Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time Chapter 285

lotus (4)

The commotion caused by the disappearance of the Grand Princess’s teacher was short-lived, but the Gongya family found peace once again.

“He’s that handsome?”

“They say he is very handsome. They say he is no less handsome than His Majesty the Duke.”

“It’s not that bad. There might be blade-like ears in the hair!”

“It’s a shame about your status. The idea of a one-man show is all show, but in today’s world, aren’t you just a ronin?”

The sun shone on the edge of the blue roof. It was a rare peace in the vast Shanxi Province, testifying to the power of the powerful Sega.

Hyuncheonmunju Geomunbi.

The friend of the late teacher who taught the Grand Princess was not special. He was only occasionally mentioned as a source of interest to his subordinates.

If a family is called one of the three great families in Shanxi, it is natural that noble and distinguished people will come to live there as guests.

They were the guests of honor and the power of Sega. As the estate was large, there were more than one or two eccentric directors.

This is the reason why the name of Geumunbi is not mentioned in the places where the senior members of the family are located.

There were many more noble guests and important events than that. It was a prestigious and powerful family.

“The tea scent is faint. The steam is also cloudy.”

“It is because you have a devil in your heart. How can you say that the fragrance of Yongjeongcha is faint?”

“It seems as if the head of the household is different from this younger brother. I know you are anxious. Isn’t this a matter of the eldest daughter’s safety? Jeong-ah, our head of the household is suspicious of your inaction.”

Four people were sitting around a neat and spacious room. Two men with dark wrinkles around their eyes and the Gongya siblings with beautiful jawlines.

The room was filled with the prayers of two middle-aged people.

Shanxi is the closest land to Beijing, where the imperial family resides. Since ancient times, there has been a lot of cultural exchange, and the local aristocrats who lived with the government have a noble culture.

Even though they had learned the same martial arts, their level was different. The aura they possessed transformed into an extraordinary presence.

The middle-aged man wearing the reddest robe in the room opened his mouth.

“You should stop talking nonsense. What good will it do to plant a curse in the heir of the family? Even if you sharpen your mind like a sword, you are faced with a difficult situation.”

“I am fine, my lord.”

Grand Duchess Gong Ye-jeong’s voice was calm. Her expression was the same.

She was a noble woman who would inherit a prestigious military family.

Unlike the black hair that flowed smoothly down to his shoulders that were polished by muscle, the formless aerodynamic waves that formed throughout his body spread out in a solid texture.

He had a dignified air about him. He was a man of exceptional internal energy for his age.

“Recently, two Blood Sect Masters have died at the hands of the Salhyeop. You can’t help but be worried. It must be difficult for you as well.”

Gong Yagaju’s younger brother spoke with a sharp look in his eyes.

He was the uncle of the Grand Duchess, and his energy was not that weak compared to that of the head of the household.

The sharp, lonely eyes were close to the characteristics of the Gongya Hojok.

“The feats of murder that my uncle spoke of are not important. He alone is not strong. If I want to establish my family’s prestige among the young warriors who rose up in Shanxi during the famine, I should just focus on demonstrating my martial arts.”

“You speak as if you were my noble sister-in-law.”

The Archduchess’ uncle laughed.

“Your charm as a young and courageous warrior is amazing, but the successor to a prestigious family must think differently. If you don’t win every single battle, it will be difficult to maintain the prestige of the family. That’s why the same story is repeated every day. Salmun can’t run wild any longer. You must win. Definitely!”

“I know.”

Gong Yajeong answered in a low, smooth voice. Perhaps because he had brought up the issue in detail, this time the head of the household did not stop his younger brother.

The only thing he could do was to look at them with his huge eyes, like the young man between them.

“Is that all? Even those who founded their families as bandits in the Green Forest are mocking Gongya. We cannot risk the damage and attack them, so we must establish our honor in the Non-Martial Arts Competition. That is, if we do not want to lose power in the famine.”

The voice of the master was refined. It was a calm and dignified voice.

The daughter bowed her head.

“He knows that too.”

“Focus on sharpening your sword. I, the father, trust you.”

“…I will live up to your expectations.”

“Oh, by the way, I heard that Mr. Ko brought a young swordsman.”

Gong Yagaju continued speaking.

“If it’s someone that Mr. Ko introduced, then his personality is probably not bad. It would be good to teach him even for a second and a half and make him your servant. Ronin are people who thirst for the teachings of a noble family. Are you willing to share a sword with him?”

“I was so nervous that I couldn’t look closely. Its appearance seemed extraordinary, but… … .”

When Gong Yajeong slightly shook her head, the corners of Gaju’s mouth went up.

“I’ve heard that you have a face that can be called half-evil. If you don’t let your appearance fool you, you’ll be able to use it greatly. I’m so grateful for Mr. Ko’s sincerity, so I’ll have to bring him a drink sometime. You go out and focus on your training.”

“Yes, my lord.”

* * *

The scarlet hem of Gong Yajeong’s trousers brushed the long threshold.

As she walked, her expression hardened. The presence of the main hall behind her grew distant.

Self-sacrifice.

The young man, Gong Yasu, followed her with footsteps that seemed to be on the beat.

“Didn’t you tell your father? I’m talking about Hyuncheonmunju Geomhyung. When I saw Mr. Ko, I didn’t think he came here to learn a thing or two. Instead, he seemed to be expecting you to teach him a lesson.”

“He will be severely punished. The master of the house is a person who judges the world on a level. He looks down on those who are not famous masters but wander alone. If they are younger, it goes without saying.”

Gong Yajeong answered softly. Her beautiful, slanted eyes were filled with fatigue.

The lips of the wild beast, with their red cheeks clearly visible, were barely noticeable.

“… Take a rest, Sister.”

“okay.”

The Archduchess answered shortly.

Gong Yasu nodded his head slightly and walked away slowly. Gong Yajeong did not look at him.

Her younger brother is second in line for the throne. While she is affectionate towards her older sister, she is unable to share in the responsibility of succession.

It was not a position that could be taken. Gong Yajeong had to bear the burden on her shoulders as the Grand Duchess alone.

‘You can fight the sewer ten times and win once.’

Such a thing was not permitted to the successor of a prestigious family.

The steam that escaped her lips was blurred by the sunset.

Even a sigh was silently let out. Lately, only the transparent winter sunset had taken care of the Archduke’s worries.

Shanxi martial arts competition.

The moment when he had to take upon himself the swords of the young and strong noble warriors was quickly approaching.

That was when.

“ah.”

Gong Yajeong let out a soft sigh.

Sabak.

It was amidst the twilight and the dim halo of light spreading out. A swordsman was seen walking with his back to the sunset.

Even though there were faint shadows on his face, his high nose and graceful jawline were distinct.

He seemed like a noble descendant from heaven. The sword sheath hanging from his waist gave off a lonely feeling.

He didn’t look like he was the same age as my younger brother. It felt like he was living in a different world.

One who stands aside in this dizzying world. In a world where there is not much to see, it feels as if one has opened one’s eyes with divine power.

‘Looking at it this way, it’s not ordinary. It’s eccentric.’

He was called Hyuncheonmunju Geomunbi. He was someone outside the family. It seemed like I could share my worries with the person that Mr. Ko had brought.

The successor of the Gongya family absentmindedly opened his lips.

“Can I ask for your masterpiece?”

“… … ?”

* * *

Jeongyeonshin’s residence.

It was a small drinking party. Two people sat side by side on the floor, looking out at the horizon where the spider was setting.

Each of them was holding a jade bottle filled with bamboo leaf tea, and Jeong Yeon-sin, who was holding the bottle, occasionally wiggled her fingertips.

He was trying to look familiar with the drinking culture by observing the mood. He was able to sense the movement by feeling, so he didn’t look awkward.

Perhaps it was because he imitated the behavior of Taeyeonryong. He felt like he was closer to an adult who knew how to enjoy the pleasures of life.

‘I think I can do a great work with the Lord now.’

It was when Jeongyeonshin was thinking.

“The land of Shanxi was a wasteland for martial arts world.”

Gong Ya-jeong, who was looking at the distant mountains, suddenly opened her mouth.

“I had to watch the powerful government officials and grow my power. However, many things went down the drain when the Cheonmachong Rebellion broke out over a dozen years ago. The nameless Cheonmachong, the legacy of the dead, harmed the living. By ordering the greedy Daebangpa.”

“The rebellion of Cheonmachong… … .”

Jeong Yeon-shin quietly meditated. He remembered what Heon Won-chang had said. Shanxi was his hometown.

“In any case, families that have made a name for themselves have established a solid foundation. Whether their history is long or short.”

“It sounds like short people are the problem.”

“That’s right. The years of experience in the sect are short, but the military power is strong, so they are eagerly eyeing the reputation of the main family.”

Sarak.

Gong Ya-jeong, who had been gulping down the bamboo leaf tea, wiped her lips with the hem of her red sleeve.

He was already quite drunk. The generosity of the uninitiated was more prominent than the dignity of the noble family.

“I cannot show weakness in this competition. Up until now, Gongye Sega has protected the Shanxi martial arts world from all sorts of thugs of Sima Weidao. If I were to lose to the grand prince of Shanxi Gui Family who pretended not to be the bandits of the Green Forest, or to the assassins who make a living… the Shanxi martial arts world, already in disarray due to the famine, would only fall into even more chaos. This is the burden I must bear.”

“It will be hard.”

“A preliminary battle disguised as a banquet will soon take place. It is a banquet that announces the start of the non-competitive competition, where the so-called sects and families that call themselves time-honored will gather. It looks like the battle of wits will be fierce. We cannot afford to be pushed back.”

“Isn’t it true that in life, you might lose?”

Jeongyeonshin asked lightly. There was no sincerity in her words. That was because she had never been wrong.

He did not even consider defeating his future opponent, the strongest opponent he would ever face, Zhuge Liang. He really intended to win.

However, it seemed that he approached Gong Ya-jeong differently. Her thin eyelashes fluttered slightly.

“I can’t pass this burden on to my younger brother. He is a free child. He is very satisfied with his position as a nobleman of the main family. I have to protect the Shanxi martial arts world on a large scale, and the child on a small scale. As the head of a small family.”

“Gongya Sogaju is a good person.”

Jeongyeonshin saw a blue giraffe in her.

I also remembered the life of the friendly brothers that I had pictured in my head some time ago. Gong Yasu, the Duke of Gongja, seemed to be a very lucky person.

Gong Ya-jeong smiled brightly.

“If you want, how about attending the banquet together? Most of the leaders of the Shanxi River Region have connections with the government. Just getting to know them will be of great help to the Sword Master. I have the power to do that.”

One masterpiece offers huge benefits at once.

It was something only a noble princess could say. It was a proposal that even the most noble of ronin would not have hoped for.

Swish.

Jeong Yeon-shin did not answer. Gong Ya-jeong, who had suddenly fallen asleep, lowered her head. Her black hair flowed down.

‘Even if I win the martial arts competition, I won’t be able to learn from Zhuge Liang.’

He slowly stood up from his seat, holding the sword in his hand.

Sabak.

I took a few steps out of the room and stood in the open space. I had already thought of a few things to prepare for the fight with Zhuge Liang.

A person who has trained his martial arts and magic skills to the utmost. The short-term decisive battles characteristic of the Seomyeo Martial Arts may not have taken place.

‘Then I have to practice.’

Ma Gwang-ik-ju, who had even come to love closed-door training, drew his sword. The pure white blade of the divine sword Bukmyeong cut through the sunset light and came down.

The radiance that stretched out like frost was divine. This was because it contained a halo.

―If only Jeong Ga-jang had been friendly with him.

The absurd assumption has once again been brought to light by Gong Ya-se.

The quiet annex for a long time was the former Jeong family head, and Gong Ya-jeong, who kept his younger brother in his mouth, was the older brother of another world. Along with Jeong Yeon-shin, he polished the Jeong Jong-shin sword, the family’s vision.

‘It was like this.’

The sword stroke went up in a smooth curve. It refined the trajectory of a third-rate sword technique with many frills into a single sword.

Coming down, then going up again, and soon continuing in a diagonal line, a trajectory resembling a crescent moon that began to illuminate the face was engraved.

wickedness-

‘They say that the spirit of a noble family lies in moderation. That’s where great strength comes from.’

It was different when I was a fifteen-year-old child.

Now his swordsmanship had depth, and his knowledge was incomparably broad. He had seen deeply into the world beyond swordplay.

My mind felt like it was falling into a warm dream. I entered a state of trance with a vague feeling.

In the realm of the innate spirit, the shape of the sword grew larger.

Many things disappeared from my sight, and my eyes were filled with the light of the upper temple.

* * *

“The cow is headed this way? At this late hour of the night?”

“It was before sunset.”

Gong Ya-jeong suddenly opened her eyes blurrily. It was because familiar voices were ringing in her ears.

When she was young, whenever she would nod off while eating breakfast, her father’s stern voice would wake her up. Even now that she’s grown up, it’s a voice that still makes her nervous.

The greatest martial arts clan in Pyeonganbu.

It was the procession of Gong Ye-ga-ju, accompanied by his servants. Gong Ye-jeong raised her head to straighten up her limp body.

It was impossible to welcome the most respected father in the family in this manner.

That was when.

The sounds of approaching figures stopped in their tracks.

Only then did Gong Yajeong feel the subtle aerodynamic waves. It was right before her eyes. The fluttering hem of her clothes was reflected in her blurred vision.

The sound of footsteps quietly sweeping the deserted floor tickled my ears.

Woof.

The sword rang out. It was a very clear sound.

The sword was moving in the softly pouring moonlight. Compared to the large and bold trajectory, the sound of the air splitting apart was faint.

Gong Yajeong’s eyebrows rose sharply. Was she in a state of confusion where it was difficult to distinguish between dreams and reality?

I had to look a little more clearly. I opened my eyes wide.

“… … !”

It was beautiful.

And it was terrifying.