WeTried Translations

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◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈

Episode 55: Huangbo Clan (3)

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Those who collapsed while still standing were especially vulnerable. The Blue Uniform masters, who had seemed dazed for a moment, quickly caught their juniors.

Inner energy barriers such as protective qi arose through intent.

Once unconscious, even a White Uniform master was no different from a third-rate martial artist.

The outer arts realm known as Diamond Indestructibility, said to make the entire body as hard as diamond, existed only in legends.

The Blue Uniform masters looked stunned as they laid their juniors down.

"...It really is Sound Arts."

"How is that possible? Qi controlled with such precision."

"It is a strange application of the power enhancement of swords and sabers. At that level, it is within the realm of a mnemonic formula."

Their words had already penetrated the essence of martial arts. That was the level of Desolate Fortress's Blue Uniform masters.

They had devoted their lives to martial arts, despite possessing greater talent than anyone in the places where they had grown up.

They were masters who would be called such anywhere in the vast martial world.

Seeing through the principles of martial arts came first. Envy or admiration came afterward.

Before long, the Blue Uniform masters began discussing it among themselves.

"It's a martial art I've never even heard of. It can pierce a White Uniform's protective qi..."

"It only rendered them unconscious because they were White Uniform martial artists of Desolate Fortress. It will show truly overwhelming power. Even more so in a group battle without masters of equal or greater strength. It has several limitations, but its advantage is clear."

"The problem is that it harms allies as well. Doesn't that make a solo mission reasonable?"

They did not hesitate to discuss martial arts even before the Squad Leaders.

They were simply stating facts. No one in Desolate Fortress could criticize them for it.

"...It seems to consume a great deal of mental strength."

The Annihilation Squad Leader spoke while studying Jeong Yeon-shin. Yeon-shin answered with a silent bow.

They were not wrong. Producing sword resonance while carrying outward-projected qi was a feat impossible without extraordinary senses.

Sword Song demanded extreme concentration. Yeon-shin, too, felt no small amount of fatigue after using it once.

"With such precise qi control, that is only natural. It would be difficult to use suddenly in a chaotic battle. It would be better to unleash it at the beginning of a fight. It should also weaken the enemy's morale."

The Annihilation Squad Leader was already offering advice. They seemed deeply interested.

"Even so, we cannot send Seom-ye alone. The mission is not a light one."

It was the Azure Sky Squad Leader, rubbing their chin as they looked at Yeon-shin. The Annihilation Squad Leader nodded.

"I will add only two more people. The mission is to strike the Huangbo Family branch in Pingyin County, Jinan. Any volunteers?"

Many hands rose at once. There were easily thirty.

Volunteers came not only from Demon Wings, but from the Annihilation Squad and Azure Sky Squad as well.

It was Sound Arts performed with a sword. Perhaps they wanted to witness an unheard-of martial art in actual combat. Several Blue Uniform masters smiled sheepishly.

"Demon Wings would be best. Captain Ma should decide."

"There is no one better than those in Ma Gwang-il’s Squad, who have already worked with him. It would be best to send One Lotus Sword Plum and the Blue-Eyed Demon Sword."

"As you wish. Then..."

The Annihilation Squad Leader's darkly gleaming eyes turned to Yeon-shin.

"Show that this was not reckless bravado. Prove it with your martial strength, so that no one can accuse you of being rash."

The Annihilation Squad Leader spoke as they turned away. The hem of their ink-dark long robe fluttered without hesitation.

"Thank you for your consideration."

After sheathing the Northern Light Sword, Yeon-shin cupped his fist toward the Squad Leaders and seniors.

"Where did you learn that? There is no martial art like that in the main fortress."

"Is it a secret art of the Desolate Ma family?"

The Blue Uniform masters approached with curiosity written across their faces, but Ma Jin stepped in front of them.

Ma Jin led Yeon-shin elsewhere.

The seniors stopped, looking disappointed.

After the nature-awakening ceremony, it had become known that Yeon-shin carried the blood of the Desolate Ma family. No one found it strange.

Once they reached the foot of the mountain range connected to the plain, Ma Jin asked quietly.

"That Sound Arts. Did you create it?"

"Yes."

Yeon-shin answered calmly. The scar on Ma Jin's face twitched.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"What martial artist reveals all of their true martial arts? Anyone who does risks having every aspect of them analyzed and countered, then dying alone far from home. This time, I had no choice. I had not considered it either."

"...You are right."

"Did you arrange this private conversation to ask that?"

"It's something else."

Ma Jin shook their head and continued.

"Yeon-shin, you nearly died on this mission. Listen carefully. Martial artists who live long often know their debts and grudges well."

"..."

Yeon-shin's brow twitched at the mention of longevity.

"The martial world's reaction to you is unusual. Battles between martial factions are not limited to full-scale wars. Battles among informants are no less fierce. Word came from the Chief Steward's Office. There are people investigating the movements of Desolate Fortress's Seom-ye."

"Debts and grudges?"

"The ones we have heard of so far are the Tyrant Sword Sect, the Heart Martial Union, and the Blood Flame Sect. Slaying the Tyrant Sword Sect Master's disciple and the Eight-Fiend Rakshasa Sword was impressive. But both inherited lineages with many martial artists within the Tyrant Sword Sect. There are bound to be many sharpening their blades for you."

"I can understand the Heart Martial Union. I once took the head of one of their promising juniors."

"Geom Ye-hwa, was it? I heard she was famous around Huguang and Henan as a young woman blessed with both beauty and talent for the sword. It seems she had a betrothed. You must be wary not only of her family, the Seong Family Manor, but also of the man said to have been her lover."

"..."

Yeon-shin silently accepted it.

"The Blood Flame Sect is still the biggest nuisance. If you had not possessed the Myeongjeong Pill, you would have had to return to Desolate Fortress."

Ma Jin continued gravely.

"There was no martial art like your Demon-Slaying Azure River Hand. You were bound to become a target. You might have encountered the Seventh Apostle at the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. It was an immense stroke of luck that you avoided that witch. The Blood Flame Sect's Apostles work to expand their influence across the Central Plains. She must have been a considerable distance away."

"That's right. I'm still not strong enough to face an Apostle."

When Yeon-shin first revealed the Demon-Slaying Azure River Hand, he had sent one of the Seventh Apostle's eyeballs flying.

It had been a stroke of heavenly luck, possible only because of her carelessness and the chaos of battle.

Yeon-shin felt anew that the number of people who considered him an enemy had grown.

These were no ordinary enemies. They were the Thirteen Heavens, a coalition of major unorthodox sects said to rival the Nine Sects and Eight Great Families.

"It is something you must endure if you travel the martial world. Even so, you have gone too far. It would be difficult to find another precedent of someone making that many powerful enemies in such a short time, especially at your age."

"I take that to mean I have been carrying out my missions properly."

"You are truly a martial artist now. Many people bear grudges against you. Always stay alert when you are out in the martial world. Keep that in mind."

Concern colored Ma Jin's voice.

Yeon-shin readily nodded.

'I have been running without rest.'

Before he began doing so again, Yeon-shin felt as though he had briefly honed the blade in his heart.

He was pleased that every one of his enemies belonged to the Thirteen Heavens, a coalition of major unorthodox sects.

The Tyrant Sword Sect and the Blood Flame Sect were also his enemies. The more of them Yeon-shin slew, the more merit he would earn.

'Isn't the Huangbo Family also one of the unorthodox sects?'

As he returned to the group with Ma Jin, Yeon-shin immersed himself in visualization training.

It was to use Sword Song more effectively. He needed to keep honing his control of qi.

Regardless of Ma Jin's warning, Yeon-shin was growing stronger.

"The White Uniforms will stay out of the full-scale battle."

It was the Annihilation Squad Leader's voice. Mission assignments had begun.

Hyeon Won-chang and Shin So-bin were selected. They would be unable to join the mission to strike the Huangbo Family.

Their role was to keep the promising juniors of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering and the defeated Huangbo Family Guard Corps occupied.

Yeon-shin separately received advice from a Blue Uniform senior of the Annihilation Squad.

"The martial arts inherited by the Pingyin branch family mainly use the Heavy Sword. If you meet their attacks lightly, you will be pushed back at once. Remember the Quchi acupoint, Chize acupoint, and Shaohai acupoint. As you know, they are acupoints at the arm joints. Fill them firmly with qi before exchanging sword strikes."

Yeon-shin familiarized himself with the martial characteristics of the Huangbo Family branch in Pingyin County. It did not take long.

* * *

Three days had passed since the battle on the plain.

"They really left just the three of us behind. Your Sound Arts must have seemed quite reliable, Seom-ye."

Cheong Myeong smiled in amusement.

The three Blue Uniform martial artists of Ma Gwang-il’s Squad, including Yeon-shin, had arrived at the southern edge of Shandong Province.

The market street was nearly empty.

Pingyin County, where their mission target had settled, was truly quiet.

Most of the merchants who had spread out their wares were middle-aged people or elderly women.

Baek Mir-yeo ran a hand through her long hair.

She glanced at the displayed accessories and spoke.

"Zhangqiu, where the Huangbo Family main house is located, borders the Yellow River. It is a vast river. It would be troublesome if they escaped by boat. If we are to secretly control the area near the river, it is right to send only the minimum number of people to strike the branch family."

They said spring in Shandong Province was dry. The atmosphere of the market street felt even more barren.

The village residents looked openly at the sword-bearing group, yet they did not seem frightened.

There was no life in the tired wrinkles on their faces.

"...I don't see any able-bodied men. It seems they truly were taken away for forced labor."

"The Azure Sky Squad and the Chief Steward's Office confirmed it several times. There is no way they could be wrong. If this were not a martial family, the imperial army would have already mobilized. Still, sending troops would not be good for the people's livelihoods either."

Cheong Myeong spoke casually.

Yeon-shin had actually considered concealing Desolate Fortress's markings again.

He had thought about it all the way to Pingyin County. This was unlike the missions he had undertaken so far, which involved the Thirteen Heavens, the coalition of major unorthodox sects.

The Huangbo Family was a renowned family in the orthodox martial world. Yeon-shin wanted to see the truth for himself.

"We should go to the Huangbo Family branch and ask what is happening."

Thud!

At the end of Yeon-shin's words, all three stepped forward at once. They moved with lightness skills reinforced by inner energy.

Qi, filling every minor meridian in their bodies down to their toes, began to drive them forward. Their speed gradually increased.

Only then did the startled bystanders rapidly fall behind.

Yeon-shin set aside the county magistrate for later. The official had a duty to report the people's conditions truthfully to the imperial court.

Yeon-shin had already heard much about Pingyin County's county magistrate. The person was said to be very unusual.

If what Yeon-shin had learned was correct, the county magistrate would be at the Huangbo Family branch as well.

They headed straight for a manor that contained the largest complex of halls in the village.

No plaque hung outside, yet Yeon-shin could tell it belonged to a martial family. Auras of inner energy could be felt from within.

Whoosh!

Yeon-shin's sprint suddenly carried him ahead of the other two.

Their mission was to adapt Demon Wings Seom-ye's unique Sound Arts to real combat.

Having been given such an opportunity, Yeon-shin did not want to disappoint the two.

He immediately activated the mnemonic formula of the True Wall of the Poetry-Painting Limitless Fist.

Crash!

Fragments of the shattered gate scattered in every direction. The residual force of the powerful force wave made them look as though they had been caught in a storm.

Yeon-shin hesitated at the sight before him.

A drinking party was taking place in the large courtyard beyond the main gate. A small pond stood off to one side.

The place was decorated with ornaments carved in the shapes of every kind of spiritual beast.

Among the blades of grass by the pond, he saw the Four Divine Beasts and qilin, along with strange beasts with bizarre wings.

People sat atop the large rocks surrounding the pond, holding cups of wine.

Even after seeing the group, they did not stop drinking.

"Ah."

Someone who had been smiling among five beautifully dressed women raised his head.

It was a handsome man of the elven race with a yellow cornel flower tucked behind his long ear.

The servants hurrying around looked at Yeon-shin's group, then silently continued with their work.

"Jinan's heroes have come again today. At this rate, there will be no gates left!"

The elven man raised a hand. The sleeves of his light green official robe fluttered.

As if this were something he was thoroughly accustomed to, he continued.

"Why didn't you leave Shandong and report it to a place like Desolate Fortress instead? I truly cannot understand it. What gives such low-level martial artists the confidence to challenge the Huangbo Family?"

"..."

Yeon-shin remained silent for a moment.

Cheong Myeong and Baek Mir-yeo also seemed unable to say anything.

Footnotes:

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