WeTried Translations

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◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈

Episode 264: Master of the Martial Book

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A year ago, the Lord of Yeoryeong, one of the Thirteen Heavens, gave an order to the successor.

"Study the martial world broadly. The world is vast."

It came while they were pursuing a grand scheme.

The Young Lord of Yeoryeong took those familiar words to heart anew.

His master often hid special intentions in a single remark.

Anyone who failed to discern them was not kept close. There had been five previous Young Lords.

As they rushed about to fulfill the old grand plan of destroying Desolate Fortress, it was only right to investigate the imperial family's sword first.

That was how he came to know Seom-ye, Jeong Yeon-shin, after the life-and-death duel between Desolate Fortress and the Namgung Family.

His accomplishments were astonishing. It was not merely that he had won the duel. He had earned the favor of an opponent of that caliber.

Clear Qilin Namgung Se-jin was someone the young heirs of several major factions considered a rival in their race through the martial world.

Among the heroes vying to get ahead, he had surpassed the rest through reputation and talent. Radiant River was an inheritance his other rivals could not have gained while alive.

The Seventh Apostle of the Blood Flame Sect's actions toward Seom-ye had also stirred jealousy among the young martial artists of the Demonic Sect.

It began with her kidnapping Seom-ye, an act that led to the conflict between Desolate Fortress and the Namgung Family.

Yet Jeong Yeon-shin returned unharmed, stronger than before. Looking into their actions afterward, some of their routes had even overlapped.

"She had always been someone to watch. She was absurdly accomplished as a martial artist at such a young age, and she was born with the Blood Flame Sect's noblest blood. Born with the True Blood Physique, she stands above every Blood Art under heaven. Contact with Seom-ye, whose talent is said to rival that of a Grandmaster..."

"Just keep it in mind. There is nothing we can do right now."

The Young Lord received the reports matter-of-factly.

"With the Lord of Desolate Fortress personally appearing to destroy the Blood Flame Sect's main headquarters, a careless attempt at slander may draw the Lord's attention this way. It is not yet time. The Fortress Lord and the World Tree will decline before long anyway. Do not provoke a Martial God on the verge of ascending to immortality without cause. Look into Xinjiang rather than Xiangyang. That Young Sect Master."

"I shall obey."

It was an era when Desolate Fortress dominated the Ming martial world.

Outlaws could not hold their heads high. Wisdom gained from writings and books was valued as highly as martial arts.

Yeoryeong valued both. It was a major faction skilled in plots and schemes.

The Young Lord had inherited that nature as well.

Was it the arrogance that naturally settled in those who wielded both brush and sword? Or perhaps he simply did not wish to watch someone who had entered from beyond the martial world's order.

Even after seeing the previous Young Lords fall from power, he had somewhat overlooked Seom-ye's exceptional nature. Clear Qilin and the Seventh Apostle? Were their sects not in decline?

The sky of the martial world was vast. It held countless comets. The emergence of new talents was common.

With an attitude he should not have had, he delayed his master's assignment. Once Seom-ye donned a black long robe, he began reading stories about him with detached interest.

He stood apart as a third party. The young lord of one of the Thirteen Heavens did not want to reveal his own petty nature. He wanted to deal with Seom-ye at his leisure.

"The imperial family's new sword must not grow this strong. We will root him out."

And that had brought him here.

Rumble!

Yeoryeong's secret Dark Motion Transcending Time Technique divided that brief instant dozens of times.

There was barely enough time for the image reflected in his eyes to reach his mind.

It was just after the Leader of Demon Wings, appearing as though his body had been segmented, cut off the Beast King Sect Leader's right arm and immediately split the upper body of the Protector guarding the Young Lord after a single exchange.

A white storm rose across the snowfield, scattering the sunlight. The shockwaves that sliced at the skin were monstrously violent.

Seom-ye, Jeong Yeon-shin.

He rapidly grew larger, filling the Young Lord's vision.

Perhaps because the moment was so fleeting, the black hem that stretched out like lightning without even having time to ripple left a deep impression.

A massive lotus of lightning wrapped around his body, flickering colorlessly. To anyone watching, it was close to supernatural phenomena.

Seom-ye did not even turn to check the outcome of the fight.

He did not need to. The Protector, counted among Yeoryeong's strongest martial artists, had failed to serve as a decisive weapon in a sect war.

She turned her eyes toward her Young Lord before collapsing. It was instant death. Their gazes never met.

A question abruptly entered the Young Lord's mind.

'How many masters capable of facing Desolate Fortress's Black Uniform is he cutting down by himself?'

Then he asked himself.

'Did I call him a sprout? To call that man...'

Even with help from a single sword strike from the Spirit Sky Sword Ghost, could he kill the Ghost-Spirit Divine Sword?

Could he settle a match against the First Demon of Shaanxi, assuming he possessed opposing qi?

Impossible. Such skill was granted only to a mistake of heaven.

It was what he had unknowingly buried deep inside himself.

Only then did the Young Lord fully understand envy and jealousy, along with the sword light racing toward him with terrifying force.

Impossible to contend with. His infuriatingly beautiful, youthful face was swiftly obscured.

The sight of him carelessly swinging his sword as black sleeves fluttered was overwhelming. A blue beam filled the Young Lord's vision like lightning.

Slash!

* * *

Snow flurries swept over the ridge.

Dry pine needles caught in the white mountain wind struck one another and fell. The sounds of winter rang clearly over the snowy mountain slope.

The battle had stopped. Two masters who could be compared to Desolate Fortress's Black Uniform had fallen.

The supreme swordswoman lay motionless, her head buried in the snow.

Someone who had greatly contributed to the Young Lord's unrivaled standing in the martial world had met her end.

It was a chilling death.

Elsewhere, Beast King Sect Leader Wi Se-hyeok clutched the empty stump of his right shoulder, his eyes rolled back.

His entire body had stiffened as he died. The aftereffects of the Leader of Demon Wings' sword strike had worsened his severe wound. It appeared the unbearable agony had ended his life.

Then the Young Lord lowered himself to the ground.

"Kh, khah..."

The silk robe of the noble young man had been split diagonally. It was the mark left by a sword strike that had raced through like lightning.

Blood seeped from the horrifyingly sharp path. It was an irreversible fatal wound, a sword path joining this world to the Sanzu River on the road to the underworld.

After coughing up blood once, the Young Lord barely parted his lips.

"Why... did you not kill me in one strike...?"

"The thousand-year-old he shou wu."

Jeong Yeon-shin answered calmly.

The flower of Ultimate Thunder that had wrapped around his whole body had already disappeared. At his current level, he could not maintain it any longer.

First, he had to endure the pain rising within his organs, seeming ready to constrict his blood vessels and tear apart his minor meridians.

'It hurts.'

He did not show it.

Enemies still covered the area, so even if he had to bluff, he needed to appear strong.

"Talk. Where did you put it?"

"Kh, khuh... Even if I die here, you cannot handle the Tyrant Sword Sect Master. Even if you somehow avoid them and descend the mountain... our Lord of Yeoryeong will seek revenge. This whole matter... I received the order from my master."

"Thank you."

"...!"

Jeong Yeon-shin paid no attention to the Young Lord's wide-eyed expression. The moment he sensed the strange energy flowing from the man's robes, he snatched up the wooden box from inside them.

He had been activating the Heaven-Displaying Eye Technique at close range. He could see the flow of energy.

"As expected, you are a monster in your own right..."

The Young Lord gave a hollow laugh before continuing.

"Obtaining it is not the end. In the martial world, that is where it begins. Keeping it will be the real problem. They say even the Mount Hua Sect Leader has come here... With the Mount Hua Sword Absolute bedridden, who knows whether she will permit you to have the spirit herb."

"There isn't just one root, is there? My traveling companion said an earth vein leads to the spirit herb."

"..."

At the sudden mention of the herbalist Jang Sun-il, the presence behind them flinched.

Jeong Yeon-shin did not care. He raised his sword and added slowly.

"It is rare for someone who gave a man the sickness to also present him with the cure. You are more generous than heaven."

"They said you had a gift for turning people's insides over... Finish it."

The moment the Young Lord twisted his lips into a smile, a chilling sound rang out.

Thud!

The Northern Light Sword pierced through his torso and drove into the snow.

They said Desolate Fortress martial artists were as ruthless as the military. Jeong Yeon-shin was no different. He had no mercy to offer a Lesser Heavenly Lord of the Thirteen Heavens who had used his niece's life.

Red blood spread around the man's back.

The masters could faintly hear the sound of snow melting, accompanied by the Young Lord's small laugh.

"Leader of Demon Wings... You are not a sprout. You are a sacred spirit herb."

"What?"

"And the spirit herbs that grow in the martial world usually..."

Were plucked by someone's hand.

The Young Lord could not finish. The Leader of Demon Wings had pulled the sword from his abdomen with a reverse grip.

A great groan burst from him. As his strength drained away completely, only ragged breaths left his mouth.

The Young Lord chuckled weakly.

'My jealousy truly knows no end.'

Step.

Jeong Yeon-shin silently turned around after confirming the man's breath had stopped.

He flicked the Northern Light Sword once.

Drip, drip.

Blood scattered in a straight line. Some of the martial artists from the Beast King Sect and the Thirteen Heavens recoiled in alarm.

It was not behavior befitting men who had acted as strong warriors throughout a vast region.

Had Ultimate Thunder left that deep an impression? Even the orthodox martial artists remaining on the ridge looked wary.

He had no time to spare them a glance. Even one swing of his sword brought enormous recoil.

It felt as though hundreds of needles were stabbing the insides of his arms. As he endured that nagging pain, he could not even see the others clearly. He needed to keep walking as though he were strong.

"Let's go."

He spoke to Jang Sun-il and the Bukgung siblings standing in the distance.

This time, their reactions differed completely.

The Ice Palace nobles did not look like the stunned young herbalist. Their distinct features showed deep emotion, enough that a hint of admiration appeared.

"I hope you will visit the Ice Palace someday."

"Even the Palace Lord will restrain a temper sharper than an icicle blade."

The four continued on in silence.

No one dared pursue them.

For a while, only the crunch of footsteps in snow could be heard. Behind their white footprints, quiet stillness followed.

* * *

They broke through the formation with dharma power, leaving the Bukgung siblings' renewed exclamations behind.

The brief respite did not last.

The moment the transparent curtain lifted, chaos unfolded again. The collision of force waves was deafening.

Clumps of snow fell from the branches of towering arborvitae and pine trees.

The battle sparked by rumors of the thousand-year-old he shou wu was drawing to an end.

"Move! Get out of the way!"

"Running is the right choice! We cannot contend with that!"

"It is the Blood Flame Sect's Fourth Apostle!"

Hundreds of presences were strewn about like weeds, but one particularly sinister aura surged violently upward.

It was moving at terrifying speed. Large, chaotic fluctuations of power surged rapidly, like a great bat flapping its wings.

He raced across the steep mountain terrain as though it were flat ground. It almost looked as if he were flying, and his path was aimed directly at Jeong Yeon-shin's group.

It was almost a straight line. He seemed to have cultivated extraordinarily sensitive Sensory Training.

Countless presences were dying. Without slowing his steps for even a moment, he sent more than ten heads flying with each move.

It was the Blood Flame Sect's Fourth Apostle. His martial skill was naturally formidable.

That was the problem. With his current internal injuries, Jeong Yeon-shin could not be certain of victory.

"Get out of the way."

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke with narrowed eyes.

He looked at the hill across from them. The man would come up from there.

It was a divide between life and death.

"And."

Without waiting for his companions' response, he briefly gestured toward his traveling pack.

Shhk!

The qi waves of Myriad Flowers Rain surged from his hand. Books drawn from within the pack rose into the air, their pages fluttering.

The young herbalist Jang Sun-il slightly opened his mouth. The books circling Jeong Yeon-shin seemed strangely mysterious.

"Sun-il, you said your family's enemy was among the unorthodox sects. Take one volume. It may help. I cannot give you the spirit herb."

"Y-yes...?"

The moment Jang Sun-il blankly asked back, a huge shockwave rang out from the hill across from them.

Boom!

It was the recoil of a lightness skill dash.

A figure wearing a red long robe shot upward like a bird of prey. He was a man with hair black as ebony.

"I came to the right place."

Eyes shining red as if condensed from blood swept over the group. Blood dripped from both his arms.

Powerful aura surrounded his entire body, with blood-colored currents flashing intermittently through the translucent vortex. He looked capable of anything.

In truth, he had killed dozens of people at once on his way up.

Even Desolate Fortress's Black Uniform masters would have needed to face him at full strength. That was inevitable when the opponent was the Blood Flame Sect's Fourth Apostle.

"The facial-feature portrait is not enough! I must kill that portrait painter bastard!"

The Fourth Apostle shouted cheerfully from midair as he looked down at Jeong Yeon-shin. His tooth-baring smile looked exceptionally vicious. He seemed prepared to attack boldly at any moment.

"Grand Preceptor, someone impersonating the Sect Master's authority is targeting you. If you do not come with me..."

Then it happened.

Hummm.

The sky darkened. Red light rose from beneath the earth.

They met above and below as if in a dream, with the Fourth Apostle's waist at the center. It resembled a horizon.

A reddish sunset bloomed along the dim, long boundary line.

Shock filled the Fourth Apostle's face.

"Purple Haze Divine Technique...!"

In that instant, his body split in two.

Slash!

Blood scattered like petals. The horrific sight felt like a noble art.

It was deeply dreamlike.

Jeong Yeon-shin could not confirm the Fourth Apostle's end. He needed to pay attention to the scent of plum blossoms that had silently approached his side.

It was the presence of the Mount Hua Sect Leader, Starflower Sword God Yulha Nangnang. A whisper that came with clear breathing brushed against his ear.

"A draft of the Comprehensive Guide to Annihilating Evil Demons. Written by Seom-ye. The Unorthodox Thirteen Heavens section...?"

The Leader of Demon Wings knew which portion she was reading without turning his head. It would be the table of contents written in one of the books spread around them.

It consisted of six parts.

I. Tyrant Sword Sect

II. Blood Flame Sect

III. Heart Martial Union

IV. Ten Perfect Sect

V. Pure Demon Alliance

VI. Yeoryeong

"What is this...?"

Doubt colored Yulha Nangnang's voice.

Footnotes:

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