WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈
Episode 221: Radiant Edge Art
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It was noon.
A brilliant sky stretched over the enormous roof. It was a deep blue.
Indigo tiles swept along elegant curves, lending the place the air of an old, distinguished family.
Thud!
White overshoes struck the Training Hall floor, leaving a deep imprint. The inner energy erupting from the Yongquan acupoint in the sole was disciplined and controlled.
As the girl used True Step, the Leader of Demon Wings’ form seemed to overlap with her fist art. The fist she drove straight ahead did as well.
Bang!
Her fist pierced the air. The long sleeve trailing from her wrist fluttered white.
It was an incredibly fierce movement. Force Projection burst from her small fist and swept through the air like a gale.
True Barrier. The second form of the Sihwa Boundless Fist.
It did not end there. Her fist art continued without pause.
Whoosh!
With Helix, the first form, she released spiraling Spinning Thread Force.
After unleashing force strong enough to scatter the dust beneath her feet, she immediately performed the third form.
Fist Flower.
As she stepped forward, the fist she extended blossomed like a flower.
An invisible force wave wrapped around her right arm and scattered in every direction. The roar of tearing air battered the space again and again.
Crack!
Then she relaxed and brought both feet together. The transparent force gathered around her right arm shattered and dispersed.
Her long braided hair stirred in the faint wind, lifting for a moment with a glossy sheen.
The girl stood upright and lowered her hands.
Even the recoil at the end of an attack had to be controlled with her entire body. Every move carried tremendous force.
At its core, the Sihwa Boundless Fist was a single-strike fist art designed for swift, decisive battles.
Its rapid and powerful mnemonic formula was its essence. Ending carelessly would inevitably strain the body.
Shin So-bin of Demon Wings understood the Sihwa Boundless Fist deeply.
‘The more I train in it, the more I realize it. This is a supreme art that truly teaches one how to use the body properly. I have to master it.’
The deeper her attainment in the fist art became, the closer she felt to her senior.
She could fully sense the martial principles he pursued, along with the meaning inherent in that martial logic.
Its mnemonic formula spoke of thunderous Force Projection born from calm intent.
Such direct, unadorned essentials were not easy to learn.
They relied heavily on the practitioner’s senses. That was why martial artists of the Seom-ye Martial Lineage generally possessed exceptional comprehension.
Shin So-bin stood out even among them.
She had not reached complete mastery. She could not yet fully grasp its mysteries or pour all her inner energy into it.
Only Senior Jeong, the creator of the martial art, could likely do that. It was still a newly created art.
Still, she was satisfied with her progress.
She had attained eighty percent mastery of the Sihwa Boundless Fist and could wield Phantom Wing Step with ease.
If someone asked who stood at the top of the Seom-ye Martial Lineage, she would point to herself without hesitation.
Could even Blue Uniform experts surpass her understanding?
“You’ve reached the realm of fist image. That’s an admirable achievement.”
A woman slowly rose from a tree stump at one side of the Training Hall.
“That fist art suits you well. I can tell just from the solidity of its image. I was worried at first, but I can rest a little easier if you’ve reached this level. Above all, the one who created that fist art is your direct superior.”
Shin So-bin turned toward her and remained silent. Rather than reply, she simply looked at the elder of her family.
The middle-aged woman wore splendid clothes and carried a white treasured sword at her waist.
The calm aura surrounding her attested to her attainment as a swordsman.
Her orange long robe was embroidered with white thread that gleamed silver in the sunlight.
It suited the composed air around her.
“You put it that way, yet you still cannot accept it.”
Shin So-bin spoke with a furrowed brow.
“Didn’t you keep me here because you disliked that I turned my back on the Heaven-Reaching Martial Scripture? Because you don’t like that I learned a martial art with no history?”
“Do you not know that I am not looking down on the Seom-ye Martial Lineage? There is simply an order to the martial arts that the direct line of our family must prioritize.”
The reply was gentle.
The Family Head of the Desolate Shin Family in the main fortress was said to be an outstanding figure who had elevated her family.
Shaking Moon Jade Sword, Shin Seol-ha.
She was a peerless swordsman, known as much for fostering the potential of her bloodline as for her swordsmanship.
Unlike other Family Heads, she was respected despite not joining Desolate Fortress’s uniform hierarchy. Privately, she was Shin So-bin’s mother.
“Think about it. Our family has produced countless masters over the generations. Each of them filled the ranks of the Divine Sword Squad. They set aside the name of the Desolate Shin Family and took on the identity of elite forces such as the Divine Sword Squad and the Annihilation Squad. Of course, that is as it should be. It is why prestigious families under the main fortress exist, and it is the duty they must fulfill. But…”
Shin Seol-ha’s gentle eyes suddenly hardened.
“If even the direct line does the same, will not the family name fade away? The legacy of a martial family is passed down through its martial arts. You reached White Uniform at the same age as the Leader of Demon Wings. You have the potential to surpass Blue Uniform and set your sights on Black Uniform someday. Can you truly not understand? Your signature ultimate technique will one day carry great significance.”
She approached Shin So-bin as she spoke.
Her words were directed at the cherished daughter of the Desolate Shin Family. The White Uniform martial artist of Demon Wings did not agree. Instead, she frowned.
“That is the same as looking down on it. You think our Squad Leader’s martial lineage is not valuable enough to surpass the Heaven-Reaching Martial Scripture of our main family. You’re telling me to raise the family name instead, aren’t you?”
“You never change.”
“That’s what I wish to say to you.”
“As you say, the history accumulated in our family’s Heaven-Reaching Martial Scripture runs very deep. It is by no means inferior to the Leader of Demon Wings’ unique martial art. It was a supreme art that my elder cousin used to establish the foundation of his martial arts. You have not forgotten that the Annihilation Squad Leader is your mother’s cousin, have you?”
“He is a master of Divine Flame Twin Hands, not the Heaven-Reaching Martial Scripture. As you said, he probably only used it to establish his foundation. He became Black Uniform at an older age than our Squad Leader did too.”
“The martial arts of the Seom-ye Martial Lineage will not guarantee the same growth as the Leader of Demon Wings.”
Shin Seol-ha pressed her lips firmly together.
Shin So-bin sighed.
“How long do you intend to keep me confined?”
“I told you, until you reflect on yourself. Yet even your tone has not changed. I heard Demon Wings had a rough spirit… I had only heard rumors, but I did not know it was this bad. Please show your Family Head the proper respect.”
“I cannot accept your decision. Even the grounds for it are wrong. My older sister insulted my superior first. I only punished her appropriately as a martial artist of Demon Wings. It was a fair spar. How many times must I say it? Won’t outsiders criticize us?”
“I have heard enough of your side. The Leader of Demon Wings will come looking for you once he returns, so I will meet him and speak with him.”
“Our Squad Leader?”
Shin So-bin’s face paled slightly. Even her straight brows beneath her black bangs twitched.
Embarrassment and worry showed clearly on her face. It was an expression that revealed exactly what she felt.
“I have heard that he is a reasonable person. They say he even goes out of his way to show courtesy to the scholars of the Chief Steward’s Office. His reputation is very good.”
“…”
“There were concerns about his temperament because he inherited Tyrant Hero’s bloodline, but they have all been dispelled. They say he has the capacity to become the Divine Sword Squad Leader decades from now… I believe he will understand what I mean. I will receive him with courtesy.”
Shin Seol-ha spoke with a smile.
Silence passed. Shin So-bin did not answer.
‘They are a Family Head and a Squad Leader. This… will be hard for me to stop.’
The girl recalled an old piece of common knowledge. From the martial world’s perspective, Desolate Fortress was a major faction between orthodox and unorthodox.
It faithfully followed the law of the strong preying on the weak. Such a disposition suited her Squad Leader, who had lately seemed like the embodiment of a raging storm.
* * *
Divine Blood Extreme Demon Jin Myeong-jo sat cross-legged with his eyes half-open.
A dim light slipped through the gap between his narrowed eyelids. Sunlight hanging by the window of Wonpyeong One Sword Hall reached him in a blunt haze.
That was how it felt against his skin.
This should not have been possible.
Naturally. This was no place to remain sane.
The Grand Chief Steward spoke while holding a document reinforced with green silk.
“This concerns the number of weapons to be supplied to each martial squad…”
“Skip through it.”
The man said to have been Tyrant Hero spoke.
His youthful appearance had made the claim hard to believe at first.
His words and martial skill made it convincing. If that was not Tyrant Hero, then who was?
He did not treat every agenda item the same way. Still, he had repeated those words several times.
No one could say anything. The dignified atmosphere of Wonpyeong One Sword Hall had fallen apart.
Xiahou Wi-jin and Ak Su-rim, who normally maintained discipline, seemed to have completely withdrawn from the assembly. The way they lowered their heads or pretended not to notice was almost absurd.
“…”
Xiahou Wi-jin remained still, both hands resting on his knees.
He carried himself as quietly as an elven Shaolin monk who had trained while facing a wall for decades.
All traces of his bold and unconventional manner were gone.
It seemed that, having served under Tyrant Hero for many years in his youth, he still could not abandon the posture of a subordinate.
Ak Su-rim was worse. She sat as far from Tyrant Hero as possible and pulled the new Leader of Demon Wings into the seat beside her.
For the time it took to drink a cup of tea, she kept glaring at Seom-ye.
She was the greatest master among the Black Uniforms, with the deepest inner energy. How long could a single cup of tea feel to her?
She did not take her eyes off her young junior for even a moment. Her slightly raised eyes even looked somewhat pitiful.
That was how Thousand Fists, Dragon-Powered Divine Official and the Desolate Divine Spear acted. It was a sight no one would easily believe.
Lord of the Immortal Wood Spirit Cheon So-so and Law Enforcement Squad Leader Un So-yu also attended the assembly with their gazes slightly lowered.
They did not look like the people who had once been eager to tear Jin Myeong-jo apart because of his bloodline. Did they think keeping their mouths shut with elegant poise would make them seem different?
‘Ha!’
Jin Myeong-jo scoffed inwardly. Not one of these high-and-mighty elves could hold their head high.
He was suffering just as much, though. The round table had been broken, so the Squad Leaders sat closer together.
The faint aura spreading from the Leader of Demon Wings seemed to cut into his skin.
He could not show his discomfort.
He had reduced the three Blue Uniform martial artists he was meant to send with a letter to two. He had acted like a senior for no good reason.
That was an achievement built on pretending to be bold. He could not let it be exposed. He would receive a challenge to spar.
‘Damn it…!’
Jin Myeong-jo straightened his back with an indifferent expression. He held himself with extreme dignity. It was the most conspicuous posture in the room.
At once, the Leader of Demon Wings’ gaze landed on him. His black eyes seemed to gleam. Seom-ye somehow avoided the Desolate Divine Spear’s stare.
“Will Demon Wings go to Shaanxi alone for the mission?”
Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly asked.
The Grand Chief Steward nodded vaguely.
“Officially, yes. But… I am more concerned about the Tyrant Sword Sect Master they may encounter than the Yeoryeong supreme master pretending to be the sect leader of the Baiyang Sect.”
“Shaanxi is as large as a decent-sized country. Is that not an excessive concern?”
“Shaanxi is vast, and the Baiyang Sect is in its northern region, so it is extremely unlikely to happen. Still, the Leader of Demon Wings is a rising supreme master who symbolizes the future of the main fortress. It would be right to send even a scout. I am considering the Blood Guard Squad Leader first. His innate yin qi is unmatched, so the range of his aura sense is extremely wide. He should be able to escape before encountering the Tyrant Sword Sect Master.”
“Hmm?”
Jin Myeong-jo’s hand, which had been folded across his chest, twitched.
Desperately, but with a face meant to appear calm, he spoke.
“That seems like excessive staffing. Does the Chief Steward’s Office underestimate the Leader of Demon Wings’ strength? With Seom-ye’s aura sense and Body Movement Scripture, there are not many things under heaven that can harm him. This Jin considers his junior an equal Squad Leader. He is a supreme master who has no need for protection.”
The corners of Jeong Yeon-shin’s mouth moved slightly.
Being recognized by those of the main fortress often filled the emptiness that had begun during his time at Jeong Family Manor.
It came to him with a warmth he could never have imagined in childhood. That was why he did not simply dislike Ak Su-rim, whose temperament had even undergone Rejuvenation, but felt close to her.
He liked the warmth of his seniors. Even her glare from beside him felt somewhat cute.
‘If Senior Ak or Senior Jin becomes the scout, that would be fine too.’
At that moment, Ma Yeon-jeok showed rare satisfaction.
“I value what you said. That Dragon family brat is blessed with capable people. While this old man had set aside the title of Divine Sword, a useful fellow must have entered.”
He continued with a laugh.
“Go.”
“…”
The Grand Chief Steward seated beside Ma Yeon-jeok turned another page in the document and read it. The matter passed naturally.
“Lastly, there is the matter of the promotion examinations for unranked disciples and White Uniform martial artists. White Uniform promotion and Blue Uniform promotion are at stake, respectively, so they are important matters. Would the Leader of Demon Wings, with his sharp eye, take charge? The Heaven-Treading Forest Squad Leader and the Lord of the Immortal Wood Spirit must head directly to the headquarters of the Ming Cult. The matter involving the Swift Heaven Wing Squad is urgent…”
“Gladly.”
Jeong Yeon-shin nodded readily. When he had been White Uniform, he had taken the Blue Uniform examination under the observation of the Annihilation Squad Leader.
Now, he would oversee examinations as a Squad Leader himself. He had already recommended the promotions of Hyeon Won-chang and Languid Flame Dragon.
The Grand Chief Steward smiled.
“You are refreshingly decisive. Let us conclude today’s assembly here.”
“The Grand Chief Steward and all my seniors have worked hard.”
He rose from his seat without delay. With his grandfather’s sudden intrusion, he could not sit still.
He could clear up the misunderstanding surrounding the Comprehensive Guide to Breaking the Orthodox Sects when his grandfather was not present. For now, avoiding humiliation came first.
Step.
Jeong Yeon-shin moved. He intended to head directly to the Desolate Shin Family.
He needed to bring back his junior Shin So-bin, organize Demon Wings’ fighting strength, and resolve the conflict.
“Yeon-shin, why are you leaving first? I fear your impatience may return as misfortune someday, so this grandfather wishes to teach you the Way of Tea.”
“I will ask another time, Grandfather.”
Without looking back, he left.
Footnotes:
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