The Genius Warrior Who Remembers Everything Chapter 60

Chapter 60. The Black Flame Dragon Who Frolics with Dragons and Phoenixes (2)

In my previous life, my dream had been to enter the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

The honor of being part of a gathering of the greatest prodigies of the era, the responsibility of punishing those who committed evil deeds, and even the awe and respect received regardless of age or gender.

Before we learned reality, the dream of every child in the Taeul Sect, including me, was to belong to the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

When training ended, we gathered in small groups of three or five and played Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

The boys took the role of dragons, and the girls took the role of phoenixes as we nurtured our dreams.

When I heard that they were coming, I tossed and turned all night from a week before, and carefully kept the paper on which I would receive their seals so it would not be crumpled.

But contrary to my expectations, the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly that visited back then threw the Taeul Sect into the pit of despair.

I did not know what they had been thinking.

New Plum Blossom Sword Hwa Jeong-san of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

That swordsman, whom I had liked the most, asked the Sect Leader for guidance, and the Sect Leader, unable to withstand fifty moves from a Later-Generation Talent twenty years younger than him, ultimately overexerted himself and fell into Qi Deviation.

“Tsk, staying any longer at the One Hundred Eight Peaks will not be of much help.”

That was what Hwa Jeong-san said after seeing Sect Leader Hong Mun-gi vomiting blood from internal injuries.

Though Hong Mun-gi miraculously survived, after losing all his inner arts, he could no longer move around as he once had.

Hong Mun-gi entrusted internal affairs to Jin Tae-san and external affairs to Gye Cheol-yeong, who was at the Murim Academy at the time.

Gye Cheol-yeong brought all the Taeul Sect disciples, who had not even fully matured yet, to the Murim Alliance and used them like his servants.

“Even thinking about it again, it was hell.”

I could not say it would be the same as my previous life.

After all, starting with Gye Cheol-yeong, the Taeul Sect had already changed.

However, even so, if their attitude was the same as in my previous life, I had no intention of leaving even the slightest shred of respect I had held for the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

“At this speed, I will have enough time.”

Instead of riding a horse, I was running with the Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art.

If I rode a horse, I would have to follow the roads, but if I used the Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art, I could run in a straight line and reduce the time.

Just as I was running at a speed so fast that the fierce wind struck my ears,

I heard a scream from far away.

“Hm?”

[Is anyone there?! Please save me!]

It was the voice of a woman who seemed to be injured.

The distance was considerable, but with the Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art, I still had enough time, so I immediately changed direction.

***

Men and women of all kinds were leaving Hefei.

Their clothing and weapons each revealed their individuality.

In a way, they could have looked like the children of a noble family traveling, but each of them wore something at their waist that could be guessed to be a weapon, such as a sword or prayer beads.

They were a peculiar group whose only commonality was their outstanding appearance.

“What a shame. When one thinks of Hefei, one thinks of the Iron Sword Sect.”

A man wearing a black-and-white martial arts uniform said while smacking his lips.

“Why did the Taeul Sect have to be selected for inspection?”

Originally, they had planned to receive lavish hospitality from the Iron Sword Sect, then move on to the next province.

However, the Alliance directive that had urgently come down contained an order to “inspect” the Taeul Sect, one of the One Hundred Eight Peaks.

A man wearing monk’s robes hardened his expression and said, “This is not good for the Taeul Sect either.”

If an “audit” mission was merely at the level of showing their faces and further strengthening the bond between the Murim Alliance and the One Hundred Eight Peaks, an “inspection” required them to coldly evaluate whether a sect among the One Hundred Eight Peaks was qualified.

This randomly assigned “inspection” mission was ultimately an important matter that determined whether to exclude former allies from the One Hundred Eight Peaks.

“The Taeul Sect’s reputation has improved recently. Why are they conducting an ‘inspection’ on them?”

A beauty wearing white fur clothing asked from the back.

“It must be because of that reputation.”

The man in the black-and-white martial arts uniform seemed pleased that the beauty had spoken to him, and he spoke with a deep smile around his mouth.

“They took the Grand Patriarch’s Sacred Relic from the Iron Sword Sect and saved the precious daughter of Wang Estate, did they not? Moreover, recently, there was also a rumor that they saved people at the Demon Spirit Plateau. Is that not why our Dragon and Phoenix Assembly is being criticized right now?”

To be precise, Yong So-ah was the one being criticized, but considering that Yong So-ah was the symbolic figure of the current generation’s Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, being devalued together with him was not particularly pleasant.

“Perhaps the Murim Alliance is ordering an inspection because of that. Was the Taeul Sect not included among the One Hundred Eight Peaks thanks to the lie called the Taeul Sword Emperor?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“For example, suppose that when the Iron Sword Sect grew fearsomely, the Taeul Sect felt a sense of crisis and began spreading lies like before……”

“That is absurd.”

“It is only an example. An example.”

“Then I will handle this evaluation.”

At the words of the beauty in white fur, the man in the black-and-white martial arts uniform furrowed his brow slightly.

“What do you mean? I said I would handle this kind of work.”

“Young Master Hwa, your methods are too cruel. An ‘inspection’ is a mission, so that part cannot be helped, but you should not leave injuries on the opponent.”

“……I do not know what you mean. I am actually doing it gently.”

“Do you think I do not know that you deliberately lure your opponent in order to draw them out to their limit?”

The man called Young Master Hwa gave an awkward smile.

“But if I do not do that, I cannot know the opponent’s true skill.”

Young Master Hwa turned a pleading gaze toward the man in monk’s robes.

Since Yong So-ah was not present, that man was practically the leader of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

“……I still think it is right for this friend Hwa Jeong-san to step forward.”

“What do you mean…… It is not as though it has been decided.”

“We received word from the Murim Alliance. They told us to let Hwa Jeong-san handle the evaluation.”

The beauty in fur looked back and forth between Hwa Jeong-san and the man in monk’s robes with complicated eyes.

Yong So-ah and Hwa Jeong-san were close friends, and the man in monk’s robes also had a long-standing connection with them.

There was surely something she did not know, but when the man in monk’s robes even brought up the Murim Alliance, the beauty in fur could no longer insist on her opinion.

“Understood.”

And at that moment, she saw Hwa Jeong-san and the man in monk’s robes exchange a meaningful glance.

***

“Damn it…….”

The road back to my sect was not as smooth as I had expected.

“This is ridiculous. It is not as though I can run with my ears and eyes blocked.”

I had known that my cultivation power had risen and that my five senses had improved after undergoing Rebirth through the Mita Sacred Water.

However, the problem was that after gaining enlightenment, that range had become far wider than before.

No matter how far away a sound came from, I could hear it clearly, and as I ran as if flying from a high place and looked out, all under heaven entered my sight at a glance.

First, I saved a woman who had fallen from a cliff, and second, I saved an Herb Gatherer being chased by wild beasts.

Third was a man whose leg had been broken after being pinned under a horse, and fourth was a child who had nearly drowned while playing in a valley.

“At this rate…….”

No matter how fast the Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art was, if this continued, I might not arrive in time.

But how could I ignore someone dying before my eyes and simply pass them by?

“This will not do. I need to run as fast as possible.”

Just as I was about to increase my speed, thinking that perhaps I would not hear voices calling for help if they were buried beneath the sound of the wind,

[N-no, please do not do this! We have already given you everything we have!]

I heard the voice of a young man.

I tried not to, but my head turned on its own, and when I focused my eyes, I saw a young man and an old man being oppressed by bandits.

“Haa…….”

My feet immediately headed toward the place where the young man’s voice had come from.

Without even having time to grasp the situation, I used the Thousand-Jin Drop in midair and landed on the ground.

Thud.

Clods of earth scattered in all directions, and silence briefly settled over the scene.

On one side, as expected, were a young man around my age and an old man.

On the opposite side were bandits holding knives and axes.

“Who the hell are you?!”

Even at my sudden intrusion, the bandits did not look startled.

I had thought that a technique like the Thousand-Jin Drop would be enough to make clumsy bandits run away as if their tails were on fire, but my expectation was completely wrong.

“I am Jin So-un of the Taeul Sect. Are you bandits?”

“We are from Red Mountain Stronghold……”

“Understood. Could you possibly just let them go? I am rather busy, you see.”

“I wasn’t done talking yet!”

Thinking that words would no longer solve the situation, I was about to tell the old man and the young man to step back.

At that moment, the young man’s standing posture, habits, and gait reminded me of someone in my memories.

‘Murong Jae-hwa?’

Murong Jae-hwa, the son of Murong Sang-won whom I had met not long ago, and the younger brother of Murong Seol.

When I quietly examined the area around his neck, there was a subtle difference in skin tone.

He was wearing a Human-Skin Mask to hide his identity.

‘What is this?’

Murong Jae-hwa had also learned martial arts from childhood, yet all of his Acupoints were blocked.

When I turned my head and looked beside him, the old man was also wearing a Human-Skin Mask, and the energy he had restrained was anything but ordinary.

Moreover, when my gaze reached him, he briefly revealed one of his habits, and that appearance also belonged to someone in my memories.

Wind Earl Sword-Breaker, Murong Gang.

A supreme master who competed for the highest position as a swordsman alongside the Azure Emperor Divine Sword.

“No…… What is this……”

Just as I was about to speak, the bandits attacked from behind.

I immediately performed Lotus, slammed two bandits to the ground, and struck away an axe with the Minor Heaven Sword Art.

“You are…… all right, aren’t you?”

I asked a strange question, but Murong Jae-hwa understood that strange question correctly.

“Thank you. I nearly suffered something terrible.”

Murong Jae-hwa’s face held a fear as though he had truly experienced death.

On the other hand, a hint of mischief began to appear on Wind Earl Sword-Breaker’s face.

‘I heard he was called a Strange Chivalrous Eccentric even in his youth…….’

Perhaps he was pretending not to know martial arts while wandering the Murim with his grandson.

While the bandits flinched from my single move, I said to the two of them,

“I…… may leave now, correct?”

“Pardon?! What do you mean!”

“……”

I had heard that Wind Earl Sword-Breaker was someone quite serious about his pranks, and that he was rather spiteful toward people who interrupted them.

At that moment, Murong Gang quickly prostrated himself on the ground.

“P-please save us, Great Hero! Even if not me, please save my grandson!”

“……”

He was prostrating himself and trembling, as though he was truly afraid of the bandits.

‘If I leave like this, will he make trouble for me?’

There was no need to leave behind a future problem.

I decided to play along with his act and deal with the bandits as quickly as possible.

“All of you, go back. They are not opponents you can handle.”

I indirectly informed them of Murong Gang’s existence, but those bandit bastards, who had spent their whole lives eating with blades in hand, failed to understand.

“This damn bastard! He has some skill!”

“Boys! Kill him!”

“Attack!”

“Waaah!”

Thirty people rushed in before I knew it.

Without delay, I stepped with the Taeul Eighty-Thousand Divine Steps, moved freely among them, and swung the Black Dragon Sword.

The bandits returned to where they had stood in only three breaths, and they seemed unaware of what had happened to them.

“Eek!”

“Gah!”

“What is this?!”

At the same time, their waistbands were cut, and their pants fell down.

“The next thing to be cut will be a little below the waistband. Would you like to continue?”

The bandits instinctively grabbed their crotches one by one.

They began to flee as fast as their legs could carry them.

When I sheathed the Black Dragon Sword, Murong Gang approached from behind.

“Huhuhu. Thank you so much, Great Hero! How could I ever repay this grace?”

“……How did you come all the way into these deep mountains?”

“Ah, I came here to teach my grandson how to become an Herb Gatherer.”

“……Ha, haha.”

His bent waist, shabby clothing, and even the woven basket on his back.

He looked exactly like an Herb Gatherer, and I could feel that he was sincerely enjoying the prank.

“……I see. Then I will be going now……”

“My lord!”

Just as I tried to quickly leave, Murong Gang grabbed the hem of my pants.

“Wh-what is the matter?”

“In truth, one of this humble one’s lifelong wishes was to visit the Taeul Sect. Since meeting like this is also fate, may I not accompany you to the Taeul Sect?”

“……No, why would visiting the Taeul Sect be your lifelong wish? It is not Shaolin Temple.”

I clicked my tongue at the absurd words, but he continued to wear an earnest expression.

“After hearing the great name of the Taeul Sect, which has recently shaken all under heaven, I resolved that I must visit it. If this old man goes alone, how could I ever enter the Taeul Sect? Could my lord not accompany me?”

“……I am in something of a hurry right now, so I will tell the Taeul Sect in advance. Please visit with your grandson at any time.”

“No, my lord! Meeting like this is fate! I must visit this time.”

The words, ‘Where in the world is there an Herb Gatherer who pressures a martial artist this much!’ rose all the way to my throat, but I could not bring myself to spit them out.

“G-grandfather, please stop. You are troubling the warrior.”

Murong Jae-hwa’s neck turned red with embarrassment.

Normally, his face should have reddened too, but that was not visible because of the Human-Skin Mask.

“Stay still! Do you think you will ever meet such a fine warrior again in your life? If not now, there will be no opportunity.”

Seeing that he showed no sign of backing down, I eventually gave up.

“Understood. Let us go together. I am asking just in case, but you have not learned any movement art, correct?”

“……”

“……Hoho. What are you saying to an Herb Gatherer who has lived his whole life in the mountains?”

“Understood. Then I will carry the two of you on my back.”

Murong Gang waved his hands in refusal.

“Oh dear, that will not do. In truth, I get motion sickness from movement arts, so if we run quickly, I will lose my senses.”

“……”

Murong Jae-hwa was staring at his grandfather as if looking at a madman.

“……Then are you saying we should walk?”

“There is no other choice…….”

“That will not do. I am sorry, but I must go ahead. I have urgent business.”

If we walked, I would truly be late.

“……However, if it is a horse, I think I can ride.”

“……”

“Of course, if my lord obtains horses for us…… that is.”

I was beginning to get irritated.

Right now, the venerable elder of my sect was on the verge of falling into Qi Deviation, yet this man was being this reckless just to continue some eccentric act.

I tilted my head and said,

“That is strange.”

“What is strange?”

“How could someone who simply digs medicinal herbs in the mountains pressure a martial artist like this?”

“Cough, cough! Wh-what do you mean? When did this old man ever pressure you…… Hoho.”

“Indeed. To pressure a warrior of my level, one would need to be at least an Eminent Master of the Murim. There is no way a shabby and stubborn old man like you could be such a remarkable person, is there?”

“Cough! Shabby and stubborn? I think those words are a little harsh.”

I did not know why he was carrying out this eccentric act, but most people who liked eccentric acts staked everything on their eccentricity.

If he was a Strange Chivalrous Eccentric on the level of Murong Gang, he would likely not stop this eccentric act unless a blade was placed against his throat.

In other words, this was the only time I could be safe even if I put my head into a tiger’s mouth and pulled it back out repeatedly.

“Were my words harsh?”

“I think they were somewhat so.”

“To think you would correct a prideful warrior like me. If you do that, you may taste the straight punch of a warrior who crosses mountains and rivers.”

“Cough……”

Murong Gang’s face began to twist more and more.

I continued speaking with the feeling that I was repeatedly putting my head into a tiger’s mouth and pulling it back out.

“Let us do this. First, we will go to the nearby horse station using my movement art, and from there, we will ride horses together to the Taeul Sect. You can endure that much, correct?”

“……Cough. If that is the only method, what power does this old man have?”

Murong Gang nodded.

Suddenly, I became curious about what name he would use when carrying out this eccentric act.

“May I ask what your name is?”

“Ah! I am Gang of the Yong family. That fellow is Jae-hwa.”

“Ah…… of course.”

I could not tell which part of his eccentric act was sincere.

***

“They are coming!”

All the members of the Taeul Sect had gathered in the main courtyard of the Taeul Sect.

The elders, including the Hall Masters, had gathered for the guests from the Murim Alliance, while the children, who had not even been called, had gathered with their friends to watch the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

“Everyone, take your places!”

When Jin Tae-san controlled the children who had been running around, the young disciples bustled about and began to split to both sides. Because of that, sand dust rose thickly from the entrance all the way to the Great Mysterious Hall.

‘I should have sprinkled some water.’

Perhaps it was unavoidable that visits from such important figures made one feel that no amount of preparation was enough, because Jin Tae-san shook his head.

As everyone’s gaze turned toward the main gate through the pale dust,

A group of men and women was stepping through the gate of the Taeul Sect.

And at that moment, Jin Tae-san drew up his inner arts without realizing it.

‘Hm?’

An unprecedented enormous force had begun to spread heavily across the main courtyard.

Thud, thud, thud.

With each step the men and women took forward, the sand dust scattering wildly in all directions began to settle softly to the ground as if pressed down by something.

It was an advanced superior technique using inner arts.

At that mystical sight, the young disciples let out small exclamations.

“Wow…….”

But conversely, the brows of the Hall Masters and elders began to furrow just like Jin Tae-san’s.

Those who stepped through the gate with swords were spreading the force of their inner arts in every direction.

That was not the etiquette of the Murim.

After all, deliberately pressing down sand with True Qi produced an excellent visual effect, but it was also an act more than sufficient to intimidate the other party.

Putting aside their qualifications as visiting guests, it was not something to do in front of adults far above them in the hierarchy of the Murim.

By the time they approached the Great Mysterious Hall,

All the sand dust that had been flying through the Taeul Sect had settled, and in the middle stood men and women with a presence like dragons and phoenixes.

The man in monk’s robes standing at the front clasped his hands in greeting.

“This insignificant junior of the Murim, Il-myeong of Shaolin, greets the Sect Leader of the Taeul Sect. Have you been well since last we parted?”

With Il-myeong at the lead, the dragons all clasped their hands at once.

New Plum Blossom Sword Hwa Jeong-san of Mount Hua.

Flying Cloud Fresh Wind Jong Byeok-gi of Diancang.

Clear Wind Bright Sword So Je-ho of Qingcheng.

Heavy Spear True Man Ak Buk-san of the Ak Clan.

Behind them, the phoenixes lowered their heads calmly.

The gazes of the young men of the Taeul Sect all turned toward them at once.

Their appearance made the Taeul Sect feel thick with the scent of flowers, as though spring had arrived.

The woman in red palace dress, with unusually red lips and a strange gaze, was Soul-Capturing Xi Shi Seo Sa-ryeong, the second seat among the Four Phoenixes. Right beside her, the peerless beauty in blue was Jade-Faced Little Smile Hwangbo Yeon, whose small smile was said to make even a Daoist Priest who had shed the world return.

Beside her stood White-Hand Divine Maiden Dang Seo-hui, a genius of poison arts who had made even the Tang Clan itself violate its family law that forbade women from inheriting its secret teachings.

And behind them stood Smiling Iron Sword Murong Seol, who wore white fur clothing and a white veil covering half her face, though even that could not easily hide her beauty.

“““The Dragon and Phoenix Assembly offers greetings to the elders of the Taeul Sect.”””

When they greeted them in one voice, the young disciples shouted wildly in excitement.

After the brief excitement subsided and the dragons and phoenixes raised their heads, Hong Mun-gi smiled benevolently and said,

“Welcome, all of you. You must have worked hard coming such a long way.”

Hwa Jeong-san, who wore a black-and-white martial arts uniform embroidered with plum blossoms, stepped forward.

“Thank you. Seeing the disciples of the Taeul Sect carrying out the Purging Demons and Destroying Evil at the very front lines of the field makes all the fatigue I felt on the way here disappear.”

Along with Hwa Jeong-san’s words, Jin Tae-san began to feel something strange as he saw Jong Byeok-gi curling the corners of his mouth behind him.

“Hoho, is that so? Even so, please rest well. After hearing that you were coming, I told them to prepare new blankets for your lodgings. They may be lacking, but please rest comfortably before you leave.”

“Thank you, but as those belonging to the Alliance, we cannot burden the field, so we reserved an inn in advance yesterday.”

“……”

At Hwa Jeong-san’s words, the elders’ faces hardened.

“How rude.”

When Jin Tae-san turned his head at the quietly murmured voice, the one who had spoken was Jegal Cheon-gi.

“Exactly. This is basic courtesy.”

The one who answered was Wang So-so.

Beside her, Geum-pyo, Eun-ho, and Dong-ryong nodded, while only Kang Yu-seong, who still did not know the etiquette of the Murim, tilted his head.

They were the only children who had not become excited even though the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly had arrived.

“Senior Brother, what does that mean?”

“The Dragon and Phoenix Assembly dispatched by the Murim Alliance also serves the purpose of strengthening alliances, so it is customary for them to stay at the place they visit. Even aside from that, the very fact that guests visiting a place deliberately arranged lodging outside is already discourteous.”

“Ah…….”

From far away, Hong Mun-gi spoke again.

“Is that so? Then it cannot be helped. Do you not even have time to eat dinner?”

The ones who became anxious at the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly’s apparent busyness were the children who did not know the circumstances.

“Yes. We have another schedule, so I think we must only offer our greetings and leave.”

“Mm……. That is unfortunate. I have certainly received the greetings from you and the Murim Alliance. It is a shame, but let us share old stories next time.”

Just as Hong Mun-gi, the Sect Leader, said that and was about to turn around, Hwa Jeong-san clasped his hands and spoke again.

“Before that, there is one thing I would like to request.”

“A request?”

“Yes. It is something very important to this Hwa.”

“Speak.”

“Then I will speak shamelessly. My dream has always been to hold Martial Duels with swordsmen who once reached a supreme and pure realm. I heard that the sword of the legendary swordsman Taeul Sword Emperor has been passed down in the Taeul Sect for a long time, so I dearly wished to experience it. If not this time, I do not know when the next chance will come, so I must ask the Sect Leader to personally grant me guidance this time.”

“Hah…….”

“Hah!”

Long sighs flowed from among the elders.

He was not a disciple belonging to the sect, but a disciple from another sect, yet he was saying he wanted to personally hold a Martial Duel with the Sect Leader of an entire sect. There was no discourtesy like this.

“How dare that man!”

Jegal Cheon-gi rolled up his sleeves and tried to step forward.

Then Wang So-so stopped him.

“Junior Brother. Stay still.”

“But Senior Sister……”

“He said he is a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, correct?”

“Yes.”

“From now on, the Mount Hua Sect will suffer a great deal financially.”

Wang So-so gritted her teeth as though making a vow.

“Urgh……”

Wang So-so’s words were loud enough that the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly might have heard, but Jin Tae-san could not bring himself to stop her.

Because he felt the same way as she did right now.

How much ridicule had the Taeul Sect received because of the story of the Taeul Sword Emperor?

In the end, was raising the Taeul Sword Emperor up as though he were remarkable not meant to once again bring shame upon the Taeul Sect?

“We came a long way, and we must travel a long way again. I thought this would be an opportunity I would never have again in my life, so I make this request.”

Hwa Jeong-san’s gaze turned toward Hong Mun-gi, and after that, everyone in the sect looked at Hong Mun-gi.

“……”

“Please show an ocean-like generosity and grant great guidance to a junior who has only just begun to hold a sword.”

When Sect Leader Hong Mun-gi gave no answer, Hwa Jeong-san eventually knelt on one knee.

At this point, neither the elders nor Hong Mun-gi could remain silent any longer.

‘This will be disastrous if it continues.’

Hong Mun-gi could not defeat Hwa Jeong-san, who came from the Mount Hua Sect and belonged to the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.

If things continued like this, he could suffer great humiliation in front of the other disciples.

Moreover, the morale of the disciples, which had only recently begun to rise, could be broken all at once.

“……If you go that far, then it cannot be helped. Bring me a sword……”

Just as Hong Mun-gi was about to rise from his seat half in resignation, and Jin Tae-san was about to stop him,

Bang.

Someone struck the gate of the Taeul Sect loudly with his palm.

The gazes of everyone, including the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, turned toward the gate.

“Haa, haa, haa, that request…… haa, I will…… haa, grant…… haa, it.”

The person standing at the gate, for some reason, was covered from head to toe in dust and gasping for breath.

After he barely managed to calm his breathing for a long while and raised his head,

The disciples of the Taeul Sect shouted as if thunderstruck.

“Eldest Senior Brother!”