Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

Chapter 108 – Divine Technique (2)

***

Namgung Hwa-shin was the last.

That’s what Jeong Yeon-shin thought.

Even after securing promises from those he met today about departing for Sichuan, he couldn’t step away without White Qilin.

That’s why he moved immediately. Earlier, he had briefly parted from the Lightning Genius lineage and sent Lazy Flame Dragon back.

[TL Note: Martial artists who practiced Lightning Genius’ martial arts will be called Lightning Genius Lineage from now on.]

White Qilin Namgung Hwa-shin.

A swordsman born with supreme sense.

With immense power stored in his body, he was a talent worthy of being discussed as one of the strongest among the rising stars.

Even Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t think he would win all ten times if they fought ten times now.

Though they hadn’t properly competed since consuming high-grade spirit medicine, he thought he would definitely lose at least two or three times.

Maybe three or four times, because fights had many variables.

Jeong Yeon-shin wanted to seek his help, regardless of any shame it might bring.

‘Sichuan’s murim is treacherous.’

Not just filled with random warriors, it was where the Radiant Demon Wing had gone missing.

It had to be considered a place where even elite warriors of the Nine Orthodox Sects tread carefully.

A situation like this demanded at least one more blue master.

Jeong Yeon-shin, Namgung Hwa-shin, and Lazy Flame Dragon.

Along with ten blue masters, including Crimson Day Sword from the Lightning Genius lineage.

Over thirty white warriors besides them.

It wasn’t enough to serve as a main fortress’ main force, but it was a group no one in Sichuan could easily look down on.

‘But is this alright? Young Hero Namgung must be in despair.’

He worried, even as he approached the gate.

Knock! Knock!

Grabbing the cold door knocker, he struck it firmly.

This was the Obeying Heaven Wing hall of the Desolate Fortress. Like the Radiant Demon Wing hall, its presence felt sparse.

He’d heard it was because the hall’s warriors had gone on a mission to Sichuan with the Annihilation Team and the Radiant Demon Wing.

Swish―

The door opened before ten breaths had passed. A young girl poked her head out slightly.

The rough “Desolate” character embroidered on her white shoulder cloth was unmistakable—an Obeying Heaven Wing white warrior.

“Lightning Genius?”

Her eyes widened slightly.

The slightly upturned eyes were familiar to Jeong Yeon-shin. He remembered seeing them during the competition with Namgung Hwa-shin.

The bold tone of her words had left an impression on him back then.

―Senior Namgung’s path is lonely. Though you seem like someone who could walk it with him, I’m not so sure.

She had evaluated Jeong Yeon-shin during the competition while standing beside Namgung Hwa-shin.

This was Shin Bin-bin of the Obeying Heaven Wing. Said to be the elder sister of Jeong

Yeon-shin’s Radiant Demon Wing junior, Shin So-bin.

Naturally, she was a precious daughter of the Shin family of Desolate Fortress.

“I’ve come to meet Young Hero Namgung,” Jeong Yeon-shin said calmly.

At the same time, Shin Bin-bin’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“At this late hour…?”

“It’s urgent business.”

Jeong Yeon-shin was indeed urgent. Coming without notice late at night was undeniably rude, but he had no choice.

It wasn’t the time to point out a lower-ranked white warrior’s speech.

‘What?’

Shin Bin-bin was upset in her own way. She hadn’t liked the boy called Lightning Genius from the start.

When he won against Senior White Qilin during a mission competition, she accepted it. Though unsatisfactory, it was fair competition.

But the rumors that followed stirred unpleasant feelings.

‘He seeks merit that much?’

While supporting the senior she secretly admired, she heard news that Lightning Genius had monopolized merit and fame.

They said Namgung Hwa-shin couldn’t resolve even a thread of personal grudge because

Jeong Yeon-shin had cut down both Namgung siblings and turned away.

Really lacking manners. Not even raised in a prestigious household.

Just look at him now—coming at this hour for his own business, a time just before midnight.

Arrogant. Presumptuous.

A boy rude and greedy to the point of being unsightly.

Just packaging reality with fairly good looks, excellent skill, and a young age.

Lightning Genius Jeong Yeon-shin.

She imagined him persuading the good-natured Namgung Hwa-shin with the slick use of words, brimming with misplaced confidence in his martial abilities.

Her eyes narrowed.

Naturally, her words came out bluntly.

“Namgung Oppa has entered his sleeping chamber.”

She called Namgung Hwa-shin “oppa,” a term of endearment. A white warrior addressing a blue master in such a way.

It ignored rank, but Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t mind. He had no time to waste on trivial matters.

“Radiant Demon Wing has gone missing in Sichuan. I’ve formed a rescue team. I’d like to ask Young Hero Namgung to join.”

“Radiant Demon Wing…?”

For a moment, a strange light flickered in Shin Bin-bin’s eyes.

It was news that had arrived that evening. She wouldn’t have known while solely watching over Namgung Hwa-shin in the Obeying Heaven Wing hall.

Jeong Yeon-shin nodded quietly.

To depart at daybreak, he needed Namgung Hwa-shin’s definitive agreement and

Administration’s approval urgently.

“I said it’s urgent. Please relay the message.”

However.

“Hmph…”

Shin Bin-bin firmly pressed her lips together. She showed no sign of moving from the door.

Eventually, emotion seeped into Jeong Yeon-shin’s voice.

“What? You, what are you doing?”

“Namgung Oppa needs rest. His mental energy has been completely drained. A person who forgets meals focusing solely on martial arts, who skips even morning training since returning—all thanks to someone who seeks only merit without comradeship.”

Her tone was sharp, her gaze fixed on Jeong Yeon-shin with a scornful expression.

Her eyelashes flickered uneasily, her demeanor radiating disapproval.

Is she mad?

Jeong Yeon-shin thought, his irritation rising.

“Merit…?”

There was something he could guess.

Shin Bin-bin seemed completely unaware of the actual circumstances.

She didn’t know Namgung Hwa-shin had been raised as the leader of the Namgung family’s assassins.

She hadn’t heard about the mental restriction placed on White Qilin in the realm of techniques.

If she had, she wouldn’t act like this.

It had all been done to mitigate the effects of brainwashing that prevented him from harming his direct line.

If Namgung Hwa-shin were whole, he would never have agreed to those consecutive victories.

‘He only told me the inside story.’n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The boy thought.

***

Read only at nineheavens.org

Translated by Nine Heavens!

https://discord.gg/XC9DTsTQ9Z

***

Namgung Hwa-shin hadn’t shared his personal story with anyone, not even his Obeying Heaven Wing colleagues.

Perhaps it was the impression left by crossing swords during the competition.

It seemed Jeong Yeon-shin had earned his trust as a fellow warrior.

Then there was even more reason not to explain it to Shin Bin-bin.

“You said Young Hero Namgung needs rest.”

Jeong Yeon-shin spoke slowly, his words measured.

“…That’s not for you to decide, is it?”

“What did you just say?”

Shin Bin-bin’s eyes shot up in fury.

Jeong Yeon-shin decided not to pay further attention. His opponent was of low rank.

Even if she was ignorant of his and Namgung Hwa-shin’s circumstances, one fact was clear: one of the Divine Sword Group’s fighting force stood at a crossroads of annihilation.

Shin Bin-bin’s attitude was irrational and unreasonable—a behavior not worth engaging with.

‘I must move past her.’

His gaze naturally rose.

Whoosh!

Did she sense his intent? Energy sparked in the air.

Shin Bin-bin made her move. Before Jeong Yeon-shin could act, her right hand struck out.

It wasn’t that he had lost in terms of speed. She had simply acted first.

But it was still insubordination.

Swish!

A breeze blew from the front.

Fluttering white robes entered his vision as Shin Bin-bin executed her Golden Lotus hand sign,

the gleam of her sword’s hilt glinting beneath her smooth sleeve.

It wasn’t the Desolate Sword but the Shin family’s renowned blade.

She flung the gate wide open with her free hand, stepping forward with an elegance born of a prestigious lineage.

Refined energy, unique to aristocratic families, flowed strongly.

Sky-colored lightning flashed in Jeong Yeon-shin’s pupils.

“Not one step—”

The moment she opened her mouth, his figure vanished like a leaf caught in the wind.

Wind swept along a curved trajectory, scratching the surface of the Obeying Heaven Wing gate as Jeong Yeon-shin closed the distance in an instant.

Shin Bin-bin’s Golden Lotus hand sign couldn’t even graze his robes.

Bang!

A crushing impact followed as the back of his hand struck her temple like lightning.

Shin Bin-bin’s body was flung sideways by the force, rolling unceremoniously across the ground like a shell.

“Ugh… ughh…”

“Seek merit?”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s voice was cold as he looked down at her.

“You’re right. I want merit more than anyone.”

His tone turned rough, cutting through the tense air.

“How you judge me doesn’t matter. But I cannot tolerate insubordination, especially when you’ve wasted precious time. Be grateful I didn’t deal with you more severely.”

He couldn’t lay out Namgung Hwa-shin’s family matters to correct her misunderstanding.

Misinterpretations were tolerable; he didn’t mind being maligned.

‘Just don’t interfere.’

He thought of Ma Jin, Heon Won-chang, Cheong Myeong, and Baek Mi-ryeo—their faces flashing before his eyes.

His resolve sharpened further.

With a sword in his heart, Jeong Yeon-shin was prepared to cut down anyone if it meant alleviating the burden on his Radiant Demon Wing colleagues.

Sichuan was a perilous domain.

The Sichuan Tang Family.

Wudang Sect, Qincheng Sect, and Emei Sect.

The Ten Perfections Sect, Pure Demon Alliance, and Dragon Slaying Alliance.

All parts of the Eight Families, Nine Orthodox Sects, and the Thirteen Evil Sects.

Sichuan was a place of ceaseless conflict among these factions.

Even Diancang Sect, though based in Yunnan, often roamed Sichuan’s murim to support

Qincheng and Emei Sects against three of the Thirteen Evil Sects.

[TL Note: Diancang Sect was mistakenly translated as Wudang Sect in Chapter 104. The Little Sword Queen is from Diancang Sect, not Wudang Sect.]

It was a chaotic battlefield.

‘I must be suspicious of all of them.’

The Radiant Demon Wing’s mobility was exceptional.

If they had chosen to flee, they weren’t at a level to be captured by a single major faction’s elite group.

At least two major sects must have joined forces to drive the Radiant Demon Wing into a corner.

While keeping his mind flexible, Jeong Yeon-shin had to act decisively.

He spoke as he crossed the threshold, leaving Shin Bin-bin sprawled behind him.

“Main fortress colleagues are precious to me too.”

His words carried a sharp edge, honed by his resolve.

His rising internal energy now imbued his intent with tangible force, refining itself through his unwavering determination.

He was at the realm where he could carry intent in his energy.

He allowed his emotions to ride on qi waves.

“…!”

Shin Bin-bin, trained in sensing energy, trembled as she felt the weight of his words.

‘Could I have… misunderstood?’

But Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t give her a chance to speak further.

He moved past her, leaving her behind as he headed to recruit the final member for the mission: White Qilin Namgung Hwa-shin.

***

“I’ll go.”

Namgung Hwa-shin said.

His appearance, with long shadows under his eyes, was reminiscent of Lazy Flame Dragon.

It was rare to find someone with the enigmatic, heroic aura of White Qilin.

Despite his composed demeanor, a sense of anguish radiated from him. His eyes were clouded from the start.

“Thank you.”

“There’s no need.”

Namgung Hwa-shin waved off the gratitude, continuing.

“I thought perhaps swinging my sword to my heart’s content might help. That’s why I’m accepting. It’s also something that needs to be done.”

“…”

“And… I apologize for Shin Bin-bin’s behavior. I was late sensing your presence. Perhaps my energy sense has dulled.”

Namgung Hwa-shin’s tone was unconcerned.

Jeong Yeon-shin noticed that White Qilin’s temperament had changed.

He didn’t seem troubled by his cherished junior being knocked down.

Gone was the upright, scholarly air he once carried.

Now, he appeared bold and indifferent, unbothered by small matters.

‘Is this alright?’

Jeong Yeon-shin wondered.

Two blue masters and one unnamed disciple were leading the rescue team.

None of them were in optimal condition. At least not in the state to act as an orthodox faction.

Starting with himself, burdened by a sword in his heart, and Namgung Hwa-shin, who seemingly changed a lot.

And Lazy Flame Dragon was perpetually intoxicated by opium poppies, as always.

‘…It should be fine.’

Leaving Namgung Hwa-shin’s chamber, Jeong Yeon-shin reached his conclusion.

There was no alternative.

Now, we must hurry.

…The lonely moon, hanging low in the sky, faded under the hazy moonlight.

Soon, the day of their departure dawned.