Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time-Chapter 417: The Hem of the Clothes of Seocheon (2)

Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes narrowed.

‘It will be difficult to find and reach them in such a short time.’

What had the Crown Prince done? The Forbidden City, which housed thousands of palace servants, was eerily silent.

Countless presences could be felt, yet they all seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for orders in complete silence.

Even with the roof of Taihe Hall having collapsed, this silence remained.

This alone raised doubts. What was the Crown Prince truly after?

Did he perhaps want Jeong Yeon-shin to stir up trouble, with the grandeur and determination befitting the Purple Rank?

‘A test?’

But that was not something Jeong Yeon-shin needed to focus on right now.

Hwaaaa!

Jeong Yeon-shin shot forward with the reed in front of him, dashing toward the street beyond the Forbidden City, guided by his flying sword technique.

***

The Peng Family

The Peng family, one of the eight great families in the martial world, is the closest to Beijing, known for their sword techniques passed down through the family.

The country refers to them as the premier family of blade techniques, having produced countless martial officers with their rare and peerless sword techniques.

Though the martial techniques of the imperial family that governs the land are renowned throughout the world for their elegance, not all of the imperial family’s golden soldiers are able to learn the famed Golden Seal Eight Methods.

Thus, the Peng family’s martial techniques were especially famous in the military circles of Beijing.

Some of their martial experts were even invited to the Forbidden City to take up military teaching roles.

As a result, the Peng family was able to establish its headquarters south of the northern city of Beijing.

Naturally, they held significant influence.

With a wall that surrounded the territory like a fortress, those practicing martial arts within the family’s grounds could shout their battle cries without anyone intervening.

"...Do you think the Peng family’s influence can even extend to the palace? How dare that Yeoryeongju show up here so suddenly? Surely, you know what kind of place the Ming Dynasty is."

"If it were a perfect imperial family, you’d be right. But with so much power in the north and the Jianghu peace entirely in the hands of Ipwang Fortress, what can the ruling Zhu family do to stop me?"

A man wearing a hat laughed. His dark beard was neatly trimmed, and only his jawline was visible.

Between the strings of rare jade beads, the leader of the Peng family and Yeoryeongju faced each other.

But the shadow of the Peng family leader, beyond the beads, remained completely still.

He seemed to be avoiding any movement, clearly showing extreme disdain for Yeoryeongju.

His voice, deep and sharp, cut through the silence.

"If you truly feared the imperial family, you’d be in Beijing by now. I see things haven’t gone as planned for you lately, so you’ve come to my family to request a private audience."

"Ah, as expected from the Peng family. You were the one who helped push the Divine Sword Sect’s leader into a corner with your boldness. I guess you’re still holding back?"

"You...!”

"If your family is in such a panic now... when I entered, I saw some of your retainers, not even knowing who I was, greeting me as a guest of the family. Your unique, meticulous manners left me no choice but to admire your ability. I’m impressed you’ve kept the Divine Sword Sect’s business under wraps. How does it feel to be holding onto a secret that will eventually come out like thunder?"

"Shut up. The failure of the Divine Sword Sect’s demise was your fault. Now you mock me with that failure...!”

At that moment, the beads that illuminated the dark hall wobbled, extinguishing briefly.

Yeoryeongju’s hat, still, shifted slightly. The movement stemmed from his laughter.

"You are frightening. Do you intend to commit murder?"

"I wouldn’t hesitate."

"Of course, with your past connection to the late Namgung family, I would acknowledge you as a worthy opponent. But before that, should we not first weaken the influence of Ipwang Fortress? I haven’t provoked you. I merely presented the facts."

"Every word you speak is nonsense, and it’s starting to wear on my ears."

The leader of the Peng family growled, but Yeoryeongju’s hat remained unmoved, his smooth voice flowing effortlessly.

"I’ve heard that the leader of the Divine Sword Sect and Ma Gwang-ik have both arrived in Beijing. It seems the public eye isn’t favorable toward them. Some of the martial officers of high repute in the Peng family could easily stir the pot. Beijing operates more on rumors and justifications than raw force. At the very least, it would be possible to keep their feet firmly planted in Beijing. With some luck, we might even be able to delay the Purple Rank promotion indefinitely."

"How?"

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"I hear your son-in-law is a prominent member of the Golden Guards. Also, many of the martial officers taught by the Peng family hold high positions in the military."

"That’s a meaningless proposal. If the attempt to assassinate the Divine Sword Sect leader reaches the emperor’s ears, our family will face extermination."

"The Peng family has been feeding off Beijing’s scraps. If you were to personally move your family’s base, it could all be resolved. The Zhu family’s martial experts are buried in the north, and the emperor’s reach barely extends as far as Shaolin in Henan. That monster has never ventured far in decades. Even when powerful martial warlords stirred in the provinces, they never went beyond that."

"..."

"You still can’t accept the truth, can you? In the end, you plan to fight in the ‘World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament’ under the name of the Peng family and come to an agreement with Ipwang Fortress, right? To settle old scores?"

"There’s no other way. If we lose, it’s the path to extermination."

It was right after more than half of the faction's vassals had swept across the martial world.

The Life-and-Death Martial Arts Tournament, not uncommon in the martial world. If one were to win this sect tournament, they could make a request to both the Ipwang Sect and the factions, and those requests would carry the weight to move the purple rank and sect leaders.

"It’s a proposal the Pang family has no choice but to accept."

The straw hat of Yeoryeongju tilted slightly to the side. He continued speaking.

"However, the Life-and-Death Tournament is too fierce to be overseen by the Gu faction. It seems aimed directly at the Pang family. The Gu faction does not seek bloodshed, and Ipwang Sect has stirred massive backlash with their reckless moves in the past... It seems they want to dispose of you all with minimal casualties, in a way that fits the rules of the martial world."

"I know."

"Well, it’s up to you now."

With a slight turn, Yeoryeongju tilted his head. The shadow beyond the curtain still showed no sign of movement.

"So, you’re not cooperating with Ma Gwang-ik’s cause? Truly?"

"My child is in Beijing. I’ve already entrusted all authority, so I will observe Ma Gwang-ik directly and act accordingly. If time allows, I can do anything."

"Ah, Pang Family’s Blade Lord."

Yeoryeongju let out a soft exclamation.

"He was a clever one. I’m somewhat intrigued."

Something was terribly wrong.

The Divine Guard thought so.

A sinister entity has entered. Maintain a defensive posture to prevent harm to the people. Regardless of how many buildings are destroyed, it doesn't matter. If it seems that there will be significant damage, communicate with the royal family immediately.The order given by the crown prince was brief, but following it was exceedingly difficult.

The identity of the entity that had invaded Beijing was already revealed.

Once the creature decided to start its hunt, no matter how elusive it was, its massive body could not remain concealed.

A human-faced beast.

It was °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° a brute force demon, just as its name described. The ability to inflate and shrink its body was beyond comprehension.

The size of a human head and the body of a mansion moved erratically, easily overwhelming the defensive measures that could challenge the most skilled warriors.

“Run quickly! Not that way! Go that way, over there!”

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“Don’t hesitate!”

The scene was one of chaos.

Collapsed buildings spewed grey dust into the air as the warriors and civilians, dressed in fine clothing, scrambled. They didn’t move frantically but rather with desperate urgency.

A deep fear emanated from the air. Everyone shared this feeling.

The disappearance of the Divine Guard’s chief and the beast’s appearance had been suspected to be linked, and it was confirmed.

Impossible to fight.

The creature’s outer shell was like a thick wall. The powerful attacks of the Golden Fist could not even pierce its legs properly.

By sheer luck, one of the Divine Guard managed to jump onto the beast’s body and strike with a divine sword technique, but before they could react, the creature’s swift kick sliced them in half.

The human-faced spider, with its eerie grin, seemed to have some sort of protective energy within its body.

And then it disappeared.

It seemed to employ a hit-and-run strategy.

Strangely, the beast possessed a keen awareness, much like a human, and never gave the martial experts a chance to gather. Even when some gathered, they were overwhelmed.

The human-faced beast was a nightmare to those who had mastered extraordinary martial arts. Its presence could not be measured through conventional means.

There was a great void left by the absence of the powerful warriors who had gone on the northern campaign.

The Grand Minister and the other royal experts were essential. The soldiers who had gone on patrol needed to return before any counterattack could be made.

‘But why...?’

The Divine Guard stood behind them, lost in thought.

It had been a long time since a messenger was sent to the royal family. Why hadn’t they returned yet? Even though this was the outermost part of the city, near the outer walls of Beijing, the message should have reached them by now.

His eyes widened as he carefully scanned the area.

“Zhen Yu...!”

The name of a warrior lying in the distance, only his head visible in a narrow alley.

From his breathing, it seemed he had been subdued but was still alive. He was the one the Divine Guard had sent earlier.

Someone was hindering the hunt for the human-faced beast. What could they be watching for?

Then, it happened.

“Ugh...!”

“What are you doing, you fool! Look! Over there, look!”

Shouts of panic echoed from the civilians in the streets.

The scene was unnatural. As they hurriedly checked behind them while escaping, they saw something that didn’t belong.

Sssshhhh!

The sound of numerous legs scraping across the ground, something dark rapidly approaching.

The figure, as large as a house, cast a shadow over the night sky, its massive body making the air feel heavier.

The figure had eight legs wrapped in mist-like fur, moving relentlessly, leaving traces behind.

It was creating havoc, returning to the area, its grotesque human face grinning wide as it advanced.

“Form the Golden Shield Formation!”

The Divine Guard shouted fiercely.

Behind them, the heavy aura of energy from their subordinates flared as they all raised their weapons.

But without the royal experts trained to hunt this entity, it was all in vain.

‘Why... does no one act...?’

Among the civilians, some let out strangled cries, their throats choked with fear. Even those who had acted like kings among the common people were no exception.

They had already experienced the horrors of the human-faced beast. They had survived by luck.

The Divine Guard closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again.

The grotesque face of the human-faced beast loomed closer. It approached with such speed that it was almost impossible to react.

The creature raised two of its front legs high, and with the remaining six, it left a trail of afterimages, reminiscent of a beast of another world.

“It’s coming!”

At the moment the two legs slammed into the air...

Boom! Boom!

The strong attacks of the Golden Fist warriors reverberated, shaking the ground as the collision left a mark.

All of them were sent flying backward. If they hadn’t used the proper formation, the strikes would have sprayed blood.

The first blow was endured, but that was all. The real difference between a skilled and unskilled warrior is not in the initial blow but in the subsequent strikes.

For an expert, it was easy to take a life after breaking the opponent’s stance with a single strike.

The same would be true for the human-faced beast.

Whoosh!

The Divine Guard’s body spun like a whirlwind. Dodging, he brushed past a dark blue leg that was as thick as a pillar, which struck the pillars of a building.

Anyone would be intimidated by the sheer size of it. He barely managed to avoid the second strike, but there was no way to defeat the beast alone.

The third strike came, and that was the limit. Once again, the spider’s legs descended without a sound.

As the Divine Guard looked up, he saw the human-faced beast’s face, grinning as it rattled its head.

As darkness descended on his vision, something unexpected happened.

The moonlight was blocked by the human-faced beast’s form, but then a faint white light appeared on its face.

-...?

Something filled the massive eyes at lightning speed.

It was something long and sharp, leaving a white tail as it cut through the air. It was all in an instant.

The object streaked across the dark night sky, brightening it gradually, and then it pierced right into the human-faced beast’s eye.

Boom!

The roar sounded only after the impact.

Dozens of shockwaves expanded outward in concentric circles, following the trail of the magnificent reed, which resembled a sword.

Then, a cracking sound echoed from the skull of the human-faced beast.

Crack.

A young man dressed in black, his appearance hidden by a hood, landed on the reed. The faint moonlight shone down on his dark hair as it flowed down.