WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈
Episode 142: The Turbulent Road Home (7)
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“A heart sword. Your flair is excessive.”
The Pure Demon Alliance Leader repeated the Lord of Desolate Fortress’s words and laughed.
Her black robes, as dark as Jeong Yeon-shin’s Black Uniform long robe, rippled in the wind. Her presence was like someone clad from head to toe in hellfire.
The final obstacle before their return was large and formidable. This was the final leg of their mission, yet the seed of their journey to Sichuan had returned in the form of the troublesome Pure Demon Alliance Leader.
Her expression was gradually regaining its composure.
Sssaaa...
Steam rose from Samadhi True Fire as some of the bloodstains on her abdomen vanished. At the same time, a scorched smell that only masters could detect wafted through the air.
There could be no other source. She appeared to have cast Samadhi True Fire over the sword wound in her abdomen.
It was the wound left by the Lord of Desolate Fortress’s Moon Spirit Divine Technique. It stretched from near her ribs to her hipbone.
The bleeding could not be stopped by sealing her acupoints, so she was cauterizing the long gash across her abdomen and fusing it shut.
Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes widened slightly. It seemed to be an improvised measure made possible by a supreme master’s control over the body and qi.
It was astonishing.
So was the slight bite of her lip and the broad grin that followed. Her face was slender, yet she carried herself with a lion’s spirit.
A founding master of the demonic path. The Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s expedient during a life-and-death duel was befitting of a leader of the Demonic Sect.
She spoke.
“Rumors that the Lord of Desolate Fortress’s martial realm had reached Beyond the Heavens have spread throughout the world for a long time. Still, I never knew you were one of my kind. Listen, child.”
The Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s gaze lowered. Her blue eyes smiled at Jeong Yeon-shin.
There was something terribly cold and strange about them.
“If I were your martial aunt, I would have taken you in and taught you. Masters are people too. To survive in the dusty martial world, one must wield both martial arts and one’s tongue. Yet your master is needlessly noble and likely could not manage even half the verbal sparring you can.”
A martial aunt referred to an older woman of the same generation as one’s master. It meant one’s master’s senior or junior martial sister.
The terms for older sister and younger sister bore those literal meanings, while martial aunt likewise literally meant an aunt within one’s sect.
It showed just how uninhibited the Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s words and actions were.
“It’s remarkable that you speak of seniority while repeatedly insulting a senior of the martial world.”
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke slowly as he gripped his sword hilt. Taking the opening stance for his flying sword, he put genuine feeling into his blunt words.
“The side effects of demonic arts are truly interesting. It seems many of the minor meridians in your brain are blocked. Is there perhaps a method in demonic martial arts that narrows the acupoints? Tell me, and I may take you on as a junior martial sister.”
“...”
The Pure Demon Alliance Leader was one of the Thirteen Heavens. Her status was supreme.
She spoke freely when provoking others, but when faced with genuine disrespect, she did not answer.
She seemed to consider it beneath her dignity.
“What a fool.”
Jeong Yeon-shin continued hurling abuse at the head of a faction.
Now, not only Hyeon Won-chang but even the Languid Flame Dragon nearby quietly shook his head and took an opening stance.
They were preparing in case the Pure Demon Alliance Leader attacked them.
“Looking at it now, the temporary Squad Leader does not seem especially afraid of dying young, but I find it rather frightening. I’m not the strange one, am I?”
Ignoring them, the boy slowly circulated his qi. His heart tingled because the light wheel was turning.
To save Ma Yeon-jeok completely and overcome this situation, the Lord of Desolate Fortress’s sword strike had to kill the Pure Demon Alliance Leader without causing an aura collision.
He had to handle this seemingly leisurely standoff wisely.
Sss...
An unusual aura spread from the Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s entire body as she continued talking. Had she bought enough time?
The Lord of Desolate Fortress, in contrast, simply stood quietly and looked toward the distant forest.
If she had not prepared a killing move, the boy intended to throw his flying sword first and buy time.
‘My mastery of the Body Movement Scripture is lacking. How can I intercept the Walking Upon Empty Space of supreme masters?’
He had felt the same during Ma Yeon-jeok’s battle with the Blood Flame Sect Master.
Keeping that problem in mind, the boy glared at the Pure Demon Alliance Leader.
Demon’s Light was already active. The optimal trajectory arose in his mind.
Then...
“It is done.”
The Lord of Desolate Fortress suddenly spoke.
Several breaths had passed since she mentioned the Heart Sword.
Her grass-colored sleeve fluttered once.
Taking a step forward like a phantom, she gently swept her sword upward.
It was directed at the Pure Demon Alliance Leader, who stood upon the air through Walking Upon Empty Space. The sword strike flashed white and traveled in a single graceful curve.
It looked like a sword form with no meaning behind it.
Slash!
No. That was not it.
Jeong Yeon-shin, standing far away, heard a sound that could not be heard. It rang inside his head.
The faint sound of something being cut burrowed into his Baihui acupoint.
Then it reached his upper dantian. Strictly speaking, it was not a sound but a phenomenon he had sensed.
Had she truly cut the heart?
The Pure Demon Alliance Leader let out a sharp breath. Her loose black hair scattered through the air.
Her body, which had been using Walking Upon Empty Space, swayed violently in midair. That was not all. In an instant, she fell nearly three jang.
Another four jang, and she would enter the range of his flying sword.
Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes flashed. The hilt of Northern Light, the divine sword at his waist, shone white.
Yet he did not have time to draw it.
The Lord of Desolate Fortress’s second sword form followed. This time, it was visible.
Flutter!
The loose folds of her broad robe swayed through the sky in the colors of the forest.
The sword, held in a high stance above her small green-haired head, descended once more.
One strike.
It was impossible to tell whether she was unleashing a sword strike or demonstrating a move from a sword dance.
Her bearing seemed elegant. At the same time, a dim flash left her sword. It looked exactly like a ray of light.
It was an inhuman sword form that sent radiance soaring. It differed even from sword qi, a rare art.
That was how it felt. More mysterious, far more transcendent.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not properly see the sequence of sword strikes.
All he saw was the instant moonlight arose, taking the form of a long slash and giving off light.
It was a direct hit. It shattered the Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s dark inner-energy armor, scattering fragments of radiance from her abdomen.
The Pure Demon Alliance Leader froze for a moment, eyes wide and one hand extended as though she had just been about to attack.
Boom!
What profound principle of martial arts had produced that strike?
The collision of auras rang only inside the Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s body. It was so quiet that one could barely hear it without listening closely.
With a single sword stroke, she had driven even the shockwave entirely into the Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s body. It seemed she had done so out of consideration for Ma Yeon-jeok’s condition.
‘Wow.’
An exclamation burst from Jeong Yeon-shin’s heart.
He had never seen a sword form more exquisite. Even with his eyes, it was difficult to grasp its principle.
It left a stronger impression than the first form, which she had called the heart sword.
Then...
Crash!
A mighty aura burst from the Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s body as she fell.
At the same time, a black current like the night sky wrapped around her entire body. It continuously released waves of power.
It was overwhelming. It felt as though it could crush mountains and rivers flat.
Was this the Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s hidden strength? Gritting her teeth, she righted her body and resumed the Body Movement Scripture of Walking Upon Empty Space.
Black aura exploded from her back. Her body shot upward at an angle once more.
Even Jeong Yeon-shin could feel that she had forcibly drawn out her qi. It was enough to risk qi deviation.
‘It’s over.’
The boy thought so.
The Pure Demon Alliance Leader made her decision quickly. The direction her body took as it cut through the air was strange.
Whoooosh!
She was far above his head. Her body passed by, blocking out the sun for a moment. Then she left the battlefield.
It was an escape route.
“The Pure Demon Alliance Leader is fleeing!”
Hyeon Won-chang, standing beside the boy, cupped his hands and shouted. With extraordinary instincts, Hyeon Won-chang seemed to have grasped the flow of the battle.
The lively voice was filled with qi, as though Hyeon Won-chang had never tried to stop Jeong Yeon-shin. It was a warning to the Pure Demon Alliance masters who were likely rushing over to escort their leader.
―I will not forget this day!
The Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s voice rang out. She was already a tiny figure in the distance.
The demonic supreme master seemed to have kept Jeong Yeon-shin, still gripping his sword hilt, in mind as well.
Even while fighting the Lord of Desolate Fortress, she never entered the range of his flying sword.
‘I need to find a way to deal with Walking Upon Empty Space and Void-Stepping.’
It left a problem for the boy who would soon formally rise to Black Uniform.
The Pure Demon Alliance Leader did not look pathetic for appearing after invoking Baek Mir-yeo’s name, only to be defeated and retreat.
She was still a supreme master beyond Jeong Yeon-shin’s martial reach.
If they met again in the future, he vowed that he would take the Lord of Desolate Fortress’s place.
‘The Black Uniform realm is broad too. It must be broader than Blue Uniform. If Uncle or the Annihilation Squad Leader had possessed the Record of the Dharma Light Wheel along with their skill, they could have fought her somehow. Should I first focus on reaching Three Flowers Gather at the Crown?’
The boy was organizing his thoughts when a clear voice rang out.
“I must see Yeon-jeok.”
Step.
The Lord of Desolate Fortress slowly approached. She headed toward the three four-horse carriages guarded by Jeong Yeon-shin and the others.
She did not look toward the fleeing Pure Demon Alliance Leader’s back. She did not seem to have any intention of pursuing her.
Since she did not know Ma Yeon-jeok’s exact condition, she seemed reluctant to act rashly.
She did not cling to the matter. Even the master of the Pure Demon Alliance was, to her, merely the leader of a faction on the outskirts of Sichuan.
She showed the boy who had struggled through the Sichuan martial world a new world. Her conduct alone did that.
“You guarded me.”
With those quiet words, the Lord of Desolate Fortress passed Jeong Yeon-shin.
The fragrant scent of grass tickled his nose. A faint smile touched her voice.
It was truly over.
The final obstacle to their return from the mission had fallen.
* * *
Immediately after the Pure Demon Alliance Leader fled.
The Lord of Desolate Fortress entered the carriage to check on her elderly friend’s condition.
An aura barrier unfolded once more around the four-horse carriage. It was as though pale moonlight had been drawn out like silk and wrapped around the space.
It was a transcendent sight.
It was difficult to know what conversation they were having.
“They say even witnessing a match between supreme masters drains one’s mental strength.”
“Let’s rest a little, temporary Squad Leader.”
Hyeon Won-chang and the Languid Flame Dragon were in complete agreement. The relationship between them was strange.
They seemed distant, yet Hyeon Won-chang watched the reactions of the Languid Flame Dragon, an unranked disciple.
The Languid Flame Dragon, on the other hand, lay back at ease and chewed on an opium poppy.
No one paid attention to the Little Sword Empress’s group, who stood blankly off to one side.
“We rest.”
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke with his aura sense spread in every direction.
Even with the Lord of Desolate Fortress present, they could not neglect their vigilance. If anything, he had to behave like a Squad Leader.
‘When I was at the main fortress, I handled myself well.’
At the time, the boy had exchanged greetings with the scholars of the Chief Steward’s Office, who held authority over personnel appointments. He was confident that he had shown a fair degree of social skill.
The Lord of Desolate Fortress stood above them all. Naturally, he had to earn her favor by showing himself trustworthy.
‘Merit. The fruit.’
His heart had eased greatly. He was now certain of his maternal grandfather’s safety, the matter that had worried him most.
“Look at our young Squad Leader. He suits the role better than the Squad Leader himself.”
O Wol-hyang, his Blue Uniform senior, joked. She was speaking of both Jeong Yeon-shin and Ma Jin. The boy gave a small shake of his head.
The Demon Wings seniors from the carriage had come out one after another and sat wherever they could.
Cheong Myeong had climbed a tree, while Ma Jin stared at Ma Yeon-jeok’s carriage, where the Lord of Desolate Fortress had entered.
Only Baek Mir-yeo did not come out.
The Pure Demon Alliance Leader had called her older sister.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not think it was a baseless lie. Baek Mir-yeo had also cultivated demonic arts.
They looked alike as well. Yet Ma Jin, Cheong Myeong, and the other Demon Wings seniors all seemed calm. They had already known.
‘They said they brought Senior Baek from Xinjiang. Uncle was crippled in the process.’
It was the region where the Ming Cult’s main stronghold had been.
He had heard that the lineage of the Ming Cult Master, who was also called the Heavenly Demon, had been torn apart with the founding of the Ming dynasty.
Some had moved to Sichuan and become the Pure Demon Alliance. Others wandered Xinjiang, seeking to rebuild the cult or engaging in banditry.
The boy recalled the treasure map briefly revealed by the Ten Perfect Sect’s Extreme Moon Sword.
That man had babbled that it was a map to the Heavenly Demon’s tomb. It likely had something to do with Baek Mir-yeo.
Then...
“You seem deep in thought.”
It was Ma Jin’s voice. At some point, he had come down from the carriage and sat beside Jeong Yeon-shin.
With one knee drawn slightly toward his chest, the heels of both feet lightly brushed the sand.
Despite lacking his left arm, he balanced himself well.
“This is not the time to concern yourself with Mir-yeo’s affairs. Not yet. It may be different after you rise to the rank of Squad Leader, but for now, it is needless meddling.”
“You’re right.”
The boy slowly nodded. It was a simple acceptance. There were too many urgent matters before him.
His promotion to Black Uniform, the formation of the Martial Alliance Assembly, the Martial Alliance’s grand founding ceremony... He had to set aside what he could not deal with immediately.
Ma Jin smiled faintly.
“A Squad Leader Assembly will likely be held as soon as we return tomorrow. It will be to discuss your promotion to Black Uniform. The fate of the Returning Wings Squad and Demon Wings will likely be decided then as well.”
Jeong Yeon-shin silently nodded. A trace of concern then appeared on Ma Jin’s face.
“The Squad Leaders of the Divine Sword Squad’s Seventeen Squads have strong personalities. There will be difficulties.”
“What kind of difficulties?”
“Because of the Returning Wings Squad. The martial artists of your lineage were masters gathered from the Seventeen Squads that did not go on the expedition, weren’t they? Say we reorganize the units. Do you think the other Squad Leaders will stay silent? They may not acknowledge you.”
“...”
“They are all rare masters in the martial world, commanders who lead elite groups. Their personalities are not bad. None of them are. Still, there are surely many strange ones among them. You must be on guard.”
His uncle’s advice was gentle.
After a brief silence, Jeong Yeon-shin slowly spoke.
“I must learn the Heart Sword from the Lord by tomorrow.”
Footnotes:
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