WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈
Episode 169: Embodiment (5)
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“Spirit Sky? Anyone can do that.”
Jeong Yeon-shin muttered, clasping his hands behind his back. A brief silence followed.
The Heart Martial Union expert, who had been blasted at least ten feet from the watchtower, dropped straight down. Astonishment colored the dazed breath that escaped him.
He fell limply like a bird robbed of its wings, but he had not died from the single strike.
Aura could still be felt from him, though it wavered unsteadily.
‘Of course not.’
The boy thought.
It had not been qi sword control. Even Jeong Yeon-shin did not understand such transcendent sword arts. For now, it was a martial principle beyond his comprehension.
The principle behind Myriad Flowers Rain had merely resembled sword control, so he had given it a try once the subject came up. No force wave of inner power had been mixed into it.
Nor had it been a barrage of hidden weapons that severed blood vessels one by one with tiny blades, so it did not possess the power to end a martial expert’s tenacious life in an instant.
That was fine. He had done it deliberately.
“The edge is good. You maintained it well.”
The boy spoke.
The young Leader of Demon Wings jerked his chin toward the Heart Martial Union expert lying in the distance.
He did so while glancing at Moyong Myeong-jun, who stared at him in bewilderment. The meaning was clear. Retrieve the sword, and bring back the fallen enemy while he was at it.
Jeong Yeon-shin muttered inwardly, ‘The sight of you makes the top of my head ache.’
“What...!”
Moyong Myeong-jun’s eyes widened. He had been born into a prestigious family that claimed the Xianbei people of Liaodong as its ancestors, and had been raised as an heir to a distinguished house of the martial nobility.
He had never needed to bow his head to anyone but the elders of his family. Even at the Martial Alliance Assembly’s main headquarters, the leaders of small and mid-sized sects had treated him with reverence.
He had never imagined he would suffer such humiliation at the hands of a boy who was not even fully grown.
‘I held that banquet too carelessly.’
Even as he felt insulted, he considered the matter as one born to high status. His heart cooled sharply.
This was where Ak Ye-rim had tried to test the young Leader of Demon Wings’ temperament. Moyong Myeong-jun had rented the banquet hall and personally sent the invitations.
It seemed that had made the Leader of Demon Wings wary of him.
Jeong Yeon-shin was different once he stepped outside the Assembly. He acted like a supreme master of an entirely different standing.
As Moyong Myeong-jun reluctantly began walking, he felt a gaze boring into the back of his head. It carried a cold, arrogant presence.
‘Let’s see if you can act like this after returning to the main headquarters.’
Moyong Myeong-jun slung the groaning Heart Martial Union expert over his shoulder.
He saw the young man who annoyed him as much as the Leader of Demon Wings nod.
According to reports from his subordinates, the shape of the hero’s headband tied around that man’s forehead changed every day. It was Hyeon Won-chang, the Imperial Hero.
“Our Squad Leader said that although he borrowed the sword in the heat of the moment, he was more impressed than apologetic. A treasured sword of the Moyong Family truly lives up to its name. The propulsion from our Squad Leader’s dispersal mnemonic formula alone broke that bastard’s Protective Qi Technique.”
It was a statement that preserved dignity while needling the other side. It also praised the Squad Leader.
It reminded Moyong Myeong-jun that a Heart Martial Union expert had been subdued with nothing but a sword strike that carried no force wave. It meant he should do as he was told without complaint.
“...”
Without a word, Moyong Myeong-jun returned and lowered the Heart Martial Union martial artist to the ground. He did not pull out the sword, worried about the bleeding.
Jeong Yeon-shin looked down at the man. His condition was poor even at a glance.
Only a martial artist’s unusual vitality kept him alive through the penetrating wound.
Around then, the enemies lying in ambush rushed forward.
Bang!
The sounds of feet kicking off the ground rang out harshly from every direction. The echoes were heavy as well. It was no ordinary movement technique.
The men in leather armor charged like massive warhorses.
The qi pulsing from the Yongquan acupoints in the soles of their feet created strange shock waves. Their repeated thudding sounded like galloping hooves.
They were the Heart Martial Union, a martial force raised by the Prince of Henan.
After a brief pursuit, they finally clashed in earnest. Jeong Yeon-shin recalled traveling with Namgung Se-jin.
He had witnessed the essence of an orthodox sect’s swordsmanship, one that carried out the creed to slay demons and eradicate heresy.
The sight of Clear Qilin Namgung Se-jin using the Imperial Sword Art to behead Heart Martial Union martial artists without hesitation remained vivid in his mind.
Even in Namgung Se-jin’s eyes, they deserved death. Would Namgung Se-jin have been here with them if family affairs had not forced him away?
The boy quietly moved his lips.
“Leave only two alive.”
Languid Flame Dragon and Hyeon Won-chang reacted at once. This was a real battle. Neither answered as they moved.
Desolate Fortress unranked martial artists and White Uniform martial artists faced the Heart Martial Union’s pursuit-blocking detachment.
Wooooong!
Waves of inner power rose from both sides. Their auras carried intense heat and killing intent. A scream came first from the direction guarded by Languid Flame Dragon.
It came with the smell of burning flesh. From Hyeon Won-chang’s side came the cutting sound of air splitting apart.
During that time, Jeong Yeon-shin lowered his head slightly. The man pierced by Myriad Flowers Rain’s flying-sword technique heaved for breath.
He did not look as though he would live long. The blade borrowed from Moyong Myeong-jun had pierced his abdomen from below.
The sword had torn through his stomach beneath the chest, grazed his liver, and pierced through his back. With only martial artists around, there was no hope.
Only the life force bolstered by inner energy barely kept him breathing.
The man seemed to know it. Unlike his heaving upper body, his pupils were calm.
It was the gaze of a martial artist facing the Sanzu River of the underworld. The spirit of a martial expert remained strong even before death.
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke.
“I heard you fill your bellies through plunder while training in martial arts. Walking the martial path during a famine can’t be easy.”
“Kill... me.”
The man spoke between ragged breaths. Perhaps he had trained his cultivation method to a considerable level.
His breathing was surprisingly steady for someone so grievously wounded. After silently watching him, the boy said, “You were defeated by the Leader of Demon Wings from Desolate Fortress. Remember that.”
He stood proudly. The man at his feet looked up at him.
The boy lowered only his eyes to meet his gaze.
“This Squad Leader is the direct disciple of the Lord of Desolate Fortress. How does it feel to suffer a penetrating wound from true qi sword control? It is a supreme technique you could never learn in your lifetime.”
“At that age, Black Uniform... and sword control on top of that. It’s hard to believe.”
The man smiled faintly. His rambling words came out in broken fragments.
“So the rumored Leader of Demon Wings really exists.”
“I have shown you courtesy. Are you willing to answer my questions?”
Jeong Yeon-shin spoke calmly.
Only then did a certain sentiment cross the man’s face. The Leader of Demon Wings had revealed his martial reputation and named his supreme technique.
A Black Uniform supreme master of Desolate Fortress, whose name was spreading throughout the world, had shown him respect.
For a martial artist of the Demonic Sect, it was something difficult to experience even once in a lifetime.
“Hah.”
His weakening exhale ended in a laugh.
He stood on the verge of death. It was inevitable that indescribable feelings would arise.
Even a monster from a major faction among the Thirteen Heavens was still a martial artist and a person. The man slowly opened his mouth.
“I’m leaving anyway... I have no military secrets left to keep. What do you want to know?”
“Your route.”
“Two routes. West Peak Road and Sevenfold Gorge...”
“Their numbers. Give them separately.”
“One hundred and fifty, and two hundred.”
“Which side is the Spirit Sky Sword Ghost on?”
“I don’t know.”
“What?”
“The Sword Demon enters and leaves the mountains freely to train. The Sword Demon has no interest in leading anyone. The two disciples decide the route. I don’t know which side the Sword Demon joined.”
The man’s words became smoother. It was a final resurgence.
It was when a martial artist’s last breath of inner energy spilled forth alongside his life force. Jeong Yeon-shin compared the man’s words with the document given to him by the Sword Star.
He unfolded the precious map in his mind and reviewed the information.
The numbers and movements matched closely. It seemed believable.
The boy silently looked down at the man for a moment.
The breath of the man lying there was scattering. Regardless of any lingering attachment to life, he seemed satisfied as a martial artist.
Jeong Yeon-shin thought of his uncle. Ma Jin, Hell Slayer. The might his uncle had displayed while racing through the martial world had been immense.
It had been that way even before Jeong Yeon-shin entered the martial world. The Leader of Demon Wings was known as a renowned figure throughout the jianghu.
His Demon’s Light, exceptional weapon techniques, and reputation as a chivalrous warrior who protected commoners from the people of the martial world all made him what he was.
That was why the Heart Martial Union expert was closing his eyes with a satisfied expression.
Because someone of high standing had adorned his final moments.
‘You are a rabble of the Demonic Sect who steal others’ grain, ruin families, and show no mercy toward commoners’ lives.’
The boy suddenly recalled the Tyrant Sword Sect Master, then calmly spoke.
“It wasn’t qi sword control, actually.”
“What...?”
“It was just an ordinary dispersal mnemonic formula. You have no intention of apologizing to the commoners of this village, do you? When you open your eyes in Sword Tree Hell, tell them you got there after being defeated by a boy not yet twenty.”
“...!”
The man’s eyes widened.
Jeong Yeon-shin swept his cold gaze over his upper body. Well-built muscles tightened around the penetrating wound.
He had trained his external arts to a considerable level. It was a state difficult to achieve without eating well.
He was something inhuman that had fed upon the blood and tears of commoners.
The boy spoke again.
“A body built through plunder. It is worthless.”
His tone was icy.
The Leader of Demon Wings had judged his worth. To any martial artist, those words would carry great weight.
As the Little Sword Empress beside him drew in a sharp breath, the focus in the man’s eyes faded slightly.
Thud!
Languid Flame Dragon, who had returned before anyone noticed, kicked the man’s head. A brief crack of bone sounded from the top of his foot.
It killed him instantly. His neck snapped to the side, and he died.
“Come on, you could’ve at least let my foot get dirty. Squad Leader, make sure this young master’s accomplishments are properly recognized.”
Languid Flame Dragon said with a grin.
He looked like someone who had seen countless real battles as the Young Family Head of the Huangbo Family. He did not hesitate to kill an enemy who had lost any means of resistance.
Despite his playful words, decisiveness seeped through all his actions.
When they returned to the main fortress and reorganized Demon Wings, there would likely be times when Yeon-shin had no choice but to place him at the vanguard.
‘Can he be promoted two ranks at once, from unranked to Blue Uniform? Should I pull some strings as Squad Leader?’
The boy thought. It was worth considering. Without showing it, he gave a curt order.
“...Clean up.”
“Clean up.”
Languid Flame Dragon said as he looked over the young martial artists of the Martial Alliance.
This was a place for honoring the dead commoners. Since he had used his strength, the others were to dispose of the Heart Martial Union martial artists’ corpses. Hyeon Won-chang, standing beside him, nodded leisurely.
Silence still lingered.
Ak Ye-rim’s reaction was plainly one of dislike. The slight furrow in her smooth brow made it obvious.
She had never thought well of Jeong Yeon-shin to begin with.
She could hardly approve of him mocking an enemy who had been rendered helpless.
Yet she was the only one who frowned.
Jegal Hyeon and Moyong Myeong-jun remained calm. Their outlooks were broad. Alongside martial arts, they had studied scholarship deeply.
They could guess what lay beneath the young Leader of Demon Wings’ words and actions.
‘The temperament of a proud righteous hero? The Family Head will dislike that.’
‘If his character has seeped into his swordsmanship, martial arts with many feints would be best for dealing with the Leader of Demon Wings.’
They laid out paper, brush, and ink in their minds and recorded the boy’s actions.
How the incident would be used would depend on the future actions of the Martial Alliance, the Zhuge Family, and the Moyong Family.
“You can use Myriad Flowers Rain like that? How do you focus the inner energy you draw in at a single point?”
Little Sword Empress Chwi So-ok openly asked, as though speaking to herself.
Curiosity filled her languid eyes. She was merely showing interest in martial arts.
Her eyes met those of the young Leader of Demon Wings.
Since Sichuan, the boy had ignored the Little Sword Empress of the Jeomchang Sect.
Even while being slighted, Chwi So-ok only smiled blankly. She simply asked him to teach her a move.
Again and again.
Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly recalled the Jeomchang Sect’s Sun-Shooting Sword Art. It was swordsmanship said to pierce the sun with its blade tip.
It was a supreme technique famous throughout the world. The boy thought, ‘Radiant Sword Flow has no thrusting form.’
“Huh? Want to try it? My sword qi is always ready.”
The Little Sword Empress asked brightly. Her instincts were uncanny.
Jeong Yeon-shin was slightly tempted as well. He was in the middle of weaving together a new sword art.
The swordsmanship of the Nine Sects would be a great help. After killing the Spirit Sky Sword Ghost, it would be worth giving serious thought to.
“Later.”
The boy shook his head and spoke.
“You said West Peak Road and Sevenfold Gorge. We’ll split up. I’ll assign the party, with killing the Spirit Sky Sword Ghost as our top priority...”
That was when it happened.
“Young Master Moyong.”
Gongsun Min, who was about Jeong Yeon-shin’s age, stepped forward. Gongsun Min stared fixedly at the sword Moyong Myeong-jun had pulled from the corpse.
Greed filled Gongsun Min’s expression. It did not suit the lightning-like gleam in his eyes. He even looked quite desperate.
“Sell me that sword.”
“What?”
Moyong Myeong-jun asked.
“How much is a treasured sword of the Moyong Family worth...? I brought a fair amount of gold ingots.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I know. The Leader of Demon Wings’ Myriad Flowers Rain was imbued in that blade. If people hear it was the sword used by Seom-ye, the Dark King Among Flowers, in Sichuan, no great tycoon will hesitate to spend money on it. It’s an incredible collector’s item.”
“...”
“Give it to me. Please.”
An unexpected dispute broke out.
They said many people in the jianghu lived in worlds of their own. The world was broad, and uniform education was uncommon.
Even if the teachings of the Four Books and Five Classics were noble, the values of members of the martial nobility who became superhuman through martial arts varied sharply.
Some possessed refinement, while others were barbaric and willful. It was that kind of chaotic age.
Moyong Myeong-jun, with his dumbfounded expression, and Gongsun Min, who had outright grabbed the sword’s hilt, were no exception.
Even among the experts of the Martial Alliance Assembly, it was difficult to predict each person’s conduct in advance.
‘While killing the Spirit Sky Sword Ghost, I’ll create a new sword art. Then I’ll prevail at the grand founding ceremony and cross swords with the Sword Star...’
If the Martial Alliance Assembly’s martial artists were not here, he could enjoy the process more.
Jeong Yeon-shin fell silent for a moment and thought that he should take only Jegal Hyeon and the Little Sword Empress with him.
Footnotes:
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