Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time-Chapter 411: Beijing (3)

Over his shoulder, two more plum-blossom swordsmen had come to a stop.

Yeon-shin barely flinched at the sight of them.

Unlike himself, Yu Hyeon, first disciple of Hwasan Sect, was shorter-limbed and appeared quite the proper young Daoist.

Much like that old immortal from Wudang who had suddenly clashed with him yesterday.

"Were you planning to leave without saying goodbye? We still have things to talk about."

"We’ll see each other again. What’s there to say?"

*"The Huashan Agreement. When you invoked it, you mentioned Singeom Squad Commander Yong Hui-myeong as the Purple-Rank warrior representing Ipwang Fortress.

But that’s changed now.

Yong Hui-myeong only inherited the One Mind Sword, nothing else.

You, on the other hand, are the bloodline of the Huashan Agreement’s central figure.

That means you’re stepping onto that battlefield, aren’t you?"*

Having caught his breath upon reaching the guesthouse, Yu Hyeon posed the question.

Yeon-shin slowly nodded.

"Of course, I am."

*"I figured as much. You might even end up facing my master.

He's spoken about you quite a bit, after all.

Though... I have no idea yet how the Nine Great Sects will decide their lineup."*

Yu Hyeon added that even he, a Plum Blossom Swordsman, would need to win several duels just to be considered.

"Your master has spoken about me?"

*"You saved his life.

Hwasan Sect doesn’t forget things like that.

He said your back was narrow—but that it somehow felt broad."*

"......"

"Though looking at you now, I don’t think he’d say that anymore."

Yu Hyeon mumbled with a slight pout.

A warm feeling stirred in Yeon-shin’s chest.

It reminded him of the faint warmth that lingered on his back when he had once carried Yulha Nangnang, injured by the Blade Lord, down from the Sky Entrapment Formation.

But he shook his head.

"If I end up facing Hwasan Sect..."

*"Then I’ll likely learn a lesson from Tian Zhu-jin, the Hwasan Sword Hermit.

I’m already looking forward to it."*

"...What?"

*"The Hidden Fragrance Petals were breathtaking.

I saw them during the Murim Assembly."*

"......?"

"Hmm?"

The two of them stared at each other.

Suddenly, a morning breeze swept across the distant river, brushing past them.

The wind lifted their sleeves slightly, cool against their skin.

After watching Yeon-shin for a while, Yu Hyeon nodded faintly.

*"I won’t be returning empty-handed, then.

There’s something I need to report to my sect."*

"Go ahead."

Yeon-shin inclined his head slightly.

That was how large-scale duels in faction wars worked.

Before selecting their representatives, the sects would first gather information—analyzing the personality, habits, and martial arts of the opponent.

Only after that would they choose which disciples to send into battle.

"I wonder which grandmaster they’ll send against me."

Anyone selected to face Yeon-shin now would likely have four defining traits:

Deep, profound internal energy.Unshakable defensive techniques.Lethal counterattack skills.A mastery of mind-body unification.These were the essential conditions for increasing the odds against a martial artist with explosive striking speed.

And among the Nine Great Sects, there was no shortage of masters who fit those criteria.

"Both sides will be aiming for absolute victory. Be it the Great Sect Leaders or the Purple-Rank warriors of Ipwang Fortress, none of us are bound to follow someone else's will."

Yeon-shin spoke firmly.

By now, his fighting style was no secret.

Quick-strike swordsmanship.

Favoring short, decisive attacks.

Most martial sects had likely already identified this.

Especially the Beggar’s Sect, Hao Clan, or any major intelligence network.

"You really are a conqueror, huh."

"What?"

Yeon-shin blinked at the unexpected remark, and Yu Hyeon simply shrugged.

"Nothing.

I've seen you now, so I think I'll head back.

Master will be worried."

"Hurry on, then."

"Not that it’ll be long before we meet again. Even if I don’t compete in the Huashan Agreement, I’ll be there to watch. When else do you get to witness an event like this?"

"Right. By then, maybe your coordination will have improved a little—"

Yeon-shin’s casual gaze flickered over Yu Hyeon’s arms and legs.

Yu Hyeon responded by shaking his fist at him before striding away.

***

The matter was gradually settling down.

Yet the aftermath of gathering the Black-Rank warriors would fall upon only one person—the Singeom Squad Commander.

And he had already declared that he would take full responsibility for it.

"You sure you won’t take a few blows with me? The Imperial Court is a real pain, you know."

Yong Hui-myeong’s tone was nonchalant as he directed his words at Jeong Yeon-shin.

The man who led the legendary Singeom Squad.

A man who—without needing approval from the Ipwang Fortress General Affairs Office—could decide the future of a Black-Rank warrior at will.

That was precisely the kind of power Yeon-shin had been eyeing all along.

— The Lord of Ipwang Fortress is away. It would be wise to obtain the Imperial Court’s approval in advance. There will be many justifications to make.

It was Yong Hui-myeong’s transmitted voice.

The Division Chiefs had already decided to return to their posts. They couldn’t afford to neglect their responsibilities to the people.

"And don’t give that damned Liu San back to the Yong family!"

As she chattered on about rumors from Beijing, Ak Su-rim finished her statement with a laugh.

Tianlin Division Chief Hahoe Wi-jin let out a booming chuckle in agreement.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Along with Yullyeong Division Chief Yun So-yu, the three of them set off for Yangyang, the Imperial Army’s permanent stronghold.

Yun So-yu, the esteemed noble swordsman who upheld the city’s law, offered a final polite bow before leaving.

Meanwhile, Myeolseom Division Chief and Mugeuk Division Chief were heading to Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province and Fuzhou in Fujian Province, respectively. Far to the east.

*"A sect known for its blustering tactics has begun a large-scale uprising in Hangzhou.

It is an era of chaos.

From Beijing, you will have a clear view of the world’s state.

You should start thinking about how our strength should be used."*

*"Next time we meet, it will be difficult to address you informally.

I've long been curious about the training methods of the warriors of your lineage...

Yet I still haven’t satisfied my curiosity.

Let’s leave it for another time."*

Unlike the verbose farewells of those two Han Division Chiefs, Soyeon Division Chief Yu Jeong-myeong merely gave a somewhat awkward nod before departing.

He was heading /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ off to investigate the rumored appearance of an unknown Tianmo Grand Elder.

"Are you heading to Qinghai?"

"How do you know that...?"

*"Back when I was handling the Ming Gongdao incident, I received an old map from the Sub-Gate Leader of the Ten War Gates.

It had the name of a city—Xining, Qinghai.

I burned it at the time, but I remember it well.

It seemed to depict the city’s underground."*

"Xining, Xining... You’ve saved me quite some trouble."

"Take care."

"Much appreciated."

Yeon-shin clasped his fist in a respectful salute, wishing for the safe return of Soyeon Division Chief.

Information about the tombs of former absolute masters often led to bloodshed—not just within the martial world, but even among common folk.

For generations, the Ipwang Fortress Singeom Squad had eliminated such rumors before they could spread.

Now, sects dealing in dark arts and sorcery were likely flocking to Qinghai.

And there was likely no one more suited for the task than Yu Jeong-myeong, whose lightness skill might even surpass Yeon-shin’s.

*"Watch yourself first.

You’ll be exposed to the martial world’s greatest masters—and their relentless thirst for battle."*

Sunmok Division Chief Tian So-so had a way of conveying warmth even in her even-toned voice.

Something Yeon-shin hadn’t noticed until he had returned from the Coiling Dragon Formation.

She had just received a request from Henan Province.

If it was Sunmok Division business, it was likely related to the flow of the earth’s energy.

"You should take care as well, Senior Tian."

At that moment, Yeon-shin felt a strange sense of emptiness.

Had he filled the void of warmth he had never received at House Jeong’s gatherings through last night’s feast?

Had Tian So-so’s barely visible smile not lingered just long enough to be noticed, he might have had to swallow that solitude in silence.

*"Come to Yangyang sometime.

Let’s eat together again."*

"Pardon?"

*"Five Harmony Mountain Vegetables.

They were delicious last night."*

She patted his shoulder lightly before departing.

The early cry of cicadas echoed softly, leaving behind a faint scent of grass.

Yeoui Division Chief Bukgung-ah and Cheonryong Division Chief Wi Ji-geuk were headed to the northern border beyond Shanxi Province.

The Northern Tribal Warriors were pushing past the Imperial Army’s defenses, threatening the stability of the region.

The Singeom Squad’s strength was spread across all corners of the land.

One day, it would be Yeon-shin’s responsibility to bear.

*"For now, focus on the immediate task at hand.

The nobles of Beijing are monstrous creatures of politics.

Lose focus for even a moment, and you'll have your nose cut off before you even notice."*

*"Strictly speaking, that’s your concern, Yong Daehyeop.

At least until Commander Jeong officially inherits the One Mind Sword."*

Leaving Yong Hui-myeong and Yeon So-ha behind, Yeon-shin took a few steps forward—

Only to come face to face with a man draped in silver-white hair.

Bloodlord Division Chief, Jin Myeong-jo.

The supreme experts of the internal arts often showed traces of their strength in their eyes.

But in Jin Myeong-jo’s crimson irises, there was no glimmer at all.

Only a murky, clouded red, as if he had drained the light from his soul.

It was the silent mark of a warrior who had seen and mastered the limits of death itself.

Jin Myeong-jo spoke first.

"Beijing... is another world."

Yeon-shin nodded faintly.

*"I've heard as much.

They say it is no place for ordinary men."*

*"You will need thorough preparation.

Are you interested in the Invisible Sword?"*

"To be precise... the Dark Night Blood-Swallowing Sword..."

*"Keep your eyes on the Squad Commander.

With your blood arts, you have more than enough to replicate it."*

*"I appreciate the advice.

May I ask where your mission takes you?

Perhaps I could assist you..."*

Yeon-shin let the words trail off.

If Jin Myeong-jo were to become a Deputy Squad Commander, knowing his movements would be advantageous.

For a brief moment, a chilling gleam flashed through Jin Myeong-jo’s eyes.

*"The death of a warrior from Ipwang Fortress is nothing more than part of war.

Do not concern yourself.

Even if I were to die in a remote mountain, it would not be a meaningless death."*

Then, without another word—

He vanished, wrapped in black robes, leaving behind only an afterimage in the sunlight.

A movement so refined it seemed to transcend technique itself.

*"Well said.

That’s exactly how a Singeom Squad Commander should think."*

Yong Hui-myeong clapped Yeon-shin’s shoulder.

*"Once you sit in this seat, you will lose warriors under your command—time and again.

When I step down, I will travel to their hometowns, paying respects.

There are many places I must visit."*

Yeon-shin nodded silently.

Yong Hui-myeong watched him for a moment—then grinned.

This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.

"Let’s go. It’s a long journey...But before you know it, the moat of the Forbidden City will be right before your eyes."

***

From Hoguang Fortress to Beijing.

It was a distance that spanned half the nation—ordinarily, it was wide enough to carry out two or three long-term missions and still have room to spare.

But with the Singeom Squad Leader having recovered from his internal injuries, his Bodily Meridian Network was truly monstrous.

His movement was astonishingly direct—so much so that even while carrying Yeon So-ha, wrapped securely under one arm, he managed to overtake Jeong Yeon-shin multiple times.

"That is...?"

"When I was trapped in Heaven’s Unescapable Net, I borrowed some of your insights. They turned out to be quite useful. If it bothers you, I wouldn’t mind offering a few words on my martial philosophy in return."

"I’ll just take them myself."

"...Hm?"

They surged northward at terrifying speed.

Crossing forests dense with ochre-hued branches and vast plains cracked open in dry, expansive stretches.

Sunlight and moonlight alternated overhead, sweeping past Jeong Yeon-shin as he moved.

"One thing you should know," said Yong Hui-myeong, "Beijing won't be welcoming us. If they don’t send a summons first, we should consider ourselves lucky."

"Because they suspect treason?"

"There may be some who do, but that’s not quite what I mean. The mere gathering of Lords of the Martial World is enough to provoke their ire—regardless of what you or I intend."

"..."

"Would an empire ever let such power remain unchecked within its lands? A nation that tolerates that isn’t a nation at all. It certainly wouldn’t be an empire. That’s the very reason Ipwang Fortress was established in the first place."

"...I understand."

Then, one day, when he surged upward through the mist belt encircling a sheer cliffside—

At last, he saw it.

Gleaming golden rooftops stretched endlessly before him, filling his vision.

The city walls loomed, an imposing sight beneath the vast sky.

Beyond them lay a maze of pavilions, buildings so numerous they could not be counted, and a sea of people, wave after wave...

Beijing.

The capital of this nation.

The sheer presence of the city was overwhelming. How could such a place, so prosperous beyond reason, even exist?

And then—

Ssshhhhkkk—!

A shadow streaked toward Jeong Yeon-shin, shooting in a straight line through the sky.

A spear. Incredibly long.

For a split second, it evoked the image of Ten Ri One Kill—that’s how fast it was.

The sheer force of internal energy imbued within it left behind a trail of translucent shockwaves, bursting in succession along its flight path.

In an instant, it pierced through space and closed in on him.

"They sure know how to greet us here. Well, I suppose I should at least—"

Yong Hui-myeong, stepping through the air beside him, was a beat too late in his response.

Jeong Yeon-shin snatched the spear mid-flight, twisting through the air in a sweeping arc before hurling it back.

The moment he let go, colorless energy flared along his forearm like a burst of fire—the residual force of a propulsion wave detonated in an instant.

Fwhhhhoooom—!

The sound that followed was on an entirely different level.

It was heavy.

It all happened in a flash.

The spear twisted the air as it shot downward.

A violent tremor rippled through the atmosphere the moment it struck the ground.

The ensuing roar swallowed Yong Hui-myeong's quiet "Hm...?" whole.