Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time Chapter 319

Heonwon (14)

* * *

Sects with long histories usually have strong influence from the Senate, and Salmun was no exception.

Unless it was related to the sect’s interests, the authority of the sect leader did not have much influence.

―You and I both have difficult lives, so shouldn’t we at least have cheerful conduct?

The teachings of murder.

These were words that had a great impact on the young Geum Seon-hui. They helped him endure the harsh training of his older brother Geum Jon-hui and his father Salmun-ju.

It was also good for my mother, whom I could see very rarely.

Geum Seon-hui’s mother was born with a low social status. She was not recognized by the elders of the Salmun clan.

His background and personal achievements were insignificant. He just made a living as a small-scale merchant on the street.

―It is impossible to rot the blood of the Salmon King in the field.

The elders of Salmon took away his son.

As soon as Geum Seon-hui started walking, she was reduced to seeing her child only once a month, and she found joy in clapping and laughing while listening to the occasional verses of poetry that her son had memorized.

‘I guess I have to memorize all of the Four Books and Five Classics.’

At that time, Geum Seon-hui thought, “Mothers love the cheerful antics of their children who have learned.”

The boy guarded his mother with cheerfulness.

One day, he ran to his mother who had collapsed in the crowd and hurriedly held her in his arms, laughing and crying.

It was because his sharp and polished senses were able to properly perceive his mother’s condition. Perhaps because he was born to be a murderer, he accepted death as it was, and hoped that the path he was taking would be at least a little peaceful.

I did that because I thought it would be a bad idea if the last thing I saw was the face of my child looking ugly and sad.

It was a warm, sunny day.

-Live preciously. You were born precious.

The mother, who had been holding her senses until Geum Seon-hui arrived, said.

I couldn’t figure out whether it meant that my son was precious or that you thought of me as precious.

I couldn’t ask any more. He passed away right after I finished speaking.

As it turned out, it was an accident.

A black thug kicked my mother’s table, demanding payment for the seat, and a flying norigae pierced my mother’s eye.

It was a hairpin that the young Geum Seon-hui had personally polished and polished using the Salmun technique.

“That’s it.”

A hairpin a span long rotated along Heonwonchang’s knuckles. The copper-colored tip had no decorations.

At first glance, it was reminiscent of a slingshot that members of the National Assembly might rarely use.

Hoooow—

Suddenly, a wind blew in like the howling of a ghost.

Inside a room that was almost sealed. The bed and the chair were all made of old stone.

“It was an accident?”

Tae-Yeom-Ryong, lying down with his feet on the table, asked blankly. On one of the beds, Shin So-Bin’s slender body was lying face down as if she were dead.

The surrounding air was vibrating as the girl took long breaths.

“The kick of a common black rascal was accompanied by a light wave? Does that make sense?”

“It was the elder’s doing of Geumyeonsang (金然償). He instigated me to do this on the day I was going to see my mother. He wanted to see if the illegitimate child of Salmunju had acquired the virtue of Salsu as he had been taught. If he was a promising sprout, he would show cool-headed behavior.”

“How did you do it?”

“First, I went to that black bastard and gouged out his eyes with my fingers and killed him. The feeling of being dizzy wasn’t very pleasant. After finding out the circumstances, I thought it was because he couldn’t really kill the evildoer. So… … .”

Heonwonchang, holding the hairpin in one hand, continued speaking slowly.

The two people were talking calmly without even looking at each other.

“… I even put a stop sign in the eyes of the smoking cessation statue.”

“stop?”

“It’s an insult that makes you look like you’re making a mountain shape with your hands. In the far southeast, it’s called ‘kkoldtugijil.’ I heard that it’s used as a similar insult in the West, so it has quite a long history. You’re a noble family, so you don’t know the ecology of the market.”

“Your big tongue also grew preciously. Anyway, Elder Salmun was fooled by Aesongi’s pointing finger?”

“It was after I drank a few drops of diluted empty green oil. Since there was no prohibition, a surprise attack in one second was enough. My ability to implement the first synergy was widely acknowledged. The old man also probably didn’t know that the quiet child would suddenly have a fit. I just seized the opportunity.”

“It seems that Aesongi Geumseonhwi was stronger than Daeseolgeom Heonwonchang.”

“If it was a one-on-one fight, then that might be possible. At the time, my body was completely torn up because I couldn’t withstand the surge of internal energy, but I definitely took one of the crazy old man’s eyes. In exchange for three months of recuperation.”

“Hmm…? There’s a fool among you old farts.”

“That old man is right.”

Heonwonchang answered. At the same time, Taeyeonryong’s head tilted to the side.

“Why are you alive? Didn’t you kill your own direct mother?”

“This is a family that started as the gatekeeper sect of Cheonmachong. Common sense standards do not apply. Instead, I was severely punished. I was accused of harming a noble within the sect. Along with Brother Jonhwi.”

“Geumjon-hwi? Why your collateral brother?”

“You were already furious before I could strike the smoking master. You even fought back with all your might when the smoking master retaliated against me. Anyway, that’s why we both got the punishment of being closed for half a year.”

“There are things like growing up. What did your soul do?”

“You don’t have to call me that high. My father was a thorough murderer. He abandoned my mother, who was not recognized as a member of this family, a long time ago. Geum Seon-hui and Geum Geum-sang are precious, but once they shared a relationship, they were just outsiders to the sect.”

“There are people who are as big as stars.”

“I agree.”

“Why did you become attached to this sect?”

“… I never liked him. It’s just that Brother Jon-Hwi treated him very well. Even a father is affectionate to his son.”

“Somehow, ever since I heard that the mission location was in Shanxi, I had a bad feeling.”

Taeyeonryong shook his head slightly after kicking his feet a few times.

“Daesulgeom-ah, Daesulgeom-ah. I know why your words and actions have lost their cheerfulness since you set foot on the land of Shanxi. That was the virtue that helped the young Daeju in some way, but now what role do you have left in Ma Gwang-ik?”

There was a hint of provocation in his polite speech. His story continued listlessly.

“I watched over that parasitic brother named Salhyeop. He seemed to want to leave you here. At first, you reacted as if you were a fool, but after experiencing the chaos of the Moyong family, your expression became strange. That bastard named Salhyeop is always so friendly.”

“That’s nonsense. My existence only disrupts the succession rights of the Salmon clan.”

Taeyeonryong paid no attention to Heonwonchang’s words, which were glaring.

“There were two men who could be called close friends of the Confucius. If you were to mix them with the one who played the king with a sword, you would become the Kiseok Geumjonhui. You are being unnecessarily broad-minded. There is no way that he would be obsessed with the right to the succession when caring for his younger brother.”

“… … .”

“I don’t know how many memories you have in this messy land.”

The shadows in Taeyeonryong’s eyes, which looked like a wreck, became much deeper. This was because he had squinted his eyes.

“You must know that the young lord relies on you quite a bit. It would be useless if you lost your wit and trust, not to mention your martial arts skills. Think carefully.”

“It’s useless worry.”

“Well. To me, it was the murderer who threatened me more than the elders who were as tall as me. The great swordsman Hyeonwonchang retreated. As I have observed in the world of martial arts, those who were called great swordsmen in the world were swept away here and there and ended up dying… … .”

“You’d better hope my seven-year ban is lifted later. It’ll be hard for me to talk so carelessly from now on.”

Tae-yeon-ryong didn’t answer. He just smiled and supported his neck with his hands.

Heonwonchang, who had been staring at him blankly for a moment, slowly opened his mouth.

“Now, how much is it compared to perfection?”

“I think it would be enough to calculate it to three times. The Murong family’s net was no ordinary one.”

Tae-Yeon-Ryong answered with a pretended indifference.

As soon as they entered Taewon, they were in big trouble.

First, I saw a sight of hundreds of unmanned people walking around. They were people who hid their identities with masks and masks.

The branch office staff and the military were nowhere to be seen, and mysterious masters who had hidden their identities attacked Taeyeonryong and his group.

Taeyeonryong immediately guessed their identities.

He had broad knowledge thanks to having taken up the Jeongpa Yongbongjihoe as a pastime since childhood.

Mo Yong-se instantly pierced through the unique and mysterious illusionary sword. Even if he tried to hide his martial arts, he could not avoid the Sun God Vein’s discerning eye.

They didn’t care.

They pushed forward as if they didn’t care as long as they didn’t get exposed externally.

It was full of elite swordsmen rarely seen in the world. Ma Gwang-ik and Salmun’s group had no choice but to split up.

The three of Ma Gwang-ik’s men fell apart. It seemed to be a scheme of theirs.

However, Tae-Yeon-Ryong gathered his men and fought them, killing nearly twenty people on his own.

During this time, he also clashed with Murong Qihuang, the great swordsman who was considered second only to Gaju in the Murong clan.

It was a life-threatening situation.

When I was trying to receive the sword called “Rising Stars in the Sky,” I almost got killed.

When it comes to the Great Sword, he was one of the most prominent figures in the history of swordsmanship from the Eight Great Sword Families, and the swordsmanship of the Murong Sword Families, who came from the extreme remote regions, was renowned for being both beautiful and brutal.

If I hadn’t been lucky enough to receive the Gwangyegyeol salt water bullet, my entire body would have been shattered.

“It’s a good thing that that arrogant old man suddenly turned his attention to the Western District. He almost died young.”

The prince, who was destined to die soon, turned his gaze from his whining. It was towards Shin So-bin, who was in a deep sleep due to having used up all her internal energy to the limit.

“How long do you think he’ll sleep?”

“How can the eyes of a commoner be better than those of a master? Don’t ask about something that even the concubine of Huang Bo doesn’t know.”

“Take off the gold and talk back. You never know when the Murong bastards will find this place. No matter how well the Salmun’s secrets are hidden… didn’t they already get caught and destroyed during the Cheonmachong Rebellion?”

“I have to go now anyway. This is the final test. If I can just get the elders’ approval, the knots I’ve collected will be completed into one key.”

“Good luck.”

Taeyeonryong closed his eyes, saying it nonchalantly.

Heonwonchang did not answer and slowly got up.

And then he looked back and forth between Shin So-bin and Tae Yeom-ryong, then quietly turned around and left the room.

* * *

The big city was plunged into silence.

It was a street where sword-wielding supermen ran rampant amid the quietness of the government offices.

In this very alien atmosphere, it was rare for the common people to continue their lives without any worries. They only hoped for the military and the swordsmen of the imperial family to appear.

The gate dividing the inside and outside of Taewonbu was also shabby.

There aren’t many people coming and going.

Only horses, carriages, merchants and traders could come and go.

From the top of the pavilion, where they could look down at a glance, the streets seemed even more secluded.

“Your eyesight has improved greatly. It seems the royal dogs have treated you well.”

The voice was very soft. The word gentle would be appropriate.

“I’m still curious. Since all the secret lines were cut off, they must have forced themselves to open the scroll… Did they summon a world-class sorcerer?”

An old woman with a black face and a black robe covered her entire body said.

Bamboo Sword (竹劍) Smoking Cessation Statue. He was a senior member of the main sect who was in charge of the final test of Heonwonchang.

“Administer the test.”

Heonwonchang said. He felt the presence of the Salmun elders located all around him.

At this moment, the masters of Salmon who had surpassed a certain level were secretly scattered around Mo Yong-se.

There was talk of postponing the exam because of bad luck, but it turned out like this due to the strong insistence of Salhyeop Geumjonghwi.

“Okay, that’s right.”

The wrinkles on the smoking man’s eyes came down in soft curves.

Elder Salmun Jukgum was a person who rarely revealed his true feelings.

Even when the young Geum Seon-hui asked about his mother’s death, and even when he lost one of his eyes to the boy, he responded calmly and left.

It was the same now.

“You just have to be able to follow my murderous actions exactly. Your movements can’t be off by even an inch.”

She spoke in a tone that at first glance felt warm.

“Are you going to show me an example?”

“Yes, wait. Since this is a one-of-a-kind event for the main sect, our Somunju will not be able to argue with the principle of harmony.”

He was telling me to watch and imitate the way he killed his victims. At that moment, Heonwonchang’s hand on his waist flinched near the Iphwanggeom.

‘This old woman really… … .’

As if he had guessed his conflict, the smoking statue raised the corners of his mouth and did not move for a while.

Is he trying to establish the prestige of the Salmon Elder?

She seemed to be looking for a plausible specimen. She spent the whole day standing there blankly, as if she had spread out some kind of ritual.

Even as the moon was setting and the sun was barely rising, I just stared blankly down at the Taewon Castle Gate.

A long time has passed.

Heonwonchang stayed by her side with the intention of seeing her for a moment. He had the intention of destroying the test and everything as soon as he chose someone who was not the widely known Sima Weido.

That’s how it was when the owl that came riding on the sunset the day before yesterday returned riding on the sun’s ring at dawn.

“He looks pretty good. I’ll have to go with that one.”

The old woman’s wrinkled fingers pointed off into the distance.

He was one of those who had just passed through the gate. Among the three people in the group, one person was drawing attention on the deserted street.

A boy whose strides are all the same length.

The sunlight that had been dangling from his jet-black hair stretched down to his shoulder blades. The sight of him wearing a plain black robe gave off a strangely overwhelming atmosphere.

However, because he did not possess any special qualities, he only appeared to be born with a noble spirit.

Spot!

The new smoking sign disappeared in an instant.

“Just keep quiet and watch.”

Her voice lingers around like invisible smoke.

Heonwonchang really stood there silently.