WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈
Episode 186: Bond
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Cheon Ju-jin had said that a severe internal injury had brought him down to Jeong Yeon-shin's level. He had been referring to the Leader of Demon Wings after they exchanged four moves.
That was no longer true.
The boy had grown stronger. He still could not match Cheon Ju-jin at full strength.
Yet sparring between martial artists contained many variables. Anyone looking at the outcome of this match would have called it a victory for the Leader of Demon Wings.
Huu.
Jeong Yeon-shin drew a deep breath. In his mind, he reviewed the sword paths he had newly created.
He needed a few breaths to organize the third form, the only one with a name.
The muscles swollen from his fierce movements pulsed continuously.
More than the stinging sword wounds, he felt the wind brushing against his bare skin. It was quite refreshing.
‘I made three forms.’
Three trajectories flashed through his mind like rays of light.
The first form was a swift sword form. He had realized it after seeing the Clear Qilin's Imperial Sword Art. It amplified the power of full-body Force Projection and swept through all directions.
It was a force wave that enhanced sword force. A powerful slash launched from a high guard stance became an incomparably swift strike.
It allowed him to strike second, seize the initiative. Even if he moved after his opponent, his sword would reach them first.
The second form had originated from Baek Seo-gun, the Spirit Sky Sword Ghost.
It was a counterattack form.
He had created it after studying Baek Seo-gun's body, as finely tempered as a treasured sword. Her body had been honed in a manner befitting the title Sword Venerable.
Its principle was to use the force waves accumulated through every collision.
With the Jeong Family Youth Technique, he coordinated the muscles running from his triceps to the finger extensor muscle beneath his thumb.
Through minute movements, he accumulated force.
If he gathered every force wave accumulated while clashing with a powerful opponent into his right hand, the resulting sword strike would surpass the first form.
‘Azure Flame, First Form is a little different.’
The third form.
It was a sword form meant to kill with a single strike. He had poured every principle of the Radiant Sword Flow into one line of sword path. Even the muscles honed through the Jeong Family Youth Technique became sore and heavy after a single swing.
It was a trajectory that drew out the sword force he possessed to its utmost limit. One strike stimulated his entire body this much.
It might temper his limbs, which had recently been growing longer, even further.
All three forms had been specialized to contain the Record of the Dharma Light Wheel. That remained true even though the sword forms were domineering, unlike the auspicious qi.
They were martial arts worthy of the Leader of Demon Wings of Desolate Fortress.
There was none of the mind-and-body cultivation of the Nine Sects. These forms had been created solely to crush an opponent and win.
With three sword forms, it could reasonably be called a sword art.
At this moment, the boy had become a Black Uniform swordsman. He was a Desolate Fortress Squad Leader who could speak of the world with a single sword in hand.
“A form name with a story behind it, I see? How resolute. If this poor Taoist were to grant you a courtesy name, there would be no shortage of people bringing several seom of rice apiece in payment.”
Cheon Ju-jin's voice carried a trace of laughter. This poor Taoist was how the Sword Absolute referred to himself.
It was a humble expression Taoists and monks used to say their virtue was lacking.
Perhaps because they had crossed swords, the Sword Absolute's voice had grown kinder. Just as Jeong Yeon-shin had Ma Jin, Yu Hyeon had Cheon Ju-jin as his martial uncle.
By that connection, the Sword Absolute was also like an uncle to the boy. Cheon Ju-jin seemed deeply moved.
“I was greatly surprised. There have been few days in my life that have astonished me as much as today.”
He had also been present when Yeon-shin created the third form of the Sihwa Boundless Hand.
Fist Flower. It was a fist form born from the Falling Petal Palm Art Yu Hyeon had shown him. The boy who had worn a White Uniform then now wore black.
As the Leader of Demon Wings, he had exchanged swords evenly with the Mount Hua Sword Absolute. That moment when he had exchanged Hand Arts with Yu Hyeon paled in comparison.
The martial world was full of mysteries such as spiritual medicine and spiritual beasts, yet this was still an extraordinary occurrence.
Jeong Yeon-shin slowly opened his eyes. The lofty Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect entered his sight.
The middle-aged swordsman with sharp features was smiling gently.
“This poor Taoist lost. I concede defeat.”
“Thank you, Sword Absolute. I have learned much from your guidance.”
“Calling it guidance makes me ashamed. The martial world truly is mysterious. To think that boy from that day would now discuss the sword with this poor Taoist, before he has even fully grown...”
Cheon Ju-jin spoke.
The astonishment he could not put into words lingered in his voice. His tone was loftier than when they had first met.
He truly had been astonished. A peerless swordsman of deep cultivation from the Mount Hua Sect could not hide his admiration.
The sharpness Yeon-shin had sensed whenever he saw him with Yu Hyeon now felt greatly softened.
“I am still far behind you, Sword Absolute.”
Yeon-shin wondered who had inflicted Cheon Ju-jin's internal injury.
The Sword Absolute at full strength had stood evenly against the previous Leader of Demon Wings.
Considering the reputation Ma Jin, the Abyssal Killer, held over the martial world, it would have been exceedingly difficult to encounter a worthy opponent while roaming the world.
He was a supreme master capable of acting invincible in most regions. As wide as the world was, there were also countless weaker martial artists beneath his notice.
Cheon Ju-jin merely smiled.
“The Leader of Demon Wings teases a Taoist. Did this poor Taoist not lose? It was truly an exceptional sword path.”
“I broadened my knowledge through Mount Hua's sword.”
“Empty words. There is much left unsaid, so I will visit your residence with Yu Hyeon in the near future. There is something important I must discuss. It is not something to discuss with the Leader of Demon Wings, but with Jeong Yeon-shin. What this poor Taoist experienced is related to you as well.”
He seemed to mean the circumstances behind his internal injury.
If it concerned Jeong Yeon-shin rather than the Leader of Demon Wings, it meant he had become entangled in a personal matter. What could have happened to a Nine Sects master like the Mount Hua Sword Absolute?
“...I will prepare a place and wait.”
The boy clasped his hands in salute. Cheon Ju-jin returned it, palm over fist.
The Leader of Demon Wings' manner here differed from before. Did he show full respect only to the Nine Sects?
Unlike when facing masters of the great families, he was exceedingly courteous. It was a completely different side of him. Even with his upper body exposed, he carried an air of refinement.
The crowd in the spectator stands remained stunned for a time.
The young Leader of Demon Wings was truly extraordinary.
His bare upper body, a sight most would never see even once in their lives, was alive with wildness. It was immensely captivating.
Despite achieving an unbelievable victory, he remained lofty and aloof. There was something overwhelmingly imposing about him.
Even the blood flowing from his sword wounds and gathering over his abdominal muscles had that quality. The neat black trousers contrasted with his bare upper body, making the scene feel all the more peculiar.
The countless spectators broke their silence. One by one, they slowly began to speak.
“...He looks as though he stepped out of a painting. I could see nothing during the match, but that must have been swordsmanship at a master's level. He lives in the upper reaches of the martial world alongside the Mount Hua Sword Absolute. It is another world.”
“That is not the bearing of a human...?”
“The Leader of Demon Wings won! I only bet pocket change when I should have staked my entire fortune!”
“I lost everything.”
“The immortal of Mount Hua... That boy...”
The rising excitement heated the atmosphere. Their admiration soon became cheers. The cries rising from their throats rang out in every direction.
Waaaaah!
The roar was enormous. No one had properly seen the exchanges of those supreme masters, yet it did not matter.
It spread more forcefully than the noise of the force waves released by their martial arts. It seemed to strike against their ears.
The martial world was a world of supernatural powers and strange spirits.
They had seen renowned masters and witnessed them bare their skin. It was a sight that stirred noble spirit.
Those who lived in a world beyond human limits had fought at full strength before their eyes.
The fact that a young master had defeated a seasoned master of Mount Hua only heightened the cheers. It could not help but stir strange emotions.
It was the moment the martial world welcomed a new powerhouse.
His name was Seom-ye, Leader of Demon Wings.
“Desolate Fortress, please take responsibility for the people's welfare! Such martial prowess at that age! Desolate Fortress is the only faction fit to uphold stability in the martial world! Does that not suit the dignity of a major faction?”
“Please look this way just once! I adore you!”
“Clear Cloud Martial Hall! Please visit Clear Cloud Martial Hall! Leader of Demon Wings, we beg for your guidance!”
Some people, too excited to contain themselves, shouted wildly. The fervor was immense.
The air buzzed as though the grand founding ceremony had already been conquered. People poured out every sort of remark.
It was a world with few entertainments.
At this moment, the Leader of Demon Wings and the Mount Hua Sword Absolute stood at the center of their world.
Only the dozen or so masters seated in the Martial Alliance Assembly's viewing area were different. In the silence, an occasional remark slipped out.
They could not react carelessly. The leadership seats, their awnings blown away, had sunk into silence.
“He broke Hidden Fragrance, Drifting Flower with a sword form I have never seen in my life. He is a very dangerous boy. There is no telling how far he will grow.”
Only after the Zhuge Family Head spoke did other voices emerge. The senior figures of the great families each opened their mouths.
“He created that sword form...? The Sword Absolute's words do not sound false.”
“Did you see that sword path?”
“I could not take it all in. The Sword Absolute's force waves were far too dazzling.”
“The Great Revitalization Pill is in danger of changing hands.”
“Where is the First Fist of the Eon Family? Is she not the one who should be studying Seom-ye's martial arts most closely right now?”
“She may be sprawled out in some tavern. It is hardly surprising. Is there anyone left who expects Lady Eon to be sincere?”
“She has been like that since she was among the younger generation. Dissolute, yet brilliant. The fist art she used while drunk was astonishingly profound.”
Quiet laughter spread among the senior figures of the great families. It seemed deliberate, as if they were trying to ignore their troublesome situation.
“I remember it clearly as well. She was insanely skilled in martial arts, so it was not easy to criticize her conduct. She also had quite a few secret admirers, making it difficult to find fault with her. Had my martial seniority been half a generation lower, I might have thrown dignity aside and made an attempt. No, that would have ended in my certain defeat.”
“It is difficult to guess how much stronger she has become.”
“Let us return. The Internal Chief Strategist has begun working. She truly is overflowing with talent.”
“At this point, it may be worth publicly seeking peace with Desolate Fortress. It would be good to broaden our options. Did the Zhuge Family Head order it?”
Clack.
The Zhuge Family Head, who had opened his White Crane Fan, shook his head. He lightly covered his mouth with the tip of the fan.
“It appears to be Miss Ye's quick thinking. I saw her rise before the final ultimate moves collided. She has natural wit and quick judgment. It would be nice if my son learned even half of it.”
“You alone find the Immortal Dragon lacking. If you speak so highly of her, why not arrange a marriage with the Internal Chief Strategist?”
The Moyong Family Head asked with amusement. The Zhuge Family Head's lips curved into a smile.
“That is for the Ye Family Head to decide. My family sent a matchmaker long ago.”
“...I will leave it to my niece's wishes.”
The Ye Family Head, seated nearby, replied bluntly. The Moyong Family Head's angular face tilted slightly.
“Has the Ye Clan not long flourished through political marriages as well? I heard it used many means to expand its commercial influence. Are not its branch relatives spread throughout the Central Plains? Or does the Ye Clan have reservations about the Zhuge Family?”
“I simply cherish my niece greatly.”
“Ah, I had forgotten that the Ye Family Head has no children. Please forgive my thoughtlessness. The Internal Chief Strategist must be like a daughter to you.”
“You are exactly right.”
“Then the Zhuge Family cannot send only ordinary jewelry. Immortal Dragon Jegal Hyeon is a man who lacks nothing, after all.”
The Moyong Family Head spoke with the corner of his mouth raised.
The Zhuge Family Head had already folded his fan. He only smiled faintly, his thoughts impossible to read.
Around then, an unusual sight unfolded atop the martial arena.
Jeong Yeon-shin and Cheon Ju-jin had turned away together and were speaking softly.
White robes fluttered at one side. A woman landed lightly on the floor of the arena.
Tap.
The precious daughter of the Ye Clan approached while holding a cotton towel.
The principles of an exquisite footwork showed through her long legs. A faint aura spread from beneath her feet like vapor.
She looked like a fairy descending from the heavens. Sunlight rippled through the long black hair falling below her shoulders. Even the white cloth covering her eyes was mysterious.
The crowd gasped at her temperament, so different from the Leader of Demon Wings.
The conversation between the two supreme masters stopped.
The boy silently watched the woman walking toward him.
“I can see now.”
Miss Ye came very close as she spoke. He could even feel the aura in her soft breath against him.
Her hand holding the white cloth touched Jeong Yeon-shin's abdomen. The boy, who had been watching her blankly, flinched.
Her lips curved smoothly upward.
“The next match needs to continue, right? I’m the Internal Chief Strategist. You’re the most honored guest among the envoys.”
“There is no need...”
“It’s courtesy befitting your status. You need to maintain your dignity too. You’re the one and only, after all.”
Footnotes:
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