WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈
Episode 254: Ascent (4)
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“...”
For a moment, the martial artists present were at a loss for words.
Experts in internal qi arts were generally people who understood the human body thoroughly. One could not complete a major circulation of qi without knowing the acupoints and meridians throughout the body.
That was why seeing the Leader of Demon Wings open his eyes bordered on the incomprehensible.
Everyone had discerned the sword wounds and internal injuries he had suffered. None had failed to examine their Squad Leader's condition in detail.
“Could it be something like a final resurgence...?”
“Hm? What did you say?”
Demon Wings was a band of combative martial artists.
As the man who had carelessly mentioned final resurgence staggered back after Cheong Myeong struck his solar plexus with the back of his hand, Baek Mir-yeo and Hyeon Won-chang crouched beside their Squad Leader's head.
“How many...?”
“Five.”
Jeong Yeon-shin answered calmly, taking his eyes off the Desolate Fortress Divine Hero's hand, its fingers fully spread.
Above him was the Mount Hua Sect Leader's slender jawline. Still lying down, Yeon-shin shifted only his eyes to look up at her.
“My health is poor, so I must receive an honored guest while lying like this. I hope you'll forgive me.”
He had ended up returning the exact words Yulha Nangnang had spoken when she first blocked his path. There had been no particular intent behind it.
The Starflower Sword God of Mount Hua seemed to take it that way as well. The corner of her lips lifted slightly. Her smile was elegant, like a white plum blossom.
A faint fragrance drifted from her. It was something he could sense only through aura sense.
‘Overwhelming.’
Yeon-shin thought.
If he had to name it, it was sword fragrance. It was exceedingly dangerous. The invisible Protective Qi Technique surrounding her entire body looked like a cluster of flowers that could shatter and scatter at any moment.
It felt as if she were constantly shrouded in Myriad Flowers Rain. Was this the secret of Mount Hua Sect's Twenty-Four-Hand Plum Blossom Sword Art?
He saw through it without even activating the Heaven-Displaying Eye Technique. It was instinct.
‘At the Martial Alliance Assembly, I gained so much from the Sword Star, but...’
The Mount Hua Sect Leader's body was different yet again. The Sword Star had shown him ever-changing practicality in battle, while Yulha Nangnang felt as though she stood atop a lofty peak.
Even her aura was strangely ethereal, as if it floated above the ground. It felt as though she could work any wonder with her sword.
It suited one of the Nine Sects, martial lineages said to belong to immortals.
“Does this poor Daoist interest you that much?”
Yulha Nangnang spoke, still smiling.
“They said Seom-ye of Desolate Fortress had impudent eyes. Looking into them feels like bathing in a bottomless hot spring on a famed mountain. It gives me goosebumps, but I don't dislike it.”
She gathered the sleeves of her pink Daoist robe. Her manner was elegant yet playful, but there was nothing amusing about it.
This was a world where the strong devoured the weak. Everyone had to take seriously the conduct of an absolute expert who held the power of life and death over all present.
“So, what do you see in this poor Daoist?”
Yulha Nangnang asked.
She showed no particular displeasure. Instead, she tilted her head to one side, urging him to answer.
She was curious how she appeared in the eyes of a prodigy rarely seen under heaven. It was the bearing of a practitioner of the Nine Sects.
They had both noticed the other's insight. Refusing was difficult.
Yeon-shin spoke at once. Inspiration had risen within him for the first time in a while since meeting the Sword Star.
He had saved her nephew. Surely he could indulge in a little enjoyment.
“Just now, the aura gathered around the Sect Leader's collarbones resembled plum blossom petals. Two currents, swift and slow, complement one another. Rather than the Five Elements, Six Harmonies, or Eight Trigrams, it seems to incorporate the gaps within Taiji. The sunset glow of the Purple Haze Divine Technique may literally be power born from the atmosphere between day and night.”
“Hm?”
“A sharp yet blunt wall of inner energy flows unceasingly throughout your body. The way you have woven your Protective Qi Technique from sword qi is deeply impressive. Looking at that structure of power, the world of martial arts truly seems boundless. I can only thank you for showing me a realm where offense and defense are one.”
Yeon-shin spoke softly.
In doing so, he found a clue to the Protective Qi Technique.
Mount Hua Sect was not known for its inner energy barriers, but peerless experts worthy of comparison to Desolate Fortress Purple Uniforms seemed to surpass the realm of mastery in inner energy and weapon arts, overcoming the limits of their own martial arts.
The Sword Star had been the same. From up close, Yeon-shin had seen a terrifying depth.
Speaking while lying down did not make for a dignified sight.
His body was too uncomfortable for him to raise both hands in a fist-and-palm salute. He could only flutter his eyelids slightly to show respect.
“You have permitted my gaze upon you. The bearing of the orthodox Nine Sects is truly clean and upright. I am indebted to you, Sect Leader.”
His tone was exceedingly respectful.
Yulha Nangnang's white chin lifted slightly. She gazed toward the distant sky.
“...We do call ourselves a pure Daoist sanctuary. Our teachings differ from those of the secular world. The character of our sect has resembled Mount Hua from generation to generation. The plants that push through its barren stone mountains are so clear and green that I have always hoped every disciple would be the same.”
“It truly seems that way.”
Yeon-shin answered with unvarnished admiration. He even nodded.
The dignity of a Nine Sects leader was dazzling. It was an aura few could approach.
“...Yes, your praise pleases me well enough. Focus on recovering.”
Yulha Nangnang gave her sleeve a broad flick.
“Let us return.”
She gave the order to her disciples. She no longer wished to meet Yeon-shin's eyes.
Yu Hyeon, who had only been blinking beside them, hurriedly raised his head.
“Master!”
“I said we're leaving.”
“I finally met a friend after so long...”
“The martial world of Shaanxi will soon become a battlefield. The Tyrant Sword Sect, Blood Flame Sect, and Yeoryeong will run rampant. How can you afford to linger? Didn't you read the Beggars’ Sect's letter as well?”
“...”
“The Tyrant Sword Sect Master and the Blood Flame Sect's First Apostle are serious problems. Zhongnan has been destroyed, while the Leader of Demon Wings has fulfilled his duty and lies wounded there. Do not trouble the supreme expert who defeated and killed the Ghost-Spirit Divine Sword and the First Demon of Shaanxi. Rather than troubling him, you should be wishing him a swift recovery.”
Yulha Nangnang turned away.
Swish.
Her white-socked feet touched only the tips of the grass. Clear dew silently slid down the blades.
It was exceptionally light footwork. A quiet, eye-catching grace flowed from her.
She possessed the lofty dignity of plum blossoms in full bloom, but to Yu Hyeon's eyes, she looked only as though she were fleeing. The young Daoist thought, I know that feeling.
“Haa...”
“I'll contact you. It looks like I won't be able to leave Shaanxi for a while.”
Yeon-shin spoke as he glanced at Mount Hua Sect's favorite target, who was sighing beside him.
There had been the Seven Great Sects of Xian, the Ghost-Spirit Divine Sword, and even Yeoryeong's Shaanxi Branch. He had run without rest all this time. He truly needed to recover now.
Fwoooosh...
A clear wind suddenly blew. With the situation settled, he could finally feel the wonders of nature.
A winter wind slipped through the gaps in the crowd surrounding them, swept over his sleeping bag, and rose upward. Its cool touch passed over Yeon-shin's numb skin.
Demon Wings said nothing to their Squad Leader. After seeing how he spoke to the Mount Hua Sect Leader, they keenly felt that he was all right.
They simply enjoyed the familiar silence after battle. It was time to calm their excited bodies and minds.
They remained that way until Languid Flame Dragon awoke.
“Hm...? The Squad Leader's aura is quite faint. Did it work?”
“If it were your burial, we'd be about ready to start.”
One of the Demon Wings martial artists answered.
After a brief explanation, Languid Flame Dragon scattered a cluster of vivid red flowers over the grave beside him.
“You've picked up something awful.”
“You scoundrel, I can see another one in your clothes. Take them all out.”
“Damn it...”
* * *
The Sobaek Sect.
It was a lay branch of Zhongnan Sect. The only one of Xi’an's seven unorthodox sects whose lineage had not been cut off, it had hosted the surviving Zhongnan Sect disciples and Demon Wings as honored guests since the day after Yeoryeong's Shaanxi Branch, which had been posing as an escort agency, collapsed.
The sect had been called one of the Seven Great Sects of Xian.
Its grounds were extensive. There was even a small lake and pavilion deep within the manor.
This was where even wealthy secular sects housed only their most valued guests. Ordinary visitors could never stay there.
Step.
A swordswoman walked carefully, her black hair falling long down her back.
Her blue robes fluttered in the winter wind with every step. She had beautiful features and clear, defined eyes.
Weiji Myo-hwa, the Cloud Sword Dragon.
As a disciple of the sect leader of the destroyed Zhongnan Sect, she had ended up living among the clouds, just as her epithet suggested.
The darkest place was beneath the lamp. She had hidden herself in the Sobaek Sect, which was passing itself off as an unorthodox sect, while staying with Demon Wings.
“Benefactor.”
Her lips moved.
The Leader of Demon Wings, seated in the center of a bronze-colored pavilion, opened his eyes. It was an octagonal pavilion open on all sides beneath its roof. Weiji Myo-hwa immediately met his gaze.
“Great Hero Sword Dragon.”
A faint smile formed on his lips.
The way Yeon-shin addressed Weiji Myo-hwa had never changed. It remained the same from his days as a Desolate Fortress White Uniform to now, when he was a Squad Leader.
Only now did Weiji Myo-hwa realize this anew. Perhaps her greater reverence for Yeon-shin as her benefactor was why she had noticed it only now.
She had felt immense relief because he had killed the First Demon of Shaanxi and rescued Jeong Hye.
Her sect had been destroyed. Had further despair been added to that, she might have collapsed entirely.
The word benefactor slipped from her lips more naturally than when she had received the restored Nine Yang One Breath on Mount Zhongnan.
“Was breakfast to your liking?”
“Yes. I can use chopsticks by myself now.”
Yeon-shin answered calmly. There was a small note of pride in his voice.
Shaanxi had become a battlefield for a sect war. Seven days had passed since he killed the First Demon of Shaanxi. He had been able to move about since the day before yesterday.
Large movements were still difficult.
Still, it was enough that he no longer had to be fed by his overly fussy subordinates. The Jeong Family Youth Technique's power had accelerated his recovery.
He could now hold light objects such as a spoon, chopsticks, and a brush. He had recovered enough to operate the Light Wheel Record a little, which was how he had driven away his Demon Wings companions.
No one could resist an enraged Squad Leader. They should have known to keep their teasing within reason.
“Ah.”
Weiji Myo-hwa smiled slightly.
“You have found peace.”
“Yes, a little.”
“No. More than when you first came to Mount Zhongnan.”
Yeon-shin felt slightly embarrassed.
“Come to think of it, didn't you say you traveled with the Sword Demon of the Heart Martial Union?”
“...I received great help. It was kindness that saved my life.”
The Sword Venerable of Henan rose in Weiji Myo-hwa's mind.
Baek Seo-gun, who had made enemies of the Tyrant Sword Sect and Yeoryeong to save Jeong Hye, had said she would have to watch over Seom-ye for a long time. She did not appear to know that Yeon-shin was short-lived.
‘I have no standing to mention it.’
Weiji Myo-hwa slowly parted her lips.
“Benefactor, a guest as valuable as she is has come to see you. His status is far from ordinary.”
“Do you mean the Mount Hua Sect Leader? Or is it the status of the person accompanying her...?”
“Both. It is embarrassing to pretend I am absent and hide myself. I am glad your aura sense seems unchanged, at least.”
A clear voice rang out from behind the wall. Yulha Nangnang walked out with light steps.
A man in a green official's uniform followed behind her. Beneath his neat official cap were sharp eyes.
“Since I happened to visit Xi’an after some time, I brought along someone seeking the Lord of the Radiant Art Stronghold.”
“I am Surveillance Censor So Un.”
The man did not offer a greeting. A faint hostility showed on his face.
“A Surveillance Censor?”
Yeon-shin quietly repeated.
“That is correct. Sect Master of a newly risen unorthodox sect. I have heard the rumor that Wang Wi-su, the Prefect under this office's jurisdiction, was murdered by the Lord of the Radiant Art Stronghold. In short, I intend to treat you as a prime suspect.”
Surveillance Censor So Un spoke.
‘What needless worry. These are times when starvation is common. The tribute revenue will not change much. As long as there is no change in the money flowing upward, the rest is simply connections and political influence. Fortunately, the Surveillance Censor understands this office's intentions well.’
Remembering the Prefect's words, Yeon-shin turned his gaze to Yulha Nangnang.
“Does he know me only as the Lord of the Radiant Art Stronghold?”
“Is it for this poor Daoist, a mere recluse, to speak first about state affairs? If the Surveillance Censor says the state needs it, I should comply. Besides, this is an old connection of mine.”
She answered with a bright smile. She had lured the corrupt official into a trap.
Yeon-shin nodded silently before speaking.
“Let us hear the Sect Leader's purpose first.”
“How dare you...!”
So Un's lips trembled. He could not help being angry. Even if the exchange between the Mount Hua Sect Leader and the Lord of the Radiant Art Stronghold was strange, it was still outrageous.
As the imperial family's sword, a Surveillance Censor wielded authority beyond official rank. There were rarely matters beyond his expectations.
From the perspective of an official who had come to despise martial artists all the more because of Desolate Fortress, the haughty attitude of an unorthodox sect leader was hard to accept.
Yet the Mount Hua Sect Leader, who should have been his ally, readily nodded at the words of a scoundrel.
“The world is in chaos. Shaanxi is even more disorderly.”
“I know. I have heard the rumors from my sickbed.”
Yeon-shin recalled the messages he had received.
[Shaanxi, Gongchang Prefecture. Tyrant Sword Sect Master sighted. Three factions in Gongchang Prefecture destroyed. Civilian casualties are mounting.]
[Shaanxi, Fengxiang Prefecture. The Blood Flame Sect's First Apostle, who defeated the Mount Hua Sword Absolute, massacred the common people of Fengyou County. They appear to be searching for something. Their attacks spare neither civilians nor martial artists.]
[Blood demons of the Blood Flame Sect are spreading throughout Shaanxi. Clashes between martial artists are breaking out constantly.]
“Please sit here. You as well, Great Hero Sword Dragon.”
The Leader of Demon Wings moved the brush, paper, ink, and books from the writing table aside.
A cover still carrying the scent of fresh ink briefly showed between his fingers.
Draft of the Comprehensive Guide to Annihilating Evil Demons.
Written by Seom-ye.
The words were written in neat regular script.
They drew the eyes of Yulha Nangnang and Weiji Myo-hwa as they entered the pavilion.
Footnotes:
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