Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

In perfect harmony with the sword, he could sense even the wind blowing against the blade. That sensation remained vivid.

Though his eyes couldn’t see, his sword could read Cheong Myeong’s technique.

Internal energy, or qi, was a mysterious thing.

It revealed the realm of ascension without needing to be seen or felt.

‘The essence of qi is the great nature. Just follow where it leads.’

The cold touch of the Desolate Sword’s hilt felt warm.

Following the guiding principle of the Demon Wings Formation, the qi surged from his whole body and began to flow outwards.

It felt like a gentle breeze.

He surveyed the tower standing next to the crumbled bricks, accompanied by the soft wind.

Just by glimpsing the joints of the brick tower, he formed an azure, translucent mental image.

He knew how much strength he needed and where to strike.

The combination of strength, environment, and target formed a trajectory.

As his breathing calmed, his right hand, holding the sheathed Desolate Sword, lifted.

He didn’t draw even a bit of internal strength to bolster his physical power.

He leisurely followed the single stroke led by the qi.

In an instant, the world lost its color from his consciousness.

The twisting of muscles starting from the pectoralis major went through the deltoid and biceps, reaching the flexor digitorum profundus, sharpening like a sword, converging into a single path that struck towards the tower.

Just before impact, all his joints momentarily locked. The optimal moment and the perfect strike.

Thwack! Rumble-

The fallen bricks resembled those broken by Ma Jin next to him.

He had acquired the Demon Wings Formation. All that was left was to hone his skill for real combat.

Yeon-shin contained the excitement that bubbled within him.

As he sheathed his sword at his waist and glanced at Ma Jin, he saw an expression even more intense than when he had faced Cheong Myeong. It was no longer surprising.

“What is this…”

“It seems I need to experience real combat. To unleash the Demon Wings Formation in the blink of an eye, ordinary training won’t suffice.”

“……”

“I understand now what it means to engrave it into the body. I’ve learned well.”

Ma Jin, hailed as the strongest of the seventeenth generation of the Divine Sword Clan, remained silent for a while.

“That guy is strange.”

One of the senior practitioners of Demon Wings muttered.

The man wore a blue outfit with the character ‘荒’ (Wild) of the Desolate Fortress embroidered on his shoulders and back.

Everyone present wore the same uniform.

The ten or so warriors drinking in the luxurious tavern seemed to understand immediately.

There was no one other than the boy who had recently become the talk of Demon Wings.

“I’ve heard a lot about him, even before I came here.”

“They say he was an unparalleled genius? It’s not surprising anymore.”

“Who in the Desolate Fortress hasn’t heard the term ‘genius’?”

“I wouldn’t know, having grown up in Desolate Fortress.”

Each person’s remark carried a hint of alcohol.

It was one of the most renowned taverns in the bustling Yangyang Street, crowded thanks to the presence of the Desolate Fortress.

None of the drinkers bothered to use their internal energy to dispel the effects of the alcohol.

Those who were abstinent and focused solely on training wouldn’t go to a tavern in the first place.

The senior practitioner who first spoke said,

“Yes, it’s something ordinary people say to geniuses, prodigies. ‘He’s a strange guy.’”

“Right. He seemed ordinary after coming here. In hindsight, it’s not a good thing.”

The man across, who had a reddened face, laughed and drained his cup. Then he added,

“But to us, he really is strange, isn’t he?”

The senior practitioners chuckled.

“Has anyone seen our leader with that expression?”

“They say he’s already proficient in the Demon Wings Formation.”

“Have you seen him wield the sword? He’s completely changed and has a refined aura. When he fought Cheong Myeong, he looked like a wild beast raised without parents.”

“I couldn’t believe it even while watching.”

As they chatted about the absent boy, a young man with a somewhat youthful face spoke up.

“I admire Lightning Flash’s character. He’s not arrogant despite his talent.”

“Sometimes he seems recklessly bold. But you’ll see his true nature after a major mission.”

“In any case, with that talent, the lord of the Desolate Fortress must have taken notice.”

“He must have conversed with the lord at the final step of the Desolate test. With her eyes, the lord must have seen through him immediately. Who knows what arrangements might have been made?”

“If there are no issues, he’ll be a leading figure when people talk about the Desolate Fortress. He might rise from white to blue in no time.”

“That’s possible, if he survives.”

Several practitioners nodded.

“But… those guys are funny.”

As they conversed, one of the Demon Wings warriors turned his head towards one wall and spoke.

The woman next to him smirked as she made her presence known.

“Isn’t it just jealousy? I heard their leader wanted either Lightning Flash or White Qilin, but ended up with neither.”

A burst of boisterous laughter erupted.

Simultaneously.

Bang!

The wall next to them shattered.

The Demon Wings practitioners deftly deflected the exploding shards imbued with qi with chopsticks or wine cups.

They seemed relaxed, as if this wasn’t the first time, and their gestures contained the profound principles of their martial arts.

“Apologies for disturbing the Demon Wings practitioners’ enjoyment.”

The newcomers wore the same blue uniforms of the Desolate Fortress.

One man stepped forward to speak, but despite his words, his clothes fluttered wildly.

He had gathered all his qi.

“If you know, why not leave quietly? We were just getting into the mood. Our youngest has extraordinary talent.”

The woman, who had been exuding her presence, said with a smile.

Her sharp features and cold eyes formed a smile.

Her face was provocatively smug, enough to make anyone, even those who didn’t intend to fight, draw their sword.

“ Alluring Sun Sword, are you challenging us?”

“I thought it was your Azure Sky Squad who wanted to fight first. Saying that even if we have some talent, it’s limited to Demon Wings? Isn’t that picking a fight? You spat out such unlucky words knowing we could hear.”

As her words grew fiercer towards the end, her tone sharpened as if biting her teeth.

Her momentum increased with each word.

Unable to contain her anger, the woman stood up and glared at the Azure Sky Squad warriors.

“Draw your sword. Let’s see this famous Azure Sword Art of the Azure Sky Squad.”

“Alluring Sun Sword Baek Mir-yeo! Watch your language!”

“Who are you to order me? I’ll crush you in ten moves, come on!”

Yangyang’s most famous tavern turned into chaos.

“Have you heard? Our seniors fought with the Azure Sky Squad warriors!”

Won-chang burst into the room, making a fuss early in the morning.

Yeon-shin tilted his head and spoke.

“Doesn’t the Desolate Fortress have its own laws? Isn’t fighting using martial arts outside the training ground a punishable offense?”

“When did you read the Fort’s laws? Anyway, it seems true. They said an outing ban was imposed, and everyone looked gloomy.”

“Why did they fight?”

“Well, I heard an Azure Sky Squad warrior picked a fight at the tavern. He said Lightning Flash’s talent couldn’t bloom in Demon Wings.”

“They fought over that?”

“You don’t understand the martial world yet. That’s the essence of the Central Plains! A trivial word can turn into a sharp blade, and gaining fame through overcoming such challenges is what lets you traverse the martial world. It’s something to be happy about! Our seniors got angry and fought for a newcomer! If it were me, I’d be overwhelmed!”

Won-chang looked at him with an envious face.

‘Wasn’t it just because they insulted Demon Wings?’

Yeon-shin, unable to comprehend, closed his mouth. Then his eyes widened slightly.

‘This is an opportunity.’

To achieve the fruit of the Heavenly Tree, worshiped by all noble families, how much merit would be needed?

He would definitely need the help of his comrades along the way.

Building goodwill beforehand wouldn’t be a bad idea, even if the ultimate trust in the Central Plains was best earned by exchanging life debts.

‘Calculated trust feels awkward and funny, though.’

For now, survival was the priority.

Although he hadn’t shown it to the Lord of the Desolate Fortress, he sincerely didn’t want to die young.

He had to eat the fruit of the Heavenly Tree.

“Now that I think about it, Brother Won-chang is right. I’m angry. It upsets me that our seniors had to draw their swords because of me.”

Yeon-shin stood up abruptly.

“Exactly! That’s it! You truly understand what’s right!”

‘Is this when to use the term “right”?’

He almost felt embarrassed by Won-chang’s clapping, but he suppressed it, creating a calm anger as he left the room.

The footsteps following him carried a sense of anticipation directed at him, it wasn’t an illusion.

They went to the Demon Wings training ground.

The seniors lounging around looked even more dispirited than usual.

The outing ban seemed to be a harsher punishment than expected.

Yeon-shin, who hadn’t drunk a drop due to training, couldn’t fully grasp their feelings.

“The youngsters are here.”

“There’s no training today, so why are you here?”

“If you’re in white, you don’t need to come.”

“No, white should come even more. It’s a commendable attitude.”

The seniors welcomed the two juniors. Yeon-shin, who responded with a bow, walked directly to stand before the leader of Demon Wings, Ma Jin.

“Is something troubling you? Feel free to ask.”

Ma Jin, who had previously said he would consider how to teach him, spoke with a tired face.

It was unlikely for someone of Ma Jin’s caliber to feel physical fatigue, suggesting that he had indeed poured his efforts into Yeon-shin, as he had said.

‘This makes it feel even more genuine.’

Yeon-shin thought. He felt more at ease as he spoke.

“I want to duel.”

“Alright. Pick anyone. They’ll do it for you.”

Ma Jin replied, brushing his forehead. Yeon-shin shook his head.

“Not someone from Demon Wings, I want to compete with Azure Sky Squad.”

The training ground fell silent for a moment. Everyone knew why he mentioned Azure Sky Squad.

“…I heard about yesterday, but there’s no need to be agitated. Calm yourself.”

‘I’m not agitated.’

Ma Jin’s face, looking down at him, showed a mix of confusion and appreciation.

“What do you mean? I just want to experience the Azure Sky Sword Art that I admire.”

“You’re not calming down at all. Excessive energy is problematic.”

However, the expressions of the seniors behind Ma Jin showed no sign of concern.

Most of them seemed proud, unable to contain their admiration.

The seasoned warriors, who were not inferior to the masters of the Nine Great Schools, already looked at him with pride.

The unexpected reaction gave him goosebumps.

He spoke again.

“I want to fight against their renowned sword arts with the Demon Wings Formation. Please grant permission, Leader.”

‘To gain real experience with the Demon Wings Formation, observe superior sword arts, and earn the seniors’ goodwill.’

It seemed like a win-win situation. He felt he had already achieved the last part.

“Are you serious? Although we are both under the same Desolate Fortress, Demon Wings is different. You haven’t learned the same martial arts as Azure Sky Squad, nor have you fought alongside them. They won’t go easy on you.”

“That’s what I hope for.”

Yeon-shin’s short reply. Whistles burst out around him.

“He has the spirit to represent the Desolate Fortress!”

“I want to see how he’ll grow.”

“If he holds his ground, he could lead Demon Wings in the future.”

Among them, even Ma Jin gave a slight nod. Desolate Fortressress was the center of the martial world. A place where one displayed themselves through martial arts and spirit. There was no master who wouldn’t admire a fifteen-year-old swordsman elevating the prestige of Demon Wings.

“Alright. I will inform the leader of the Azure Sky Squad.”

A day later.

The duel between Demon Wings’ Lightning Flash and a warrior from the Azure Sky Squad was arranged. Officially, it was an exchange match.