The Genius Warrior Who Remembers Everything Chapter 58

Chapter 58. A First-Rate Warrior Who Startled the Divine Sword (6)

“Is what you possess truly worth as much as the Azure Sky Merchant Guild?”

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword’s suspicion had not yet disappeared.

I drew my sword.

“Please take a look at this first.”

I began to perform the exact same martial art that the Divine Sword had displayed just moments ago.

Because the movements had not yet settled into my body, there were imperfections, and because the difference in our experience of learning martial arts was as vast as heaven and earth, it was different from the Divine Sword’s sword, which showed intent even in a simple Sword Path. Even so, it was clearly the same sword art.

The Divine Sword’s eyes widened when he saw me reproduce it exactly, without even the slightest deviation.

“You…… remembered that in this short time?”

“It is my Heavenly Punishment(a punishment bestowed by heaven).”

“That is?”

The Divine Sword tilted his head as if he could not understand.

It was the reaction most people showed when they heard that I had the ability to remember everything.

“The scene of a puppy I raised in childhood being carried off in a fox’s jaws is as vivid as if it had just happened.”

One could not know what one had never experienced.

“……Mm. I suppose that could be true.”

But that was not what mattered now.

“This time, please look at this. It is the countering method I thought of.”

I began to perform the Shattering Form of the Boundless Firmament Sword Art.

It was a sword art created solely to counter the Boundless Firmament Sword Art.

It was the method by which the demonic practitioners of the Demonic Cult had been able to cut down the righteous factions helplessly.

It stabbed into the weaknesses even more decisively than the countering form the Divine Sword had displayed.

At the same time, I deliberately stabbed into places that were entirely wrong, rather than part of the Shattering Form.

If I showed him the complete Shattering Form that even the Divine Sword had failed to create, I could make him feel threatened.

Even so, the Shattering Form created by Jegal Cheon-gi far surpassed the Shattering Form created by the Divine Sword.

“I understand why San was flustered.”

“However, this Shattering Form and the Shattering Form you created, Senior, both share a serious problem.”

“What do you think that is?”

“First, it is too difficult for those who have learned the Boundless Firmament Sword Art.”

A sword was learned with the body.

At first, one learned it with the head, and afterward, one learned it with the body.

A posture ingrained into the body did not change easily.

“Second, aside from countering the Boundless Firmament Sword Art, it is actually inferior to even a third-rate sword art in ordinary combat.”

“……I agree.”

“Third, the direction of this sword is too clear.”

“What is the problem with its direction being clear?”

“What happens if the martial arts of the Namgung Clan deny the foundation of the Namgung Clan?”

“……This old man made an excellent choice in trying to meet you.”

Suppressing a traditional sword art that had continued for hundreds of years while also inheriting that sword art’s profound essence.

It was a complex problem that no one could even imagine unless they were a genius like Jegal Cheon-gi.

Jegal Cheon-gi divided the Breaking Strike into three categories.

Lower Form, Middle Form, and Upper Form.

Each name differed not according to the strength of the form, but according to how many weaknesses it revealed.

A luring form that exposed one’s body to the opponent was a Lower Form.

A form that connected one form to another was a Middle Form.

A form that protected oneself was an Upper Form.

Because of this classification, the final form of a martial art could become a Lower Form, while the first form used to show courtesy could become an Upper Form.

“This is the price I wish to present.”

I assumed the starting stance.

Beginning with the First Form, Firmament Leaping Kite, I began to perform the Breaking Strike of the Boundless Firmament Sword Art, the Ascendant Form.

Out of the thirty-six forms in total, I showed a perfect Ascendant Form for exactly half of them and mixed in forms I had created as I pleased for the rest.

At the Divine Sword’s level, he would be able to distinguish jade from stone within them, and through that jade, he would be able to recreate the perfect Ascendant Form.

When I finished performing all thirty-six forms, sweat streamed down my forehead.

“Hah…….”

The Divine Sword remained dazed for a while, as if he were reassembling in his mind the forms he had just seen.

Then he realized he had lost himself for a moment, shook his head, and spoke.

“How were you able to think of this?”

Here, I began to tell a plausible lie.

“In Anhui Province, where the Taeul Sect is located, there are two dragons. For the Taeul Sect to ascend, it must clash with those dragons. But our sect’s martial arts were far too weak for that.”

“You used the memories that cannot be forgotten inside your head?”

“For me, finding weaknesses was easier than making futile efforts to forget my memories.”

“Even so…….”

The Divine Sword, who had been speaking, shook his head.

“It is astonishing. Though the killing intent is too strong, to think there is a sword capable of overcoming and dominating the weaknesses of the Boundless Firmament Sword Art.”

That high appraisal belonged to Jegal Cheon-gi.

His wish had been for the Murim Alliance to stand tall in the Murim once again and restore the righteous spirit of the martial world.

However, not every sect looked kindly upon someone countering the martial arts of their own sect.

It was common for him to be falsely accused instead of handing the weaknesses of the Orthodox Path’s martial arts over to the Demonic Cult.

And now, Jegal Cheon-gi’s wish had been delivered through me to Namgung Tae-ha, the head of the Namgung Clan.

“Was what you used against San based on this?”

“Yes.”

“Then why did you force yourself to hold the sword?”

“I had never seen the Emperor Sword Art before, and even if I had seen it, it is so complex that I could not have countered it, so I had no choice but to overexert myself.”

“……Ah, you are right. But why did you show only eighteen?”

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword had accurately noticed the remaining half I had omitted.

“With my inadequate mind and ability, completing even half of it was difficult.”

The Divine Sword chuckled.

“That is not it. You considered the danger that would come if you displayed all the forms, did you not?”

“……”

As expected, it was impossible to deceive the Divine Sword’s eyes.

“……It is a sufficient price. No, it is more than enough. Even if I handed over the entire Azure Sky Merchant Guild, not merely a branch, it would not be a waste.”

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword nodded.

His face was filled with ease, as though he had found the solution to a problem that had troubled him for a long time.

“I will convene an elder council meeting. I will announce the agenda you mentioned, but the final persuasion will be yours to handle.”

“That alone is enough.”

“In addition, I will give you one Great Swallow Divine Pill. I will give the Taeul Sect two Great Swallow Divine Pills. I would like to give more, but that is all that remains in the Namgung Clan.”

I bowed as deeply as I could and formed a clasped hands greeting.

“I will remember this grace for the rest of my life.”

“You had better. You are the one uprooting the foundation pillars of the Namgung Clan.”

The Divine Sword, who had been smiling warmly, briefly turned serious.

“However, there is something I am curious about. Why do you show an incomplete form when performing martial arts?”

Even though it was the absolute best I could do without knowing the internal arts circulation method, even that seemed to the Divine Sword as if I were doing it on purpose.

“The form can be learned with the eyes, but the oral formula cannot be learned with the eyes, can it?”

“What are you talking about? Did you not say you could remember everything you see once?”

“How could something remembered by the mind immediately manifest through the body?”

The Divine Sword tilted his head.

“I do not know what Fortuitous Encounter you came across, but have you not already reached the realm of Five Dragons Offering the Sage and achieved the harmony of essence, qi, and spirit?”

Previously, inside the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation, I had forcibly opened my Upper Qi Center to determine the path forward and had ended up clearing even my Middle Qi Center.

It had not been a good situation, but if it was called a Fortuitous Encounter, then it was a Fortuitous Encounter.

Thanks to that, I had been able to reach the realm of Five Dragons Offering the Sage.

Even though I had avoided using a Torrent of Qi, had the Divine Sword grasped my realm from that alone?

“……That is correct.”

“To achieve the harmony of essence, qi, and spirit means that the body moves according to the will of the mind, does it not? If you memorized it with your head, then your body also remembers it.”

“……!”

At that moment, thunder and lightning seemed to crash through my mind, and my body trembled.

I had reached the realm of Five Dragons Offering the Sage through a Fortuitous Encounter, but I had never thought about what the harmony of essence, qi, and spirit truly meant.

The Divine Sword noticed this and clicked his tongue.

“What a foolish brat. If the harmony of essence, qi, and spirit has already been achieved, it means that inner arts, body, and thought have become one. Think carefully. If a clear memory remains in your mind, then your body remembers it clearly as well.”

“……”

“You did not know?”

“……I had never thought about it.”

“Hoho, hmm…… I am not looking down on your sect, but perhaps there has been no one in your sect who has reached a realm like yours?”

“……Yes.”

Because the Taeul True Scripture and the Spiritual Medicines had all been obtained from me for the first time.

“That was likely the problem.”

“……”

“Do not worry. Now you are there, aren’t you? In the generation below you, someone even more outstanding than you may emerge.”

“……Thank you for your guidance.”

“Sit quickly. If an enlightenment is not organized in that very moment, it flies away.”

I immediately folded my legs into a lotus position, sat down, and drew up the Taeul True Scripture.

At this moment, I could not miss an enlightenment more precious than a thousand pieces of gold.

“Click, click. Have I repaid a little of it with this? Of course, it still seems insufficient……. How should I repay the rest…….”

As I sank into a Trance, the sound of the Divine Sword clicking his tongue lingered in my ears.

Within a Trance, vivid memories surfaced.

Gye Cheol-yeong of the Taeul Sect performed the Three Shadows Sword, and Hong Sa-ryeon performed the Flash Thunder Sword Art.

Hwa Jeong-san of Mount Hua from the Murim Alliance performed the Plum Blossom Sword Art, and Il-myeong of Shaolin performed the Eighteen Arhat Palms.

The Flame Demon Ghost-Eye Unit slaughtered with the Flame Demon Ghost Sword Formation, and Black Lion Gwak Gung obliterated Mount Tai with a single fist.

Soon after, I began to imitate them.

It was not merely copying their movements like before.

Within their movements, my intent newly took root.

Whenever my intent moved, my inner arts moved in the most efficient direction.

After that, I appeared again, holding the Black Dragon Sword drawn.

I drew up the Taeul True Scripture and performed Ten Thousand Swords.

Within those Ten Thousand Swords, both others and myself shattered into fragments and vanished forever.

When I slowly opened my eyes amid the crumbling dust, I saw Namgung San with his arms folded and Namgung Seon-hwa looking at me with worried eyes.

“Have you awakened?”

“……How long was I like this?”

“A full day.”

I had thought it was only an instant, yet so much time had already passed.

“Were you waiting for me here all this time?”

Namgung San shook his head.

“Grandfather said you would wake around now and told me to bring you.”

When I nodded and stood, Namgung San looked intently at me for a long while.

“You…… something happened between you and Grandfather.”

“What do you mean, Elder Brother?”

Namgung San answered Namgung Seon-hwa’s question.

“I mean that Young Master Jin I saw yesterday and Young Master Jin I see today are different people.”

“……Pardon?”

Namgung Seon-hwa looked utterly unable to understand, while Namgung San was revealing a competitive spirit.

“If it were not for Grandfather’s order, I would have tried a Martial Duel with you right away. Of course, this time, there should be no restrictions on inner arts, correct?”

At Namgung San’s words, which sounded as though he knew something, Namgung Seon-hwa looked back and forth between Namgung San and me with a shocked expression.

Embarrassed, I quickly changed the subject.

“You said the Divine Sword called for me, correct?”

“Let us go.”

Namgung Seon-hwa, who had continued to be unable to properly enter the conversation, finally grabbed the hem of my clothes.

“Grandfather has opened an elder council meeting. He told us to bring Young Master Jin there. What in the world happened?”

“Ah, the Divine Sword said he would give me a gift as thanks and told me to say what I wanted.”

“What did you ask for?”

“I asked for the Azure Sky Merchant Guild.”

“……Pardon?”

“!!”

Namgung Seon-hwa, and even Namgung San, jerked their heads around and stared at me as if they were looking at a lunatic.

A chill flowed through the inner chamber.

The elders seated in rows on both sides looked at me, who had entered with the Namgung siblings, with eyes that were far from friendly.

It seemed the Divine Sword had already brought up the matter of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild.

I sat beside the Azure Emperor Divine Sword, across from Namgung Song-ju, the actual owner of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild, while the Namgung siblings stood against the wall behind me and watched anxiously.

“……”

Contrary to the elders, who displayed open hostility toward me, Namgung Song-ju was calmly drinking tea.

“I just heard something unimaginable from the Clan Head. After hearing it, the elders here were quite indignant as well.”

Namgung Song-ju set down his tea with a calm expression.

“It is hard to believe…… but the Clan Head said it was his own thought.”

Out of consideration for me, the Azure Emperor Divine Sword had said it was his own choice.

“If so, in the end, I have no choice but to ask what you think. The Clan Head said he would give you the Azure Sky Merchant Guild of Hefei. What do you think?”

No sooner had Namgung Song-ju finished speaking than the elders released their energy.

Among them were even those who secretly emitted killing intent and tightened it around my throat.

I drew up the Taeul True Scripture to protect my body and mind, then spoke.

“Since I did not do it hoping for a reward, I believe it is more than I deserve.”

Namgung Song-ju gave a small laugh.

“I suppose so……”

“……However, since the venerable senior is giving it to me, I intend to accept it gratefully.”

“!”

Namgung Song-ju’s brow furrowed deeply.

Excessive sighs also flowed from among the elders.

‘Hah…… look at that ignorant courtesy.’

‘He is like a wild foal running around without knowing his place.’

‘A mere snake is trying to devour an ox.’

And so on.

Most of them were things one could not say in front of a guest.

That was how greatly they were raging.

“Seeing as you are not surprised even though the Azure Sky Merchant Guild was mentioned, this was not merely the Clan Head’s intention. Is that not so?”

“Is that important?”

“I thought I had warned you in advance. It seems that was not received properly.”

A blue killing light burst from Namgung Song-ju’s eyes.

“The Azure Sky Merchant Guild is no different from a pillar of the Namgung Clan. In particular, Hefei in Anhui is the foundation of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild. You dare ask for such a thing? Just how lightly do you take the Namgung Clan?”

The elders now began to reveal their killing intent openly.

The Namgung siblings standing behind me, and even Namgung Gi-tae standing behind Namgung Song-ju, gradually could not endure it and began to flinch.

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword, the Clan Head, could have been displeased by Namgung Song-ju’s presumptuous words, yet he merely watched with an intrigued expression.

“If the Azure Sky Merchant Guild is a pillar of the Namgung Clan, then its foundation should be the Namgung Clan of Mount Huang. Why, then, is distant Hefei its foundation?”

“!!”

“The Azure Sky Merchant Guild is already a great merchant guild counted among the top five in Jiangnan. However, since most of its territory is concentrated in Jiangnan, is operating from Hefei in Anhui not simply adding unnecessary distance to the north?”

Namgung Song-ju pressed his mouth firmly shut.

It was something everyone knew in theory, but could not say openly because of their own interests.

“Hefei in Anhui Province is geopolitically important, but from the perspective of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild, is it not a meaningless place? Giving away one branch like that should not be too difficult for the Great Namgung Clan. Or is the Azure Sky Merchant Guild of Hefei in a more important position than the Namgung Clan of Mount Huang?”

No sooner had I finished speaking than shouts erupted from among the elders.

“You bastard! You go too far!”

“We praised you a little, and now you have lost all manners.”

“That is not something an outsider like you should concern yourself with!”

Most of the people in the Elder Hall were former warriors of the clan or blood relatives of the Collateral Line.

They did not want the Direct Line’s power to grow stronger and reduce their own influence.

“Hah, you brought quite a decent argument.”

And at the center of them was Namgung Song-ju.

“A certain part of what you say may be correct. However, even so, we cannot hand over Hefei.”

“……”

The elders nodded in unison.

“Nor can we ignore the Clan Head’s desire to give you a gift. Recently, your sect made an inquiry about ironworking distribution. You were fortunate enough to discover a mine, yes? The Azure Sky Merchant Guild will handle that distribution. Let us substitute this for the Clan Head’s gift.”

Just as the elders nodded as though they could yield that much, I spoke.

“I want the Hefei Branch of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild.”

“……”

The tension that had been about to ease began to tighten again.

Namgung Gi-tae seemed unable to endure any longer, as the whites of his eyes slowly began to show.

“You. Do you truly wish to see this through to the end?”

“……”

Namgung Song-ju, who had been speaking to me, looked at the Azure Emperor Divine Sword and spoke as though threatening him.

“Even if you take the Azure Sky Merchant Guild, I am confident I can erase your sect and take the Azure Sky Merchant Guild back.”

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword showed no sign of wavering under that ominous gaze.

Now that he had secured the Shattering Form and the Ascendant Form, he seemed confident that there was nothing to worry about.

However, the Azure Emperor Divine Sword was carefully watching how I would act.

“Do you want to go that far?”

The heat was rising.

Namgung Song-ju was staring at me as though he were facing a mortal enemy.

“……Calm yourself and think about it once. This is not such a bad proposal.”

“You bastard….”

I sent a Sound Transmission to Namgung Song-ju, who was about to spring to his feet.

-The reason you said before that I did not look favorable to you…… it was because of Wang So-so of Wang Estate, was it not?

Namgung Song-ju’s cold expression broke for an instant.

He was struggling to steady his expression and regain his composure, but his eyes were shaking violently.

-When I saved Wang So-so, I formed a small connection with the Master of Wang Estate. He is still desperately searching for the culprit who kidnapped So-so. He said he would pour out every bit of his power to send that person to hell. I knew the inside story, but I kept my mouth shut because I wondered whether a great blood calamity might erupt between Wang Estate and the Namgung Clan.

Panic began to appear on Namgung Song-ju’s face.

After a long while, Namgung Song-ju spoke through Sound Transmission.

-……What are you talking about?

-Although the warrior of the Secret Bow Unit belonged among the ranks of experts, in the end, he revealed the Namgung Clan’s martial arts before he realized it. ……For things like kidnapping and assassination, one is supposed to use people who have received specialized training.

-Do you have evidence?

-Shall I tell you the location of that corpse? It should not have completely rotted away yet.

Seeing Namgung Song-ju and me conversing while only moving our lips, the elders began to tilt their heads one by one.

-Moreover, after speaking with Senior Azure Emperor Divine Sword, I found that the Azure Sky Merchant Guild…… no. The Collateral Line and Direct Line are at odds with one another. In that case, if the Master of Wang Estate learns the inside story and aligns with the Azure Emperor Divine Sword…… I think it would become an excellent justification for the Divine Sword…… I wonder, among those here who stood on the opposite side from the Divine Sword until just moments ago, would there be anyone who survives?

As I spoke, I looked at Namgung Gi-tae.

At the same time, Namgung Song-ju followed my gaze and looked at Namgung Gi-tae.

-The enormous justification that had been holding back the Azure Emperor Divine Sword has already been shattered by your mistake, Senior. Can you withstand his wrath?

Namgung Song-ju looked at the Azure Emperor Divine Sword.

“……”

The Divine Sword was watching Namgung Song-ju’s flustered expression with interest.

-What will you do? Will you withstand the wrath of Master Wang Geum-san and the Azure Emperor Divine Sword? Or will you pay the price with the Hefei Branch of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild?

-The secret……

-Even if the Hefei Branch of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild falls into my hands, if the Azure Sky Merchant Guild disappears, would that not be a loss for me as well?

-If you ever use this as an excuse to threaten me again, I will stake everything I have to bring down you and your sect.

-From now on, are you and I not people who share profits together, Senior? I may ask a favor of a partner, but I am not someone who threatens one.

-……

Namgung Song-ju hesitated several times over whether to send another Sound Transmission or not, then looked at Namgung Tae-ha and opened his mouth.

“Clan Head…… now that I think about it, not only the Namgung Clan but also many fellow members of the Murim owe Young Master Jin and the Taeul Sect a debt from the Demon Spirit Plateau. It would be absurd for the Namgung Clan, called one of the pillars of the Murim, not to repay that debt. I think it would be best to hand over the Hefei Branch of the Azure Sky Merchant Guild according to the Clan Head’s will.”

“What is that supposed to……!”

“No! Guild Master, what are you suddenly saying?!”

At Namgung Song-ju’s absurd words, the elders instantly rose from their seats and crowded around him.

The Azure Emperor Divine Sword and the Namgung siblings had their mouths gaping as wide as large wooden washbasins at an event they could not believe even after seeing it with their own eyes, while I calmly savored the Biluochun and said to them,

“The fragrance of the Biluochun is excellent as well.”