The Genius Warrior Who Remembers Everything Chapter 57

Chapter 57. A First-Rate Warrior Who Startled the Divine Sword (5)

Namgung Tae-ha had first taken up a sword at the age of six, and over half a century in the Murim, he believed he had experienced events beyond imagination and met people stranger than fiction.

After passing his sixtieth birthday, he had thought there would be nothing left that could surprise him, yet the words that came from the mouth of the young man before him, who was not even twenty, startled him.

“What did you ask for?”

“I said the Azure Sky Merchant Guild.”

“Ha…….”

A laugh escaped him at the sheer absurdity of it.

“You are making an unreasonable demand on purpose so you can refuse, aren’t you?”

“If I possess what the Divine Sword mentioned, would this not be an opportunity? I have no reason to refuse.”

An unwavering attitude and an even voice.

Was this young man truly serious about stating such an absurd condition?

“Are you asking me for an entire three-room thatched house just to catch a bedbug?”

The Azure Sky Merchant Guild was the greatest foundation supporting the Namgung Clan.

Asking for the Azure Sky Merchant Guild was no different from asking for all the Namgung Clan’s assets.

“The rafters have caught fire. Should they not be torn away quickly before even the foundation pillars burn to ashes?”

“……?”

This insolent young man’s words sounded strange.

Namgung Tae-ha had clearly never said anything about it, so what did he know?

“What do you mean by that?”

“There is a problem with the Collateral Line, is there not? That is why you called me here.”

“!!”

Had an internal problem leaked outside?

That could not be. No one in the Namgung Clan wanted this disgraceful situation to become known.

Moreover, there was no way the Collateral Line, which harbored rebellious intent, would openly reveal its own plans.

If they did, they would immediately be suspected, and their crimes would also be exposed in full.

Had the reason they could not find the ones behind the attack on his grandson and granddaughter at Mount Gueom not been precisely because the Collateral Line had kept everyone’s mouths tightly shut?

Even if rumors had spread in secret, that young man was nothing more than a disciple of the Taeul Sect. There was absolutely no way he could know the inner workings of the Namgung Clan in such detail.

“……Do not tell me.”

Once his thoughts reached that point, Namgung Tae-ha began to wonder about Jin So-un’s identity itself.

He felt that this young man was surely not merely a disciple of the Taeul Sect.

The moment suspicion arose, his intent moved his cultivation power, and he began to emit intense killing intent.

The young man seemed to possess unusual inner arts and talent, but this was killing intent at a level he absolutely should not have been able to withstand.

“How do you know about that matter?”

“……!”

“Speak. This is an important question that may determine whether you live or die depending on your answer.”

He emitted killing intent that even Namgung Jin-myeong would not have withstood had it struck him directly, yet astonishingly, the young man merely furrowed his brow and endured it steadfastly.

Wondering whether he had perhaps released his killing intent too weakly, Namgung Tae-ha looked at Namgung San, who was standing to one side.

Namgung San, who had sensed the gravity of the conversation from afar and had not approached, was alarmed by the killing intent pouring from Namgung Tae-ha’s body and had fled to the far end of the Great Swallow Hall.

‘What in the world…….’

While Namgung Tae-ha was still astonished, Jin So-un began to continue speaking.

“……I first became suspicious when Senior Namgung San came to retrieve the Entry Token. The strength of one of the Five Great Clans should not have been so weak that it could not even take the Murim Academy Regular Exam. Yet he desperately tried to seize the Entry Token.”

Killing intent was fear that stimulated instinct.

Even those who had trained their minds to the extreme would find it far from easy to withstand killing intent that he released in earnest.

“Second, I obtained my second clue when Miss Seon-hwa came to the Demon Spirit Plateau to find the Mita Sacred Water. Considering the Great Swallow Divine Pill received once every five years and the Namgung Clan’s outstanding orthodox heart method, the Mita Sacred Water was not a Spiritual Medicine worth risking her life to compete with the Black Path for.”

“……”

To withstand killing intent, one had to have experienced even greater killing intent before.

But what could a young man not even twenty have gone through that was stronger than the killing intent of someone at the Divine Sword’s level?

“Third was the attack on Mount Gueom. Five hundred people moved through Anhui Province, which was no different from the Namgung Clan’s own backyard, to attack the Direct Line of the Namgung Clan. Yet the Namgung Clan did not know of their movements in advance. That means its eyes and ears had failed to do their jobs.”

Even as sweat streamed down him and his face turned deathly pale, he continued speaking to the end.

More than the young man’s comprehension of martial arts, and more than the extraordinary internal foundation whose origin he could not fathom, Namgung Tae-ha could not help but admire the mental strength with which he endured his killing intent.

He looked like someone who had crossed a hell where killing intent of this level was nothing.

“Fourth was because the Divine Sword said you would obtain that sword art I knew of, no matter what price you had to pay. Now, if you understand, could you please ease your killing intent? It is becoming difficult to endure any more.”

“……”

After hearing everything, Namgung Tae-ha withdrew his killing intent.

Thud.

Jin So-un slumped down like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

Namgung Tae-ha told him his honest impression.

“……For the first time in my life, I feel awe toward another person.”

“……”

Namgung Tae-ha, who was even called the Azure Emperor Divine Sword, had praised him, but Jin So-un gave no answer.

“Are you angry?”

Thinking the young man might be sulking because he had released his killing intent too strongly, Namgung Tae-ha approached him, only to find Jin So-un unconscious, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

“Hoho…… Did he stand there and endure it until he ended up in this state?”

Namgung Tae-ha had never seen such a tenacious person before.

At the same time, when he saw Namgung San, who had been watching from one side, run over after seeing Jin So-un fall, he understood why that child had been bound to lose.

Deep into the night.

Three important figures of the Taeul Sect, Hong Mun-gi, Kang Chae-seok, and Jin Tae-san, who had spent the entire day busily, gathered in one place, each carrying a bottle of liquor.

“It has been far too long since I saw you all.”

At Hong Mun-gi’s words, Kang Chae-seok and Jin Tae-san gave bitter smiles.

In the past, they would have gathered like this and shared drinks all the time, but lately, every single day had been so frantic that they barely had enough time to catch up on their insufficient sleep.

Of course, everyone knew without saying whose fault it was that they were so busy.

“You said there was something important to discuss?”

They had gathered today because Jin Tae-san had said there was “something very important to discuss.”

Dark shadows had settled beneath Hong Mun-gi’s and Kang Chae-seok’s eyes, and their faces showed that they wanted to return to their sleeping quarters at once.

“But why did you call me? I am already out of my mind because of Yu-seong these days.”

One day, an Escort had suddenly arrived with four children.

The letter delivered by the boy who looked the oldest contained the absurd statement that Jin So-un had decided to accept them as disciples of the Taeul Sect, so their safety should be entrusted to them.

“Even now, whenever I think about that time…… Ah, my head.”

“So do you dislike it?”

Kang Chae-seok clutched his head and lifted his cup.

Even so, a faint smile lingered around his mouth.

The Busaeng Hall curriculum for the fourth-generation disciples had already ended, so in order to teach Yu-seong, they would have had to make him wait until the next generation of Busaeng Hall members entered.

But if they did that, he might miss the period when he needed to learn martial arts, especially since fourteen was already an awkward age.

In the end, they had no choice but to give him private lessons so that he could catch up with the disciples attending Swift Blossom Hall.

Yet astonishingly, Yu-seong’s comprehension was greater than that of any disciple in history.

Learning ten things from being taught one.

He was a genius who realized ten things when taught one.

Though it had not been long since he entered the Busaeng Hall curriculum, he had already reached a level where he would not be lacking even if he entered Swift Blossom Hall.

“Perhaps that boy will become the greatest prodigy in the Taeul Sect.”

Kang Chae-seok, who was burning through day and night to give Kang Yu-seong personal lessons, burst into hearty laughter as though he had forgotten his fatigue, and Jin Tae-san gave a bitter smile at the sight.

“That is actually why I called you as well.”

“Hm?”

“You will have to teach one more disciple.”

“……What does that mean? Did that brat So-un send someone again?”

“He did send him, yes.”

“……?”

“……?”

Kang Chae-seok looked at Hong Mun-gi.

As far as he knew, aside from Yu-seong and his siblings, Jin So-un had clearly not sent anyone new.

But Hong Mun-gi also seemed to know nothing about this.

“There is Jegal Cheon-gi, is there not?”

“……?”

Kang Chae-seok dug at his ear.

“Did I hear that wrong?”

Jin Tae-san was still smiling bitterly.

Kang Chae-seok was shocked.

“My friend! Enough with the jokes! What are you doing, calling over tired people for this?”

“It is not a joke.”

“……”

Jin Tae-san said to Hong Mun-gi,

“Jegal Cheon-gi…… That child says he wishes to learn the martial arts of the Taeul Sect.”

“……Is that possible?”

“It should be possible if the Sect Leader grants permission.”

“……No, what I mean is, would the Jegal Clan permit that?”

When Jin Tae-san had first heard that from Jegal Cheon-gi, he had said the exact same thing.

At that, Jegal Cheon-gi had handed Jin Tae-san a letter.

Jin Tae-san carefully handed that letter to Hong Mun-gi.

“It is a letter sent by Jegal Hyeon-un, the head of the Jegal Clan and Jegal Cheon-gi’s father.”

Hong Mun-gi quickly took the letter and read through it.

When Hong Mun-gi lowered the letter, his eyes had grown as round as a rabbit’s.

“The Jegal Clan says it is impossible for him to study as a true disciple, but they would be grateful if we accepted him as a Lay Disciple.”

“……I do not understand.”

It was nothing new for someone from a clan to enter a sect as a Lay Disciple.

Even among the children of the Five Great Clans, there were countless cases where they entered the Nine Sects and One Gang as Lay Disciples if their clan’s martial arts did not suit them.

However, for the Jegal Clan, one of the Five Great Clans under heaven, to enter the Taeul Sect, which was at the very bottom of the One Hundred Eight Peaks, as a Lay Disciple was something even he, as Sect Leader, could not understand.

“……Hoho, truly.”

“He says he made a promise with the clan head when he left the clan. Once he becomes capable of protecting himself, Yeong-yeong will no longer work as his Shadow Warrior. Because of that, his will to learn martial arts is strong.”

After hearing the circumstances, Hong Mun-gi felt he could not refuse, but an uneasy feeling still remained because Jegal Cheon-gi wished to learn the Taeul Sect’s martial arts despite leaving aside his clan’s powerful martial arts.

“It seems Cheon-gi strongly insisted that he wanted to belong to the same affiliation as his sworn elder brother So-un.”

At those words, Hong Mun-gi had no choice but to burst into hearty laughter.

“Truly, you had one extraordinary son.”

“……He is also your disciple, Sect Leader.”

“Can the relationship between disciple and master compare to the relationship between father and son?”

“What will you do?”

“What else can I do? One cannot reject someone who wishes to receive the teachings of the Taeul Sect. Hall Master Kang Chae-seok will have to suffer a little more from now on.”

“……Damn it. That bastard So-un is making me suffer from a thousand li away.”

Though his words were full of grumbling, a smile still lingered around Kang Chae-seok’s mouth.

After all, educating outstanding talent was something that always brought him great fulfillment.

“I was just beginning to run out of things to teach Yu-seong anyway.”

“Already?”

“Do not even mention it. I thought only his comprehension was remarkable, but he is also a terrifyingly hard worker. I have never seen him sleeping.”

Kang Chae-seok shook his head as though he was fed up.

“I hope that Jegal Cheon-gi is not as bad as Yu-seong. This is the first time I have realized that teaching prodigies can be so draining.”

Hong Mun-gi looked at Jin Tae-san and asked,

“Are the finances all right?”

Recently, many things had happened in the Taeul Sect, and winds of change were blowing through it, but that also meant there were more places where money would be spent.

“We are holding out to some extent, but the finances will soon hit bottom.”

“……Hmm. I do not know whether I should be pleased about this or not.”

“You should be pleased. In any case, we are developing. For now, iron ore is slowly coming out of the mine, so we should be able to endure for a while.”

Developing the iron ore mine required time.

“The Master of Wang Estate sent word asking whether we might try establishing a merchant guild.”

“A merchant guild?”

“Yes. Since we already possess an iron ore mine, he suggested using that as a foundation to build financial stability. He said he would help with the initial investment.”

“I hardly know how to thank the Master of Wang Estate for his consideration. Tell him I am grateful.”

“Understood.”

“However, if we establish a merchant guild, we would have to establish it in Hefei. But the Azure Sky Merchant Guild is already in Hefei, is it not?”

The headquarters of the Namgung Clan’s Azure Sky Merchant Guild was located precisely in Hefei.

The three men, who knew that all of the Namgung Clan’s commercial activities began with the Azure Sky Merchant Guild, could not easily open their mouths.

“For now, we discussed focusing mainly on iron ore trade. We would slowly expand our goods around blacksmiths and ironworks.”

“Even if Wang Estate helps us, there is no need to offend the Namgung Clan. I think our first priority should be to ask the Namgung Clan whether we may enter the ironworking field.”

“Understood.”

Hong Mun-gi looked at Jin Tae-san and Kang Chae-seok and said,

“I know both of you are going through a great deal of hardship. Even so, I would like you to hold on just a little longer. I do not think these changes in the Taeul Sect are bad.”

“We feel the same.”

“Need you even say it!”

With small smiles on each of their lips, the three men swallowed bitter liquor without even eating any side dishes.

That damn old man. To throw killing intent around so brutishly.

If I had not had the experience of enduring against the Heavenly Demon Black Sword Unit in my previous life, I would definitely have fled.

At first, I endured because of my pride, and at the end, I endured through sheer spite and stubbornness before fainting. When I came to, it was morning.

I looked around, and this was not the Emperor Pavilion.

A moment later, a maidservant entered.

“Have you awakened?”

“Where is this?”

“This is the Great Swallow Hall.”

“……You mean the Clan Head’s residence?”

“Yes. The Clan Head is waiting at the training ground.”

After the maidservant left, I straightened my clothes appropriately and headed outside.

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword was gazing at the summit of Mount Huang from the training ground.

“Have you awakened?”

The playful air he had shown the day before was gone.

Because of what had happened the previous day, I deliberately avoided answering.

“……I apologize. I should have been able to trust what you said more easily.”

My eyebrows twitched without my realizing it. To think the Azure Emperor Divine Sword under heaven would apologize to me, someone who was nothing more than a mere junior of the Murim.

Now that it had come to this, I could not keep clinging to my pride either.

“It is all right. From the Clan Head’s position, the situation was suspicious enough.”

“……Dealing with you does not feel like dealing with a young man. It feels as though I am dealing with an old demonic fiend, sly as a serpent.”

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword, saying words that could have been praise or criticism, drew his sword.

“For our discussion to proceed, we first need proof sufficient to guarantee your life, do we not? Only then will our discussion be able to move forward.”

Saying that, the Azure Emperor Divine Sword began to perform a sword dance.

His sword art had clearly begun with the starting stance of the Boundless Firmament Sword Art, but it soon began to transform somewhat strangely.

“……”

And in the end, it had altered into an entirely different martial art.

Every single Sword Path it followed blocked the life paths of the Boundless Firmament Sword Art and thrust the sword into its dead paths.

The intent of the sword art was clearly aimed at countering the Boundless Firmament Sword Art.

“What do you think?”

“……With this, my life has become even more dangerous.”

The head of the Namgung Clan was researching a counter to the Boundless Firmament Sword Art, which contained the profound secrets of his clan.

Compared to the Shattering Form created by Jegal Cheon-gi, it had many shortcomings, but no matter who looked at it, the sword art Namgung Tae-ha had created was denying the Boundless Firmament Sword Art.

“Hehehe. Do not worry. Unless you reveal this secret, no one will know of it.”

“……”

“Now then, since I have guaranteed your life, shall we negotiate again? Do you possess what I want?”

“I possess it.”

“As expected. ……What is it you truly want?”

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword asked again.

I gave the same answer as yesterday.

“I want the Azure Sky Merchant Guild.”

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword’s brow furrowed.

“Do you think that makes any sense?”

“To be precise, I want the Hefei Branch of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild.”

“Hmph! Hefei is not called a branch. It is the headquarters of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild. How is asking for that place any different from asking for the Namgung Merchant Guild?”

“That is why I said I wanted the Hefei Branch. Why is the headquarters of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild in Hefei rather than at the Namgung Clan on Mount Huang?”

“That is…… Naturally because that place is the center of the transportation routes…….”

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword, who had been speaking, pressed his mouth shut.

The present crisis that had struck the Namgung Clan had occurred because the main clan and the guild’s headquarters were separated.

It was true that through the efforts of the Collateral Line, the Namgung Clan’s economic activity had entered a golden age.

However, the existence of a headquarters separated from the main clan weakened the influence of the main clan and greatly increased the influence of the Collateral Line residing at the headquarters.

That was the primary cause that had brought about the current tragedy of the Namgung Clan.

“Do you not think there is a problem with the Clan Head’s own words? It is true that Hefei is the largest city in Anhui Province, but it makes no sense for the Azure Sky Merchant Guild and its subordinate organizations to take their direction from the headquarters in Hefei. Should the place they look to not be the Namgung Clan on Mount Huang?”

“Hoho…….”

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword let out an empty laugh.

“A single word from you makes me feel the value of countless gold. Because of what you just said, I even felt the urge to give you the Azure Sky Merchant Guild of Hefei.”

“To be precise, it is not something the Azure Emperor Divine Sword would give me. I would be taking away the Divine Sword’s greatest worry and helping you.”

“Hoho, yes, yes. You are right.”

The smile vanished from the face of the Azure Emperor Divine Sword, who had been laughing emptily.

“However, most things, beginning with the Azure Sky Merchant Guild, have already fallen into Namgung Song-ju’s hands. Even if I wanted to give it to you, the Elder Council would not permit such an abnormal transaction, and at the same time, that child Namgung Song-ju would oppose it using whatever justification he could find.”

“I will persuade the master of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild.”

“Hm? You will persuade him?”

“Yes. In the end, that person will have no choice but to give me the Hefei Branch of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild.”

“……”

At the thought of how pleased my father would be, the smile would not leave my lips.