to be prepared for at the point of taking the Moorim regular admission.

Nevertheless, they were trying to push through an absurd claim, trusting in their own power.

A narrow-minded way of thinking that they could do because they were sure that the rights they possessed were different from others.

“……Are you currently interfering with the Moorim regular admission exam?”

“We are trying to correct what is wrong.”

“It is a regulation that no discord should occur in the area where the Third Gate unfolds. If this is violated, it will affect not only the parties involved but also their sects. You know that, don’t you?”

“Hmph! Isn’t that why we came to find you? If it weren’t for that regulation, you would never have been able to come here on your own feet.”

“Words really do not work.”

I shook my head and drew my sword.

“What are you doing now?”

“I don’t care if you suspect me, but I cannot tolerate the Namgung Family and the Iron Sword Sect suffering damage because of me. I and my junior disciples will cleanly give up the exam and escort the two young ladies inside.”

“Young Master Jin!”

Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran’s eyes flew wide open.

“Do you think you can dare to face us?”

The Daoist Temple Heads of Wudang and Mount Hua, as well as those who had come forward as representatives of each sect, had expressions of disbelief.

The Daoist Temple Heads’ martial arts uniforms began to inflate greatly.

I could feel the pressure they were applying to the surroundings as they slowly drew up their internal energy, stinging my skin.

I, too, did not give in and drew up my power with all my might.

“It is strange. We are the people who killed five hundred with a force of eighty. Are you not afraid to stand before us?”

“…….”

“…….”

The Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers formed a sword formation and drew their swords.

Those who came with the Daoist Temple Heads could not hide their bewilderment, as if they had not thought that things would come to this.

Clang! Clang!

Even Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran, who had come with beautiful makeup, drew their swords.

“You two, please do not step forward. If you step forward here for no reason, you might not be able to take the regular admission exam.”

“Are you saying that as words right now?”

“It was not only the Tae-eul-mun that was insulted. They just insulted the name of the great Namgung Family. If I say that I backed down here because of the exam, my grandfather will never forgive me.”

As the two young ladies stepped forward, all the warriors who had been with them behind also drew their swords.

“Th, these…….”

The Huashan Daoist Temple Head’s face turned red.

It was a very bad matchup to suppress them in the names of Mount Hua and Wudang.

If a clash really occurred in a situation where even the Changje-shin-geom had been mentioned, a big problem would occur between Mount Hua, Wudang, and the Namgung Family.

And when they scrutinized the rights and wrongs in the future, it was self-evident that the Daoist Temple Heads who were in this seat right now would be held responsible.

I even wrapped sword energy around the Black Dragon Sword. From now on, it was a test of courage.

The one who has nothing to lose wins.

As I stepped forward one stride, the Daoist Temple Heads of Mount Hua and Wudang flinched.

“Wait!”

At that time, a middle-aged man walked out from within the Moorim Alliance Nam-ak branch along with his escorts.

“He is the Branch Manager of the Moorim Alliance Nam-ak Branch. Everyone, sheath your swords.”

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“What is the commotion?”

“…….”

“…….”

The middle-aged person introduced as the Branch Manager approached this side and exchanged glances with the Daoist Temple Heads.

It seemed like a situation where some prior talk had been exchanged, as the Daoist Temple Heads bowed their heads slightly.

“Everyone, go back. For now, you must take the Moorim regular admission Third Gate exam.”

“We cannot do that!”

“Hundreds of victims on the Puyang Plain.”

“We must find out the full story of the incident!”

As the gathered people spoke in one voice, the Branch Manager let out a small sigh.

“If it is about the incident on the Puyang Plain, I have heard it too. A report about that matter has already been submitted to the Moorim Alliance, and the Moorim Alliance will form an investigation team and dispatch them.”

“No, that takes time! Time! What is the use of investigating after the evidence is gone!”

“There is a party involved in the incident here, so what reason is there to wait for the Moorim Alliance’s investigation team?”

Voices rebuking the Branch Manager rang out from all sides.

“Stop.”

The Branch Manager put internal energy into his voice and spread it all around. The commotion in the hall subsided in an instant.

“The Moorim regular admission exam is meant to give everyone a fair opportunity. If you interfere with the exam privately like this, it will clearly affect your sects as well. You all know that, right?”

“…….”

“…….”

“So, stop it. If there is a suspicion, the Alliance will surely resolve it.”

At that moment, which seemed like it would be resolved, the Huashan Daoist Temple Head stepped forward.

“The matter is too serious for that.”

A faint contempt appeared in the corner of the Branch Manager’s eyes.

He had tried to finish it properly so that they would save face, but the Daoist Temple Head was starting it again.

However, in the story of the Daoist Temple Head that followed, the hall was once again in commotion.

“There is a suspicion that evil arts were used on the Puyang Plain.”

“…….”

The corner of the Branch Manager’s eyes trembled slightly.

“Puhah!”

Seong Mo-ran burst into laughter.

People’s eyes gathered on Seong Mo-ran, but Seong Mo-ran did not stop laughing.

“What is so funny? Young Lady Seong Mo-ran.”

Surprisingly, the Branch Manager knew Seong Mo-ran.

“Can I help but laugh when those people dug their own graves?”

“What……”

“The next story will be ‘Isn’t the Tae-eul-mun related to the evil arts?’ right?”

“…….”

“…….”

Seong Mo-ran pointed to the Daoist Temple Heads of Mount Hua and Wudang, and the two people’s faces turned red, to the point of being about to explode.

“There was a person who said such stupid things to our Iron Sword Sect as well. Thanks to that, we even had the Nine-Fold Sword of the Great Ancestor, which had been passed down for generations, taken away. There is no one among the people here who does not know this fact, right?”

“Hmph! It is shameful to see you associating with such an opponent.”

“The Iron Sword Sect and the Namgung Family were also together on the Puyang Plain. Can you be sure that evil arts were used?”

“…….”

Unlike the Huashan Daoist Temple Head who had been quiet, this time the Wudang Daoist Temple Head stepped forward.

“I have never thought that the Iron Sword Sect and the Namgung Family were related to evil arts. But the suspicion regarding the fact that the Tae-eul-mun’s martial arts are so earth-shattering that they are not thought of as the original Tae-eul-mun’s martial arts must be resolved.”

I stared at the Wudang Daoist Temple Head and asked.

“Can you take responsibility for those words just now?”

I shot out killing intent without holding back anymore.

“Hup.”

“Keuheuk.”

“Wh, what kind of killing intent is this.”

The Daoist Temple Heads of Wudang and Mount Hua, as well as the middle-aged men standing behind them, all frowned at the same time.

“I will ask again. Can you take responsibility for those words?”

“You bastard! Do you know who I am to act like this?”

“I have never left alone those who insulted my sect and my senior brothers until now.”

It was like that before, it is like that now, and it will continue to be like that in the future.

If Jegal Cheon-gi of my past life had seen me now, he would have cursed me for not being able to let go of the burden in my heart and doing useless things.

It doesn’t matter.

No matter how much damage I take because of that, no matter how much I get hurt, I am not as weak as the me of my past life anymore.

Without delay, I approached the Wudang Daoist Temple Head. The Wudang Daoist priests who had been standing in the back blocked the front of the Daoist Temple Head.

“Th, that bastard!”

The Wudang Daoist Temple Head pointed his finger at me with a face that had turned red.

The Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers followed to my side, ready to swing their swords at any time.

I put all my internal energy into my voice.

“Say it again!! Is Wudang sure that the Tae-eul-mun used evil arts!!!”

“Th, this bastard!”

A voice that resounded clearly throughout the Moorim Alliance Nam-ak branch.

People passing by on the street also stopped their footsteps and began to look toward this side.

The Wudang Daoist Temple Head’s face was distorted like a sheet of paper.

At the moment when I was about to scatter the Twin Heaven Sword Tactics at his lack of answer.

“Great Hero Jin So-un of the Tae-eul-mun did not use evil arts.”

There was a voice that interrupted, newly.

The people in the hall turned their heads at the same time.

When the voice was heard, dozens of people who appeared to be in the middle of treating deep wounds were approaching toward this side.

The Branch Manager, who had an expression of relief, asked.

“Wh, who are you?”

The man standing at the very front said.

“I am Muk Jeong-ho of the Gon-o-mun. I am a participant in this regular admission, and I am a person who fought against the Tae-eul-mun on the Puyang Plain.”

“I see. If you were there, you must know the incident clearly.”

“I don’t know who conveyed the story, but it is certain that there was someone using evil arts there.”

“……Look at that. The Tae-eul-mun……”

“But! Great Hero Jin So-un of the Tae-eul-mun is the person who saved us from those who used the evil arts.”

“What?!”

Looking at his face as he approached closely, it was the examinee who had been shouting loudly while feeling ashamed that I had saved him.

“The moment we engaged in battle with the Tae-eul-mun. The appearance of those who attacked us taking advantage of the darkness was not a human appearance. It is clearly a part that needs an investigation by the Moorim Alliance. But there is no room for doubt that the villain is not Great Hero Jin So-un.”

“How do you know that……”

“Have some shame!”

“What?”

“Great Hero Jin So-un is the person who saved us, who had come to attack him, against a villain whose identity is unknown. Simply, because we are the same Righteous Path.”

Muk Jeong-ho pointed his finger at those behind the Daoist Temple Head and continued speaking.

“Moreover, when the warriors mobilized for the children of the people here were dying, he stepped forward himself and even gave emergency treatment. Are those who actually hired them coming here to persecute a hero! Can you still call yourselves the pillars of the Righteous Path sect!!!!”

“That’s right!”

“Have some shame, you bastards!”

Those who moved with Muk Jeong-ho were the warriors who had received emergency treatment on the Puyang Plain. Without exception, they did not hesitate to curse at those who had hired them.

“Have some shame!”

If it is Gon-o-mun, it is a sect located at the 10th peak of the 108 Peaks. Considering the power of those gathered here, including Mount Hua and Wudang, it was something one could not dare to imagine, but Muk Jeong-ho was not afraid to shout.

“I, Muk Jeong-ho of the Gon-o-mun, guarantee that Great Hero Jin So-un of the Tae-eul-mun has never used evil arts.”

“I agree too!”

“I agree too!”

As the sound grew louder among the warriors, the faces of the Daoist Temple Heads of Mount Hua and Wudang began to turn black.

At that time, one warrior whispered to the Branch Manager, and the Branch Manager looked at Namgung Seon-hwa and said.

“Young Lady Namgung Seon-hwa. I heard you made a report to be delivered to the Moorim Alliance.”

Namgung Seon-hwa handed over one scroll from inside her bosom.

“…….”

The Branch Manager, who was reading Namgung Seon-hwa’s report, looked at me.

“It says here that you obtained a part of the villain’s corpse, is that true?”

“Yes.”

“Will you show it?”

When I signaled to Geum-pyo, Geum-pyo took out the arm of the Dark Soul-Severing Group member that had been wrapped in cloth.

“Hick!”

“What is that!”

“Is that, a sword popping out of the palm?”

“Isn’t it a bone?”

As the corpse was shown, only then did the Branch Manager’s face stiffen.

“Why didn’t you show this sooner? If you had, it would have been resolved more easily.”

At the Branch Manager’s voice full of rebuke, I shook my head.

“Even if the Branch Manager did not properly take our side, would the suspicion be resolved just because there is this piece of corpse?”

“……Keuheum, that hurts quite a bit.”

The Branch Manager looked at the Daoist Temple Heads.

“With this, there will be no one who can say that the Tae-eul-mun performed evil arts.”

“…….”

“…….”

I approached the Wudang Daoist Temple Head. The Wudang disciples blocked me holding swords, but I rather put away my sword and said.

“Do you still think the Tae-eul-mun used evil arts?”

“…….”

“Say it.”

“…….”

“Say it!!”

“No……”

“Then apologize.”

“What!”

“I said, apologize.”

“……You, do you know who I am……”

“If you do not apologize, I will formally protest this matter through the Moorim Alliance.”

The Wudang Daoist Temple Head, who had been agonizing for a long time, let out a long sigh. Then, with his head bowed low, he clasped his hands.

“……Song of Wudang formally apologizes to the Tae-eul-mun.”

Small sighs burst out here and there.

A reaction of not being able to believe even after seeing it.

“Consider yourself lucky that you are a person of Wudang. If I, a person of the Tae-eul-mun, had said that Wudang used evil arts, it would not have ended with just an apology.”

“…….”

The Branch Manager spoke again.

“Can you hand over that corpse for a report to the Moorim Alliance?”

To grasp the villain accurately, that evidence is also necessary.

The Branch Manager’s hand naturally headed toward the corpse.

“I don’t want to.”

And as soon as my words fell, Geum-pyo avoided the Branch Manager’s hand.

“……Yo, you don’t want to?”

“Yes.”

“To resolve your suspicions, the evidence is……”

“Isn’t that suspicion already resolved?”

“……This is a serious incident. Especially if there is an existence that hides its body in the darkness, this is definitely an incident that must be resolved through the Moorim Alliance.”

“It is an incident the Moorim Alliance must resolve, but isn’t it that the evidence is not absolutely necessary?”

“What is that?”

“The by-products obtained while taking the exam are all treated as the examinee’s. That is the regulation, right?”

“…….”

“I intend to send this to my sect and have the sect investigate it directly.”

“……But the Tae-eul-mun is……”

The Branch Manager tried to speak, but swallowed it. Because he had clearly seen what the price of Wudang’s slip of the tongue a moment ago was.

I continued.

“But if the Branch Manager really needs it, buy this corpse from me.”

“What?”

“Huh!”

“Good grief, as expected of someone from a sect with no roots.”

I heard the Huashan Daoist Temple Head clicking his tongue, but I cleanly ignored it.

“How much do you want?”

“Ten nyang of gold.”

“Huh!”

Not only the Branch Manager but even Namgung Seon-hwa and Seong Mo-ran had expressions of surprise.

“Use that money for the funeral of the person who died on the Puyang Plain and for the treatment of those who were injured. Then I will hand over this corpse.”

“!”

“!!”

And soon, they could not hide their even more surprised demeanor.

The Daoist Temple Heads of Wudang and Mount Hua had expressions as if they had tasted feces.

“Will you do that?”

“Ha…….”

The Branch Manager, who let out a long sigh, opened his mouth soon after.

“If it is that, I will accept it.”

“Geum-pyo, give it to him.”

“Yes! Eldest Senior Brother.”

Unlike usual, Geum-pyo attached the words ‘Eldest Senior Brother’ and handed the corpse to the warrior standing next to the Branch Manager.

Then, thunderous cheers rang out clearly.

“““Waaaaah!”””

I clasped my hands to Muk Jeong-ho.

“Thank you for helping. Take care.”

“……Great Hero Jin, let’s see each other again next time.”

Behind the path leading into the branch past the people, the warriors began to shout in unison.

“Jin So-un!”

“Jin So-un!”

“Jin So-un!”

“Black Flame Dragon! Jin So-un!”

“Black Flame Dragon! Jin So-un!”

“Black Flame Dragon! Jin So-un!”

For some reason, Seong Mo-ran and Namgung Seon-hwa had their shoulders straightened as if they were receiving the cheers, and the Geum, Eun, and Dong brothers were walking, sticking even closer than usual.

“Why are you sticking so close? And put that flag down a bit now.”

“What are you saying, Eldest Senior Brother. The flagpole seems too short anyway, so I’m thinking of preparing a longer one.”