WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈
Episode 119: Radiant Wheel Technique (7)
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‘When I gave it a name and identity, the Jeong Family Youth Technique was born.’
Jeong Yeon-shin knew why part of the Jeong Family Youth Technique’s formula, which he had pieced together as a child, had come to mind.
The martial arts ingrained in one’s body were the strongest weapons. That was why he recalled them before a formidable enemy.
The boy could recite the formula’s more than three hundred characters as quickly as lightning. Creating a Static Training method in the midst of battle seemed difficult.
A great enemy stood before him.
The elderly swordsman, Sword Scorpion Demon Dokgo Gwang.
He was a supreme master of the Ten Perfect Sect.
The man stood in robes like a general’s, and the aura surrounding him was as stern as his attire.
He was one of the foremost martial artists among the major factions of the Thirteen Heavens. In other words, he was capable of contending with a Black Uniform of the Desolate Fortress.
The wrinkles around his eyes likely reflected the depth of his experience in the martial world.
‘He’s the strongest life-and-death enemy I’ve faced.’
Jeong Yeon-shin thought.
Dokgo Gwang was on a different level from everyone he had risked his life against so far, even Clear Qilin Namgung Se-jin.
Even if the Imperial Sword Art was an overwhelming sword art, the energy radiating from the seasoned master before him felt even more terrifying.
The grade of his martial art was not the issue. His realm was simply far higher.
“Outstanding young talent, what are you doing? Fortune favors us, so you don’t have the leisure to wait.”
“...”
Though Dokgo Gwang had beckoned him over, Jeong Yeon-shin did not rush in at once.
If he was given time to think, the boy’s chances of victory would increase, however slightly. He could study his opponent and devise a method.
It was all thanks to that damned Baihui acupoint.
‘He’s a master with a wide sword domain. His inner energy is tremendous too. The range of his force waves will be enormous.’
Jeong Yeon-shin took in every part of his opponent’s body. He had a feeling that if he approached with Hand Arts, his head would be sent flying.
The enemy, dangling a greatsword at his side, showed no opening. His aura was incredibly dense.
That was why his first move had to be the Radiant Sword Flow.
Swoosh.
He scraped the sole of his foot against the ground, twisting sideways as he shifted his weight.
The Jeong Family Youth Technique compressed his calf muscles and imbued them with explosive force.
The stone floor felt almost soft beneath his feet.
At the same time, the fine channels throughout his body responded. Along with the formula of the sword art, the qi of the Jeong Family Youth Technique was drawn out.
It was a sword formula he had obtained from the cliffs of Zhongnan Mountain. The sword hilt of the Desolate Sword in his right hand rapidly grew warm.
It was the sign of a sword move about to manifest in an instant.
Tak!
He stepped forward and struck with his sword. It was a horizontal strike that extended from within his body outward.
The air split apart. The pure white blade traced a straight line with a faint ray of light.
Clang!
The Desolate Sword collided with the greatsword. Monstrous power traveled along the blade.
The impact shook the sword hilt. His grip went numb.
‘His sword force is on another level.’
Jeong Yeon-shin gritted his teeth, gripping the sword hilt with a trembling hand.
He understood at once. He was outmatched in the amount of inner energy. The difference in their years of qi storage was vast.
It was astonishing enough that neither he nor the Desolate Sword had been cleaved in two the moment their swords met. Dokgo Gwang possessed that much sword force.
“Your skill is remarkable. You are more than you appear.”
Dokgo Gwang spoke. His neatly groomed beard pulled to either side.
His lips drew into a thin line. It was a martial artist’s astonishment, but also his composure.
He spoke while their swords remained locked. It was not something he could do against an equal.
‘I can’t win with power. I need to settle this with technique.’
Jeong Yeon-shin did not prolong the stalemate. He twisted his body at once.
Kiiing!
The blade of the Desolate Sword slid down Dokgo Gwang’s greatsword. The sensation transmitted to his hand was terribly rough.
Something beyond the blade itself encased the sword. It was qi given form.
It meant Dokgo Gwang had cultivated a proper greatsword art. In the martial world, greatswords existed to break through qi shields.
They crushed and shattered inner-energy armor, such as protective qi and the Protective Qi Technique, with sword qi and sword force.
Jeong Yeon-shin’s attainment in protective qi was not deep. The instant that blade touched him, it would split through bone as well.
‘I need to avoid clashing blades.’
Jeong Yeon-shin thought as he wheeled like a leaf riding the wind. Dokgo Gwang’s heavy kick grazed his waist.
A massive aura burst near his side. The aftershock of Force Projection, like a thunderclap bomb exploding, made his upper body stagger.
At the same time, the man’s kick became a True Step. As he planted his foot, he swung a sword move that seemed ready to cleave Jeong Yeon-shin horizontally in half.
It was laden with monstrous qi. The air wailed, unable to endure its sword force.
It was terrifying. While unleashing inner energy beyond Jeong Yeon-shin’s, Dokgo Gwang turned every movement into an attacking move.
Kwauuung!
The boy sharply threw his torso backward as though he were lying down. It was the technique known as the Iron Bridge.
He had already made the common techniques used by martial masters his own.
The broad blade swept over his eyes with the sound of a storm tearing through the air.
Its sword force was overwhelming. The tips of his hair were caught in the strike and flew upward.
‘Now.’
A sky-blue gleam flashed in Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes. He contracted the massive muscles running from his glutes to his thighs.
The strength of the Jeong Family Youth Technique settled firmly from his hips to his legs.
Swoosh!
Dokgo Gwang’s arm lay at the end of his upward-thrust sword. Jeong Yeon-shin aimed for the opening before the man could retrieve his horizontal strike.
The faint beam of the Radiant Sword Flow warped into a straight line.
Then it happened.
Pressure burst from Dokgo Gwang’s hand gripping the greatsword’s hilt. There had been no sign of movement.
A colorless qi force wave spread in an instant.
Whoosh!
It bore down on Jeong Yeon-shin like a city wall that had suddenly risen before him.
The boy, already lowered almost to the ground as he sharply raised the Desolate Sword, stopped.
In that instant, his entire body trembled along with his sword.
If he lost his balance, it was over.
Jeong Yeon-shin braced his left arm against the ground and drew one leg up. Then he kicked as swiftly as a flashing sword.
For a split second, he loaded qi into the Taichong acupoint above his big toe.
It was Force Projection from his side as well. He poured inner energy into Leg Arts and delivered a short, sharp kick.
Kwauuung!
The collision sounded as if the air itself had been crushed. They were contending with Force Projection in the realm of masters.
Dokgo Gwang had raised his sword into a high stance, intending to bring it down and split Jeong Yeon-shin apart. Below him, the boy braced himself against the earth like an acrobat and kicked upward.
The force that collided between them swept in every direction.
The floor of the vast cavern split like plowed furrows, and dust rose with fragments of shattered stone.
It was a contest of qi, a clash of Force Projection.
“Hm?”
Dokgo Gwang’s previously relaxed brows drew together slightly. The whirlpool of inner energy that had seemed ready to burst stopped expanding.
Jeong Yeon-shin’s projected force had severed Dokgo Gwang’s storm-like force wave strand by strand.
It was as though wind blowing in another direction had mixed into a raging vortex.
It was a miracle that could scarcely happen unless he had created and unleashed a counterform for an unfamiliar use of qi.
And this exchange of moves had taken only an instant.
Dokgo Gwang shuddered. Was this what it felt like to see a young spiritual beast that could one day become a serpent dragon?
“Ha... What a pity your years are so few.”
Having confirmed the difference in inner energy, enough that he could kill the boy whenever he wished, Dokgo Gwang stopped himself from bringing his sword down and sighed.
In technique, Sword Scorpion Demon Dokgo Gwang had been pushed back. He had overwhelmed Jeong Yeon-shin with strength alone. It was only regrettable that he had to kill him.
Jeong Yeon-shin put strength into his raised right leg.
Thoom!
He pushed against the vortex of force waves, which possessed the force of a real wall. His entire body was driven back.
His left foot, which had supported his body, slid backward and lost its footing.
Bright red blood ran from the corner of his mouth. He could not withstand the immense pressure.
Jeong Yeon-shin regained his balance and stood in place. He had suffered an internal injury. The pain was intense, as though his organs were throbbing.
The boy’s expression grew grave.
‘I couldn’t overcome the absolute gap in inner energy.’
Even with the high density of the Jeong Family Youth Technique’s qi, it was the same. This was not an opponent he could overcome with a body-tempering youth technique alone.
A master of that level could imbue even a single thread of qi with monstrous power.
“If you had only one more year of accumulated effort, the outcome might have been uncertain. Your senses and talent are truly hard to believe.”
Dokgo Gwang spoke. Jeong Yeon-shin stared quietly at him.
He could sense the composure of a supreme master, wearing the magnanimity of the strong as a mask.
It was an attitude in accordance with the principles of the martial world. It was conduct difficult to criticize.
“You are too dangerous to grow into a sword of the Imperial Court. Outstanding rising talent, you must die here.”
“...”
Without a word, Jeong Yeon-shin lowered his stance and considered his next move.
Then it happened.
Tap!
A hand gently gripped the back of his neck. It was hard as rock. At the same time, a familiar aura washed over him.
A fluctuation of power like a spring breeze. It could only be Cheong Myeong of Demon Wings.
“You did well to make it this far, and it’s astonishing how strong you’ve become, but.”
A rapid whisper brushed past his ear. As Cheong Myeong spoke with an exhale, Jeong Yeon-shin had the impression that qi throughout Cheong Myeong’s body was being refined.
There was no waste. It was the Static Training breathing method of the elven race.
“What if the youngest dies here?”
The swordsman’s grip pulled Jeong Yeon-shin back and threw him behind. The boy had no intention of being pushed away.
He landed at once with his left foot as his axis. He was about to leap again with the rotation of Spinning Thread Force.
A pale hand wielding a cold-energy hand technique blocked Jeong Yeon-shin. Baek Mir-yeo stood tall with their back to him.
The aftermath of fierce battle marked the Blue Uniform robe in several places. Long, loosened hair testified to the battle’s intensity.
“Yeon-shin. Treat your internal injuries first. Know what comes before what.”
Concern filled Baek Mir-yeo’s indifferent tone. It was not the voice used when addressing the Squad Leader of the Returning Wings Squad.
Baek Mir-yeo of Ma Gwang-il’s Squad spoke in the same voice used for White Uniform Seom-ye.
“Now I’ve seen everything, even the temporary Squad Leader lose. Well, he was an opponent worth losing to. It would’ve been stranger if you won. Sword Scorpion Demon Dokgo Gwang is a master who could dominate all of Sichuan. It’s difficult to find someone who can match him.”
Languid Flame Dragon approached with a faint smile. His gait was relaxed.
His appearance was not. How much Scorching Yang qi had he released?
The sleeves on both arms had vanished without a trace. Sword wounds and bloodstains covered the bare skin beneath.
“I’ll stand guard.”
He stood beside Baek Mir-yeo. Languid Flame Dragon’s back settled there like a solid volcano.
Outside, Tang Sect martial artists, including the Tang siblings, stood in formation. Among the Returning Wings Squad, Red Noon Sword guarded the rear.
Everyone else was engaged in fierce battle.
“Founding master, please regulate your qi and rest.”
The boy knew he had no choice.
“Then I will.”
Recovery had to come first. He chose to trust Cheong Myeong. He had heard it when he first entered Demon Wings.
Cheong Myeong had faced Namgung First Sword, who had defected to the Thirteen Heavens, if only briefly.
‘Then I can create a new Static Training method here...’
He thought of transforming his qi, something he had been too busy racing ahead to attempt. It was ironic.
If he was going to regulate his qi to settle his internal injuries, he would have enough time to work on creating a Static Training method as well.
Then it happened.
“The treasured artifact! The treasured artifact has been stolen!”
“Southeast of the entrance! There, over there!”
“What a terrifying master! Form up!”
Shouts of warning rang out from afar. A disturbance spread through the battlefield, which had already been chaotic.
Before Jeong Yeon-shin could even sit in the lotus position, tremendous power rushed toward him amid irregular fluctuations of qi.
It was an elegant yet sinister presence, like a bat with the wings of a divine bird.
‘This way!’
Flap!
It arrived the moment he recognized it, carrying a scent like blood.
“I’ve missed you.”
Silken black hair fluttered through his vision for a moment. The owner of that strange aura stood before Jeong Yeon-shin.
Her red lips curved into a smooth line. She smiled as her demonic red eyes bent softly.
The Seventh Apostle of the Blood Flame Sect.
In a single moment, she had pierced through the protective formation of the Desolate Fortress masters.
“What...!”
Jeong Yeon-shin saw the useless Languid Flame Dragon turn around in shock.
Baek Mir-yeo reacted faster, but their movements were slow due to the piercing wound they had already suffered in their back.
At the Seventh Apostle’s snap of her fingers, the Tang siblings and Red Noon Sword stiffened and fell.
The Finger Wind launched from her fingertips had sealed their acupoints.
At that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin was already striking. His Blue Uniform sleeve fluttered.
A violent gale gathered around his thrusting fist. The second form of Sihwa Boundless Hand, True Barrier, surged forward with fierce strength.
“Your talent, your spirit, your expression, your body. Every time I see you, they’ve been polished more brilliantly. Up close, you shine. Truly, truly intoxicating.”
The Seventh Apostle whispered as she lightly extended a hand and deflected Jeong Yeon-shin’s punch.
Flap.
The Pure Blood Robe wrapped around her spread wide.
It rose by itself amid the storm of qi and covered every direction in red light. It lasted only an instant.
Jeong Yeon-shin and the Seventh Apostle stood at its center. No one could see either of them.
At the same time, her hand brushed down Jeong Yeon-shin’s fist. Was it because she was not human?
Her hand was soft, as though she had never trained in Hand Arts.
She pushed the boy’s elbow inward, then covered Jeong Yeon-shin’s lips with her other hand. It happened in an instant.
“...!”
Something foreign entered his mouth.
The Seventh Apostle’s fingers paused briefly on his lips before tracing down his cheek, all the way to the back of his neck.
He tried to twist away while operating the Jeong Family Youth Technique, but it was too late. His internal injury had slowed his response.
Until her hand lightly pressed his Adam’s apple and withdrew, he could not counter a single move.
She was incredibly fast. Every exchange had occurred within the domain of a Desolate Fortress Black Uniform.
“May you enjoy a long life. It is a fragment of Bodhidharma’s qi.”
The Seventh Apostle moved her lips. The Pure Blood Robe, which had returned on its own, wrapped around her body again.
“We still have to finish, don’t we? Our bet. See you later.”
She smiled and kicked off the ground. For an instant, the wind spreading in every direction seemed to take on a crimson hue.
She soared with a superb Body Movement Scripture, and no one could stop her. Languid Flame Dragon landed too late and stared blankly.
“What was that...? Squad Leader, are you alive?”
“Stand guard.”
Jeong Yeon-shin said briefly. He had no other choice.
The instant whatever the Seventh Apostle had fed him entered his body, a monstrous insight rose like clouds.
He knew instinctively that he could not escape the City of Master Craftsmen without this.
“Senior So! To the rear!”
“Form the line! Demon’s Light doesn’t work on those Pure Demon Alliance bastards!”
The battlefield was in chaos. The number of martial artists standing guard had clearly dwindled.
Only the injured Baek Mir-yeo and the unranked disciple Languid Flame Dragon remained nearby.
Jeong Yeon-shin closed his eyes, sat down, and crossed his legs.
At the same time.
A flower of light bloomed in his upper dantian. Its radiance filled his mind with brilliant light.
Footnotes:
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