The Genius Martial Artist Who Remembers Everything [Novel] Chapter 213

Ch 213 An Unwanted Invitation (2)

Sichuan Province.

Though Liu Bei once grandly established the Shu Han dynasty here, it was eventually overthrown by Cao Cao’s successors, reducing the region to just another provincial administrative district under the Imperial Family. To most, it was simply known as a place with many rivers and peculiar food. But right now, Sichuan was experiencing an unseasonal boom.

The only problem was that it was the highly unwelcome boom of war.

“When the hell is this damn war going to end?”

“Winter is just around the corner. How much longer are they going to keep fighting?”

“The Murim Alliance guys said they’d crush them in one fell swoop… Is the Blood Cult stronger than expected?”

“Or maybe the Murim Alliance is just weak.”

At first, local merchants had grinned from ear to ear at the sudden influx of people swarming into Chengdu. But as the flames of war engulfed the entirety of Sichuan—freezing logistics and the local economy—their smiles quickly faded.

The merchants weren’t the only ones complaining, either. The members of the Murim Alliance had plenty to say about the situation.

First of all, the Blood Cult’s numbers were far greater than anticipated. Their forces were so vast that the Qingcheng Sect, the Mount Emei Sect, and the Tang Family—who had previously stood by with their hands behind their backs, watching the Murim Alliance bleed in their own front yard—suddenly scrambled into action like men desperately searching for an outhouse.

Furthermore, the Iron Jiangshi occasionally mixed into the enemy ranks were absolute objects of terror for the ordinary members of the Murim Alliance. Just the appearance of those pale-skinned monsters on the battlefield would cause the Alliance’s morale to plummet.

Overwhelming the enemy with sheer numbers was the greatest specialty of the Murim Alliance and its allies. However, Iron Jiangshi and illusion arts were not things that could be overcome with sheer numbers in the first place.

Earning terrifying monikers like ‘Alliance Grinder’ and ‘Corpse Maker,’ the Iron Jiangshi’s momentum only began to wane after the Tang Family’s Poison King, the Sect Leader of Qingcheng, and the Mount Emei Sect’s Council of Elders personally stepped onto the battlefield.

However, the main problem still remained.

The demonic arts of those unorthodox bastards—which the Alliance members had only ever learned about in theory until now—were far more grotesque than what that external instructor bastard had described. And without fail, they always left lingering aftereffects.

What’s more, the Exorcism and Spirit Cleansing arts—mandatory training for anyone joining the Murim Alliance—didn’t work at all.

Though to be fair, the idiots who had sold off their Spirit Cleansing Orbs had no right to complain. Seeing the snobbish members who had hoarded their Spirit Cleansing Orbs like precious gems during their first month eventually turn into madmen from the Blood Cult’s illusions, the others who still possessed theirs solidified a singular resolve: they were absolutely going to sell them the moment they returned.

Even among the Alliance’s commanders, very few possessed extensive knowledge or experience regarding the unorthodox factions or their demonic arts. Thus, they had no choice but to rely on the Murim Alliance’s inherited strategy manuals to respond.

But the more they relied on those outdated texts, the only things that increased were the screams of their subordinates and the curses directed at their superiors.

However.

Even amidst this bloodbath, there was one organization showing outstanding results.

“Seriously, why are the bastards from the Operations Pavilion fighting a completely different war?”

“Isn’t Pavilion Head Gu Jeongryong originally from the Blood Cult? Otherwise, how could there be such a massive difference in casualty rates?”

“If that were the case, he’s killing way too many of his own Blood Cultists, isn’t he?”

As people began to harbor suspicions upon seeing the Operations Pavilion racking up military merits and standing out from the rest, Gu Jeongryong offered an answer as if it were nothing.

“It’s because we’ve already faced them alongside our friend, Jin Soun.”

“Jin Soun?”

“The Black Flame Dragon?”

Hearing the familiar name, people desperately began to search for what exactly set the Operations Pavilion apart. To do that, the obvious starting point was investigating anything related to the name ‘Jin Soun’.

“What the hell is this?”

While everyone was searching with fire in their eyes, the front-line soldiers discovered the clue they were looking for within a classified document titled ‘The Jin Soun Report’.

The rescue procedures and countermeasures against Blood Cult ambushes detailed in ‘The Jin Soun Report’ contrasted starkly with the Alliance’s existing strategy manuals, raising anxieties among the higher-ups about their unverified nature.

However, for the Alliance members who were losing a comrade with every passing day, the only difference was whether they died doing nothing or died trying this out. The harsh environment of the battlefield was more than enough to drive people to do strange things.

With a ‘do or die’ mindset, the Alliance members followed Jin Soun’s strategies.

And then, they spat out more profanities than they ever had in their lives.

“Fuck! You crazy bastards, why the hell were you hiding such a good method all this time?!”

“Sons of bitches! They must have brushed it off as garbage just because it was written by someone from a weak-ass sect like the Taeul Sect!”

“They increased the casualties that could have been avoided! Those command bastards are definitely Blood Cult spies!”

The Alliance’s command had their own reasons—they couldn’t adopt unverified strategies—but how could the foot soldiers, who had experienced the deaths of their friends firsthand, understand that?

It became customary for the members to crudely copy Jin Soun’s classified report and pass it on to other units, eventually resulting in copies circulating throughout all the Murim Alliance’s dispatched forces.

In response, the Murim Alliance began cracking down on it.

“Reports keep coming in that the members are fighting based on a deceitful report. Pavilion Masters and Squad Leaders, please firmly discipline your subordinates and ensure they follow command’s orders.”

However, this only ended up provoking the dispatched units further.

“Firmly discipline? Is this bastard crazy? So you’re telling us to just stick our necks out and walk into the jaws of death? We can’t hold back anymore—if you keep this up, we’ll slit your throats first.”

“No, that’s not what I meant! How are you going to deal with the consequences when we return to the Murim Alliance later?!”

Even within the command, a fierce debate raged over whether they should officially adopt Jin Soun’s strategies or not.

“Hmm… Is this the report written by that kid named Jin Soun?”

“P-Poison King, sir… That is a classified document…”

“Even the ordinary warriors of our Tang Family have this report. What meaning does ‘classified’ have at this point?”

“…”

Poison King Tang Hyeokje pulled out an identically copied report from his robes and waved it around.

“If it works, it is only right to apply it.”

“Poison King, sir… But we are under the orders of the Murim Alliance…”

Before the subordinate could finish, Tang Hyeokje raised his index finger to his lips and made a quiet ‘shh’ sound.

“How much longer are you going to listen to orders from the Murim Alliance tens of thousands of miles away? Are you going to come to your senses only after all your men are dead?”

“…”

Tang Hyeokje tilted his head slightly, his voice dropping to a terrifying whisper. “Are you scared of that Alliance Leader bastard, but not scared of me?”

A chilling aura enveloped the command tent.

Gulp.

He was a man who, if he so chose, could poison everyone inside just by rubbing his fingers together. There was no way they wouldn’t fear such a person.

As if playing an instrument, Tang Hyeokje wiggled his fingers in the air. “I will take responsibility for that Alliance Leader bastard. What’s important right now is reducing our casualties until we figure out the enemy.”

With the Poison King’s “persuasion,” the Murim Alliance adopted the new strategies and gradually began to push the Blood Cult out of Sichuan. The command eventually admitted that their previous strategies had been flawed, and from then on, they began strictly following Jin Soun’s report.

As the battle with the Blood Cult intensified… Winter slowly approached.

“Umm… Benefactor Jin, may I ask what this is?”

Seriously, he calls me ‘Benefactor’ as if his life depends on it.

“Come on, can’t you tell just by looking? It’s a string of prayer beads from the treasury. Academy. Student. Ilgak.”

What did they call it again? I’d heard it was the sacred artifact of an Underworld practitioner known as the Demonic Buddha. It was stored in the deepest part of the treasury because its demonic energy was too strong.

However, Ilgak’s expression was incredibly complicated.

“Benefactor Jin… This item is the Black Spirit Pearl. It is an artifact filled with the true qi of the Demonic Buddha from when he was alive. If you just recklessly bring this out…”

“But I had no other choice. It was the only item related to Buddhism in the treasury. What else could I do?”

I had thoroughly searched the deepest parts of the treasury, but there were no Zen staffs or golden Buddha statues. Actually, it was strange that there were any Buddhism-related items in the Murim Alliance’s treasury in the first place. The Shaolin Temple would have taken them all back long ago.

“You know you can just use it after cleansing the demonic energy with the Yijin Jing, right?”

“…That is true, but.”

Ilgak couldn’t shake off his complex, subtle expression as he stared at the Black Spirit Pearl.

The thought, ‘I have absolutely no idea if it’s okay for me to accept an item like this,’ was written in huge letters across his shiny bald head.

And for good reason. He had probably never even considered receiving any reward other than his monthly stipend in exchange for his loyalty to the Alliance. When not receiving a reward becomes a habit, you eventually develop the mindset of unifying yourself with the organization.

The astonishing mental gymnastics of ‘I am the Alliance, and the Alliance is me.’

Of course, for people like Ilgak, it wasn’t a huge problem. With their solid backgrounds, they could be rewarded with promotions and privileges. But what about the lower-ranking members whose monthly stipend was everything? Being in a system where effort only rewards you with the exact same monthly stipend, they naturally start to think it’s perfectly normal to receive their stipend without putting in any effort at all.

To fix this mindset, you have to change the thought process of the higher-ups first.

“If you don’t want it, just give it back. I’ll sell it and add it to our delegation’s funds. I’ll just consider Academy Student Ilgak’s contributions as pure loyalty to the Alliance.”

“N-no, that’s not what I…!”

As I reached out my hand, Ilgak hurriedly pulled the Black Spirit Pearl away from me.

What the, did you just dodge my hand using the Guanyin Blue Steel Hand?

Having naturally executed a fluid Shaolin martial art, Ilgak spoke, his smooth head somehow flushed red. “S-sell it? If such an unprecedented demonic item is carelessly scattered into the world, who knows what kind of chaos would unfold…”

How nice would it have been if you acted like this from the start.

One corner of my mouth naturally curled up. “So you’re saying you’ll use it yourself, right?”

“…Amitabha.”

Ilgak carefully wrapped the Black Spirit Pearl in his hands and brought his palms together in prayer. Honestly, he’s such an indirect person.

But it wasn’t like the others had a different reaction than Ilgak.

In Yeo Samtong’s hands was a new bow. In Namgung Seonhwa’s hands was protective clothing woven from Celestial Silk. And in Cheol Sunjik’s hands was a fat bank note.

To ease their burden, I spoke up. “If anyone feels burdened by receiving a reward from the Alliance, you may return it at any time.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

No one stepped forward.

Right then.

“Umm… Big Brother.”

“Huh? What is it, Jaehwa?”

Moyong Jaehwa nervously took a step forward. “Uhm… Why didn’t I get anything?”

“Ah! You? I already received the item meant for you.”

Moyong Jaehwa’s face immediately lit up. “Wh-what is it?”

“Black Iron!”

“B-Black Iron?!”

I gave a grand nod. “That’s right. I received the materials and sent them ahead to an excellent craftsman. Once the other materials are gathered, you’ll get it back as a magnificent bow.”

In the form of an absurd divine artifact called the Sun Bow, that is.

Unaware of the hidden truth behind the Fifteen Divine Artifacts, Moyong Jaehwa just fixated on the metal ‘Black Iron’ and grinned from ear to ear.

He really is a cute kid.

“Ah, right! And take this.”

“Yes?”

Receiving the bank note, Moyong Jaehwa’s eyes widened when he saw the amount written on it. “B-Big Brother! What is this! One hundred taels of gold?”

“Yep! Go out, get some rest, and buy whatever you need with that.”

“…N-no, still, this is…”

Putting on my most benevolent smile, I patted his shoulder. “It’s fine! It’s fine! Your big brother is giving it to you, so just put it away.”

Because your big brother is going to have to do some things to you in the future that he’ll feel really sorry about.

“Th-thank you, Big Brother!!”

Look how bright he is. Now I’m already feeling sorry. Ahem.

Anyway, the matter with the Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams All-Encompassing Formation and the White Faction had mostly been settled. Acting as the Murim Alliance’s Chief Strategist rather than a doting grandfather, Jegal Somyeong threw Jegal Jeonggi into the golden prison right in front of him. He was effectively expelled from the Academy, and even after eventually leaving the golden prison, he would be unable to operate even as a low-ranking martial artist.

The White Faction’s representative delegation, which had nearly caused massive casualties in this incident, naturally underwent disbandment procedures. As promised, I swallowed up the entire delegation office left behind by the White Faction.

And…

Hehe… One hundred and thirty blossoms.

As soon as I took my new seat, I immediately checked the inventory of the Seven-Color Flower Tea.

Wow, how much is all this worth? Talk about throwing money around. But the thought that all these Seven-Color Flowers were going to end up in my stomach suddenly made my affection for the White Faction surge…

“What did you receive, Representative Jin?”

Having safely tucked away his two-thousand-tael bank note in his robes, Cheol Sunjik asked.

I replied as if it was nothing. “I just asked the Medical Pavilion to brew me some restorative medicine.”

“Medicine?”

I nodded calmly and held up my almost fully healed hand. “My body took a heavy toll from this incident, you see.”

Immediately, gasps erupted from all around.

“Young Master Jin. With just that… Perhaps, because you were busy taking care of us…”

As Namgung Seonhwa looked ready to hand over her protective clothing at any moment, I shook my head.

“Not at all. Didn’t you all suffer greatly because of me? It’s only natural that I take care of you.” I smiled at the people surrounding me. “I am fully satisfied just knowing that you all received your rewards.”

Because the restorative medicine Sama Jeong is making is an unprecedented elixir that only the Alliance Leader would be able to consume in the future. Hehe.

Not only did it help increase internal energy, but it especially amplified the properties of the Five Elements Arts. The manufacturing method was heavily guarded, meaning it was an elixir you couldn’t eat in the future no matter how much money you had. After taking that restorative medicine, the firepower of my Demon Extinguishing Hand would rise to the level of the original Blood Jade Hand.

Oh my, oh my. At this rate, I might really get suspected of being a demon who learned the Blood Jade Hand. Mwahahahaha.

While I was putting on a show of enjoying my Seven-Color Flower Tea as if completely detached from personal greed…

“Representative Jin. People from the White Faction are here.”

Unexpected guests arrived.

The original owners of this office awkwardly walked in. These were the people who had occupied a seat in the White Faction’s delegation, the very people who had barely escaped death in the Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams All-Encompassing Formation.

They had come to collect their personal belongings since their office had been taken away.

I put on a generous expression. “Ah, tell them to go ahead and take their things.”

I had already moved all the Seven-Color Flower Tea to my personal locker, so they wouldn’t dare think about taking it. Even so, feeling anxious, I firmly guarded my spot and protected the tea.

Having gathered enough items to fit into a single small box, the White Faction members didn’t leave immediately, but instead approached me.

What is it? Are they planning to take the Seven-Color Flower Tea?

With a mindset that I would absolutely never allow it, I hardened my face and fiercely scowled.

However.

Starting with the person in the front, they all began to cup their fists one by one.

What is this?

“Representative Jin. We have caused you much trouble until now.”

“Huh?”

While I was dumbfounded by their sudden actions, a White Faction member continued. “Due to our narrow perspective, it seems we viewed you with a biased gaze.” Then, he bowed his head even deeper. “Such a thing will not happen again, and we will absolutely repay the grace of you saving us this time.”

Following his lead, the other members also bowed at the waist.

Oho, so not everyone in the White Faction was a beast in human skin.

Having confirmed that the Seven-Color Flower Tea was safe, I put on the most benevolent smile in the world and slowly nodded. The faces of those standing around me filled with admiration at my magnanimity…

“So, how do you plan to repay that grace?”

“Pardon?”

Still holding their cupped fists and bowing, the White Faction members raised their heads with blank expressions.

Wait, were these guys really planning to repay my grace with just empty words?

As my eyebrows twitched, one of them stepped forward and laughed awkwardly. “Is… is there something you need?”

The White Faction members broke out in a cold sweat, clearly blindsided by the question.

As if a great idea had struck me, I snapped my fingers. “Ah! How about this? With Jegal Jeonggi locked in the golden prison, the seat of the White Faction Chairman is now empty, right?”

“Pardon? Ah… Yes.”

Ak Jupyeong, who I thought would naturally appear once Jegal Jeonggi vacated the seat, hadn’t shown up for some reason, and the White Faction—having lost its center—was in a state of chaos.

And now was the opportunity.

“Why not take this opportunity to place a proper Chairman in the seat?”

“A proper Chairman… What does that…”

I threw my arm around the White Faction member’s shoulders and spun him around to face Namgung Seonhwa.

If I give a hint this obvious, they should understand, right?

Sure enough, he asked in surprise. “A-are you referring to Lady Namgung?”

“Ah! Well! I’m not forcing it. This is strictly an internal matter of the White Faction, after all. However! Isn’t a moment of fragmentation like this exactly when someone with legitimate qualifications should take the position of Chairman?”

Namgung Seonhwa was a direct descendant of the Namgung Family, and at the same time, an elite among elites who had pushed past all sorts of interference with her own strength to enter the Academy. There could be no qualification more legitimate than this.

Jegal Gipyo? What use is that weasel?

Pondering my words for a moment, the White Faction member exchanged glances with the others. After a brief moment of silence, they finally spoke.

“Th-then, we will discuss this matter.”

I smiled in satisfaction and gestured toward Namgung Seonhwa. “So they say. Lady Seonhwa, why don’t you step outside with them and have a chat?”

“Pardon? Me?”

I ushered out the bewildered Namgung Seonhwa and the White Faction simultaneously as I spoke. “Please make your choice carefully! This is strictly for the sake of the White Faction, after all! Even if you disappoint me or betray me, I will only be a little hurt. Just a very little bit!”

“A-a little…”

Since I went this far, they’ll know how to act on their own. And they can imagine for themselves just how much my ‘a little’ entails.

If they still don’t act properly after a hint this obvious, then they truly need to be judged. A judgment of blood.

As several people rushed out at once, silence fell over the representative office once again.

“Hah… To think you’d swallow up even the White Faction like this?”

Having watched the whole scene unfold, Seong Moran let out a hollow laugh of disbelief.

I looked at her and shook my head. “Swallow them up? I merely handled a matter that was only natural.”

At my nonchalant response, Seong Moran shifted the topic, as if she was used to my antics by now. “Now, what are we going to do about the ‘Renowned Guest Invitation’? You still haven’t said who’s coming. Could we just use the person the White Faction invited for our event?”

“That probably won’t work. I’m sure there are people who are displeased that the White Faction fell into my hands.”

“Then what are you going to do? I thought you said you invited someone separately?”

“An invitation?”

Seriously, is there actually anyone who would come just because I invited them? The most famous person who would move at my request is probably Bang Duchil.

Uh… Umm… I probably shouldn’t invite the Fist King of the Green Woods to the Academy, right?

As I hesitated, Seong Moran’s brow furrowed slightly. “What… Did you not invite anyone? This is going to be the signature event of our delegation. We can’t just let it fizzle out into nothing.”

I nodded in agreement. Of course. The signature event of the Jin Soun Delegation, which even brought down the White Faction, couldn’t be ruined.

“Umm… I did send a different letter.”

“A different letter?”

“There is someone who would never accept an invitation, but would come on their own two feet if they received this letter.”

“Huh?”

Seong Moran tilted her head, not understanding, but I couldn’t give her an answer right now. I just felt sorry for Moyong Jaehwa.

“…Hmm?”

Eunho looked suspiciously at the bank note Moyong Jaehwa held out.

“Senior Brother gave this to you?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“He said he was just giving it to me and told me to buy something delicious to eat.”

Deep suspicion clouded Eunho’s face. “He… just… gave it to you?”

Moyong Jaehwa and Eunho, who had become the closest of friends at some point, were putting their heads together over a single bank note.

“I feel a… conspiracy.”

Looking anxious, Moyong Jaehwa stared at Eunho’s face. “…Wh-what is it?”

“No. There’s a hidden intention behind this. Because Senior Brother isn’t the kind of person to just throw around this much money.”

“But he even robbed the Murim Alliance’s treasury to give us gifts.”

Eunho firmly shook his head. “This is different from that. I don’t know the exact reason, but strangely, whenever money is involved, Senior Brother becomes… how should I say this… very strange.”

To be precise, it felt like his eyes would roll back into his head.

“And a person like that just threw away this much money?”

“…”

Listening to Eunho, Moyong Jaehwa also slowly started to feel that something was off. No, beyond just a feeling, his sixth sense’s antennae began to click into gear.

“N-no way…”

“Why? What is it? Do you suspect something?”

“It can’t be. C’mon, there’s no way… Even so, surely not… He’s involved in this too…”

Within the Moyong Family, there was a sixth sense that only Moyong Jaehwa had awakened. A sixth sense he had evolved himself to escape his days of vicious bullying and torment.

Commonly known as his Grandfather Sense!

That sense was ringing alarm bells like crazy, filling him with absolute dread. His whole body trembled, and cold sweat poured down like rain.

“E-Eunho! We, we have to run!”

“H-hey! What’s wrong with you? All of a sudden!”

Before Eunho could say anything else, Moyong Jaehwa bolted out of the Academy, fired his Flying Dragon Claws, and scaled the roof of the dormitory.

Watching him, Eunho also bewilderedly followed him up to the roof of the building. And just as he was about to approach the trembling Moyong Jaehwa…

“—MOYONG JAEHWA!!!! YOU DAMN BRAT!!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!?!”

“Keugh!”

A terrifying Lion’s Roar—the likes of which he had never experienced in his life—violently churned his insides.