WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time ◈
Episode 77: Contest
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Jeong Yeon-shin had seen the crescent moon yesterday. He would have to wait fifteen days for the full moon.
It was too far away. To him, it felt like nearly a hundred days. It was difficult to calm himself.
What could that small fragment mean?
Given the relationship between Jeong Yeon-shin and the Lord of Desolate Fortress, it had to be a World Tree fruit.
Still, he kept extinguishing his expectations because he could not believe it. He did it to himself.
His life had been a race toward that fruit. He was afraid that if he embraced hope too soon, he would be hurt.
“The reward for that must be enormous.”
Baek Mir-yeo spoke, sounding slightly weary. Sunlight shimmered in Baek Mir-yeo’s faintly upturned eyes.
Baek Mir-yeo seemed to be recalling what had happened at the Blood Flame Sect’s main headquarters.
“That’s right. It was an achievement that even a master beyond the peak would find difficult to accomplish in one stroke.”
Cheong Myeong nodded.
“It went far beyond your own martial strength. It’s no surprise the Lord of Desolate Fortress summoned you. Martial arts can have favorable and unfavorable matchups, but there cannot be many martial artists who can precisely identify those matchups and exploit them to such an extreme.”
“That is why I am concerned. Against masters who cultivate inner energy with no natural counter, you must face them with your own martial arts. There are far more enemies who do not cultivate demonic arts or Blood Arts. This contest will be the same. Do not let your guard down.”
Baek Mir-yeo placed a hand on Yeon-shin’s shoulder.
He slowly nodded.
“I know my own abilities. I have to if I don’t want to die away from home in the martial world.”
He knew Baek Mir-yeo was not the only one concerned for him.
At least with his seniors in the Demon Wings, he had kept little hidden.
There was a saying that one should conceal one’s strength in the martial world, but he could not explain this mission without mentioning the Demon-Slaying Azure River Hand and Sword Song.
The Demon Wings experts who cared for him had each offered a word of advice.
One saying left a deep impression on him. Light Thoughts, Shallow Schemes. They had told him to beware of rash and shallow thinking.
It felt like advice born of long experience in the martial world.
Seom-ye, Jeong Yeon-shin.
The achievements he had earned at such a young age were immense.
They had come from creating martial arts with special abilities, yet a boy intoxicated by fame could easily mistake them for his overall martial strength.
‘Misjudgment is for my enemies. Carelessness has always been their burden.’
That was what Yeon-shin thought.
Baek Mir-yeo and the other seniors were not being presumptuous. Still, their concerns were unnecessary.
No one cared more about his lifespan than he did, so accurately judging the level of his martial arts was a basic necessity.
After asking Cheong Myeong and Baek Mir-yeo for their understanding, he set off for the Chief Steward’s Office.
There was no reason to hesitate. He intended to immediately volunteer for the Namgung Family mission posted in the official notice.
“I’ll take a look at the Chief Steward’s Office too.”
Hyeon Won-chang followed with a broad grin. As Yeon-shin walked beside Hyeon Won-chang, he sank into thought.
‘A Blue Uniform expert whom Desolate Fortress would not be ashamed to present to the martial world. That is what I am now.’
The Demonic Sect, against whom the Demon-Slaying Azure River Hand worked.
Martial artists with little inner energy, against whom Sword Song’s effectiveness was maximized.
He could only display overwhelming might against those two kinds of opponents.
They said the gaps in martial strength grew wider as one climbed the ranks.
A Blue Uniform warrior who had only recently risen from White Uniform was different from one on the verge of advancing to Black Uniform. The gap was as vast as the difference between a rising talent and an established expert.
It was a great difference. He had heard that one Blue Uniform warrior could handle three others.
‘Where do I stand?’
He had spent the past days recuperating. Since returning, he had not sparred with his seniors even once.
He was curious. Where did he stand now among Blue Uniform warriors?
“If they divide the contest by age, the Namgung Young Family Head and his sister will likely face only opponents under thirty. If it is you, Young Hero Jeong, there will not be many who can rival you. That is the judgment of the Desolate Fortress Divine Hero, who has seen you firsthand.”
Hyeon Won-chang spoke in a teasing tone.
Hyeon Won-chang seemed to have gained a strange confidence after causing that bizarre incident at the Desolate Ma family. It did not look unpleasant.
“Ah, Young Hero Seom-ye.”
They arrived at the Chief Steward’s Office while chatting. The scribe who managed the entry records welcomed Yeon-shin.
“You have come to volunteer for the Namgung Family duel, have you not?”
“That is correct.”
“I will record your name. The notice has not been posted for long, yet many martial artists have already volunteered. The Namgung Family’s reputation truly is extraordinary. Great enough to make them alter the usual way mission personnel are organized...”
The scribe sighed, as if exhaustion had mingled with the exhale.
“Are there that many applicants?”
Hyeon Won-chang asked, suddenly leaning in. The scribe immediately nodded.
“This is the first time mission assignments have been this fiercely contested. Normally, the Squad Leaders would decide it through a meeting between the Divine Sword Squad and the Chief Steward’s Office, but this time they are accepting volunteers regardless of affiliation... I can never understand what those above are thinking. With so many applicants, Young Hero Seom-ye should naturally prepare for a contest.”
The scribe spoke warmly, even offering information.
A faint goodwill showed on the face turned toward Yeon-shin. It was likely because Yeon-shin had greeted them last time.
Yeon-shin smiled faintly and was about to bow his head when a clear voice came from behind him.
“It is because the Namgung Family’s foremost experts are that formidable. The Chief Steward’s Office notice mentioned victory, did it not? If the main fortress is to win every duel, should the mission not be formed from personnel selected from each martial unit?”
“You are right, Young Hero.”
Brief agreement was followed by soft, breathy laughter.
The instant Yeon-shin heard the first words, he had already turned around. His eyes widened slightly.
The blue robe of the man striding toward them fluttered brilliantly.
His finely shaped jaw was elegant. Pitch-black eyes, constantly flashing with light, carried the bearing of a master.
Skin as smooth as porcelain and a high-bridged nose gave him an exceptional air.
He was a peerlessly beautiful young man.
His presence remained as striking as ever. It was enough to make the women smiling beside him go unnoticed.
“Young Hero Namgung.”
Namgung Hwa-shin immediately returned Yeon-shin’s cupped-fist salute.
“Young Hero Jeong. It has truly been a long time. The same goes for Young Hero Hyeon. It feels like only yesterday that we took the Desolate Exam together.”
“You look even more radiant than before.”
Hyeon Won-chang returned the salute, narrowing his eyes slightly. Yeon-shin followed Hyeon Won-chang’s gaze.
Several women seemed to surround Namgung Hwa-shin.
All four carried weapons, and each gave off a refined aura. They appeared to be experts of the Swift Heaven Wing Squad.
‘His popularity is extraordinary.’
That was all Yeon-shin could think.
The eyes fixed on Namgung Hwa-shin made it impossible to see it any other way.
The glimmers in the eyes of Namgung Hwa-shin’s seniors and juniors in the Swift Heaven Wing Squad seemed incomparably gentle.
“Are you Seom-ye of the Demon Wings? I have heard much about you.”
It was a White Uniform expert of the Swift Heaven Wing Squad standing beside Namgung Hwa-shin. A silver ornament adorned her braided hair.
She looked at Yeon-shin with slightly raised eyes, and his attention was drawn to the ornament.
‘A White Uniform warrior spends time on their appearance?’
Though puzzled, he raised his cupped-fist salute.
“I am Seom-ye of the Demon Wings.”
“I am Shin Bin-bin. I understand that A-bin has been indebted to you. Shin So-bin is my younger sibling.”
She meant Shin So-bin, Yeon-shin’s junior. Now that she mentioned it, they did resemble each other.
“I have received Shin So-bin’s help as well.”
They exchanged greetings. Brief compliments and inquiries followed.
Shin Bin-bin gave Yeon-shin a quick once-over, then turned to Namgung Hwa-shin with a smile.
“Senior Namgung’s path must be lonely. Yeon-shin seems like someone who could become a companion on that road, though I cannot say for certain.”
She was appraising Yeon-shin in front of Namgung Hwa-shin, who had come to volunteer for a mission to kill his blood relative.
She gave Yeon-shin an impression similar to Shin So-bin’s first impression. She was the cherished daughter of the Shin Family.
Unless she openly acted as though no one else mattered, no one could criticize her.
Yeon-shin stopped Hyeon Won-chang from stepping forward in time. He had seen Hyeon Won-chang’s lips moving hesitantly and feared Hyeon Won-chang would create trouble.
“Have you come to receive this mission assignment as well, Young Hero Namgung?”
Yeon-shin looked at Namgung Hwa-shin as he asked. Shin Bin-bin, whose martial arts were weaker, barely registered with him.
Instead, his senses focused on the profound aura he could faintly feel from Namgung Hwa-shin.
The sensation rising from somewhere very deep was exceptionally strong.
‘He has changed.’
When he left the Namgung Family, had there been some spiritual medicine he had not yet fully absorbed into his dantian?
The weight of his qi fluctuations was extraordinary. Yeon-shin understood what the Blue Uniform expert of the Swift Heaven Wing Squad had said earlier.
He now clearly understood why Jin Ju-rim had spoken of a two-move difference.
Namgung Hwa-shin was an older expert who had cultivated a Divine Technique of inner energy.
He was different from Yeon-shin, who had spent more than ten years building his body’s foundation through the Jeong Family Youth Technique.
The difference in their inner energy alone was immense. Seom-ye, suffering from internal injuries, being pushed back by the White Qilin? No expert would find that strange.
“Though I have left, the roots of this body remain in Southern Zhili. There are matters I must settle with my family, so it is only right that I step forward. I have no right to say anything to you, Young Hero Jeong. Even apologizing in place of my family for its conduct feels presumptuous. I can only say that I am deeply sorry.”
Namgung Hwa-shin spoke. Even the expression mixing bitterness and guilt was like a painting.
“And Junior Shin’s conduct is careless even at the best of times. Please do not take it to heart.”
He gave his immature junior a slight glare as he apologized.
Shin Bin-bin only gave a short laugh, showing no sign of backing down.
Then she glanced at Yeon-shin again, but her expression stiffened slightly.
The only person reflected in the sky-blue gleam of Seom-ye of the Demon Wings’ eyes was Namgung Hwa-shin.
“What now occupies my mind is.”
Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips.
“Only the martial prowess of Young Hero Namgung, who will become my opponent in the contest.”
* * *
Three days passed. Twelve days remained until the full moon.
The Chief Steward’s Office of Desolate Fortress announced the contest.
As stated in the original notice, they would hold duels because there were so many applicants.
“Seom-ye’s internal injuries have not healed yet.”
“That does not mean his opponents can be expected to hold back.”
“If not for our youngest Blue Uniform warrior, who will cut off the Namgung Young Family Head’s head?”
The Demon Wings experts were concerned.
Even so, matters moved quickly. The Chief Steward’s Office handled the event like a master thrusting out a sword.
The tournament bracket was even released. It resembled a martial arts tournament where wagers were placed on who would emerge as the strongest in the region.
Those who saw the younger generation’s bracket said:
“They have been placed on opposite sides.”
“The Chief Steward’s Office cannot help but be mindful of Seom-ye and the White Qilin.”
The duels proceeded one after another. Under the observation of experts from other martial units, two bouts were decided each day.
The winners would continue to compare martial arts with one another.
The White Qilin, Namgung Hwa-shin, surged upward with unstoppable momentum.
As during the Desolate Exam, no peer of his age could stand against him. He quickly reached the end of the bracket.
The observing experts all said the same thing.
“He is exceptionally solid. There is no weakness in his martial strength. He has built up his qi properly.”
“Did the Namgung Family truly pour that many spiritual medicines even into a son born to a concubine? His inner energy is tremendous.”
The evaluation of Jeong Yeon-shin was somewhat different. He displayed greater strength with each passing day.
It meant he was healing his internal injuries even while fighting duels.
Every expert agreed that his control of qi was beyond reproach.
“The White Qilin has come again. It seems he has watched without missing a match.”
“Is Seom-ye not famous for his unique techniques? He is studying a formidable opponent’s martial arts.”
“In the end, only those two remain. They said the winner will face the Namgung Young Family Head, and the loser will face his sister. Since the scale of the achievements differs, they have no choice but to fight fiercely.”
“They say Seom-ye shut himself away except when he came out to duel. His internal injuries seem fully healed, yet he has taken on another disadvantage.”
They were right.
Namgung Hwa-shin appeared at every one of Yeon-shin’s duels.
He watched the battles, committing Seom-ye’s unique martial arts to memory.
Phantom Wing Step, Sihwa Boundless Fist, Radiant Sword Flow... Every time another technique was revealed, Desolate Fortress experts exclaimed in admiration. All of those martial arts were engraved in the eyes of the White Qilin, Namgung Hwa-shin.
“I understand why you went that far, but I still do not understand.”
Shin Bin-bin rested her chin on her hand as she spoke from one side of the Training Hall in central Desolate Fortress.
Namgung Hwa-shin slowly rose beside her.
Seom-ye, Jeong Yeon-shin, had just won. Only the final match remained. It would be the duel between the White Qilin and Seom-ye.
Shin Bin-bin had often heard about it from the foremost experts of her family.
To martial artists of the highest level, Seom-ye was a promising talent who had trained special qi arts.
In Leaf Card Game, a form of paper gambling, he was a card suited to being played by surprise against the Demonic Sect or enemies who pressed forward with superior numbers. For now, that was all.
“I understand that Senior Seom-ye’s techniques are quite exceptional. But Senior Namgung’s are as well, and above all, there is the difference in inner energy...”
“I’ll be back.”
Namgung Hwa-shin spoke.
At the same time, his body soared high. The vast sky seemed to fill his fluttering long blue robe. It was the Unimpeded Pure Current Body, the Namgung Family’s movement technique.
Flutter─
The White Qilin crossed through the air as though Walking Upon Empty Space, then landed in the center of the Training Hall.
He stood before Seom-ye. The observers cried out in admiration.
“Truly graceful Body Movement Scripture.”
“It is perfection itself. Is there any aspect in which he falls short?”
Namgung Hwa-shin seemed unconcerned with the words around him. He silently watched Yeon-shin, then spoke in a clear voice.
“The dueling ground where we met during the Desolate Exam was simple, but this place is quite grand. There are many spectators as well.”
“I understand you have deep reasons for volunteering. Please forgive me for being unable to yield.”
“Haha. Do you not have your own circumstances as well, Young Hero?”
“We can share our thoughts later. Will we not travel together to Southern Zhili?”
Namgung Hwa-shin laughed again at Yeon-shin’s answer.
“To share our stories on the way to kill my elder brother. It would have a certain charm. It would have been better if we were alone.”
Yeon-shin thought otherwise. The attention of Desolate Fortress martial artists was heavily focused on this place.
The scribes of the Chief Steward’s Office were watching as well. The martial prowess displayed here could influence future appointments.
He needed to make an impression.
He had felt Namgung Hwa-shin’s gaze throughout the many duels. It was not something he could criticize.
He did not know what circumstances Namgung Hwa-shin had, having volunteered to personally kill his half-brother.
‘I know the forms of my techniques have been analyzed.’
An expert like the White Qilin must have prepared countermeasures. They might not completely neutralize his techniques, but they would be extremely threatening.
That was fine. A martial artist was one who prepared. They would do anything, staking their life, reputation, and martial arts upon it.
The same applied to knowing the enemy and oneself. Namgung Hwa-shin knew his opponent.
Over that time, Yeon-shin had focused on knowing himself. It was to take another step forward.
‘The martial art I can unleash most powerfully in a single strike right now is the Demon-Slaying Azure River Hand.’
That remained true even though his opponent cultivated orthodox cultivation.
Yet the Demon-Slaying Azure River Hand was a hand technique. He could not use it with a sword.
Even if he adapted its mnemonic formula to the utmost, its effects could only be drawn out through the combined use of fist and palm techniques.
That meant he needed the Sihwa Boundless Fist.
It had three forms: Helix, True Barrier, and Fist Flower.
He had created Helix after seeing Cheong Myeong’s Spinning Thread Force.
True Barrier had originated from the fist art Ma Se-in demonstrated at the Desolate Ma family.
The Falling Petal Palm Art of Yu Hyeon, Mount Hua Sect’s chief disciple, had inspired Fist Flower.
Helix was rotation. True Barrier was a powerful fist. Fist Flower was transformation.
“Begin.”
The Black Uniform expert overseeing the match spoke. It was the Annihilation Squad Leader, whom Yeon-shin had not seen in some time.
Wooooong!
Clear sword resonance rang out from the sword Namgung Hwa-shin drew, and Yeon-shin reflected on the past.
It felt like something that had happened quite a long time ago.
Every martial art Yeon-shin had created so far had relied on inspiration.
That was true of Sword Song, Radiant Sword Flow, and even his movement technique. He had only created his own after seeing the results created by others.
Not every technique had to be like that. He had accumulated much knowledge. The essence of creation had always been one thing.
‘You create because you need it.’
The instant Namgung Hwa-shin’s sword reached beneath his chin, Yeon-shin did exactly that.
It was a left palm technique. He had more than enough material.
Bewitching aura and clear blue light merged together.
He unfolded two disparate inner energies at once and wove them together with the principles of a sorcery formation. The noise was tremendous.
It sounded like a monster’s whisper mixed with the wind beside a stream. That meant they had not neutralized each other and were repelling one another.
Kwauuuu─!
At the instant he spread his palm wide, a fourth form began to sprout.
Footnotes:
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