Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

This was Jeong Yeon-shin, the third son of the Jeong family in Hanam, who had turned fifteen this year.

“Young master, it’s time for dinner!”

A servant called out from afar at the entrance of the training ground. The boy with thick eyebrows did not respond.

‘I should finish up.’

Only after doing it ten more times did he put down the wooden pillar and hurriedly pick up the shirt he had taken off.

He wasn’t large in build, but the muscles covering his entire body were so solid that they evoked the impression of a diamond, even without exerting any strength.

His physique was not ordinary. It didn’t appear to be that of someone his age, nor did it look like he belonged to the common folk. Even he found it peculiar.

‘Jeong family martial arts are… Completely settled.’

His martial arts differed from the usual practice of sitting in a cross-legged position and breathing in the natural energy.

He had abandoned the family’s static training method that merely involved meaningless breathing while sitting.

He had deconstructed the technique. The static training method had been reinvented into dynamic training that involved accumulating energy while moving.

Since childhood, he had easily manipulated energy, and the durability and elasticity of the acupuncture points flowing with internal energy throughout his body were far beyond those of an ordinary human.

He once believed there was camaraderie among his half-siblings. He had even recommended they try learning it.

The responses he received were quite logical.

– You created a martial art?

– What if we end up with a Qi deviation? Will you take responsibility if we die?

– Do you think you have the qualities of a grandmaster?

Seeing their genuine mockery and hearing their ridicule, he gave up. The boy stopped creating martial arts techniques.

That day, he was hurt not only by the indifferent patriarch but also by his siblings. It hurt more because they were right.

‘Grandmaster, huh.’

In Kangho, the term grandmaster had a different meaning from the usual. It referred to a creator of martial arts who could become the founder of a sect.

Aside from those who were great masters in both religion and martial arts, such as Zhang Sanfeng of the Wudang Sect and Bodhidharma, Hui Ke, and others from Shaolin, there was no martial artist in the martial arts world who did not regard the founders who established the orthodox martial arts of the other Nine Great Sects as grandmasters.

It was an ambitious story.

Jeong Yeon-shin never considered himself a grandmaster and didn’t place much importance on creating martial arts.

He merely wished for everyone to be healthy together.

He had persistently practiced the Jeong family martial arts alone. Perhaps he also wanted to prove something.

The benefits were clear. The areas stimulated when practicing sword techniques or training his body became stronger.

His martial power enhanced and compressed his muscles. The result was his current physique.

‘I’ve achieved it.’

He was confident.

The efficiency of the martial arts he roughly named the Jeong family Dynamic Training had reached its limit.

Through training, he realized that his body could not become stronger.

Unless one were a monk of the Shaolin Sect, it seemed unlikely to find someone like him even in Hanam.

Unless he was a frog in a well seeing only the sky of Hanam.

“Young master!”

“I’m coming.”

Jeong Yeon-shin responded casually to the urgent call of the servant. He knew why the servant was in such a rush.

The head of the Jeong family was a strict and patriarchal figure, and his mother, the third wife, had died in childbirth.

It was an era rife with superstitions. Such beliefs were especially strong in rural areas.

As the child who had caused his mother’s death during childbirth, no one in the family viewed him favorably. Not even the family head.

Yeon-shin walked, thinking it was not a big deal.

Since there were no blood relatives who cared for him here, he naturally focused solely on martial arts.

He had no grand aspirations of gaining fame or walking the path of Kangho. He simply enjoyed delving into martial arts.

As he passed by the quarters of the family’s guests, he heard the sounds of their children reciting texts.

“Recite Chapter 1, Verse 4 of the Grand Compendium of Ming.”

“From the gates of heaven, long-eared and short-statured comrades returned, vanquishing the wicked Yuan and establishing the Ming with Taizu.”

“Chapter 1, Verse 8.”

“The great demon pursued the comrades, but timely closed the gates and annihilated them.”

The phrases were familiar to Jeong Yeon-shin. He passed by with a chuckle.

“You’re late, foolish boy.”

Upon arriving at the dining hall, his eldest half-brother greeted him with a friendly tone.

Yeon-shin’s chest muscles twitched at the sight of his eldest brother glancing at him with thin eyes.

“It’s been a while, brother.”

“If you’re late, sit down quickly.”

Jeong Nam-san, the eldest son of the Jeong family, scoffed as he spoke.

Yeon-shin nodded and sat at the end of the long dining table, looking around.

The family head sat at the head of the table, with the senior lady and the second wife beside him. Below them were Nam-san and his wife, their daughter, and Yeon-shin’s fifth sister.

It was unusual for him to be seated at the lower end while younger siblings were present, but he had been listed as a direct descendant in name only for a long time due to the indifference of the family head and the insistence of the senior lady and the second wife.

‘Thanks to that, it was comfortable.’

He had no responsibilities or duties since he didn’t hold any important position in the family. Nevertheless, the meals were good, allowing him to focus on his training.

‘They must be ecstatic.’

The family head, smiling, directed his gaze towards his second brother, who had a square jaw.

It was a farewell banquet for the second brother, who was soon to be trained by the masters of the Zhongnan Sect.

The Zhongnan Sect, comparable to a small kingdom in size, was one of the most prestigious sects in Shaanxi Province.

Currently, it was one of the Nine Great Sects, rivaling the Mount Hua Sect for the honor of being the top sect in Shaanxi.

To be admitted as a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect was a great honor.

Even amid the current famine in the continent, this banquet was luxurious.

When the family head raised his glass, the household members followed suit and lifted their glasses.

“Since my ancestor, who was a disciple of the Zhongnan Swordmaster, founded our family, I have dedicated my entire life to reviving our clan. If I had sought to make a name for myself in the world, I too would have inherited the Zhongnan techniques! But how could I abandon my family’s business? I am deeply pleased that my son is now following in my ancestor’s footsteps to climb Zhongnan Mountain.”

“It is indeed a joyous occasion.”

“Congratulations, brother.”

The family head boasted that he could have become a disciple of the Zhongnan Sect if he had wished.

The household members flattered the family head and the second brother.

In Kangho, it was better to be the head of a snake than the tail of a dragon for a satisfying life.

The Jeong family was the actual law enforcer and landlord in the prefecture.

In Xinye County, it was a martial family with influence comparable to that of a county magistrate.

There was no envy of the Nine Great Sects in the vicinity.

‘Even if I join the Zhongnan Sect, I’d likely end up polishing the memorial tablets of the elders.’

Yeon-shin ate his fill.

“Considering the current situation in Zhongnan, wouldn’t it be safe to say they surpass Mount Hua Sect by half?”

“Indeed, talented new masters have emerged.”

“Looking at the recent Shaanxi competition, it certainly seems that way. It is said that the Azure Sword Dragon beheaded the leader of the Demonic Sect in Guanzhong. While the Plum Blossom Swords are formidable, they are no match for the chief disciple of the Dragon.”

The second brother already referred to the chief disciple of Zhongnan Sect as if he were their own master.

Yeon-shin, chuckling softly, reached for a pancake but stopped.

The family head was looking at him with a disapproving glare.

‘Should I have joined in the flattery?’

The family head spoke slowly.

“I hear you spend all day in the training hall. How is your progress with the Jeong Divine Sword?”

“The principles of our family’s martial arts are difficult for me to grasp, so I have not achieved much yet. I am ashamed.”

Yeon-shin, who had straightened his posture, replied humbly.

The Jeong Divine Sword was the Jeong family’s unique martial art.

Like anywhere else, the name was grandiose, but in reality, it was a simplified sword technique, understood through a shallow interpretation of the first half of the Zhongnan Sect’s Thirty-Six Swords.

The secular disciples of sects like Zhongnan and Mount Hua typically established their own families in this manner.

Strictly adhering to the rules would be a grave offense deserving of eradication.

However, reality was different. As long as periodic donations were made to the main sect, it was usually overlooked.

The main sect received wealth and grain, and the secular branch received protection under the main sect’s name.

It was mutually beneficial.

‘It was because of the Jeong family Divine Sword that I focused more on dynamic training.’

There were too many things to fix.

What could he do when he saw so many nonsensical sword techniques at a glance?

If he officially joined, he wouldn’t be able to endure without modifying the sword techniques.

Early childhood experiences often shape one’s behavior.

Jeong Yeon-shin was like that.

His siblings’ mockery had irrationally driven the boy to focus solely on Jeong family Dynamic Training.

The family head clicked his tongue.

“The first and second brothers are already looking towards great achievements. Your efforts are commendable, so I will not inquire further, but you must reflect on whether you are truly putting in effort in the training hall.”

“I will heed your advice.”

Yeon-shin, who had clasped his hands and bowed, waited until the family head looked away. He didn’t care how his siblings looked at him.

‘Paying attention will only hurt me.’

Yeon-shin turned back to the feast.

As he bit into a perfectly fried southern chicken, he half-listened to the ongoing conversations around him.

“The situation with the Demonic Sect in Guanzhong is alarming, chief steward.”

“Indeed, family head.”

“Is the information network being established properly? I don’t expect it to reach the level of the Beggars Sect or the Hao Clan, but shouldn’t it at least touch the heels of the covert networks managed by the major sects?”

“At least in Xinye, it seems manageable.”

“Good, very good.”

At that moment.

“The masters from the Zhongnan Sect have arrived!”

It was the voice of Mr. Jang, who worked as a gatekeeper. The banquet hall instantly became chaotic.

Although they had received word that the Zhongnan Sect masters would come to fetch the second brother, they had not expected it so soon.

“Hurry, hurry, bring them in! No, I’ll go!”

The dignified demeanor disappeared. The family head hurriedly stood up and prepared to welcome the guests.

Everyone in the hall did the same.

‘I’m curious.’

Jeong Yeon-shin, who disliked fuss, would usually have quietly slipped away to the training hall.

But this was the Nine Great Schools, the Zhongnan Sect. The presence of Zhongnan masters changed things.

When else would he get to see the renowned martial artists of a sect famous throughout the world?

“Which masters could it be?”

“Could it be the Azure Sword Dragon? Or perhaps the Elder of the distribution?”

For once, his siblings looked like excited children.

Jeong Yeon-shin blended in with the crowd and headed to the main gate.

The family head, who had rushed out first with his light footwork, bowed deeply with a clasped hand greeting to three people.

“I am Jeong Dae-myung, the head of this humble family. I am honored by your esteemed presence.”

The three responded with a clasped hand greeting, and the woman at the front had an extraordinary appearance.

Her hair was golden as if melted from gold, and her ears were long like leaves.

It was second to her ethereal and unfamiliar features, making her look like a fairy who had descended from the heavens.

“Elven race…!”

The first brother, Jeong Nam-san, muttered like a moan. Jeong Yeon-shin glanced back to see him staring without any decency. He clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘So the Elven race does look like what I’ve seen in books. Fascinating.’

Xinye was known for its trade and transportation, but after the terrain changed due to the battles of strange beings at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, it remained a small village.

It was rare for the villagers to meet members of the elven race.

The ‘comrades of the Central Plains’ who descended from the heavens and founded the Ming with Taizu were said to be seen only in places like Beijing, military camps, the Nine Great Schools, or noble families.

‘They said an elven healer visited my house when I was born.’

He didn’t know the details.

He couldn’t ask the family head, and the servants who might know avoided him.

“I am honored by your hospitality. I am Ye Yil-sin, an elder of the Zhongnan Sect.”

The elven elder of the Zhongnan Sect smiled. Her smile was so beautiful it felt refreshing to look at, but no one with even a little insight in this place could smile back.

‘An elder of the Nine Great Sects?’

That meant she was a founding hero of the Ming Dynasty. It was said that the elven race did not age.

She must have significantly contributed to driving out the Yuan alongside the ancestral master of the Zhongnan Sect.

“I-I failed to recognize a deity!”

It wasn’t just the family head.

Not only the household members but also the guests who had come to watch bowed deeply. Some even prostrated themselves.

‘Isn’t that too much?’

Jeong Yeon-shin, who had clasped his hands and bowed moderately, lifted his head slightly.

At that moment, he met eyes with Ye Yil-sin, who was staring at him curiously.