WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈

Episode 382: The World (6)

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Right after the Pure Demon Alliance Leader and the Seventh Apostle were flung away in opposite directions,

the Qingcheng Sect leader immediately rushed toward the Pure Demon Alliance Leader, while Venerable Baekyak of Ami surveyed the surroundings with a deep, serene gaze.

She seemed to be guarding against something with her broad aura sense.

Peerless masters who had attained transcendence through martial arts.

When crisis struck, it was rare for them to act together. Each possessed an unwavering inner vision of their own.

It was difficult even to guess what lay in their hearts. This was especially true of the supreme figures of the Nine Sects, who had cultivated themselves deeply enough to see through chaotic gods and demon immortals alike.

Nor could words compel their actions. They were too overwhelmingly powerful.

Jeong Yeon-shin was no different. Though this unexpected situation had unfolded, the sect leaders of Qingcheng and Ami had not conveyed any particular intention to him.

He found that only natural.

After glancing at the Pure Demon Alliance Leader and Daoist Cheong-su, Jeong Yeon-shin prepared to leap after the Seventh Apostle. If he weighed gratitude against grudges, gratitude came first.

He had lacked bonds with others since childhood. Even now, he was plagued by impatience and a sense of emptiness, though he did not fully recognize it himself.

"My great, young Grand Preceptor, there are places I must visit for a while."

That was how he had felt until the Seventh Apostle, rapidly growing distant, spoke to him.

For the first time, he sensed her true intentions. Her voice carried a clear refusal.

"The previous Sect Master cleverly twisted the Buddha's teachings to expand the faith. He used to teach karmic recompense and reincarnation. The more infidel blood you took, the more freedom you would enjoy in your next life. He told me never to put even mixed blood to my lips, but..."

Her gentle whisper brushed his ears. Jeong Yeon-shin unconsciously stopped using Ten Miles of Deep Light.

"The karma of our sect is blood karma. Now it all belongs to me, because I am the Sect Master. And blood karma cannot be burned away through ordinary penance."

There was something strange about her tone.

"I'm sorry to make you sad, my Grand Preceptor."

She was speaking of the Tang siblings.

A sorrowful madness lingered in her words. Her obsession and possessiveness still clung to him, yet there was also a sense of release.

The Seventh Apostle left like that.

Jeong Yeon-shin could do nothing but come to a complete stop.

Even now, after following Daoist Cheong-su down when he seemed to have sensed something anew, her words still rang in his ears. The emptiness left by her departing shadow felt desolate.

It was like the loneliness that washed over him like moonlight whenever he thought of Clear Qilin, Immortal Dragon, or the Tang siblings.

Neither Demon Wings nor any fellow Squad Leaders were there.

He was alone.

"What are you thinking about? You haven't made the first move."

A small, crystalline voice scattered his faint thoughts.

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly raised his head.

He already held the divine sword Lingering Thunder, his whole body filled with qi, but he did not feel that his sword could reach the being before him even if he struck at once.

"Calculating my moves."

The Golden-Wing Sect Master's small face tilted to one side.

"Did you have the talent for such things?"

"I always needed it before the Unity of essence, qi, and spirit. My head hurt, just as it does now."

"You usually faced masters above your own level."

She nodded as though she understood. Her voice held no special force. There was an unadorned ease to her.

They stood in the middle of a village, with a vast mountain range behind them and an endless horizon ahead.

The silence was heavy.

Jeong Yeon-shin gazed steadily at Sichuan's Greatest Martial Artist.

Though her body stood far below his eye level, she did not look small. Her invisible stature produced an overwhelming presence.

There was no opening.

She was unlike the Ten Perfect Sect Master, who had lost his inner power to the Blood Flame Sect Master, or the Pure Demon Alliance Leader, whose martial arts were fundamentally incompatible with Jeong Yeon-shin's.

This was an opponent against whom he had to compete purely through martial arts.

She had no weakness. He could not even guess her realm.

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips.

"Does the Golden-Wing Sect have no shame?"

"Shame?"

"A group is chasing the commoners who fled just now. I recognize the aura of your sect. What do you intend to do after catching even the children?"

Jeong Yeon-shin could sense them with his aura sense. They were people he had encountered in the Golden-Wing Sect before.

He felt the auras of spiritual beast hunters pursuing the villagers, including an elderly Protector wielding a great saber and others armed with all kinds of strange weapons.

The Golden-Wing Sect Master's lips twitched slightly. It almost looked like a smirk.

"Because of you. We need to gather the dharma treasures and offerings again. We will reopen the Flood Dragon Formation here."

"What?"

"Spiritual beasts like pure innate qi. One child is better than two adults."

Innate qi.

The energy a person possessed from birth. Turbid energy accumulated as one lived. That was why tales of monsters devouring children were so common among the people.

Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes sharpened.

Typical of the Thirteen Heavens of the Demonic Sect. Their very way of thinking was warped.

"You're not even worth a Southern fried chicken leg..."

"Hm? I like fried chicken legs."

The Golden-Wing Sect Master's carefree words did not truly reach his ears. Protecting the commoners while facing her at the same time was not a question of whether it was possible. The idea itself was absurd.

What should he do?

"I'll... go!"

A voice sounded from behind him, broken by a cough between the words. The Qingcheng Sect leader was rising while supporting himself with his sword.

Without turning around, Jeong Yeon-shin spoke.

"The Golden-Wing Sect's Left Protector is at the head of them. You seem to have suffered severe internal injuries, Daoist Master. I am concerned about your condition."

"Be especially wary of the Heaven-Governing Dragon-Slaying Art. This sect's Azure Cloud Crimson Haze Sword could not stand against it."

Ignoring Jeong Yeon-shin's concern, he offered advice instead.

Daoist Cheong-su had not long held the Qingcheng Sect's command token. Though a Daoist, he had spirit.

He could not afford to struggle against a Protector when he was a sect leader.

"Do not meet inner power with inner power. If possible, use Force Projection, technique, or another kind of energy..."

His voice trailed off. He had suddenly recalled the difference in age between the Golden-Wing Sect Master and the Leader of Demon Wings.

There was a gap between them like that between a cliff endlessly battered by the waves of time and a single pebble.

Possessing dharma power is astonishing. But if her forms are already suited to that energy...

The Dark King Among Flowers was famous in many ways. Both his noble appearance and his unbelievable age were renowned.

How many years did a martial artist need to wield one kind of qi like their own limbs? Cultivation had no end.

There was also the problem of holding a different kind of inner power within the body without suffering qi deviation.

Daoist Cheong-su thought of losing the greater for the lesser. Rather than lose the Leader of Demon Wings while trying to protect the commoners, would it not be better to set aside pride and launch a combined attack here?

That was when it happened.

"Go."

Half of Jeong Yeon-shin's long hair rose with a rush of wind.

A colorless current spread strand by strand through his hair. It was an inner power fluctuation that was both strangely bewitching and refined.

"That qi...!"

Daoist Cheong-su's eyebrows rose sharply as he looked at Jeong Yeon-shin's back. Before his eyes flashed the image of the Blood Flame Sect Master, whom he had seen only from afar as a child.

Languid and enchanting, radiating an aura as if he alone existed under heaven...

It became even harder for Cheong-su to leave. Jeong Yeon-shin's astonishing talent was one thing, but had he not cultivated Blood Arts hidden beneath dharma power?

"How could a young hero...?"

"Senior Divine Blood Extreme Demon gave me great inspiration."

His voice had become smooth, like that of Blood Flame Sect nobility, yet it carried solemnity. Deep respect was evident within it.

Divine Blood Extreme Demon Jin Myeong-jo. The Qingcheng Sect leader knew that name well as a member of the martial world.

"Desolate Fortress's Blood Guard Squad Leader. I see...!"

Daoist Cheong-su did not ask further and immediately turned around. After staggering once, he leaped into the air and kicked off the atmosphere.

Qingcheng's Body Movement Scripture, Qing River Facing the Wind. Each time his feet made a sound like a drumbeat, his figure shot farther away.

The Golden-Wing Sect Master did not seem to care in the least. Her reddish-gold eyes saw straight through Jeong Yeon-shin.

"That is how geniuses are. You cannot be satisfied with a single talent."

She muttered.

Jeong Yeon-shin readjusted his grip on Lingering Thunder.

"Let's begin."

"Or are you a flood dragon that used an Incarnation Art?"

Her voice held no tension.

The surrounding air was different. It rippled translucently before rapidly compressing. A deep hum filled the air.

Ten paces apart.

Jeong Yeon-shin crossed the distance in one step. A fierce gale rolled from the hand gripping the sword hilt. The Golden-Wing Sect Master still held her flask of wine as he swung Lingering Thunder upward.

Thunderclap Flash-Ridge Sword Art, Judging the Qilin.

The ray of light inscribed into the air as though it had always been there snapped with an explosive boom. It had been blocked by the Golden-Wing Sect Master's flask.

Cracks spread across the surface struck by the blade, yet it did not break.

The sweet scent of wine drifted over him.

"Want a drink?"

The Golden-Wing Sect Master spoke softly. At that instant, a thick golden wave spread from her body.

It swept over Jeong Yeon-shin and the surroundings in an instant. It was no simple inner power fluctuation. He felt all the qi in his body freeze at once.

At the same time, the Golden-Wing Sect Master brushed her open hand upward across his chest. Golden ripples seeped through her fingers into his black long robe.

A shockwave stirred. The qi of the Heaven-Governing Dragon-Slaying Art, followed by the Heaven-Turning Dragon-Slaying Form.

KWA-A-A-ANG!

Jeong Yeon-shin was flung away. The first thing he felt was the swing a fleeing child had been riding splinter beneath him.

Soon afterward, the impact of crashing into a cliff on the other side of the village raced through his back.

A hazy cloud of dust rose. Fragments of stone scraped down the cliff face.

How many zhang had that single strike sent him flying?

He understood.

This one is different.

She was unlike any enemy he had faced until now.

He could not end this quickly. Martial arts for brief, decisive battles relied on a perfect, unexpected move to strike at an opponent's rhythm and mistakes. They would not work against the Golden-Wing Sect Master.

Sichuan's Greatest Beauty, Sichuan's Greatest Martial Artist.

It meant she was the most honored person in all of Sichuan Province, where six major factions stood. If Desolate Fortress wished to face her, it would have to dispatch a Purple Uniform warrior acclaimed throughout the world.

"You should not have interfered with the formation. You were good eye candy."

Her delicate features filled his vision.

The Golden-Wing Sect Master.

Her Dragon-Slaying Scale-Treading Body Art was said to be one of the Four Great Movement Arts of the martial world.

It was said to be capable of climbing the flood dragon's long body with ease. Her Body Movement Scripture was reaching beyond human limits.

She has a secret to closing the middle distance. Her speed exceeds Wind Body. Slower than Ten Miles of Deep Light. If I make my route longer...

His mind spun as quickly as a Light Wheel.

He released Lingering Thunder from his hand. The fan's dragon, born from his mental image, coiled around the sword and supported it. Sword-control techniques. The Golden-Wing Sect Master's beautiful eyebrows arched.

KKEEEEOOOONG!

The sword point struck her abdomen and sent her soaring. Her entire body had already been engulfed in blue flames.

A Protective Qi Technique said to block a flood dragon's breath. Though she took qi sword control head-on, her body had not been pierced. Instead, it rose higher and higher like a fireball.

She seemed to feel pain. Even as Lingering Thunder drove her upward, she furrowed her fine brows and lifted the flask to her lips.

Like an opium addict numbing pain with flower petals.

The speed at which she controlled her inner energy, the versatility of her martial arts, and the Force Projection contained in each strike were all transcendent.

Had it been before he achieved Three Flowers Gather at the Crown, he would have struggled even to exchange blows with her. Had he not undergone Marrow Cleansing and Bone Reforging in his own fashion...

Supernatural phenomena. I have to regard her as a spiritual beast on the level of a flood dragon.

Jeong Yeon-shin's deeply caved-in chest straightened with a crack. It was the principle of the Jeong Family Youth Technique.

He expanded the meridians around his chest, then wrapped his shattered ribs in inner power and set them back into place. Pain surged through his head, squeezing his mind blank.

Jeong Yeon-shin's eyes flashed blue.

He did not care what happened to his mind. Fighting spirit surged below his chest like a raging tide.

Every mnemonic formula he had learned poured from the meridians throughout his body, from the Light Wheel in his heart, and from the Baihui acupoint. They continuously broke apart and reassembled.

The curve etched at the corners of the Tang siblings' mouths in his memory unfurled into strokes, beginning to draw application forms for the ultimate techniques of the Seom-ye Martial Lineage.

He had to win. He had to kill her.

Boom!

Jeong Yeon-shin kicked off the cliff and looked skyward.

The Golden-Wing Sect Master was holding Lingering Thunder in her small hand. She looked ready to unleash some form at any moment.

[It is a pity there are no proper spectators. Since you are crossing the Sanzu River anyway, a host of masters who recognize your true worth should be watching.]

It rang out faintly from far away. The voice was artificially distorted into a hoarse sound through inner energy. He sensed an inner power structure similar to that of the Ten Perfect Sect Master.

Jeong Yeon-shin vowed to take the head of every enemy he met from this point onward.

Step.

He planted both feet on the side of the peak. At his feet, the radiance of Ten Miles of Deep Light spread like mist.

One step, then two.

He began scaling the vast cliff face against gravity.

The wind crashing into him steadily grew stronger. In an instant, his steps turned into a sprint.

He widened his stride enormously. His speed rose sharply, and the scenery before his eyes became hundreds of streaking lines.

KWIYUUUUU!

His figure rapidly closed in on the Golden-Wing Sect Master as she shot toward the sky.

Trees, moss, and massive rocks along the wall he grazed turned pale and burst apart.

From his outstretched hands, his distinctive Blood Arts and the Lord of Desolate Fortress's Moon Spirit Harmonization Formula swirled after him in reddish and pale-white currents.

"There, there they are!"

"The Golden-Wing Sect Master and the Leader of Demon Wings...?"

Those who had poked their heads out while searching for the traces of the martial contest participants witnessed the sight.

The figures of the two peerless masters overlapped as one.

Footnotes:

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