Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

They belatedly caught sight of the two masters’ movements.

Jeong Yeon-shin paid no mind. He focused all his attention on rescuing Hyeon Won-chang. He was completely concentrated.

It was the first time his upper dantian, burning like madness, felt so welcome.

Only upon reaching the hall did he have a moment to catch his breath.

“I heard he is blue-rank but…”

Wei Ji Myo-hwa opened her lips. She had been showing surprise at Jeong Yeon-shin’s changed energy waves from the Demon-Destroying Azure Unyielding Palm.

He continuously displayed martial arts and precision that weren’t there when he faced the Tyrant Sword Sect at Mount Zhongnan.

Not even half a year had passed. To her eyes, even the phrase “looking at with new eyes” seemed insufficient.

There should be limits to how much skill can increase while unseen.

“So you weren’t a white warrior wearing blue robes after all. Young Hero has now fully become a blue-ranked warrior?”

“Yes.”

Jeong Yeon-shin replied while taking a big step forward.

Wei Ji Myo-hwa inwardly sighed. Thanks to the Zhongnan Sword Immortal, she knew about Jeong Yeon-shin’s short life.

‘Like a flame.’

It was an unheard-of speed of achievement. Even with life’s end set early, it was so. He walked a different time alone.

She had heard of a rising talent making masters of the demon path kneel in distant Xinjiang.

Yet he wasn’t even using evil techniques like that rumored one.

She decided not to be surprised anymore. She had gained the title Sword Dragon by realizing the vastness of the world early.

She had even overcome the heart demon gained from Jeong Yeon-shin. She had no jealousy or distrust that anyone could have.

Wei Ji Myo-hwa looked at Jeong Yeon-shin standing beside her with transparent eyes.

“I’m only now hearing this joyous news.”

Her face with a very small smile was beautiful. She continued speaking while stepping alongside Jeong Yeon-shin.

“It’s regrettable that time and fortune aren’t good so celebrations must be cut short. Let’s have drinks together with Young Hero Hyeon.”

“…Thank you.”

Jeong Yeon-shin expressed thanks calmly. They were encouraging words. Hyeon Won-chang must be alive.

They immediately stood before the hall.

Jeong Yeon-shin clenched his fist and operated the Eternal Blossom Fist’s chants. Many presences could be felt inside.

Perhaps innocent people might be alive. Though seemingly all grand, he had to only destroy up to the gate.

‘No.’

He furrowed his brow. The energy waves touching his skin were strange.

It felt like chilling tension holding its breath. Even blood scent seemed to flow out.

Different from until now. Wei Ji Myo-hwa beside him seemed to sense the dissonance too.

As her lips slightly curled, Jeong Yeon-shin felt his upper dantian precognition scatter to nowhere.

THUD!

No time to delay. He stamped with true step first.

The Eternal Blossom Fist’s Advancing Thunder’s energy wave explosively rose from his toes.

The moment the instantly accumulated energy gathered in his fist, he extended his arm.

BOOM!

Strong winds swept up by energy waves burst. The sensation of wood briefly touching his fist surface was instantly pushed away.

Through the shattered fragments, Jeong Yeon-shin and Wei Ji Myo-hwa’s eyes widened as they quickly rushed in.

“What!”

“What now!”

Those startled were of two groups.

They seemed to have been divided into factions checking each other. The blood demons with bright red hair were closer to Jeong Yeon-shin.

Those who appeared captured were holding their breath on the opposite side.

For some reason, they were in a standoff with the Blood Flame Sect with bodies freely released.

Hyeon Won-chang was at the front.

His skin had become rough and his expression unfamiliar. His handsome face was distorted like an evil spirit.

A corpse with blood-red hair slightly mixed with black hair lay at his feet.

It was a Blood Swordmaster. Must have been this Blood Flame Sect branch’s leader.

Hyeon Won-chang held what seemed to be a dagger stolen from their hands.

His energy stance with hand gripping in reverse looked quite familiar. The blade was heavily stained with blood.

He seemed to have butchered the swordmaster at his feet.

‘He overdid it.’

Jeong Yeon-shin could tell at once.

The Blood Flame Sect fellows were evil sect members who stole true qi. They wouldn’t have destroyed his dantian.

Thanks to that, Hyeon Won-chang must have been able to forcibly unseal pressure points and counterattack.

But it wasn’t an easy thing.

Instantly tearing apart another’s true qi occupying the body’s meridians? Anyone with knowledge of internal cultivation would say it was madness.

He must have suffered tremendous internal injury. It might be irreversible.

Enough that he couldn’t do anything about several Blood Flame Sect members even after killing the Blood Swordmaster.

‘Must have been a mutually threatening situation.’

One could tell how long they had been in standoff. The commoners huddled behind Hyeon Won-chang were repeatedly gathering and spreading their legs.

“There’s a great hero there too.”

Someone said. The martial artists who had followed Jeong Yeon-shin and Wei Ji Myo-hwa were poking their heads in.

They numbered dozens. The Blood Flame Sect members were frozen stiff, unable to even open their mouths.

“Hmm?”

How absorbed in the standoff had he been? Though Jeong Yeon-shin had destroyed the gate, Hyeon Won-chang seemed to only now come to his senses.

His eyes met Jeong Yeon-shin’s.

“Uh…?”

His expression that had been glaring at the Blood Flame Sect members like evil spirits suddenly changed. His face became blank as if dumbfounded.

“Wh-why did you come so quickly?”

These were Hyeon Won-chang’s first words.

* * *

The Blood Flame Sect branches in Xuzhou were completely swept away.

As dawn broke, the term “Great Hero of Desolate Sect” leaked out.

It was an honorary title praising Hyeon Won-chang.

Dozens of Xuzhou martial artists had witnessed him protecting commoners with his battered body.

It was different from Jeong Yeon-shin’s powerful martial arts.

Though many called Desolate Sect’s Lightning Flash a great hero too, Hyeon Won-chang was respected purely for chivalry, not martial might.

“They say eliminating the Blood Flame Sect is great merit in Desolate Sect? Since the imperial court declared them an evil sect.”

Wei Ji Myo-hwa said. She was sitting together with Jeong Yeon-shin at an inn.

She smiled slightly.

“With many witnesses to Young Hero’s merit, this incident too will be fully recorded. I can testify as well.”

“Thank you.”

Jeong Yeon-shin replied briefly. It was because his heart wasn’t well.

Hyeon Won-chang’s internal injury was severe. He had fainted right after managing a slight smile upon seeing Jeong Yeon-shin last night.

Jeong Yeon-shin couldn’t help but groan when he checked his pulse and examined his interior.

His entire body’s meridians were tremendously damaged.

‘He might not be able to learn martial arts.’

Wei Ji Myo-hwa, carefully observing his expression, opened her lips.

“Young Hero Jeong seems to have circumstances requiring great attention to sect merit, is that right?”

“…Yes.”

Jeong Yeon-shin answered slowly. This much he could tell her.

Though not long friends, he had felt the Sword Dragon’s deep character.

Many at the main family including Radiant Demon Wing already knew about this matter.

Even while hiding his constitution, he couldn’t completely conceal his obsession with merit.

“While earning merit for Desolate Sect, you might be able to restore Young Hero Hyeon’s body too.”

Wei Ji Myo-hwa said. Simultaneously, Jeong Yeon-shin’s upper body leaned toward her.

Wei Ji Myo-hwa didn’t avoid it and opened her mouth.

“Our sect fought a long war with the Tyrant Sword Sect. Not few disciples suffered internal injuries like Young Hero Hyeon. After a month he won’t be able to use martial arts, but things would be different if there were even a medium-grade spirit medicine.”

“Spirit medicine…”

“Using the collapsed Dragon-Phoenix Gathering as a starting point, the Namgung family and Blood Flame Sect are engaged in a big battle. To the extent it could be called a war. And the Namgung family is the closest major sect to Xuzhou. In the same South Zhili.”

Wei Ji Myo-hwa’s eyes sparkled with wisdom. The Sword Dragon’s martial world experience unfolded.

Her breath reaching Jeong Yeon-shin’s nose carried hope.

“Bestowing Grace. Among all the Eight Great Familis, the Namgung family is uniquely known as an upright martial arts family. They will surely repay the kindness. There’s only one problem.”

She said.

“Whether Young Hero has martial arts of that caliber.”

“……”

Show chivalry through martial arts and receive chivalry in return. Wei Ji Myo-hwa spoke of the murim’s essence.

‘Fighting with the Namgung family? The Blood Flame Sect must be pouring in tremendous forces too.’

Annihilating them was Jeong Yeon-shin’s personal merit. Now another was added.

Accumulating military achievements worthy of being received as favor by the Namgung family to receive one spirit pill? It was extremely difficult. But there was no other way.

Radiant Demon Wing’s next destination was set. From Xuzhou to Huizhou.

“Obtaining a spirit pill from another sect… Ordinary merit won’t do.”

Jeong Yeon-shin said quietly.

A martial art immediately came to mind. The sword song.

He had lost three days of lifespan at the Hwangbo branch.

He had decided to seal it until his internal energy cultivation achievement reached beyond black-ranked masters.

As exceptions might gradually become uncontrollable if repeated, it was a very firm decision.

‘This will be the last time.’

Jeong Yeon-shin inwardly resolved. He made the decision because he could obtain both merit for Hyeon Won-chang’s martial arts recovery and Blood Flame Sect elimination.

It would be the last casting of the sword song before reaching the squad leader realm.

The main force that went to strike the Hwangbo family would still be in Shandong Province.

The Eight Great Families’ territories were vast. It couldn’t be called extermination with just handling one main family and several branches.

‘I should only tell the blue-ranked seniors who came down to South Zhili. I can leave a message at the government office.’

Seeing Hyeon Won-chang’s condition, even waiting for them to join would be a luxury.

Jeong Yeon-shin decided to work on martial arts first in this place. He immediately fell into meditation while sitting.

‘The sword song’s killing range is separate from the area the sword sound reaches.’

Along with upper dantian ability, his mind began dismantling the verses piece by piece.

‘It should work if I limit the radiating true qi from spreading as far as the sword’s resonance. Even without specifying targets, I should be able to set a rough range.’

He loaded consciousness onto lightning flashing ceaselessly in his mind.

He entered complete absorption. It was a world no one else could fathom.

“Young Hero?”

Even Wei Ji Myo-hwa’s questioning voice immediately distanced from his mental image.

* * *

There was a long valley crossing the border between Huizhou and Chizhou. It was called Clear Night Valley.

It was said to be where a noble peerless master fought some evil spirit during the founding, illuminating the night with sword light.

Now it was broad daylight. The beating sunlight indifferently shone on blood splattering everywhere.

CLANG! BANG!

Tremendous sword power clashed and true angles stamped everywhere shook the ground.

Hundreds of warriors with bright red hair clashed with warriors wearing blue clothes.

A long battle line had formed that was hard to see as a battle between martial arts sects.

“That Apostle B*st*rd. He hardly moves.”

Meanwhile, where the Namgung family’s upper echelons were positioned, the atmosphere was classical from the start.

It was separate from the battle line’s urgency. The noble family’s unique spirit flowed dignifiedly without dispersing even on the battlefield.

“How long must we stay silent?”

A young man standing with the family elders asked. He had gently downcast eyes. He was the Namgung family’s successor.

The young man had already drawn his sword. The extremely luxurious blue silk martial uniform suited him perfectly.

He possessed both outstanding appearance and martial arts worthy of being called the Blue Qilin by martial world people.

“Two Apostles and swordmasters are watching for an opening. Don’t act rashly.”

The Namgung family head said while showing only his back in pure white robes.

“The regular sect members can be handled even without us. As young master, you must remember. The point of family battles isn’t in victory. Put your heart into watching over family members’ lives.”

“That’s right. When real masters come out, countering immediately means fewer sacrifices.”

His annoying younger sister supported their father’s words.

How could peeking out that tanned face be so annoying. Blue Qilin Namgung Se-jin gritted his teeth.

“The warriors dying now are our family members.”

His voice leaked through white teeth. Even his sister couldn’t retort this time.

“Think of the decision made when driving out Hwa-sin. As the family’s master, don’t keep individuals in mind.”

T/Note- Reminder that Hwa-sin is the White Qilin from Desolate Sect.

There was no change in the family head’s tone.

The fighting intensified but the enemy leadership didn’t come out.

The fellows looking down with aloof posture from a peak at one side of the valley were very irritating.

Two Apostles and thirty Blood Swordmasters.

Despite being formidable forces, when the Namgung family’s supreme masters challenged them to fight, they thoroughly maintained distance and retreated.

“How many days has it been? Do they plan to continue this war of attrition.”

Namgung Se-jin bit his lip.

His father the family head’s anguish must be great too.

The Blood Flame Sect’s power was enormous.

When one family elder couldn’t endure and stepped forward, fifteen Blood Swordmasters pushed into the battle line.

It was mockery. A warning not to step out carelessly. They were exploiting the weakness of a family sect where all members were blood relatives.

They seemed to plan to deploy masters only after pushing with numbers, but the Namgung family still hadn’t found a proper strategy.

The battle had continued for over fifteen days. The mood of warriors fighting on the front line wasn’t good.

Even though the family’s supreme masters were intact.

That’s when it happened.

Suddenly the family head and several elders turned their heads. Namgung Se-jin with his exceptionally keen senses did too.

Something was approaching quickly. Behind the Blood Flame Sect camp.

From very far away.

WHOOSH!

It gradually spreads toward the valley. Was it the cry of a giant bird said to have soared the skies in ancient times?

There was a resonance that slowly emerged and then rapidly spread.

A sound no one had ever heard before came to the battlefield.

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