Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time Chapter 594

Gathering the night sky (3)

* * *

It was right after the song of bones fell into the space of the initiation ceremony held on a scale that was unprecedented even in the Myongyo.

A pungent smell suddenly hit me.

Is it because it is a humid place? The smell of blood explodes from various places in the underground space and then quickly falls down like a green cloud.

Saaaaa―

The lanterns that had been faintly illuminating the damp walls were flickering like small candles. They looked as if they might go out at any moment.

The strong ones who eat each other.

The famous scholars looking down on the common area.

Everyone died.

Three hundred people died in an instant. Some of them probably didn’t even know how they had taken their own lives.

Boom! Kookung!

There were many who fell down, stumbling, late in the game. This was true not only on the common ground but also in the stands.

The smell of blood from the powerful men who devoured their clans and the smell of the dead blood from the famous cult members who supervised them were no different from those of people.

Sword fighting is that kind of martial art.

Although the Ming imperial family enjoyed the sound of swords, the melody that resonated from the hands of the master of the divine sword was the art of war.

Swish.

The man with the dreamy body lying on the floor is squirming slightly. Is it because he is from a clan with a developed upper body? Even though he is facing the swordsman up close, he lets out a groan in his final moments.

“fu*k… this… this… .”

Soon his breath faintly continued and blended with the ground. The stone floor that could not even be used as fertilizer.

Taemyeongyeomjeon.

It was called an initiation ceremony.

However, the rituals of the religious leaders are ultimately something that takes place in the upper echelons of the martial arts world.

On the other hand, the new sword master is a being who competes for the top spot in the world of martial arts. It is almost absurd to belong to such a ceremony.

It was natural that the event at Myeonggyo would be dismantled.

“… … .”

Jeongyeonshin silently looked down at the ribs in her hand. The sight of them fading away with a rustling sound. That was the reason why she couldn’t use her sword as a swordsman.

‘I guess I’ll have to find the raiders here too.’

Meanwhile, the speed at which the Baekhoehyeol was developing was the same as usual. It was a realm where life was not burned by ordinary swordsmen.

After achieving Samhwachwijeong, it became natural. It was a paradoxical skill. When I first started, I coveted Jeongyeonshin’s lifespan, but now I only speed up the lives of my enemies.

Damn it.

He walked forward without saying a word.

The battles that took place at Cheonggwangpyeong were seeping into my mind.

Even if you don’t want it, it becomes a replay like a game of baduk. By doing so, you gradually but surely become stronger.

The lanterns that had been illuminating the underground space had all gone out, but there was no dark spot in his field of vision as he activated the Anbeop Sicheonbeop (示賤法).

It was time to move on.

* * *

The underground passage was surprisingly spacious.

The path seemed endless and the ceiling was high, as if a dragon had passed through. On the other hand, there was an odd lack of human presence. There was only a dark silence.

The headquarters of the thirteen thousand.

Jeongyeonshin began to observe the inside of her body as she walked. This was something she should have done as soon as she opened her eyes, but it turned out that one of the dust particles from the dream body had attacked her upper abdomen.

‘The light is….’

The two rings embedded in his heart were faint. One in particular was as faint as a candle.

Originally, there were two halo wheels, one used for internal energy management and one used for self-defense, but the former had lost its light as if it was disappearing.

Moon-gok and Shin-tu. And Shin-tu. Nam-je again.

I experienced three battles of the highest level in one day. It was only natural that I ended up like this after squeezing out all my energy.

‘When will I ever be able to avoid the classics?’

It was a topic that never left Jeong Yeon-shin’s mind. It had been like that since the moment she heard of the death of Myeongryu Daeju.

One step forward from the present achievement.

It seemed like anything would be possible if I just took one more step, but things were still difficult.

The devil was even more so.

He is the mastermind who has been in charge of the Ming Empire. He is the mastermind who made Ip Hwang-seong take care of the country’s security instead of the military. If he were easy to deal with, it would be strange, but for Jeong Yeon-sin, this was just an extension of his mission.

A land to be conquered.

Even if the Southern Emperor ascended to the throne and established something like the Qing Dynasty, it would have been the same. The flags of gold and the Great Qing that had already been planted in various places in the northern powers were not considered.

‘Recovery, the third light wheel, the fifth scroll, the poisonous formless sword, the magical power of the Dharma Sutra, the ten treasures of the illusion, the fight of Cheonggwangpyeong…’

These were the topics that were going crazy in Jeongyeonshin’s mind at this moment.

Meanwhile, strangely enough, most of his injuries had healed. Even his right shoulder, which had been half-torn off by Moon-gok, was clean.

It must be the invincible magic and martial arts of Socheon.

The healing function that was once used to heal the wounds of the Heavenly King, but had to be stopped due to the interference of Jeongyeonshin.

If this much efficacy was to be achieved, it would have come at a great cost. It would have required the loss of a pre-existing spirit or the consumption of precious Dharma treasures.

‘What are you drawing?’

Jeongyeonshin noticed the vibrations seeping from the ground to the Yongcheon point on the soles of her feet.

There are three more spaces identical to the one he had regained consciousness in, each with a geographic feature extending from the east, west, south, and north to the exact center.

Initiation ceremony.

It was said to be a festival where the cult members watched the fight between outsiders. The structure was such that the survivors from each district gathered in the center.

Damn it.

We reached the end of the cave.

There was an old-fashioned iron gate that didn’t fit in. A burning flame-like pattern was engraved along the border. It was the style of a famous sect that worshipped dark flames.

I pushed the door open without hesitation. The hinges were so well oiled that the sound of them opening was very faint.

Jeong Yeon-shin had no intention of making excuses about her physical condition. When was it common for a fair fight to be held by a man in the Imperial City?

-If your heart is unbreakable over time, you are the sword of this country.

The voice of Emperor Geonreung is deeply engraved in my mind.

The Demon King has been through enough.

From now on, you have to be strong in any situation.

‘A fighting technique that can bring about flow even when things aren’t going well… It might not be difficult anymore.’

Right after.

As Jeong Yeon-shin opened the door and went in, a thunderous shout rang in her ears. It was a strangely welcoming voice.

“Hey, aren’t you an islander?!”

“Island? The new sword master’s deputy…?”

In an extremely luxurious space, the voices of an old man and a young woman rang out. It was a bedroom with so many night lights embedded in it that the ceiling seemed to be filled with stars.

Inside, there was a legless beggar and a child wearing armor. They looked like they had finished the ritual faster than Jeongyeonshin.

“Ark Adult…!”

Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes immediately recognized the new god and a mixture of emotions crossed her mind. Of course, she clasped her hands together and raised them.

But the moment he saw the old swordsman lying over the shoulders of the two men, he had already passed the old man.

Black Star Hyun So-baek.

It was a sight full of needles stuck in it.

Ju Gwang-shin looks back at the child in the general-like attire and smiles faintly.

“See? I clearly said that I was different from my maternal grandfather, but Your Majesty denied it. That couldn’t be true.”

“That’s not important. Why on earth is the new sword master here?”

Oh my god.

It is famous for the season called Gwangchang (光槍).

He is one of the three great masters of the Imperial Family. He is a boy wearing worn-out armor like a defeated general. At first glance, he looks like he is eighteen years old.

The only one in the Ming imperial family who returned to the throne.

He was a peerless master who had been taught directly by Emperor Geonling, and once became a hot topic of conversation when he rescued Gaebongju from the clutches of Emperor Nanjing.

But Jeongyeonshin lowered her head and let their conversation drift over her shoulders.

Geomseong was lying down with his whole body wrapped in bandages like a Myeongryudaeju. He had at least a hundred needles stuck all over his body.

“Don’t pull out any of them. The leader is surviving on them.”

Before I knew it, Jukwang Shingae, who was being carried by Eunggong, was talking to me from the side.

“He was in a terrible state of shock. It’s surprising that he didn’t die immediately. Those peerless masters who rolled around on the street are such amazing beings.”

Of course, including me. Joo Kwang Shin ends his speech with a smile.

Jeong Yeon-shin was silent at the laughter of the legless beggar Wang Cho. She had nothing to say. When she became the same person, she didn’t have the confidence to raise the corners of her mouth as cheerfully as Gae-boo.

Did you guess what I was thinking?

The wrinkles on the corners of his mouth were gently curled as Ju Gwang-shin asked.

“How did you know and come to save me?”

“I was caught too.”

“Well, if it’s a demon realm, then it could be possible. It’s a powerful empire just before its foundation. You could say it’s a land where the Thirteen Heavens, the Nine Sects, and the Eight Families are all united. Of course, there are divisions even among them….”

Eunggong, who had been listening to their conversation with a dumbfounded expression, burst out in laughter.

“How could that be possible! Just think of how much chaos there would have been in the world! Since ancient times, there has been a vacuum in the ranks of the Divine Sword Masters…!”

“Don’t worry too much. Of course, the whims of the Myungseo sect are like natural disasters, but I won’t brag about such things. It’s not like there aren’t any good people in the Shingeomdan.”

Then, Ju Gwang-sin told Jeong Yeon-sin about their situation.

I infiltrated because I thought Socheonmujeok might manifest the Northern Martial God, but it turned out that such a great magic was being performed somewhere else.

Now, this was not done here, which was the headquarters of the Ming sect, but in the territory of the Southern Emperor.

While supplying supplies and Buddhist treasures to the granary of the best in the north.

“Socheon (笑天)… Just like his nickname of laughing at the heavens, he is truly a consistent dog-eat-dog. He cannot help but get involved in anything that could ruin the world.”

Joo Gwang-shin spoke as if he was talking to himself.

That was when.

[Was the Ark’s information power only that good? There’s another thing I can’t stand.]

Suddenly, an overwhelming presence struck me.

Just before the young woman’s voice echoed, a gray shadow appeared in the eyes of Jeong Yeon-shin, Ju Gwang-singae, and Eo Woong-gong, who had already turned their heads in that direction.

A being that created the Wonyeongsin (元嬰神) in a translucent form like a ghost for a moment.

He was invincible.

The empty space was filled. It was a terrible oppression.

Even though it’s just a clone.

Not only the fallen Jukwang Shingae, but even Eungong could not create this feeling. He is a god who can be counted on one hand in the world.

Perhaps because of that, her presence stood out even though the inside of the silver mask was haggard.

Suddenly, the sound of the Jukwang Shingae reached Jeongyeonshin.

―Eunggong saved me from the Southern Qi realm. Even if he is the best in the North, it would be difficult to stop the 36 strategies of a peerless master. However, I am the only one who can leisurely retreat with a sagging old man on my arm. Eunggong’s health is not normal either.

[Of course that would be the case.]

Socheonmujeok speaks casually. He overhears the conversation like Jeongyeonshin.

Joo Gwang-shin didn’t even show a look of defeat. Instead, he just asked her a question.

“Where is your true self?”

[Didn’t you realize your mistake after crawling into our school? Of course, it’s Heukdo (黑都), the capital of the Demon Realm. From here, it’s roughly… about 1,500 li to the south.]

“Aren’t you overusing the Void of the Ihyeong? You, Namje, and Cheon Geuk Munju. As far as I know, there are only three people in the world who can privately move through space, and coincidentally, they are all at the top of the Sima Oedo. Don’t you know why?”

Socheonmujeok roughly brushed back the hair behind his ears.

[Someday, my whole body will disintegrate and I will die. But that’s okay. At least I will die a quick natural death.]

“Why would you be the only one to die? If you drag the culprit out the door, the whole world will crumble at his crippled feet.”

He persistently holds on to the story and drags it out.

Jeong Yeon-shin could tell without necessarily making eye contact with Ju Gwang-shin that the Heavenly Opening Lord believed in the qualities of the Shingumdan Lord.

It gave Jeongyeonshin a time of celebration.

However, So Cheon-mu-jeok also had an extraordinary sense of humor. Her pitch-black eyes turned to Jeong Yeon-shin.

[Oh, I have given Geomseong the Seven Pillars of Forbidden Blood Method. It is a medical technique that prohibits true energy and invigorates acupuncture points. This is the reason why an old man who is about to die is holding on to his lifeline.]

“Why?”

Jeongyeon Shin asks with a blank face.

It was a question that contained many implications. It also seemed as if he was tired of the elusive behavior of Socheonmuchuk.

In all of the martial arts world, has there ever been anyone as ambiguous as her?

[… … .]

Socheonmujeok closes his mouth for a moment.

The sight of Jeong Yeon-shin reflected in her pitch-black eyes was no longer even life-threatening. The killing of the famous cult leader had become something natural within her.

Sarak.

She slowly took off her silver mask.

Soon after, it disappeared without a trace, like a mask that had been broken by Jeongyeonshin. All that was left was the invincible Wonyeongshin with her bare face exposed.

The ultimate in beauty. The halo of night light flows down her ebony hair and splits at her dreamy nose.

“hmm.”

Ju Gwang Shingae was silent, and Eunggong glared at her as if he was going to draw Yongmopagi in the future.

[You are my mirror. You must be feeling it too, in your upper abdomen. A sense of kinship that strikes like a bolt of lightning into the Baekhoe point.]

She continued speaking slowly.

[Quite a bit of time has passed. The more I know, the more everything seems similar. The fleeting life, the repeated losses, even the beauty.]

It seemed like he was joking, but no one laughed. Jeong Yeon-shin was no exception.

“Keep talking.”

He spoke while holding the light wheel in his hand.

But Socheonmujeok paid no attention with an indifferent expression. It seemed as if he would cross the space as himself at any time.

[Look back. When you came to Sacheon to avenge the death of Suncheon Ikju, I was the one who helped you release that pent-up emotion.]

“So why?”

[When you were attacked by the combined forces of the Dark Heavenly Emperor and the Heavenly Geuk Moon Ju, I was the one who guided you to Jang Sam Bong’s traces and pacified you while you were losing consciousness.]

“Why?”

[I was careful not to hurt you the whole time. Your wife… no, I said not your wife? Anyway, I didn’t even give that bloodthirsty one a scratch. You’re like me when I was younger, and that bloodthirsty is something that people like us inevitably end up owning.]

It was said that a devil is a person who has no hesitation in anything.

She did everything she wanted to do. She was freer than anyone else, even though she was held captive by a heaven-given mandate.

Socheonmujeok licked his lips.

[You must remain safe until the world is destroyed. Two mayflies stand side by side at the end of the world. I want to see the beauty of that paradox. I actually experienced a blackout the night I turned twenty, and I have been completely out of my mind since then.]

Madness seethed in his calm voice. It felt as damp as an abyssal swamp.

[Do you know the meaning of Cheonma (天魔)? It is someone who does not live according to the will of heaven. So…]

thud-!

Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure pushed the air out. At the same time, the underground stone chamber shook with the sound of thunder.

[I save you, I kill the world.]

The Heavenly Demon Lord is walking.

As soon as the invincible sincerity of Socheon flowed out, it was cast naturally.

The space felt as if my whole body was frozen. The lights of the night stars were flickering. Her presence was becoming absurdly thick.

Woof-

Before she knew it, a gray figure appeared before Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes. On the other hand, Won Yeong-shin, who had been speaking until then, had disappeared without a trace.

It was a sign of the void of the other world. They were trying to move back here from the southern region called Heukdo.

Jeongyeonshin. Jugwangsingae. Eunggong.

Although the three people’s bodies are far from perfect, they know that Won Young-shin alone cannot do anything to them.

The invincible spirit of Socheon opens her mouth. Even at that moment, a whitish smoke was rapidly forming her figure.

[Ouch, hold your ground here.]

Kugu Palace―

Just by saying a few words, the whole place shook. It was clear that the taboo had been lifted a little.

Coming.

“You must be really busy.”

Ju Gwang-shin-gae was teasing her, slightly nervous and trembling. Beside him, Eo Woong-gong was creating light with his small hands like a bracken fern.

Socheonmujeok didn’t even look at them. He just stood close to Jeongyeonshin, locking eyes with him.

The magical energy flowing out of her body in a colorless manner gently engulfs Jeongyeonshin. Using the technique of Yeonshinyuhoe (煙燼幽懷), it completely ignores her magical power.

Jeongyeonshin felt as if her naked body was squeezing her body. A martial art that reversed the compatibility. She couldn’t shake it off.

[My actions will not harm you. It has always been that way.]

“…okay.”

Jeongyeonshin slowly opened her mouth.

“It’s always been like that. People who don’t know me, like a nanny, judge me and shape my future.”

[I am different from them.]

Jeong Yeon-shin raised his right hand under rapidly increasing pressure. Before he knew it, the sound of thunder was faintly leaking out from his palm.

“No, it’s not different. Rather… .”

The events that had occurred in the North were swirling in my head.

The Heavenly Sword Armor of the Demonic Realm’s Ganghoin flashed through my mind one after another. The fleeting movement skills of the Heavenly Sword Master and the Little Heavenly Swordsman had long since taken root in my mind.

So that you don’t let go when you catch it.

Jeong Yeon-shin practiced seclusion in the world.

“You are my mirror. A broken mirror.”

He places his hand on the head of the invincible Socheon before it can materialize.

It was like the foreleg of a dragon, with the ring finger, little finger, index finger, and middle finger joined together to form three fingers, including the thumb.

Swish.

The hair that becomes slightly tangled as soon as you apply force to your grip.

Gotcha. Gotcha. Gotcha. Gotcha.

At that moment, a blue light leaked out from Jeongyeonshin’s eyes. The image of a young man worn down by the world exploded with the madness he had been holding back.

“Don’t come.”

[… … !]

The eyes of Socheonmujeok grew wide for the first time.

‘Poetry of the Eighth Law, Jeocho.’

Breaking the heavens.

Phew! Phew!

Her translucent body was shattered into pieces. The light wheel of the law, which had completely torn apart the true energy structure of the heteromorphic void, belatedly rumbled and let out a thunderous sound.

Between the strands of hair that were partially broken off, dark drops of blood flowed through the air like flower petals. The main body, which had not been able to move in time, was also hit.

“It was a mistake to bring me here. Now the school is in my hands. So you too… .”

Jeongyeonshin was shocked.

“You try losing too.”

Saaaaa―

The face of the invincible Socheon, covered in hazy smoke, turned pale with a shocked expression. It was only a moment before the pressure of the Cheonma Gunrimbo, which had been continuously ringing underground, disappeared.

Only Ju Gwang Shingae, Eo Woong Gong, and the Geom Seong on the bed remained with Jeong Yeon Shin.